Abstract: A dough batch mixing process and apparatus where the ingredients are mixed first at a high rate of speed and then transferred for developing in a separate chamber. The blending of ingredients is performed by a helical shaped agitator without a central shaft which rotates to force the mix toward one end of the chamber. A common hatchway between the chambers is opened and the agitator spirals to force the mix through the opening into the second chamber for further development of the mix. After completion of the developing cycle, the fully prepared dough is exhausted from the chamber by two rotating roller bars which substantially pulls the entire mass from the chamber leaving limited waste behind. Each segment of the cycle is performed continuously so that a new fully developed dough batch is readied every one-half cycle time.

Abstract: An automatic dough parting and kneading machine has at least one channel between the parting chamber and the kneading apparatus. Means are provided to periodically and selectively raise the kneading apparatus into at least partial telescopic engagement with the channel. Thereafter, the kneading belt (on which the pieces of dough are carried) is periodically advanced.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing viscous substances or substances which can be made viscous during processing has a casing, in whose bore is arranged a rotatable disk rotor, which comprises a shaft provided with disks. The disks only have a limited clearance relative to the bore wall and define between them a chamber, which has an outlet in front of a damming-back point. In order to provide a self-cleaning construction of the disk rotors and particularly the damming-back points, at least two disk rotors are arranged in axially parallel, partly interpenetrating bores. The disks of one disk rotor project into the chambers of the other disk rotor and the outer circumference thereof is substantially clearance-free with respect to the shaft.

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: An extruder for polymeric materials, comprising a housing forming a mastication stage with one or more feedscrews, includes a preheating and premixing stage with a cylindrical chamber centered on a vertical axis which is eccentrically traversed by a supply passage for the feeding of polymeric material to the mastication stage. The chamber, which is heated from the outside, contains two mixing wheels jointly rotatable about the axis, each wheel having a plurality of raker arms projecting from a hub to the chamber periphery in an off-radial direction and with a tilt causing the arms of the upper wheel to draw incoming fresh material toward the axis and down into the orbit of the arms of the lower wheels which in turn drive the material toward the periphery and, to the extent that an outlet port leading to the mastication stage is obstructed, back into the orbit of the arms of the upper wheel for recirculation.

Abstract: A plasticating extruder screw conveyor includes multiple primary flights and corresponding multiple secondary flights defining multiple channels on the screw conveyor arranged about the longitudinal axis of the screw conveyor such that radial components of forces between the screw conveyor and unplasticated material located in the channels are substantially balanced so as to reduce to a minimum any resultant radial force upon the screw conveyor and any concomitant lateral deflection of the screw conveyor, thereby reducing or eliminating excessive vibration, wear or galling of the screw conveyor.

Abstract: An improved method and machine for reclaiming in an on-line configuration both oriented and unoriented film produced on an extrusion line, in general, and an improved means within an on-line reclaim system for transferring both virgin resin and chopped reclaim to an in-line extruder, in particular, are disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing synthetic thermoplastic material comprises a receiver having a vertical axis, a disintegrating and mixing tool which is disposed in the receiver near the bottom thereof and rotatable about the axis of the receiver, and at least one screw extruder, which extends through an opening in the shell of the receiver into the latter adjacent to the disintegrating and mixing tool. To ensure that the screw extruder can be filled uniformly and that such filling will be independent in a high degree from the level to which the receiver is filled, the screw extruder extends at least approximately radially of the axis of the receiver and that end of the screw extruder which extends into the receiver is axially spaced above the disintegrating and mixing tool.

Abstract: In the production of foamed thermoplastic synthetic material, synthetic material is melted in a screw extruder and fluid propellant is injected into the molten sythetic material. The residence time of the molten mixture has a determining effect in regard to uniform distribution of the propellant and thus also in regard to the uniformity of the cell structure. In order to provide for homogeneous mixing of the propellant and uniform cooling of the molten mixture, without using an excessively long screw extruder, the screw extruder is provided, downstream of a melting region thereof and of an injection opening thereof through which propellant is introduced, with flow obstruction structure which is by-passed by static mixing structure disposed outside the screw extruder. The molten synthetic material is simultaneously mixed with the propellant and cooled in the static mixing structure.

Abstract: Novel and improved processes and apparatus for processing particulate materials which can be converted to the liquid state. Essentially, the process and apparatus involve feeding a particulate material to an annular processing passage for melting and controlled processing. The annular processing passage is provided by a rotatable element carrying at least one processing channel, and a stationary element which provides a complementary, coaxial surface arranged with the channel to provide the enclosed processing passage. Also associated with the stationary element are an inlet for feeding material to the passage, an outlet for discharging material, a material collecting end wall surface for the passage and a member or members extending into the processing channel providing a material restraining surface between the inlet and outlet and occupying a predetermined portion of the melt pool space between the end wall and the restraining surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating powdery rubber mixtures to form processed intermediate products comprises volumetric metering means; a filling extruder; a mixing and plasticizing portion located at the downstream end of the filling extruder and having a central toothed spindle, toothed planetary spindles and an internally toothed housing; and forming out means shown as an extruder cascade connected to the mixing and plasticizing portion and extruding material through a perforated plate with cutting blades. The mixing and plasticizing portion is of only short length and can effect intensive working but does so for only a short period of time on the material passing therethrough so that the material is not damaged by being over-heated.

Abstract: A double-worm press, especially an extrusion or plastifying press for thermoplastic materials and particularly high viscosity thermoplastics, has generally conical worms, at least the discharge zones of which are formed so that the material is treated generally adiabatically therein. For this purpose, the end of the discharge zone has a depth of the worm flight which is between 24 and 33% of the worm diameter, preferably between 26 and 30%, with the ratio of the depth of the flight (or height) to the diameter of the worm increasing progressively away from the discharge end, counter to the direction of feed of the material.

Abstract: A two-stage extruder having a first, vertical stage and a second, separately driven, horizontal stage, the two stages being off-set from one another and lying at tangents to one another in the region of a connecting passage. The first stage has a rotatable plasticizing member with kneading blades off-set from one another and located between conveying screw components of said member and cylindrical pins projecting into the working chamber of said first stage. A bearing is provided for the member at its upper end and a cylindrical sleeve surrounds the lower end of the member and can be turned to control the effective size of the connecting passage or to eject material through a second outlet.

Abstract: A kneading and mixing machine for plastic materials having a housing with a rotor rotatable therein to convey material from an inlet aperture fed by a feed hopper to an outlet passage and to plasticise the material during such conveying, and a throttling member in the form of a cylindrical sleeve concentrically surrounding the rotor within the housing having an aperture therein and being rotatable to alter the extent of the alignment of the aperture with the passage and thus the size of the effective output aperture of the machine.A discharge extruder may be fed via the aperture or the sleeve can be rotated to eject the output of the machine through a second outlet.

Abstract: The apparatus has an extruding means and a spreader means whereby a continuous dough sheet is formed. To preserve the "softness" within the dough and the finished cooked product the extruding means has a double feed screw housing preferably disposed side-by-side and having their outlets joined by a Y-type fitting to form a single feed conduit which is coupled to a spreader means having a downwardly distending outwardly flaring passageway. To prevent dough from sticking to the surfaces of the passageway the opposing triangular shaped surfaces are each provided with a plurality of parallel grooves oriented at an angle to the dough path travel. To ensure no separation of dough when in the sheet form, the feed conduit is provided with a twister or helical thin member which ensures the interface surface within the dough is oriented at an angle of less than 90 degrees with the elongated cross-section the spreader means.

Abstract: A two stage extruder comprising a first, vertical extruder and a second, horizontal extruder with the working chambers of the two stages connected by a connecting passage and off-set from one another so that each lies at a tangent to the other in a region which is a lower outlet region of the vertical stage and a drawing-in region of the horizontal stage; the vertical stage has a plasticizing portion with a planetary arrangement, a screw shaft supported in a lower axial pressure bearing and a butting ring for the planetary spindles disposed on the screw shaft. A lower cylindrical liner for the vertical stage has an aperture therein and the effective size of the connecting passage can be adjusted by rotating the liner.

Abstract: A pasta making machine is provided with a body portion having a kneading chamber and an extrusion chamber therein with a passageway interconnecting the two chambers. The body portion is mounted on a base and is adapted for rotation about a horizontal axis whereby a conveyor member in the extrusion chamber is located above kneading means located in the kneading chamber during the kneading phase. During the extrusion phase, the conveyor member, by virtue of rotation of the body portion is located below the kneading chamber.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for treating xanthated alkali cellulose solution so as to form a homogeneous solution by continuously passing a xanthated alkali cellulose solution through a series of attrition and mixing stages and partially diluting the solution in each stage.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing solid and viscous plastic material or polymeric material and the like in which plastic or polymeric material is fed through an inlet into an enclosed passage of which opposed side walls are moving simultaneously toward an outlet and the material is processed and dragged forward by the moving side wall against a channel block and with progressive build up of pressure along said passage for discharging the processed material through the outlet from the enclosed passage. Rotary apparatus for practicing the method includes one or more annular channels having opposed side walls and carried by a drive rotor member for movement relative to a housing of which an annular surface coaxial with the rotor cooperates with the walls of the channel or channels to form an enclosed annular passage or enclosed annular passages.

Abstract: A bread baking system in which dough is automatically punched down, the rise times of the dough timed, and the oven turned on and off at the proper times.

Abstract: A high intensity internal mixer for plasticizing material, having a mixing chamber comprising a plurality of interconnected mixing bores. Each bore contains a rotor for mixing material therewithin. Each rotor has at least one blade or wing with a sharp edge on its outer extremity adjacent the leading edge of the wing. The sharp edge is formed by a groove being cut along the extremity of the leading edge of the wing of the rotor blade. Each blade has a slight helical twist, and is configured to provide efficient material breakup.

Abstract: A melt mixer comprises a vessel equipped with heating means, and a pair or more of rotor means including rotors polygonal in cross section and held within the vessel, the rotor means having a heating function. The rotors of each rotor means are angularly staggered to the rotors of the adjacent rotor means. Each rotor means comprises a plurality of rotors axially mounted on a rotating shaft, the rotors being angularly staggered and spaced in succession from one another. Also, the rotor means are so disposed as to be axially movable together with one jacketed side plate of the vessel.

Abstract: A multi-stage extruder apparatus comprising at least two extruder units operatively joined together in series for the progressive sequential working of plastic molding material moving continuously therethrough. The apparatus comprises an improved extrusion screw for a succeeding extruder unit of the multi-stage apparatus which prevents adverse effects attributable to an imbalance of the rate or volume of molding material moving continuously through the multi-stage apparatus.

Abstract: A highly viscous mass to be homogenized is fed from a screw plasticizer into a mixing chamber, perpendicular to the plasticizer mouth, in which a mandrel rotates independently of the plasticizer screw to masticate the mass in a narrow annular clearance between itself and the chamber wall. The mass, force-fed through this clearance by the screw pressure, encounters several sets of free-floating balls or other rotary bodies loosely guided in annular grooves of the chamber wall, or of the mandrel, while revolving about the mandrel axis. The mandrel may have a screw-threaded rearward extension for admixing additional ingredients from one or more further chamber inlets with the mass to be homogenized, with exertion of a back-up pressure upon that mass. The chamber temperature may be controlled by the circulation of a cooling fluid through its wall and/or through the mandrel.