Importance

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Abstract

A protective and release coating is applied to the front portion of an artificial eyepiece before it is placed in a mold to form a taxidermy animal head mannikin. The protective and release coating is preferably a latex material that protects the front surface of the glass or plastic artificial eyepiece from scratching or other damage while being placed in a mannikin mold. The mannikin mold defines a cavity surface contoured for correct anatomical features of the animal head mannikin, including the features immediately surrounding the eye. Eye socket recesses in the cavity surface are shaped to snugly receive the front portions of the eyepieces. Indicia ridges or locator sockets may be located around or in the eye socket recesses, to facilitate the proper orientation of artificial eyepieces within the eye sockets. The latex protective and release coating is preferably applied by spraying onto the front portion of the artificial eyepiece and allowed to set to form a cross-linked polymer coating before the eyepiece is positioned in the mold cavity eye socket. An adhesive may also be used to help hold the coated eyepiece in the mold eye socket. A liquid foamable and hardenable material is injected into the mold cavity, where it is allowed to expand and harden, thereby forming the taxidermy mannikin and fixing the eyepiece into the mannikin in proper position therein. The mold is then separated from the formed mannikin, and the protective and release coating is removed by peeling the coating from the front portion of the artificial eyepiece.

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First Claim