Abstract: A mini-extruder apparatus for extruding small quantities of material. The apparatus is designed to overcome the problems of excessive heat transfer from the heated portion of the barrel to the feed portion of the extruder barrel and the premature failure of the long thin extruder screws employed in extruders. The mini-extruder includes an extruder barrel having a substantially circumferential, radially extending cavity formed in an isolator portion of the extruder barrel to thermally isolate the feed portion from the heated portion. The mini-extruder also includes a drive system constructed to drive the extruder screw at both ends. The mini-extruder can also be designed as a co-rotating or counter-rotating twin screw extruder where each end of each extruder screw is driven.

Abstract: Crimped foamed fibers are produced by a process which eliminates any mechanical deformation steps. The process comprises the step of forming foamed fibers having a plurality of randomly arranged cells distributed asymetrically over a given cross section and occupying at least about 10% of the cross sectional area of the fiber, and heating the foamed fibers while maintaining the fibers under no load condition to produce a crimped foamed fiber. The crimped foamed fibers are used in apparel, carpet fibers, thermal insulation, acoustic and filtration.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for cutting a magnetic core spirally wound from a ribbon of glassy metal. The core is mounted on a mandrel, and a portion of the core is appointed to be cut. A clamping mechanism applies to the outside peripheral surface of said portion, a compressive clamping force directed toward said surface and normal thereto. A positioning mechanism locates and fixes the core and mandrel onto an indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism moves the core and mandrel to a preselected fixed position, and a cutting mechanism cuts the core.

Abstract: A process of blending two or more polymers having varying viscosities by blending the polymers in the melt in the presence of a solid particulate material to form polymer blends having improved dispersion of the polymer.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for casting continuous metal strips includes a nozzle for extruding molten metal. The nozzle has a nozzle body, a nozzle inlet opening, a nozzle exit orifice and a nozzle mounting surface located proximate to the nozzle inlet. A reservoir contains the molten metal and is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The reservoir has a reservoir outlet opening for flowing molten metal therethrough and has a reservoir mounting surface located proximate to the reservoir outlet. The reservoir mounting surface is adapted to mate with the nozzle mounting surface and allow a relative, sliding-type movement therebetween due to a differing thermal expansion of the nozzle relative to the reservoir. A heat resistant seal between the nozzle mounting surface and the reservoir mounting surface minimizes molten metal leakage therebetween, and a force mechanism resiliently urges the nozzle mounting surface toward the reservor mounting surface to mate the nozzle and reservoir together.

Abstract: A molten polymer containing a blowing agent and, usually, a nucleating agent, is spun into fibers with screen packs or equivalent structures upstream of the spinning apertures. The use of screen packs enables the production of fibers with finer bubbles, which are therefore susceptable to greater melt-drawdown and postdrawing and can have better tensile properties. Foamed polyamide fibers are produced with average bubble diameters one-twentieth or less, compared to the effective fiber diameter.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a moving multicavity texturing method for simultaneously texturing filaments which are commingled to form a yarn. The yarn readily knits producing a fabric which upon subsequent dyeing and shrinking produces a variable textured fabric similar in appearance to fabrics knit from natural fibers.

Abstract: A molten polymer containing a blowing agent and, usually, a nucleating agent, is spun into fibers with screen packs or equivalent structures upstream of the spinning apertures. The use of screen packs enables the production of fibers with finer bubbles, which are therefore susceptable to greater melt-drawdown and post-drawing and can have better tensile properties. Foamed polyamide fibers are produced with average bubble diameters one-twentieth or less, compared to the effective fiber diameter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for cutting a magnetic core spirally wound from a ribbon of glassy metal. The core is mounted on a mandrel, and a portion of the core is appointed to be cut. A clamping mechanism applies to the outside peripheral surface of said portion, a compressive clamping force directed toward said surface and normal thereto. A positioning mechanism locates and fixes the core and mandrel onto an indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism moves the core and mandrel to a preselected fixed position, and a cutting mechanism cuts the core.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a moving multicavity texturing apparatus for simultaneously texturing filaments which are commingled to form a yarn. The yarn readily knits producing a fabric which upon subsequent dyeing and shrinking produces a variable textured fabric similar in appearance to fabrics knit from natural fibers.

Abstract: A method is described for monitoring and controlling the texture level of a yarn produced in a moving cavity texturing apparatus. The texture level of the yarn is controlled by monitoring fluid pressure in the cavity. The pressure is used as a feedback signal for control of the texture level of the yarn.

Abstract: This invention provides an aspirator apparatus for the in line string up of a rapidly advancing filament from a continuous forming operation onto a rotating winding wheel. A top aspirator plate is disposed opposite and in facing relation to a bottom plate and is movable relative thereto. An actuator mechanism selectively moves the top plate in a direction normal to the bottom plate to adjust the separation distance therebetween and to selectively delimit an aspiration zone between the top and bottom plates. This aspiration zone has at least one aspirator inlet portion to receive filament, an aspirator outlet portion to exit the filament and an aspirator jet portion to capture, tension and direct the filament. A fluid jet means communicates with the jet portion to provide an aspirating jet of pressurized fluid therein, and a transport means moves the apparatus to effect filament string-up.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and process is provided for producing solid metal strip from a molten source using a rapidly moving quench surface. The improvement comprises an auxiliary, liquid-cooled chill roll for contacting the solid strip and urging it against the quench surface. The invention permits high quench rates and improved strip surface smoothness to be achieved and finds particular advantage in the casting of metallic glass alloys.

Abstract: Continuous filaments are fed into a heating zone. The filaments are then contacted with a stream of heated fluid to increase the temperature of the filaments. The stream of fluid containing the filaments is directed into contact with a barrier disposed within a chamber at a force sufficient to initiate crimping of the filaments. A major portion of the fluid is separated from the filaments and expelled from the chamber. The filaments are transported through the chamber by continuous movement of a surface therein at sufficient velocity to cause overfeeding of the filaments, whereby the filaments are forced against a mass thereof producing crimps therein. One or more streams of heated fluid are then contacted with the mass of filaments to set the crimps. The crimped filaments emerge from the chamber through an outlet opening therein.

Abstract: A discrete thermoplastic composition is formed into a shaped article in a rapid stamping process. The composition is placed on and preheated with a rigid metal plate which has been preshaped to fit the contour of one of the dies of the stamping press. The heated composition and metal plate are then transferred to the stamping press where the composition is stamped and cooled into a three-dimensional shaped object. The surface of the metal plate contacting the composition has a special finish so that desired surface effects can be produced on the stamped article.

Abstract: Continuous filaments are fed into a heating zone. The filaments are then contacted with a stream of heated fluid to increase the temperature of the filaments. The stream of fluid containing the filaments is directed into contact with a barrier disposed within a chamber at a force sufficient to initiate crimping of the filaments. A major portion of the fluid is separated from the filaments and expelled from the chamber. The filaments are transported through the chamber by continuous movement of a surface therein at sufficient velocity to cause overfeeding of the filaments, whereby the filaments are forced against a mass thereof producing crimps therein. One or more streams of heated fluid are then contacted with the mass of filaments to set the crimps. The crimped filaments emerge from the chamber through an outlet opening therein.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is provided for the inline string-up, in automatic fashion, of a rapidly advancing filament, particularly a glassy alloy strip, from a high speed continuous casting operation onto a rotating winding wheel. The leading segment of the advancing filament is passed into the nip of two counterrotating brush rollers 15 having a peripheral velocity exceeding that of the advancing filament to produce a sliding frictional tensioning of the filament. The brush rollers and engaged filament are then moved over the rotating winding wheel 28 to lay a segment of the advancing filament onto the rotating winding surface. A cut-and-grip device 8 associated with the winder is then actuated to cut the filament at the winding surface and to secure the filament onto the winder, whereupon winding of the advancing filament proceeds.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for taking up textured yarn plugs into a cartridge is provided. The apparatus comprises a spiral-walled cartridge and means for rotating the cartridge about a vertical axis while moving it laterally. In operation, the cartridge is rotated beneath a yarn texturizer as textured yarn in plug form is deposited therein in orderly layers. Even with high-speed texturizers, cartridge speed is low. After the plugs have been deposited, the cartridge may be removed, and the yarn plugs may be pulled out for knitting or weaving.

Abstract: Multifilament thermoplastic synthetic yarn is textured by an improved process involving propelling the yarn through an energy tube by superheated steam to strike, at an oblique angle, an unyielding barrier within a chamber in which the yarn then forms a plug on a moving perforate surface. The improvement comprises heat-setting the yarn, before the texturing operation, at constant length to the point that its density increases to at least 50% of the difference between that of undrawn amorphous yarn and the maximum normally attainable in such yarn; and feeding the resulting yarn hot into the energy tube whereby tendency toward shrinkage of the yarn resulting from undergoing crimping is reduced, and/or a higher texture level is obtainable at given temperature of the crimping operation.

Abstract: Continuous filaments are fed by aspiration into a stream of heated fluid in a conduit. The filaments are then contacted with at least a second stream of heated fluid in a second conduit of increased cross-sectional area to increase the temperature of the filaments. The combined streams of fluid containing the filaments are transferred to an energy tube having an angular disposition relative to a barrier disposed within a chamber and are directed by said energy tube into contact with said barrier at a force sufficient to initiate crimping of the filaments. A major portion of the fluid is separated from the filaments and expelled from the chamber. The filaments are transported through the chamber by continuous movement of a surface therein at sufficient velocity to cause overfeeding of the filaments, whereby the filaments are forced against a mass thereof and emerge from the chamber in crimped form.