GB906810A - Method and apparatus for manufacture of hose for conveying fluids - Google Patents

Abstract

906,810. Making hose-pipes. GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. Jan. 13, 1961, No. 1478/61. Class 99 (2). Apparatus for manufacturing a continuous length of hose comprises in combination a vulcanisation chamber 20 having a substantially smooth bore adapted to receive an unvulcanised hose, a movable hose-wrapping carriage 9 adjacent to the end of the chamber to which the hose is advanced and having mounted thereon hose wrapping supply means 45, 46 and 47, a movable mandrel carriage 7 adjacent the end of the carriage 9 and remote from the chamber and having a hollow mandrel mounted thereon, means to couple the carriages 7, 9 and curing tube carriage 2 adjacent the end of the carriage 7 remote from the carriage 9 and having releasably mounted thereon a curing tube 1 which extends through the mandrel and hose-wrapping carriage into the chamber, all of the carriages being substantially longitudinally aligned with the chamber. As shown, the air bag pipe 1 which can be pressurised with air or other fluid is slidably clamped to a stand 2 and can be moved horizontally, and the wheeled carriages 7, 9 ride on rails 5, the stand 12 on the carriage 7 carrying elastomeric stock 14 and a liner guide roll 16; a liner carriage 18 is located between the carriage 9 and the steam-heated vulcanising chamber 20, and a hose-supporting roll 21 is disposed at the hose-entry end of the chamber. The latter provided at each end thereof with cooling jackets 23, and after extraction of the hose from the chamber the hose is stored on a wind-up device 25. The carriages 7, 9 are linked together by a chain 35 one end of which is connected to the carriage 7 and which extends over sprockets 37 . . . . 40 and terminates in a counter-weight 41. Two wrapping devices are mounted on the carriage 9 and each comprises a housing 42 containing an internally toothed gear 44 on which are rotatably mounted rolls 45, 46 and 47 of fabric, and, when desired, bobbins of wire, and rotated by gears mounted on a shaft 71 driven through belts or chains 69, 61 and by a motor 59. The shaft 62 is. connected by a belt or chain to a gear reduction unit 65 and the latter is connected through drive means 66 to an infinitely variable drive 67 which in turn drives a gear 68 connected to the chain 35 and from which the gear is disconnected by a lever 72 carrying the sprocket 38. In operation, the carriage 9 is locked to the rails by screw-clamps 34 and the carriage 7 is moved a convenient distance away from the chamber 20 and also locked in position by screw-clamps 28, the chain drive system 35 between the carriages being disconnected by the lever 72 and the mandrel 13 being coated with a lubricant such as silicone oil. The elastomeric liner 30 is wrapped around the mandrel and the seam thereof stitched and the chain drive 35 engaged so that the now unlocked carriage 9 is pulled to the carriage 7 by the motor 59, the fabric wrappings 79, 81 being applied to the liner 30; the carriage 18 is then rolled down the rails to apply the outer liner 82. After a sufficient quantity of hose has been built, a curing tube to which the tube 1 is secured is pulled from the chamber 20 and into the unvulcanised hose. A liner 56 is wrapped about the hose, and prior to introduction of the hose into the chamber, and is subjected to a pulling force to extract the hose from the chamber. During insertion of the hose into the chamber, the carriages 7, 9 and 18 are pulled towards the chamber so that a succeeding length of hose may be built while the preceding length is cured. If the tension on the hose and liner exceeds the spring pressure of a plunger 88, a microswitch 85 is operated to de-energize the motor 59, or if manual force is exerted on the liner 56 the microswitch actuates a warning light or other warning device. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 866,705.