US2238833A - Method and apparatus for producing dipped articles - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1941. N. E. TlLLOTSON 2,238,833

METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR PRODUCING DIPPED ARTICLES Filed May 6 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DIPPED ARTICLES Neil E. Tillotson, Watertown, Mass.

Ap lication May 6, 1939, Serial No. 272,095

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to method and apparatus of producing dipped articles, and is more particularly concerned. with the production of play articles such as beach balls and similar play articles which may have rounded or generally globular body portions regardless of what appendages may be attached to or extend from the body portion.

I have discovered that the formation of such articles and manipulation of the forms connected therewith, and in fact that whole process, may be greatly improved and simplified through the employment of forms provided with flexible wings which produce a dipped envelope modified in form from the inflated product, but capable of being made into a relatively flat package when deflated. According to this method, not only can a globular article of considerable cubical capacity be immersed in the latex bath without difficulty, but upon completion of the clipping operation the rubber envelope may be stripped from the form through a comparatively small opening, the form being distorted and roller or folded into a small compass for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 represents an elevation of a winged form suitable for producing a rubber beach ball; Fig. 2 is a section upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the form; 3 is a perspective View illustrating a rack of such forms in the process of dipping; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the form after dipping, with the encasing rubber envelope; Fig. 5 is a section of the form with the encasing envelope on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an elevation illustrating the manner in which the flexible wings may be rolled on one another to permit removal of the form through a small opening in the end of the rubber envelope; Fig. '7 is an elevation or plan of the finished product, with the inflating tube applied and in deflated condition; Fig. 8 is a section of the deflated product on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a view of the finished product in its true spherical form after inflation.

.As indicated particularly in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the form may be provided with a central sustaining stem or support 20, from which protrude four flexible wings 22 in diametrically opposite positions. The post, which may be made of any suitable composition, is covered with a rubber sheath as indicated at 24, and the wings are formed integrally with and protrude from this sheath.

Obviously before dipping the immersed portion of the post and the wings are coated with suitable material, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, to prevent adherence between the rubber form and the coating produced thereon. The end of the post may be threaded at 26 for attachment with other forms to a rack 28 by means of which the assembly of forms may be dipped or immersed in a rubber latex suspension indicated at 30 within a dipping tank 32.

After suitable immersion to insure proper coating of the forms, the latter are withdrawn and the coating is allowed to harden or cure, as the case may be, and thereafter is stripped from the form through a relatively small opening in one end, presumably by manipulation of the wings or fins 22 into the wrap-around position shown in Fig. 6, which facilitates the convenient withdrawal of the envelope from thereabout.

Following the removal of the envelope, the product, in this case a beach ball, may be finished by addition of an end closure or cap 34, provided with an inflation stem 36. In its finished but deflated condition the product normally forms a fiat package due to the reentrant pleats 38, which quite obviously are produced through the coating of opposite surfaces of the wings. However, due to the contour of the wing surfaces the product upon inflation, as shown in Fig. 9, can be made to assume a true spherical ball 40, the reentrant pleats expanding to form the extended peripheral surface of the finished and inflated ball.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making a dipped rubber article having a generally rounded body, which consists in dipping a form having one or more flexible wings of proper contour attached to a central sustaining post, the protruding wings upon immersion within a latex bath being completely coated with an envelope of rubber, and thereafter withdrawing the winged support through an opening in one end of the rubber envelope, the wings being capable of distortion to permit withdrawal through a small opening.

2. The method of making a dipped rubber article having a generally rounded body, which consists in dipping a form having an outer contour departing from the finished contour of the body, and comprising a plurality of flexible wings to produce after dipping a rubber envelope having reentrant pleats produced by the wings, and of such a character that after removal of the form and inflation of the rubber envelope the reentrant pleats expand outwardly to produce tionship and of predetermined contour, the wings being distortable or collapsible with respect to the support to facilitate withdrawal from within a rubber envelope produced thereabout.

NEIL E. TILLOTSON.

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