摘要 |
Plastic tubing of extruded polybutylene and the like has an end reformed into a structural bulb sealing surface which includes a stop flange permitting the tube to be drawn into sealing engagement with a mating part. The tube end is reformed in a press or jig which includes two molds, with the tube end projecting through one mold and toward the other. The other mold is normally chilled or cooled but includes an I.D. mandrel or pin projecting therefrom. The pin is insulated from the other mold. The pin may be heated and/or cooled during the reforming cycle of the process to enable uniform heating of the projecting tube end from both the inside (I.D.) and outside (O.D.) of the tube end. The process and apparatus of the invention provides a more uniform and integral reformed tube end. The cycle time of the process may also be reduced resulting in greater productivity with less energy consumption.
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