Abstract: A process and apparatus for the production of a polymer of thermoplastic polycondensate in which the polymer is first treated in a screw extruder and then in a mixing tank. In the extruder the polycondensate is heated in a first zone to a temperature below its melting point and thereafter it is heated to a temperature above its melting point at a vacuum. Water and other volatile components are removed from the first and second zones of the extruder. In the mixing tank the polymer is maintained under vacuum conditions and is conveyed and mixed by spiral mixing blades to remove residual water and volatile components. The polymer is discharged at the bottom of the mixing tank by a melt pump after a residence time of between 5 and 60 minutes in the mixing tank.

Abstract: A process and a degassing unit for the degassing of plastic melt in a screw extruder in which a surface of the degassing unit facing the screws of the extruder are heated to prevent deposition of entrained plastic particles, particularly at the corners or edges of the degassing unit. Prior to the commencement of the treatment process, the degassing unit is heated to a temperature which is at least as high as the melting point of the plastic to be treated. Heating can be effected by conveying a heating medium through a channel in the degassing unit located in proximity to the surface facing the extrusion screws and especially the corner or edge regions.

Abstract: A twin screw extruder for processing plastic material having a housing provided with a plurality of juxtaposed housing segments arranged axially in succession and defining two longitudinal, overlapping bores respectively containing two coaxially arranged extruder screws, rotatable about respective longitudinal axes, and having intermeshing threads. One of the housing segments serves as a degassing housing segment for degassing the plastic material and it is connected to a degassing chamber. The degassing housing segment has a transverse, radial opening in which an insert member is fitted, the insert member having a degassing opening providing communication between the degassing chamber and the bores in the housing. The degassing opening tapers in widening fashion in the direction from the longitudinal bores to the degassing chamber, and the degassing opening has a longitudinal axis disposed in a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of the screws.

Abstract: A plastics processing machine is associated with an internal mixer. Thermoplastic material is separately melted in the plastics processing machine and injected into the mixing chamber of the internal mixer, where it is mixed with fillers, caoutchouc or the like.

Abstract: For the measurement of the visco-elastic properties of a polymer material (69), such as plastics or rubber, a measuring wedge (47) is pressed into a rolled sheet (25) located on a work roll (5) of a mixing mill and conclusions are drawn from the applying forces and from the penetration depth of the measuring wedge onto the visco-elastic properties of the material (69).

Abstract: Dough processing method and apparatus in which a head machine has a dough divider for producing successive dough pieces, one after the other, and a conveyor for conveying the dough pieces from the dough divider to a subsequent treatment device A first drive motor drives the dough divider and the conveyor. The subsequent treatment device has a transport conveyor with dough cups for receiving the dough pieces from the conveyor of the head machine at a transfer station and for transporting the dough pieces in the subsequent treatment device A second drive motor drives the transport conveyor. A frequency convertor is connected to the first drive motor to control the speed of operation thereof based on a selected frequency from the frequency convertor.

Abstract: To extract a liquid from a workable mass of material a first force is applied to the material in a first direction. A second opposed force is applied to the material within or slightly downstream of a liquid-extraction location. These opposed forces tend to compact the material to extract the liquid. The extracted liquid moves out of the liquid-extraction location along a path which extends generally transverse to the direction of the first and second forces. Third forces are applied to the material along the path in a direction generally opposite to that taken by the exiting liquid to prevent the material from traversing the path but to permit the liquid to exit. The first, second and third forces form a pinch point on the material within or slightly downstream of the liquid-extraction location to substantially obviate liquid flow countercurrent to the direction of the first force.

Abstract: A granulating device for plastic compounds in which cutting knives of a cutting device face the die plate of a granulating head to form granules of plastic strings extruded from the die plate. The cutting knives are supported on a cutting shaft driven in rotation by a drive shaft of a drive motor. The cutting shaft is rotatably supported in fixed axial position in a housing. In order to obtain a planar parallel and central positioning of the cutting knives relative to the die plate, for example, due to thermal displacement, the housing and drive unit are guided together in a displaceable manner on guide shafts having first ends fixed to the granulating head and opposite ends which are vertically supported for universal pivotable movement in the manner of propped cantilever beams.

Abstract: A gambling device has a base plate (1') and attached to the latter a spring rod (2) to be set moving in bending oscillations. Several disks (15 to 18) are arranged on the latter. The lowermost disk is formed as a catch disk (18) to which pin-shaped spacers (21) and upwards protruding catching pins (22) are attached.

Abstract: A machine for dividing dough in which a dough supply unit delivers dough under pressure at an outlet end into dividing chambers of a rotatable carrier, the carrier having double measurement pistons in the dividing chambers for selectively delivering larger and smaller dough masses for a given stroke of the pistons. Each of the measurement pistons can be manually adjusted from outside the machine to be placed into first and second operational states in which, for a given stroke of the measurement piston respective larger and smaller volumes of dough mass are discharged from the machine. Each measurement piston includes an external piston slidable in a respective dividing chamber and an internal piston slidable in the external piston and the pistons are coupled for conjoint movement in the first operational state whereas in the second operational state, the external piston is fixed in the dividing chamber and the internal piston is slidable in the external piston.

Abstract: A continuous operation apparatus for fermenting dough products disposed on carriers which are conveyed stepwise through a fermenting chamber by vertical and horizontal conveyors. In order to obtain maximum space utilization and product density in the fermenting chamber with vibration-free and shock-fee transfer of the carriers, a vertical transport system is provided in which several vertical pairs of columns are employed to support the carriers at successive vertically spaced levels or stages and to stepwise transport the carriers vertically. One of the columns of each pair is rotatable while the other of the columns is rotatable and vertically displaceable. The pairs of columns are provided at each stage with horizontal projections for the support of the carriers. The carriers are transported stepwise by the vertically displaceable columns and successively transferred onto the rotatable columns.

Abstract: A rotor (2) surrounded by a strainer basket (3) is arranged vertically in a housing (1). Conveyor blades (7) arranged one above the other are distributed over the rotor (2) to convey plastic granules from a product inlet (14) arranged at the bottom of the housing to a discharge unit (15). A fan (19) is disposed in a discharge hood (16) and it has ejector blades (21) for assisting the radial discharge of the granules into unit (15). In order to change the residence time of the plastic granules in the dryer, a change in pressure is produced in the centrifugal dryer by replacing the fan with one having ejector blades whose outer diameter and/or length is different, the diameter of rotor (2) and its conveyor blades (7) being kept the same.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement is provided between the shaft of a mixing tool and the wall of a housing of a mixing and kneading machine, the sealing arrangement having a housing liner and a gland member which can be axially displaced against a support ring arranged between the shaft and the housing liner. The liner is formed by an outer sleeve sealingly placed in the wall of the housing and an inner sleeve resiliently abutted against the outer sleeve to define an annular space therebetween which is sealed by elastic seals which are pressurized by a pressure medium. A sealing arrangement of juxtaposed elastic gaskets is arranged in an annular space between the inner sleeve and the shaft and the gaskets are axially compressed between the gland member and an inward projection at the end of the inner sleeve.

Abstract: In a method for measuring the temperature of the mix in a mixing chamber of a kneader, the temperature of the mix being continuously measured by means of at least one sensor projecting into the mixing chamber, for the purpose of correcting measuring errors due to the heat conductivity of the sensor housing, a second sensor, in particular in the form of an infra-red sensor, is provided and directly detects the temperature of the mix at certain discrete times during the mixing process, the continuous temperature measuring of the first sensor being corrected according to the measuring of the second sensor when the mixing process is continued.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting a liquid from a workable mass of material includes a first screw section for transporting the material, a second screw section which applies a force on the material in a direction generally opposite that of the transport direction, and a second screw extruder at or near a liquid extraction location which provides a pinch point on the material. The pinch point substantially eliminates liquid flow countercurrent to the material transport direction.

Abstract: In order to prevent solidification of melt in the openings in an orifice plate of an underwater granulator during start-up, the water discharged from the housing of the granulator is diverted to a low pressure outlet so that during start-up a ring of water is formed on the inner surface of the housing. Thereby, melt strands from the orifice plate are cut in air and after the throughout of the melt becomes sufficiently high, the water discharged from the granulator is no longer diverted but is supplied to a post-treatment station and the housing becomes filled with water due to higher back pressure whereupon underwater granulation takes place.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing materials within a bore is disclosed to provide separation of the bore-defining elements without any relative movement between surfaces which are in engagement. Such lack of relevant movement precludes generation of frictional forces which may have catastrophic results where materials being processed are volatile or unstable such as explosives.

Abstract: A temperature sensor for mixing and kneading vessels, particularly for rubber kneaders, which is sealingly mounted in an opening in a housing wall of the vessel to project into the material to be mixed and/or kneaded. A thermocouple is mounted in the measurement tip for transducing measured temperature into signals transferred to a measurement device. The measurement tip comprises a thin-walled tube of relatively large diameter made of high-strength low heat-conductivity material. The tube has a conical portion at the tip end of which is mounted a high heat-conductivity material connected to the thermocouple. The outer surface of tube is coated with an insulation layer of ceramic at least in the region in which the tube is engaged in the housing wall.

Abstract: A device for flat-rolling a ball of dough to obtain a sheet of dough which has substantially straight front and rear edges. The device includes a framework for rotatably supporting a pair of rolls through which the ball of dough is passed, the rolls being supported such that they may move towards and away from each other, a biasing means being present to press the rolls towards each other, the biasing means being including at least one pressurized fluid cylinder to which pressurized fluid is supplied in such a way that in case of varying resistance of the dough a virtually constant opposing force is exerted onto said dough.

Abstract: A rubber injection press with a stationary clamping table with a mould element and with a carriage with a further mould element, which carriage is movable in a direction towards the clamping table to close a mould formed by the two mould elements, has a heater associated at least with the stationary mould element and provided in the form of a heating panel, which is arranged between it and the clamping table and in which heating elements are arranged. So as to achieve a good heat transfer from the heating elements to the heating panel with, at the same time, the breakdown frequency being reduced and there being a wide range of design possibilities regarding the arrangement of the heating elements, the latter are cast in the heating panel as heating coils. Thus it is possible also to arrange rapid clamping devices in the heating panel.