Reinforced fitting construction

A fitting construction comprising a hardened, resinous, corrosion-resistant body of seamless, unitary construction having tubular portions formed along intersecting axes;

• said tubular portions being reinforced by reinforcing filaments of high tensile strength arranged substantially transversely and parallel to the axes of said tubular portions;
• said filaments being embedded in a cured resin matrix, a unitary reinforcing cage formed of spaced, reinforcing metal straps arranged within the thickness of said tubular portions;
• said straps of said cage being in the form of annuluses arranged substantially transversely to the axis of the tubular portion in which disposed, and annulus-connecting strap portions connecting said annuluses whereby interstices are defined by said cage straps;
• said annuluses and connecting straps being joined by welding and comprising reinforcement for said fitting tubular portions against axial and torsional forces;
• hardened resinous material disposed in said interstices defined by said cage straps;
• said transverse and parallel filament reinforcements embedded in a resin matrix comprising layer portions disposed inwardly and outwardly of said cage;
• said layer portions being connected by said hardened resinous material disposed in said strap interstices;
• the thickness of said fitting construction being substantially void free.

A method for reinforcing a corrosion-resistant, filament-reinforced, resin fitting formed about a form defining the inner surface portions of such fitting, comprising forming a unitary seamless shell of filament reinforcements of high tensile strength about said form arranged substantially parallel and transversely to the central axis of the fitting portion of which forming a part;

• applying uncured hardenable resin to said filaments whereby they are embedded in a resin matrix;
• curing said resin matrix to form said seamless shell;
• forming a reinforcing cage about and in snug engagement with said seamless shell from welded metal straps;
• said cage being in the form of annuluses arranged substantially transversely to the tubular portion about which disposed, and annulus-connecting strap portions connecting said annuluses whereby cage interstices are formed between said straps;
• applying hardenable resinous material in said case interstices and between said shell and said cage whereby a substantially void-free body results;
• applying overlying layers of resin-saturated filaments of high tensile strength arranged parallel and transversely to the central axis of the fitting portion of which comprising a part until a fitting of desired thickness is formed with said filaments disposed in an outer uncured resin matrix;
• curing the outer uncured resin matrix to define a substantially void-free, cured, resin body having reinforcing filaments and a reinforcing cage disposed therein;
• and removing said fitting form from the resulting reinforced resin fitting.