Abstract: A thin ribbon of paint film is guided and applied directly to hot thermoplastics extrudate just as it exits the extrusion die by a film curving and guide plate and then by a film application wheel that is adjusted so that the film mates with and is laminated to the extrudate with an adhesive bond between the paint film substrate and the extrudate. This eliminates the need for high gloss, high metallic content thermoplastics for use as extrudate such as currently used for finished automotive side molding and allows reground thermoplastics to be used as the extrudate and finished with a paint film covering. The thermoplastic extrusion molding is then compression formed in a preform operation to establish end corners with selected radii for corner sharpness as well as reshape the part cross section. This is accomplished with a die and end cap construction which can be relatively adjusted to provide effective gas venting around the end of the die cavity on die closure.

Abstract: A combination fork has a handle at one end of an elongated shaft, and tines are provided at the other end of the shaft for cooking food morsels over an open source of heat. The handle of the cooking fork includes at the butt end thereof an open bore. A smaller fork is adapted to be force-fit into the bore. The smaller fork may be extracted from the bore to remove the cooked food morsels from the tines of the larger fork.In a preferred embodiment, the bore in the larger fork is generally cylindrical and extends substantially the length of the handle. The smaller fork is inserted into the bore with the tines first, and the handle of the smaller fork has a small conical taper enlarging toward the butt end, whereby the force-fit inside of the bore of the larger fork is accomplished by pushing the small fork into the bore to a point where the diameter of the tapered handle equals or slightly exceeds the diameter of the mouth of the bore.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for suspending one or more long-shafted forks in a vertical position for storage and in a horizontal operative position whereby the forks may be used to hold food over an open heat source. The apparatus comprises a base having dimensions sufficient to provide vertical stability, a stand post mounted vertically to the base, an upper bracket adapted to hold the forks vertically at the handles, and a lower bracket having a cradle and hook retaining means for retaining the forks horizontally in the second operative position. The lower bracket is also vertically movable along the stand post, and the hook and cradle retaining means are pivotable about a cross bracket portion of the lower bracket whereby the forks may be adjusted horizontally over the heat source.