Abstract: An annular die has a mandrel having a spiral groove formed in a surface of the mandrel that distributes a flow of liquid across the mandrel surface and directs the flow of liquid in a flow direction across the spiral groove and across the mandrel surface. At least a portion of the spiral groove has a cross-section configuration where an interior surface of the spiral groove portion is oriented toward the flow direction as the interior surface extends to and intersects with the mandrel surface. The annular die has particular, but not limited, application as a blown film die.

Abstract: A driven layon roller apparatus for a plastic film or sheet winder is driven in rotation by a magnetic coupling. The magnetic coupling allows for torque to be transmitted to the layon roller of the apparatus to rotate the layon roller while adding little or no inertia and imposing little or no radial force to the layon roller as the layon roller moves position relative to the winder.

Abstract: Several small diameter short width rolls (124) of plastic film (108) are wound from a larger width and length of plastic web in a continuous manner. The disclosed apparatus slits the larger width plastic web into several narrower width plastic webs, positions the slit webs on a single large diameter winding drum (110) and then winds each narrower width web at a separate winding turret (112, 114). At each turret, the plastic web is rolled around a first mandrel until the roll achieves the desired size. Then, a second mandrel contacts, the plastic web and the plastic web is severed between the first mandrel and second mandrel and attached to a second mandrel to be rolled into a roll of desired length. The process is repeated at each turret such that the several plastic webs are simultaneously wound in a continuous fashion.

Abstract: The processes and resins of the present invention allow the extrusion of polymer products, such as polymer films, that have a reduced occurrence of surface aberrations, e.g., surface melt fracture and/or haze bands and/or haze. Preferably, the polymer products produced in accordance with the present invention are substantially free of surface aberrations even when manufactured under conditions of high sheer stress such as those conditions that occur at commercial production rates. In part, the present invention provides processes for polymer extrusion wherein the resins employed are treated using heat in an atmosphere sufficient to substantially eliminate the tendency to create surface aberrations. The resins can have reduced or substantially eliminated concentrations of low molecular weight components. In some embodiments, both the polymer resins and the extruded polymer products have reduced concentrations of processing aid(s), e.g.

Abstract: An improved air cooling method for the production of cast film is shown. The device is intended to increase production rates for film without reducing the level of film gauge control. The devices utilizes a soft box for the bulk of the cooling and a directional source of pressurized air to deflect exhaust air from the soft box from striking the web curtain between the die and chill roll.

Abstract: An improved air cooling device for the production of cast film is shown. The device is intended to increase production rates for film without reducing the level of film gauge control. The devices utilizes a soft box for the bulk of the cooling and a directional source of pressurized air to deflect exhaust air from the soft box from striking the web curtain between the die and chill roll.

Abstract: A combustor extension for a heat gun where the heat gun has a jet pump for mixing pressurized fuel with air to form an air/fuel mixture and a combustor attachment for combusting the air/fuel mixture. The jet pump has a first electrical connector for providing an electrical charge to an ignition device at the combustor attachment for igniting the air/fuel mixture. The combustor extension includes a hollow conduit having proximal and distal ends for extending between and coupling the combustor attachment to the jet pump. A second electrical connector at the proximal end of the conduit electrically couples to the first electrical connector of the jet pump. A third electrical connector at the distal end of the conduit electrically couples to the ignition device of the combustor attachment. The second and third electrical connectors are electrically connected together.

Abstract: A jet pump for a heat gun includes an elongate hollow pump body lying along a longitudinal axis. The pump body has an inlet, a mixing section and an outlet. A nozzle unit is axially aligned with the inlet for directing pressurized fuel into the inlet of the pump body. Movement of the pressurized fuel into the inlet causes air to be drawn into the inlet to mix with the fuel within the pump body. A disk shaped air diverter is axially spaced away from the inlet of the pump body. The diverter has a length and a diameter. The diameter of the diverter is greater than the length of the diverter and larger than the inlet of the pump body. A housing is radially spaced from and surrounds the diverter forming a first annular gap therearound for air outside the housing to pass therethrough. The air moves around the diverter then changes direction between the diverter and the inlet of the pump body before entering the inlet.

Abstract: A sideweld bag making machine utilizing a rotary transfer device and wicket conveyer is equipped with screw adjustable transfer wicket pins. The bases for the transfer wicket pins are mounted on a threaded rod having two sections of thread, each of opposite hand. Rotation of this threaded rod affects the separation of the wicket pins. Adjustment of vertical position is accomplished by means of two jacking screws or a screw adjustment in conjunction with a motion limiting rail element.

Abstract: A thermoplastic bag making machine having a sealing bar assembly driven by two separate linear drive units is initialized following full shutdown by traversing the linear drive units at constant velocity against mechanical stops, and then resetting position error signals and traversing the bar a known distance to a home position. This procedure is also useful for single linear drive units, as well as multiple linear drive units that must be coordinated for position and motion. In the case of multiple drive units, procedure for offsetting travel distances off the stop for non-uniformity in stop positions is utilized.

Abstract: A sideweld bag making machine equipped with a rotary bag transfer device and wicket conveyer utilizes a modified wicket stacking plate and transfer wicket pins to effectively place the bags on permanent wickets as they are stacked on the wicket conveyer. Stacking bags directly onto this permanent wire wicket avoids the need for the operator to transfer the stacked and counted bags from transfer wicket pins to permanent wire wickets as part of the bag packing operation.

Abstract: A sideweld bag making machine utilizing a rotary transfer device and wicket conveyer is equipped with a movable bag stacking guide that is used to align bags as they are stacked on the wicket conveyer. The bag stacking guide, which is mounted on the wicket conveyer, has a first raised position for accumulating bags as they are made, and a second lowered positioned to free stack bags for wicket conveyer indexing. The stacking guide is particularly useful for bags having lengths substantially greater than their width.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are described for controlling thickness of plastic films produced by the blown film process. The apparatus is an air cooling ring modified to include devices for locally modifying the temperature of the air discharged from the air ring onto the blown bubble. Local variations in the temperature of the cooling air applied to the surface of the bubble result in variations in the bubble cooling rate and viscosity, with consequent variations in thinning during transverse bubble expansion. The method includes controlling the location and extent of local temperature variation applied to the bubble in response to comparison of measured film thickness with a desired film thickness.

Abstract: A heat sealing bar assembly is disclosed that is intended to avoid distortion of the heat sealing edge due to thermal expansion of the heated sealing bar with respect to the unheated support beam to which it is mounted. The mounting means include a fixed center support, end supports that permit axial sliding of the ends of the heated seal bar with respect to the support beam, and a series of jacking screws between the center support and the end support for adjusting the shape of the heated sealing bar.

Abstract: A dual flow air ring is used to cool the exterior surface of thermoplastic tube after the plastic is extruded from an annular die. The surface of the wall forming the divider between the upstream and downstream flow paths which confronts the extruded tube is shaped to include a region of decreasing diameter in the direction of tube travel so that the flow path for air issuing from the lower discharge formed between the extruded tube and the surface is caused to converge. This converging flow stabilizes the tube thereby permitting more vigorous cooling and consequently higher production rates.

Abstract: For use with a thermoforming press adapted to form individual articles in the body of a thermoplastic web which has a degree of inherent stiffness, a trimming station for trimming the formed articles from the web subsequent to their formation characterized by a web transport that comprises at least a pair of rotary advancing devices directly engaged with the web at spaced apart locations across the width of the web, a drive for periodically rotating the advancing devices to produce indexing movement to the trimming press and means to periodically release the drive engagement of the rotary advancing devices with the web to enable relaxation of stress developed in the thermoplastic web and to allow the interaction of the web with the guides to realign the web in the absence of constraint by the rotary advancing devices, and the method of operation thereof.

Abstract: An internally-cooled blown-film system, for producing plastic tubing, in which the flow rate of the continuous flow of internal cooling air, by non-contacting, energy beam sensor means, is made directly dependent upon the deviation in position of the tube wall.

Abstract: An internally cooled blown film system, for producing a plastic tube, in which the flow rate of the continuous flow of cooling air through the tube is made directly dependent upon deviation of the tube circumference as determined by transmission and detection of ultrasonic waves from the surface of the tube.

Abstract: An air ring of the type mounted concentrically with a moving tube of plastic at a point close to where the plastic emerges from an annular die to receive, guide and discharge air in a desired direction to expose cooling air to the surface of the tube, the air ring having a circular array of a multiplicity of substantially parallel, cell-like passages, each passage having orthogonal lateral dimensions (X and Y directions) transverse to the local direction of flow (Z direction) that are less than one-half of the flow length, and divide the flow path to the outlet into a multiplicity of individual cell-like flow paths, the aggregate flow area presented by the passages being at least 80% of the inlet surface of the array.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming and trimming articles from a web, featuring two conveyors, the first conveyor moving the web through the forming press and into a trimming station, the second conveyor moving the web within the trimming station. The two conveyors move in unison to transport a newly-formed section of web into the trimming station; a shear located between the conveyors severs the web; and, without loss of registration, the second conveyor moves the severed section of web past a trimming die, which cuts articles from a fraction of the severed section during each cycle.