Mold and method for working with composite material

摘要

An apparatus and method for molding composite material with a selectable uniform predetermined temperature during most of the curing time. The mold apparatus has two cooperating and complementing mold bed assemblies hingedly mounted to each other and movable between two extreme positions, open and closed. A composite inner skin and outer skins sandwich a spacer in between. The spacer member includes interconnecting passages throughout. An outer perforated composite skin member covers the spacer member. A source for pressurized gas is applied to the mold assemblies when in the closed position. A predetermined cooperative temperature is selectably used to uniformly control the curing characteristics of the first and second skin members as the pressurized hot gas or air forced to pass through the outer skin and the spacer member adjacent to the inner skin thereby exposing the form being molded to a uniform temperature gradient. A mechanism for moving the upper mold bed assembly is provided with skates to permit its stress free movement in response to temperature expansion and contraction forces.