IES65665B2

IES65665B2 - Method of making an article

Info

Publication number: IES65665B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Richard J J Crowe
Original assignee: Richard J J Crowe
Priority date: 1995-01-13
Filing date: 1995-01-13
Publication date: 1995-11-01
Also published as: IES950022A2

Abstract

A method of making an article is disclosed comprising the steps of coating a pre-formed core(9) in adhesive, step 12, dipping the core in a powdered material, step 14, and drying the coated article, step 15.

Description

Method of Making an Article The present invention relates to a method of making an article.

Decorative articles manufactured from material, such as turf, are traditionally fabricated by compressing a powdered turf and adhesive mixture in a mould under pressure, removing the article and allowing it to dry, before polishing the article to a required level of smoothness. During the drying process shrinkage and internal stresses in the article cause unsightly cracks to appear on the surface of the article, and the use of adhesive throughout the article increases the cost of raw materials.

It is an object of the present invention these problems. to mitigate According to the present invention there is provided a method of making an article comprising the steps of a) coating a.pre-formed core in adhesive b) dipping the core in a turf or turf-like material; and b) drying the coated article.

Preferably, steps a), b) and c) are collectively repeated n times, preferably two or three times. Preferably, the core is formed of resin or alternatively of plaster. Preferably, the article is tumble polished after the last step of drying the coated article.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the $ accompanying drawings, in which: h Figure 1 is a schematic view of a method of making an article according to the invention; and I Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an article produced according to the method of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a schematic diagram of a method of making an article generally indicated at 10 according to the invention.

The method 10 comprises the step 11 of taking a pre-formed core 9, Figure 2, formed from polyester resin, plaster, wood, cardboard, cement, stone, brick or any other suitable material, and coating the core in an adhesive, step 12. A suitable adhesive is of the poly vinyl acetate type, an example of which, Durabondtm, is distributed by R&S Sales Limited, Dublin. Resins of the polymer or epoxy type or liquid plastics or other adhesives could also be used. The adhesive of the present embodiment contains 5 parts/million of a preservative Kathon LXE produced by Rohm & Haas to retard the growth of mold in the finished article.

The core 9 is then dipped in powdered turf, step 14, and coated with a layer 13 to a depth of approximately lmm in the material. The layer 13 thus applied to the coated article is then dried, step 15, preferably by an electric heater for up to 1 hour. A ratio of 1:1 adhesive to turf is found to produce optimal adhesion of the layer 13. Steps 12, 14 and 15 are repeated n-times so as to apply n layers 16, 17. In the present embodiment η = 2 or 3 to provide two or three further layers respectively over the layer 13.

Smaller rounded articles produced according to the invention, such as pendants, are then loaded into a conventional tumble polishing machine, step 18, where they are processed for a suitable length of time according to the desired level of smoothness of the finished article.

For, larger more intricate articles, an intermediate fibreglass layer (not shown) is preferably applied between the core 9 and the layer 13, step 19, to make the outer surface more resistant to damage when in use or during the polishing process.

It will be seen that articles produced according to the present invention are less costly in terms of raw materials and are less prone to cracking of the outer surface of the finished article. It will also be seen that articles produced according to the embodiment retain the natural texture and colour of turf which are absent in articles produced using traditional methods.

Claims

CLAIMS: .« /

1. A method of making an article comprising the steps of ** a) coating a pre-formed core in adhesive b) dipping the core in a turf or turf-like material; and b) drying the coated article.

2. The method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein steps a), b) and c) are collectively repeated n times, preferably three or four times.

3. The method of Claims 1 or 2 wherein the core is formed of plaster.

4. The method of Claims 1 or 2 wherein the core is formed of resin.

5. The method of Claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein the article is tumble polished after the last step of drying the coated article.