Apparatus and method for producing reinforced molding composition

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A REINFORCED MOLDING COMPOUND, AN ELONGATED TROUGH ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LIQUID BATH, AN OVEN HAVING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CURING CHAMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID TROUGH, SAID OVEN INCLUDING A BURNER CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID CURING CHAMBER, A BURNER IN SAID BURNER CHAMBER, GAS-CIRCULATING MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING GASES FROM THE UPPER END OF THE CURING CHAMBER AND DISCHARGING THEM INTO THE BURNER CHAMBER FOR UPWARD PASSAGE THROUGH THE CURING CHAMBER AFTER ADMIXTURE IN SAID BURNER CHAMBER WITH THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM THE BURNER, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING GAS FLOW FROM THE UPPER END OF THE CURING CHAMBER TO THE GAS CIRCULATING MEANS, SAID OVEN HAVING A VALVED OUTLET OPENING BETWEEN THE CURING CHAMBER AND SAID FLOW-CONTROLLING MEANS AND A VALVED AIR-INLET OPENING BETWEEN THE FLOW-CONTROLLING MEANS AND THE CIRCULATING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR DRAWING SPACED STRANDS OF REINFORCING MATERIAL THROUGH THE LIQUID BATH IN SAID TROUGH AND UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH THE CURING CHAMBER, SAID CURING CHAMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH VERTICALLY STAGGERED BAFFLES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STRANDS AND UPWARDLY INCLINED TO CAUSE THE UPWARDLY FLOWING GASES IN THE CURING CHAMBER TO PASS BACK AND FORTH THE SPACES BETWEEN THE STRANDS.