Reinforced thermoplastic pipe manufacture

A plurality of identical fiber reinforced pipe lengths joined together at the ends and each formed of the same solid thermoplastic organic polymer with inner and outer surfaces, said joined pipe lengths having a plurality of continuous juxtapositioned reinforcement fibers formed with a material composition selected from the group consisting of ceramics, metals, carbon and organic polymers which are thermally bonded to the outer surface of each joined pipe length in a predetermined spatial direction with respect thereto, said reinforcement fibers having been continuously wrapped about the outer surface of said joined pipe lengths in an unbonded condition while said joined pipe lengths are continuously moving together in a linear direction with respect thereto and followed by sufficient heating of the fiber wrapped joined pipe lengths to cause thermal bonding therebetween while the joined pipe lengths continue movement in the same linear direction.

A method for reinforcement of a pipe length with inner and outer surfaces and formed with a solid thermoplastic organic polymer which comprises:

• (a) continuously moving the pipe length in a linear direction,
• (b) wrapping a plurality of continuous juxtapositioned reinforcement fibers formed with a material composition selected from the group consisting of ceramics, metals, carbon and organic polymers while in an unbonded condition about the outer surface of said moving pipe length in a predetermined spatial direction, and
• (c) heating the fiber wrapped pipe length sufficiently to cause thermal bonding between the reinforcement fibers and the pipe length while said pipe length continues to move in the same linear direction.

A method for reinforcement of a plurality of identical pipe lengths joined together at the ends and each formed of the same solid thermoplastic polymer with inner and outer surfaces which comprise:

• (a) continuously moving the joined pipe lengths in a linear direction,
• (b) wrapping a plurality of continuous juxtapositioned reinforcement fibers formed with a material composition selected from the group consisting of ceramics, metals, carbon and organic polymers while in an unbonded condition about the outer surface of each moving joined pipe length in a predetermined spatial direction, and
• (c) heating the fiber wrapped pipe lengths sufficiently to cause thermal bonding between the reinforcement fibers and the pipe lengths while said joined pipe lengths continue to move in the same linear direction.

An apparatus for reinforcement of a pipe length with inner and outer surfaces and formed with a solid thermoplastic organic polymer which includes:

• (a) pipe feeding means which continuously transports the pipe length in a linear travel direction for operative association with rotating fiber supply means,
• (b) fiber supply means which rotate about the circumference of said moving pipe length to continuously apply a plurality of juxtapositioned reinforcement fiber wraps in a predetermined spatial direction on the outer surface of said moving pipe length, and
• (c) heating means which causes thermal bonding to be continuously formed between the applied reinforcement fiber wraps and the outer surface of the moving pipe length.