Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A method of making tubular foamed plastic pipe insulating sleeves and the like in continuous length which comprises the steps of simultaneously advancing a first set of upper and lower juxtaposed mold-carrying endless conveyors respectively supporting and articulating two series of contiguous mold halves which are complementary of each other when brought into confronting relation during the juxtaposed portion of their travel to define a laterally closed, longitudinally extended, mold cavity through said juxtaposed portion of their travel, said cavity defining a plurality of tubular segments disposed longitudinally of the conveyor travel in side-by-side, substantially planar, relation with thin web-forming channels intercommunicating respectively adjacent tubular segments, wherein the size and number of said segments is just sufficient to produce a thick-walled tubular insulating sleeve of smooth internal and external periphery when folded to envelope a pipe having a diameter equal to that of the inner diameter of the sleeve; dispensing a thermosettable foam-forming material on one of said series of mold halves prior to the closing of the mold; advancing said closed mold cavity with said foam-forming material therein to allow said material to fill said mold cavity and to become sufficiently cured to be self-supporting; causing said conveyors to diverge at the end of said juxtaposed portion of their travel to separate said two series of mold halves and cause discharge from said mold cavity of said tubular segments integrally joined by thin webs, wherein as discharged said segments are aligned laterally in substantially planar disposition but which are articulatable along said integrally formed webs to permit hinging said segments to complete said tubular foamed plastic insulating sleeves.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
269 words
A method of making tubular foamed plastic pipe insulating sleeves and the like in continuous length which comprises the steps of simultaneously advancing a first set of upper and lower juxtaposed mold-carrying endless conveyors respectively supporting and articulating two series of contiguous mold halves which are complementary of each other when brought into confronting relation during the juxtaposed portion of their travel to define a laterally closed, longitudinally extended, mold cavity through said juxtaposed portion of their travel, said cavity defining a plurality of tubular segments disposed longitudinally of the conveyor travel in side-by-side, substantially planar, relation with thin web-forming channels intercommunicating respectively adjacent tubular segments, wherein the size and number of said segments is just sufficient to produce a thick-walled tubular insulating sleeve of smooth internal and external periphery when folded to envelope a pipe having a diameter equal to that of the inner diameter of the sleeve; dispensing a thermosettable foam-forming material on one of said series of mold halves prior to the closing of the mold; advancing said closed mold cavity with said foam-forming material therein to allow said material to fill said mold cavity and to become sufficiently cured to be self-supporting; causing said conveyors to diverge at the end of said juxtaposed portion of their travel to separate said two series of mold halves and cause discharge from said mold cavity of said tubular segments integrally joined by thin webs, wherein as discharged said segments are aligned laterally in substantially planar disposition but which are articulatable along said integrally formed webs to permit hinging said segments to complete said tubular foamed plastic insulating sleeves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the insulating sleeve segments discharged from said first set of mold-carrying conveyors are advanced to a second combination of juxtaposed conveyors defining a second mold cavity similar to the first but superimposed on said sleeve segments, dispensing a second settable material into said second mold cavity to form a layer of said second material on said first segments, said second mold cavity being sized in relation to said first segments to produce a laminated sleeve of smooth internal and external periphery when folded to envelope a pipe having a diameter equal to that of the inner diameter of said laminated sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method defined in claim 2, wherein prior to dispensing said second settable material, a foil is introduced into said second mold cavity to form an integrated partition between said first and second layers of settable materials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein rigid pre-formed shell segments of heat resistant material equal in number of said tubular segments, are disposed on and supported by said upper mold conveyor in corresponding relation to said tubular segments, and are advanced into said mold cavity with the introduction of said foam-forming material, whereby integrally to imbed said shell segments in said tubular segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein said upper series of mold halves are provided with complementary mortise and tenon formations extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said tubular segments formed by said complementary mold halves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein prior to dispensing said thermosettable foam-forming material onto one of said series of mold halves, a foil strip is introduced to line said mold halves.