Process for the production of a profile from dry powder material along with a contrivance for this purpose

Claim 1

In a process for the production of a profile structure from dry powder material selected from the group consisting of ceramic powder and powdered metals by means of a radially flexible elastic mold form surrounding, in sleeve fashion, a mold cavity with the radially flexible form being capable of being placed under external pressure radially inwardly over its entire length, and thereby radially compact the powder material disposed in the mold cavity between the inner surfaces of the flexible form; the process being characterized in that the production of a profile structure of unlimited length is accomplished by preparation of segments and, additionally, that the dry powder material is introduced into a mold form of constant diameter at the outlet end with the diameter being up to the profile diameter and with the first end being restricted by the presence of the previously compacted profile segment and with the opposed end of the flexible form having inner surfaces mutually converging toward a top feed supply opening and wherein the process includes the steps of: (a) filling the said mold cavity with a uniform and measured amount of the dry powder material; (b) closing the top supply opening with the converging surfaces providing a tapered trailing zone for said powder fill material; (c) compacting the dry powder material therein while the trailing end of the previously compacted profile structural section is held firmly clamped adjacent the outlet end of the said mold form, the arrangement being such that because of the convergence of the elastic form toward the feed supply opening, the tapered end of the previously compacted profile is covered over by the radially compacted dry powder material and, thereby, is joined therewith; and (d) the profile segment being unloaded from the flexible form and with the newly compacted profile section being advanced to the extent that that certain region of the flexible form surrounding the converging portion of the mold cavity surrounds the tapered end of the previously compacted profile section.