Manufacture of vulcanized elastomeric hose

Abstract

A batch process for vulcanizing, without the use of a lead press, reinforced elastomeric hose built up on a solid mandrel, preferably a flexible mandrel of rubber or thermoplastic material, is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment of the process, the uncured hose is first annularly tightly clamped at its opposite ends and is then immersed in a bath of liquid, e.g. water, sufficient to cover the hose substantially completely. The entire assembly is then subjected in a pressurized heating environment, e.g. in a steam-filled vulcanizer or autoclave, to the action of fluid pressure against the outer hose surface and the pressure due to the thermal expansion of the mandrel against the inner hose surface. The clamping of the hose ends prevents entry of fluid pressure into the space between any two proximate layers of elastomeric material occupied by a layer of the filamentary reinforcement. The heating operation is continued until the elastomeric material is vulcanized and is forced into the interstices of the reinforcement, so as to achieve good adhesion between the latter and the elastomeric material in the ultimate molded hose. This abstract is not to be taken as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention, however, the full nature and extent of the invention being discernible only by reference to and from the entire disclosure.