Method for making pipe fitting coverings
AssigneeSpeed-Line Manufacturing Company, Inc.
InventorAlfred H. Harley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A preform of a resilient thermoplastic polymeric material is first fabricated then folded into a complex tubular shape corresponding to the shape of a pipe fitting, heated while in said configuration to soften said polymeric material, and then cooled while maintained in said configuration.
Claims20
A method of forming a cover for a pipe fitting having a complex configuration in the same complex configuration as the pipe fitting to be covered, said cover including an opening extending between the ends of the cover whereby the cover may be spread apart and placed in position surrounding the pipe fitting, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a single piece of thermoplastic material into a preform having an intermediate non-planar configuration different from the complex configuration of the fitting to be covered,
- (b) folding the preform into the final complex configuration of the fitting to be covered,
- (c) heating the said material while retaining it in its final complex configuration, and
- (d) cooling the said material to set it in its final complex configuration while retaining the said material in its said final complex configuration.
A method of making a pipe fitting cover from thermoplastic polymeric material as a single piece integral structure having a complex shape conforming to the configuration of the fitting to be covered, said pipe fitting cover including an opening extending between the ends of the pipe fitting cover whereby the pipe fitting cover may be spread apart and placed in position surrounding the pipe fitting, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a sheet of thermoplastic polymeric material,
- (b) forming said sheet of material into a preform having an intermediate configuration different from the configuration of the fitting to be covered,
- (c) folding the preform from its intermediate configuration to its final configuration conforming to the configuration of the fitting to be covered,
- (d) heating the preform above the softening temperature of the thermoplastic material while retaining the preform in its final configuration, and
- (e) cooling the preform below the softening temperature of the thermoplastic material while retaining the preform in its final configuration to set it in the configuration of the fitting to be covered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.