BASALT CONTINUOUS FILAMENT INSULATING AND FIRE-RESISTANT MATERIAL AND SLEEVES AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF
An fire-retardant insulating material and method of construction thereof has a textile fabric fabricated of continuous basalt filaments. The continuous basalt filaments are preferably texturized or twisted. The insulating material may be arranged in any configuration, such as a sheet, panel or sleeve, and may be knit, woven or braided.
1 . A fire-retardant insulating material, comprising:
at least one layer of textile fabric constructed at least in part from a plurality of continuous basalt yarn filaments interlaced in a configuration such that continuous basalt filaments form a unitary construction.
2 . The insulating material of claim 1 , wherein said configuration is a tubular sleeve.
3 . The insulating material of claim 2 , wherein said tubular sleeve has a tubular inner wall surrounded by a tubular outer wall.
4 . The insulating material of claim 3 wherein said inner wall is fabricated of either a woven, knitted or braided fabric and said outer wall is fabricated of either a woven, knitted or braided fabric.
5 . The insulating material of claim 1 , wherein said configuration is a woven fabric.
6 . The insulating material of claim 1 , wherein said configuration is a knit fabric.
7 . The insulating material of claim 1 , wherein said configuration is a braided fabric.
8 . The insulating material of claim 1 , including at least another layer of material.
9 . The insulating material of claim 1 wherein said continuous basalt yarn filaments are texturized.
10 . The insulating material of claim 1 wherein said continuous basalt yarn filaments are twisted.
11 . The insulating material of claim 1 further comprising an intumescent coating adhered to said at least one layer of textile fabric.
12 . The insulating material of claim 1 further comprising a coating of silicone-rubber adhered to said at least one layer of textile fabric.
13 . A method of fabricating a fire-retardant insulating material, comprising:
interlacing a plurality of continuous basalt yarn filaments with one another to form a textile fabric.
14 . The method of claim 13 further including performing said interlacing in a knitting process.
15 . The method of claim 13 further including performing said interlacing in a weaving process.
16 . The method of claim 13 further including performing said interlacing in a braiding process.
17 . The method of claim 13 further including fabricating said textile fabric as a tubular sleeve.
18 . The method of claim 17 further including constructing said tubular sleeve having a continuous closed circumferential wall.
19 . The method of claim 17 further including constructing said tubular sleeve having wall with overlapping edges extending along the length of the sleeve.
20 . The method of claim 13 further including adhering an intumescent coating to said textile fabric.
21 . The method of claim 13 further including adhering a coating of silicone-rubber to said textile fabric.
22 . The method of claim 13 further including texturizing said plurality of continuous basalt yarn filaments.
23 . The method of claim 22 further including twisting said plurality of continuous basalt yarn filaments after said texturizing.
24 . The method of claim 13 further including twisting said plurality of continuous basalt yarn filaments.