Elastomer coated fabric provided by a casting process

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a preselected weight including the steps of spreading a synthetic elastomeric compound including a heat activated resin and a curing agent over a preselected area to a preselected uniform depth in accordance with the desired weight for the coated fabric, the compound having a pot life on the order of three minutes, positioning a fabric to be coated with said compound over the top surface of the layer of said compound, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, to allow it to lightly lie thereover whereby the fabric absorbs the elastomeric compound, the penetration of the compound into the fabric being governed by the weight of the fabric and the viscosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, and then quickly applying heat to the thus impregnated fabric for curing the synthetic elastomeric compound prior to the expiration of the time interval of the pot life of the compound.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a preselected weight including the steps of spreading a synthetic elastomeric compound including a heat activated resin and a curing agent over a preselected area to a preselected uniform depth in accordance with the desired weight for the coated fabric, the compound having a pot life on the order of three minutes, positioning a fabric to be coated with said compound over the top surface of the layer of said compound, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, to allow it to lightly lie thereover whereby the fabric absorbs the elastomeric compound, the penetration of the compound into the fabric being governed by the weight of the fabric and the viscosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, and then quickly applying heat to the thus impregnated fabric for curing the synthetic elastomeric compound prior to the expiration of the time interval of the pot life of the compound.

Claim 13

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a desired weight including the steps of spreading a semi-solid heat activated plastic compound over a preselected area to a preselected uniform depth, the compound including a curing agent and exhibiting a preselected viscosity and a very short pot life on the order of 3 minutes, positioning a fabric to be coated over the top surface of the layer of the plastic compound to cause without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, the plastic material to be absorbed into the fabric and penetrate into the fabric in accordance with the weight of the fabric and the visosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, heating the plastic compound and the fabric to cure the plastic compound and bond the compound thereto.

Claim 14

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a desired weight including the steps of spreading a semi-solid heat activated plastic compound over a preselected area to a preselected uniform depth, the compound including a curing agent and exhibiting a preselected viscosity and a very short pot life on the order of 3 minutes, positioning a fabric to be coated over the top surface of the layer of the plastic compound to cause without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, the plastic material to be absorbed into the fabric and penetrate into the fabric in accordance with the weight of the fabric and the visosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, heating the plastic compound and the fabric to cure the plastic compound and bond the compound thereto.

Claim 15

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a preselected weight and physical properties including the steps of preparing a synthetic elastomeric compound including a curing agent in combination with preselected formulating materials, the materials being selected so that the coated product exhibits preselected physical properties, the compound being prepared to exhibit a preselected viscosity at approximately ambient temperature in accordance with the physical construction of the fabric to be coated, the prepared compound, being in a semi-solid state and having a very short pot life on the order of 3 minutes, spreading the thus prepared elastomeric compound over a surface to cover a preselected surface area and to a preselected uniform depth throughout the covered surface area, the layer of said compound being carefully prepared to eliminate any very small holes such as produced by air or dust entrained therein, positioning a fabric to be coated over the top surface of the compound, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric to allow the compound to be impregnated into the fabric in accordance with the physical construction and weight of the fabric and the preselected viscosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, and then quickly subjecting the compound impregnated fabric to heat in the range of 200° Fahrenheit for a preselected time period to cure the compound within the pot life of the compound and thereby provide the coated fabric end product.

Claim 16

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties having a preselected weight and physical properties including the steps of preparing a synthetic elastomeric compound including a curing agent in combination with preselected formulating materials, the materials being selected so that the coated product exhibits preselected physical properties, the compound being prepared to exhibit a preselected viscosity at approximately ambient temperature in accordance with the physical construction of the fabric to be coated, the prepared compound, being in a semi-solid state and having a very short pot life on the order of 3 minutes, spreading the thus prepared elastomeric compound over a surface to cover a preselected surface area and to a preselected uniform depth throughout the covered surface area, the layer of said compound being carefully prepared to eliminate any very small holes such as produced by air or dust entrained therein, positioning a fabric to be coated over the top surface of the compound, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric to allow the compound to be impregnated into the fabric in accordance with the physical construction and weight of the fabric and the preselected viscosity of the compound without saturating the fabric with the compound, and then quickly subjecting the compound impregnated fabric to heat in the range of 200° Fahrenheit for a preselected time period to cure the compound within the pot life of the compound and thereby provide the coated fabric end product.

Claim 17

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties including the steps of continuously advancing a continuous length of carrier material over a preselected path, continuously depositing a layer of a synthetic elastomeric compound having a pot life on the order of 3 minutes including a curing agent mixed therein and being in a substantially semi-solid state across a preselected width of the carrier material, spreading the deposited compound on the carrier material to a substantially uniform depth throughout the selected width on the carrier material, continuously advancing a continuous length of a fabric to be coated onto the top surface of the compound advancing with the carrier material to cause, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, the compound to impregnate the fabric with a blotting effect without saturating the fabric with the compound, continuously advancing the carrier material transporting the impregnated fabric through a compound heat curing station for curing the compound and after the advancing cured compound impregnated and bonded to the fabric advances out of the curing station, stripping the carrier material from the cured compound.

Claim 18

A method of manufacturing a flexible, abrasion resistant, leakproof fabric having excellent fuel, fuel additive, oil, solvent and ozone resistance properties including the steps of continuously advancing a continuous length of carrier material over a preselected path, continuously depositing a layer of a synthetic elastomeric compound having a pot life on the order of 3 minutes including a curing agent mixed therein and being in a substantially semi-solid state across a preselected width of the carrier material, spreading the deposited compound on the carrier material to a substantially uniform depth throughout the selected width on the carrier material, continuously advancing a continuous length of a fabric to be coated onto the top surface of the compound advancing with the carrier material to cause, without exerting any mechanical pressure on the fabric, the compound to impregnate the fabric with a blotting effect without saturating the fabric with the compound, continuously advancing the carrier material transporting the impregnated fabric through a compound heat curing station for curing the compound and after the advancing cured compound impregnated and bonded to the fabric advances out of the curing station, stripping the carrier material from the cured compound.