A continuous forming apparatus for molding foam material into foam products that includes a first endless belt and a second endless belt that cooperates with the first endless belt to mold the foam material. The continuous forming apparatus may also include a first plurality of cleats and a second plurality of cleats opposed to the first plurality of cleats that support the first endless belt and the second endless belt respectively. The first plurality of cleats may include a three-dimensional abutment surface that provides transverse and lateral support to the first endless belt. Additionally, the continuous forming apparatus may include a first frame disposed to support the first plurality of cleats, a second frame disposed to support the second plurality of cleats, and a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the first endless belt, the second endless belt, the first plurality of cleats, and the second plurality of cleats.

An apparatus for heating plastics material preforms includes a transport device which transports the plastics material preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device has a circulating transport device on which a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastics material preforms to be heated are arranged. The apparatus has an inspection device which is configured for inspecting holding devices not loaded with plastics material preforms.

In an expanding device for expanding an expandable particle foam material with an expansion furnace which has an interior space for receiving the expandable particle foam material, a radiator is formed which is arranged in the interior space of the expansion furnace, and a conveying device with a conveying surface is formed, which serves to guide a particle foam material received on the conveying surface in a conveying direction through the interior space of the expansion furnace.

A method of forming a laminated glass structure includes introducing a continuous ribbon of flexible glass substrate having a thickness of no greater than about 0.3 mm to a substrate material. The substrate material has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is greater than that of the flexible glass substrate. The flexible glass substrate is laminated to the substrate material at an elevated temperature. The substrate material is cooled to introduce a compressive stress across a thickness of the flexible glass substrate.

A system for the continuous extrusion, molding, and curing of tread for tires. An elongated strip of rubber material can be molded and cured shortly after extrusion such that the material retains much of the heat energy of extrusion and does not have to be stored. A plurality of discrete mold assemblies are conveyed adjacent to each other. As the mold assemblies are advanced sequentially, the uncured and unmolded strip of rubber material are extruded and positioned onto the mold assemblies. While the rubber strip advances, individual portions are sequentially molded and cured by passing through a mold press and then a curing press. A plug assembly is used to prevent the backflow of rubber material during the molding and curing.

A curing apparatus (100) includes a housing (102) having a loading portion (108) open to ambient atmosphere, a curing portion (110) having a curing chamber (124) with a controlled atmosphere, and a transition portion (112) extending between the loading portion (108) and the curing portion (110). A carrier (128) is movable between the loading portion (108) and the curing chamber (124) via the transition portion (112). The curing apparatus (100) further includes at least one ultraviolet radiation source (150) operative for transmitting ultraviolet radiation into the curing chamber (124). The transition portion (112) includes a plurality of baffles (158) protruding from a sidewall (120) of the transition portion (112) and configured for minimizing mixing between the ambient atmosphere and the controlled atmosphere during movement of the carrier (128) between the loading portion (108) and the curing chamber (124).

An oven for baking a thermally curable binder in a mat of mineral fibers, including plural compartments through which the mat of fibers passes successively, the mat being compressed and transported through the compartments by gas-permeable upper conveyors and lower conveyors, each compartment having a length along a direction of movement of the mat and including a mechanism introducing a hot air flow, located either below or above the fiber mat, and a mechanism extracting the air after having passed through the mat, respectively arranged either above or below the opposite face of the mat, so that the binder is progressively brought to a temperature higher than its curing temperature. In one compartment the mechanism introducing hot air includes air inlets that open partly on openings formed on a first lateral side of the compartment and partly on openings formed on the opposite lateral side of the compartment.

A sheet manufacturing method includes defibrating a defibration object into a defibrated material in the atmosphere, mixing, in the atmosphere, additive agents including resin into the defibrated material that has been defibrated, adding moisture to a mixture of the defibrated material and the additive agents after the mixing is completed, and heating the mixture that has been moisture-added.

An oven for baking a thermally curable binder in a mat of mineral fibers, including plural compartments through which the mat of fibers passes successively, the mat being compressed and transported through the compartments by gas-permeable upper conveyors and lower conveyors, each compartment having a length along a direction of movement of the mat and including a mechanism introducing a hot air flow, located either below or above the fiber mat, and a mechanism extracting the air after having passed through the mat, respectively arranged either above or below the opposite face of the mat, so that the binder is progressively brought to a temperature higher than its curing temperature. In one compartment the mechanism introducing hot air includes air inlets that open partly on openings formed on a first lateral side of the compartment and partly on openings formed on the opposite lateral side of the compartment.

A sheet manufacturing method includes defibrating a defibration object in the atmosphere, mixing, in the atmosphere, additive agents including resin into a defibrated material that has been defibrated, adjusting moisture of a mixture of the defibrated material and the additive agents, and heating the mixture that has been moisture-adjusted.