Method and mandrel for forming a curved hose
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsCarol Lynn Ainsworth, Robert John Kozak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a curved hose and a mandrel for forming a curved hose is disclosed. A hose length is inserted onto a multi-legged mandrel to form a curved hose. The mandrel has at least two legs and the opposing ends of the hose are placed on the mandrel legs such that a portion of the hose is unsupported by an internal mandrel. The unsupported portion of the hose may be straight or may be looped to form a more complexly curved hose. The unsupported portion of the hose may also be held in position by an external mandrel.
Claims10
A method of curing a hose length on a mandrel, the hose length comprising at least one layer of vulcanizable material, the method comprising the step of inserting the hose length onto the mandrel and curing the hose, the method being characterized by:
- the mandrel comprising a pair of extending legs wherein at least one of the mandrel legs has a curved portion and
- inserting the hose length onto the mandrel by inserting a first hose end onto one mandrel leg and then inserting a second hose end onto the second mandrel leg.
A mandrel for forming a hose, the mandrel being characterized by a pair of opposing legs wherein at least one of the mandrel legs has a curved portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.