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CA-3083137-C - METHOD OF FORMING A SPLICED JOINT IN A HANDRAIL OR OTHER ELONGATE ARTICLE

CA3083137CCA 3083137 CCA3083137 CCA 3083137CCA-3083137-C

Abstract

A handrail has a thermoplastic body having a generally C-shaped cross section, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above a T-shaped slot and a slider fabric layer. The handrail includes first and second end portions, each comprising a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part. A method of forming a joint can include: providing cuts to separate a top section of the thermoplastic body from a base section including shoulder portions; for each end portion, removing at least shoulder portions from the forward part thereof, to leave a central portion including a forward part at the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic; cutting the forward parts to a required shape; and assembling the first and second end portions together to form a spliced joint for moulding.

Inventors

  • Reginald Anthony Butwell
  • Andrew Oliver Kenny
  • Jason Wong
  • KIRBY WAYNE CROSBY

Assignees

  • EHC CANADA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20181129
Priority Date
20171129

Claims (20)

  1. CLAIMS We claim: 1. A method of forming a spliced joint in a moving handrail, the handrail com prising a thermoplastic body having a generally C-shaped cross section and defining a T-shaped slot, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above the T-shaped slot and a slider fabric layer around an interior of the T-shaped slot, wherein the handrail comprises first and second end portions, each comprising a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part, the method comprising: in each of the rear and forward parts of the first and second end portions, providing a first horizontal cut to separate a top section of the thermoplastic body from a base section comprising shoulder portions of the thermoplastic body, the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic above the slider fabric layer joining the shoulder portions together; for each end portion, removing at least the shoulder portions from the forward part thereof, to leave a central portion comprising a forward part of the slider fabric layer and the layer of thermoplastic; cutting the forward parts of the slider fabric layer and the layer of thermoplastic to a required shape; and assembling the first and second end portions together to form a spliced joint for moulding, wherein the spliced joint is provided with a centerline, for each of the first and second end portions, the forward and rear parts are provided on either side of the centerlines of the spliced joint, and the base sections of the rear parts of the first and second end portions abut one another and are joined together, and wherein, for each of the first and second end portions, the first horizontal cut is provided extending through the forward and rear parts, and a 9247089 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19 second horizontal cut is provided, above the stretch inhibitor, extending through the forward and rear parts, and wherein vertical cuts are provided at ends of the second horizontal cuts to remove a scalp layer from each of the first and second end portions, the first and second horizontal cuts leaving respective first and second interweave layers including the stretch inhibitor.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer of thermoplastic above the forward part of the slider fabric layer is sufficiently thin that a tab portion can be formed from the slider fabric layer, incorporating part of that layer of thermoplastic for overlapping and bonding to another portion of the slider fabric layer while maintaining internal dimensions of the T-shaped slot.
  3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising providing, for each of the first and second end portions, generally vertical and longitudinally extending cuts extending from the centerline to the end surface thereof, through the joining layer of thermoplastic, adjacent and above edges of the T-shaped slot, to enable separation of the shoulder portions from the slider fabric layer.
  4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein edges of the slider fabric layer are embedded in the thermoplastic of the shoulder portions, and wherein the method com prises providing longitudinal cuts to enable separation of the edge portions of the slider fabric layer from the shoulder portions.
  5. 5. The method of claim 4, comprising, for each of the first and second end portions, cutting a part of the slider fabric layer extending across a top of the T - shaped slot along the centerline, and cutting the slider fabric layer, where it extends in the shoulder portions, in a plane extending at a 45 degree angle to the cross-section of the handrail at the centerline and inclined from the centerline at the top of the T-shaped slot away from the end thereof.
  6. 6. The method of claim 5, comprising cutting the slider fabric layer with a rotary abrasive tool. 9247089 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19
  7. 7. The method of claim 5 or 6, comprising extending the longitudinal cuts to the 45 degree angled cut in the slider fabric layer.
  8. 8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising providing the stretch inhibitor as a plurality of an elongate stretch inhibitor members, and cutting into the interweave layer longitudinally to provide a plurality of elongate pieces each incorporating at least one elongate stretch inhibitor member and cutting the elongate pieces in different lengths, wherein the first interweave layer of the first end portion forms a male pattern and the second interweave layer in the second end portion forms a corresponding female pattern complementary to the male pattern.
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the elongate pieces in each of the first and second end portions are cut to one of five different lengths, with one length corresponding to the centerline of the spliced joints, with two of the lengths being short of the centerline and two of the lengths being longer than the centerline.
  10. 10. The method of claim 8 or 9, comprising providing at least one thermoplastic ply layer between the interweave layers and the base sections, and at least one thermoplastic ply layer above the interweave layers.
  11. 11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising providing a replacement cap, to replace the scalp layers removed from the first and second end portions.
  12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the replacement cap is cut to be slightly longer than the spacing between the end surfaces of the first and second end portions.
  13. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, comprising heating and softening ends of the replacement cap and edge surfaces of the first and second end portions, to at least tack the replacement cap in position. 9247089 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19
  14. 14. The method of claim 13, comprising, for at least one of the ply layers, using a heating device to heat the ply layer and underlining thermoplastic, and applying pressure to at least tack the ply layer in position.
  15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ply layer is heated with a hot air gun, and pressure is applied using a roller.
  16. 16. The method of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the assembled spliced joint is placed in a mould and comprising heating the assembled spliced joint to a temperature above 170 degrees Celsius for a time period of at least 30 seconds, whereby the various thermoplastic components melt and bond together, to form a completed spliced joint, and cooling the assembled spliced joint before removal from the mould.
  17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mould comprises two mould parts enclosing the assembled spliced joint and a core element fitting in the T-shaped slot of the handrail, wherein the core element is mounted floating in the T-shaped slot.
  18. 18. The method of claim 17, comprising providing actuators for providing pressure on the core element urging the core element in a direction towards the top of the handrail, wherein during at least heating of the assembled spliced joint, the actuators apply pressure to the core element.
  19. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein after cooling of the assembled spliced joint, the mould parts are separated to release the assembled spliced joint and the actuators apply further pressure to urge the core element away from one of the mould elements.
  20. 20. A method of forming a spliced joint in a moving handrail, the handrail com prising a thermoplastic body having a generally C-shaped cross section and defining a T-shaped slot, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above the 9247089 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19 T-shaped slot and a slider fabric layer around an interior of the T-shaped slot, wherein the handrail comprises first and second end portions, each comprising a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part, the method comprising: in each of the rear and forward parts of the first and second end portions, providing a first horizontal cut to separate a top section of the thermoplastic body from a base section comprising shoulder portions of the thermoplastic body, the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic above the slider fabric layer joining the shoulder portions together; for each end portion, removing at least the shoulder portions from the forward part thereof, to leave a central portion comprising a forward part of the slider fabric layer and the layer of thermoplastic; cutting the forward parts of the slider fabric layer and the layer of thermoplastic to a required shape; and assembling the first and second end portions together to form a spliced joint for moulding, wherein the assembled spliced joint is placed in a mould and comprising heating the assembled spliced joint to a temperature above 170 degrees Celsius for a time period of at least 30 seconds, whereby the various thermoplastic components melt and bond together, to form a completed spliced joint, and cooling the assembled spliced joint before removal from the mould, wherein the mould comprises two mould parts enclosing the assembled spliced joint and a core element fitting in the T-shaped slot of the handrail, wherein the core element is mounted floating in the T-shaped slot, comprising providing actuators for providing pressure on the core element urging the core element in a direction towards the top of the handrail, wherein during at least heating of the assembled spliced joint, the actuators apply pressure to the core element, and 9247089 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19 wherein after cooling of the assembled spliced joint, the mould parts are separated to release the assembled spliced joint and the actuators apply further pressure to urge the core element away from one of the mould elements.

Description

TITLE: METHOD OF FORMING A SPLICED JOINT IN A HANDRAIL OR OTHER ELONGATE ARTICLE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a national phase entry of International Application No. PCT/CA2018/051522 filed on November 29, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/591,954 filed on November 29, 2017. FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates generally to a method of forming a spliced joint in a handrail or other elongate article of constant cross-section. BACKGROUND [0003] The following paragraphs are not an admission that anything discussed in them is prior art or part of the knowledge of persons skilled in the art. [0004] U.S. Patent No. 6,086,806 discloses a mould and method of forming a joint in a handrail for escalators or moving walkways. The handrail may have a generally C-shaped cross section defining an internal generally T-shaped slot. The handrail is formed by extrusion and comprises a first layer of thermoplastic material extending around the T-shaped slot. A second layer of thermoplastic material extends around the outside of the first layer and defines the exterior profile of the handrail. A slider layer lines the T-shaped slot and is bonded to the first layer. A stretch inhibitor extends within the first layer. The first layer may be formed from a harder thermoplastic than the second layer. INTRODUCTION [0005] The following paragraphs are intended to introduce the reader to the more detailed description that follows and not to define or limit the claimed subject matter. 9247022 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-19 [0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a spliced joint in a moving handrail, the handrail including a thermoplastic body having a generally C-shaped cross section and defining a Tshaped slot, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above the T -shaped slot and a slider fabric layer around an interior of the T-shaped slot, wherein the handrail includes first and second end portions, each including a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part, the method including: in each of the rear and forward parts of the first and second end portions, providing a first horizontal cut to separate a top section of the thermoplastic body from a base section including shoulder portions of the thermoplastic body, the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic above the slider fabric layer, and joining the shoulder portions together; for each end portion removing at least shoulder portions from the forward part thereof, to leave a central portion including a forward part at the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic; cutting the forward parts of the slider fabric layer and thermoplastic to a required shape; and assembling the first and second end portions together to form a spliced joint for moulding. [0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a spliced joint in a moving handrail, the handrail including a thermoplastic body having a generally C-shaped cross section and defining a T-shaped slot, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above the Tshaped slot and a slider fabric layer around an interior of the T-shaped slot, wherein the handrail includes first and second end portions, each including a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part, the method including: in each of the rear and forward parts of the first and second end portions, providing a first horizontal cut to separate a top section of the thermoplastic body from a base section including shoulder portions of the thermoplastic body, the slider fabric layer and a layer of thermoplastic above the slider fabric layer, and joining the shoulder portions together; for each of the base CA 03083i37 2020-05-2i sections, removing a forward part thereof, to leave rear parts thereof; heating facing surfaces of the rear parts of the base sections to cause melting of the thermoplastic; and mounting the first and second end portions on a mandrel and sliding the first and second end portions together, so that the rear parts of the base sections abut one another, whereby melted thermoplastic of the base sections fuses together to form a joint. [0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of forming a spliced joint in a moving handrail, the handrail including a thermoplastic body having an axis, a generally C-shaped cross section and defining a T-shaped slot, a stretch inhibitor in the thermoplastic body above the T-shaped slot and a slider fabric layer around an interior of the T-shaped slot, wherein the handrail includes first and second end portions, each including a forward part extending from an end surface of the end portion and a rear part adjacent the forward part, the method including: in each of the rear and forward parts of the first