Apparatus for producing molded articles
AssigneeLockheed Corporation
InventorRobert M. Baron
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is an apparatus for molding an article made of layed up materials having opposed principle surfaces, such as one that is hollow tubular shaped. In detail, the invention includes a first mold part for forming one surface of the article on which the layup is placed and a second mold part for forming the opposite surface. Additionally included are rubber layers placed on both surfaces of the layup which expand when heated compacting the layup. A containment structure is mounted about the first and second mold parts and is in moveable relationship to the first and second mold parts. First and second inflatable bags are mounted between the containment structure and the first and second mold parts for balancing the loads on the mold parts while the silicon rubber layers compact the layup.
Claims11
An apparatus for molding a part for having two opposed principle surfaces and made from layed-up molded materials, the apparatus comprising:
- a support;
- containment means moveable in relationship to said support;
- a first mold part having a surface for forming one of the principle surfaces of the lay up, said first mold part attached to said support and mounted within said containment means;
- a second mold part having a surface for forming the opposed principle surface of the lay up, said second mold part mounted within said containment means and movable in relationship to said first mold part;
- at least one layer of expandable material mounted on each of said surface of said first and second mold parts, said layers of material expandable upon the application of heat thereto;
- first and second inflatable container means made of a flexible material mounted between said containment means and said first and second mold parts for supporting said first and second mold parts, respectively;
- means to heat said layers of expandable material and to raise the temperature of the lay up therebetween to forming temperatures;
- and
- means to pressurize said first and second container means;
- such that during the molding process said first mold part is held stationary and said expandable layers of material expand and compact the lay up and said container means supports the first and second mold parts and the reaction forces are absorbed by the containment means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.