Tubular articles and apparatus for forming the same

Claim 2

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said frame includes track means and said carriage means includes wheel means rotatably engaging said track means for guiding said material-depositing means longitudinally of said mandrel, said attaching means including a bracket for supporting said material-depositing means, said bracket being movable with respect to said carriage means in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel for positioning said material-depositing means in a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to said mandrel, and said drive means includes a drive sprocket mounted upon said frame adjacent one end of said track means, idler sprocket means spaced apart from said drive sprocket, an endless flexible carrier entrained about said sprockeTs, a power source mounted upon said frame and operatively connected to said drive sprocket, lug means secured to said endless flexible carrier, a drive plate secured to said carriage means, said drive plate having a slot provided therein within which is slidably received said lug means, said lug means being slidable within said slot transversely to the direction of movement of said endless flexible carrier to provide for movement of said lug along said slot as said lug moves about said sprockets, said lug being in abutment with said drive plate longitudinally of the direction of movement of said endless flexible carrier for moving said carriage means longitudinally between said sprockets.

Claim 3

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said roller means includes a longitudinally extending roller substantially the same length as said mandrel, bracket means rotatably supporting said roller parallel to said mandrel, pivot means supporting said bracket means upon said frame for pivotal movement of said roller in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel, and stop means operatively engaging said bracket means for supporting said roller in a spaced apart position from said mandrel so that a predetermined thickness of material may be required to be deposited upon said mandrel prior to engagement of said roller therewith.

Claim 4

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means includes compensator means for maintaining the surface rate of rotation of said roller and the outside diameter of the tubular article as it is being formed on said mandrel the same during the compacting and arranging cycle of said roller means.

Claim 5

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said roller means includes a longitudinally extending roller substantially the same length as said mandrel, bracket means rotatably supporting said roller parallel to said mandrel, pivot means supporting said bracket means upon said frame for pivotal movement of said roller in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel, and limit means mounted upon said bracket means for regulating maximum pivotal movement of said roller in a direction away from said mandrel, said limit means including switch means for deactivating said drive means when the desired maximum pivotal movement has been attained.

Claim 6

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises expansible means attached to and rotating with said means for rotatably supporting said mandrel upon said frame, and said roller means includes a drive sheave of the same outer diameter as said roller means, said drive sheave of said roller means being in abutment with said expansible means when said roller means is in compacting and arranging position and said expansible means being expansible as material is built up about said mandrel, whereby said roller means is caused to have the same surface speed of rotation as the surface speed of rotation of the material built up on said mandrel.

Claim 7

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means includes means for rotating said roller means at the same surface speed of rotation as said mandrel when said roller means is in compacting and arranging position, and means for rotating said roller means for cleaning purposes when said roller means is retracted from compacting and arranging position.

Claim 8

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein means for cleaning said roller means is mounted upon said frame, said means including means for the application of a cleaner to said roller means and means for bringing the compacting and arranging surfaces of said roller means into juxtaposition for application of the cleaner.

Claim 9

In apparatus for forming tubular articles, the combination of a frame, a mandrel rotatably mounted on said frame, said mandrel defining a form for the tubular article and having a main body portion and removable portions, said removable portions being in juxtaposition with respEct to said main body portion whereupon the removal of said removable portions said tubular article formed upon said mandrel will be supported by said main body portion and the portions of the tubular article formed adjacent said removable portions will be spaced apart from said mandrel, and means for the depositing of material and formation of a tubular article about said mandrel.

Claim 10

In apparatus for forming tubular articles, the combination of a frame; an elongated mandrel rotatably mounted on said frame, said mandrel including a main body portion having a predetermined outer diameter, a first removable end portion having an outer diameter coextensive with the outer diameter of said main body portion, and a second removable end portion at the opposite end of said mandrel from said first end portion, said second end portion having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of said main body portion, said removable end portions defining a portion of the form for the tubular article and being juxtaposed with respect to said main body portion whereupon the portion of the tubular article formed by said first end portion will have an inner diameter coextensive with the diameter of the tubular article formed by said main body portion, and the portion of the tubular article formed by said second end portion will have an inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of the tubular article formed by said main body portion, said end portions being removably positioned with respect to the main body portion whereby upon removal of said end portions the tubular article formed upon said mandrel will be supported by said main body portion and the portions of the tubular article formed adjacent said end portions will be spaced apart from said mandrel, and means for the depositing of material and formation of a tubular article about said mandrel.

Claim 11

In apparatus for forming hollow articles, the combination of a frame, a mandrel rotatably mounted upon said frame, means for winding strand means about said mandrel in a generally helical fashion, means for depositing chopped roving in a jackstraw fashion upon said mandrel, said second mentioned means being mounted in juxtaposition with respect to said first mentioned means so that said chopped roving is deposited upon said mandrel in an intermingled relationship with the strand means and means for depositing a binder upon said mandrel, said third-mentioned means being mounted in juxtaposition with respect to said first and second-mentioned means so that the binder is applied to the strand means prior to the winding thereof about said mandrel, and said binder is applied to the chopped roving prior to depositing thereof on said mandrel.

Claim 12

In apparatus for forming hollow articles, the combination of a frame, a mandrel rotatably mounted upon said frame, means mounted upon said frame for winding strand means about said mandrel in a generally helical fashion, means for cutting roving into short lengths and feeding such short lengths of roving for deposit of the same in a jackstraw fashion upon said mandrel in an intermingled relationship with the strand means, and means for depositing a binder upon the mandrel concurrently with the depositing of the strand means and the short lengths of roving.

Claim 13

In apparatus for forming hollow articles, the combination of a frame; a mandrel rotatably mounted on said frame; carriage means mounted upon said frame; strand means mounted upon said carriage means in juxtaposition for winding about said mandrel; strand tension means mounted upon said carriage means for maintaining said strand means under a predetermined tension, said strand tension means including a first set of roller means, and a second set of roller means, said first set of roller means abutting against said second set of roller means at a predetermined pressure; means for spray depositing a binder upon said strand means prior to the winding thereof about said mandrel and upon said mandrel; and drive means for said carriage meaNs whereby said carriage means is moved longitudinally of said mandrel in a predetermined relationship with respect to the speed of rotation of said mandrel.

Claim 14

In apparatus for forming hollow articles, the combination of a frame, a mandrel rotatably mounted on said frame, said mandrel being of a material having a predetermined coefficient of expansion and retraction under the respective application of heated and cooled fluids thereto, said mandrel comprising a cylinder comprising a chamber therein for receiving heated and cooled fluids, conduits secured to said cylinder and leading into said cylinder, said conduits providing passageways for the egress and ingress of fluid to within and through said chamber, said conduits being secured to said cylinder in juxtaposition so that the fluid at the desired temperature may be continuously passed through said chamber during the rotation of said mandrel; carriage means mounted upon said frame; strand means mounted upon said carriage means in juxtaposition for winding about said mandrel; strand tension means mounted upon said carriage means for maintaining said strand means under a predetermined tension; means for spray depositing binder upon said strand means prior to the winding thereof about said mandrel and upon said mandrel; and drive means for said carriage means whereby said carriage means is moved longitudinally of said mandrel in a predetermined relationship in respect to the speed of rotation of said mandrel.