Abstract: A method of forming a hollow reinforced fiber structure includes the steps of providing fiber reinforced material around a flexible expandable member and placing the resulting package inside of a mold which includes inner surfaces conforming to the shape of the structure being formed. A second expandable means is included in the mold on both sides of the package. After the mold is closed, pressure is applied to force the second expandable means against the fiber reinforced material. Resin is injected into the fiber reinforced material. The pressure is then decreased in the second expandable means as inflatable member is expanded to force the fiber material to conform to the inner surfaces of the mold. The fiber material is then cured to form the structure.

Abstract: A viscoelastic fluid molding material (50) is injected into a tire tread cavity (32) between the mold (10) and an inflatable tread supporting body (30). The clearance distance (A) between the mold (10) and the inflatable tread supporting body (30) is varied to increase the flow of the initial amount of fluid molding material (50) into remote portions of the tire tread cavity (32) and provide for the flow of the final amount of fluid molding material (50) into gate portions (52) while the tread supporting body (30) is being deflected.Circumferentially spaced gates (76) may be spaced from the centerplane (20"--20") of the mold (10") and have runners (80) extending toward the shoulders of the tread supporting body (30") for increased flow of the initial amount of fluid molding material (50") into remote shoulder portions (52") of the tread cavity (32").

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for fabricating an internally coated pipeline for transporting corrosive and/or erosive materials in which the pipe sections are joined by welding. The pipe sections are first internally pre-coated to the exclusion of a length at each end that is affected by the heat of welding the sections together. After the weld has been made between adjacent pipe sections, an expansible and retractable mold is positioned in the area of the weld joint to define an injection cavity between the pre-coating ends. A coating material is injected into the cavity. The mold can then be retracted and moved to another weld joint where the process is repeated.

Abstract: This invention is generally accomplished by providing continuous self-adhesive strands of elastic to a substrate having retractable supports extending therefrom. The retractable supports in a convex pattern are contracted with the self-adhering elastic and the substrate bearing the elastic and supports is brought into contact with the web to which the elastic is to be transferred. The series of supports around which the elastic contacts are forced to retract as the self-adhering elastic is pressed against the web causing the elastic to transfer to the substrate thereby creating an elastic band on the substrate. In a preferred form the substrate is fed two strips of self-adhering elastic that are applied on each side of a series of a convex pattern of pins and then pressed together around opposing sides of the convex pattern of pins to seal the elastic to itself and sever the elastic, creating a contoured closed loop around the pins.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the manufacture, by winding of filamentary material, of a hollow envelope of elongate shape the profile of which evolves along its longitudinal direction. An apparatus for this purpose comprises a deformable mandrel over which the filamentary material is wound, a mould in which the mandrel carrying the winding is enclosed, and a device for flattening the envelope so produced against the walls of a cavity in a mould. The cavity wall is in the shape of the external surface of the requried envelope. The deformable mandrel comprises a rigid core and a flexible wall which is movable with respect to the core to press the winding against the wall of the mould cavity. A device may be provided for ensuring the relaxation of the tension of the threads of the winding produced when the flexible wall is in its position pressing the envelope against the wall of the cavity.

Abstract: A flexible rubber boot that transmits molding pressure to the inner surface of the structure to be molded is placed on a support fixture. The boot is held in place by a vacuum applied between the fixture and the boot. Prepregs are laid up on the boot to the desired depth and in a desired configuration. A female mold assembly, consisting of two sections, is then placed over the prepreg material and sealed to the boot. A vacuum is applied to the sealed region between the mold and boot, compressing the material against the interior of the mold that defines the outer surface of the structure. The assembly of boot, mold, and material is then placed in an autoclave. After the material has cured, the finished structure is separated from the mold and boot. The tooling is reusable and the process completed easily, allowing the efficient fabrication of structure having smooth inner and outer surfaces.

Abstract: A bucket-shaped container having a rim opening smaller than the diameter of the side wall thereof is injected molded from thermoplastic material using a die set including a molding core which collapses to allow axial removal of the molded container from the mold. The molding core comprises a plurality of individual, wedge-shaped outer core sections which collectively form a continuous molding surface and are slideably mounted on a tapered inner core to allow axial sliding movement of the outer core section relative to the inner core. The sliding movement of the outer core sections on the inner core is provided by a plurality of keylocks which are fixedly secured in corresponding axial keyways in the inner core and which slideably engage corresponding axial keyways in the outer core sections.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing an integral housing includes an inner and outer mold. A plurality of frames having plastic sheets are joined together to form the inner mold when pressurized inside of a rigid outer mold. The edges of the plastic sheets are sealed to prevent leakage of pressure.

Abstract: A machine for filling a plurality of via holes in a workpiece comprises a hollow member having an open face; a masking member covering the face and having a plurality of holes which are arranged across the face such that they match the via holes in the workpiece; a diaphragm inside of the hollow member having a front surface that forms a first cavity with the masking member for receiving a high viscosity conductive ink and having a back surface that forms a second cavity with the hollow member; a means for holding the workpiece against the masking member such that their respective holes are aligned; and an orifice in the hollow member for introducing a fluid under pressure into the second cavity and against the back surface of the diaphragm to thereby squeeze a portion of the high viscosity ink through the holes of the masking member and into the holes of the workpiece.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously forming pizza crusts, particularly deep dish pizza crusts having substantially vertical sidewalls, in pizza pans of corresponding shape. A ribbon of deep dish pizza dough is formed and superimposed on a conveyor comprising flights including upstanding cutting rings within which pizza pans to be filled are disposed. A roller passing over the cutting rings severs dough disks disposed within each cutting ring; the dough disks drop into each pizza pan. Each pan is then registered with a diaphragm which is inflated to urge each dough disk into intimate conformity with the pan, then the diaphragm is withdrawn from the pan, leaving a finished crust. A carriage periodically moves the diaphragm in the contra-machine direction to engage the following flight. The pans are then removed from the conveyor flights to recover pan and pizza crust assemblies.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the economic and controlled application of grout at each of a series of joints in a pipeline. A short cylindrical tube is positioned in said pipeline opposite one joint at a time. The tube has an outer wall somewhat smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the pipeline. The tube has an inner rigid portion and an outer flexible portion bonded to the rigid portion only at each end. There is a through opening at about the axial center of the tube, and the flexible portion only also has a cavity therein at the same place spaced from the through opening and filled with liquid by a flexible conduit sealed to it and extending into the tube's interior to a pressure gauge. Air is sent in between the flexible and rigid portions to swell the flexible portion and urge its outer wall into contact with the inner wall of the pipeline on each side of a joint, thereby sealing off that space.

Abstract: A method and device for manufacturing a record carrier is disclosed in which a liquid moulding resin is deposited in a cavity formed in the surface of a mould which also has at least one data track. Thereafter a flexible substrate, having a central projection, is deformed into a convex shape and is pressed against the moulding resin. As the projection on the substrate enters the mating cavity in the mold, the resin is squeezed out of the cavity and rolled out across the mould surface by the substrate which is flattened into a planar form during the pressing step. The moulding resin is then cured and the assembly of the substrate with attached, cured resin layer is removed from the mould.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing the socket portion of a plastics pipe provided with a sealing ring by pushing said sealing ring on a mandrel and by locking it thereto whereupon the heated end of said plastics pipe is pushed onto said mandrel and said sealing ring. Hereafter, the locking of said sealing ring is released, and the pipe and the ring therein a removed from the mandrel.In order to facilitate this removal operation, a mandrel having an adjustable diameter is used, the mantle surface of said mandrel being provided with peripheral grooves into which shoulders in said sealing ring fit for locking said ring to said mandrel for the duration of the socket forming.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous extrusion of tubular sections of thermoplastic material having a smooth inner surface and an annularly finned outer surface defined by alternating ribs and grooves. The apparatus comprises a die assembly made up of an outer die part and an inner die plunger. Two sets of chills define in combination a casting cavity having alternating grooves and ribs both having circular cross sections. The radius of the cross section of the grooves is smaller than that of the ribs, preferably the radius of the ribs ranges between 1.25-1.35 times greater than the radius of the grooves. For their displacement along closed loop paths the chills are provided with racks and their back sides are in meshing engagement with gears. A smoothing mandrel is provided in line with the die plunger and is cooled by a cooling fluid.

Abstract: There is disclosed a core for use in casting a long concrete slab for forming a continuous hole extending alnog its length. The core comprises a relatively rigid, resilient elongated hollow body having closed opposite ends, and a contractible filling member made of an open-cell foamed material and filled in said hollow body. Also disclosed is a method of casting a long hollow concrete slab, using a core having the construction as aforesaid.

Abstract: The procedure is actuated by the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, part B of the mold of which, relatively movably, holds an elastically deformable chamber C which is caused to expand by a fluid under pressure. Into cavity A1 of relatively fixed mold A textile reinforcement D and some liquid resin is placed. If the product to be molded has projecting parts A1, part B is provided with pushers 12 having shaped ends 14, actuated by a pressurized fluid to push forward a part of woven armor D into cavity A4 before causing chamber C to expand. When this condition occurs, the liquid resin is pressed into the structure of reinforcement D and, in solidifying, takes on the shape of cavity A1 of the mold.

Abstract: An inflatable core for use in forming a thermal break in a metal frame for a door and/or window by moulding and curing thermal barrier material, such as resin, in two parallel, laterally spaced, elongate gaps defined between respective pairs of confronting elongate surfaces of the inner and outer frame elements which when assembled form a box-section member. The gaps are converted into respective mould cavities for the resin by the pressure of shoes against the elements adjacent the respective gaps to close one side thereof, the shoes being removed only after the resin has cured to leave the finished thermal break. The shoes are carried on opposite walls of a laterally expansible tube which is inserted into the box-section and is expanded to press "non-stick" surfaces of the shoes against the respective gaps ready for the moulding and curing of resin therein, while maintaining the gap dimensions.

Abstract: A polymer-impregnated concrete product is obtained by placing a concrete mix in a frame capable of withstanding high temperature and high pressure in such a manner as to form therein a hollow portion, molding the concrete mix to obtain a concrete article containing a hollow portion therein, causing the concrete article as held in a tightly closed state in the frame to be cured by application of heat, subjecting the concrete article, as retained in the frame, to treatments for drying and deaeration, then supplying a monomer preparation to the hollow portion of the concrete article, applying pressure to bear upon the concrete article thereby causing the monomer preparation to be diffused into the fine voids in the concrete article, and heating the concrete article in situ thereby allowing the diffused monomer to be polymerized.

Abstract: A solar water tank for use in solar heating systems includes an insulated tank with flow systems comprised of a plurality of inlet and outlet tubes, heat exchangers, level switch and supplemental heating element, all assembled together with the manway cover for the tank in a unitary embodiment. The tank also includes a layer of polyurethane foam insulation on its interior surface. Forming apparatus for placing the insulation layer in the tank includes a flexible synthetic membrane in the form of an enclosed bag adapted for positioning in the interior of the tank.

Abstract: A mold for molding a boot or similar footwear from an elastomeric composition and simultaneously lining the footwear with a fabric, has first and second shells each having a cavity which complements the cavity of the other to form a large cavity which corresponds to the upstanding sides of the footwear and a third shell which has a cavity corresponding to the sole thereof. The three shells are assembled together with a rigid core member enclosed therein which defines the inside of the boot. The core member has an elastically expandable casing. Conduits are arranged in the core member for conveying a fluid under pressure to expand the casing.

Abstract: A press is disclosed for forming and shaping from ceramic powder articles ving a perimetrical leg-like portion. The press has an upper die and a lower mold, the latter having a central cavity closed at the top by a flexible membrane for receiving ceramic powder thereon. When the upper die closes on the mold, the membrane flexes to fit against the inside of the mold chamber. The mold chamber has flexible membrane walls which are forced inwardly by fluid pressure to shape and compress the perimetrical portions of the blank and upon release of the fluid pressure withdraw to permit removal of the finished blank.

Abstract: An expandable core for forming an internal recess in a molded part, composed of a stationary core pin having a generally conical outer surface and a segmented sleeve composed of two groups of lateral slides disposed around the pin with the slides of one group alternating with the slides of the other group. The conicity of the pin outer surface and the slide guidance along the pin are identical for all slides of the same group but are different from one group to the other.

Abstract: A brick press is disclosed having a turntable carrying a plurality of molds angularly spaced from each other and having equipment associated therewith establishing a plurality of series of operating stations, each series including at least a precompression station, a compression station and an ejection station. The molds carried by the turntable are provided with replaceable liners. A material handling and feed system is also disclosed, providing for preparation of particulate or granular materials to be charged into the molds.