Apparatus for the application of a curable composition to a fastener and curable compositions suitable for application to a fastener

Abstract

An apparatus ( 1 ) for the application of a composition curable by irradiation to a fastener ( 2 ) having: a conveyor ( 3 ) for conveying fasteners to an application station ( 5 ); an application station ( 10 ) comprising an applicator from which the composition is dispensed. The conveyor rotates the fasteners past the applicator for application of composition. The same or another conveyor ( 8 ) conveys the fasteners to an irradiation station ( 10 ) and rotates the fasteners for irradiation thereof. The irradiation station irradiates and thus cures the composition applied to each fastener. The invention also provides A curable composition for application to a threaded article, comprising a dispersion of: (i) components of a first cure mechanism comprising: (a) a (meth)acrylate functional monomer component; (b) a (meth)acrylate functional oligomer component; and (c) a photoinitiator component; (ii) components of a second cure mechanism comprising: (e) an amine component; and (f) an encapsulated epoxy resin component; together with (iii) a thickener component suitable to impart sufficient viscosity to the uncured composition to maintain the dispersion of the other components in the composition; wherein the photoinitiator component is suitable upon irradiation of the composition to achieve a first cure through the depth of the composition applied to a threaded article so that a binder matrix is formed with the components of the second cure mechanism dispersed through the matrix.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A feed supply system for supplying a composition to the application station of an apparatus for the application of a composition curable by photoirradiation to a fastener comprising:
 (i) a volumetric supply pump for taking product from a product supply and supplying the composition to the application station in a volumetrically controlled fashion; and   (ii) a control for controlling the supply rate of the pump.   
   
   
       32 . A feed supply system according to  claim 31  wherein the volumetric supply pump is an eccentric rotor pump. 
   
   
       33 - 34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . A curable composition for application to a threaded article, comprising a dispersion of:
 (i) components of a first cure mechanism comprising:
 (a) a (meth)acrylate functional monomer component; 
 (b) a (meth)acrylate functional oligomer component; and 
 (c) a photoinitiator component; 
   (ii) components of a second cure mechanism comprising:
 (d) an amine component; and 
 (e) an encapsulated epoxy resin component; together with 
   (iii) a thickener component suitable to impart sufficient viscocity to the uncured composition to maintain the dispersion of the other components in the composition; wherein the photoinitiator component is suitable upon photoirradiation of the composition to achieve a first cure through the depth of matrix is formed with the components of the second cure mechanism dispersed through the matrix.   
   
   
       36 - 50 . (canceled) 
   
   
       51 . A curable composition according to  claim 35  wherein component (e) comprises a tertiary amine. 
   
   
       52 - 55 . (canceled) 
   
   
       56 . A curable composition according to  claim 35  wherein the mean diameters of microcapsules in which component (f) is encapsulated is in the range of about 100 μm to about 140 μm. 
   
   
       57 - 67 . (canceled) 
   
   
       68 . A threaded assembly component having applied thereto a composition according to  claim 35 . 
   
   
       69 . Reciprocally threaded articles having their respective threads bonded together by the cure product of a composition according to  claim 35 .