Plasticizing and working machine

Claim 2

A plasticizing apparatus, comprising: housing means having an elongated cylindrical chamber formed therein: a working member positioned within said chamber and mounted relative to said housing means for movement axially of said chamber: plasticizing means for causing plastification of particulate plastic material primarily due to the generation of frictional heat energy, said plasticizing means including a first portion fixedly secured to and comprising a part of said working member and a second portion on said housing means in surrounding relationship to said first portion and defining an annular passageway therebetween, said plasticizing means also including a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves formed on one of said first and second portions with said grooves defining annular ridges therebetween: first drive means for causing Relative rotation between said first and second portions: second drive means for causing axial movement of said working member within said chamber: and feeding means for supplying particulate plastic material to said plasticizing means whereby said particulate plastic material is frictionally heated and plasticized as the material is forced through the annular passageway.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing means includes inlet and outlet means communicating with said chamber substantially adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said working member including a ram portion fixedly connected to and axially spaced upstream of said first portion, said ram portion being snugly received within said chamber in axial sliding and rotational engagement therewith, said working member being interconnected to and rotatably driven by said first drive means.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of axially spaced grooves and ridges are formed on the periphery of said first portion of said working member, the groove and ridges defining a substantially smooth and continuous undulating peripheral surface.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feed means includes a reciprocating ram member slideably received within said inlet means for delivering particulate plastic material to said plasticizing means at a rate which is independent of the relative rotation between said first and second portions.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said working member includes an intermediate shaft portion fixedly connected between said first portion and said ram portion, said intermediate shaft portion being of smaller cross-sectional area than said chamber to define an axially extending passage therebetween, said inlet means being adapted to communicate with said axially extending passage.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said working member further includes a tapered portion fixedly connected between said intermediate shaft portion and said first portion, said tapered portion having a tapered surface which diverges in the direction of material flow.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of axially spaced grooves and ridges are formed on the periphery of said first portion.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing means includes inlet and outlet means communicating with said chamber substantially adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said working member including a ram portion positioned at one end of said working member substantially adjacent said inlet means with said ram portion being axially interconnected to said second drive means, said outlet means including a flow passage formed in said housing means with said flow passage communicating with said chamber substantially adjacent the other end of said working member, valve means cooperating with said flow passage for controlling flow therethrough, said valve means including a valve member movable between an open and a closed position, the other end of said working member cooperating with the adjacent end of said chamber to define a storage space therebetween with said flow passage communicating with said storage space, whereby material plasticized by said plasticizing means accumulates within said storage space when said valve member is in the closed position, so as to cause said working member to axially retract in opposition to said second drive means, opening of the valve member and energization of the second drive means causing said working member to move axially forwardly to force said plasticized material from said space into said flow passage.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ridges are formed on one of said first and second portions and extend toward the confronting periphery of the other of said first and second portions and define a plurality of narrow, axially spaced annular gaps therebetween, said plurality of axially spaced annular gaps progressively decreasing in radiaL dimension in the direction of material flow.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing means includes inlet and outlet means communicating with said chamber substantially adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said outlet means including a flow passage formed in said housing means with said flow passage communicating with said chamber downstream of said first portion of said working member, valve means coacting with said flow passage for controlling flow therethrough, said valve means including a valve member movable between an open and a closed position and said working member being interconnected to and rotatably driven by said first drive means, whereby material processed by said plasticizing means accumulates within a storage space defined between said working member and said housing means when said valve member is in said closed position, thereby causing axial retraction of the working member within the chamber, whereupon opening of said valve member and energization of said second drive means causes said working member to move axially forwardly within the chamber to force said plasticized material from said flow passage.

Claim 12

In combination, a plasticizing apparatus including a housing having an elongated opening formed therein, a plasticizing rotor rotatably disposed within said opening and cooperating with said housing for plasticizing particulate plastic material primarily due to the generation of frictional heat energy, and feed means for supplying particulate plastic material to the rotor for permitting frictional heating and plastification of said material, comprising the improvement wherein: said plasticizing rotor includes a substantially cylindrical rotor portion and said housing includes a housing portion disposed in surrounding relationship to said rotor portion to define therebetween a first axially elongated, annular zone in which particulate plastic material is frictionally heated; one of said rotor portion and said housing portion including a plurality of separate, axially spaced annular ridges defining a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves therebetween, the grooves and ridges defining a substantially smooth and continuous undulating peripheral surface for permitting the plastic material to be frictionally heated, mixed, and plasticized; said rotor being disposed within said housing for movement axially of said opening and the downstream end of said rotor cooperating with the adjacent end of said housing to define a storage space therebetween in communication with said annular zone whereby material plasticized within said annular zone accumulates within said storage space; said housing including an outlet passage disposed in communication with said storage space for permitting discharge of plasticized material; and drive means connected to said rotor (1) for causing rotation of said rotor relative to said housing means to cause plastification of the particulate material as it passes through said annular zone and (2) for causing linear movement of said rotor axially of said opening to cause the plasticized material in such storage space to be discharged through said outlet passage.

Claim 13

In combination, a plasticizing apparatus including a housing having an elongated opening formed therein, a plasticizing rotor rotatably disposed within said opening and cooperating with said housing for plasticizing particulate plastic material primarily due to the generation of frictional heat energy, and feed means for supplying particulate plastic material to the rotor for permitting frictional heating and plastification of said material, comprising the improvement wherein: said plasticizing rotor includes a substantially cylindrical rotor portion and said housing includes a housing portion disposed in surrounding relationship to said rotor portion to define therebetween a first axially elongated, annular zone in which particulate plastic material is frictionally heated; one of said rotor portion and said housing portion including a plurality of separate, axially spaced annular ridges defining a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves therebetween, the grooves and ridges defining a substantially smooth and continuous undulating peripheral surface for permitting the plastic material to be frictionally heated, mixed, and plasticized; said rotor being disposed within said housing for movement axially of said opening and the downstream end of said rotor cooperating with the adjacent end of said housing to define a storage space therebetween in communication with said annular zone whereby material plasticized within said annular zone accumulates within said storage space; said housing including an outlet passage disposed in communication with said storage space for permitting discharge of plasticized material; and drive means connected to said rotor (1) for causing rotation of said rotor relative to said housing means to cause plastification of the particulate material as it passes through said annular zone and (2) for causing linear movement of said rotor axially of said opening to cause the plasticized material in such storage space to be discharged through said outlet passage.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 11, wherein said drive means includes a first drive device connected to said rotor for causing rotation thereof and a second drive device connected to said rotor for causing linear movement thereof.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 11, wherein said plasticizing rotor includes a ram portion fixedly interconnected to said rotor portion, said ram portion being axially aligned with and positioned upstream of said rotor portion and being rotatably and slidably disposed within said opening, and said feed means including an inlet passage disposed in communication with said opening at a location intermediate said rotor portion and said ram portion for permitting particulate plastic material to be supplied to said opening.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 13, wherein Said feed means includes a feed ram slidably disposed within said inlet passage and a driving device connected to said feed ram for reciprocating same for permitting particulate plastic material to be supplied to said opening and forced through said annular zone at a rate which is independent of the rotation of said rotor.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 11, further including valve means associated with said outlet passage for controlling the flow therethrough, said valve means being movable between open closed positions.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of annular grooves and ridges are formed on the external periphery of said rotor portion, the downstream end of said rotor portion being provided with a tapered configuration which converges in the direction of material flow and which is spaced from a similar tapered seat formed on the housing to define said storage space therebetween, and the upstream end of said rotor portion also being provided with a tapered configuration which diverges in the direction of material flow.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 11, wherein a ram is axially fixedly connected to said rotor portion, said ram being axially aligned with and positioned upstream of said rotor portion and being axially slideably disposed within said opening and drivingly connected to said drive means.