Abstract: A die for cooling, sizing and smoothing an extrudate includes a mounting plate having an orifice for receiving the extrudate, and a plurality of die members each having an aperture. The die members are mounted on the mounting plate in cascade relationship so that the members are axially spaced and the apertures are in alignment with the orifice in the mounting plate. The die members may be unitary flat metallic discs each having an aperture, or the die members may be a composite of a pair of overlying metallic discs each disc of the pair having an elongated slot extending inwardly from a peripheral edge, with the discs oriented so that the closed end of each slot defines a portion of the aperture.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting an extrudate to finished length includes a hopper that receives rough-cut lengths of extrudate, and feeds them one at a time to holders on a movable carrier. Each holder captures a length of extrudate which is transported by movement of the carrier to a pair of heated blades spaced apart a distance equal to the desired finished length of the extrudate. The blades serve to cut a portion from each end of the extrudate in a holder, whereby the extrudate is trimmed to finished length, and, simultaneously to fuse the material of the extrudate at the end faces, thereby sealing such faces. Further movement of the carrier enables the holders to release the trimmed extrudate onto a conveyor.