Including Means Advancing Continuous Length Work Through Downstream Liquid Bath Or Shower Means Patents (Class 425/71)
  • Patent number: 5843504
    Abstract: The sausage strand is extruded onto a belt and carried through a brine shower system for about 40 seconds. The brine is sprayed through nozzles onto the sausage while traveling on the belt. The sausage is turned several times during the shower to insure even brine distribution. The conveyor speed is controlled to match the speed of the extruder thereby preventing stretching of the product as it is being extruded. The conveyor provides exact motion control of the sausage rope and the dwell time in the brine shower can be exactly regulated. Since the conveyor system is open it lends itself to easy cleaning and visual inspection. The conveyor consists of a frame which supports the conveyor system, the brine shower system, air knives and the infrared heater. The brine shower system is composed of a drip pan, a brine tank, a centrifugal pump and a plumbing/brine distribution network. The centrifugal pump conveys the brine from the tank through the brine distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Townsend Engineering Company
    Inventors: Jos Kobussen, Mart Kobussen, Jaap Kobussen
  • Patent number: 5833904
    Abstract: In a for the production of biaxially stretched films, a take-off roll 4 is arranged downstream of a draw-off roll 3 . A plastic melt is formed into an initial film by means of a slot die 1, cooled on the draw-off roll 3 and passed over the take-off roll 4 which has a predetermined surface roughness. The film is then biaxially stretched and heat-set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Winfried Muskalla, Robert Schmidt, Karl-Heinz Kochem
  • Patent number: 5827462
    Abstract: An extrusion process is described in which a balanced cooling apparatus is incorporated. The cooling apparatus provides a coolant bath to an extruded component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Crane Plastics Company Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Brandt, William G. Taylor, James M. Miller
  • Patent number: 5792497
    Abstract: A cheese processing machine includes an extruder assembly for forming the cheese into a string. The disclosed assembly has two extruders each forcing a different type of cheese in a plastic state into separate chambers of an extrusion head. The extrusion head has a series of apertures with each one communicating with both the first and second chambers, wherein cheese from each chamber is extruded simultaneously through each aperture to produce a string with both types of cheese. The extruded cheese string travel along brine filled troughs while a tube over each trough directs a plurality of brine streams which strike each cheese string and apply a torque which twists the string lengthwise. The cheese cools as it moves along the trough fixing the twisted shape of the string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Stainless Steel Fabricating, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph H. Abler, Eva Heim
  • Patent number: 5785997
    Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process for the formation of monofilaments having a diameter of from 60 .mu.m to 500 .mu.m from filament-forming polymers by melt-spinning the polymer, optionally quenching the formed polymer filaments below the melt-spinning head with a cooling medium, cooling the filaments in a liquid bath having a temperature of from -10.degree. C. to 150.degree. C., removing the entrained water and post-treating the filaments by spin finishing, drawing and fixing at a filament delivery speed which is greater than 600 to 4000 m/min after the fixing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jurgen Budenbender, Eckhard Gartner, Jakob Jansen
  • Patent number: 5766540
    Abstract: The tubular extrusion of a thermoplastic nonderivatized cellulose solution about a mandrel and through a long air gap in excess of 304 mm is facilitated by use of a mandrel which is extensible from the extrusion die. On extrusion start-up, the mandrel extends a short length from the die. For steady-state operation, the mandrel is extended its full length from the die. Also disclosed is a mandrel structure to facilitate the introduction of a nonsolvent liquid into the interior of the extruded tube at a high location on start-up of extrusion and at a lower location during steady-state operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Viskase Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Makoto Kajiwara, Joseph Robert Walta, Ronald Joseph Jerantowski
  • Patent number: 5766533
    Abstract: For the cooling of melt-extruded filaments of fiber-forming polymers spun from nozzle in molten form, said filaments are exposed to a medium prepared in foam form. The filaments emerging from the spinning nozzle are taken to the cooling area through said foam before passing on to a further process. The cooling medium, consisting of a liquid, is prepared by the addition of a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Rieter-Automatik GmbH
    Inventors: Ronald Mears, Erich Czase, Willi Kretzschmar
  • Patent number: 5762840
    Abstract: A distinctive technique for making porous fiber includes a stretching of a substantially continuous fiber while the fiber is in an operative association with an effective quantity of surface-active material. The fiber can be produced from a source material which includes a thermoplastic, orientable material and at least about 0.35 weight percent (wt %) of a supplemental material. In particular configurations of the invention, the fiber may be contacted with a first quantity of surface-active fluid and at least a separate, second quantity of surface-active fluid. In other configurations, the fiber may be subjected to an additional incremental stretching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Fu-Jya Tsai, Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev
  • Patent number: 5759478
    Abstract: The tubular extrusion of a thermoplastic nonderivatized cellulose solution about a mandrel and through a long air gap in excess of 304 mm is facilitated by use of a mandrel which is extensible from the extrusion die. On extrusion start-up, the mandrel extends a short length from the die. For steady-state operation, the mandrel is extended its full length from the die. Also disclosed is a mandrel structure to facilitate the introduction of a nonsolvent liquid into the interior of the extruded tube at a high location on start-up of extrusion and at a lower location during steady-state operation. The mandrel also includes a sizing portion having circumferential grooves which gather gas bubbles that may evolve at the interface between the extruded tube and the sizing portion. Vertical channels in the sizing portion connect these grooves and provide the passage of gas bubbles into a volume below the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Viskase Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Makoto Kajiwara, Brant Anton Loichinger
  • Patent number: 5756030
    Abstract: A method of extruding a homogeneous plastic rod substantially free of shrink voids, the method having the steps of: extruding a rod central portion of plastic material having a glass transition point and a Vicat softening point below the glass transition point, the rod central portion having a center core and an outer skin; cooling the rod central portion while maintaining the outer skin above the Vicat softening point until the center core is cooled to approximately the Vicat softening point; using an extruder to extrude around the rod central portion a sheath of the same plastic material, the sheath having an outer skin and inner and outer portions, such that the rod central portion acts as a heat sink for the inner portion of the sheath, and such that, at the extruder, the plastic material forming the outer skin of the rod central portion is melted upon contact with the plastic material forming the sheath and the plastic material of the rod central portion and the plastic material of the sheath form the ho
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Bemis Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daniel Cykana, Steven F. Schick
  • Patent number: 5753161
    Abstract: A horizontal vacuum extrusion line includes a fixed bulkhead, a die inside the bulkhead, a telescoping vacuum chamber section and a fixed chamber section. A dam in the fixed section forms a pond for immersion cooling of the extrudate. A truss extends from the dam to the bulkhead supporting, shaping and calibration equipment and extends through the telescoping section. Fluid pressurizable seals at each end of the telescoping section are operable after the telescoping section is closed against the bulkhead and the telescoping and fixed sections are locked together. The telescoping section provide a more compact line and easier access to the complex equipment downstream of the die. The extrudate from the die passes down into the pond and then through an orifice in a hood projecting from the chamber into a lower level portion of the pond exposed to atmosphere. The hood also includes a tractor drive to push the extrudate through the underwater orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger D. Lightle, Robert L. Sadinski, Robert M. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 5741529
    Abstract: An adjustable reaction tub for making tubular cellulosic casings from viscose, the tub having upper rollers mounted to a frame and lower rollers on a roll support mounted to the same frame for adjustable positioning of the lower rollers at any of a range of depths within the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Alfacel s.a.
    Inventor: Alan D. Stall
  • Patent number: 5720914
    Abstract: A method for producing a polyolefinic film having ultraviolet stabilizers by extruding a hot molten polymer into a water quench bath for solidification of the film. An active halogen is added to the water quench bath in order to reduce the water carryover when the polyolefinic film is withdrawn from the water quench bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Scott & Fyfe Limited
    Inventors: David Henry Bremner, Joseph William Simpson Miller
  • Patent number: 5714172
    Abstract: A spinning device for the production of man-made fibers, in particular of cellulose regenerated fibers, including at least one spinning pump, at least one feed pipe line, at least one spinneret and a bath-like container for the precipitation bath whereby the feed pipe lines can be swivelled around at least one joint at any one time which is characterized in that the joint is movable in substantially horizontal and vertical direction. In one embodiment of the device the joint can be swivelled around one pivot respectively. With the device according to this invention, it is possible to simply swivel the spinnerets out of a deeper container which is required to enable a longer immersion path of the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Anton Schonberg
  • Patent number: 5674442
    Abstract: In an apparatus and process for manufacturing a thermoplastic sheet or film having superior optical characteristics such as improved transparency, gloss and surface smoothness, a thermoplastic sheet is extruded, passed between a cast drum and an endless metallic belt while being compressed and subjected to a primary cooling by the belt and drum. The sheet or film is secondarily cooled in a water bath, after which it is dewatered and subjected to a thermal treatment at a temperature in the range of 40.degree. C. below, to 15.degree. C. above the thermal deformation temperature of the resin sheet to produce the improved sheet of the invention. In addition to producing a film or sheet with improved characteristics, the apparatus of the invention allows production of sheets or films at a rate up to about 10 m/min.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: IPEC Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Keita Morita
  • Patent number: 5667813
    Abstract: Apparatus for cooling a tubular thin film of thermoplastic resin in a melted state is described. The apparatus is capable of cooling the thin film from both the inside and the outside thereof while setting its diameter by interposing the film between the mandrel and an external circular coolant storage tank. The mandrel has a cylindrical shape and is connected with the lower side of a circular-shaped extruding die wherein the film is extruded downward from a circular slit in the die. The mandrel includes an air-injecting nozzle for injecting compressed air that maintains the shape of an upper bubble part of the thin film formed between the die and the mandrel. A coolant injecting nozzle which can inject the coolant toward the inner surface of the thin film is provided, the coolant injecting nozzle being formed into a single stage of circular slit or two or more stages of circular slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Kohjin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomozi Mizutani, Katsuyuki Yokota, Masahobu Arita, Hisashi Kojyou
  • Patent number: 5658525
    Abstract: In a method for forming a cellulose tube suitable for use as a food casing, in which a solution of nonderivatized cellulose, tertiary amine N-oxide and water is extruded through a die gap and the extruded tube is downwardly drawn through an air gap while being internally cooled and then is passed into a water bath, the tube transverse direction tensile strength being increased by drawing the extruded tube through an air length of at least about five inches and exposing the exterior surface of the extruded tube to cooling air in the air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Viskase Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Makoto Kajiwara, Norman Abbye Portnoy, Paul Edmund Ducharme, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5650504
    Abstract: Ligands which bind to the eck receptor are disclosed. More particularly, polypeptides which bind specifically to the eck receptor (eck receptor binding proteins or EBPs) and DNA sequences encoding said polypeptides are disclosed. Methods of treatment using eck receptor ligands and soluble eck receptor and disclosed, as are pharmaceutical compositions containing same. A rapid and sensitive method for the detection of receptor binding activity in crude samples is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Amgen Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Bartley, William J. Boyle, Vann P. Parker, Gary M. Fox, Andrew A. Welcher
  • Patent number: 5648102
    Abstract: A vacuum calibrator tool for use with a vacuum chamber is provided to accurately size and shape the outer surface of molten plastic extrudate entering the vacuum chamber. The tool provides water passages to introduce water into the extrudate receiving opening of the tool at several positions along the extrudate receiving opening so that an extended zone of water within the extrudate receiving opening provides a film of water between the vacuum calibrator tool and the extrudate passing through it to lubricate the extrudate and to permit accurate sizing and shaping of the extrudate. The vacuum calibrator tool is preferably formed of a low coefficient of friction plastic material such as glass filled polytetrafluroethylene solid commercially under the registered trademark TEFLON.RTM..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: The Conair Group, Inc.
    Inventor: David H. Czarnik
  • Patent number: 5645861
    Abstract: A guide roller assembly is provided for use with a vacuum sizing apparatus having an elongated vacuum cooling tank containing a water bath through which plastic extrudate passes longitudinally. The guide roller assembly has a plurality of guide rollers each individually mounted on its own roller axle. A roller assembly pivot shaft is removably and pivotally secured within the elongated vacuum tank and supports the axles of the respective guide rollers. The guide rollers may be pivotally rotated between a working position where the axles are horizontal and the guide rollers bear down upon the extrudate passing through the vacuum cooling tank and a nonworking position where the guide rollers are raised above the water surface of the vacuum cooling tank and to one side of the tank. The entire guide roller assembly may be removed from the vacuum tank by retracting the telescoping pivot shaft and removing the ends of the pivot shaft from recesses formed in the end walls of the vacuum cooling tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: The Conair Group, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Czarnik, Robert Henry Bessemer
  • Patent number: 5639484
    Abstract: A spinning cell for producing lyocell fibre by spinning a solution of cellulose in an organic solvent through an air gap into a spin bath has nozzles to create a cross-draught through the air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Arthur White, Malcolm John Hayhurst, Alan R. Owens, Ian David Roughsedge, Richard James Davies, Alan Sellars, Jacqueline Faye MacDonald, Michael Colin Quigley, Ralph Draper, Ronald Derek Payne
  • Patent number: 5628947
    Abstract: A process for the simultaneous drying and crystallization of crystallizable thermoplastic synthetic material (plastic), e.g. polyethylene terephthalate, in which plastic from the melt is extruded in cord form, solidified at the surface by quenching in water and crystallized by gas treatment and dried, using a device for cooling and drying the cord emerging from dies having a casting gutter with its acceptance end arranged beneath the dies and a device producing a flow of coolant on the casting gutter within a quenching section, a subsequent dewatering section in which the casting gutter has apertures for the free flow of the coolant, a subsequent drying section in which the casting gutter has closely spaced nozzles for the passage of gas and a granulator downstream of the drying section. The lengths of the quenching, dewatering and drying sections must be such, taking account of the rate of creep of the cord along the casting gutter, that the passage time in the quenching section is a maximum of some 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Rieter Automatik GmbH
    Inventor: Jurgen Keilert
  • Patent number: 5614095
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing a support for a filtration medium comprising passing a sheet of nonwoven fibrous polymeric material having first and second sides through a calender which comprises a nondeformable roll and a resilient roll, the nondeformable roll being maintained at a temperature below the melting temperature of the material, so as to increase the smoothness of the first side of the material which contacted the resilient roll. A filtration medium support material prepared in accordance with the method of the present invention, as well as a filter comprising a filtration medium and that filtration medium support material, are also provided by the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Degen, Colin F. Harwood, John B. Ronan, Jason Mei
  • Patent number: 5607638
    Abstract: A vacuum sizing apparatus and method of cooling and sizing plastic extrusions. In one embodiment the molten plastic extrudate enters a first vacuum chamber, passes into an ambient air environment, and then passes into a second water chamber. The first vacuum chamber includes entry and exit sizing plate manifolds to impart and maintain the size and shape of the plastic extrudate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Inventor: Charles E. Cadwell
  • Patent number: 5607700
    Abstract: A synthetic resin pelletizing machine includes an extrusion cylinder forming, with a horizontal plane, an installation angle .theta. which is in the range of 0.degree.<.theta.<90.degree., a raw material feed passage extending upwardly from said extrusion cylinder at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said extrusion cylinder, and a cooling unit disposed below a die head and having a double bath construction composed of a first cooling bath and a second cooling bath disposed in the first cooling bath. The pelletizing machine thus constructed is compact in size and is capable of assuring a smooth feed of a raw material to the extrusion cylinder as well as a smooth passage of an extruded strand through the cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Kando, Hiroshi Yoshida, Kazuki Kuse
  • Patent number: 5597587
    Abstract: An apparatus to manufacture a cellulose food casing including a nonderivatized cellulose film precipitated in tubular form from an extruded thermoplastic solution of cellulose and an amine oxide cellulose solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Viskase Corporation
    Inventors: Myron D. Nicholson, Edward M. Kajiwara, Paul E. Ducharme, Jr., Merlan E. McAllister, Joseph R. Walta
  • Patent number: 5595695
    Abstract: An elastomeric article having a matte finish is prepared by curing a hydrolyzable composition under conditions of elevated humidity, or by including short aramid fibers therein. Disclosed herein are particular processes for the preparation of matte finished silicone rubber articles in a continuous extrusion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Sealex Inc.
    Inventor: Peter R. Hagen
  • Patent number: 5593703
    Abstract: Apparatus for cooling a tubular thin film of thermoplastic resin in a melted state is described. The apparatus is capable of cooling the thin film from both the inside and the outside thereof while setting its diameter by interposing the film between the mandrel and an external circular coolant storage tank. The mandrel has a cylindrical shape and is connected with the lower side of a circular-shaped extruding die wherein the film is extruded downward from a circular slit in the die. The mandrel includes an air-injecting nozzle for injecting compressed air that maintains the shape of an upper bubble pan of the thin film formed between the die and the mandrel. A coolant injecting nozzle which can inject the coolant toward the inner surface of the thin film is provided, the coolant injecting nozzle being formed into a single stage of circular slit or two or more stages of circular slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Kohjin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomozi Mizutani, Katsuyuki Yokota, Masahobu Arita, Hisashi Kojyou
  • Patent number: 5587181
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic cable insertion tube is cantilevered from a polymeric conduit extruder and separates an electrical and/or optical cable being pulled through the conduit from the inner surface of the conduit until it has solidified. A d.c. current source is applied to a coil surrounding the cable insertion tube upstream or downstream of the extruder so as to induce a magnetic flux in the tube and create a north pole at the downstream free end of the tube and a south pole at the upstream free end of the tube. An array of magnets is assembled about the insertion tube at the downstream free end or north pole thereof. The magnets are arranged with their north poles confronting the north pole of the insertion tube so that the repulsive forces between the like poles magnetically levitate the free end of the insertion tube and keep it from sagging into contact with the extruded conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Southwire Company
    Inventors: Steve C. Owens, Richard V. Lovvorn, Albert B. Elder
  • Patent number: 5582843
    Abstract: In a system for the production of solvent-spun cellulose tow, trash and other undesirable material is detected by a device which projects a light beam across the tow and a receiver for the beam which initiates a signal if the beam is obscured beyond a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Alan Sellars, Malcolm J. Hayhurst
  • Patent number: 5582842
    Abstract: An improved manifold calibration finger which can be used in conjunction with a die head in the extrusion of a plastic with the manifold calibration finger comprising a first section comprising an elongate tubular member having a grooved outer surface and an elongate central channel extending through the first section from one end of the first section to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wise, Larry L. Martin
  • Patent number: 5578328
    Abstract: An isobaric vaporization cooling for extruded thermoplastic profiles is carried out at 25 inches Hg in a tank by spraying water onto the extrusions. The water vapor and any air entering the tank are withdrawn to maintain the pressure constant during the cooling and the condensate from the withdrawn vapor is recycled to the spraying nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Mikron Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Groeblacher
  • Patent number: 5567493
    Abstract: A multi-hole tube extrusion die comprises a female mold die having a flat opening and a mandrel having comb-teeth-like molding portions arranged in the opening. A heated material is extruded between the female mold die opening and the comb-teeth-like molding portions of the mandrel to form a tube having a multi-plicity of holes. An interval between each of the comb-teeth-like molding portions at the opposite ends of the mandrel and the comb-teeth-like molding portion adjacent to the outermost comb-teeth-like molding portion is set to be smaller than an intervals between the female mold die opening and each of the outermost comb-teeth-like molding portions and to be larger than an interval between adjacent ones of the other comb-teeth-like molding portions. Additionally, the outermost comb-teeth-like molding portions are larger in width than the other comb-teeth-like molding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Imai, Tokuo Shirai, Ken Yamamoto, Shingoro Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 5542833
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously vulcanizing a rubber molding extruded from an extruder is disclosed in which a single or plural microwave heating apparatus is arranged within a heating bath. The microwave heating apparatus can generate internal heating of the rubber molding so that a surface temperature of the rubber molding can be held at a temperature substantially equal to the internal temperature of the rubber molding. Thus, uniform vulcanization of the rubber molding occurs. In addition, when both the microwave heating apparatus and an external heating source are arranged within the heating bath, an infrared ray radiator, arranged within the heating bath, radiates infra-red rays according to energy absorbed from the microwave heating apparatus and the external heating source. Thus overall heating efficiency can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Kinugawa Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shozo Watanabe, Kibatsu Shinohara
  • Patent number: 5531946
    Abstract: Production of plasterboard includes spreading of a mixture formed of gyps fibers and water onto a continuously moving belt to form a spread layer subsequently precompressed to 110% to 180% of a final board thickness and successively wetted from both sides and thereafter compressing the wetted layer to the final board thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Babcock BSH Aktiengesellschaft Vormals Buttner-Schilde-Haas AG
    Inventor: Jorg Bold
  • Patent number: 5516270
    Abstract: A sizing tool for extruding plastic tubing is disclosed. The tool includes a peripheral wall having an inner surface that defines the outer dimension of a plastic tubing advancing from an extruder through the tool under influence of an internal pressure exceeding the pressure prevailing in the tool. The tool also includes a lubricating water channel system in the peripheral wall and extending along the tool length and having at least one opening communicating with the inner surface of said peripheral wall. The tool also includes a cooling medium channel system in the peripheral wall and extending along the length. The cooling medium channel system being substantially closed within the peripheral wall and being separate from the lubricating water channel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: JRT-Finland Oy
    Inventor: Reijo Lehtinen
  • Patent number: 5514325
    Abstract: The invention describes a process for cooling and if necessary calibrating elongated, especially continuously extruded objects (7) made of plastic as well as a cooling and calibrating device (5) for carrying out the process. With this the object (7) during its advancement in the longitudinal direction is exposed in consecutive regions (13 to 18; 86 to 89, 95 to 97) to a higher vacuum in each case and is cooled with respect to the initial temperature to a lower final temperature. The heat to be removed for cooling is extracted by a coolant washing round the object (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: C. A. Greiner & Sohne Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Franz Purstinger
  • Patent number: 5507983
    Abstract: Continuous elongate members such as filaments are produced by forming a hot dope of cellulose, amine oxide and water, extruding the dope through a die assembly and precipitating the cellulose to form the bodies and maintaining the concentration of the dope at a predetermined value by monitoring the refractive index of the dope before it is extruded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Alan Sellars, Michael C. Quigley
  • Patent number: 5498145
    Abstract: A system for controlling the outer diameter of a strand, particularly of a cable or the like including a measuring device for measuring the outer diameter of the strand of plastic material emerging from the extruder. The signal of the measuring device is fed to a comparator which compares it with a reference diameter and generates a difference signal. A control unit receives the difference signal to control the rotational speed of the extruder and/or the speed by which the strand emerges from the extruder. A computing stage is connected to the control unit which generates a comparison signal modulated by the actual diameter signal and fed to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Sikora Industrieelktronik GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Sikora, Ulrich Gwinner
  • Patent number: 5487860
    Abstract: A continuous process for spinning and drawing polyamide filaments with the steps of melting a polyamide and spinning the filaments from the molten polyamide through a spinnerette, quenching the filaments, applying a yarn finish to the filaments, applying steam and heat to the filaments by a steam and heating unit which consists of a steam box and at least one heated godet, drawing the filaments, and optionally texturing the filaments. The resulting filaments have low shrinkage, high crystallinity, and a high percentage of alpha crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: George M. Kent, Ardy Armen
  • Patent number: 5484557
    Abstract: An isobaric vaporization cooling for extruded thermoplastic profiles is carried out at 25 inches Hg in a tank by spraying water onto the extrusions. The water vapor and any air entering the tank are withdrawn to maintain the pressure constant during the cooling and the condensate from the withdrawn vapor is recycled to the spraying nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Mikron Industries
    Inventor: Hans Groeblacher
  • Patent number: 5480295
    Abstract: A sizing device having a series of sets of sizing dies each composed of first and second die elements for use in extruding articles. Each die element is made of a plate having two opposite faces bounded by a peripheral edge. The edge further defines a notch through the plate. The notch in each die element has an open end extending inwardly to a closed end. The first and second die elements can be moved relative to each other from an open position in which the notches are unoccluded to a closed position in which first and second die elements overlie each other in the direction of extrusion and abut with the notches partly occluded by the abutting complementary die element. When the die is closed, the interior closed ends of the notches of the abutting elements of each die overlap to form a passage through the die that determines the shape of the extrusion. Support structure maintains the series of die sets at spaced apart locations in a vacuum extrusion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: The Laitram Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher G. Greve
  • Patent number: 5474435
    Abstract: A device for cooling, granulating and drying molten strands of synthetic thermoplastic material emerging from dies includes a cooling unit for applying a cooling liquid to the strands and a granulator housing with a cutting roll for granulating the strands. The granulator housing is connected to an outlet duct with a sieve to separate the thermoplastic material from the cooling liquid. The sieve is arranged so that the granules separated from the strands by the cutting roll impinge directly on the sieve at basically the same speed as that imparted to the granules by the cutting roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Rieter Automatik GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich Hunke
  • Patent number: 5468442
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for gauging and controlling extruded profiled elements, particularly extruded profiled elements made of synthetic material. The apparatus includes at least one control and correction gauge arrangeable downstream of an extrusion die along the extrusion direction and in which there is a passage shaped so as to match the profile of the extruded profiled element. The passage can be crossed by the extruded profiled element, and there are holes and/or channels for heating and cooling preset regions of the profiled element to correct the profile and/or the internal tensions of the profiled element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Brabor S.r.l.
    Inventor: Romano Brambilla
  • Patent number: 5468327
    Abstract: A braided fiber reinforced thermoplastic member is formed by a device, which comprises a braiding device for weaving thermoplastic coated fibers with second fibers onto a weaving mandrel for form a braided preform, and a heating die for melting the thermoplastic of the coated fibers of the braided preform to form a continuous matrix of thermoplastic between the coated fibers and the second fibers. A method for forming a fiber reinforced thermoplastic member comprises coating carbon fibers with a thermoplastic melt, cooling the thermoplastic coated carbon fibers, braiding the coated carbon fibers onto a weaving mandrel with Kevlar.RTM. bias fibers to form a braided preform, and drawing the braided preform through a heating die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts Lowell
    Inventors: Andrew Pawlowicz, Craig Douglas, Amad Tayebi, Stephen Orroth
  • Patent number: 5464335
    Abstract: A vacuum tank for a vacuum sizing apparatus is provided. The vacuum tank is especially suited to control with precision the size and cooling of small sized plastic extrudate. The vacuum tank has coolant tubes between the double walls of the tank so that the coolant is not directly exposed to the extrudate. A water make-up tube having very small holes in it is disposed below the surface of the water in the vacuum tank so that make-up water will enter the tank with a minimum of turbulence being created. Slots provided in a rotatable water over-flow tube permit the level of the water within the vacuum tank to be adjusted and the slots provide a non-turbulent exit of over-flow water from the vacuum tank. A pre-skin block is positioned within the vacuum tank and is designed to minimize turbulence of water at the pre-skinning position within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: The Conair Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Bessemer, Stanley J. Yeoman
  • Patent number: 5460501
    Abstract: An improved pipe production line is provided having an improved manifold assembly component and an improved former component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wise, Larry L. Martin
  • Patent number: 5441394
    Abstract: A device for cooling and granulating molten thermoplastic strands (1) emerging from dies (2) which either drop along the falling line starting at the dies or are guided in an operating position through a coolant bath (9), freely stressed between guide rollers fitted in the bath and then taken into a granulator (4). In the region between the dies and the coolant bath there is a precooling device (5) which carries the plastic strands emerging from the dies and takes them to the coolant bath. Behind the precooling device there is a gripping device (21 ) with opposed clamping rollers (41, 42) which can open and shut and move along a guiding rail to grip the forward ends of the plastic strands after they have been separated by a separator (22) movable through the falling line of the strands. The rollers with the forward ends of the strands are moved along the guiding rail running through the region of the coolant bath as far as the granulator, where they release the strands thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Rieter Automatik GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Keilert, Frank Glockner, Helmut Meidhof, Laurenz Hohm
  • Patent number: 5439363
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic cable insertion tube is cantilevered from a polymeric conduit extruder and separates an electrical and/or optical cable being pulled through the conduit from the inner surface of the conduit until it has solidified. A d.c. current source is applied to a coil surrounding the cable insertion tube upstream of the extruder so as to induce a magnetic flux in the tube and create a north pole at the downstream free end of the tube and a south pole at the upstream free end of the tube. An array of magnets is assembled about the insertion tube at the downstream free end or north pole thereof. The magnets are arranged with their north poles confronting the north pole of the insertion tube so that the repulsive forces between the like poles magnetically levitate the free end of the insertion tube and keep it from sagging into contact with the extruded conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Southwire Company
    Inventors: Steve C. Owens, Richard V. Lovvorn, Albert B. Elder
  • Patent number: 5424023
    Abstract: The present invention has several aspects: an extrusion apparatus, a method of making a curved extrusion, and a curved extrusion made by the method. In broadest terms, the apparatus of the present invention comprises: (1) an extruding means, typically an extruder, adapted to produce an extrudate having a cross-section; (2) a plurality of guide members arranged so as to form a curvilinear path through which the extrusion is passed, each of the guide members having an aperture having substantially the same shape as the cross-section of the extrusion, whereby the plurality of guide members are adapted to form the extrusion into a curved shape while maintaining the cross-section of the extrusion; and (3) mechanical means adapted to conduct the extrusion through said plurality of guide members, such as an extrusion puller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Crane Plastics Company Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Bobby D. Riley, William Taylor