GB1037501A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,037,501. Making pipes. BRITISH AEROPLANE PLASTICS Ltd. July 17, 1963 [Aug. 1, 1962], No. 29595/62. Heading F2P. A pipe winding machine comprises a supporting structure 10, a rotating member 14 supported by the supporting structure, a spool 16 upon which material from which the pipe is to be formed may be wound, the spool being pivotally mounted on the rotating member, a former 25 upon which the pipe is to be wound, a rigid member 29 whose axis is of the same contour as the centre line of the former, this rigid member being attached to the former, and means for effecting relative movement between the rigid member (and thus the former) on the one hand and the spool on the other hand in such a way that the point on the centre line of the former in the plane which contains the spool and which is perpendicular to the centre line of the former remains coinciding at all times with the axis of rotation of the rotating member. Spools or cassettes 16 are rotatable on spindles 17 which are pivoted to arms 15, which arms, four in number, are telescopic and are mounted on an annular channel-sectioned member 14 which is rollermounted on an annular track 12 attached to the frame 10. The member 14 has gear teeth 23 on its periphery and is driven from a motor 24. The pivotal actuation of the spindle 17 is derived from electro-mechanical means 21, e.g. a solenoid, through linkage 19, 20. By setting stops to limit the travel of the cassette 16 and by operating the solenoid to move the cassette to a required position, the correct feed angle for the tape is obtained for its direction of feed. Alternatively, the cassettes may swing freely on their pivots. The former or mandrel 25 is held at its ends through adaptors 26 to supports 27, 28 so that it passes through the centre line of the annular member 14. The feet of the supports have castors 35 resting on a smooth surface 36 and the supports are connected by the guide member 29. Thus the formers 25 and guides 29 are used in pairs which are interchangeable. The guide 29 passes between drums 30, 31. The drum 30 is driven by a motor 32 and engages a friction pad 33 along the whole length of one side of the guide, which may be pressed against the drum 30 by a screw or jack 34. The former is made of material which may easily be removed from the completed pipe, e.g. plaster of Paris, or it could be made up from sections, e.g. of metal. Any suitable number of cassettes may be used, but two only are actually winding at the same time. The tapes are helically wound on to the former 25 which is traversed and guided in relation to the winding unit by the guide member 29. At the end of one winding pass the motor 32 and the feed angles of the cassettes are reversed and the pipe is traversed in the opposite direction. If four cassettes are used, for example, the first is loaded with resin-impregnated tape to provide the pipe lining, the second and third with resin-impregnated glass fibre tape and the fourth with resin-impregnated tape to provide the cover. The pipe when wound is removed and cured on its former, which is then removed from the pipe.