CA1071522A - Method and apparatus for manufacture of insulating sleeves - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for manufacture of insulating sleevesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1071522A CA1071522A CA226,985A CA226985A CA1071522A CA 1071522 A CA1071522 A CA 1071522A CA 226985 A CA226985 A CA 226985A CA 1071522 A CA1071522 A CA 1071522A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tube
- mandrel
- oven
- heated
- sleeve
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L59/00—Thermal insulation in general
- F16L59/02—Shape or form of insulating materials, with or without coverings integral with the insulating materials
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C53/00—Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
- B29C53/56—Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally
- B29C53/58—Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically
- B29C53/60—Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Moulding By Coating Moulds (AREA)
- Insulating Bodies (AREA)
- Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
- Rigid Pipes And Flexible Pipes (AREA)
- Making Paper Articles (AREA)
- Inorganic Insulating Materials (AREA)
- Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
- Manufacture Of Motors, Generators (AREA)
- Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)
- Casting Or Compression Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
- Details Of Cutting Devices (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure:
Making insulation sleeves from binder containing fibrous material, including integrated method and apparatus features for dividing a continuous blanket or web of fibrous material into individual lengths, winding individual lengths of fibrous blanket upon a multi-part separable mandrel, heating the mandrel to cure the binder in the inside surface layer of the sleeve, separating the sleeve from the mandrel, brining the outside surface of the sleeve into contact with a heated surface to cure the binder in the outside surface layer of the sleeve, delivering the sleeves to a curing oven in which the sleeves are advance and rotated, trimming the ends of the sleeves, and axially slitting the sleeves.
Making insulation sleeves from binder containing fibrous material, including integrated method and apparatus features for dividing a continuous blanket or web of fibrous material into individual lengths, winding individual lengths of fibrous blanket upon a multi-part separable mandrel, heating the mandrel to cure the binder in the inside surface layer of the sleeve, separating the sleeve from the mandrel, brining the outside surface of the sleeve into contact with a heated surface to cure the binder in the outside surface layer of the sleeve, delivering the sleeves to a curing oven in which the sleeves are advance and rotated, trimming the ends of the sleeves, and axially slitting the sleeves.
Description
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rl~TI101) ~ I'PAr~\T~S F()R ~ ?!IJF.l\r~TURE
OT~ INSIJLATION SLT T`VE~S
This invenl:ion relates to the manuacture o tubl1lar fibrous products in the form oE sleeves, notably insulation for pipes, conduits or the like, these sleevcs being ormed of fibers> in particular glass fibers or other mineral Eibers between wl1ic11 a polymeri.zabl.e binder is distributed. This binder is commonly constituted of a phenol-formaldehyde resin, ~ -a phcnol-urca resin or à phenol-melamine copolymer.
This invention refers more particularly to a method according to 1~hich the mat, in which the binder is distributed ~
and which preferably passes first througl1 a drying o~en, is ~ :
shaped on a rotating mandrel at which time polym~rizatio of the binder bcvins, and is thereafter conveyed to an oven i.n order to complete the polymerization.-,:
It has for a princil~al object a method that provides, in a continuous hi~,h output operation, production of -Eibrous sleeves of low specific densi.ty and Qf high thermal insulating character. SUCh sleeves may also have a small outside diar.eter.
According to prior or knol~n methods, the sleeve, in ~hich the resin is partially polymerized, is conveyed, w]1ile supported by a mandrel, to an oven where full polymeri~atlon is ef~ected. Such knot~n met]1ods have the disadvantao,e that they necessitate the use of a largc number of mandrels5 and prescnt serious diEiculties in hanclling, and also the danger o proc1ucing~ in contact with a heated mandrel, a deterioration of the s1eeve in contact with the sur:E~ce of thc m~ndrel, ~hc temperatllle of this surface bei.ng diEf;.cult to control.
Further, thc man(1rels thcmselves, espec:ially i~ they are oE
S ~
small diameter S~IS tai~i dctri,nental cleterioration in thc coursc of treatments an~ andlin~.
Accordin~ to other known methods, the sleeve, in which the rcsin is partially polymerized, is separated from 5 t}le mandrcl immcdi.itely after its ~inding, and is then directcd.
to the polymerizatioll oven, l~itllout any intermediate operation to increase its dimensional stability in the outer surfa.ce layer thereof. Pven if the formed sleeves are subjected to a prclirninary smoothing operation on the outer surface, rnetllocls 10 of this l~ind still have the disadvanta~e of subjecting the sleeves ~Irhile they are stil~ in a deformahle state, to ha]ldlin(r or mallipulation tencling to disrupt the other sllrfc-ce of the sleeve, thereby ob~aining products of poor quality. If the outer surface of the sleevc is stabilized ~hile the sleevc 15 is still on thc mandrel, t]len tlle period of time durin¢ w}lich the sleeve remains in the mandrel is prolongcd to such an e~tent tha.t the overall processing or manufacture time of each sleeve is j~reater than is necessary.
j.
According to t]le invention, the time durinn ~]liC]l 20 the mat remains on the forming mandrel is reduced to a minimum, ~t and the outside surface is subject to a separate stabilizin~ ~
operation, so that the sleeve reaches tlle oven .after a minirmum b elapse for completion of ~olymerization.
The method accordin~ to the i.nvention preferably 25 includes thc follo~ing combinati.on o:~ steps: ^~
, - in a Eirst stage, thc fibcr nla.t~ in ~hictl a bi.nder is distributed, is wound on a heatcd Mandrcl, the temperature of tlle man(lrel and the wi.nding time o the mat on the latter
~ . .
rl~TI101) ~ I'PAr~\T~S F()R ~ ?!IJF.l\r~TURE
OT~ INSIJLATION SLT T`VE~S
This invenl:ion relates to the manuacture o tubl1lar fibrous products in the form oE sleeves, notably insulation for pipes, conduits or the like, these sleevcs being ormed of fibers> in particular glass fibers or other mineral Eibers between wl1ic11 a polymeri.zabl.e binder is distributed. This binder is commonly constituted of a phenol-formaldehyde resin, ~ -a phcnol-urca resin or à phenol-melamine copolymer.
This invention refers more particularly to a method according to 1~hich the mat, in which the binder is distributed ~
and which preferably passes first througl1 a drying o~en, is ~ :
shaped on a rotating mandrel at which time polym~rizatio of the binder bcvins, and is thereafter conveyed to an oven i.n order to complete the polymerization.-,:
It has for a princil~al object a method that provides, in a continuous hi~,h output operation, production of -Eibrous sleeves of low specific densi.ty and Qf high thermal insulating character. SUCh sleeves may also have a small outside diar.eter.
According to prior or knol~n methods, the sleeve, in ~hich the resin is partially polymerized, is conveyed, w]1ile supported by a mandrel, to an oven where full polymeri~atlon is ef~ected. Such knot~n met]1ods have the disadvantao,e that they necessitate the use of a largc number of mandrels5 and prescnt serious diEiculties in hanclling, and also the danger o proc1ucing~ in contact with a heated mandrel, a deterioration of the s1eeve in contact with the sur:E~ce of thc m~ndrel, ~hc temperatllle of this surface bei.ng diEf;.cult to control.
Further, thc man(1rels thcmselves, espec:ially i~ they are oE
S ~
small diameter S~IS tai~i dctri,nental cleterioration in thc coursc of treatments an~ andlin~.
Accordin~ to other known methods, the sleeve, in which the rcsin is partially polymerized, is separated from 5 t}le mandrcl immcdi.itely after its ~inding, and is then directcd.
to the polymerizatioll oven, l~itllout any intermediate operation to increase its dimensional stability in the outer surfa.ce layer thereof. Pven if the formed sleeves are subjected to a prclirninary smoothing operation on the outer surface, rnetllocls 10 of this l~ind still have the disadvanta~e of subjecting the sleeves ~Irhile they are stil~ in a deformahle state, to ha]ldlin(r or mallipulation tencling to disrupt the other sllrfc-ce of the sleeve, thereby ob~aining products of poor quality. If the outer surface of the sleevc is stabilized ~hile the sleevc 15 is still on thc mandrel, t]len tlle period of time durin¢ w}lich the sleeve remains in the mandrel is prolongcd to such an e~tent tha.t the overall processing or manufacture time of each sleeve is j~reater than is necessary.
j.
According to t]le invention, the time durinn ~]liC]l 20 the mat remains on the forming mandrel is reduced to a minimum, ~t and the outside surface is subject to a separate stabilizin~ ~
operation, so that the sleeve reaches tlle oven .after a minirmum b elapse for completion of ~olymerization.
The method accordin~ to the i.nvention preferably 25 includes thc follo~ing combinati.on o:~ steps: ^~
, - in a Eirst stage, thc fibcr nla.t~ in ~hictl a bi.nder is distributed, is wound on a heatcd Mandrcl, the temperature of tlle man(lrel and the wi.nding time o the mat on the latter
-2-being such that ~ hard inncr snrface if :Eormed in contactwith the r,i.~n~lrel, thc polymerizatioll of the binder ne~t to this inner surface, 'oein~ initiatcd;
- in a second stage, the product thus formed is S separated from the mandrel and the entire outer surface is brought into contact under light compression Wit]l a srmooth heated surface, tlle temperature of this surfa.ce and tlle length of contact being such that a hard outer surface is rapidly . formed, the polymerization of the binder next to this outcr surface l)eing initiated, and all remaining binder remaining uncured:
- in a third sta~e, the sleeve thus formed is conveyed to a lleclted zone arrangred to permit the free passae of hot gas over the en~ire surface of the product, thus assuring a uniform polymerization to a definite degree throughollt the thickness of said sleeve.
, According to one embodiment, the method is charactcr-ized in that:
- the mat, in which the binder is distributed, is cut into predetermined lengths, in order to convey it to the forming component;
- several layers of the mat are wound on a mandrel : ]leated to a tcmperature such that the mat adheres initially ~ :
to the mandrcl, and that sufficient polymerization occurs to form a har(l inncr sllrface, t}-lere~y facilitatintr separation of the mat from the mandrel, the polymerization of the binde next to this inner surface ~eing initiated;
- in a second stage, the product thus formed is S separated from the mandrel and the entire outer surface is brought into contact under light compression Wit]l a srmooth heated surface, tlle temperature of this surfa.ce and tlle length of contact being such that a hard outer surface is rapidly . formed, the polymerization of the binder next to this outcr surface l)eing initiated, and all remaining binder remaining uncured:
- in a third sta~e, the sleeve thus formed is conveyed to a lleclted zone arrangred to permit the free passae of hot gas over the en~ire surface of the product, thus assuring a uniform polymerization to a definite degree throughollt the thickness of said sleeve.
, According to one embodiment, the method is charactcr-ized in that:
- the mat, in which the binder is distributed, is cut into predetermined lengths, in order to convey it to the forming component;
- several layers of the mat are wound on a mandrel : ]leated to a tcmperature such that the mat adheres initially ~ :
to the mandrcl, and that sufficient polymerization occurs to form a har(l inncr sllrface, t}-lere~y facilitatintr separation of the mat from the mandrel, the polymerization of the binde next to this inner surface ~eing initiated;
-3-, ,, r~3~
- t]~e s:!.cev-e is separatecl from the mandrel;
- the sleeve is directed towards the means for effect-in~ a polymerizati.on oÇ t]le resin throughGut its thickness and in transit the sleeve is rolled along under light compres-sion in contact with a surface heated to a temperature suchas to cffect rl po~ymerizati.on of the resin of the external surface sufficient to form a hard outer sur~ace, assuring a definite smoothness o khe outer surface and a dimensio2lal stability of the sleeve~ the polymerization remaining incom~lcte lQ bet~ee~ the inner and outer surfaces;
- the sleeve is conveyed into an oven permitting free passage of hot gas over its entire surface assuring a uniform polymerizat;on of a definite dcgree throughout the thickness of said slecve; .
, - a.t the output of the oven, a cut is effected length- ~w wise along the sleeve;
.
- and prc~erably passage of the cutting comlonent is effected along the entire length of the sleeve to effect its splittingr.
~ccording to anotller feature of thc invcntion, the -~ cutting operation to a predeter.mine(l length, of the continuous wel) oE uncured bonded mat, is obtailled by tearing the mat and subjecting the mat at the end of tearing, to a sharp jerk, Eor instance hy clamping the mat upstrea~, or by acceleration o:~ ttlc mat do-~nstream, this operati.i~n bcin~
regularly rcpeated in order to obtain t]lc necessary succcssivc rupturc.s of thc wel~.
,~
Another fc~turc oE the invention consists of convey-ing the mat from the ~oint of tearing to the mandrel, w]lile maintaining the mat in contact Wit]l a smooth support permi.tting sl.i.ding ~;.thout tcaring at the moment of initiating the wind-i.ng des~i.te the increasing acceleration of movement of themat in prolortion to the increase in diameter of the sleeve in the course of the windin~.
According to a particularly important eature, the mandrel is heatecl to a temperature providing for a.dherence of the first wincl and the.formation o a continuous hard inner surface which is dimensionally stable and thus preserves the corresponding shape of the mandrel after its disenga~ement from the sleeve Wit]l the binder in an incompletc state of polymerization in tlle rest of tlle sleeve. After com~lete hardening of this inside surface, the disassembly of the sleeve from the mandrel is readily accomplished.
The invention permits attaining this hard inner surface in a length of time practically the same as the ti~e of winding the mat on the mandrel.
The sleeve just formed9 because of the existence oE this hard inner surface, can be disengaged from the mandrel either at the moment the wincling is com~leted or after a very short time i needed to assure mechanical smoothness of the sleeve.
It should be understood that the ~uantity oE bincler dispersecl in the fibers o:E the slecves is not so grcat as to completely infill the spaces betwcen the fibers, in view of which the initial po~.yme~rization of the binder in the $r~;~
inner surfacc layer ~rhile the sleeve is on the mandrel does not produce a solid impervious layer but produccs a stabili~ed condition in the inner layer of the Eil~ers having a porous cilaracter throu~h ~hich some air may be circulatcd, as is desired in tlle subsequent treatmcnt to completc the polymerization in the curing oven to be described hereinater and as is also desirable in the final product.
The invention r)rovides a]so for the use of at least one pressing component l~ith controlled movement that remains in contact with the sleeve during IYinding exerting a constant pressure on the latter and maintaining it in rotation after disengagement from the surface of the mandrel.
.
It provides more particularly for an(l this con-stitutes an important characteristic of the invention, thc use of several rollers placed around the mandrel to assure uniformity o-f rolling and a good cohesion of the sleevc.
According to another characteristic o the invention~
after its conformation and its separation from the mandrel, the sleeve is conveyed between two smooth surfaces having a relàtive movement in such a way as to effect the setting in rotation of the sleeve, at least one of these surfaces being heated in order to effect polymerization of the resin o~ the external surface and impart smoot}lness to this surace.
, ' , ~ccording to another advantagcous feature of the invention after -formation of the extcrnal surface of each slceve the s]eeve is conveycl to an ovcn iTI ~ iCll ~rovision is .madc for effectillg rotation of ~nd for advancin~ the sleeves.
In rotating them thc movemcllts o-~ the sleeve in the oven ~z provide for successive and repeated contacts with differentportions of the exterior wall of the sleeve. This acilitates the passage of the hot curing gas over the entire surface of the sleeves, with some penetration of the gases into the interior of the sleeve wall, thereby effecting homogenous polymerization throughout the entire wall thickness of each sleeve.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the slitting of the sleeve is effected after angularly turning the sleeve to a new position in which the cutting is effected by a cuttiny element moving in a direction along the axis of the sleeve.
According to one embodiment, the cutting component is fixed and interconnected with a centering component pene-trating the interior of the sleevel the latter moving alongits axis.
In one particular aspect the present invention `~provides a process for the continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a polymerizable binder, according to which the felt is wound and formed into a tube on a heated rotatable mandrel, the internal and external tube surfaces being heat hardened and the tube being submitted to a final heat treatment, and characterized in that just after the formation of the tube and the hardening of the internal tube surface, the tube is removed from the heated mandrel and is caused to roll on an unobstructed and uninterrupted planar heated surface for forming a smooth hardened external surface on the tube and in that hot gas is then passed over ~-the tube so as to bring about substantially uniform hardening of the binder throughout the tube wall thickness.
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:
i2,~
In another particular aspect the present invention provides apparatus for continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a polymerizable binder, comprising a heated rotatable two-part mandrel and an oven traversed by hot gas, characterized by:
- rollers positioned around the mandrel and mounted for contact with a length of felt being formed into a tube on - the heated mandrel;
- an unobstructed and uninterrupted smooth heated surface against which the tube removed from the heated mandrel is rolled, and - an oven having several superimposed supporting elements providing for feed of the tubes in straight form throughout the length thereof and for free unconstrained rolling movement about their axes as they advance over said elements in the oven.
An embodiment of this apparatus, which is given for information but without limitation, is described hereafter in reference to the attached drawings, in which: .
~' ~
Figures la~lb together form an overall view in . elevation of an installation according to the invention;
; Figures 2a through 2d are fragmentary views in .: elevation of the apparatus for tearing the fibrous blanket or strip during the feed of the fibrous material;
., ', -7a-., , .~
, ~ i ., ,, .
Fl~ re 3 is a view in elevation of apparatus for transpoltin~ mat picces Erom the tearing apparatus to the wincling appara~us;
Pigure 3a ;s a view in elevation of an alterna~ive form of mat transport apparatus;
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the winding apparatus;
' ' Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion ~ of the winding apparatus;
:.
Figures 6 and 7 are detailed cross-sectional views of the winding apparatus.
Figure 8 is an end view of portions of the winding apparatus showing the disposition of the rollers and o-E the mechanism for effecting a synchronized separation of them;
Figure 9 is an isometric view of the means for control-ing the rotation of the winding rollers;
Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the apparatus for transferring the sleeves from the winder to the apparatus ` for smoothing and polymerization of the outer surfacc of the sleeves;
., , Figure 11 is a view in elevation oE the smoothing apparatus;
. .
Fi~ure 12 is a plan view of the a~paratus shown in Figure 11;
g ' ~b .. . .
", . ~
~17~
Figure 13 (placed on the sheet with Figure 10) is a view in elevation, with portions broken away, showing the polymerization oven;
Figures 14 and lS are detailed views illustrating apparatus for advancing and turning the insulation sleeves in the polymerization oven;
i.
Figures 16a to 16f are schematic views illustrating the movements of the sleeves in the oven;
.
Figure 17 is a view in elevation of apparatus 1~ for cutting the ends of the sleeves;
Figure 18 is an isometric view of the apparatus providing for pivoting of the sleeves;
Figure 19 is an isometric view of the apparatus for longitudlnal~y slitting the sleeves, with portions broken lS away;
Figure 20 is a view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 19;
~" . , ' .
Figure 21 is a transverse view of a sleeve slit by means of this apparatus;
;
.~ 20 Figure 22 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of cutting tool for slitting the sleeve;
. . .
; Figures 23 and 24 are transverse views of the ;~ sleeve and showins the alternative slitting tool;
_g_ .'' ~ .
5~2 Figu e 25 is a trallsveTse vie-~ of a slit sleevc haviIlg a jointed profile, as will be explained;
.
Figures 26 through 2S are diagrammatic views sho~ing profile knives with sevcral bla~es; and , ' ' ` , " :
~ 5 Figure 29 is a view of a spread-out sleeve Eormed ; by means of scveral slitting blades.
: . . .
The overall system represented ;n Figures la-lb comprises the fol]owiIlg successive features:
. :
- a drying oven 2 tllat receives from a conveyor 3, a web or blanket 1 of fibrous material in which a binder .
is distributed for instance from a glass fiber production .
; Imit of known types. This oven can be of any convenient known type and thus will not be described in detail. The oven is ~; used in the system described to effect drying but does not apply sufficient heat to polymerize or cure tlle binder, so ~ that the oven delivers a fibrous web having uncurecl binder.
- This preliminary drying in the oven 2 is desirable in or~
.l to permit rapid curing of the inside surface layer of the : ~ .
sleeve when ~he mat is wound upon the ~andrel.
: .
~ - an apparatus 4 providing for tearing of web 1, or other uncurcd bonded mat, into pieces of predetermined length;
' ' ~ ~''` ~"
- a convcyor 5 transporting the p;eces of mat;
: :
- an apparatus 6 comprislng a rotating mandrcl for , '~
.
~; ~
~. wi.ndinO the pieccs of mat i.n order to form them into slccvcs while curing thc inner surEace o ~ said sleeves;
- a transportin~ componen,t 7;
' ' '' ' an apparatus ~ for smoothi]lg the outside surface ' ' ''5' of the sleeves a,ncl for curl]lg the binder in the outsi.de surface . layer; ' '':
~,., '- an oven ~ to complete the curin~ or polymerization ~ .
',;: of the sleeves; ' ' : -a cutting apparatus ln for-the ends of the sleeves .~.~ . . .
~'' 10 to give them the desired length;
~, - ' .
,- ,, ~ - an apparatus ll for slltting the sleeves longi-~, tudi.nally; - . ~ ~
'"~` ' ' ' a station 12 foi packaging the sleeves.
:~ .
.: Certain of the ma~or coinponcnts of the above s~te~
.~ 15 jare considered herebelow under corresponding headin~s.
, ~ ~ . , , .
.~ A~ At~ t~ ng the web of mat (Figurcs 2a throu~]l 2d) '.
' This apparatus in'cludes four driven rollers syn-., .
' chronized with the conveyor 5. The downstream rollers 14-"~ 14a are constantly driven at a tangential or periperal speed . ~ , ~ 20 V2. The u~strcam rollers 13-13a are alternately driven an(l ' .:~ , ~ l7raXcd. l~'hen driven they rotate at thc tange]ltial speed V2, ,~.~ - , .
.'. and they arc braked ~or e~;ample, by an automatic timer.
....
... . .
' . . . . . . . .. . .
Q~;Z2 Pi~gurs 2a shows the be~inning of the worXin~ cycle of this appar-atlls. The web or blankct, is entering betwecn the rollers.l3-13a W]liC}I are here sho-~n braked or stationery. .
The web iies adjacent to a sensing devi.ce such as a photosens;tive 5 cell'lS. ' ' ' ''' '' ,, : . .
- The mat exiting~ from'the drying oven 2 at constant -speed Vl accumulates, 'forming a loop upstream of the rollers 13-13a, these bein~ at rest in braked condition (Pigure 2b).
~, - , .
.: - .
' :. An automatically timed switch initiates the engagement .' 10 of the drive of the rolls 13-13a at the tangential speed V2.
This occurs following advance of the piece of the Inat beyond the photocell 15, at a predetermined.interval corresponding ~: to the length of the piece o mat. This results in take-'. up of the loop of the mat shown in Figu're 2c. At thc moment : . . .
~ 15 the loop is entirely'taken-.up, the mat again intercepts the ' . . ~
~ light to the photocell 15. This rcsults in application of the brake to rollers 13-l~a. Because of the stress which - :
~` is exerted nn tlle m~t, the driven rollers 14-14a tear the mat between the rollers 1~-13a and 14-14a (~igure 2d). Th~e ' '.
.,; . .
' 20 formed piece la lS taken off and a new cycle begins.
.
. . .
., , - .
. The conveyor that carries the pieces of the mat -.-.::
'~ fro]~ the tearing a.pparatus -to the winding apparatus, is formed of a smooth polyamidc belt 16 that permi~s the mat to slide ' 25 without tearin'~ at the rnoment o its winding. The windin~
in .act confcrs Oll tllc Illat al~ incrcasi]l( accclcraLion in pro~ortiot-' to t hc incrcase in diametcr o:~ t!~e sleeve in tllc course oE
.~ formation.
. : -12-... .
,,,,, ~, '.
.~r , ' , . '.
.,: . , ' . : ' ~P7~5~ :
l]i~ be't i~j is supported horizontally by a serics of rollers 17 of small diar.leter or by lon~itudin~l slides.
It is controlled by a varinble speed drive lS, W]liCh also :
drives the rollers of the tearing apparatus.
' . , .
In the region o the winding apparatus, the supporting roller 19 for the conveyor 16 is mounted for vertical adjustment movement as indicated in Figure 3, in order to provide Eor delivery of the lengths of mat accurately at the desired ele-.
vation in rclation to the winding mandrel being employed.
.~ , .
1~ Instead of a belt conveyor as shown in Figure 3, a transporting apparatus can be used such as that represented as an alternative in Figure 3a. Thls alternative comprises rollers 13-13a, 14-14a, (as in Fi~ure 3), a belt 16 and roller 19 adjustable in heig}lt. In the embodiment of Figure 3a, it lS contemplated that the rollers 13-13a and 14-14a again ~ -be used for breal;ing the web. In this embodiment, ho~ever, the conveyor belt 16 is driven by the roller 14a, instead of through separate driving rollers as -in Figure 3. A driving ~.,r.~
motor is indicated at 18a.
.
A~r- us for forming the sleeves (Pigures 4 throue}l 9) . . - ~ -This apparatus comprises a heated mandrel formed , in two sections 20-20a and three rollers 21 having axes parallel to the mandrel and which are spaced approximately 120 from each other around the mandrel. These rollers, which serve 25~ as guides, are mec]lanically interlinke-l and separate progre~s-. .
ively from thc ax;s of the mandrel according to the build up of the sleeve.
, , ' , ' ', . ' . . ~',' , : ., . ' ::' ., . , .,, : . , l'hc mallclrcl halves 20-20a of the mandrel are mounted on carri,ages 22 being positioned in a transverse fraMe structure 23 moullte~l Oll the upright structure or enclosurc 24. The ball-bearillg slides 33 and the guide rollers 33a mount thc s carriage on the guide rods 33b and 33c (see particularly Figures
- t]~e s:!.cev-e is separatecl from the mandrel;
- the sleeve is directed towards the means for effect-in~ a polymerizati.on oÇ t]le resin throughGut its thickness and in transit the sleeve is rolled along under light compres-sion in contact with a surface heated to a temperature suchas to cffect rl po~ymerizati.on of the resin of the external surface sufficient to form a hard outer sur~ace, assuring a definite smoothness o khe outer surface and a dimensio2lal stability of the sleeve~ the polymerization remaining incom~lcte lQ bet~ee~ the inner and outer surfaces;
- the sleeve is conveyed into an oven permitting free passage of hot gas over its entire surface assuring a uniform polymerizat;on of a definite dcgree throughout the thickness of said slecve; .
, - a.t the output of the oven, a cut is effected length- ~w wise along the sleeve;
.
- and prc~erably passage of the cutting comlonent is effected along the entire length of the sleeve to effect its splittingr.
~ccording to anotller feature of thc invcntion, the -~ cutting operation to a predeter.mine(l length, of the continuous wel) oE uncured bonded mat, is obtailled by tearing the mat and subjecting the mat at the end of tearing, to a sharp jerk, Eor instance hy clamping the mat upstrea~, or by acceleration o:~ ttlc mat do-~nstream, this operati.i~n bcin~
regularly rcpeated in order to obtain t]lc necessary succcssivc rupturc.s of thc wel~.
,~
Another fc~turc oE the invention consists of convey-ing the mat from the ~oint of tearing to the mandrel, w]lile maintaining the mat in contact Wit]l a smooth support permi.tting sl.i.ding ~;.thout tcaring at the moment of initiating the wind-i.ng des~i.te the increasing acceleration of movement of themat in prolortion to the increase in diameter of the sleeve in the course of the windin~.
According to a particularly important eature, the mandrel is heatecl to a temperature providing for a.dherence of the first wincl and the.formation o a continuous hard inner surface which is dimensionally stable and thus preserves the corresponding shape of the mandrel after its disenga~ement from the sleeve Wit]l the binder in an incompletc state of polymerization in tlle rest of tlle sleeve. After com~lete hardening of this inside surface, the disassembly of the sleeve from the mandrel is readily accomplished.
The invention permits attaining this hard inner surface in a length of time practically the same as the ti~e of winding the mat on the mandrel.
The sleeve just formed9 because of the existence oE this hard inner surface, can be disengaged from the mandrel either at the moment the wincling is com~leted or after a very short time i needed to assure mechanical smoothness of the sleeve.
It should be understood that the ~uantity oE bincler dispersecl in the fibers o:E the slecves is not so grcat as to completely infill the spaces betwcen the fibers, in view of which the initial po~.yme~rization of the binder in the $r~;~
inner surfacc layer ~rhile the sleeve is on the mandrel does not produce a solid impervious layer but produccs a stabili~ed condition in the inner layer of the Eil~ers having a porous cilaracter throu~h ~hich some air may be circulatcd, as is desired in tlle subsequent treatmcnt to completc the polymerization in the curing oven to be described hereinater and as is also desirable in the final product.
The invention r)rovides a]so for the use of at least one pressing component l~ith controlled movement that remains in contact with the sleeve during IYinding exerting a constant pressure on the latter and maintaining it in rotation after disengagement from the surface of the mandrel.
.
It provides more particularly for an(l this con-stitutes an important characteristic of the invention, thc use of several rollers placed around the mandrel to assure uniformity o-f rolling and a good cohesion of the sleevc.
According to another characteristic o the invention~
after its conformation and its separation from the mandrel, the sleeve is conveyed between two smooth surfaces having a relàtive movement in such a way as to effect the setting in rotation of the sleeve, at least one of these surfaces being heated in order to effect polymerization of the resin o~ the external surface and impart smoot}lness to this surace.
, ' , ~ccording to another advantagcous feature of the invention after -formation of the extcrnal surface of each slceve the s]eeve is conveycl to an ovcn iTI ~ iCll ~rovision is .madc for effectillg rotation of ~nd for advancin~ the sleeves.
In rotating them thc movemcllts o-~ the sleeve in the oven ~z provide for successive and repeated contacts with differentportions of the exterior wall of the sleeve. This acilitates the passage of the hot curing gas over the entire surface of the sleeves, with some penetration of the gases into the interior of the sleeve wall, thereby effecting homogenous polymerization throughout the entire wall thickness of each sleeve.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the slitting of the sleeve is effected after angularly turning the sleeve to a new position in which the cutting is effected by a cuttiny element moving in a direction along the axis of the sleeve.
According to one embodiment, the cutting component is fixed and interconnected with a centering component pene-trating the interior of the sleevel the latter moving alongits axis.
In one particular aspect the present invention `~provides a process for the continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a polymerizable binder, according to which the felt is wound and formed into a tube on a heated rotatable mandrel, the internal and external tube surfaces being heat hardened and the tube being submitted to a final heat treatment, and characterized in that just after the formation of the tube and the hardening of the internal tube surface, the tube is removed from the heated mandrel and is caused to roll on an unobstructed and uninterrupted planar heated surface for forming a smooth hardened external surface on the tube and in that hot gas is then passed over ~-the tube so as to bring about substantially uniform hardening of the binder throughout the tube wall thickness.
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:
i2,~
In another particular aspect the present invention provides apparatus for continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a polymerizable binder, comprising a heated rotatable two-part mandrel and an oven traversed by hot gas, characterized by:
- rollers positioned around the mandrel and mounted for contact with a length of felt being formed into a tube on - the heated mandrel;
- an unobstructed and uninterrupted smooth heated surface against which the tube removed from the heated mandrel is rolled, and - an oven having several superimposed supporting elements providing for feed of the tubes in straight form throughout the length thereof and for free unconstrained rolling movement about their axes as they advance over said elements in the oven.
An embodiment of this apparatus, which is given for information but without limitation, is described hereafter in reference to the attached drawings, in which: .
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Figures la~lb together form an overall view in . elevation of an installation according to the invention;
; Figures 2a through 2d are fragmentary views in .: elevation of the apparatus for tearing the fibrous blanket or strip during the feed of the fibrous material;
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Fl~ re 3 is a view in elevation of apparatus for transpoltin~ mat picces Erom the tearing apparatus to the wincling appara~us;
Pigure 3a ;s a view in elevation of an alterna~ive form of mat transport apparatus;
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the winding apparatus;
' ' Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion ~ of the winding apparatus;
:.
Figures 6 and 7 are detailed cross-sectional views of the winding apparatus.
Figure 8 is an end view of portions of the winding apparatus showing the disposition of the rollers and o-E the mechanism for effecting a synchronized separation of them;
Figure 9 is an isometric view of the means for control-ing the rotation of the winding rollers;
Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the apparatus for transferring the sleeves from the winder to the apparatus ` for smoothing and polymerization of the outer surfacc of the sleeves;
., , Figure 11 is a view in elevation oE the smoothing apparatus;
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Fi~ure 12 is a plan view of the a~paratus shown in Figure 11;
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~17~
Figure 13 (placed on the sheet with Figure 10) is a view in elevation, with portions broken away, showing the polymerization oven;
Figures 14 and lS are detailed views illustrating apparatus for advancing and turning the insulation sleeves in the polymerization oven;
i.
Figures 16a to 16f are schematic views illustrating the movements of the sleeves in the oven;
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Figure 17 is a view in elevation of apparatus 1~ for cutting the ends of the sleeves;
Figure 18 is an isometric view of the apparatus providing for pivoting of the sleeves;
Figure 19 is an isometric view of the apparatus for longitudlnal~y slitting the sleeves, with portions broken lS away;
Figure 20 is a view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 19;
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Figure 21 is a transverse view of a sleeve slit by means of this apparatus;
;
.~ 20 Figure 22 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of cutting tool for slitting the sleeve;
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; Figures 23 and 24 are transverse views of the ;~ sleeve and showins the alternative slitting tool;
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5~2 Figu e 25 is a trallsveTse vie-~ of a slit sleevc haviIlg a jointed profile, as will be explained;
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Figures 26 through 2S are diagrammatic views sho~ing profile knives with sevcral bla~es; and , ' ' ` , " :
~ 5 Figure 29 is a view of a spread-out sleeve Eormed ; by means of scveral slitting blades.
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The overall system represented ;n Figures la-lb comprises the fol]owiIlg successive features:
. :
- a drying oven 2 tllat receives from a conveyor 3, a web or blanket 1 of fibrous material in which a binder .
is distributed for instance from a glass fiber production .
; Imit of known types. This oven can be of any convenient known type and thus will not be described in detail. The oven is ~; used in the system described to effect drying but does not apply sufficient heat to polymerize or cure tlle binder, so ~ that the oven delivers a fibrous web having uncurecl binder.
- This preliminary drying in the oven 2 is desirable in or~
.l to permit rapid curing of the inside surface layer of the : ~ .
sleeve when ~he mat is wound upon the ~andrel.
: .
~ - an apparatus 4 providing for tearing of web 1, or other uncurcd bonded mat, into pieces of predetermined length;
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- a convcyor 5 transporting the p;eces of mat;
: :
- an apparatus 6 comprislng a rotating mandrcl for , '~
.
~; ~
~. wi.ndinO the pieccs of mat i.n order to form them into slccvcs while curing thc inner surEace o ~ said sleeves;
- a transportin~ componen,t 7;
' ' '' ' an apparatus ~ for smoothi]lg the outside surface ' ' ''5' of the sleeves a,ncl for curl]lg the binder in the outsi.de surface . layer; ' '':
~,., '- an oven ~ to complete the curin~ or polymerization ~ .
',;: of the sleeves; ' ' : -a cutting apparatus ln for-the ends of the sleeves .~.~ . . .
~'' 10 to give them the desired length;
~, - ' .
,- ,, ~ - an apparatus ll for slltting the sleeves longi-~, tudi.nally; - . ~ ~
'"~` ' ' ' a station 12 foi packaging the sleeves.
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.: Certain of the ma~or coinponcnts of the above s~te~
.~ 15 jare considered herebelow under corresponding headin~s.
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.~ A~ At~ t~ ng the web of mat (Figurcs 2a throu~]l 2d) '.
' This apparatus in'cludes four driven rollers syn-., .
' chronized with the conveyor 5. The downstream rollers 14-"~ 14a are constantly driven at a tangential or periperal speed . ~ , ~ 20 V2. The u~strcam rollers 13-13a are alternately driven an(l ' .:~ , ~ l7raXcd. l~'hen driven they rotate at thc tange]ltial speed V2, ,~.~ - , .
.'. and they arc braked ~or e~;ample, by an automatic timer.
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Q~;Z2 Pi~gurs 2a shows the be~inning of the worXin~ cycle of this appar-atlls. The web or blankct, is entering betwecn the rollers.l3-13a W]liC}I are here sho-~n braked or stationery. .
The web iies adjacent to a sensing devi.ce such as a photosens;tive 5 cell'lS. ' ' ' ''' '' ,, : . .
- The mat exiting~ from'the drying oven 2 at constant -speed Vl accumulates, 'forming a loop upstream of the rollers 13-13a, these bein~ at rest in braked condition (Pigure 2b).
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' :. An automatically timed switch initiates the engagement .' 10 of the drive of the rolls 13-13a at the tangential speed V2.
This occurs following advance of the piece of the Inat beyond the photocell 15, at a predetermined.interval corresponding ~: to the length of the piece o mat. This results in take-'. up of the loop of the mat shown in Figu're 2c. At thc moment : . . .
~ 15 the loop is entirely'taken-.up, the mat again intercepts the ' . . ~
~ light to the photocell 15. This rcsults in application of the brake to rollers 13-l~a. Because of the stress which - :
~` is exerted nn tlle m~t, the driven rollers 14-14a tear the mat between the rollers 1~-13a and 14-14a (~igure 2d). Th~e ' '.
.,; . .
' 20 formed piece la lS taken off and a new cycle begins.
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. The conveyor that carries the pieces of the mat -.-.::
'~ fro]~ the tearing a.pparatus -to the winding apparatus, is formed of a smooth polyamidc belt 16 that permi~s the mat to slide ' 25 without tearin'~ at the rnoment o its winding. The windin~
in .act confcrs Oll tllc Illat al~ incrcasi]l( accclcraLion in pro~ortiot-' to t hc incrcase in diametcr o:~ t!~e sleeve in tllc course oE
.~ formation.
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.~r , ' , . '.
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l]i~ be't i~j is supported horizontally by a serics of rollers 17 of small diar.leter or by lon~itudin~l slides.
It is controlled by a varinble speed drive lS, W]liCh also :
drives the rollers of the tearing apparatus.
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In the region o the winding apparatus, the supporting roller 19 for the conveyor 16 is mounted for vertical adjustment movement as indicated in Figure 3, in order to provide Eor delivery of the lengths of mat accurately at the desired ele-.
vation in rclation to the winding mandrel being employed.
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1~ Instead of a belt conveyor as shown in Figure 3, a transporting apparatus can be used such as that represented as an alternative in Figure 3a. Thls alternative comprises rollers 13-13a, 14-14a, (as in Fi~ure 3), a belt 16 and roller 19 adjustable in heig}lt. In the embodiment of Figure 3a, it lS contemplated that the rollers 13-13a and 14-14a again ~ -be used for breal;ing the web. In this embodiment, ho~ever, the conveyor belt 16 is driven by the roller 14a, instead of through separate driving rollers as -in Figure 3. A driving ~.,r.~
motor is indicated at 18a.
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A~r- us for forming the sleeves (Pigures 4 throue}l 9) . . - ~ -This apparatus comprises a heated mandrel formed , in two sections 20-20a and three rollers 21 having axes parallel to the mandrel and which are spaced approximately 120 from each other around the mandrel. These rollers, which serve 25~ as guides, are mec]lanically interlinke-l and separate progre~s-. .
ively from thc ax;s of the mandrel according to the build up of the sleeve.
, , ' , ' ', . ' . . ~',' , : ., . ' ::' ., . , .,, : . , l'hc mallclrcl halves 20-20a of the mandrel are mounted on carri,ages 22 being positioned in a transverse fraMe structure 23 moullte~l Oll the upright structure or enclosurc 24. The ball-bearillg slides 33 and the guide rollers 33a mount thc s carriage on the guide rods 33b and 33c (see particularly Figures
4 and 6~ and provide for translational movement of t}lC carriages - 22. The rotation of the half-~andrels 20-20a is obtained from a motor 25 through the gearing 25a and the inter~ediate transmission shafts 26 each of-which drives a fluted shaft 10 26a (see particularly Figure 4~. A pulley 26b is rotatively ~ `
moun~ed on the carrlage 22 and has a fluted hub slidably mounted ~ on and driven by the shaft 26a. A belt 26c (see particular"l~
i Figures 4 and 7) interconnects the pulleys 26b and 26d, which latter is keyed to the hollow mandrel driving shaft 22b (see 15 particularly ~igure 5). The shaft 22b is journalled on the ,:~
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carriage 22. The jacks 27 acting on the carria~e 22 move .. . , . . ~ . .
the half-mandrels toward and away from each othcr.
.
The rollers 21 are rotated from a motor 28 through a reducer 29 and through shafts 29a which are interconnected 20 by a belt or chaln 29b cooperating with sprochets 29c moun~,ed~ ~ ' on the shafts 29a (see particularly Figures 4 and 9). The ., separation of rollers 21 in respect to the axis of the mandrel ~' is obtained by means of levers 30 connected by links controlled ,' by a jack 31 and supported by lateral end bearing plates 34 '(see ~articulaT]y Figures 4 and 8). The ends of these levers have followers rtmning in guide slots 35 which are formed ' in the lateral end bearing plates 34 of the frame structure.
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' The linl-s 30a which interconnect the levers 30 provide for relative adjustmcnt o~ the lcvers to thereby accommocl~te the : .
apparatus to mandrels of diferent diameter. The jack 31 ',, ;s mounted for adjustment by means of a manually adjustable ~ 14-, . .
- eb , " '' ', .' ' " ' ' ' ' . ' ' '.' ' ': .
~.~7~
scret~ thl'Ca~ dc~lce 31a, havin~ a control ~heel 31b providing for shirtinn tlle railge o-f movement of the levers 30 by thc jack 31, as may be required to accommodate mandrcls of di-fferent ;~ siæes and-also accommodate the ~roduction o slceves of differcnt ", 5 wall th;ckness (see particularly-~Figure 8). Each mandrel half (20 and 20a)'is o tubular construction and has e~tended therein an electrical resistance heater element. One end of the heater element is electrically connected with the inncr or free end of *he mandrel half, and the other en(l of the resistance element has a connecti,on 36a at the end of the - man~rel half near the carriage 22. Sli~ rings 36b rotating with the mandrcl mounting shaft 22b cooperate Witil contacts ~
~ '36. Eiectrical connections are provided betl~een the slip rinss ,~ and the central conductor 36a and also with the mandrel mounting shaft 22b and thus witll the shell of the mandrel. In this way, a heatcr supply circuit is provided hy means of which each mandrel half is }-eated.
, This apparatus functions in the followin manner:
~," - ~' ~ rrior to the arrival of the mat piece la the end ;~ 20 of the t~o half-mandrels 20-2Qa are in ennagement with each other, thus providing a complcte mandrel on which the sleeve is wound. The mandrels-halves are heated to about 400C.
The leading ènd of tlle pieces of mat contacts the hot mandrel and adheres to the mandrel in order to for~ the first layer.
. .
The polymerization of the bin~er in the inner surface layer of the sleeve is effected during the winding o~eration. The , ~andrel turns at a constant spee~ in a range o ~0 to 300 '' , : revolutions/~linute and the ~at ~in~ls at a pro~,ressivcly ac-celcrating spccd. The threc rollers 21 ~hicll arc mechanically ~ ' , ., ' '~:
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.. , . ., .. .. . ., , . :
interconnccted seI-ar.lte simultaneot}sly at slow sl~ced e~erting a constant pressl~I e iJI the sleeve being formed.
.
The rollcls ~1 arc maint:ailled in engagement ~ith the outside surface of the sleeve l~eing formed durin~ the build u~ of the layers of the mat, and preferably the rollers are l^etained in en~agement Wit]l the sleeve even after the - builcl up of the layers in or~er to provide a smooth exterior surface on the sleeve. The binder in the inner surface layer is cured during the build up of the sleeve~ and this curing facilitates thc witlldra-Yal of the mandrel halves from the ends o the sleeves, whicll occurs while the rollers 21 are being rotated in contact ~ith the outside surface of the sleeve.
, At the end of this operation~ after the mandrel ; halves have been witlldrawn, the rollers 21 separate rapidly and the sleeve drops out of position. Immediately after the ; ~all o the sleeve, the rollers regroup themselves around or about the mandrel halves and serve to guide them while they return to their operating position, their rotation being continued. A new cycle of windin~ can no~ begin.
The sleeve lb, exiting fror;l this apparatus has a hard smooth lnner surface obtained from the contact o the mat with the heated mandrel, while at the same time the outer surface has undergone a first smoothi]lg operation by action of rollers 21.
~5 The worlcing cycle of the mandrel ancl the rollers can bc controllecl hy a photoscnsitive cell hiddell from Vi by the piece of mat carricd by belt 16, this cell giving the termination of the cyclc by a timcr rcgulable in relation :, ,:
.: :
, ' ~
~o tlie iength of the pat]l rom the cell to the mandrel.
It will be understood that ~arious automat c controls muy ~e provided in order to time; synchronize and otherwise regulate tlle relationship of various operations, but as these controls may take a variety of forms they need not be considercd in detail hcrein.
Transport component for the sleeves fTom the formin~ apparatus to ap~aratus for polymerizing the outer surface ~Figure 10) This component recei~es the slee~es lb in a trough . ~
40 placed horizontally under the winding apparatus. This trough is fixed to a support frame 41 mounted on a pivot 42 and pivotable under action of a jack 43. At the end of the stroke of the j~ck, the sleeve, WhiC]l is supported throu~hout its entire length by the trough 40, rolls out of the trou~h and is delivcred in transverse position onto the belt of the polymerization apparatus for the outer surfaces.
' Apparatus for polymerization of the outer surace of the sleeves (Figures 11 and 12) This apparatus llas a frame structure 44 in shape o~ a double cross beam supporting at its upper part a lifting system to raise the height of a heating plate 45 provided with electric resistances in its interior. Tllis lifting system . , is composed of a reduction gearing 46 witll electric brakes and of four screw jacks 47 controlled simultaneous-ly by this reduction gearing. Thesc jacks are connected to the heating j l)latc ~5 by rods 4~ of rc~ulablc lclltlls jcining on the lle.lti!Lg - plnt~ by mcans of fork-joints ~9. The hcatin~ ~late is thus supported hori~olltally by the screl~s.
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At its lo~er ~aTt the apl~aratus coml~rises a belt 50 driven by a varia~le speed motor 51 and held horizontally between two rollers 52. The upper run o:F this ~e~lt is su~ported by rollers 53 of small diameter.
Tlle tem~erature of the plate 45 is about ~00C.
, -~ The slceves lb carried by the transfer apparatus pass between belt 50 and plate 45 and advance, turning on themselves under the action of the belt with light compression against the plate. Correction of the outer diameter and a stabilization of the contour of the sleeves is efec~-ed by`
this apparatus. In addition, due to the temperature of plate 45, the outer surace of the sleeves are ~olymerized and acquire a smooth skin, of good quality, and this eliminates any necessity for grinding or trimming.
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,~l 15 Polymerization oven for the SleeveS ~Figures l3 t11rough l6f) ~ ~ .
l . , The sleeves exiting from the smoothing apparatus are conveyed to an oven 9 provided to effect complete and uniform curing of the sleeves to a temperature abol1t 250C, .~ . , .
~- thus permitting the polymerization with a mlnimum of fumes ,~, , , 20 and gaseous release. In the çourse of curing in this oven, j~- - the sleeves are carried without constraint, in such a way as to avoid delamination of the outer layers, without shock and without rubbing likely to cause harmful surface defects.
In addition, during the time in this oven, the sleeves are ` 25 maintained perfectly straight throughout their entire lcngth, q and are com~letely rotatcd al)out their a~es in such a way as to cause uniformity of curing.
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Jnmle~ l;f;~ ter the exit: from the smoothing apraratus, each sleeve is rcceived in a support li~tin~ mechanism including trough 54 conncc-tcd ~ith the piston rod of a jack 56. A ccll records the prcsence of the sleeve and controls the transfer to the upper leve~ of thc oven. l)ur:;ng this vertical trans-- fer, the 1a~era1 poiition ~f the sleeve may be recentered ; by lateral guides. At the u~per end o the upward stroke `~ ~ of the jack, the trough 54 rocks and the sleeve rolls into ~; the oven. ~n entrance door 61, operate~ by a jack 62 stops the sleeve for a short moment prior to its entry. The opening of this door is tianed and of limited duration in order to -diminish the loss of heat from the oven.
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In order to extend the time of the sleeves in the . , oven, and at the same time minimize the size of the oven, the oven includes several superimposed levels, Eive in number in tlle re~resentative example here shown.
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~ The arrangement o supports for the sleeves in the `~ curing oven is as follows.
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-~ The supports for the sleeves at each layer of the 20 superimposed layers oE the fee~ path o the sleeves includes i: ,., . , - .
a series of rods 63 which extend in directions perpendicular -to the plane of Figure 13, and one series of which are shown ; in transverse section in Figures 16a to 16f. Each set of these rods make up a deck or supporting the sleeves at one 25 of the treatment levels in the oven. Each set of rods is in turn supported at its ends hy a pair of crank shats comprising ; spindles 64 ancl crank c~ements ~5, there l~eing one such crank shat arra~l~ed at eac}l cnd o each sct of sup~orting rods 63 in positions beyond the ends of the sleevcs carried by the ,'' .
" ~ ~
^`~
rods.
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The confi.~uration of one such crank shaft a~pears in ~igure 14, and in Fi~ures 16a-16f the crank shaft there : .
~ ~ shown ;s posi~ione~l beyond the cnd of the sleeve lb sho-ln ~.
as supportcd by the set o rods illustrated.in those figures.
. As the crank shafts are rotated ;n synchronisrl Wit}l each other and because of the engagement of the pins 64 witll the ends . of the rods 63 tsee also ~igure 15~, the rods 63 movc ~ith a sinusoiclal wave motion as the crank shafts rotate. This ; 10 motion is indicatcd in liigure lS and is guided by slots 66 . forr.~ed in the enclosure 67 wh;c]l serve to shield the crank , 'r shafts from the ends of the slee~es and also to gulde the sleeves as they are advanced. The sinusoidal action is ill.ustrated in Fi~ures 16a to 16f and it will be seen that toward the left in each of those figures a diagram is reproduced shol~ring . the illustrated extent of rotation of the cran]c shafts throughout .. ` one revolution, in 60 increments, which corresponds to the ... ..
.~i angular displacement of the successive support pins 64 of ;~ each crank shaft.
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It will be seen that in conse~uence of the sinusoidal ` wave motion, each sleeve lb is caused to roll as it is aclvanced lengthwise of the cranlc shafts. Moreover, as the sleeve rolls .
;. on the rods 63, different surface areas of the outside surface .`~ of each sleeve are progressively contacted and exposed. At . 25 the end of the first level of the feed path in the oven, the ; :.
.;~ slceves are dropped by gravity down to the next level and the wavc motion of the supportin~ rods 63 of the second level . then causes the sleeves to advance in thc other di.rection ,....................................................................... . .
. tto the lcft as vicwe~l in ~igure 3~, the rotation of the .' ~ .
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sleevec; bçing continllcd. Aga;ll, at the left end of the sccond level, the slecve again drops to the third lcvel, and proceeds again to t7le rlgllt, and so forth-throughout all levcls of the ovcn~ finally being discharP,ed at the incline(l del:ivery plate 71.
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The cranl~ shafts are aclapted to be driven by a variable speed motor 68 by mcans of a chain 69 engaging sprochets 70 on the ends of the crank shafts~ this dri~e being arranged .. . .
'`: - to provide appropriate rotation of the cran~ shafts to impart '~ 10 sinusoidal wave moti.on of the sup~orting rods of each succeeding - level in op~osite directions, so that the sleeves will be ~ed irst in one direction across the oven and then in the opposite clirection on the next level.
During this,feed on the sleeves through the oven -, each~sleeve is subjected to a ~low of the curing medium, preferab- ,' ~' ly heated air and because of the support of the sleeves upon '~
~'~ the spaced rods 63 in each treatment level and further because~
~'' of the continued rotation of the sleeves as they advancc, ' the curing air contacts all surEaces of the sleeves and w,ill 20 . o course enter to some:extcnt within the pores of the sleeves, ~
- thereby enhancing the uniformity of the curing action and ~'' ..
- - minimizing the time in the curing oven. , ' ;' . ' ' ` ''' ' ,:
lleating of the oven lS effected by means of gas ''';
burners 72 arranged at the,floor 73 of the oven. Refractory '~
',: 25 bafles 74 are provided'above the individual-burners 72 in ' ~;- order to avoid localized overheatin~ and to distribute the ::' heating gases. ~urthcr distribution of thc hc.l~ing gases is , eEfectecl by means of a ~erforatcd r,lctal sheet 75 overlyingi the ,'~
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~ baf-f.hes 7~ nd sp~e~d abovc the ba:~fles.
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Tlle llot air i5 çvacuated by the flu~ 76. -, ' ' ; -: Apparatus for cutting the ends of the sleeves (Fi(Jure 17) : ~ .
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: - The sl~eves l.eaving the ove.n roll on support 71 . S . by gravity to a liftin~ device composed of two chains 80 on ; which palettes 81 are fixed. These chains are.mounted by .. :
~i means of pairs of sprocllet c~2 and-83, the pinions 83 being ;: , .
~ driven by power means inclucling a reduction gearing 84.
1~ On each side o the chains are seen the fixed lateral ,. . . .
guides 85 which engage the ends of the sleeves and maintain Z,r'~ them in a ccntexcd posi.tion. The apparatus comprises also a guide composcd of a metal plate 90 placed in the plane of the ascencling 1ights of chains ~0 and ~rhic]l serves to support . : . .
. the sleeves during their passage. .This metal platè is curved .:.
; lS at its upper p~rt in orcier to ~orm an inclinccl plane 91. In ~.
addition to guicle 90 there-is a cooperating guicle shoe 92 .i. ~ . .....
~ . parallel to plate 90. The separatiorl bctweell the slloe 92~
.; . . ..
.,.. '.~ and the plate 90 is regulable ~y means o two links 93-9~, the 3.inl.~ 93 being control.led by a hand:wheel 95, and the link 20 9~ being mounted on an ad~ustable block 96. : ~.
,.,i . , :
.;, ,........................................... . .
"' Near the upper ends o guides 85 the ends of the ...... . .
sleeves are brought:into contact Wit]l two s~aced circular ~ saws ~6 whose shaft is driven by a motor, an~ llic]l cuts the -,~ slecves to the desi.rcd length.
... . .
,. . . .
T]-c ends whicll ~rcre cut of are di.sc]large~(t by gravity . .: . . .
,,, ' ' ,", g,ll7~
` by a chute ~,7 and the sleeves are carried up to thc top of the li~tin~ ~evice and roll ont~ the lnclined plate 91 which d;rects them tol~ard the following apparatus.
.
` ~paratus for slittin~_the slec~es ~igures 18 through 25) ,:' - . ' -:
~ 5 ~ ~fter pivoting by~means of an apparatus such as ~
~ j .
that represented in Fi~ure 18 and including a stopblock lO0 and a slide lOl, the sleeves are a~ially advanced by a transporter lOZ ln the for~ of dlabolo rollers, the heig~lt of this transporter eing regulable~ln such a way as to advance the sleeves accurate~
ly in line with the axls o~ the kniEe support o the slltter.
The slitter includes a cylindrical rod 103 in which a trianeular slittin~ b1ade ls~mounted, the blade~lying~in ~ ~
a diametrical plane ancl having~its point presented toward ~ ;
the~advanc1n~ ends of~the~s~1eeves~and further hnving its base end~positioned asymmetrica~lly with respect to t}ie rod 103, so that the blade~lias a relatively;large ex~osed part 104a at one side and a relatlvely large exposed part 1~04b at the ;other~side. The larger blade part 104a is of suffic~i~nt l~idth ~ ;so;~that~lt wlll penetrate-or cut all the way through~the walI ~ 20 ~of the sleeve at that side, the blade part 104b bein8 narrower and serving to fo~m a slit~of~limited depth in tl1e inside wall~o~ the s1eeve~diametricslly opposite to the cut~orme~d ;by~the blade 104a.~
The rod 103 has a point 105 whicl1 enters the sleeve when it reaches the slitter, and also has a support 106 for the blade which is ~;xed on the base or ~ramc 107.
.
. .............. .
'': :. ' ,i ,' ' , .
~r ~3715~
On each side of tlle slitter blades, a fixed gui~e ~all clement 109 is providcd, lying bctween the flights of an internally notched belt 108 having rotative supporting elements in each end, the elements 110 being in the n~turc of drive pulleys whicfI are driven by a variable spced motor 112 positioned within the base lti7. Preferably provision is made for varying ii, : , the distanc^ be-t~een the t~o assernblies of the fixed wal]
élements and belts at the two sides o the path of movement 7. ~ ' ' 0~ the sleeves as they are moved over the slitter. This spacing I0 ~means mIy b~ adjusled by means of the hand ~heel 113. This provides for eIlg'tgement and~feed of sleeves of different sizes w~th rela~ioIl to the slitting Icnivos.
The belts thus constitute means for advancin~ the ~,;: . . ~ : , ~ sleeves over tlle cutter~ thereby producing slits such a.s in-f ~; lS dicated at 114~ln Flgure 21;~extendin~ throu~h the entire wall of each sleeve, and also the pnrt~al~slits llS extended throu`~h only a~portion of the wall of the sleeves. These slits~are provided for the purpose of faclIitnting opening of ~he sleeve - at th~e time they are used, as ;n applying them to a pipe or 2U~ conduIt,~the incomplete slit 115 leaving a certain thickn0ss of mat~erial l~hich will~retain the tl~O halves in the proper relation but whicl~ l not interfere ~ith opening of the sI-eve to applv it t~ a pipe.
In the aIternative em~o~iment of Figure 22, the ~: ~ 25 cut~In~ b]ade tool is positioned so that the parts lD4a-104b ~ ~ slit the sleeves only through a ~art of the.ir thic~ness. The n ~ slitter also inclu~les a cuttin~ ~hecl 116 ~l~ccd in adv;tncc ~-`"~! of the do~nstrcam end of thc blade 101a, th^reby producing in the slceves a limitcd slit throush the thicXness of thc ~ 30 sleeves at both sides thereof, instead of only at one si~le as ; ~ ~ ` -2~-. , , ~ - - . ' . ~ , ,~ , ,, , .. ,. , . ~
:
in ~i~urcs 1~ and 2n. Thc slit made by the whee]. 116 can either be In khe p:lalle of the slit obtnined by the part lO~a : ~ of the blade ~I~igurc 23) or can be angularly displacccl (Figure 24). In the first case a slit is.obtained (extending through ~ 5 the wall of the sleeve) such as tllose produced by the c~ltting .~ tool of-~igure 1~, and in the second case a slit 118 is obtained . , . di.splacecl in respect to the -incompl.ete slit 114a (Figure 25), : the space~bet~een these two slits be-ing sufficlently small ~: : to permit rupture of thc thickncss of material separating .~ :
~ 10 them at the time the sleeve is opened for application to a .. :
~ pipe. .-~
- - - . . ~-:: The slit produced in the outside surface of the : . sleeve by means of the wheel permits obtaining a clean cut, . : :.
~ even on the lips o~ the slit. ~
~ 15 Instead o-E a wheel, a cutting blade can equally as wel:l be used, placed a~s th:e whee:l, elther in the~plane~
of the:blade 104a, or~angul~arly-displaced thereErom.
;,; : : ' : - .
~, . - .
The cutting tool can include several knives. Figures 26 throug~h 28 sllow respèctively the~profiles of knives of ~
~ 20 two, three and four blades. The use o such knives permits ~-,; :. the spreading of the sleeve. ~igure 29 shows the spread1ng ~1 ~ of the sleeve having been sl~it by means.-of a four bladed knife ~.. , . , . . . -, .
In connection with known forms o apparatus in which ; the slitting o~ the sleeve is effected by the use of a slit-... . . .
-; 25 tin~ saw, it is to be noted-that the apparatus of the present ..
~ .
invcntioll is of particular advantage since the usc o:~ slittin~ i .~ . .
.~ knives, instcad of a saw, v:irtually eliminates the production ; ' . ' . .
",'' ~ .' ' '"
."'., ' ''''' '~', ', '. .
. ' " .
~'' ~ ,.
~'7~
o dust an(l also makes possi.ble t]le employment of slits of the kind sho~n ln ~i~ure 25 in ~]liC]l a partial slit formed thro~lgh the inside sur~ace of the sleeve is utilize~l. The . a~parat~ls of th~ invention is also of simple form and construction.
.
.
.~ . . . .
~`: . ' . ~ .: . .
-. ,:. : :
~ . . -. .
:, .;
,. . . ..
., 1 ~ . ~ .- .
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, , '''''', ~ ,~.:
:' .' .~
: ' ; .
- , . : . . : .
. . .
.
moun~ed on the carrlage 22 and has a fluted hub slidably mounted ~ on and driven by the shaft 26a. A belt 26c (see particular"l~
i Figures 4 and 7) interconnects the pulleys 26b and 26d, which latter is keyed to the hollow mandrel driving shaft 22b (see 15 particularly ~igure 5). The shaft 22b is journalled on the ,:~
. ~ .
carriage 22. The jacks 27 acting on the carria~e 22 move .. . , . . ~ . .
the half-mandrels toward and away from each othcr.
.
The rollers 21 are rotated from a motor 28 through a reducer 29 and through shafts 29a which are interconnected 20 by a belt or chaln 29b cooperating with sprochets 29c moun~,ed~ ~ ' on the shafts 29a (see particularly Figures 4 and 9). The ., separation of rollers 21 in respect to the axis of the mandrel ~' is obtained by means of levers 30 connected by links controlled ,' by a jack 31 and supported by lateral end bearing plates 34 '(see ~articulaT]y Figures 4 and 8). The ends of these levers have followers rtmning in guide slots 35 which are formed ' in the lateral end bearing plates 34 of the frame structure.
. . .
' The linl-s 30a which interconnect the levers 30 provide for relative adjustmcnt o~ the lcvers to thereby accommocl~te the : .
apparatus to mandrels of diferent diameter. The jack 31 ',, ;s mounted for adjustment by means of a manually adjustable ~ 14-, . .
- eb , " '' ', .' ' " ' ' ' ' . ' ' '.' ' ': .
~.~7~
scret~ thl'Ca~ dc~lce 31a, havin~ a control ~heel 31b providing for shirtinn tlle railge o-f movement of the levers 30 by thc jack 31, as may be required to accommodate mandrcls of di-fferent ;~ siæes and-also accommodate the ~roduction o slceves of differcnt ", 5 wall th;ckness (see particularly-~Figure 8). Each mandrel half (20 and 20a)'is o tubular construction and has e~tended therein an electrical resistance heater element. One end of the heater element is electrically connected with the inncr or free end of *he mandrel half, and the other en(l of the resistance element has a connecti,on 36a at the end of the - man~rel half near the carriage 22. Sli~ rings 36b rotating with the mandrcl mounting shaft 22b cooperate Witil contacts ~
~ '36. Eiectrical connections are provided betl~een the slip rinss ,~ and the central conductor 36a and also with the mandrel mounting shaft 22b and thus witll the shell of the mandrel. In this way, a heatcr supply circuit is provided hy means of which each mandrel half is }-eated.
, This apparatus functions in the followin manner:
~," - ~' ~ rrior to the arrival of the mat piece la the end ;~ 20 of the t~o half-mandrels 20-2Qa are in ennagement with each other, thus providing a complcte mandrel on which the sleeve is wound. The mandrels-halves are heated to about 400C.
The leading ènd of tlle pieces of mat contacts the hot mandrel and adheres to the mandrel in order to for~ the first layer.
. .
The polymerization of the bin~er in the inner surface layer of the sleeve is effected during the winding o~eration. The , ~andrel turns at a constant spee~ in a range o ~0 to 300 '' , : revolutions/~linute and the ~at ~in~ls at a pro~,ressivcly ac-celcrating spccd. The threc rollers 21 ~hicll arc mechanically ~ ' , ., ' '~:
, - . . . : . . . ~ . .. .
: . .. .
.. , . ., .. .. . ., , . :
interconnccted seI-ar.lte simultaneot}sly at slow sl~ced e~erting a constant pressl~I e iJI the sleeve being formed.
.
The rollcls ~1 arc maint:ailled in engagement ~ith the outside surface of the sleeve l~eing formed durin~ the build u~ of the layers of the mat, and preferably the rollers are l^etained in en~agement Wit]l the sleeve even after the - builcl up of the layers in or~er to provide a smooth exterior surface on the sleeve. The binder in the inner surface layer is cured during the build up of the sleeve~ and this curing facilitates thc witlldra-Yal of the mandrel halves from the ends o the sleeves, whicll occurs while the rollers 21 are being rotated in contact ~ith the outside surface of the sleeve.
, At the end of this operation~ after the mandrel ; halves have been witlldrawn, the rollers 21 separate rapidly and the sleeve drops out of position. Immediately after the ; ~all o the sleeve, the rollers regroup themselves around or about the mandrel halves and serve to guide them while they return to their operating position, their rotation being continued. A new cycle of windin~ can no~ begin.
The sleeve lb, exiting fror;l this apparatus has a hard smooth lnner surface obtained from the contact o the mat with the heated mandrel, while at the same time the outer surface has undergone a first smoothi]lg operation by action of rollers 21.
~5 The worlcing cycle of the mandrel ancl the rollers can bc controllecl hy a photoscnsitive cell hiddell from Vi by the piece of mat carricd by belt 16, this cell giving the termination of the cyclc by a timcr rcgulable in relation :, ,:
.: :
, ' ~
~o tlie iength of the pat]l rom the cell to the mandrel.
It will be understood that ~arious automat c controls muy ~e provided in order to time; synchronize and otherwise regulate tlle relationship of various operations, but as these controls may take a variety of forms they need not be considercd in detail hcrein.
Transport component for the sleeves fTom the formin~ apparatus to ap~aratus for polymerizing the outer surface ~Figure 10) This component recei~es the slee~es lb in a trough . ~
40 placed horizontally under the winding apparatus. This trough is fixed to a support frame 41 mounted on a pivot 42 and pivotable under action of a jack 43. At the end of the stroke of the j~ck, the sleeve, WhiC]l is supported throu~hout its entire length by the trough 40, rolls out of the trou~h and is delivcred in transverse position onto the belt of the polymerization apparatus for the outer surfaces.
' Apparatus for polymerization of the outer surace of the sleeves (Figures 11 and 12) This apparatus llas a frame structure 44 in shape o~ a double cross beam supporting at its upper part a lifting system to raise the height of a heating plate 45 provided with electric resistances in its interior. Tllis lifting system . , is composed of a reduction gearing 46 witll electric brakes and of four screw jacks 47 controlled simultaneous-ly by this reduction gearing. Thesc jacks are connected to the heating j l)latc ~5 by rods 4~ of rc~ulablc lclltlls jcining on the lle.lti!Lg - plnt~ by mcans of fork-joints ~9. The hcatin~ ~late is thus supported hori~olltally by the screl~s.
:' . . .
. : , , .
. : , ' , , ~ .
At its lo~er ~aTt the apl~aratus coml~rises a belt 50 driven by a varia~le speed motor 51 and held horizontally between two rollers 52. The upper run o:F this ~e~lt is su~ported by rollers 53 of small diameter.
Tlle tem~erature of the plate 45 is about ~00C.
, -~ The slceves lb carried by the transfer apparatus pass between belt 50 and plate 45 and advance, turning on themselves under the action of the belt with light compression against the plate. Correction of the outer diameter and a stabilization of the contour of the sleeves is efec~-ed by`
this apparatus. In addition, due to the temperature of plate 45, the outer surace of the sleeves are ~olymerized and acquire a smooth skin, of good quality, and this eliminates any necessity for grinding or trimming.
. ~ - .
,~l 15 Polymerization oven for the SleeveS ~Figures l3 t11rough l6f) ~ ~ .
l . , The sleeves exiting from the smoothing apparatus are conveyed to an oven 9 provided to effect complete and uniform curing of the sleeves to a temperature abol1t 250C, .~ . , .
~- thus permitting the polymerization with a mlnimum of fumes ,~, , , 20 and gaseous release. In the çourse of curing in this oven, j~- - the sleeves are carried without constraint, in such a way as to avoid delamination of the outer layers, without shock and without rubbing likely to cause harmful surface defects.
In addition, during the time in this oven, the sleeves are ` 25 maintained perfectly straight throughout their entire lcngth, q and are com~letely rotatcd al)out their a~es in such a way as to cause uniformity of curing.
. ~ :
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~'' ~, ,.
, . : , ... . . .. . .
Jnmle~ l;f;~ ter the exit: from the smoothing apraratus, each sleeve is rcceived in a support li~tin~ mechanism including trough 54 conncc-tcd ~ith the piston rod of a jack 56. A ccll records the prcsence of the sleeve and controls the transfer to the upper leve~ of thc oven. l)ur:;ng this vertical trans-- fer, the 1a~era1 poiition ~f the sleeve may be recentered ; by lateral guides. At the u~per end o the upward stroke `~ ~ of the jack, the trough 54 rocks and the sleeve rolls into ~; the oven. ~n entrance door 61, operate~ by a jack 62 stops the sleeve for a short moment prior to its entry. The opening of this door is tianed and of limited duration in order to -diminish the loss of heat from the oven.
... . .
In order to extend the time of the sleeves in the . , oven, and at the same time minimize the size of the oven, the oven includes several superimposed levels, Eive in number in tlle re~resentative example here shown.
,,:
~ The arrangement o supports for the sleeves in the `~ curing oven is as follows.
. . . . .
-~ The supports for the sleeves at each layer of the 20 superimposed layers oE the fee~ path o the sleeves includes i: ,., . , - .
a series of rods 63 which extend in directions perpendicular -to the plane of Figure 13, and one series of which are shown ; in transverse section in Figures 16a to 16f. Each set of these rods make up a deck or supporting the sleeves at one 25 of the treatment levels in the oven. Each set of rods is in turn supported at its ends hy a pair of crank shats comprising ; spindles 64 ancl crank c~ements ~5, there l~eing one such crank shat arra~l~ed at eac}l cnd o each sct of sup~orting rods 63 in positions beyond the ends of the sleevcs carried by the ,'' .
" ~ ~
^`~
rods.
;
The confi.~uration of one such crank shaft a~pears in ~igure 14, and in Fi~ures 16a-16f the crank shaft there : .
~ ~ shown ;s posi~ione~l beyond the cnd of the sleeve lb sho-ln ~.
as supportcd by the set o rods illustrated.in those figures.
. As the crank shafts are rotated ;n synchronisrl Wit}l each other and because of the engagement of the pins 64 witll the ends . of the rods 63 tsee also ~igure 15~, the rods 63 movc ~ith a sinusoiclal wave motion as the crank shafts rotate. This ; 10 motion is indicatcd in liigure lS and is guided by slots 66 . forr.~ed in the enclosure 67 wh;c]l serve to shield the crank , 'r shafts from the ends of the slee~es and also to gulde the sleeves as they are advanced. The sinusoidal action is ill.ustrated in Fi~ures 16a to 16f and it will be seen that toward the left in each of those figures a diagram is reproduced shol~ring . the illustrated extent of rotation of the cran]c shafts throughout .. ` one revolution, in 60 increments, which corresponds to the ... ..
.~i angular displacement of the successive support pins 64 of ;~ each crank shaft.
~?;
'i .
It will be seen that in conse~uence of the sinusoidal ` wave motion, each sleeve lb is caused to roll as it is aclvanced lengthwise of the cranlc shafts. Moreover, as the sleeve rolls .
;. on the rods 63, different surface areas of the outside surface .`~ of each sleeve are progressively contacted and exposed. At . 25 the end of the first level of the feed path in the oven, the ; :.
.;~ slceves are dropped by gravity down to the next level and the wavc motion of the supportin~ rods 63 of the second level . then causes the sleeves to advance in thc other di.rection ,....................................................................... . .
. tto the lcft as vicwe~l in ~igure 3~, the rotation of the .' ~ .
; ' ' . .
sleevec; bçing continllcd. Aga;ll, at the left end of the sccond level, the slecve again drops to the third lcvel, and proceeds again to t7le rlgllt, and so forth-throughout all levcls of the ovcn~ finally being discharP,ed at the incline(l del:ivery plate 71.
~`
.
The cranl~ shafts are aclapted to be driven by a variable speed motor 68 by mcans of a chain 69 engaging sprochets 70 on the ends of the crank shafts~ this dri~e being arranged .. . .
'`: - to provide appropriate rotation of the cran~ shafts to impart '~ 10 sinusoidal wave moti.on of the sup~orting rods of each succeeding - level in op~osite directions, so that the sleeves will be ~ed irst in one direction across the oven and then in the opposite clirection on the next level.
During this,feed on the sleeves through the oven -, each~sleeve is subjected to a ~low of the curing medium, preferab- ,' ~' ly heated air and because of the support of the sleeves upon '~
~'~ the spaced rods 63 in each treatment level and further because~
~'' of the continued rotation of the sleeves as they advancc, ' the curing air contacts all surEaces of the sleeves and w,ill 20 . o course enter to some:extcnt within the pores of the sleeves, ~
- thereby enhancing the uniformity of the curing action and ~'' ..
- - minimizing the time in the curing oven. , ' ;' . ' ' ` ''' ' ,:
lleating of the oven lS effected by means of gas ''';
burners 72 arranged at the,floor 73 of the oven. Refractory '~
',: 25 bafles 74 are provided'above the individual-burners 72 in ' ~;- order to avoid localized overheatin~ and to distribute the ::' heating gases. ~urthcr distribution of thc hc.l~ing gases is , eEfectecl by means of a ~erforatcd r,lctal sheet 75 overlyingi the ,'~
-21- `
;
i : .
, . - : :
.
. ~ .
~ baf-f.hes 7~ nd sp~e~d abovc the ba:~fles.
. .
.' ' '' ~.
Tlle llot air i5 çvacuated by the flu~ 76. -, ' ' ; -: Apparatus for cutting the ends of the sleeves (Fi(Jure 17) : ~ .
,, .
: - The sl~eves l.eaving the ove.n roll on support 71 . S . by gravity to a liftin~ device composed of two chains 80 on ; which palettes 81 are fixed. These chains are.mounted by .. :
~i means of pairs of sprocllet c~2 and-83, the pinions 83 being ;: , .
~ driven by power means inclucling a reduction gearing 84.
1~ On each side o the chains are seen the fixed lateral ,. . . .
guides 85 which engage the ends of the sleeves and maintain Z,r'~ them in a ccntexcd posi.tion. The apparatus comprises also a guide composcd of a metal plate 90 placed in the plane of the ascencling 1ights of chains ~0 and ~rhic]l serves to support . : . .
. the sleeves during their passage. .This metal platè is curved .:.
; lS at its upper p~rt in orcier to ~orm an inclinccl plane 91. In ~.
addition to guicle 90 there-is a cooperating guicle shoe 92 .i. ~ . .....
~ . parallel to plate 90. The separatiorl bctweell the slloe 92~
.; . . ..
.,.. '.~ and the plate 90 is regulable ~y means o two links 93-9~, the 3.inl.~ 93 being control.led by a hand:wheel 95, and the link 20 9~ being mounted on an ad~ustable block 96. : ~.
,.,i . , :
.;, ,........................................... . .
"' Near the upper ends o guides 85 the ends of the ...... . .
sleeves are brought:into contact Wit]l two s~aced circular ~ saws ~6 whose shaft is driven by a motor, an~ llic]l cuts the -,~ slecves to the desi.rcd length.
... . .
,. . . .
T]-c ends whicll ~rcre cut of are di.sc]large~(t by gravity . .: . . .
,,, ' ' ,", g,ll7~
` by a chute ~,7 and the sleeves are carried up to thc top of the li~tin~ ~evice and roll ont~ the lnclined plate 91 which d;rects them tol~ard the following apparatus.
.
` ~paratus for slittin~_the slec~es ~igures 18 through 25) ,:' - . ' -:
~ 5 ~ ~fter pivoting by~means of an apparatus such as ~
~ j .
that represented in Fi~ure 18 and including a stopblock lO0 and a slide lOl, the sleeves are a~ially advanced by a transporter lOZ ln the for~ of dlabolo rollers, the heig~lt of this transporter eing regulable~ln such a way as to advance the sleeves accurate~
ly in line with the axls o~ the kniEe support o the slltter.
The slitter includes a cylindrical rod 103 in which a trianeular slittin~ b1ade ls~mounted, the blade~lying~in ~ ~
a diametrical plane ancl having~its point presented toward ~ ;
the~advanc1n~ ends of~the~s~1eeves~and further hnving its base end~positioned asymmetrica~lly with respect to t}ie rod 103, so that the blade~lias a relatively;large ex~osed part 104a at one side and a relatlvely large exposed part 1~04b at the ;other~side. The larger blade part 104a is of suffic~i~nt l~idth ~ ;so;~that~lt wlll penetrate-or cut all the way through~the walI ~ 20 ~of the sleeve at that side, the blade part 104b bein8 narrower and serving to fo~m a slit~of~limited depth in tl1e inside wall~o~ the s1eeve~diametricslly opposite to the cut~orme~d ;by~the blade 104a.~
The rod 103 has a point 105 whicl1 enters the sleeve when it reaches the slitter, and also has a support 106 for the blade which is ~;xed on the base or ~ramc 107.
.
. .............. .
'': :. ' ,i ,' ' , .
~r ~3715~
On each side of tlle slitter blades, a fixed gui~e ~all clement 109 is providcd, lying bctween the flights of an internally notched belt 108 having rotative supporting elements in each end, the elements 110 being in the n~turc of drive pulleys whicfI are driven by a variable spced motor 112 positioned within the base lti7. Preferably provision is made for varying ii, : , the distanc^ be-t~een the t~o assernblies of the fixed wal]
élements and belts at the two sides o the path of movement 7. ~ ' ' 0~ the sleeves as they are moved over the slitter. This spacing I0 ~means mIy b~ adjusled by means of the hand ~heel 113. This provides for eIlg'tgement and~feed of sleeves of different sizes w~th rela~ioIl to the slitting Icnivos.
The belts thus constitute means for advancin~ the ~,;: . . ~ : , ~ sleeves over tlle cutter~ thereby producing slits such a.s in-f ~; lS dicated at 114~ln Flgure 21;~extendin~ throu~h the entire wall of each sleeve, and also the pnrt~al~slits llS extended throu`~h only a~portion of the wall of the sleeves. These slits~are provided for the purpose of faclIitnting opening of ~he sleeve - at th~e time they are used, as ;n applying them to a pipe or 2U~ conduIt,~the incomplete slit 115 leaving a certain thickn0ss of mat~erial l~hich will~retain the tl~O halves in the proper relation but whicl~ l not interfere ~ith opening of the sI-eve to applv it t~ a pipe.
In the aIternative em~o~iment of Figure 22, the ~: ~ 25 cut~In~ b]ade tool is positioned so that the parts lD4a-104b ~ ~ slit the sleeves only through a ~art of the.ir thic~ness. The n ~ slitter also inclu~les a cuttin~ ~hecl 116 ~l~ccd in adv;tncc ~-`"~! of the do~nstrcam end of thc blade 101a, th^reby producing in the slceves a limitcd slit throush the thicXness of thc ~ 30 sleeves at both sides thereof, instead of only at one si~le as ; ~ ~ ` -2~-. , , ~ - - . ' . ~ , ,~ , ,, , .. ,. , . ~
:
in ~i~urcs 1~ and 2n. Thc slit made by the whee]. 116 can either be In khe p:lalle of the slit obtnined by the part lO~a : ~ of the blade ~I~igurc 23) or can be angularly displacccl (Figure 24). In the first case a slit is.obtained (extending through ~ 5 the wall of the sleeve) such as tllose produced by the c~ltting .~ tool of-~igure 1~, and in the second case a slit 118 is obtained . , . di.splacecl in respect to the -incompl.ete slit 114a (Figure 25), : the space~bet~een these two slits be-ing sufficlently small ~: : to permit rupture of thc thickncss of material separating .~ :
~ 10 them at the time the sleeve is opened for application to a .. :
~ pipe. .-~
- - - . . ~-:: The slit produced in the outside surface of the : . sleeve by means of the wheel permits obtaining a clean cut, . : :.
~ even on the lips o~ the slit. ~
~ 15 Instead o-E a wheel, a cutting blade can equally as wel:l be used, placed a~s th:e whee:l, elther in the~plane~
of the:blade 104a, or~angul~arly-displaced thereErom.
;,; : : ' : - .
~, . - .
The cutting tool can include several knives. Figures 26 throug~h 28 sllow respèctively the~profiles of knives of ~
~ 20 two, three and four blades. The use o such knives permits ~-,; :. the spreading of the sleeve. ~igure 29 shows the spread1ng ~1 ~ of the sleeve having been sl~it by means.-of a four bladed knife ~.. , . , . . . -, .
In connection with known forms o apparatus in which ; the slitting o~ the sleeve is effected by the use of a slit-... . . .
-; 25 tin~ saw, it is to be noted-that the apparatus of the present ..
~ .
invcntioll is of particular advantage since the usc o:~ slittin~ i .~ . .
.~ knives, instcad of a saw, v:irtually eliminates the production ; ' . ' . .
",'' ~ .' ' '"
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o dust an(l also makes possi.ble t]le employment of slits of the kind sho~n ln ~i~ure 25 in ~]liC]l a partial slit formed thro~lgh the inside sur~ace of the sleeve is utilize~l. The . a~parat~ls of th~ invention is also of simple form and construction.
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Claims (27)
1. A process for the continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a heat hardenable binder, according to which the felt is wound and formed into a tube on a heated rotatable mandrel, the internal and external tube surfaces being heat hardened and the tube being submitted to a final heat treatment, characterized in that just after the formation of the tube and the hardening of the internal tube surface, the tube is removed from the heated mandrel and is caused to roll on an unobstructed and uninterrupted planar heated surface for forming a smooth hardened external surface on the tube and in that hot gas is then passed over the tube so as to bring about substantially uniform hardening of the binder throughout the tube wall thickness.
2. A process according to Claim 1 wherein hot gas is passed over a plurality of the tubes within an oven in which hot gas circulates freely about the tubes.
3. A process according to Claim 1 wherein the mandrel is heated to a temperature such as to cause adherence of the first turn of felt.
4. A process according to Claim 3 wherein a pressure device, movement of which is controlled, is in contact with the tube being wound on the mandrel so as to exert constant pressure on the tube and to keep it in rotation after its hardened internal surface has been detached from the mandrel.
5. A process according to Claim 4 wherein a plu-rality of rollers are disposed round the mandrel to contact the tube for regularity of winding thereof.
6. A process according to Claim 3 wherein the mandrel is separated from the tube when the latter has been wound, the tube then falling gravitationally.
7. A process according to Claim 6 wherein, after the tube has been shaped and separated from the mandrel, it is passed between two plane surfaces and is in contact with them, the plane surfaces being moved relative to one another to maintain the tube in rotation, one of the plane surfaces being heated to polymerize and smooth the external tube surface region.
8. A process according to Claim 7 wherein one of the plane surfaces is subjected to a translational movement and the other is stationary.
9. A process according to Claim 8 wherein the stationary surface is heated.
10. A process according to Claim 1 wherein the tube, after formation of its external surface, is transferred to an oven in which it is rotated about its axis, while the hot gas is passed over it, and also moved to a direction normal to its axis.
11. A process according to Claim 10 wherein the tube is moved by successive contacts along the wall of the tube parallel to its axis.
12. A process according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein the tube is moved in the said direction oppositely several times.
13. Apparatus for continuous manufacture of tubes from fibrous felt containing a heat hardenable binder, comprising a heated rotatable two part mandrel and an oven traversed by hot gas, characterized by:
rollers positioned around the mandrel and mounted for contact with a length of felt being formed into a tube on the heated mandrel;
an unobstructed and uninterrupted smooth heated surface against which the tube removed from the heated mandrel is rolled, and an oven having several superimposed elements providing for feed of the tubes in straight form throughout the length thereof and for free unconstrained rolling movement about their axes as they advance over said elements in the oven.
rollers positioned around the mandrel and mounted for contact with a length of felt being formed into a tube on the heated mandrel;
an unobstructed and uninterrupted smooth heated surface against which the tube removed from the heated mandrel is rolled, and an oven having several superimposed elements providing for feed of the tubes in straight form throughout the length thereof and for free unconstrained rolling movement about their axes as they advance over said elements in the oven.
14. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the mandrel is heated electrically.
15. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the said rollers are three in number and equiangularly spaced about the mandrel.
16. Apparatus according to Claim 15 wherein the rollers are interconnected mechanically and moved away from the mandrel simultaneously at low speed to exert constant pressure on the tube during formation.
17. Apparatus according to Claim 13 including means for stopping rotation of the mandrel and for moving the rollers apart when a length of felt has been formed into a tube on the mandrel, the rollers keeping the tube in position and in rotation to complete shaping thereof.
18. Apparatus according to Claim 17 including means for rapidly releasing the rollers when the tube has been wound.
19. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the mandrel is in two axially separate parts, a jack being provided for moving the two parts axially apart for rapidly disen-gaging them after a tube is formed, and a transfer channel being provided to receive a tube fallen from the separated mandrel parts.
20. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein a fine mesh belt is associated with the heated surface to form a conveyor.
21. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the oven comprises transverse horizontal bars on which tubes rest without contact between adjacent tubes, which bars are given a vertical movement of the same amplitude for all the bars but displaced in phase from one bar to the next so that the bars displace the tubes to pass them through the oven and to rotate each about its axis.
22. Apparatus according to Claim 21 wherein each bar is supported at its ends on the pins of a crank disc, the discs being relatively angularly displaced, such that the axes of the bars define a sinusoidal waveform which is moved by rotation of the discs.
23. Apparatus according to Claim 22 wherein the ends of the bars engage in vertical guides.
24. Apparatus according to Claim 21 wherein the oven comprises a plurality of levels through which the tubes pass in succession, the direction of movement of the tubes in the oven being reversed from one level to the next.
25. Apparatus according to Claim 21 wherein move-ment of tubes from one level to the next is by gravity.
26. Apparatus according to Claim 21 wherein a door is adapted to halt each tube momentarily before it enters the oven to position it parallel to the bars.
27. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein an elevator transfers tubes from the said heated surface to an upper level of the oven, the elevator having a v-shaped member at its top to accommodate a tube which element pivots to transfer the tube into the oven.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR7417232A FR2278485A1 (en) | 1974-05-17 | 1974-05-17 | METHOD AND DEVICES FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURING OF INSULATING SHELLS |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1071522A true CA1071522A (en) | 1980-02-12 |
Family
ID=9139009
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA226,985A Expired CA1071522A (en) | 1974-05-17 | 1975-05-14 | Method and apparatus for manufacture of insulating sleeves |
Country Status (30)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS6034208B2 (en) |
| AR (1) | AR206026A1 (en) |
| AT (1) | AT364767B (en) |
| BE (1) | BE829213A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR7503014A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1071522A (en) |
| CH (1) | CH601011A5 (en) |
| CS (1) | CS248002B2 (en) |
| DD (1) | DD119161A5 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2520462C2 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK147820C (en) |
| EG (1) | EG12418A (en) |
| ES (1) | ES437681A1 (en) |
| FI (1) | FI65572C (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2278485A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1478231A (en) |
| HU (1) | HU175293B (en) |
| IE (1) | IE42987B1 (en) |
| IN (1) | IN143165B (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1038119B (en) |
| LU (1) | LU72509A1 (en) |
| NL (1) | NL7505778A (en) |
| NO (1) | NO149290C (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ177515A (en) |
| PL (1) | PL104343B1 (en) |
| SE (1) | SE418705B (en) |
| SU (1) | SU727122A3 (en) |
| TR (1) | TR18650A (en) |
| YU (1) | YU40261B (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA753169B (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE3235342A1 (en) * | 1982-09-24 | 1984-03-29 | Wilfried 6238 Hofheim Seitz | Process and apparatus for producing cylindrical shell-shaped pipe insulations from mineral wool |
| FR2583498B1 (en) * | 1985-06-14 | 1987-08-07 | Saint Gobain Isover | PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING MINERAL FIBER SHELLS |
| FR2831645B1 (en) | 2001-10-31 | 2004-04-02 | Saint Gobain Isover | COMPRESSED INSULATION SHELL |
| PT1559946E (en) | 2001-07-17 | 2007-01-31 | Saint Gobain Isover | Punching of annular elements from a band of fibrous material |
| CN112562940B (en) * | 2020-12-07 | 2022-08-09 | 鑫缆电缆有限公司 | Manufacturing and forming method of cable insulation sleeve |
| CN114559655B (en) * | 2022-03-02 | 2023-07-21 | 江苏电子信息职业学院 | Stamp 3D printer for financial accounting |
| CN115416334A (en) * | 2022-05-25 | 2022-12-02 | 临海伟星新型建材有限公司 | Plastic pipe continuous annealing furnace and annealing process thereof |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL274398A (en) * | 1961-02-06 |
-
1974
- 1974-05-17 FR FR7417232A patent/FR2278485A1/en active Granted
-
1975
- 1975-01-01 AR AR258751A patent/AR206026A1/en active
- 1975-04-30 GB GB1798575A patent/GB1478231A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-05-02 IE IE993/75A patent/IE42987B1/en unknown
- 1975-05-07 DE DE2520462A patent/DE2520462C2/en not_active Expired
- 1975-05-13 IT IT23265/75A patent/IT1038119B/en active
- 1975-05-13 TR TR18650A patent/TR18650A/en unknown
- 1975-05-14 NZ NZ177515A patent/NZ177515A/en unknown
- 1975-05-14 FI FI751424A patent/FI65572C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-14 ES ES437681A patent/ES437681A1/en not_active Expired
- 1975-05-14 HU HU75SA2791A patent/HU175293B/en unknown
- 1975-05-14 CA CA226,985A patent/CA1071522A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-05-15 YU YU1250/75A patent/YU40261B/en unknown
- 1975-05-15 BR BR3843/75D patent/BR7503014A/en unknown
- 1975-05-16 SE SE7505675A patent/SE418705B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-16 NL NL7505778A patent/NL7505778A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1975-05-16 NO NO751757A patent/NO149290C/en unknown
- 1975-05-16 SU SU752133711A patent/SU727122A3/en active
- 1975-05-16 BE BE156476A patent/BE829213A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-16 ZA ZA00753169A patent/ZA753169B/en unknown
- 1975-05-16 LU LU72509A patent/LU72509A1/xx unknown
- 1975-05-16 CS CS753435A patent/CS248002B2/en unknown
- 1975-05-16 DK DK217175A patent/DK147820C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-16 AT AT0377675A patent/AT364767B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-16 JP JP50057544A patent/JPS6034208B2/en not_active Expired
- 1975-05-16 DD DD186105A patent/DD119161A5/xx unknown
- 1975-05-16 CH CH632675A patent/CH601011A5/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1975-05-17 EG EG292/75A patent/EG12418A/en active
- 1975-05-17 PL PL1975180472A patent/PL104343B1/en unknown
- 1975-05-27 IN IN1070/CAL/1975A patent/IN143165B/en unknown
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