Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit comprising, a plurality of elongated rigid mandrels operatively associated in aligned end-to-end relation, means moving said mandrels continuously through a fabrication area in a substantially rectilinear path, wire forming means in said area for forming a wire into a continuous non-rotating helical coil about said mandrels, an extruder head in said are downstream of said wire forming means operable to receive a plastic material in a flowable condition, said moving means being the sole means moving said mandrels and moving said mandrels with said helical coil therearound through said extruder head at a speed correlated with the speed of forming said helical coil, means within said head for forming a tube of said plastic material around said coil and mandrels to define said conduit, and means operatively associated with said conduit and said mandrels for separating said conduit from said mandrels.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising cooling means downstream of said extruder head for cooling said conduit.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising means connecting associated ends of said mandrels together in aligned end-to-end relation to enable continuous movement of connected mandrels through said fabrication area.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said connecting means comprises a male connector and a female connector at opposite ends of each mandrel, said male connector of one mandrel being adapted to be connected with a female connector with a female connector of an adjoining mandrel.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which each of said mandrels has a substantially right circular cylindrical outside surface and said connectors connect adjoining mandrels with associated ends of their cylindrical surfaces in aligned relation.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which each of said mandrels is in the form of a tubular mandrel having a substantially non-yielding outside surface.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said separating means comprises means for severing said conduit adjacent said connecting means as each connecting means moves out of said area so that each mandrel has a length of conduit therearound which corresponds to the length of the mandrel.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said separating means comprises means for removing the length of tubular conduit from around its associated mandrel.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit comprising, a plurality of elongated rigid mandrels operatively associated in aligned end-to-end relation, means moving said mandrels continuously through a fabrication area in a substantially rectilinear path, wire forming means in said area for forming a wire into a continuous non-rotating helical coil about said mandrels, an extruder head in said area downstream of said wire forming means operable to receive a plastic material in a flowable condition, said moving means moving said mandrels with said helical coil therearound through said extruder head at a speed correlated with the speed of forming said helical coil, means within said head for forming a tube of said plastic material around said coil and mandrels to define said conduit, cooling means downstream of said extruder head for cooling said conduit, means connecting associated ends of said mandrels together in aligned end-to-end relation to enable continuous movement of connected mandrels through said fabrication area, means operatively associated with said conduit and said mandrels for separating said conduit from said mandrels, said separating means comprising means for severing said conduit adjacent said connecting means as each connecting means moves out of said area so that each mandrel has a length of conduit therearound which corresponds to the length of the mandrel, said severing means comprising a cutter for cutting a plurality of helical turns of said wire overlying an associated connecting means, a heater for heating the plastic material of said tubular conduit at a location adjoining the cut helical turns to a temperature approaching the melt temperature of the plastic material, and means operatively associated with said tubular conduit on opposite sides of said heated plastic material for pulling the heated plastic material apart.

Claim 11

Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit comprising, a plurality of elongated rigid mandrels operatively associated in aligned end-to-end relation, means moving said mandrels continuously through a fabrication area in a substantially rectilinear path, wire forming means in said area for forming a wire into a continuous non-rotating helical coil about said mandrels, an extruder head in said area downstream of said wire forming means operable to receive a plastic material in a flowable condition, said moving means moving said mandrels with said helical coil therearound through said extruder head at a speed correlated with the speed of forming said helical coil, means within said head for forming a tube of said plastic material around said coil and mandrels to define said conduit, cooling means downstream of said extruder head for cooling said conduit, means connecting associated ends of said mandrels together in aligned end-to-end relation to enable continuous movement of connected mandrels through said fabrication area, means operatively associated with said conduit and said mandrels for separating said conduit from said mandrels, said separating means comprising means for severing said conduit adjacent said connecting means as each connecting means moves out of said area so that each mandrel has a length of conduit therearound which corresponds to the length of the mandrel, said severing means comprising a cutter for cutting a plurality of helical turns of said wire overlying an associated connecting means, a heater for heating the plastic material of said tubular conduit at a location adjoining the cut helical turns to a temperature approaching the melt temperature of the plastic material, and means operatively associated with said tubular conduit on opposite sides of said heated plastic material for pulling the heated plastic material apart.

Claim 12

Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit comprising, a plurality of elongated rigid mandrels each being at least several feet in length and said mandrels being operatively associated in aligned end-to-end relation, means moving said mandrels continuously through a fabrication area in a substantially rectilinear path, forming means in said area for forming a plurality of elongated members into a corresponding plurality of continuous non-rotating helical coils about each mandrel during movement thereof through said area, an extruder head in said area downsteam of said forming means operable to receive a plastic material in a flowable condition, said moving means being the sole means moving said mandrels and moving each mandrel with said helical coils therearound through said extruder at a speed correlated with the speed of forming said helical coils, means within said head for forming a tube of plastic material around said coils and the associated mandrel to define said conduit, and means operatively associated with said conduit and said mandrels for separating said conduit from each mandrel.

Claim 13

Apparatus for producing a continuous flexible reinforced tubular conduit comprising, a plurality of elongated rigid mandrels each being at least several feet in length and said mandrels being operatively associated in aligned end-to-end relation, means moving said mandrels continuously through a fabrication area in a substantially rectilinear path, forming means in said area for forming a plurality of elongated members into a corresponding plurality of continuous non-rotating helical coils about each mandrel during movement thereof through said area, an extruder head in said area downsteam of said forming means operable to receive a plastic material in a flowable condition, said moving means being the sole means moving said mandrels and moving each mandrel with said helical coils therearound through said extruder at a speed correlated with the speed of forming said helical coils, means within said head for forming a tube of plastic material around said coils and the associated mandrel to define said conduit, and means operatively associated with said conduit and said mandrels for separating said conduit from each mandrel.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which each of said mandrels is in the form of a tubular mandrel having a substantially non-yielding outside surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said forming means is a wire forming means particularly adapted to form said plurality of elongated members which are in the form of electrical wires each having a plastic insulating sleeve therearound, said plastic sleeve being made of a material which is compatible with the plastic material used to make said tube so that once said tube is urged against the insulating sleeves of said wires the tube and wires are bonded together in a high-strength manner to define said conduit.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which said wire forming means is particularly adapted to form a plurality of two electrical wires.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 and further comprising means connecting associated ends of said mandrels together in aligned end-to-end relation to enable said operative association and said continuous movement of connected mandrels through said fabrication area.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 in which said connecting means comprises a male connector and a female connector at opposite ends of each mandrel, said male connector of one mandrel being adapted to be connected with a female connector of an adjoining mandrel.