Apparatus and method for forming laminated composite structures

An apparatus for forming an elongated composite structure comprising:

• means for applying adjustable tension to resist unrolling of each of a plurality of aligned rolls of forming material, means for feeding the forming material in a multilayer form through a microwave applicator chamber, stationary die means within the applicator chamber for controlling contours of the multilayer as it passes through the chamber, means for energizing the chamber to cure adhesive resins included in the multilayer forming material to set up the adhesive and form an elongated composite structure emerging from the chamber, and the means for feeding the forming material through the chamber includes means for slipping through the stationary die means for controlling the contours of the multilayer.

A process for conveyorized formation of an elongated composite structure, the steps comprising:

• extending dies that are transparent to microwaves through a microwave curing chamber, selecting feed belts that have lubricity and are transparent to microwaves, passing the feed belts through the dies, aligning a plurality of rolls of reinforcing materials at least some of which are preimpregnated with a thermosetting resin, placing the reinforcing materials in layered form between the feed belts, energizing to obtain microwaves in the curing chamber, applying pressure to the dies, and driving the feed belts to form and cure the reinforcing materials into an elongated composite structure as it emerges from the chamber.

A process for conveyorized formation of an elongated composite structure, the steps comprising:

• extending dies that are transparent to microwaves through a microwave curing chamber, forming the microwave curing chamber by placing members transparent to microwave as sides of the chamber, sealing it off top and bottom with a resilient material that is also transparent to microwaves, selecting feed belts that have lubricity and are transparent to microwaves, passing the feed belts through the dies, aligning a plurality of rolls of reinforcing materials at least some of which are preimpregnated with a thermosetting resin, placing the reinforcing materials in layered form between the feed belts, energizing to obtain microwaves in the curing chamber, introducing a gas into compartments formed behind the resilient material in the curing chamber to exert pressure on the dies, and driving the feed belts to form and cure the reinforcing materials into an elongated composite structure as it emerges from the chamber.

An apparatus for forming an elongated laminate from layers of non-metallic resin impregnated structural members as the members pass through an apparatus comprising:

• a microwave applicator chamber, means for compartmentalizing a section of the chamber into two sealed compartments having an opening extending between the compartments and through the chamber, means die within the opening layers of non-metallic structural members as they pass through the opening, means for applying pneumatic pressure from at least one of the compartments against the die means and means for introducing microwaves into the chamber.

An apparatus for forming an elongated laminate from layers of non-metallic structural members, some of which are impregnated with a resin, as the members pass through an apparatus which comprises:

• a microwave curing chamber having an opening through its sides, a pair of spaced apart laterally extending walls sealed to the chamber and selected from a material essentially transparent to microwaves, a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending resilient members selected from a material essentially transparent to microwaves and the resilient members sealingly joined to the walls and the sides of the chamber to form a pair of spaced apart compartments separated by the opening, a die to extend through the opening and selected from a material essentially transparent to microwaves, means for generating microwaves in the chamber to cure resin in a resin impregnated nonmetallic structurally reinforced member passing through the dies, and means for pneumatically pressurizing the compartments to exert pressure on the die and thence pressure on the member as it is being cured in the die.

A method of continuously pressurizing and curing a layup of layered resin impregnated structural materials to form the layup into an elongated laminated composite structure, the steps comprising:

• passing layered resin impregnated structural material laterally through an opening in a microwave curing chamber, controlling contour of the layered material by restraining with a die that extends through the opening, pressurizing the die with pneumatic pressure acting through a contiguous elastic side of a pair of compartments located within the curing chamber, and introducing microwaves into the chamber.