John Gary Rhoades

US Patent:

61362476, Oct 24, 2000

Filed:

Nov 25, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/199695

Inventors:

John J. Rhoades - Poplar Grove IL

Assignee:

Thatcher Tubes LLC - Woodstock IL

International Classification:

B29C 4302
B29C 5700
B29C 6108

US Classification:

264230

Abstract:

A headed thermoplastic tube is formed solely from a thermoplastic extruded, stretched, sleeve by positioning the sleeve over a forming mandrel so the sleeve has an exposed portion. While rotating the forming mandrel which holds the sleeve, the inner surface of the exposed portion of the sleeve is heated above the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic material to render the inner surface molten while the outer surface provides support for the exposed portion of the sleeve. The heated exposed portion is then shaped into a conical shape, such as by heating the outer surface, the rotation of the mandrel is stopped and pressure applied to the conical shaped exposed portion to form a headed thermoplastic tube. The headed tubes produced have a body portion, shoulder portion and neck portion, without any seams, all of which are formed from the starting thermoplastic extruded, stretched sleeve.