Method and apparatus for wiping resin from filament wound pipe
AssigneeAmeron, Inc.
InventorGerald M. Magarian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Reinforced plastic pipe is made at high rates using a wiper to remove resin from the surface of the rovings after they are applied to a rotating mandrel. The wiper leaves an optimum surface layer of resin on the rovings. For small diameter pipe, production rates are further increased by rotating the mandrel above its first critical speed.
Claims23
In a method for manufacturing plastic pipe reinforced with fibrous rovings comprising the steps of coating the rovings with a fluid resin, and winding a rotating mandrel with the resin coated rovings, the improvement which comprises the step of contacting the wound rovings with at least one filament segment curved around a portion of the wound pipe, and moving the filament segment longitudinally along the mandrel during the winding as the mandrel is rotated to wipe resin from the wound rovings to leave a substantially uniform surface layer of resin on the rovings, the layer being sufficiently thin that it stays on the rovings while the mandrel is rotating, whereby resin is prevented from being slung from the pipe as it is formed.
A method for manufacturing plastic pipe reinforced with fibrous rovings on a mandrel comprising the steps of:
- (a) rotating the mandrel;
- (b) impregnating the rovings with a liquid resin;
- (c) winding at least one layer of the resin coated rovings upon the rotating mandrel;
- and
- (d) wiping resin from the wound rovings by contacting the rovings with a plurality of substantially parallel spaced-apart filament segments after the rovings are wound onto the mandrel, the angle between the filament segments wiping the rovings and the longitudinal axes of the rovings being wiped being substantially the same for all the rovings, and the filament segments contacting the rovings being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rovings.
A method for manufacturing plastic pipe reinforced with fibrous rovings comprising the steps of:
- (a) coating the rovings with a liquid resin;
- (b) longitudinally carrying the coated rovings to and fro along a rotating mandrel;
- (c) helically winding layers of the rovings on the mandrel so that successive layers are transverse, wherein the combination of the longitudinal motion of the rovings and rotational motion of the mandrel produces the helix;
- and
- (d) wiping the wound rovings with a plurality of spacedapart, substantially parallel filament segments after the rovings are wound onto the mandrel, the angle between the filament segments wiping the rovings and the longitudinal axes of the rovings being wiped being substantially the same for all the rovings, and the filament segments contacting the rovings being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rovings.
In apparatus for making plastic pipe reinforced with helical layers of fibrous roving, and which apparatus includes a rotating mandrel upon which the pipe is formed, means for applying liquid resin to the rovings, and a carriage for carrying the rovings to and from along the length of the mandrel as the resin coated rovings are helically wound on the mandrel, the improvement comprising:
- (a) at least two elongated, spaced-apart supporting members, each supporting member having a plurality of circumferential longitudinally spaced grooves;
- (b) a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart filament segments positioned in the grooves;
- and
- (c) means for holding the filaments in contact with rovings wound on the pipe to wipe resin from the rovings.
A machine for manufacturing plastic pipe reinforced with helical layers of fibrous rovings, comprising:
- (a) a rotating mandrel upon which the pipe is formed;
- (b) means for applying liquid resin to the rovings;
- (c) a carriage for carrying the rovings to and fro along the length of the mandrel as the resin coated rovings are helically wound on the mandrel;
- and
- (d) at least one wiper for removing resin from the rovings after the rovings are wound onto the mandrel to leave a surface layer of resin on the rovings, wherein the wiper comprises a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart filament segments for contacting the rovings, the adjacent layers of rovings being transverse to each other and the angle between the filament segments wiping the rovings and the longitudinal axes of the rovings being wiped being substantially the same for all the rovings, and the filament segments contacting the rovings being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rovings.
A machine for manufacturing plastic pipe reinforced with fibrous rovings comprising:
- (a) a rotating mandrel upon which the pipe is formed;
- (b) means for helically winding layers of rovings impregnated with liquid resin onto the mandrel wherein succeeding layers of rovings are transverse;
- (c) a carriage reciprocating longitudinally;
- (d) a first wiper secured to the carriage, the first wiper contacting the rovings as the carriage moves in one direction along the mandrel, the first wiper comprising a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart filament segments;
- (e) a second wiper secured to the carriage, the second wiper comprising a plurality of substantially parallel spaced-apart filament segments, wherein the second wiper contacts the rovings as the carriage moves in the direction opposite the direction the carriage moves when the first wiper contacts the rovings, and wherein the angle between the axes of the filament segments of the second wiper and the longitudinal axes of the rovings when contacted by the second wiper is substantially the same as the angle between the axes of the filament segments of the first wiper and the longitudinal axes of the rovings when contacted by the first wiper;
- and
- (f) means for repeatedly engaging one of the wipers with the rovings and disengaging the other wiper from the rovings when the carriage reverse its direction of longitudinal movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.