Matrix drying and forming apparatus

Claim 1

IN A STEROTYPE MATRIC DRYING AND FORMING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; (B) A GENERALLY HEMICYLINDRICAL, CONVEX DRYING AND FORMING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; (C) A GENERALLY HEMICYLINDRICAL, CONCAVE DRYING AND FORMING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CONVEX ASSEMBLY IN NESTING RELATION TO FORM AND DRY A MATRIX INSERTED THEREBETWEEN; (D) ONE OF SAID ASSEMBLIES BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER INTO SAID NESTING RELATION; (E) SAID CONVEX ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A DEFORMABLE SUBSTANTIALLY HEMICYLINDRICAL FRAME HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL EDGES CAPABLE OF INWARD MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER; AND (F) MEANS, INCLUDING YIELDABLE BRACING MEANS INTERCONNECTING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME, FOR CONSTANTLY BIASING SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES THEREOF AWAY FROM EACH OTHER SO AS TO CONSTANTLY TEND TO MAINTAIN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY HEMICYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION OF SAID FRAME WHILE PERMITTING TEMPORARY INWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES THEREOF TOWARD EACH OTHER.