GB1312731A - Fibre reinforced articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1312731 Racket handle NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORP 19 April 1971 [18 March 1970] 13162/70 Heading A6D An article e.g. a squash racket handle comprises an elongate core member 3 with fibrous reinforcement 5 confined to two substantially opposing longitudinal face regions of the core member, the composite material comprising fibres in continuous form arranged substantially parallel to the length of the core member and a cured plastics matrix bonding the fibres together. The fibres are preferably of carbon which may be associated with glass fibres and the latter may be braided around the former. The reinforcement may be applied in a dry or wet state or in sheet form and the faces of the core, which may be of wood, can be longitudinally grooved to receive the reinforcement (Fig. 6, not shown) or can be built up from separate pieces of wood 13, 14, 15-Fig. 7, to provide grooves for the reinforcement 11, the whole being assembled in clamps 12 until set. Alternatively the reinforcement can be applied by locating a length of composite material adjacent one end face of the elongate core member and then feeding, with that end leading, the core and composite material through a die to lay the composite material along opposing faces of the core member (Figs. 1 and 2, not shown). Figs. 8 to 13 (not shown) illustrate an application to a squash racket.