Process for the continuous polycondensation of dicarboxylic acids and diamines or their salts

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF POLYAMIDES BY THE POLYCONDENSATION OF A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) A MIXTURE OF AN ALIPHATIC DICARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING 4 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS AND AN ALIPHATIC DIAMINE HAVING 4 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS AND (B) A SALT OF AN ALIPHATIC DICARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING 4 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS AND AN ALIPHATIC DIAMINE HAVING 4 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF SAID MEMBER TO A TEMPERATURE WITHIN 10*C. OF THE BOILING TEMPERATURE OF SAID SOLUTION UNDER A VAPOR PRESSURE OF SAID SOLUTION IN THE RANGE OF 18 TO 50 ATMOSPHERES GAUGE PRESSURE, INTRODUCING SAID HEATING SOLUTION UNDER MAINTENANCE OF SAID TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE INTO A BODY OF POLYAMIDE MELT CONTAINING ABOUT 5-10% WATER BENEATH THE SURFACE THEREOF IN THE FORM OF CONTINUOUS, FINE JET STREAMS OF SAID SOLUTION WITH VELOCITIES AT THE POINTS OF INTRODUCTION THEREOF INTO SAID BODY OF AT LEAST 40 CM. PER SECOND, SAID BODY OF POLYAMIDE MELT BEING MAINTAINED AT A PRESSURE OF 18 ATMOSPHERES GAUGE AND A TEMPERATURE OF 245-225*C., WITHDRAWING FROM SAID BODY THE WATER VAPOR FORMED THROUGH VAPORIZATION OF THE WATER OF SAID SOLUTION IN SAID BODY, AND WITHDRAWING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID BODY OF POLYAMIDE MELT A PART OF SAID MELT CONTAINING ABOUT 5-10% WATER.