Abstract: A calibration basket is configured for a calibration station disposed in an apparatus for producing plastic tubes. The calibration basket contains calibration tools that are successively disposed at a distance from each other across the circumference of the tube. The calibration tools are embodied as calibration strips that extend in the longitudinal direction of the tube that is to be calibrated, are disposed so as to be adjustable on displacement spindles, and are provided with one respective sliding surface that enters in contact with the tube. Recesses that are connected to discharge ports are embodied in a sliding surface and are provided within the calibration strip. The discharge ports extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the calibration strip.

Abstract: A screw feeder is provided for a powder roller compactor machine. The machine includes a hopper for holding powder and a pair of rollers for compacting the powder. A screw feeder transfers powder from the hopper to the rollers. The screw feeder includes an upper tapered section with a tapered shaft and a lower straight section with a straight shaft. Auger flighting is provided on the tapered and straight sections of the screw feeder. The auger flighting preferably has a fixed depth along the length of the screw feeder.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus includes a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material under pressure and delivering the melt stream to a nozzle channel of a nozzle. The manifold includes a manifold plug fit within a bore thereof and having a plug melt channel for fluidly connecting the manifold melt channel and the nozzle melt channel. The manifold plug further includes a valve/pressure disk portion that abuts with a back plate of the injection molding apparatus to maintain the spacing therebetween and to accommodate thermal expansion of the manifold relative to the back plate. In an injection molding application utilizing a valve-gated nozzle, the manifold plug may further include a valve pin receiving/guiding bore that functions as a valve pin bushing for a valve pin. A mold cavity communicates with the nozzle channel of the nozzle to receive melt through a mold gate.

Abstract: A cutter hub and blade assembly for an underwater pelletizer in which molten polymer is extruded as strands through orifices in a die plate. The cutter hub is rotatably driven and includes cutter blades mounted at a steep angle on the cutter hub and move along the face of the die plate to cut the extruded strands into pellets. The cutter blade support angle on the cutter arms is 60°-79°, preferably about 72° to about 76° and most preferably about 75°. The blade cutting edge is beveled or angled at about 40° to about 50° and preferably about 45° to the opposed planar surfaces of the blade. The included angle between the blade cutting edge and the die face is at least about 20°. The inclination of the cutter blade support angle in combination with the blade cutting edge angle in accordance with the invention provides a clean cut of the pellets and enables faster blade grinding when seating new blades to the die face.

Abstract: An apparatus for inverting the stop flange on a tamper-indicating closure, from an axially outwardly oriented position as molded to an axially inwardly oriented position for use, includes a support base for supporting the closure such that the stop flange as molded is spaced from and oriented away from the support base. A pedestal is movably carried by the support base at a position spaced from the support base. A locator ring is carried by the pedestal and movable with the pedestal to engage the stop flange on a closure carried by the support base and to bend the stop flange radially inwardly. An inversion ring moves through the locator ring to engage and invert the stop flange that is bent radially inwardly by the locator ring.

Abstract: The installation for manufacturing objects such as receptacles by thermoforming pellets of thermoplastic material includes conveyor means for conveying the pellets through the various stations in the installation, said stations including a heating station and a thermoforming station. The conveyor means comprise conveyor elements (46) defining cells (48) which are open upwards and downwards, and each of which is suitable for containing one pellet (12) while the entire top and bottom faces of the pellet remain unobstructed, means for depositing the pellets in the cells, drive means for driving the conveyor elements through the heating station, and transfer means (20) for transferring the heated pellets to the thermoforming station. The heating station includes bottom heater means (52) that co-operate with a support for the pellets while said conveyor elements are being driven through the heating station.

Abstract: A molding apparatus includes a moving mold for shaping molten plastic into product made within the moving mold. The moving mold is surrounded by an air block housing to define a cooling chamber exteriorly around the moving mold. At least one heat exchanger is located within the cooling chamber. The heat exchanger provides cooling air which is contained by the housing within the cooling chamber to act on and provide cooling of the moving mold.

Abstract: An extrusion head device in which fixed and movable head parts as a plurality of separate parts can be easily combined using compact fastening means. Fastening cylinder rods provided for the fixed head part of the extrusion head device including the fixed and movable head parts are expanded, whereby fore-end locking portions at tips of the fastening cylinder rods are inserted into through holes of engaging blocks provided for the movable head to be protruded from upper surfaces of the engaging blocks; stopper-operating cylinder rods provided for the movable head part are expanded, whereby U-shaped stoppers at tips of the stopper-operating cylinder rods are inserted into clearances between the locking portions and the engaging blocks; and then the fastening cylinder rods are contracted, whereby the movable and fixed head parts are brought into tight contact with each other and fastened together.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic system is provided for a reciprocating mold plate, patty-forming apparatus wherein food product is delivered under pressure from a pump cylinder to mold plate cavities. The plunger is driven during a first phase by force from a hydraulic cylinder from a retracted position distant from the pump cylinder to a ready position initially compressing food product loaded into said pump cylinder. Thereafter, the plunger is driven during a second phase by the hydraulic cylinder to load food product under pressure into the mold plate cavities. The hydraulic cylinder is supplied with hydraulic fluid during the first phase by a low pressure hydraulic fluid pump and during the second phase by a high pressure hydraulic fluid pump. According to the invention, the low pressure hydraulic fluid pump and the high pressure hydraulic fluid pump are positioned within a reservoir, at least partially submerged in hydraulic fluid held within the reservoir, during operation.

Abstract: A device for the preparation of plastics material for recycling purposes has a container (1) with an upper inlet opening (10) for the material. In the container (1), at least one tool (14) rotates about the vertical container axis. This tool feeds the treated material through an outlet opening (17) which is arranged at the bottom of the container (1) and to which the housing (19) of at least one screw (21, 22) is connected. That side wall (28) of the feed opening (18) at which the tool (14) discharges defines a widening (36) extending continuously towards the screw axis. This widening (36) extends over part of the circumference of the screw turns (30) so that the screw-side edge of this widening (36) forms an uninterrupted shearing edge (39) co-operating with the screw turns (30).

Abstract: A half-mold for a corrugator for making pipes with transverse ribs. The half-mold comprises two sides located spaced apart from each other and a semi-cylindrical base surface linking the two sides. Directly mounted forming elements bent in the shape of a semicircle which define the outer surface of the pipe with transverse ribs are removably fixed on the base surface. The directly mounted forming elements bent in the shape of a semicircle are removably fixed with fixing elements on the half-mold.

Abstract: Preheated plastic sheets are squared and flattened to be engageable by clamping fingers of clamps on a clamping frame by an array of paddles having vertical and horizontal portions moved to engage any upturned or skewed sheet edges to flatten and square the same as said paddles are simultaneously moved longitudinally and vertically by respective actuators.

Abstract: An injection molding system (10) includes a first mold half (20) and a second mold half (22), which forms a cavity (23) with the first mold half (20). A cavity intrusion element (34) is displaceable to extend within the cavity (23). A displacement mechanism (36) is coupled to the cavity intrusion element (34). A controller (38) is coupled to the displacement mechanism (36) and controls the intrusion depth (D) of the cavity intrusion element (34) during an injection molding process. A method of forming an article includes the pressurizing of the cavity (23) within a mold (14) via a gas. A material having a blowing agent is injected into the cavity (23). The gas pressure within the cavity (23) is released. The cavity intrusion element (34) is backed out from within the cavity (23). The material is cured.

Abstract: An annular thermoplastic foam extrusion die assembly has a first die body with a first die lip and a second die body with a second die lip. The first die body includes a trench having an undercut, sloped back wall and a circumferential groove opposite the back wall. A plurality of die lip paddles are spaced apart about an annular groove, each with a tip and a heel. The tip is received for pivotal movement in the groove. The heel engages with the back wall as the heel is raised to drive the first die lip toward the second die lip to adjust a local position of the annular die gap formed therebetween. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers each of the paddles individually. The guide member guides each of the die lip paddles for positioning in a radial direction as the paddle is pivotally positioned about the annular groove.

Abstract: Equipment that lays flat films or tubular films extruded by a blown film extrusion installation has at least one roller, which guides the walls of the film or the tubular film. The lay-flat equipment has at least one device that influences the rotational speed of the roller by providing a torque that can be transferred onto the roller by a transfer device. The transfer device provides for slippage between the roller and the device that provides the torque, thereby ensuring a smooth transfer of torque and preventing damage to the film.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of multiple layer plastic extrusion, and more particularly to assemblies in which thin or micro-layers of polymer material are formed which polymer material may be from two or more individual extruders, and delivered to a multilayer combining adapter in association with an extruder die or other utilizations. The combining adapter of this invention is referred to herein as a flow velocity profiler (FVP) and includes a cartridge assembly body that is formed with individual cavities that receive one of a plurality of individual precision layering inserts. Changing individual inserts is less time intensive than changing an entire body as required in prior art.

Abstract: Foamed molded articles can be produced during an injection molding process, among other things, by utilizing physical blowing agents. Existing technologies differ to the greatest possible extent in the manner how the blowing agent is introduced into the melt. One possibility is to supply the blowing agent via mixing elements (9) from porous or permeable material that are provided across the screw piston (1) and which by means of a suitable blowing agent input unit load and homogeneously charge the melt with blowing agent during the metering phase of the polymeric material. The resulting single phase polymer/blowing agent mixture, when injected in to an injection mold tool, produces due to a reduction in pressure, a foam-textured part.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating the light guide panel reduces the thickness of the stamper and fixes it firmly in place. The apparatus and method for fabricating the light guide panel according to the present invention has a stamper for forming patterns on the light guide panel and first and second side mold frames which are separable so as to hold the stamper in place during the formation of the light guide and so as to easily eject the finished light guide after it has formed and hardened.

Abstract: A packaging element is formed with a cross-section including a central portion, a first leg extending from one end of the central portion and a second leg extending from the opposite end of the central portion that is directed toward the first leg to at least partially enclose an opening between the legs. The packing element is made by passing a C-shaped extrudate of thermoplastic material containing an expanding agent about a guide roller with the legs of the extrudate directed away from the guide roller and within a water bath of a tank.

Abstract: A granulating die B is provided with a resin discharge surface 5a to which a flow of water is contacted; and a plurality of nozzles 8 which communicate to a cylinder of an extruder are provided in this resin discharge surface 5a. Upon the resin discharge surface 5a, these nozzles 8 are not formed in at least one of its regions P which are in the direction of inflow of the flow of water and in the direction of outflow of the flow of water, and its regions R which are in directions orthogonal to this direction of inflow of said flow of water and this direction of outflow of said flow of water, but are only formed in the other regions Q thereof.