Apparatus for molding pipe insulation

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FORMING A FELT OF PLIABLE, FIBROUS INSULATION INTO A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SECTION COMPRISING A BASE PLATE HAVING FORMED THEREIN A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY-SPACED SLOTS, A MALE DIE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY, FORAMINOUS BEARING SURFACE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE PLATE BETWEEN THE INNER EDGES OF SAID SLOTS, A FEMALE DIE MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST TWO RELATIVELY MOVABLE SIDE WINGS OF GENERALLY ARCUATE FORM ON THEIR INTERIOR COMPRESSION SURFACE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID WINGS ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID MALE DIE AND WITH THE FREE EDGES OF SAID WINGS MOVABLE TOWARD OR AWAY FROM SAID MALE DIE AND THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID SLOTS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SIDE WINGS TOWARD SAID MALE DIE TO A POSITION WHEREIN THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID FEMALE DIE IS CONCENTRIC TO THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID MALE DIE AND TO COMPRESS A FELT OF PLIABLE FIBROUS INSULATION BETWEEN SAID MALE AND FEMALE DIES AND TO FORCE ANY EXCESS PORTION OF SAID FIBROUS INSULATION THROUGH SAID SLOTS.