Fabrication of hoses or other elongated articles

摘要

Armouring tape ( 102 ) for wrapping around a hose ( 300 ) during its fabrication by a hose-wrapping machine ( 200; 400 ). The tape ( 102 ) is coiled into a roll ( 100 ) having a hollow core ( 109 ) from which the tape ( 102 ) is unwound to be wrapped onto the hose ( 300 ). Th hose-wrapping machine ( 200; 400 ) rotatably mounts the roll ( 100 ) with the hose ( 300 ) passing through the roll core ( 109 ), the roll axis ( 108 ) being skewed to the hose axis ( 304 ) by the helix angle at which the tape ( 102 ) is to be wrapped onto and along the hose ( 300 ). The hose ( 300 ) is moved longitudinally through the longitudinally static roll ( 100 ) and at the same time, the roll ( 100 ) is rotated around the longitudinal axis ( 304 ) of the non-rotating hose ( 300 ). The armouring tape ( 102 ) unwinds from the inside ( 109 ) of the roll onto and along the hose ( 300 ) so as to wrap the hose ( 300 ) with a uniform helix of armouring tape ( 102 ). The use of a tape ( 102 ) containing an elastomer-enbedded array of armouring cables ( 104 ) enables armouring wires and elastomer layers to be applied without a stabilising layer of fabric, and greatly simplifies setting-up of machinery for hose fabrication. The use of a tape roll ( 100 ) which can be unwound from its inside ( 109 ) enables hoses to be wrapped without having to orbit rolls that are very large and heavy.