Abstract: Granulating apparatus wherein a cutter shaft mounting a multi-blade cutting implement, bearing means for the cutter shaft and drive means therefor are combined into a unit, which unit is mounted so that it can be swivelled about a bearing surface adjacent a cutter plate to adjust the cooperation of the blades of the cutting implement with the cutting plate. Screw drives are preferably provided to effect the adjustment.

Abstract: An endless belt, for apparatus for continuously hot pressing webs of material by pulling the belt against the periphery of a heated rotatable drum with the web interposed therebetween, comprising a layer of butyl rubber bonded to a fabric of steel wires, a textile layer adhered to the butyl rubber and a layer of silicon rubber adhered to the textile layer. In manufacture the fabric of steel wires is encased in the butyl rubber, the textile layer is adhered to the butyl rubber and the composite article is vulcanized. After vulcanization, the silicon rubber layer is adhered to the textile layer and the composite article thus formed again vulcanized.

Abstract: Drive means for two screw extruders combined in a cascade arrangement wherein, instead of providing a drive motor and reduction gear for each screw, both screws are driven from the same drive motor and reduction gearing and a coupling gearing is included between the reduction gearing and one of the screws to enable different speed ratios of the two screws to be obtained. The coupling gearing may be shift gearing including pair of gears of different ratios alternatively and selectively included in the drive train to one of the screws by means of respective clutches. In another embodiment the coupling gearing includes a planet gearing with a ring gear of the planet gearing drivable by an electric motor to vary the speed of an output gear coupled to planet wheels compared to the speed of an input sun gear driven from the reduction gearing.

Abstract: In a planetary extruder for extruding thermoplastics materials, a threaded main spindle is meshed with and surrounded by threaded planetary spindle. To improve pull-in of material, the planetary spindles are provided in groups, each group comprising at least three spindles. The first planetary spindle of each group corresponds in length to the main spindle and succeeding spindles, considered in an opposite direction to the direction or orbital movement of the planetary spindles, of each group are each shorter than the spindle which immediately precedes it to form receiving spaces for material fed by a feed screw, which receiving spaces in operation are continuously enlarging.In one embodiment in each group, the spindles which are successively shorter are followed by spindles which are successively longer.

Abstract: A screw extruder for processing thermoplastic materials wherein a vacuum is applied to the feed opening for the material and/or to a filling section of the cylinder for the purpose of reverse degasification, said extruder having a simultaneously rotating pressure piece between a screw and a back pressure bearing and having a stationary end piece disposed on the screw side in front of the rotating pressure piece and sealing means comprising at least two axially spaced radial sealing rings and a vacuum source to apply vacuum to an annular interspace formed between the sealing rings.

Abstract: Granulating apparatus having a cutting plate and a multi-blade cutting tool drivable by drive means and cooperating with the cutting plate, wherein, to ensure that the operating conditions, particularly fluctuating temperatures of the various components causing differential expansion, do not affect the setting of the cutter blades with respect to the cutting plate, the cutting plate, the bearing housing, the fixed bearing, the cutting blade shaft, the blade holder and the cutting blades are mechanically interconnected with one another with such interconnection disposed approximately in the cutting plane defined between the cutting plate and the cutting blades, whereby axial force-locking and form-locking connection of the components starting from the cutting plate and extending by way of the bearing means to the cutting blades, extends approximately in the cutting plane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the feed of pieces of rubber or plastics material into the intake opening of an extruder where a feed roller has a control slide mounted thereabove which can be moved to increase or decrease the area of the surface of the roller which engages the material and thus the rate of material intake. Sensing means are provided to indicate to control means the level of material in the intake opening, the control means then operating the control slide to adjust the rate of intake of material.

Abstract: Granulating apparatus, for plastics melt and other materials comprising an extruder head with a perforated member, a rotating cutter to cut material extruded through the perforated member, a housing surrounding the cutter and forming a granulating chamber with a generally upright axis and liquid supply means to supply cooling liquid to the top edge of the granulating chamber so that the cooling liquid flows in a film over the inner wall of the housing of the granulating chamber to prevent the cut material from sticking to said inner wall and to cool the cut material. The liquid supply means may include a perforated pipe encircling the granulating chamber or a weir at the inner edge of an annular chamber.

Abstract: A screw extrusion press having longitudinally extending bores in the wall thereof for heating or cooling the cylinder wall by passage therethrough of a temperature control medium. The passages are divided into sets of three adjacent passages with each set of three passages so connected to one another by annular passages which are divided off into respective portions for each set that medium supplied to an inlet manifold provided in a connecting flange at one end of the cylinder passes through a radial bore into a first passage of each set, flows along that passage to the other end of the cylinder, passes into a respective portion of the annular passage, passes into the second passage of each set, passes back along the cylinder into a respective portion of the annular passage and passes into the third passage of the set to pass along the cylinder, through a radial bore into an outlet manifold in a connecting flange at the other end of the cylinder and thence to an outlet connection.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing a cylinder forming the whole or part of the cylinder of a screw extruder, comprising a supporting arm on one end of which the cylinder is pivotally supported, and a further supporting arm to one end of which the other end of said supporting arm is pivoted, the other end of said further supporting arm being pivotally mounted on a base of the screw extruder. Adjusting means may be provided between the cylinder and the outer support arm to adjust the height and inclination of the cylinder, such adjusting means preferably comprising a plate on the support arm, three adjusting set screws in the plate to bear against the cylinder and securing screws to hold the cylinder in the set position.

Abstract: Regulating apparatus for the output of an extruder so that the output can be varied to follow variations in the output of a polymerization system supplying melt to the extruder, the apparatus including filling level measuring means in a melt container feeding an intake opening of the extruder and itself supplied with melt by the polymerization system and a flow restrictor provided in the extruder cylinder between the intake opening and a discharge opening, the extent of the restriction of flow provided by the flow restrictor being adjusted in accordance with signals received from the filling level measuring means and the extruder having an output capacity such that, with the flow restriction reduced to zero, the extruder can process the maximum output capacity of the polymerization system.

Abstract: The multi-roll calender for producing a sheet of elastomeric material comprises a calender frame and a series of rolls mounted in the calender frame. The rolls including an intake roll and a series of vertically superimposed rolls, with all adjacent rolls being variably spaced so as to provide variable roll gaps between each adjacent pair of rolls. Means are associated with the rolls for sensing the pressure of the material being calendered in each roll gap and means are provided on opposite ends of certain of the rolls responsive to the sensing means for adjusting the width of each roll gap formed by adjacent rolls to cause the difference between the pressures in said gaps to be as small as is practicable. Means are provided for maintaining the adjusted pressures substantially constant.

Abstract: A temperable screw extruder for the continuous extrusion of thermoplastics materials wherein to increase the working and cooling of the material in the extruder without excessively increasing the length of the extruder means are provided to convey the material in a direction transverse to the axis of a main screw away from said axis and then to convey it back theretowards. Preferably said means comprises, located between the main screw and an extrusion outlet orifice, a transverse screw disposed in a transverse cylinder chamber to direct the plastics melt outwardly transversely to the axis of the main screw, a connection passage at the end of the transverse chamber to a downstream further transverse chamber having a further transverse screw therein to convey the material back towards the axis of the main screw.

Abstract: A machine for processing plastics materials having a screw mounted in a housing and made up of a plurality of screw members in the form of collars on a drive shaft, whereby screw members to suit a particular material treatment are secured against rotation on the drive shaft and can be exchanged when required for other screw members, the machine including a thrust arrangement to press the screw members axially into close engagement with one another, the thrust arrangement comprising a divided thrust ring axially supported on the drive shaft at least at one of the end zones thereof, thrust or draw bolts, which act on the adjacent end surface of the adjacent outermost one of the screw members or on a frontal surface of a guide ring bearing against the outermost one of the screw members, and a sleeve closely surrounding the periphery of the divided thrust ring.

Abstract: Extrusion apparatus for manufacturing blow moulded sheets of expanded polystyrene wherein, following an extruder there is a static cooler/mixer member comprising inner and outer cooling surfaces defining between them an annular passage, the inner cooling surface having a star-shaped outline when viewed in cross-section with the points of the star extending at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis. Preferably the star-shaped outline is provided by folded metal strips several of which are provided alternately angled and staggered with respect to one another.

Abstract: A control device connected to rotational speed measuring means for an extruder screw, to a filling level monitor in a degassing opening of the extruder, to a cut-off in a filling container for the extruder, to vacuum means connected to the degassing opening and to a source of gas under pressure such that upon receipt from the speed measuring means or the filling level monitor by the control device of an indication of probable filling of the degassing opening with melt, the control device closes the cut-off, disconnects the vacuum means from the degassing opening and connects the gas pressure source thereto.

Abstract: A screw extruder for processing rubber or plastics material, comprising a cylinder jacket with a feed hopper, a central geared shaft and geared planet shafts disposed between the central shaft and the cylinder jacket and drivably engaged with the central shaft and the cylinder jacket, wherein parts of at least some of the planet shafts are bare of gearing.Advantageously each alternate planet shaft is only partly geared, the gearing extending for only approximately half the length of the shaft, at one end or the other end or in two quarter length portions at the opposite ends. Alternatively each third planet shaft is only partly geared.Preferably each geared part of a planet shaft which is only partly geared overlaps with a geared part of the planet shaft which follows it in the direction of rotation.

Abstract: In apparatus having an endless pressing band, formed of a layer of rubber with a steel-wire fabric connected thereto, passing around a heating drum, two associated guide rollers and a hitch roller, the relative positions of advancement of the opposite ends of a transverse weft wire of the steel-wire fabric are sensed by photoelectric cell arrangements and, upon sensing of a lagging of one end behind the other, control means are activated to move the bearing at one end of the hitch roller towards or away from the heating drum while retaining the axes of the hitch roller and the heating drum in a common plane.

Abstract: Apparatus for the preparation and extrusion of plastics material or rubber, comprising a planet rolling extruder and a feed portion disposed upstream thereof with a main shaft of the planet rolling extruder being surrounded by planet shafts and being driven jointly with a feed-screw of the feed portion, in which some of the planet shafts at their ends adjacent the feed-screw are reduced in section to form transfer shaft portions and thereby receiving chambers for material fed to the planet rolling extruder by the feed portion. The transfer shaft portions may be cylindrical with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the root circle of the planet shaft gearing or may have, adjacent the feed-screw, a diameter smaller than the root circle of the planet shaft gearing and increase in diameter in a direction away from the feed-screw until they achieve the full shaft outline.

Abstract: A screw, particularly an extruder screw for rubber or plastics materials, comprising a plurality of hollow screw components juxtaposed in end-to-end relation, a coupling sleeve disposed over the or each joint between two adjacent screw components, each end of each screw component which is joined to another screw component having axially extending external splines on an external face thereof and the or each coupling sleeve having axially extending internal splines on an internal face thereof to engage with the external splines on the ends of the screw components to secure the screw components and the coupling sleeve or sleeves against relative rotation, and means, preferably a bolt coupling end members of the screw, to secure the screw components and coupling sleeve or sleeves against relative axial movement.