Apparatus for forming tubular insulating bodies of fibrous structure

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TUBULAR BODIES FROM A CONTINUOUS VEIL OF FIBERS IMPREGNATED WITH AN UNCURED BINDER INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL CASING HAVING A SMOOTH INTERIOR SURFACE, A LATERAL OPENING AT ONE END OF THE CASING FOR THE ENTRY OF THE VIEL INTO THE CASING, MEANS DELIVERING A CONTINUOUS VIEL OF FIBERS TO THE LATERAL OPENING, A MANDREL AXIALLY POSITIONED WITHIN THE CASING AND AROUND WHICH THE VIEL IS HELICALLY WOUND, MEANS FOR CURING THE BINDER IN THE PORTION OF THE VIEL CONTACTING THE CASING AND THE MANDREL, MEANS ROTATING ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CASING ADJACENT THE EXIT END THEREOF ENGAGING THE TUBULAR MASS DEVELOPED BY THE HELICAL WINDING OF THE VIEL AND ROTATING SAID MASS, AND THREAD MEANS ENGAGING AND ADVANCING SAID MASS LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CASING AND DISCHARGING IT THEREFROM, THERE BEING A RELATIVE DIFFERENCE IN ROTATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID MASS AND THE THREAD MEANS BY WHICH IS EFFECTED THE ADVANCING AND DISCHARGE OF SAID MASS.