Continuous process and machine

Claim 2

POSITIONING SEVERAL LAYERS OF REINFORCING MATERIAL IN PREDETERMINED VERTICALLY STACKED AND SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAYERS BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANES,

Claim 5

passing multiple rows of fibers vertically through said layers with loops under the lowermost layer and over the uppermost layer to form a three-dimensional matrix,

Claim 6

passing multiple rows of fibers vertically through said layers with loops under the lowermost layer and over the uppermost layer to form a three-dimensional matrix,

Claim 7

The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the loops over the uppermost layer are not covered with said insulation.

Claim 8

PASSING MULTIPLE ROWS OF FIBERS VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID LAYERS WITH LOOPS UNDER THE LOWERMOST LAYER AND OVER THE UPPERMOST LAYER TO FORM A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX,

Claim 9

PASSING MULTIPLE ROWS OF FIBERS VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID LAYERS WITH LOOPS UNDER THE LOWERMOST LAYER AND OVER THE UPPERMOST LAYER TO FORM A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX,

Claim 10

INJECTING A FOAMABLE INSULATION MATERIAL INTO SAID MATRIX AND ALLOWING IT TO FOAM AROUND AND THROUGH SAID MATRIX, AND

Claim 11

INJECTING A FOAMABLE INSULATION MATERIAL INTO SAID MATRIX AND ALLOWING IT TO FOAM AROUND AND THROUGH SAID MATRIX, AND

Claim 12

The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rows extend longitudinally along the length of the matrix.

Claim 13

injecting a foamable insulation material into said matrix and allowing it to foam around and through said matrix, and

Claim 14

injecting a foamable insulation material into said matrix and allowing it to foam around and through said matrix, and

Claim 15

THEREAFTER CURE THE RESULTING COMPOSITE INTO A SELFSUPPORTING STRUCTURE SUITABLE FOR ADHERING TO A CONTAINER.

Claim 16

THEREAFTER CURE THE RESULTING COMPOSITE INTO A SELFSUPPORTING STRUCTURE SUITABLE FOR ADHERING TO A CONTAINER.

Claim 17

The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side edges of said layers are gripped and moved in passing said layers to a first station where the multiple rows of fibers are passed therethrough and in passing said matrix to another position where the injecting of the foamable insulation material occurs.

Claim 18

thereafter cure the resulting composite into a self-supporting structure suitable for adhering to a container.

Claim 19

thereafter cure the resulting composite into a self-supporting structure suitable for adhering to a container.

Claim 20

The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said layers, matrix and foamable insulation material are moved from station to station for the various operations thereon.

Claim 21

Apparatus for making three-dimensional fiber reinforced insulation in accordance with the method of claim 1, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for gripping and moving the several layers in stacked and spaced relationship, tufting machines at a first station for passing multiple loops through the layers as they move past said tufting machines, a foam machine at another station for injecting a foamable insulation material, and side and bottom sections forming a trough which contains said matrix therein and which confines said foamable material until it has stabilized into an insulation material.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 and, a top section on said trough to limit vertical expansion of said foam and thus provide greater density of said insulation material.