Abstract: A heating furnace is used in a drawing device for drawing a base material made of plastic. The base material is fed into the heating furnace, melted under heat and drawn into a plastic optical fiber. The heating furnace is divided into a pre-heating zone located upstream and a heat-melting zone located downstream in the advancing direction of the base material and of the plastic optical fiber made therefrom. The preheating zone includes a pre-heater for pre-heating the base material, while the heat-melting zone includes a melting heater for melting the base material. Both zones are controllable independently so as to give an appropriate temperature for each zone.

Abstract: A capsule-making system for the manufacture of capsules for pharmaceutical use includes an elevator for manipulating and uniformly heating a plurality of vertically stacked pin bars prior to dipping. The heated elevator station is positioned before the dipping station as part of the capsule-making machine. The elevator comprises a series of vertically stacked pin bars. A series of oil lines carrying hot oil is provided is within the elevator such that each of the pin bars is evenly heated. More than one elevator (i.e., more than one pin bar stack) may be situated in a side-by-side manner. Each elevator stack is selectively moved up or down by means of one or more hydraulic cylinders.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating and blending thermoplastic material prior to delivering the material into the barrel of an extruder. The apparatus, has an elongated housing which contains two intermeshing feed screws that are driven to rotate in the same direction. Controlled heating is provided by electric band heaters which encircle the exterior of the housing, and electric cartridge heating elements fitted into aluminum cores that are received by an axial bore in each of the feed screws.

Abstract: A tire vulcanization apparatus in which an encaser 3 makes it possible to introduce a tire into a mold 1 and, by means of inductors 42, transfers to the mold heat energy necessary for vulcanization and in which a chamber 5 receives several molds 1 and makes it possible to maintain each mold insulated from the environment in order to limit heat losses during the time necessary for the vulcanization.

Abstract: Underground pipelines that carry wastewater, water, natural gas, and industrial fluids deteriorate with age. This invention is a process and apparatus for installing a thermoplastic liner in a dry pipeline to accomplish in situ rehabilitation. It involves extruding a tube of thermoplastic liner material within the interior of a dried and preheated pipeline in situ, said tube having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said pipeline. The tube is next expanded so that the outside diameter of said tube is substantially equal to the inside diameter of said pipeline. The expanded tube is then cooled and hardened in a liner configuration.

Abstract: A device for melting matter by immersion in a heated vat which includes a basket articulated with respect to a base containing the vat. The basket is resiliently urged upwardly from the vat as a lid covering the basket is raised and members are provided for retaining the basket in its raised position, wherein the basket obstructs access to the vat.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing road vehicle tires, whereby a toroidal forming mold, housing a finished green tire, is fed successively through a first preheating station where peripheral heating elements preheat the tread portion of the green tire; through a second curing station where the tire is cured; and through a third postinflation station where the tire, fitted to a tubular support and removed from the mold, is engaged by a cooling element for cooling the bead portions of the tire.

Abstract: A method for temperature conditioning a blank of plastic material in which a conditioning mandrel is placed within the blank and thereafter expanded into reliable abutment against the inner surface of the blank. The mandrel is thereafter returned to its initial position. The outer surface of the mandrel is adjusted to and maintained at a certain temperature, whereby, during the abutment, an energy exchange takes place between the blank and the mandrel for adjusting the temperature of the blank. At high temperatures of the mandrel, the mandrel is displaced out of the blank after such short time that the plastic material in the region of the abutment surface never passes the critical temperature of tackiness of the plastic material and/or thermal crystallization of the plastic material. As a rule, the expansion and contraction of the mandrel is repeated one or more times.

Abstract: A method for making improved surface profile composite structures containing crystalline thermoplastic materials involves employing individual glass filaments and molding with a hot mold insert. The method provides composites having smooth surfaces suitable for automotive applications.

Abstract: A method of molding a plastic-backed carpet blank to a desired shape uses a minimum of work force and carpet material. The method utilizes a portable frame assembly having an open rack with yieldable holding clamps. The holding clamps are used to suspend a plastic-backed carpet blank in the rack. The frame assembly has a set of wheeled legs which allows it to be readily transported between work stations such as a heating zone and a molding zone. The yieldable holding clamps maintain the carpet under constant tension during the molding zone to result in a high quality molded carpet.

Abstract: A method of preheating, curing and stabilizing vehicle tires, whereby, just before being subjected to curing a first green tire (3) is preheated simultaneously with the stabilization of a second cured tire (6), thus using the heat given off by the second tire (6) as it is being stabilized.

Abstract: A method for temperature conditioning a blank of plastic material in which a conditioning mandrel is placed within the blank and thereafter expanded into reliable abutment against the inner surface of the blank. The mandrel is thereafter returned to its initial position. The outer surface of the mandrel is adjusted to and maintained at a certain temperature, whereby, during the abutment, an energy exchange takes place between the blank and the mandrel for adjusting the temperature of the blank. At high temperatures of the mandrel, the mandrel is displaced out of the blank after such short time that the plastic material in the region of the abutment surface never passes the critical temperature of tackiness of the plastic material and/or thermal crystallization of the plastic material. As a rule, the expansion and contraction of the mandrel is repeated one or more times.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a foot-shaped layer, such as an insole member of a shoe. The apparatus includes a top plate having an opening of a predetermined area and mutually adjacent bar-like measuring elements supported in an individually vertically movable manner under frictional resistance within the opening. A heating chamber is provided adjacent to the top plate for heating a sheet of thermoplastic therein to a plasticized state. In accordance with the method, a plasticized sheet of the film is placed on the opening so as to cover the upper end surfaces of the measuring elements so that upon stepping on the sheet with a foot, the film is molded to the shape of the foot. The molded film is then cooled and cut along the outline of the foot to obtain a layer which may be used to define the shape of an insole member.

Abstract: Polymerized foam material in flat billet form is enclosed in a heat-retaining envelope and heated to forming temperature then promptly loaded into an innovative unheated forming press and accurately formed before cooling below forming temperature. The heat-retaining envelope has an expansive skin on one side and a contractive skin on the other side to facilitate bending without wrinkling or other distortion. The forming press utilizes a rigid male form punch and a spring-tensioned elastic belt, supported on a pair of variably-spaced rollers, initially presenting a flat compliant surface upon which the heated workpiece is placed. Pressure from the form punch progressively deflects the workpiece and the belt, which becomes a compliant mold member conforming itself and the workpiece progressively around the form punch to yield an article of required carved shape, free of wrinkles or tool creep distortions.

Abstract: The plastic molded article is produced by heating a mold by contact with a preheated salt bath. The salt bath is readily maintained at a uniform temperature and is self-insulating for energy efficiency. A noncontact infrared sensor monitors the mold cavity temperature while in the salt bath, and the mold is removed from the bath when the proper mold temperature is reached. A charge of plastic powder is introduced into the mold by clamping the mold to a powder slush box with the mold cavity confronting the opening of the box. The mold and box are then simultaneously rotated to pour the plastic charge into the mold. The plastic charge forms a skin on the cavity surface and additional plastic material may be built up to provide additional thickness. The mold and box are then separated; the mold is then postcured and cooled, whereupon the finished article may be removed from the mold.

Abstract: An improved process for incorporating glass fibers into a thermoplastic synthetic resin wherein the glass fibers are continuously mixed with a molten thermoplastic synthetic resin and the resulting mixture is shaped into a desired article, involves preheating the glass fibers to a temperature not more than the melting point of the synthetic resin, feeding the preheated glass fibers and the molten synthetic resin separately to a premixing chamber, intermixing the resin and fibers within the chamber and thereafter introducing the resultant premix continously and directly into a two-stage degasifying screw-type extruder for effecting further homogenization of the premix and for extruding the desired article. The two-stage degasifying screw-type extruder used for carrying out this process is provided with a screw having a constant screw pitch in the two stages and in each stage with a low pressure zone and a high pressure zone in succession.

Abstract: An extruder for polymeric materials, comprising a housing forming a mastication stage with one or more feedscrews, includes a preheating and premixing stage with a cylindrical chamber centered on a vertical axis which is eccentrically traversed by a supply passage for the feeding of polymeric material to the mastication stage. The chamber, which is heated from the outside, contains two mixing wheels jointly rotatable about the axis, each wheel having a plurality of raker arms projecting from a hub to the chamber periphery in an off-radial direction and with a tilt causing the arms of the upper wheel to draw incoming fresh material toward the axis and down into the orbit of the arms of the lower wheels which in turn drive the material toward the periphery and, to the extent that an outlet port leading to the mastication stage is obstructed, back into the orbit of the arms of the upper wheel for recirculation.

Abstract: A method of thermoforming comprising providing a continuous sheet of thermoplastic polymeric foam, transporting said sheet through an atmosphere of at least predominantly steam at a temperature of at least 215.degree. F. maintaining said sheet in said atmosphere for a time sufficient to cause a decrease in the density thereof; thereafter while under the influence of said temperature, deforming at least a portion of said sheet to a predetermined shape and while so deformed, cooling the same to cause retention of said shape and a system for carrying out said method.

Abstract: An extruder for thermoplastic or elastomeric materials has a mastication stage with one or more feedscrews preceded by a preheating zone in which the incoming bulk material is circulated and possibly recirculated by two screw-type conveyor members or augers in a loop within a heated extension of the extruder housing. The augers may be counterrotatingly disposed in two juxtaposed cylindrical compartments or may be coaxially nested and corotating with opposite pitch.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating materials, such as solid, particulate material, wherein the particulate material is introduced into a heat transfer medium, the density of such medium being different from that of the particulate material and the temperature of such medium being higher than that of the particulate material when so introduced. The particulate material, the individual particles of which are preferably introduced separately, travels through the medium and becomes heated thereby to a generally flowable state. The flowable particles of the particulate material thereupon leave the fluid and coalesce to form a flowable mass thereof external to the heat transfer medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing insulated electric wire of the enamelled-wire type wherein an insulating sheath adhering to the wire is formed by extrusion of selected thermoplastics which are heated to a temperature above their melting-point, then pressed onto the wire while in a fluid state. The extrusion apparatus includes a gauging die with a compressing cone having an aperture angle of from 2.degree. to 20.degree., preferably 7.degree..

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for heating thermoplastic parisons to a substantially uniform temperature across their wall thickness prior to a blow molding operation. The parisons are rotated about their longitudinal axes while being conveyed adjacent a thermal conditioning means, which includes vertically spaced radiant heating elements and a gaseous cooling source. The heating elements radiate infra-red rays having a wave length to penetrate and heat the full thickness of the parison wall; whereas the gaseous cooling source directs a stream of air onto the surface of the parison facing the heating elements to prevent the parison surface from being overheated. Additionally, each of the heating elements may be individually regulated so that the parisons can be differentially heated along their axes to control the wall thickness of the final blown articles.

Abstract: An energy saving and material conserving apparatus is provided for expanding and molding expandable thermoplastic polymer particles. Especially significant is the ability to produce molded objects of generally uniform density in the higher density range in the order of 4 - 15 pounds per square inch, or greater, as well as lower density molded objects due to improved control of the particle expansion.The particles are partially expanded in a vessel in a heated substantially dry atmosphere and agitated in a manner to provide uniform heating thereof. After an initial heating period to soften and partially expand the particles they are subjected to superatmospheric pressure to substantially prevent further expansion and are discharged and conveyed to a mold for further expansion therein.

Abstract: An energy saving and material conserving method and apparatus are provided for expanding and molding expandable thermoplastic polymer particles. Especially significant is the ability to produce molded objects of generally uniform density in the higher density range in the order of 4-15 pounds per square inch, or greater, as well as lower density molded objects due to improved control of the particle expansion.The particles are partially expanded in a vessel in a heated substantially dry atmosphere and agitated in a manner to provide uniform heating thereof. After an initial heating period to soften and partially expand the particles they are subjected to superatmospheric pressure to substantially prevent further expansion and are discharged and conveyed to a mold for further expansion therein.