Fabrication of hoses or other elongated articles

Abstract

Armouring tape ( 102 ) for wrapping around a hose ( 300 ) during its fabrication by a hose-wrapping machine ( 200; 400 ). The tape ( 102 ) is coiled into a roll ( 100 ) having a hollow core ( 109 ) from which the tape ( 102 ) is unwound to be wrapped onto the hose ( 300 ). The hose-wrapping machine ( 200; 400 ) rotatably mounts the roll ( 100 ) with the hose ( 300 ) passing through the roll core ( 109 ), the roll axis ( 108 ) being skewed to the hose axis ( 304 ) by the helix angle at which the tape ( 102 is to be wrapped onto and along the hose ( 300 ). The hose ( 300 ) is moved longitudinally through the longitudinally static roll ( 100 ) and at the same tine, the roll ( 100 ) is rolated around the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the non-rotating hose ( 300 ). The armouring tape ( 102 ) unwinds from the inside ( 109 ) or the roll onto and along the hose ( 300 ) so as to wrap the hose ( 300 ) with a uniform helix of armouring tape ( 102 ).

1 . A method of fabricating a hose ( 300 ) that is to be sheathed with at least one layer ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ), the method being characterised by the step of providing a roll ( 100 ) of the hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) in the form of a tape ( 102 ), the roll ( 100 ) having a hollow core ( 109 ) whose diameter is greater than the external diameter of the hose ( 300 ), the tape ( 102 ) being withdrawable from the inside ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ), the method being further characterised by the additional steps of locating the roll ( 100 ) around the hose ( 300 ) such that the hose ( 300 ) passes through the core ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ), effecting relative rotation of the roll ( 100 ) and the hose to ( 300 ) unwind the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) from the inside ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ) and onto the hose ( 300 ) while simultaneously effecting relative longitudinal translation of the hose ( 300 ) and the roll ( 100 ) so as helically to wrap the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) onto and along the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised by the step of mounting the roll ( 100 ) with the axis ( 108 ) of the roll ( 100 ) skewed relative to the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ) by a skew angle that is substantially equal to the helix angle at which the tape ( 102 ) is helically wrapped onto and along the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in either preceding claim, characterised by the step of rotating the roll ( 100 ) about the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in either of claims  1  or  2 , characterised by the step of rotating the roll ( 100 ) about its own axis ( 108 ).  
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by the step of simultaneously rotating the roll ( 100 ) about its own axis ( 108 ) and about the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by the step of rotating the roll ( 100 ) while simultaneously maintaining the hose ( 300 ) non-rotational about its longitudinal axis ( 304 ).  
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in either  claim 1  or  2 , characterised by the step of rotating the hose ( 300 ) about its longitudinal axis ( 304 ) while simultaneously maintaining the roll ( 100 ) non-rotational.  
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by the step of longitudinally translating the hose ( 300 ) while maintaining the roll ( 100 ) longitudinally static.  
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , characterised by the step of longitudinally translating the roll ( 100 ) while maintaining the hose ( 300 ) longitudinally static.  
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) comprises an array of mutually parallel armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) extending along the length of the tape ( 102 ), the array of armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) being embedded in an elastomer ( 106 ).  
     
     
         11 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) for helically wrapping a tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) onto a hose ( 300 ), the hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) comprising roll-mounting means ( 414 + 416 + 418 ) for rotatably mounting a roll ( 100 ) of the tape ( 102 ) around the hose ( 300 ) with the hose ( 300 ) passing through a hollow core ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ), tape handling means ( 402 ,  404 ) for withdrawing the tape ( 102 ) from the inside ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ) and for wrapping the tape ( 102 ) onto the hose ( 300 ), and relative movement means ( 420 + 422 ) for effecting relative rotation of the roll ( 100 ) and the hose ( 300 ) and simultaneously effecting relative longitudinal translation the hose ( 300 ) and the roll ( 100 ) so as helically to wrap the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) onto and along the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         12 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in  claim 11 , characterised in that the roll-mounting means ( 414 + 416 + 418 ) mounts the roll ( 100 ) such that the axis ( 108 ) of the roll ( 100 ) is skewed relative to the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ) by substantially the helix angle with which the hose-sheathing tape ( 102 ) is intended to be wrapped on the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         13 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in either of claims  11  or  12 , characterised in that the roll-mounting means ( 414 + 416 + 418 ) rotatably mounts the roll ( 100 ) for rotation about the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ).  
     
     
         14 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in either of claims  11  or  12 , characterised in that the roll-mounting means ( 414 + 416 + 418 ) rotatably mounts the roll ( 100 ) for rotation about its own axis ( 108 ).  
     
     
         15 . A hose wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 )as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  14 , characterised in that the roll ( 100 ) is mounted for simultaneous rotation both about the axis ( 108 ) of the roll ( 100 ) and about the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the hose ( 300 ) being wrapped.  
     
     
         16 . A hose wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 )as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  15 , characterised in that the roll-mounting means ( 414 + 416 + 418 ) rotatably mounts the roll ( 100 ) whilst simultaneously maintaining the hose ( 300 ) non-rotational about its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         17 . A hose wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in either  claim 11  or  12 , characterised in that the hose ( 300 ) rotates about its longitudinal axis ( 304 ) whilst the roll ( 100 ) is simultaneously maintained non-rotational.  
     
     
         18 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  17 , characterised in that the relative movement means is such that during operation of the hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ), the hose ( 300 ) moves longitudinally while the roll ( 100 ) of hose-sheathing tape ( 102 ) remains longitudinally static.  
     
     
         19 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  17 , characterised in that the relative movement means is such that during operation of the hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ), the roll ( 100 ) of hose-sheathing tape ( 102 ) moves longitudinally while the hose ( 300 ) remains longitudinally static.  
     
     
         20 . A hose-wrapping machine ( 200 ;  400 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  19 , characterised in that the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) comprises an array of mutually parallel armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) extending along the length of the tape ( 102 ), the array of armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) being embedded in an elastomer ( 106 ).  
     
     
         21 . A tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ), the tape ( 102 ) comprising an array of mutually parallel armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) extending along the length of the tape ( 102 ), the array of armouring wires or cables ( 104 ) being embedded in a polymer ( 106 ).  
     
     
         22 . A tape ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 21 , characterised in that the polymer is an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer or a plastic.  
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing the tape ( 102 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ), characterised in that the method comprises the steps of providing a coating die ( 110 ) having a substantially straight row of apertures ( 112 ) along a first side thereof and a substantially parallel-sided slit along a second side thereof opposite said first side, the number of said apertures ( 112 ) being equal to the number of wires or cables ( 104 ) to be incorporated into the tape ( 102 ), the apertures ( 112 ) being individually dimensioned to be a close sliding fit around a respective wire or cable ( 104 ), said slit being dimensioned to correspond to the intended cross-section of the tape ( 102 ) (after any necessary allowance for dimensional changes in the newly fabricated tape ( 102 )), the method being further characterised by the additional steps of threading a respective wire or cable ( 104 ) in through each of said apertures ( 112 ) and out through the opposite slit to a take-up means, and pumping a polymer ( 106 ) into the die ( 110 ) to coat the wires or cables ( 104 ) while simultaneously operating the take-up means to take up the newly fabricated tape ( 102 ).  
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 23  characterised in that the polymer is an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer or a plastic.  
     
     
         25 . A roll ( 100 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) in the form of a tape ( 102 ), characterised in that the tape ( 102 ) can be unwound from the inside ( 109 ) of the roll ( 100 ).  
     
     
         26 . A roll ( 100 ) of hose-sheathing material ( 104 + 106 ) in the form of a tape ( 102 ), characterised in that the tape ( 102 ) is a tape as claimed in  claim 21  or a tape as manufactured by the method as claimed in  claim 23.