Arrangement for the manufacture of an elongated organ

Claim 1

Apparatus for the manufacture of an elongated organ, said apparatus comprising: (a) a material hopper which, in use, is filled with a fibrous material moistened with a bonding agent, said material hopper having an outlet; (b) a material charging chamber in communication with the outlet of said material hopper; (c) a first elongated compression chamber located adjacent to said material charging chamber, said first elongated compression chamber having a movable side wall; (d) a first fluid cylinder having a rod connected to said movable side wall of said first elongated compression chamber, said first fluid cylinder being adapted to move said movable side wall of said first elongated compression chamber through said material charging chamber, forcing a charge of the fibrous material into said first elongated compression chamber and partially compressing the fibrous material therein; (e) a second elongated compression chamber located adjacent to said first elongated compression chamber, two opposing side walls of said second elongated compression chamber being formed of an insulating material; (f) a second fluid cylinder having a rod disposed at a right angle to the rod of said first fluid cylinder, the rod of said second fluid cylinder being connected to a long rod formed of insulating material, said second fluid cylinder being adapted to move said long rod through said first elongated compression chamber, forcing a partially compressed charge of fibrous material from said first elongated compression chamber into said second elongated compression chamber; (g) a high frequency heating apparatus disposed adjacent to said second elongated compression chamber in position to heat the compressed fibrous material in said second elongated compression chamber, two opposing side walls of said second elongated compression chamber being formed of an electrically conductive material and being disposed between the two previously mentioned side walls of said second elongated compression chamber comprising components of said high frequency heating apparatus; (h) a third fluid cylinder having a rod disposed in parallel to the rod of said second fluid cylinder, the rod of said third fluid cylinder being connected to at least one of the walls of said second elongated compression chamber, said third fluid cylinder being adapted to move said at least one of the walls of said second elongated compression chamber in the opposite direction to the movement of the compressed fibrous material as the compressed fibrous material moves through said second elongated compression chamber; and (i) means for cutting the compressed elongated material into preselected lengths as it is forced out of said second elongated compression chamber by said second fluid cylinder.