Friction elements

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A FRICTION ELEMENT HAVING INORGANIC FILLERS DISPERSED IN AN ELASTOMERIC-RESIN BINDER, THE BINDER BEING OBTAINED FROM A MIXTURE OF A VULCANIZABLE DIENE RUBBER AND A THERMOSETTABLE PHENOLIC RESIN COMPATIBLE THEREWITH, SAID METHOD COMPRISING: MIXING TO A STATE OF UNIFORMITY THE FILLERS AND THE UNCURED BINDER IN THE PRESENCE OF A SOLVENT FOR THE BINDER WHICH RENDERS THE BINDER PLASTIC, ADHERE AND MOBILE; TRANSFERRING TO A CLOSED STAMPING DIE A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF THE UNIFORM MIXTURE THUS OBTAINED AND COMPACTING THIS MIXTURE THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY TO ITS FINAL DENSITY WITHOUT REMOVING THE SOLVENT AND WITHOUT THERMALLY ADVANCING THE BINDER TO A CURE STAGE WHERE VOLATILES ARE EVOLVED TO ANY APPRECIABLE DEGREE, THE SOLVENT CONTENT AT THE TIME OF COMPACTION BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 2 TO 4% BY WEIGHT OF THE MIXTURE BEING COMPACTED; RELIEVING THE DENSIFIED MIXTURE OF COMPACTING PRESSURE AND THEREAFTER, WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE HEATING AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE TO REMOVE SOLVENT, SUBJECTING THE DENSIFIED MIXTURE IN ITS RELIEVED STATE TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 350*F. TO COMPLETE THE THERMAL CURE TO HARDEN THE BINDER.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A FRICTION ELEMENT HAVING INORGANIC FILLERS DISPERSED IN AN ELASTOMERIC-RESIN BINDER, THE BINDER BEING OBTAINED FROM A MIXTURE OF A VULCANIZABLE DIENE RUBBER AND A THERMOSETTABLE PHENOLIC RESIN COMPATIBLE THEREWITH, SAID METHOD COMPRISING: MIXING TO A STATE OF UNIFORMITY THE FILLERS AND THE UNCURED BINDER IN THE PRESENCE OF A SOLVENT FOR THE BINDER WHICH RENDERS THE BINDER PLASTIC, ADHERE AND MOBILE; TRANSFERRING TO A CLOSED STAMPING DIE A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF THE UNIFORM MIXTURE THUS OBTAINED AND COMPACTING THIS MIXTURE THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY TO ITS FINAL DENSITY WITHOUT REMOVING THE SOLVENT AND WITHOUT THERMALLY ADVANCING THE BINDER TO A CURE STAGE WHERE VOLATILES ARE EVOLVED TO ANY APPRECIABLE DEGREE, THE SOLVENT CONTENT AT THE TIME OF COMPACTION BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 2 TO 4% BY WEIGHT OF THE MIXTURE BEING COMPACTED; RELIEVING THE DENSIFIED MIXTURE OF COMPACTING PRESSURE AND THEREAFTER, WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE HEATING AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE TO REMOVE SOLVENT, SUBJECTING THE DENSIFIED MIXTURE IN ITS RELIEVED STATE TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 350*F. TO COMPLETE THE THERMAL CURE TO HARDEN THE BINDER.