MOLDING METHOD FOR FOAM IN CONTINUOUS LENGTHS

PURPOSE:To form continuously a long-sized foamed article by continuously feeding a long-sized molded article, comprising rubber and plastic containing a foaming agent, to the inside of a heat-resistance tape and allowing the molded article to be heated and expanded in the heat-resistant tape to form the molded article into an inner face shape of a heating tube. CONSTITUTION:A heat-resistant tape 11 having a smooth surface, such as a fluororesin- containing glass-cloth tape, etc., is allowed to run in the same direction as the running direction of an extruded article 8 at speed equal to the feed rate thereof, while being formed into the shape of a cylindrical part 12, and is fed into a heating tube 10. The extruded article 8 is heated up to a temperature higher than a decomposition temperature of a foaming agent by heating of a heater 9 attached to the heating tube 10. By this heating, an extrusion-coated layer of rubber and plastic of the extruded article 8 is expanded, and the extruded article 8 is swollen in its diametral direction until the outer peripheral face of the extruded article is slidably brought into close contact with the inner peripheral face of the heating tube 10 through the heat-resistant tape 11. A foamed extruded article 14 thus obtained in allowed to immediately pass through a cooling water tank 15 to be cooled and cured and, thereafter, it is wound on a wind-up drum 17.