Method of bonding self-lubricating fibers to an external surface of a substratum

A method of forming an article having a substratum presenting internal and external surfaces of desired configurations with a self-lubricating material integrally bonded thereto to provide self-lubricating internal and external bearing surfaces comprising the steps of:

• A. providing a mandrel and configuring an outer surface thereon which defines the desired internal bearing surface of said substratum;
• B. applying a first layer of self-lubricating material to the outer surface of said mandrel;
• C. applying a first plurality of filaments onto said first layer of self-lubricating material to form a first overlayment thereon that exerts a bonding pressure sufficient to integrally bond said first overlayment to said first layer of self-lubricating material and cause said first layer to conform to said outer surface;
• D. applying a first coat of a hardenable liquid resin prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to the application of first overlayment of filaments to coat said first layer of self-lubricating material and first overlayment of filaments and fill any interstices that exist to form an uncured substratum;
• E. curing said resin to form a hardened inner substratum;
• F. forming an external surface of any desired configuration on said hardened inner substratum;
• G. applying a second layer of self-lubricating material onto said configured external surface of the hardened inner substratum;
• H. applying a second plurality of filaments on said second layer of self-lubricating material to form a second overlayment of filaments thereon to exert a bonding pressure sufficient to cause said second plurality of self-lubricating material to conform and bond to said configured external surface of said inner substratum;
• I. applying a second coat of hardenable liquid resin prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to the application of said second overlayment of filaments to coat said self-lubricating material and second overlayment of filaments and fill any interstices that exist to form an uncured outer substratum;
• J. curing said resin to form a hardened outer substratum;
• K. removing all or a part of said hardened outer substratum to expose said second layer of self-lubricating material or desired portions thereof to form said self-lubricating external bearing surface;
• and
• L. removing said bearing from said mandrel to expose said internal bearing surface.

A method of bonding a fabric woven from self-lubricating and shrinkable fibers to an external spherical surface of a spherical bearing substratum to form a spherical bearing surface thereon of self-lubricating fibers that is integral with said substratum comprising the steps of:

• A. configuring said bearing substratum to provide said external spherical surface;
• B. applying a layer of said woven fabric to said external spherical surface to form said spherical bearing surface;
• C. shrinking said layer of woven fabric onto said spherical bearing surface;
• D. applying a plurality of filaments onto said layer of woven fabric to form an overlayment thereon that exerts a bonding pressure sufficient to cause said layer to conform and bond to said external spherical surface;
• E. applying a hardenable liquid resin prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to the application of said layer to coat said woven fabric and filaments and fill any interstices that exist;
• F. hardening said resin to bond said self-lubricating woven fabric to said external spherical surface;
• and
• G. removing only said overlayment after said resin has hardened to expose said spherical bearing surface of self-lubricating fibers.