Method and apparatus for the continuous production of a block of reconstituted foam material
AssigneeDunlop Limited
InventorRichard G. Harvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method for the continuous production of a cylindrical block of reconstituted foam material. A charge of foam crumb (together with a binder) is placed in an open-ended mould, supported therein and compressed to a height of about one foot. The product is lowered from the mould and maintained relative thereto so as to provide a support to receive a further charge of foam crumb and binder. The further charge is compressed so that it unites with the first-mentioned charge. Further charges of crumb and binder are added, and the method-steps repeated, as often as necessary. An apparatus is provided in which the method may be performed.
Claims7
A method for the continuous stepwise production of a cylindrical block of reconstituted foam material from foam crumb comprising:
- (a) Placing in an open-ended moulding cavity a mixture of foam crumb and a binder compatible with said mixture;
- (b) Compressing the mixture to a height of about 1 foot;
- (c) Heating the mixture to cure the binder and form a solid product layer;
- (d) Lowering said solid product layer from the moulding cavity and supporting said solid product layer relative to the cavity to provide a solid product layer surface at one end of said cavity for the reception of and binding to of a further mixture of foam crumb and binder;
- (e) Placing a further mixture of foam crumb and binder on the solid product layer surface;
- (f) Repeating steps (b) (c) (d) and (e) to create successively connected solid product layers until a block of the required length is obtained.
An apparatus for the continuous production of a cylindrical block of reconstituted foam material comprising:
- a vertically-disposed, cylindrical, open-ended moulding cavity;
- a support member, placed at the lower end of said cavity and movable relative to said cavity;
- a compression member, placed at the upper end of the cavity and movable relative to said cavity for compressing a charge of foam crumb and binder in said cavity to a height of approximately one foot;
- means for feeding a charge of foam crumb and binder to said cavity;
- means for heating the cavity and a charge of foam crumb and binder therein;
- said compression member compressing a charge of foam crumb and binder and said heating means heating said cavity during said compression such that a layer of reconstituted foam material is formed, said support member being movable to lower said layer from said cavity to an extent that a surface of said layer previously contacting said compression member forms a cavity support surface for a subsequent charge of foam crumb and binder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.