Antifriction plasticizer head for plastic-extruding machines

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND PLASTICIZINGT THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL COMPRISING A CASING DEFINING AN INTERNAL, ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET TOWARD ONE END THEREOF AND AN OUTLET AT THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF; MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID CASING FOR SUPPLYING UNPLASTICIZED THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL TO THE INLET OF SAID CHAMBER; HEATING MEANS CARRIED IN HEAT TRANSFER RELATION TO SAID CASING FOR HEATING MATERIALS SUPPLIED TO THE CHAMBER OF SAID CASING; A ROTARY FEED SCREW ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE CHAMBER OF SAID CASING AND OPERABLE UPON ROTATION TO ADVANCE MATERIAL FROM THE INLET OF SAID CHAMBER TOWARD THE OUTLET THEREOF; A PLASTICIZER HEAD CONNECTED WITH THE LEADING END OF SAID FEED SCREW AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, SAID HEAD INCLUDING A RELATIVELY REDUCED DIAMETER SHANK PORTION; AN ANNULAR RING MEMBER ENCIRCLING THE REDUCED DIAMETER SHANK PORTION OF SAID HEAD AND DISPOSED IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION THERETO, SAID RING MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID WIPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER; AND A CIRCULAR ROW OF BALL BEARINGS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID RING MEMBER AND SAID HEAD AND SUPPORTING SAID HEAD FOR RELATIVE ANTIFRICTIONAL ROTATION WITHIN SAID RING MEMBER, SAID ROW OF BALL BEARINGS DEFINING WITH SAID RING MEMBER, AND SAID HEAD A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY RESTRICTED PASSAGES THROUGH WHICH MATERIAL ADVANCED BY SAID FEED SCREW MUST PASS IN ITS MOVEMENT TOWARD THE OUTLET OF SAID CHAMBER.