Patent GB-866705-A (GB)
Title: Process of manufacturing fibre-reinforced hoses of vulcanised elastomer, and apparatus therefor
IPC: B29D23/00
Filed: 1959-10-08
Abstract: 866,705. Making fibre-reinforced hoses. TRELLEBORGE GUMMIFABRIKS A.B. Oct. 8, 1959 [April 8, 1959], No. 34203/59. Class 99(2). In a process of making fibre-reinforced hoses of vulcanized elastomer by building elastomer and fibre layers into a hose blank on a mandrel and then vulcanizing the hose blank, the latter is moved axially relative to an annular vulcanizing chamber coaxial with the mandrel so that a length of hose blank is introduced in the vulcanizing chamber and vulcanized while a further length of hose blank is built up on the mandrel in continuous connection with the length of hose blank being vulcanized. As shown in Fig. 1, a tubular mandrel 1 is non-rotatably supported on motor-driven carriages 2, 6 movable along rails 3, 7 and is situated centrally of a stationary hose building unit A and coaxial with a vulcanizing unit B mounted on the carriage 6. The unit A comprises supply rolls 9, 10 for rubber strips 11, 12 and motor driven winding wheels 13-16 each carrying supply rolls 17 for fibre material such as fabric or canvas. The unit B comprises an annular vulcanizing chamber consisting of an outer wall 23, Fig. 3, surrounded by annular heating and cooling jackets 25, 30 and of an inner rubber wall 24 secured at its ends to a perforated hollow metal cylinder 33 one end of which is connected to the mandrel 1, pressure fluid being admitted to the cylinder 33 through a pipe 37 extending through the mandrel 1 for expanding the wall 24 towards the wall 23 or the fluid being sucked from the cylinder through a pipe 38 for drawing the wall 24 on to the cylinder 33. In operation, after a hose blank portion 41 has been vulcanized the rubber wall 24 is sucked against the cylinder 33 and the carriages 2, 6 and the mandrel 1 are moved to the right hand end of the rails 3, 7, the mandrel sliding relative to the hose blank which remains or is retained stationary with respect to the unit A. A non-vulcanized hose blank portion 40 is thereby introduced in the vulcanizing chamber, clamped between the walls 23, 24 thereof by expanding the wall 24 and vulcanized. During vulcanization the carriages 2, 6 and the mandrel 1 are moved towards the left, the rubber and fibre layers being at the same time wound on to the mandrel so that a new hose blank portion 40 is built up between the units A and B. In a modification, the mandrel 1 and the unit B are stationary and the unit A is movable along the mandrel. In a further modification, the vulcanizing chamber is defined inwardly by an unperforated metal cylinder through which a heating medium can be circulated and outwardly by a rubber sleeve surrounded by an outer metal cylinder, the rubber sleeve being forced towards or away from the inner cylinder by introduction or removal of pressure fluid into or out of the space between the sleeve and the outer cylinder. In another embodiment, Fig. 5, a rotatable mandrel 53 is supported on rollers 57 and is connected at one end to a motor-driven tubular draft 54 mounted on bearings 55. A vulcanizing unit B coaxial with the mandrel 53 is rotatably mounted on rollers 60. A hose-building unit A comprises a carriage 61 drivable axially of the mandrel 53 on rails 62 and having mounted thereon a table 63 capable of lateral movement under the mandrel. Rubber and cord or fabric layers cut to size are placed on the table 63 which is then moved under the mandrel. The layers are affixed to the mandrel 53 which is then rotated for winding the layers thereon. Axial movement of the carriage 61 allows the next width of layer to be applied directly to the preceding one. In a modification, the rubber and fabric layers are placed on a conveyer belt located under the mandrel 53 and travelling parallel thereto.