US3778496A - Method of embedding thin wall tubular material in plastic under high pressure conditions - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and means of embedding thin wall tubular material in plastic under high pressure conditions in disclosed herein. The means of this invention comprises a first plate means with a plurality of spaced apart studs extending upwardly therefrom which are adapted to support tubular members thereon in substantially vertically disposed position. A casting means is positioned above the first plate means and has a cavity formed therein which is adapted to receive casting material therein and which is adapted to receive the tubular members therein when the casting means is moved downwardly with respect to the first plate means. The casting means has a plurality of guide openings formed therein at the upper end of the cavity which are adapted to receive the tempered upper ends of the tubular members to properly position the same when the casting means is moved to its lower position. Heating elements are also provided to heat the casting material to cause the same to harden at the proper time. The method of embedding the tubular members in the casting material is disclosed with the method causing the tubular members to be properly positioned in a parallel, spaced apart manner so that the finished product can be used as a fluid manifold in an injection machine.

Description

Dec. 11, 1973 Filed April 5, 1971 F. R. LADD METHOD OF EMBEDDlNG THIN WALL TUBULAH MATERLAL IN UNDER HIGH PRESSURE CONDITONS PLASTIC 5 Sheets-Sheet l III w Fzyfz /m/f/vro /CZaw Z gap #Trae/V545 Dec. l1, 1973 F R LADD 3,778,496v

METHOD OF EMBEDDING THIN` WALL TUBULAR MATERIAL IN PLASTIC UNDER HIGH PRESSURE CONDITIONS Filed April 5, 1971 I5 Sheets-Sheet @Trae/vias Dec. 1l, 1973 F R LADD 3,778,496

METHOD OF EMBEDDLNG THIN WALL TUBULAR MATERIAL IN PLASTIC UNDER HIGH PRESSURE CONDITIONS Filed April 5, 1971 3 .SheetS-Sheet l? /A/VEA/Ia H05/ Z A90 United States Patent Oice 3,778,496 METHOD F EMBEDDING THIN WALL TUBULAR MATERIAL IN PLASTIC UNDER HIGH PRES- SURE CONDITIONS Floyd R. Ladd, West Des Moines, Iowa, assigner to Townsend Engineering Company, Des Moines, Iowa Filed Apr. 5, 1971, Ser. No. 131,022 i Int. Cl. B29d 3/00 U.S. Cl. 264-162 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and means of embedding thin wall tubular material in plastic under high pressure conditions is disclosed herein. The means of this invention comprises a first plate means with a plurality of spaced apart studs extending upwardly therefrom which are adapted to support tubular members thereon in a substantially vertically disposed position. A casting means is positioned above the first plate means and has a cavity formed therein which is adapted to receive casting material therein and which is adapted to receive the tubular members therein when the casting means is moved downwardly with respect to the first plate means. The casting means has a plurality of guide openings formed therein at the upper end of the cavity which are adapted to receive the tapered upper ends of the tubular members to properly position the same when the casting means is moved to its lower position. Heating elements are alsol provided to heat the casting material to cause the same to harden at the proper time. The method of embedding the tubular members in the casting material is disclosed with the method causing the tubular members to be properly positioned in a parallel, spaced apart manner so that the finished product can be used as a fluid manifold in an injection machine.

Vthe fluid thereinto. The uid manifold has heretofore been constructed of stainless steel but is very expensive to manufacture. Additionally, it is extremely difficult to fabricate thel stainless steel fluid manifolds due to the production problems associated therewith.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to 'provide a method and means of embedding thin wall tubular material in plastic under high pressure conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for producing a fluid manifold for a fluid injection machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method and means of embedding tubular members in casting material wherein the tubular members are properly positioned in a parallel, spaced apart relationship.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method and means of embedding tubular members in casting material which is relatively inexpensive of manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an mproved method and means for manufacturing liiuid manifolds suitable for use withfa iiuid injection machine.

' These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully setforth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the means of this invention illustrating the upper die position in its upper position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except that the upper die is illustrated in its lowered position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view seen along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 except that the upper die and casting is illustrated in a partially lowered position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIIG. 4 with the upper die and casting thereon being illustrated in its lowermost position;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the finished product illustrating the excess casting material being removed from the tubular members and illustrating the manner in which the upper ends of the tubular members are ground down to expose the bore extending therethrough;

FIGS. 7-13 are side views depicting the sequential steps of the method of this invention;

FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view of the stripper plate associated with this invention; and

FIG. l5 is a perspective view of the finished product.

The numeral 10 refers generally to a molding or casting apparatus including a stationary lower die 12 and a movable upper die 14. Lower die 12 has a horizontal bed portion 15 and a plurality of guide rods 16 extending upwardly therefrom. The upper die 14 is slidably mounted on the rods 16 and is vertically movable by means of a power cylinder rod 18 extending from an air or hydraulic cylinder means. The molding apparatus thus described is conventional in design.

Plate 20 is secured to 4bed portion 15 by bolts, screws or other suitable means and is provided with heating elements 22 extending therethrough as will be described in more detail hereinafter. A pair of guide rods 24 and 26 are secured to the opposite ends of plate 20 and extend upwardly therefrom. Tube positioning plate 2S is secured by bolts, screws, or other suitable means to the plate 20 and has a plurality of spaced apart positioning studs 30 threadably secured thereto which extend upwardly therefrom. The studs 30 are adapted to receive and support the thin wall tubes 32 thereon in the manner seen in FIG. 3. As seen in FIG. 3, an O-ring 34 extends around each of the studs 34 with the lower ends of the tubes 32 resting on and being supported by the `O-rings. Each of the tubes 32 includes a lower end 36, hollow body portion 38, and a tip portion 40 which is press fitted into the upper end of the body portion 38. Tip portion 40 includes a hollow tubular portion 42, shoulder 44, recessed area 46, tapered portion 48 and upper end 50. The tubular portion 42 is force-t into the body portion 38 as illustrated in FIG. 3 with shoulder 44 engaging the upper end of the body portion 38. Tip portion 40 is provided with a bore 52 formed therein, the lower end of which is in communication with the interior of body portion 38. The bore 52 does not extend through the upper end 50 but terminates therebelow so that the bore 52 is initially blind. The purpose of the bore 52 being blind is to prevent plastic from entering the bore 52 during the molding operation.

The top plate portion 54 of adapter support S6 is bolted to upper die 14 for movement therewith and includes a bottom plate portion 58 having a support plate 60 secured thereto by bolts or screws 62. Support plate 60 Vextends laterally of bottom plate portion 58 with suitable openings being formed therein for receiving bolts 64 and 66. Guide plate 68 is provided with a plurality of guide openings 70 formed therein which correspond to the tubes 32 and which receive the same as seen in FIG. 5. Each of the guide openings 70 includes an enlarged diameter portion 74 at its lower end which is slightly larger than the diameter of portion 47 of tube 32. A plurality of spaced apart shims 76 are provided between the plate 68 and plate 60 to provide vent openings between the plate 68 and plate 60 so that excess molding or casting material may escape from the openings 70 during the molding operation.

Nuts 78 and 80 are threadably receivable on the bolts 64 and 66 respectively to permit plate 68 to be secured to plate 60. Mold 82 is suitably secured to the underside of plate 68 and has a generally rectangular opening or cavity 84 extending upwardly thereinto from its lower end 86. Shoulders or steps 88, 90 and 92 are provided at one side of the cavity 84 in mold 82 while shoulders or steps 94, 96 and 98 are provided at the other side of the cavity 84 in mold 82. Mold 82 is also provided with an opening 100 at its upper end which communicates with the openings 70 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Electrical heating elements 102 extend through the mold 82 to heat the mold for the molding or casting operation. Mold 82 also includes means at its opposite ends to permit the insertion of end castings 103 therein. The numeral 104 designates a stripper plate having openings 106 and 108 at its opposite ends which are adapted to receive the bolts 64 and 66 therein respectively as will be described hereinafter. Stripper plate 104 has a plurality of stripper studs 109 extending downwardly therefrom which correspond to and which are adapted to extend downwardly into the openings 70 during the stripping operation to be described hereinafter.

The normal method of operation is as follows. The upper die 14 is moved to its uppermost position by means of the cylinder rod 18 so that the upper die 14 is positioned above the lower die 12 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The required number of tubes 32 are placed on the studs 30 with the studs 30 maintaining the tubes 32 in a substantially vertical position such as also seen in FIG. 3. The numeral 110 designates the casting or molding material and is preferably comprised of polyester resin reinforced with glass fibers, clay filler and limestone. Preferably, the material is comprised of 30% polyester resin, 30% glass fibers, 35% clay material and 5% limestone. It is recommended that the glass fibers have a length of approximately threeeighths inch. The material 110 is preformed into the shape seen in FIG. 3 so that it has a substantially flat upper surface 112 tapered sides 114 and 116 and cavity 118 in its bottom end. The material is placed on the tubes 32 as seen in FIG. 2 with the cavity 118 serving to properly position the material 110 on the tubes and to prevent the tubes 32 from spreading.

The upper die 4 is then lowered from the position of r FIGS. 1 and 3 to the position of FIG. 2. The position of FIG. 1 is also illustrated in FIG. 7 while the position of FIG. 2 is also illustrated in FIG. 8. The lowering of the die 14 with respect to the die 12 causes the tubes 32 to be embedded in the material 110 as seen in FIG. 4. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the embedding of the tubes 32 in the material 110 causes the tubes 32 to be deflected from their vertical position and such deflection would create a serious problem if means were not provided to subsequently align and straighten the tubes 32. Movement of the upper die 14 from the position of FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 5 causes the tapered upper ends of the tubes 32 to be initially received in the enlarged diameter portion 74 of the guide opening 70 which tends to straighten and align the tubes 32. Further downward vertical movement of the mold 82 by the upper die 14 causes the upper ends of the tubes 32 to be further received by the guide openings 70 with the portion 47 of tube 32 being received by the enlarged diameter portion 74 to further position and align the tubes 32 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The shoulders 88 and 94 on the mold 82 engage the positioning plate 28 as seen in FIG. 5 to limit the downward movement of the mold 82 with respect to the positioning plate 28. FIG. 5 also illustrate that the tubes 32 cause some of the casting material to be 1- `4. ,Y i fforced upwardly into the guide openings 70 with the shims 76 providing suitable ventopenings between the plates 60 and 68 so that excess casting material may escape therefrom.

The heating elements 22 and 102 are preferably of the 7,000 watt Calrod type which are electrically connected to thermostats adapted to heat the mold 82 and plate 20 to 300 degrees F. Upper die 14 and the mold 82 create approximately 1,000 pounds per square inch minimum cross-sectional pressure on the casting material with the heating elements causing the polymerization and hardening of the material 110. The material begins to polymerize at 275 `degrees F. and the temperature and pressure is maintained on the material 110 for approximately thirty seconds which is suicient to cause the material to harden or set-up.

When the material 110 has hardened, the upper die 14 is moved from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 9 which causes the material 110 and the tubes 32 embedded therein to be moved upwardly wih respect to the positioning plate 28 and the studs 30. The O-rings 34 remain on the studs 30 as the tubes 32 are pulled upwardly therefrom. The main purposes for the O-rings 34 are t0 prevent molding material from passing upwardly between the studs and the tubes and to provide a certain amount of resilient support for the tubes. When the mold 82 has been raised to the position illustrated in FIG. 9, suitable limit blocks are placed adjacent the positioning plate 28 so that the upper ends thereof will engage the lower end of the mold 82 when the mold 82 is moved from the position of FIG. 9 to th`e position of FIG. 10. When the mold 82 has been lowered to the position of FIG. 10, the nuts 78 and 80 are removed from the bolts 64 and 66 to permit the adapter support 56 and support plate 60 to be moved upwardly with respect to the plate 68. The stripper plate 104 is then positioned above the guide' plate 68 so that the openings 106 and 108 receive thebolts 64 and 66 with the stripper studs 109 extending downwardly therefrom. As previously stated, the stripper studs 109 correspond to the openings 70 in the guide plate 68. The upper die 14 is then lowered from the position of FIG. 11 to the position of FIG. 12 to cause the studs 109 to be received by the openings 70. The studs 109 engage the hardened material in the openings 70 and force the block of hardened material from the casting 82. Upper die 14 is then raised to the position of FIG. 13. The numeral 123 designates caps which were formed by hardening of the casting material in the openings 70 and which may be removed from the upper ends ofthe tubes 32 by simply pulling the same therefrom as illustrated in FIG. 6. The removing of the caps 123 exposes the upper ends of the tubes 32 as also seen in FIG. 6. The recessed area 46 in the upper ends of the tubes 32 further aid in embedding the tubes 32 in the casting material. A milling cutter 125 is then employed to grind down the upper ends of the tubes 32 so that the bore 52 extends through the upper end of the tube 32 as seen in FIG. 6.

The numeral 127 designates the nished product which is suitable for use as a lluid manifold on a fluid injection machine as previously described. The tubes 32 are embedded in the casting material in a parallel, spaced apart relationship so that the meat product will be properly injected by injector needles which are mounted in the bores 52. The method described herein produces a fluid manifold at a much less costthan the previous stainless steel models and has the necessary strength and durability to satisfactorily perform in service. Thus it can be seen that the method and means accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim:

1. The method of embedding thin wall tubular members in plastic, comprising the following steps:

placing a plurality of tubular members in a substantially vertically disposed position on a support means beneath a vertically movable mold means having a cavity formed therein extending upwardly thereinto for receiving molding material therein, said mold means having guide openings formed therein at the upper end of the cavity, placing a mass of molding material in said cavity, lowering said mold means downwardly with respect to said support means so that the tubular members are received by said cavity and so that the tubular members are embedded in said molding material, said tubular members being deeeted from their substantially vertically disposed position as they are embedded in said molding material, said mold means being lowered until the upper ends of Said tubular members are received by sai-d guide openings to straighten and align said tubular members into a vertical position, hardening said molding material, and removing the embedded tubular members from the mold means. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said casting material is then heated until the material hardens.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said tubular members each have a bore formed therein which is blind at the upper end and wherein the upper ends of said tubular members are subsequently ground o to expose the bores there- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardened material is removed from said cavity by exten-ding a plurality of stripping studs downwardly through said guide openings to dislodge the upper ends of said tubular members from said guide openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,351,329 6/ 1944 Gerstenmaier 264-275 X 1,935,942 11/ 1933 Conner 264-276 X 3,525,786 8/ 1970 Meyn 264-277 X 3,241,845 3/ 1966 Smith et al 264-268 UX 2,669,753 2/ 1954 Hormann 264-276 3,499,066 3/ 1970 Murray 264-277 2,677,855 5/ 1954 Mallory 264-277 3,405,214 10/ 1968 Butts 264-276 X 3,516,753 6/ 1970 Dickey 264--275 UX ROBERT F. WHITE, Primary Examiner A. M. SOKAL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 264-277, 334

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