Apparatus for continuous molding of reinforced resin profile members

An apparatus for the continuous molding of a structural profile member of predetermined constant cross-sectional shape and having embedded therein a plurality of continuous length, substantially parallel reinforcing elements selected from at least one member of the group consisting of fibrous rovings and fabric webs, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a. a longitudinally extending molding duct means defining a single molding passage with an inlet end and an outlet end, said passage, over substantially its entire length and including said inlet and outlet ends, having the predetermined cross-sectional shape of said cross-sectional shape of the profile member to be formed, said molding duct means comprising a preheat zone adjacent said inlet end and a wetting zone downstream of said preheat zone;
• b. means for continuously feeding a plurality of continuous length reinforcing elements selected from at least one member of the group consisting of fibrous rovings and fabric webs and having a heat softenable sizing material adhering thereto into said duct means at said inlet end, said feeding means including guide means for predeterminately positioning said elements with respect to each other and said molding passage as they are fed through said inlet end;
• c. said molding passage at said preheat zone being adapted to compress said reinforcing elements into mutual contact, and said preheat zone including heating means for heating said reinforcing elements to cause said sizing material to become tacky and bond said compressed reinforcing elements together at their points of contact to form an irregular grid structure filled with hollow spaces;
• d. said wetting zone including means for injecting resin into said molding passage to fill said hollow spaces and form said profile member with said reinforcing elements embedded therein;
• and
• e. withdrawal means for continuously drawing the reinforced resin profile member from the outlet end of said molding duct means.