Production of curable phenolic resin

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CURABLE PHENOLALDEHYDE RESINOUS CONDENSATION PRODUCT, WHICH METHOD INCLUDES THE MIXING OF REACTANT MIXTURE AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE FOR CONDENSATION AND FORMATION OF SAID PRODUCT, THE IMPROVED WHICH COMPRISES: (1) TAKING SAMPLES OF SAID MIXTURE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE REACTION; (2) SUBMITTING SAID SAMPLES TO INFRARED ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE: (A) THE WAVELENGTH OF AT LEAST ONE INFRARED ABSORPTION BAND WHICH CHARACTERISTICALLY CHANGES DURING THE REACTION AND, (B) THE WAVELENGTH OF AT LEAST ONE INFRARED ABSORPTION BAND WHICH IS CHARACTERISTICALLY CONSTANT DURING THE REACTION; (3) DETERMINING AN ADJUSTED INFRARED ABSORBENCE VALUE AS THE QUOTIENT OF THE FRACTION WHEREIN THE NUMERATOR IS THE DESIRED VALUE OF SAID BAND WHICH CHARACTERISTICALLY CHANGES DURING THE REACTION AND THE DENOMINATOR IS THE VALUE OF SAID BAND WHICH IS CHARACTERISTICALLY CONSTANT DURING THE REACTION; (4) DETERMINING A PLURALITY OF SAID ADJUSTED VALUES DURING THE REACTION UNDER GIVEN CONDITIONS AND, TAKING AT LEAST ONE OF SUCH VALUES AS AN INDICATION OF REACTION TO A DESIRED EXTENT UNDER SAID CONDITIONS, (5) CONTROLLING A SUBSEQUENT REACTION OF THE SAME TYPE AND UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS BY PERIODICALLY DETERMINING ADJUSTED ABSORBENCE VALUES DURING THE COURSE OF SAID SUBSEQUENT REACTION AND ALTERING THE REACTANT CONCENTRATION AND THE TIME AND TEMPERATURE OF COOKING TO SUBSTANTIALLY MAINTAIN THE ADJUSTED INFRARED ABSORBENCE VALUE OF SAID SUBSEQUENT REACTION TO THAT VALUE PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED DESIRABLE.