Method of forming contoured fiberglass sheet

A method of forming a permanently contoured resin impregnated fiberglass sheet having a smooth contoured finish surface, comprising the following steps:

• (a) inserting a sheet of loose fiberglass fibers impregnated with uncured resin in a first die set between opposed relatively moveable die platens, said die platens having opposed similarly contoured generally equally spaced die faces, with but one of said die faces being heated;
• (b) relatively moving said die platens of said first die set to generally uniformly compress said fiberglass sheet between said contoured die faces, the compression of said contoured die faces being sufficient to remove wrinkles in said fiberglass sheet, and said heated die face simultaneously curing resin in a heated surface layer of said fiberglass sheet, forming a relatively smooth permanently contoured finish surface on said fiberglass sheet adjacent said heated die;
• (c) removing the die pressure of said first die set permitting said fiberglass sheet to expand;
• (d) inserting said fiberglass sheet in a second die set between opposed relatively moveable die platens, said die platens having opposed contoured heated die faces, one die face conforming to said contoured finish surface of said fiberglass sheet and contacting said finish surface, and said opposed contoured die face having a different contour;
• and
• (e) relatively moving said die platens of said second die set to compress said fiberglass sheet between said heated die faces permanently forming said fiberglass sheet to the contoured shape of said die faces, curing remaining said resin in said fiberglass sheet and forming a permanently contoured fiberglass sheet.

A method of forming a permanently contoured resin impregnated fiberglass sheet having a smooth contoured finish surface, and a differently contoured back surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting a sheet of loose fiberglass fibers impregnated with uncured resin between a first heated die platen and a second unheated die platen, said die platens being relatively moveable and having opposed substantially uniformly spaced contoured die faces;
• (b) relatively moving said first and second die platens to substantially fully compress said fiberglass sheet between said contoured die faces, the compression of said contoured die faces being sufficient to remove wrinkles in said fiberglass sheet, and said first heated die platen die face simultaneously curing the resin in the heated surface layer of said fiberglass sheet, forming a relatively smooth contoured finish surface on partially cured portions of said fiberglass sheet;
• (c) removing the die pressure of said first and second die platens permitting said fiberglass sheet to expand;
• (d) forming said fiberglass sheet between the contoured die face of said first heated die platen and a third relatively moveable die platen having an opposed differently contoured heated die face by relatively moving said first and third die platens to compress said fiberglass sheet between said differently contoured die faces, permanently forming said fiberglass sheet to the contoured shape of said die faces, curing remaining uncured resin in said fiberglass sheet to form a permanently contoured fiberglass sheet.

A method of forming a contoured fiber sheet, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a first uncured resin impregnated loosely woven sheet of inert fibers under substantially even pressure in a first die set having opposed substantially evenly spaced relatively moveable matching contoured dies, by relatively closing said contoured dies of said first die set and compressing said sheet, the forming pressure of said dies being sufficient to substantially fully compress said first sheet and iron out any wrinkles in said sheet;
• (b) simultaneously heating one surface of the first fiberglass sheet, curing resin in a surface layer of said fiberglass sheet to form a finish surface on said sheet with resin adjacent the opposed surface of said sheet remaining uncured;
• (c) removing the forming pressure of said first die set, permitting the first fiberglass sheet to expand;
• (d) applying a second uncured resin impregnated sheet of loosely woven inert fibers over the opposed uncured surface of said sheet;
• and
• (e) forming said sheets between relatively moveable heated differently contoured dies under heat and pressure, simultaneously curing said resin and laminating said sheets into a permanently contoured shape.