Apparatus for extruding plasticized material

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR EXTRUDING PLASTICIZED PLASTIC MATERIAL, AN ORIFICE STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING A VALVING FUNCTION COMPRISING A MANDREL HAVING A TAPERED SURFACE BETWEEN OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, AN ANNULAR ASSEMBLY SURROUNDING SAID MANDREL AND DEFINING THEREWITH AN ANNULAR PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ANNULAR ASSEMBLY, SAID ANNULAR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A SUPPORT BASE HAVING AN INLET ORIFICE BORE THEREIN AT ONE END OF SAID PASSAGE,MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PASSAGE HAVING AN OUTLET ORIFICE BORE THEREIN, MEANS AFFIXING SAID MANDREL TO SAID SUPPORT BASE WITH SAID MANDREL AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID INLET AND OUTLET BORES, AND AN ANNULAR ORIFICE BLOCK SURROUNDING SAID TAPERED SURFACE OF SAID MANDREL AND HAVING A SIMILARLY TAPERED INTERIOR SURFACE COOPERATING THEREWITH TO DEFINE A TAPERED GAP PORTION OF SAID PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET ORIFICE BORES, SAID ORIFICE BLOCK THREADEDLY ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT BASE AND BEING AXIALLY MOVABLE UPON ROTATION OF SAID ORIFICE BLOCK RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT BASE SUCH THAT ROTATION OF SAID ORIFICE BLOCK INONE DIRECTION RELATIVELY MOVES SAID TAPERED SURFACES TOWARD EACH OTHER AND ROTATION OF SAID ORIFICE BLOCK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION RELATIVELY MOVES SAID TAPERED SURFACES AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID TAPERED SURFACES THEREBY PROVIDING A VARIABLE PRESSURE DROP BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID PAGGAGE TO REGULATE THE FLOW OF PLASTICIZED MATERIAL THROUGH SAID PASSAGE.