1. Technical Field
The invention relates to tubular shells or service cores used for the storage of strip material, and in particular for elastomeric calender stock used in the tire building industry. More particularly, the invention relates to such a shell formed of extruded medium or high impact ABS material and a pair of end hubs molded of the same material which are bonded by an adhesive within the ends of the tubes.
2. Background Information
During the building of tires, various strips of elastomeric material which are usually in a "green" tacky condition are transferred from various areas to a tire building drum where they are assembled into a finished green tire for subsequent vulcanization. These strips are referred to as calender stock and are transported on cylindrical-shaped shells which are usually mounted on reels, which in turn, are suspended on a transport rack for subsequent unreeling at the tire building drum.
Heretofore, these calender stock shells or service cores which they are sometimes referred to in the industry were made of wood. However, the wood shells will chip and splinter providing a contamination into the calender strip resulting in the rejection of the strip and possibly of a tire produced therefrom, if undetected during the building of the tire. Other such shells are made of steel. Although these steel shells eliminate many of the chipping and splintering problem of the wood shells, they are considerably heavier and more expensive.
Thus, the need existed for an improved calender stock shell or service core formed of a lightweight rugged material which would not contaminate the elastomeric strips transported thereby.