Method and apparatus for producing fiber-reinforced rubber hose

An apparatus for producing a fiber reinforced rubber hose, comprising:

• first extruding means for extruding an unvulcanized inner rubber tube on an outer surface of a mandrel made of a resin or rubber material;
• forming means for forming a tubular reinforcing fiber layer having an interlaced structure on an outer surface of said inner rubber tube;
• second extruding means including an extruding head for extruding an unvulcanized outer rubber tube on an outer surface of said reinforcing fiber layer;
• third extruding means including an extruding head for extruding a cover tube of a resin on an outer surface of said outer rubber tube;
• means for defining an enclosed vacuum chamber which is connected to a vacuum source and which is disposed so as to connect said extruding heads of said second and third extruding means;
• means for cooling said cover tube to a temperature sufficiently low to harden said resin to an extent that substantially inhibits expansion of said outer rubber tube in the hardened cover tube;
• means for microwave-heating said unvulcanized inner and outer rubber tubes to soften said rubber tubes, and cause a thermal shrinkage of said tubular reinforcing fiber layer, thereby causing a portion of said inner rubber tube to be forced through a network of said interlaced structure of said reinforcing fiber layer into said outer rubber tube;
• means for vulcanizing said unvulcanized inner and outer rubber tubes while externally heating said rubber tubes;
• and
• means for removing said cover tube to expose said outer rubber tube.

A method of producing a fiber-reinforced rubber hose, comprising the steps of:

• extruding an unvulcanized inner rubber tube on an outer surface of a mandrel made of a resin or rubber material;
• forming a tubular reinforcing fiber layer having an interlaced structure on an outer surface of said inner rubber tube;
• extruding an unvulcanized outer rubber tube on an outer surface of said reinforcing fiber layer, at one of opposite ends of an enclosed vacuum chamber under a reduced pressure;
• continuously feeding an intermediate extruded product consisting of said mandrel, said unvulcanized inner and outer rubber tubes and said reinforcing fiber layer, through said enclosed vacuum chamber;
• extruding a cover tube of a resin on an outer surface of said outer tube of said intermediate extruded product, at the other end of said enclosed vacuum chamber;
• cooling said cover tube to a temperature to harden said resin;
• vulcanizing said unvulcanized inner and outer rubber tubes while externally heating said rubber tubes;
• and
• removing said cover tube to expose said outer rubber tube.

An apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced rubber hose, comprising:

• first extruding means for extruding an unvulcanized inner rubber tube on an outer surface of a mandrel made of a resin or rubber material;
• forming means for forming a tubular reinforcing fiber layer having an interlaced structure on an outer surface of said inner rubber tube;
• second extruding means including an extruding head for extruding an unvulcanized outer rubber tube on an outer surface of said reinforcing fiber layer;
• third extruding means including an extruding head for extruding a cover tube of a resin on an outer surface of said outer rubber tube;
• means for defining an enclosed vacuum chamber which is connected to a vacuum source and which is disposed so as to connect said extruding heads of said second and third extruding means;
• means for cooling said cover tube to a temperature to harden said resin;
• means for vulcanizing said unvulcanized inner and outer rubber tubes while externally heating said rubber tubes;
• and
• means for removing said cover tube to expose said outer rubber tube.