초록 ▼

A method and means for producing disks of tightly packed on-end aligned fibers wherein side-by-side filament tows are surrounded and pulled by a Chinese-finger type gripper sleeve which tightens about the tows and compacts the filaments as it is pulled. The gripper sleeve and filament assembly is fu

A method and means for producing disks of tightly packed on-end aligned fibers wherein side-by-side filament tows are surrounded and pulled by a Chinese-finger type gripper sleeve which tightens about the tows and compacts the filaments as it is pulled. The gripper sleeve and filament assembly is further compacted by being pulled through a draw-down die and into a tube surrounded by a backup casing. The highly compacted mass of filaments with the surrounding portion of the sleeve within the tube are cut free from the external portion of the portion of the puller sleeve and the loaded tube is removed from the casing. A plurality of disks of predetermined thickness containing the desired highly compacted on-end aligned fibers are then formed by cross-sectionally cutting the filament loaded tube segment by segment.

대표청구항 ▼

The method of producing a tube containing a densely compact mass of side-by-side filaments adaptable to being cut cross-wise into disks comprising surrounding a multiplicity loosely grouped side-by-side filaments with a gripping sleeve of type which under tension tightens about and compacts said fil

The method of producing a tube containing a densely compact mass of side-by-side filaments adaptable to being cut cross-wise into disks comprising surrounding a multiplicity loosely grouped side-by-side filaments with a gripping sleeve of type which under tension tightens about and compacts said filaments, tensioning said gripping means by pulling the assembly of said sleeve and surrounded multiplicity of filaments tightly into a tube of less internal cross sectional dimension than said loose assembly, applying a continuous nonrupturing pulling force to said assembly adequate to progressively slide said assembly into one end of said tube, and removing loose sleeve portions and filaments from opposite ends of said tube of contained compacted filaments. Apparatus for fabricating a tube containing a compacted mass of side-by-side aligned filaments comprising an elongate tube for receipt of filaments therein, a strength imparting backup casing with open ends shaped to hold said tube in fixed position, an annular draw-down die at one end of said casing through which filaments are to be drawn into said tube, said die having a tapered annular opening therethrough with its smaller dimension substantially matched to the interior diameter of said tube, a mass of continuous filaments for insertion in side-by-side relation in said tube, a braided pulling sleeve for surrounding said filaments which is of type which constricts in dimension upon being pulled to an elongate condition, pulling means for exerting a pulling force on one end of said pulling sleeve with said filaments contained therein into said tube through said draw-down die, said pulling sleeve and contained filaments being pulled into a position in said tube where said filaments and sleeve portion therein extend through the entire length of said tube, means for severing said sleeve from said pulling means to permit removal of said tube and contained filaments from said casing to provide a tube of highly intensified unbonded filaments aligned in side-by-side relation therein.