Abstract: A screw extruder and positive displacement wave pump assembly for plasticating or melting solid plastic material or the like, including an extruder screw member in an elongated cylindrical barrel having an upstream end and a downstream or discharge end, the screw being rotatably housed in portions of the barrel adjacent the upstream end. The screw has a helical thread of plural turns integral with the core of the screw having a minimum clearance to the barrel for feeding the plastic material along the screw from its feed end to its discharge end.

Abstract: An ice making apparatus including a machine for producing and harvesting a flake ice product and transferring said product to an ice extruding chamber in which the product is compressed into a hard column of ice that can be broken into ice chunks or "cubes" of predetermined length and be transported to a remotely located ice storage bin, dispenser or the like.

Abstract: A screw extruder and positive displacement pump assembly for plasticating or melting solid plastic material or the like, including an extruder screw member in an elongated cylindrical barrel having an upstream end and a downstream or discharge end, the screw being rotatably housed in portions of the barrel adjacent the upstream end. The screw has a helical thread of plural turns integral with the core of the screw having a minimum clearance to the barrel for feeding the plastic material along the screw from its feed end to its discharge end. A positive displacement Moineau type pump is located in the barrel near the outlet end having a stator member and a rotor member rotatable therein coupled to and driven by the screw, the stator and rotor members having confronting surfaces of developed helical contours providing helical threads of wide rounded form with a lesser number of threads on the rotor providing a series of pumping pockets which progress longitudinally through the pump section.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for pressuring a hard frozen comestible, similar to hardened ice cream, while simultaneously subjecting it to mechanical action to reduce the crystal and cell structure of the material to transform it into a soft, smooth and creamy texture only slightly less cold than its starting temperature. The apparatus includes a hopper for receiving the hard frozen comestible to be treated, an auger positioned above the hopper and automatically actuated by movement of the hopper toward the auger to produce conditioning of the comestible by the auger as the hopper and auger move toward one another into an adjacent relationship. The hopper is supported on a saddle member, and vertical guide members are employed for supporting and guiding the saddle member during vertical movement thereof provided by linkage assembly.

Abstract: An automatic dough-producing system including a controllable mixing stage into which are fed flour and a dough-forming solution to produce a paste which is then supplied to a development stage yielding dough. In the development stage, the incoming paste is fed through a lateral inlet to a screw rotating within an elongated tube at a variable speed, the inlet position being adjustable along the screw to vary the length of that portion of the screw which acts to knead and develop the paste to produce the dough, this adjustment being independent of the mixing stage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a peat machine for connection to a tractor or a corresponding power source. The piece peat machine is provided with a digging means for digging peat and a pressure screw for digged peat. In order to improve the production capacity and to reduce the power demand, the pressure screw is conically shaped so that its diameter diminishes towards the outlet nozzles. In addition, the thread of the pressure screw is, at the end facing the digging means, substantially at right angles to the shaft of the screw or inclined forwards towards the outlet nozzles. At the outlet nozzles, the thread is inclined backwards towards the digging means.

Abstract: Dough is dispensed from the bottom of a dough hopper with a screw conveyor that slices into the dough mass and moves the dough horizontally out of a lower opening in the hopper and through a discharge conduit and discharge nozzle. The screw conveyor divides the conveyed dough into batches and the dough is worked in the discharge conduit and air from about the batches of dough is vented from the discharge conduit prior to extruding the dough through the discharge nozzle.

Abstract: A juice extractor device comprises a juice extractor body having a horizontally disposed slightly conical internal bore and a rotary body mounted in said bore. The juice extractor body includes a material inlet port on the upper side of the base end of the extractor body, a juice discharge port along the lower side of the extractor body, and a residuum discharge port on the upper side of the outer end of the body, and each port communicates with the bore. The juice discharge port includes a filter whose inner surface has a curvature equal to that of the bore surface. The rotary body is disposed adjacent all the ports and comprises an outer circumferential surface which has a spiral compressing portion confronting the two discharge ports and a spiral blade confronting the inlet port. The spiral compressing portion comprises a spiral wing and a valley therealong. The spiral blade, which is continuous with the spiral wing, also comprises a valley therealong.

Abstract: Extruders are widely used to transform solid plastic materials into molten plastic materials. Because of the low thermal conductivity of plastic materials and the inefficient mixing of the plastic materials inside an extruder, the heat is not evenly distributed in the material being processed and some portion of the material emerges from the extruder with excessive heat. This invention discloses a new screw with a novel mixing section which promotes mixing of the hot, molten material with the cold, unmolten material inside the screw channel by its unique geometry, thereby improving the heat transfer from the hot, molten material to the cold, unmolten material and increasing the energy efficiency of the extruder.

Abstract: Cellular chlorinated polyvinyl chloride resin is made in an extruder that is characterized by a combination of multiple flights and a plurality of open slots in the mixing section to facilitate mixing of the resin and a blowing agent whereby a rigid thermoplastic cellular product of low density is made that has a predominantly closed cell structure.

Abstract: A process for continuously manufacturing a lubricating grease using a screw process unit comprising:(a) introducing feed materials and lubricating oil into selected locations of a screw process unit which contains a series of adjacent, longitudinally connected barrel sections for performing different operative steps and houses a rotating screw device traversing the interior of the barrel sections and having separate elements along its length to perform desired operations;(b) mixing and conveying said feed materials along said process unit through the adjacent barrel sections by continuous operation of said rotating screw;(c) controlling the temperature of said material while it is being conveyed through said process unit by use of various heat exchange means which are located in or adjacent each barrel to aid in carrying out the operative steps of dispersion, reaction, dehydration and/or homogenization;(d) venting water resulting from the dehydration of the feed mixture at selected barrel discharge points in

Abstract: An extruder for oilseed products, grain mash, and other materials includes an elongated screw rotatably disposed in a bore formed in a tubular housing. The screw is characterized by a plurality of separate threads of progressively decreasing pitch toward a discharge end of the screw. The separate threads are spaced apart and thread portions of constant pitch include gaps to provide clearance for radially inwardly projecting pins disposed in the housing and projecting into the material flow path for mixing the material to prevent solidification thereof and clogging of the extruder. The screw shaft includes spaced apart annular collars which comprise backflow dams for the material being conveyed through the extruder. The tubular extruder housing is of modular construction and is adapted to be used with various combinations of tubular inserts and a plurality of stacked annular rings forming the extruder bore.

Abstract: An automatic dough-processing apparatus which includes a vertical assembly constituted by a tubular processing chamber whose upper end communicates with a metering tube of enlarged diameter to which flour is supplied. Coaxially mounted within the assembly is a rotating shaft having a main screw section of uniform diameter operating within the chamber and a conical valve section operating within the tube. Slidable within the metering tube is a ring which surrounds the valve section to define an annular valve orifice, the ring being axially shiftable by an adjusting element to set the size of the orifice. The flour admitted into the chamber by the metering tube is hurled by the main screw section against the inner wall of the chamber to create a thin flour film thereon which is bombarded by the solution to form a paste, the paste being then kneaded.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for texturizing protein products; the apparatus includes a screw conveyor through which a protein dough containing a heat coagulable protein is passed with the conveyor having an internal conveying section changing in configuration such that the dough is stretched during passage through the conveyor, while being heated to a temperature above the heat coagulation temperature of the protein to provide a meat-like fiber structure wherein the fibers are aligned.

Abstract: An improved mixing apparatus involves a vessel having an interior surface in the shape of at least two intersecting conical frustums with axes parallel and substantially vertical. At least two interengaging helical screw elements are rotatably mounted within the vessel such that when co-rotated they interengage along their length and also conform to the interior surface of the vessel to effect a complete cleaning of each other and of the interior surface of the vessel. The bottom portion of the screw elements form a pressure generating zone and the upper portion of the screw elements form a mixing zone having a hollow center described by the co-rotating screw elements. In the mixing zone each screw element includes a continuous transition from a multilobal cross-section, e.g., trilobal cross-section (bounded by three equal arcs), to a circular cross-section. The circular cross-sections of the screw elements in the upper part of the mixing zone, i.e.

Abstract: An extruder screw having a root, a helical primary flight on the root and a helical barrier flight on the root and forming with the primary flight a solids channel and a melt channel. The width of the solids channel gradually decreases and the width of the melt channel gradually increases along an upstream zone of the melting section. The width of the channels gradually changes in a downstream zone of the melting section but substantially less than in the upstream zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the injection molding of plastics material wherein the forward portion of the screw is designed such that mixing and shear of the material is minimized. This is advantageous when processing materials having diverse colorations so as to produce a mottled product, and also for processing glass reinforced materials wherein high shear processing would break the fibers thereby resulting in a lower quality product. Low shear processing of the material in the forward portion of the barrel is accomplished by providing a screw having a fully flighted rear portion, but a forward portion which is flightless so that a generally unobstructed, annular flow passage is formed between the cylindrical outer periphery of the flighted portion and the inner wall of the barrel. In a mottling application of the apparatus, materials of diverse coloration are softened by the flighted rear portion of the screw but not yet fully mixed so that distinct color patterns are present.

Abstract: A fermenter or reactor for zootechnic liquid materials, comprising a fermentation vessel or container, having positioned therein a movable member for the mixing and stirring of the liquid material. In the reactor or fermenter, said member comprises at least one substantially vertical tube or pipe having windows or slots formed therein as distributed along the length thereof; within said tube or pipe an Archimedean screw is housed and rotatable about its own axis through the action of a drive member.Such a fermenter or reactor is suitable to ensure an accurate mixing of the fermenting mass, while slowly stirring the latter and bringing all of the mass particles in contact with the microbic flora without any disturbance to the fermentation cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for kneading compounded resinous material includes a cylinder within which there is sequentially arranged a preheating feed zone, a plasticizing kneading zone, a degassing zone and a measuring zone. A screw is rotatably positioned within the cylinder and extends through all of the afore-mentioned zones. The portion of the screw within the plasticizing kneading zone has a plurality of continuous helical flights each of which is given a front wall facing in the direction of screw rotation substantially perpendicular thereto. A rear portion of each flight defines a groove with the next adjacent flight such that the diameter of the screw between flights progressively decreases in the direction opposite to screw rotation. A plurality of axially extending recesses are formed on the interior surface of the cylinder which extend at least through the preheating feed zone and the plasticizing kneading zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous manufacture of filaments from polyvinylidene fluoride includes a screw extruder with a single-spindle screw surrounded by a coaxial barrel with a feed zone, a compression zone, a metering zone, and a mixing head zone for the plasticizing of the polyvinyldene fluoride and with a die outlet tool for shaping the filaments. The compression ratio of the screw is 1:1.2 to 1:2.5, and the screw is provided with single-flight and double-flight sections of identical pitch in alternating succession in the region of the compression zone. The mixing head zone is fashioned as alternatingly successive mixing zones and shear zones, of which there are provided, respectively, two to four zones and preferably three zones.

Abstract: An extruder having a multichannel wave screw is disclosed wherein at least one portion of the screw is provided with a helical passage that is divided into a pair of parallel flow channels. The helical passage is defined by a helical conveying land which extends radially outwardly to a first diameter from the screw root, which defines the bottom surface of the helical passage. To divide the helical passage into the pair of flow channels, a helical barrier land extends radially outwardly to a second diameter which is less than the first diameter. Each flow channel is further characterized by the existence of an undulating screw root which defines a plurality of waves, each with a crest and a valley. The crests of one flow channel are helically displaced relative to the crests of the adjacent flow channel.

Abstract: A screw extruder of the type in which a pair of counter-rotating screws of progressively increasing diameter plasticize and extrude thermoplastic resins and in which an equal ratio of power conversion in shear and convective heating to throuput of material is obtained over the length of the screws.

Abstract: In a mixing device adapted to mix materials flowing therethrough from an inlet end to an outlet end in which there are provided agitating elements as on a rotating shaft, there is provided an internal recycling means to impel a portion of the material, flowing from the inlet end toward the outlet end, countercurrently to the main flow, i.e., toward the inlet end to effect an in situ recycle. There is disclosed a pelleting apparatus having a horizontally-disposed substantially cylindrical shell, a rotating, pin-equipped shaft, inlet and outlet means for feeding material to be pelleted and pelleting liquid into and through the device, the shaft having mounted thereon, at least over a length thereof, at least one reverse-flight or blade adapted to cause motion toward the inlet end of the device of a portion of the mass being pelleted.

Abstract: A grinder-mixer having a trough-shaped mixing tank, a horizontal transfer and mixing auger seated along the bottom of the tank and extending into the hammer mill, and a vertical auger in the tank for elevating the material for recirculation or discharge. Mixing capacity is increased with the larger tank and bridging of material is minimized with steeply inclined tank walls, a centrally mounted agitator and the trough-mounted mixing auger. Power train demands are reduced through utilizing only two auger conveyors to transfer material from the hammer mill, mix it in the tank and elevate it for recirculation or discharge. Improved intermixing is provided through stepped pitch flights provided on the horizontal mixing auger.

Abstract: A spiral stirrer unsupported at one end, for mixing and stirring free-flowing solids, especially in continuous gas phase polymerization. The stirrer comprises a plurality of turns formed from hollow profiles. The botton end of the spiral, facing the bottom of the stirred vessel, is attached to a hub seated on a drive shaft. In the vicinity of the transition from the hub to the first turn of the spiral, a distributor spiral is provided to avoid flowless zones in the hub region. Uniform distribution of the gas entering at the bottom of the vessel is also achieved.

Abstract: This invention relates to a silo having a tapered bottom end, which silo is particularly adapted for small-sized plastics materials having a high degree of stickiness, humidity and electrostaticity. The silo according to the invention comprises a conical-screw stirring member axially inserted in the conical bottom of the silo, said stirring member being so constructed and rotated about its own axis as to originate an upward motion of the material. An outlet part is arranged laterally at the lower end of the silo bottom in order to eject and deliver the material.

Abstract: This invention provides in a continuously operating device having a mixing section comprising opposite-handed helical threads in each of the two relatively rotatable components which threads vary in cross-sectional area in complementary fashion so as to produce a layer-by-layer material transfer and shear working between the said components, that the said opposite handed helical threads in said mixing section complement one another substantially also in respect to their helix-angles to the extent that if one helix angle is between 0.degree.and 45.degree. the other is between 45.degree. and 90.degree., to bring about, viewed with respect to the shear-plane-area, a subdivision sufficient for the mixing and compounding requirement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for marbleizing molded parts produced by screw extruder machines. Liquid colorant is advantageously injected at a comparatively high pressure into a melt containing portion of the machine between the screw and its housing, where the melt is either completely molten or more than fifty percent molten.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an extruder screw having a helical conveying land is provided with a helical barrier land therewithin to form a pair of parallel helical flow channels. Each flow channel includes repeating wave cycles. Each wave cycle is of varying depth, having alternating wave crests and valleys. The wave cycles of the adjacent channels are helically offset so that a wave crest of one channel lies opposite a valley in the adjacent channel. The barrier land is undercut in a manner which facilitates the flow of melt thereacross from one channel to the other, while restricting the flow thereacross of unmelted solids. Solids thus tend to pass through a restriction formed by the wave crest while the melt travels across the barrier flight into the adjacent channel, thereby minimizing the formation of pressure pulses in the extrudate flow. The clearance above the barrier flight is small, and the width of the barrier flight is very narrow so as to impart little energy input i.e.

Abstract: A cohesive, non-flowable, plastic mass which is difficult to handle in bulk form is subjected to removal from a container and guided flow into a screw conveyor, compression in the conveyor, and controlled heat input and withdrawal while transported by the conveyor to facilitate ultimate extrusion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding an additive, such as glass fibers, fillers, etc., to a plastic resin in an extruder is disclosed. The additive is fed by means of a screw type feeder into the barrel of a plastics extruder or reciprocating screw plastifier at a location where the resin is molten and the resin pressure is low.

Abstract: A continuous mixer comprising at least one mixing zone formed by a Transfermix geometry in which the number of starts of the helical thread changes for each of the components along the length of said Transfermix zone in the opposite sense to the change of the cross-sectional area of helical grooves on said component, whereby when in operation a medium moves along said Transfermix zone, portions thereof are successively transferred between the grooves of facing helical threads as giver and taker and whereby grooves of larger cross-sectional area are of greater widths than grooves of small cross-sectional area; in a preferred embodiment the mixer has a driven rotor and stationary barrel, the helical threads thereon being of opposite hand and the number of starts facing one another at any cross-section of the Transfermix zone is such as to make a substantially constant product.

Abstract: An apparatus for hydrolytic degradation of plastics in which plastic material is deposited into a tubular housing via a feed hopper. An elongated screw shaft has a first section in the form of a high pitch screw thread disposed below the feed hopper to receive and advance the material to a second section. The second section of the screw shaft is in the form of a lower pitch thread for compressing the plastic material and transferring it to a longer, third section in the form of kneading discs, from which material passes through an outlet nozzle section to a cyclone separator where trapped gases and liquid may be withdrawn. The tubular housing is vented upstream of the feed hopper and a water inlet pipe is disposed adjacent to the second section of the screw shaft, downstream of the feed hopper. The outlet nozzle section is provided with pressure measuring and regulating means and a liquid level measuring and regulating device.

Abstract: A new extruder screw design incorporating an optimal flight helix angle and flight height in the feed section and metering section and a constantly varying helix angle with a constantly decreasing flight height in the transition section is disclosed; the screw being efficiently fed by use of a grooved section of extruder barrel in the area of the feed section.

Abstract: The extruder screw has a solid feed section followed by a solid-melt transition section, followed by a melt metering section. A solid feed channel extends from the feed end of the extruder screw up to a point within the solid-melt transition section. A solid-melt channel extends longitudinally from the beginning to the end of the solid-melt transition section. A melt channel begins within the solid-melt transition section just after the end of the solid feed channel and extends longitudinally to the end of the melt metering section.

Abstract: In a mixing device adapted to mix materials flowing therethrough from an inlet end to an outlet end in which there are provided agitating elements as on a rotating shaft, there is provided an internal recycling means to impel at least a portion of the material flowing from the inlet end toward the outlet end countercurrently to the main flow, i.e. toward the inlet end to effect an in situ recycle. There is disclosed a pelleting apparatus having a horizontally-disposed substantially cyclindrical shell, a rotating, pin-equipped shaft, inlet and outlet means for feeding material to be pelleted and pelleting liquid into and through the device, the shaft having mounted thereon, at least over a length thereof, at least one reverse-flight or blade adapted to cause motion toward the inlet end of the device of at least a portion of the mass being pelleted.

Abstract: Injection molding apparatus is disclosed for molding degradable synthetic resinous materials such as nylons. A vented injection molding machine includes a barrel, a rotatable reciprocable screw and means for preventing ingestion of a deleterious atmospheric gas such as oxygen. The particular apparatus whereby exclusion of the atmospheric gas may be effected includes a conduit having a terminal end thereof positioned at the vent opening of the injection molding machine barrel. The conduit communicates with a source of inert gas and directs a pressurized current of inert gas into the vent opening during the transient time interval between the end of the injection portion of the molding machine cycle and the plasticization portion of the machine cycle. If desired, the inert gas may flood the vent opening continuously. Both nitrogen and carbon dioxide are suitable inert gases for use with nylon materials.

Abstract: A typical compression relief design extruder screw having a helical flight for advancing and working a thermoplastic material is modified to shorten the feed and compression sections and to include a plurality of force-producing components in at least the compression section of the screw such that at least some portion of the components in any one turn of the flight lie in one plane essentially normal to the axis of rotation of the screw and such that the walls of the flight are uninterrupted. This arrangement controls the location of the rupturing or fragmenting of what is referred to as the solid bed and controls the manner in which it is fragmented to provide an extrudate at a die end of the extruder which has a constant temperature and and which is uniform throughout each successive section of the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A mixer with a substantially conical mixing chamber supported vertically with its apex lowermost. A tapered auger is situated in the mixing chamber and mixer drive is provided at the base of the mixing chamber. The narrowmost end of the tapered auger is connected to the drive such that the auger rotates around its own axis and its upper end rolls around the upper periphery of the mixing chamber.The upper end of the auger has a wheel to allow the auger to freely roll around the upper periphery of the mixing chamber and to insure that the auger does not contact the walls of the mixing chamber. The wheel is held in contact with the upper periphery of the mixing chamber under the action of the weight of the auger.

Abstract: An improved polymerization apparatus for finishing high viscosity synthetic polymers involves a vessel having vertical rotating elements which fully wipe the interior surface of the vessel including the top inner surface. Entrances located in the top of the vessel for feeding streams containing molten polymer downwardly into the vessel deposit fresh polymer on the walls and on the upper element surfaces which wipe the top inner surface. A reservoir formed by the leading edge of a raised portion on the upper end surface of the elements facilitates collecting and spreading a fresh supply of polymer on the top inner surface of the vessel to help eliminate stagnant polymer areas thereon during operation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the mixing and extruding of thermo-plastic and thermo-setting materials in which a rotor member is rotatable within a barrel member. The members are provided with interacting rotor and barrel helical grooves in the mixing stage of the apparatus which includes a rotor to barrel stock transfer zone and a barrel to rotor stock transfer zone. The grooves of the rotor and barrel members, in the rotor to barrel zone, being sized, with the extrusion capacity of the helical groove in the rotor member decreasing and with the helical groove in the barrel member providing the extrusion capacity for the material. With such a construction relative rotational movement between the barrel and rotor members forces material or stock from the groove in the rotor member into the groove of the barrel member at an approximate uniform rate along the length of the rotor to barrel zone.

Abstract: A vented injection molding machine adapted to handle a wide variety of synthetic resinous materials without predrying is disclosed. The molding machine includes a two-stage screw rotatably and reciprocably mounted within a barrel. The barrel includes a pair of ends, a feed opening at one end and a vent opening intermediate the pair of ends. A first stage of the screw essentially completes material plastication. The first stage has a protruding helical screw flight with a first pitch and includes a feed section communicating with the feed opening, a transition section, and a pumping section. A second stage of the screw includes a deep flighted vent section which communicates with the vent opening and the first stage pumping section, a short transition section and a relatively short second pumping section. The second stage also includes a protruding helical screw flight having a second pitch which is greater than the first pitch of the first stage.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for producing foam from two or more flowable chemical components where a filler material, such as waste foam, is added to one or more of the components prior to mixing and foaming. The charging mechanism for mixing the filler and component comprises a component feed pipe and a filler feed screw having a tubular housing. The discharge opening of the feed screw projects axially into the feed pipe so as to form an annular slot between the feed pipe and the housing to which slot the pipe from the dosing pump is connected, one end of the feed pipe being sealed to the housing.