Abstract:
The mandrel has a cantilever-type mounting and includes a rotatable longitudinally slit tubular steel shell providing a molding surface on which thermosetting resin and glass fiber reinforcing material may be deposited to form tank bodies or pipe. A row of pneumatic actuators mounted inside the shell and spaced axially thereof includes piston rods attached to the shell along the slit on one side thereof. Retraction of the piston rods collapses the shell, which is flexible over the greater portion of its periphery and supported in the flexible portion by a plurality of rows of pivotable turnbuckle connectors or support rods, for removal of a cured tank body or pipe.
Abstract:
A machine and method are provided employing an elongate mandrel supported at one end and unsupported at its opposite end and apparatus carried by the mandrel and being movable therealong between the opposite ends with the apparatus supporting material wound thereon to define a length of the tubular conduit and moving out of supporting relation once the conduit moves axially beyond the opposite end, and the mandrel comprises a fixed helical structure supported concentrically around a central part which is rotatable therewithin and with the helical structure defining a helical groove along the mandrel with a plurality of members defining the apparatus and being operatively connected to the central part and movable within the groove upon rotation of the central part with the members supporting material helically wound thereon and moving out of supporting relation by falling within the length of conduit at the opposite end.
Abstract:
A composite structure includes a grid having filaments built up in a stacked arrangement in rows with the rows crossing at nodes where the filaments of the crossing rows are interlaced. None of the filaments passes directly through any node, but instead the filaments of each row pass to the sides of a central area in the node with half being on one side of the central area and half being on the other side. The filament lay-up around the nodes is such that only two filaments cross at any one location thus equalizing filament build-up at the nodes and webs. The stacked array of filaments is impregnated with a resin, which may be applied to the filaments before or after the lay-up, and the resin upon being cured forms a hard matrix in which the filaments are embedded. Preferably, the rows of filaments assume three different orientations, with those orientations being at 60.degree. angles with respect to each other. Moreover, at each node the rows of all three orientations intersect so that the rows delineate voids having the shape of equilateral triangles. The grid may be flat, substantially flat, or concave or it may be tubular. Other orientations for the rows of filaments are possible.The filaments of a flat grid structure may be laid into place with a computer controlled plotting or drafting machine fitted with an applicator head which passes over a surface area having pin-like nodal elements arranged in rows corresponding to the rows for the filaments. The applicator head includes a needle and a supply of filament, with the latter being threaded into the former and emerging therefrom at the surface area. The plotter moves the applicator head such that its needle moves along the rows of nodal elements, and as it does, the filament pays out of the needle. The filaments for a tubular grid structure may be laid into the crossing rows by a machine which braids, wraps or winds the filaments about a mandrel and between the nodes. The mandrel outwardly from the nodal elements is provided with rotatable orienting pins which deflect the filaments to the proper sides of the nodal elements.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for making hollow, resin-impregnated fibrous fabric articles. Specifically, it relates to a method wherein a reusable mandrel is made sufficiently rigid to receive a lay-up of the article to be manufactured. The rigidized assembly is placed within a female mold, derigidized and expanded to apply pressure from within, thereby forcing the lay-up against the interior of the mold. Heat is applied to cure the resin, producing an article having a very high degree of dimensional accuracy.
Abstract:
A pair of coupling collars are fixed on each end of a tubular mandrel. Each such collar carries a plurality of fixed bolt-hole sleeves projecting in a direction axially of the hose. Layers of rubber tape and continuous steel reinforcing cords are sequentially wound in a helical fashion on the mandrel and at the collar are brought radially out along the collar and circumferentially over at least one of the bolt-hole sleeves before passing back over the next tape layer to the other collar where the collar securing winding is repeated and so on until the required structure is built up. After the final outer tape layer is in place a split collar is placed over the hose and bolted on the inside of each of the fixed outer coupling collars to clamp the windings in place. The section is finished off by laying down tape layer seals over the area between the collars. The mandrel with its green hose section is then kettle-cured. Before shipping, polyurethane foam filled float collars of ABS are attached to the section.In this system of installing couplings, the outer coupling collars are held in place by the tension in the continuous cords.
Abstract:
Reinforced plastic tapered tubular rod products and the method and apparatus for producing the same. Tapered steel mandrels of desired length and cross-sectional shape are connected in endwise alignment to form a continuously moving mandrel structure. The mandrels each have an enlarged head and a tapered nose at the opposite end thereof so that the nose extends into a recess formed in the enlarged head of the next proceeding mandrel. These mandrels are fed through a multiplicity of winding wheels in which filament containing strands issued from spools on the wheels are helically wound upon the mandrels. The winding wheels are individually programmable so that the geometry of the reinforcement can be varied ply by ply to obtain the desired longitudinal thickness and the desired torsional stiffness in the end product. The mandrels are held in their endwise connected alignment and retained between the winding wheels by an upper feeding mechanism in the form of an upper conveyor and a lower conveyor located respectively above and below the winding wheels. The lower sets of winding wheels are provided with shrink tapes which are wound about the outer surface of the reinforcement fibers applied to the reinforcement bands wound on the mandrels. The mandrels are thereafter separated from each other and in such manner that the reinforced plastic products which are resin impregnated and finally cured can be removed from the mandrels and thereupon used in the final end products.
Abstract:
An apparatus for supporting a sheathing material comprises a mandrel containing magnetically conductive material, and a plurality of spaced magnets. The magnets contain aligned circular apertures. The mandrel is centered within the apertures by a magnetic field applied substantially uniformly around the periphery of the mandrel. The mandrel is thus supported in a freely suspended manner. Sheathing material can be inserted onto the freely suspended mandrel and advanced freely therealong so as to be treated while mounted on the mandrel.
Abstract:
Very light weight containers are made of synthetic resin reinforced by fiber material, such as glass fibers or carbon fibers, by first manufacturing a hollow dimensionally precise core having the shape of the container and including access openings at each end of the container. The composite material is then applied to the prefabricated core and after the setting of the composite material the core is either completely or partially removed by chemical means, which are pumped through the inside of the container to etch away the core, which is, for example, made of aluminum. A very controlled and precise core removal may be accomplished in this manner.
Abstract:
The invention pertains to a method for forming a construction member of glass fiber elements impregnated with a hardened resin. The method includes the interposing of elongated, high density, glass fiber rods consisting of a plurality of longitudinally disposed glass fibers bonded together with a hardened binder resin while under tension between layers of glass fiber fabric impregnated with a hardenable resin. The resin of the fabric impregnates the interstices between the rods forming a high strength integral, homogeneous, bonded member. The method of the invention is used to form plank type members of linear or curved configuration wherein a mold is usually utilized.
Abstract:
A device for temporarily providing an air seal within an advancing pipe permits cutting off a length of the pipe from the continuously manufactured product without the loss of air pressure within the pipe, and thereby the continuous manufacturing process need not be interrupted.