Process of making a flexible structural member
AssigneeCapital Wire and Cable, Division of U.S. Industries
InventorJohn Philip Pringle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for making a flexible structural member is disclosed in which the member is formed from a mixture of scrap particles of thermoplastic wire and cable insulation, wood particles, comminuted paper, sawdust, and a suitable resin binder. The fabrication process is carried out by initially forming a mixture of reclaimed thermoplastic wire or cable insulation, a thermosetting binder, and one or more wood-like fillers, such as wood chips, comminuted paper, sawdust, and a mold release agent. The mixture is then placed in a mold and is subjected to heat and pressure to form a flexible structural member.
Claims6
A process for forming a flexible structural member comprising:
- a. admixing from about 30 to about 60 weight percent of particulate thermoplastic material wherein at least 50 percent of the particles have a particle dimension of from about 1/16 inch to about 1/4 inch with from about 70 to about 40 weight percent of a particulate wood filler material to form a first mixture;
- b. admixing from about 11 to about 18 weight percent of a thermosetting binder, based on the weight of the first mixture, to the first mixture to form a resultant mixture;
- c. placing the resulting mixture into a mold;
- and
- d. heating and compressing the resultant mixture at a temperature in a range from 250.degree. F to about 450.degree. F and at a pressure from about 75 psi to about 350 psi for a period of time effective to enable the particulate thermoplastic material to form flexible discrete zones whereby the flexible discrete zones bond together and to the particulate wood filler material and a flexible structural member is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.