Method and apparatus for batch impregnation of porous articles

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SATURATING ELONGATED FIBROUS ARTICLES COMPRISING A LARGE CYLINDRICAL THERMALLY INSULATED FIRST TANK FORMING A STORAGE CHAMBER AND HAVING A COVER DETACHABLY SEALINGLY MOUNTED THEREON, BOTH SAID TANK AND SAID COVER BEING FORMED OF THICK GAUGE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO WITHSTAND HIGH PRESSURE DIFFERENTIALS BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, A SECOND CYLINDRICAL TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP END PORTION AND FORMED OF RELATIVELY THIN GAUGE MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO NORMALLY CONTAIN IMPREGNATING MATERIAL AND FIBROUS ARTICLES, SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL TANK BEING OF SMALLER DIAMETER THAN SAID FIRST TANK AND DISPOSED IN AXIALLY OFFSET RELATION WITHIN SAID FIRST TANK, VACUUM PRODUCING MEANS, VACUUM OUTLET MEANS FROM SAID STORAGE TANK CHAMBER DISPOSED AT A POINT SPACED AWAY FROM SAID SECOND TANK, SAID VACUUM OUTLET MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID VACUUM PRODUCING MEANS, HEAT PRODUCING MEANS INTERNALLY OF SAID FIRST TANK AND EXTERIOR OF SAID SECOND TANK, PASSAGEWAY MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID FIRST TANK AND SECOND TANK, REVERSIBLE PUMP MEANS IN SAID PASSAGEWAY MEANS, AND HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS IN SAID PASSAGEWAY MEANS, WHEREBY IM-