Apparatus for forming ring-shaped extrudates

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING A RING-SHAPED EXTRUDATE OF GASKET-FORMING MATERIAL TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR SEAL IN A CONTAINER CLOSURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A RESERVOIR FOR THE GASKET-FORMING MATERIAL, A DISPENSING HEAD INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING A CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING THE GASKET-FORMING MATERIAL FROM SAID RESERVOIR, CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID CHAMBER WITH SAID RESERVOIR, INLET VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONDUIT MEANS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPENING SAID INLET VALVE MEANS AND FEEDING GASKETFORMING MATERIAL FROM SAID RESERVOIR THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS AND INTO SAID CHAMBER, FURTHER PORTIONS OF SAID HEAD DEFINING AN ANNULAR DISCHARGE OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER FOR DISPENSING A RING-SHAPED EXTRUDATE FROM SAID HEAD, AN ANNULAR DIE ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID HEAD FORWARDLY AND INWARDLY OF SAID DISCHARGE OPENING FOR ENGAGING THE SURFACE ON WHICH THE EXTRUDATE IS TO BE DEPOSITED TO CONFINE THE EXTRUDATE TO A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THE SAME, AN OUTLET VALVE MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, PLUNGER MEANS MOVABLE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER TO CLOSE SAID INLET VALVE MEANS AND TO OPEN SAID OUTLET VALVE MEANS AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT CLOSES SAID INLET MEANS, SAID INLET AND OUTLET VALVE MEANS BEING PRESSURE RESPONSIVE, SAID INLET VALVE MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO A LESSER PRESSURE THAN SAID OUTLET VALVE MEANS, MEANS FOR FEEDING THE GASKET-FORMING MATERIAL THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS UNDER A PRESSURE GREAT ENOUGH TO OPEN SAID INLET VALVE MEANS BUT INSUFFICIENT TO OPEN SAID OUTLET VALVE MEANS, SAID PLUNGER MEANS RECIPROCABLY MOVING WITHIN SAID CHAMBER TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE GASKET-FORMING MATERIAL THEREWITHIN SUFFICIENTLY TO OPEN SAID OUTLET VALVE MEANS,