Abstract: Apparatus for vulcanizing a continuous length of flexible material comprising a closed chamber having material receiving input and exit ports while maintaining vulcanization pressure and temperature within the chamber, and a pair of rolls mounted on parallel spaced-apart horizontal axes within the chamber such that a portion of the material passing into the chamber and carried by the rolls is self-supporting and free of any contact with either roll surface, the surface of at least one of the rolls being contoured such as to position helical convolutions of the material thereon and cause the material to move in a substantially helical path from the entry port to the exit port while it is being vulcanized within the chamber. A drive motor is connected to one of the rolls to effect rotation of the roll and movement of the material through the chamber.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing extruded thermoplastic material for use in siding by advancing the extrudate from the die member through a series of baths which size and shape the extrudate. The process sizes and cools the extrudate, and, thence, heat treats the extrudate followed by a final quenching of the extrudate in its final shape and size.

Abstract: Cooling apparatus for tubular plastics film made by a film blowhead has provision for air cooling and for replacement of the internal cooling air through a central aperture in the blowhead. The cooling apparatus comprises superposed cooling air supply rings having outlet apertures facing the inside of the film and apertures extending axially through the air supply rings for the passage of the cooling air from the lower into the higher air supply rings and radial apertures for withdrawing the cooling air that is blown out of the outlet apertures between the air supply rings. The air supply rings consist of superposed cylindrical rings interconnected by tubular webs that pass through the rings and form radial apertures, the rings being supported on one another at least by their inner ring portions and bounding an annular passage between each other.

Abstract: A pellet cooling system including a novel coolant cage construction and operational manner so as to insure the cooling of warm thermoplastic pellets as they emerge from a die head and are cut by rotating knives is disclosed. After cooling, as by entrainment in coolant flows simultaneously directed peripherally about the cage sides and radially across the front face thereof, the pellets are immediately withdrawn from the cage. Additionally, a feature of the coolant cage is the provision of a novel slinger for distributing a coolant flow evenly over its front face.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing concrete products comprising: storage apparatus for supplying raw materials; mixer assembly positioned to receive raw materials from the storage means and for mixing the raw materials with liquids to form a wet concrete mixture; receiver assembly adjacent the mixer assembly for receiving wet concrete mixture therefrom; mold assembly positioned to receive wet concrete mixture from the receiver assembly; and cubing assembly adjacent the mold assembly for successively receiving precured products from the mold assembly and stacking them in layers.

Abstract: Cooling an extruding thermoplastic tube by feeding the tube adjacent a cooling surface, maintaining a sheath of heat-transfer fluid between the tube and surface and preferentially cooling at least a selected area of the tube by transversely displacing the tube to decrease the thickness of the sheath between the selected area and the cooling surface. The invention is particularly suitable, for the production of thermoplastic films by orienting a cast tubular extrudate which has been cooled by means of an internal mandrel.

Abstract: A curing system including a curing press-post inflator combination wherein the tire moves through the curing and post inflation process under complete control at all times. The post inflator is mounted on the press frame and is aligned with the top mold section of the press in the full open position of the press. The upper or outside bead rim of the post inflator is removed by a mechanism operating, in part, independently of the press top mold section so that the post inflator can be closed and operational prior to the full closing of the press. A chuck in the top mold section not only holds the tire for stripping from the mold sections and bladder but retains control over the tire vertically to place the tire without dropping or any lateral movement on the aligned open bottom or inner bead rim of the post cure inflator.

Abstract: This invention makes extruded, vulcanized, high voltage cables insulated with thermosetting compounds at much higher rates of production and with superior insulation of reduced thickness and with reduced cavities or voids in the insulation. As the cable comes from an extruder, it passes into a curing chamber with a heat booster that quickly raises the insulation to a temperature at which it is cured much more quickly than with steam heating of the prior art. A high temperature liquid in contact with the insulation maintains the high temperature; and because of the greater curing heat, the cable can travel through the curing chamber at a faster rate and into a cooling tube where it contacts with a cooling liquid under high pressure. The insulation compound is treated to reduce the size of cavities; and the high pressure maintained by the curing and cooling mediums prevent expansion of cavities before the insulation is set.

Abstract: In a film blowhead for making tubular plastics film, internal cooling air is supplied through a central aperture in the blowhead to superposed cooling air supply rings which support the film on the inside and have outlet apertures facing the film as well as apertures extending axially therethrough for withdrawing the heated cooling air. A central tube is provided to supply the cooling air, the tube being connected to the air supply rings by radial air passages. The annular space between the central tube and the film blowhead and the air supply rings forms an annular passage for withdrawing the heated cooling air.

Abstract: In a strand forming machine wherein a polymeric strand in molten form is fed downward into and through an upright tube positioned below the surface of a liquid quenching medium in a container having a bottom and side walls, the improvement comprising a hollow element mounted in the container and surrounding the tube, the hollow element extending above the side wall of the container and having a channel extending outwardly over the wall of the container in such a manner that in the event the strand fails to pass through the tube the excess molten strand will accumulate in and flow outward through the channel to a location outside the container.

Abstract: A steel pipe is coated with resin at high temperature. After the temperature is lowered slightly below the softening point of the resin, the coated pipe is cut to length and then allowed to be cooled down to an ordinary temperature, meanwhile the resin is freely shrunk, leaving little residual strain in the cooled product coating.A cooling means for cooling the coating from the middle toward the ends in its longitudinal direction and a means for cooling the coating forcibly are provided.

Abstract: A preform of oriented plastic coated fibers is shaped by closing of a mold on the preform. The mold contains a molding space having substantially the final shape of the finished product. A peripheral space is provided in the mold at the edges of the molding space permitting substantially unrestricted movement of the preform into the molding space during the closing operation and providing a space for the edges of the preform during curing. The mold has mating mold members and one of the mold members has sloped lead-in surfaces at the edges of the molding surface for facilitating the movement of the preform into the molding space without distortion of the oriented fibers. The shaping may be done with at least part of the mold being heated and the curing in the mold is accomplished by locking the mold members together and applying heat to the mold.

Abstract: A process for continuously heat setting a tubular film of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate in a state expanded with a gaseous material and taking the heat set film up on a winder which comprises carrying out the heat setting in a heat setting chamber wherein the temperature is controlled so as to be initially in the range of about 220.degree. C.-240.degree. C. in the first zone of heat setting and thereafter declines to about 195.degree. C.-215.degree. C. in the final zone while the length of the film is increased about 2% - 7% and the diameter of the film is reduced about 5 - 15% from the corresponding dimensions of the film before heat setting, the film then being taken up by a rotary winder.

Abstract: An apparatus located alongside a multiplaten vulcanizing press in combination with a clamping device for stretching or tensioning elastomeric belt prior to closing the press, and maintaining the belt in alignment with the press platens while the press is closing to assure a uniform tensioning of the belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous curing (vulcanization) of elongated products, such as cables comprising a conductor surrounded by a mantle of a crosslinkable material. The apparatus comprises a curing tube through which the cable is passed longitudinally. The curing tube comprises a heating zone in which the cable is subjected to heating for heating the cable to curing temperature in a pressurized gas atmosphere and a subsequent cooling zone in which the cured cable is subjected to cooling. The curing tube is coupled to at least one electric currency source so that the wall of the curing tube is heated due to the electric resistance of the wall material to form within the heating zone a heated mantle uniformly surrounding the cable and radiating heat thereto.

Abstract: A plant for carrying out a process of continuous vulcanization of articles of elastomeric material comprises a vulcanization apparatus comprising a circuit for a heat exchange liquid. The circuit comprises a vulcanization chamber arranged to receive the heat exchange liquid, means for heating the liquid to a predetermined temperature, and means for generating a predetermined pressure in the circuit. The circuit has at least one inlet and one outlet to allow passage of articles through the chamber, seals disposed at the inlet and outlet to ensure tightness of the passage of articles through the inlet and outlet and means to prevent contact between the seals and the high temperature liquid contained under pressure within the circuit.

Abstract: A moulding apparatus including a pair of mould cavities with locking spue grooves, means to form moulded rubber article parts in the cavities, means to prework the rubber without substantial curing before it is formed, means to pressurize the mould with gas and means to bring the mould cavities together to join the article parts. The arrangement for pressurizing the mould includes a retractable casing which is movable between a position in which the mould cavities are enclosed to permit their pressurization and a position in which the cavities are accessible outside the casing.

Abstract: An injection molded parison is slightly preblown from the core rod and cooling water is then circulated both externally and internally on the parison so as to effect a rapid temperature decrease in the parison. The internal circulating cooling water initially passes through the core rod and then into contact with the parison. After circulating the water, a drying fluid is then circulated into contact with the parison to remove residual water. The method and apparatus of this invention are useful in controlling the cooling of certain thermoplastic parisons in which rapid cooling is necessary to achieve the desired crystal growth for subsequent biaxial or multiaxial orientation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a method for increasing the production of stretched flat film webs of thermoplastic material in which a melt of thermoplastic material is extruded from a slot die, the melt is solidified to form a film, the film is transversely stretched, the stretched film is heat-set, divided into narrower webs, and wound up, the improvement comprising extruding the melt from a slot die wider than the die normally employed for the production of a preliminary film, which usually corresponds to the width of a transverse stretching frame, dividing the melt in the longitudinal direction into at least two films, superposing the film webs, and transversely stretching said superposed webs. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the method.

Abstract: A cooker assembly for use in heat forming a discontinuous cross-section of mold extruded granular material. The cooker assembly has two frames pivotally connected at one end. A pair of hydraulic cylinders are interconnected between the frames for moving the two frames between opened and closed positions. The upper frame has a planar surface for engaging the upper surface of the material as it leaves the mold and is provided with longitudinal heaters for heating the materials as it passes through the cooker assembly. The lower frame has an uneven contoured surface closely approximating the lower surface of the material as it is extruded and heaters extending longitudinally therethrough for heating the material as it passes through the cooker assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming generally tubular pipe covering sections with overlapping edge portions from a sheet of elastomeric material. For relatively thin material thicknesses the material is rolled on a male mandrel to provide a plurality of spiral wraps and this roll is heated to a selected temperature between 120.degree. F and 150.degree. F for at least 12 hours to effect a set in the roll. Selected lengths of the sheet material are cut from the roll to provide tubular pipe covering sections of a selected circumferential size. For relatively thick material thicknesses with substantial rigidity, a continuous roll of the material is cut transversely along its length to form a series of blanks. The length of the blank is established by the width of the roll and the width of the blank is selected according to the diameter of the pipe or insulated pipe to be covered.

Abstract: A plurality of groups of mandrels are arranged for movement successively through a plurality of workstations with each group being worked on at a station while other groups are being worked on simultaneously at other stations to produce continuously automatically groups of retractile cords. Cordage is fed from a supply into clamping engagement with each of the mandrels in the group in a cord-loading position and then wound in a plurality of spaced-apart convolutions on each of the mandrels of that group after which the wound cords are severed from the cordage supplies. The wound cords are advanced incrementally through a heating zone, wherein the cords are exposed to radiant heating supplemented by preheating of the mandrels while cordage is being wound on the next successive groups of mandrels.

Abstract: A vulcanizing device in which a member is enclosed in an extruder device and the enclosed member is vulcanized at a predetermined pressure in a vulcanizing tube connected to the extruder device, wherein the vulcanizing tube is placed at a distance from the extrusion device, a sealing device is positioned directly before and coaxially to the vulcanizing tube, the length of the sealing device being less than the said distance, the sealing device contains a sealing housing, whose interior has spaced radial guiding elements which have coaxial openings for the passage of the enclosed member and divide the interior of the sealing housing into individual chambers lying axially behind each other, the sealing housing has an inlet opening between the ends, which is connected as a locking medium to a source, of which the pressure is arranged to be somewhat higher than the pressure in the vulcanizing tube, and the chambers are connected to outlet openings in the sealing housing, which are connected to throttled discharge

Abstract: An apparatus adapted for continuously vulcanizing elastomeric hose comprises a tubular, helically extending vulcanizing chamber with an entrance for unvulcanized hose at one end and an exit for vulcanized hose at the other end. Means are provided to circulate fluid at elevated temperatures and pressures through the chamber thereby transporting the hose therethrough while simultaneously providing the heat and pressure required for satisfactory vulcanization. Special sealing means are provided to permit the flaccid hose structure continuous entry to the chamber while effectively preventing escape of pressurized fluid contained therein.

Abstract: A web of unvulcanized rubber or other curable material moves intermittently in generally horizontal passes through several superposed stages of a multiplaten press by way of a pair of stretching stations flanking the press, each stretching station including a clamp and, with three or more curing stages, at least one deflection roller for the web. Each clamp has at least two jaws which are closable around one or more web passes and, together with the associated deflection roller or rollers, initially hold these passes substantially on the level of the midplanes of the spaces between the open press platens. From this position the jaws and rollers are jointly displaceable in a vertical direction (e.g. downwardly), after a stretching of the web by an outward movement of the clamps and/or the rollers, into a position in which the several passes come to rest simultaneously on the heated platens between movable spacing strips. The platens thereupon successively close in the opposite vertical direction (e.g.

Abstract: The cooling device consists of a plurality of cooling elements which are arranged in such a manner that they surround the tubular sheeting without interspace. Cooling elements with plane inner surface alternate with cooling elements with curved inner surface, the plane surfaces and the projections of the curved surfaces each have the shape of a regular trapezoid. The cooling elements can be adjusted to the diameter of the tubular sheeting in transverse as well as in oblique direction with respect to the axis of the hollow space formed by the cooling elements.

Abstract: Polymeric film is stretched by pulling the film over a first roller which is heated and over a second roller which is cooled, the second roller rotating at a greater peripheral speed than the first roller. The necking-in of the film in the gap between the two rollers is considerably reduced if a heat-transfer liquid is applied betwen marginal portions only of the film and the corresponding peripheral portions of the second, cooled, roller.

Abstract: A molded plastic fixture holds an end of a telephone wire cord wound on a mandrel to retain the cord in position during subsequent heat processing. The mandrel fits into a bore in the fixture and an angled arm extending from one side holds a band spacer and strain relief member at the end of the cord. An opposite side of the fixture includes a channel to receive cords with no strain relief member. A manually adjustable screw clamps the end of the mandrel within the bore of the fixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for thermally conditioning a blowable shape or parison, prior to blow molding, so that a subsequent blowing operation can be carried out under conditions conducive to bi-axial orientation in the final blown article.More specifically, the parison is formed by conventional techniques, such as free extrusion or injection molding. The parison is then enclosed in a heat exchange chamber, having interior walls spaced substantially uniformly from the exterior of the parison, and the parison is exposed to a fluid heat transfer agent, so that the parison temperature is adjusted to that temperature at which the parison, upon expansion, will become bi-axially oriented. The fluid agent can either heat or cool the parison to the desired temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus for air-cooling blown tubular thermoplastic film downstream of a position where the film has already solidified comprises a ring having air outlets directed onto the tubular film, the ring comprising a plurality of blow pipes which are pivotally interconnected in pairs at adjacent ends and hinged at their other ends to holding elements which are radially adjustable with respect to the tubular film. The hinge axes at the holding elements are disposed so that the blow pipes form a uniform polygon and the lengths of the individual pipes is such that, when the holding elements are at their radially outermost adjustment, the pipes extend in an obtuse angled zig-zag line circumferentially of the tubular film.