Method for making protective coverings over metal structures
AssigneeHubbellI Incorporated
InventorsWilliam Morrissey, Richard Wallace Ceass, Adam Britton Polcha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides protective coverings formed by releasably attaching a mold to a metal structure over a connection, such as an exothermic or brazed connection, and injecting a hardening material into one or more fill ports in the mold. The hardening material hardens to form the protective covering encasing the connection.
Claims20
A method for forming a protective covering over a connection between a conductor and a metal structure, the method comprising:
- adhering a mold to the metal structure so that the connection is positioned within a cavity of a fill housing of the mold and the conductor passes through a tunnel in the mold and exits the mold;
- injecting a hardening material into the fill housing of the mold through at least one fill hole in the fill housing so that the hardening material fills the cavity and the tunnel;
- allowing the hardening material to harden to form the protective covering;
- and
- removing the mold from the metal structure after the hardening material hardens.
A method for forming a protective covering over a connection between a conductor and a metal structure, the method comprising:
- releasably adhering a mold to the metal structure;
- the mold comprising;
- a base having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- a release member having a first side attached to the lower surface of the base at least around a perimeter of the lower surface of the base, and a second side adapted to permit the mold to be releasably adhered to the metal structure;
- and
- a fill housing extending from the upper surface of the base and integrally or monolithically formed into the base, the fill housing having at least one fill opening, a cavity and a tunnel extending therefrom, the tunnel having a front wall blocking access to the tunnel, the front wall includes a seam that can separate to permit access to the tunnel;
- wherein the mold is releasably adhered to the metal structure so that the connection is positioned within the cavity of the fill housing and the conductor passes through the tunnel and exits the mold through the seam;
- injecting a hardening material into the fill housing of the mold through the at least one fill opening so that the hardening material fills the cavity and the tunnel;
- and
- allowing the hardening material to harden to form the protective covering.
A method for forming a protective covering over a connection between a conductor and a metal structure, the method comprising:
- releasably adhering a mold to the metal structure, the mold includes:
- a base having a release member positioned at least around a perimeter of the base, the release member having a first side attached to the base and a second side adapted to permit the mold to be releasably adhered to the metal structure;
- and
- a fill housing extending from the base, the fill housing including:
- a connector portion having a connector cavity configured to receive the connection between the conductor and the metal structure, and at least one fill opening in communication with the connector cavity;
- a conductor portion extending from the connector portion and ending in a wall configured to permit the conductor to pass therethrough, the conductor portion having a conductor cavity in communication with the connector cavity so that the conductor extending from the connection can extend from the connector cavity through the conductor cavity and pass through the wall to exit the conductor portion;
- injecting a hardening material into the fill housing of the mold through the at least one fill opening so that the hardening material fills the connector cavity and the conductor cavity;
- and
- allowing the hardening material to harden to form the protective covering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.