Claims
- 1. A method of forming a header for a skein of a multiplicity of fibers, comprising,
- forming a stack of at least two superimposed essentially coplanar and similar arrays, each array comprising a chosen number of fibers supported on a support means having a thickness corresponding to a desired lateral spacing between adjacent arrays;
- holding the stack in a bed of powder with terminal portions of the fibers submerged therein, said powder being unreactive with material of said fibers and having a primary particle size small enough to substantially negate infiltration by a liquid fixing resin;
- pouring said fixing resin over said bed to embed the fibers to a desired depth, and solidifying said fixing resin to form a fixing lamina upon said bed, said fixing resin also being substantially unreactive with either the material of the fibers or that of said powder;
- whereby a composite header is formed in which terminal portions of the fibers are potted, the composite header comprising a laminate of a fugitive lamina of fugitive powdery material and a contiguous finished header of fixing lamina; and thereafter, removing said powder without removing a portion of said fixing lamina so as to leave the ends of said fibers open and protruding from the aft face of said header, the open ends having a circular cross-section.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fugitive powdery material is soluble in a chosen solvent, and said fixing liquid upon solidification is insoluble in said solvent.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said fugitive powdery material is fluidizable without being dissolved, and said fixing liquid upon solidification is insoluble in said solvent.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said fixing liquid upon solidification forms a thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic resin, and said fugitive powdery material is fluidizable at a temperature lower than the melting point or glass transition temperature of said synthetic resin.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of patent application Ser. No. 08/896,517 filed on Jun. 16, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,250, which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 08/514,119 filed Aug. 11, 1995, to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,373, and of Ser. No. 08/690,045 filed Jul. 31, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3455460 |
Mahon et al. |
Jul 1969 |
|
3690465 |
McGinnis et al. |
Sep 1972 |
|
5066397 |
Muto et al. |
Nov 1991 |
|
5202023 |
Trimmer et al. |
Apr 1993 |
|
5910250 |
Mahendran et al. |
Jun 1999 |
|
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
896517 |
Jun 1997 |
|
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
514119 |
Aug 1995 |
|