Apparatus for processing plastic materials

Claim 2

Apparatus for processing plastic material comprising an increasing housing having an interior surface symmetric to the center line thereof, said interior surface having an interior circumference increasing from a first circumference, the housing entrance circumference, to the large housing circumference; a revolving member surrounded by said housing interior surface in spaced relationship to define a processing space therebetween, said member having a surface increasing from a first circumference, the member entrance circumference, to the large member circumference, the member''s increasing surface being symmetric to the member''s axis; said member being mounted revolvably about said axis; the center line of the increasing housing''s interior surface having a radial distance from said axis of revolution; means for revolving said member; means for introducing plastic material in said processing space near said entrance circumference; so that during each revolution every point of the revolving member interior surface undergoes a change in distance to the housing interior surface varying between a maximum and a minimum distance, thus subjecting the plastic material to a circular and spiral kneading and milling treatment.

Claim 3

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said increasing housing is connected near the large housing circumference to a decreasing housing having an interior surface symmetric to the middle line thereof with an interior circumference decreasing from said large housing circumference to the circumference of a discharge opening near the center of said decreasing interior surface; said revolving member having a second, decreasing surface connecting to said large member circumference and surrounded by said decreasing interior surface in spaced relationship to define a processing space therebetween, the member''s decreasing surface having a circumference decreasing from said large member circumference toward the member''s axis, the member''s decreasing surface being symmetric to the member''s axis; said middle line of the decreasing housing''s interior surface having a radial distance from said axis of revolution in a direction diametral to the radial distance from said axis of revolution to the center line of the increasing housing''s interior surface; so that the area of smallest distance between the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and said increasing housing is always in diametral position to the area of smallest distance between the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and said decreasing housing, thus compensating the effect of maximum pressure exerted near the area of smallest distance between the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and said decreasing housing by the effect of maximum pressure exerted near the diametral area of smallest distance between the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and said increasing housing.

Claim 4

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said axis of revolution coincides with said member''s center line, and said revolving member''s large circumference is larger than said housing entrance circumference, and larger than the circumference of said discharge opening.

Claim 5

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said increasing housing form with the center lines thereof smaller angles than the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and said decreasing housing, so that the plastic material is subjected to a processing treatment including a roll mill effect between said increasing surfaces, and is subjected to a processing treatment including the normal force effect between said decreasing surfaces.

Claim 6

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said decreasing housing are parallel to each other, and the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said increasing housing are parallel to each other.

Claim 7

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said increasing housing diverge from each other by an acute angle, so that the diverging increasing surfaces exert a force on the plastic material in said processing space in the direction of divergence of said surfaces.

Claim 8

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said decreasing housing diverge from each other by an acute angle, so that the diverging decreasing surfaces exert a force on the plastic material in said processing space in the direction of divergence of said surfaces.

Claim 9

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said increasing and decreasing surfaces increase and decrease linearly so that they form substantially conical surfaces.

Claim 10

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said surface of said increasing housing has a gradual transition to said surface of said decreasing housing, and said increasing surface of said member has a gradual transition to said decreasing surFace of said member.

Claim 11

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said surfaces are provided with depressions extending below said surfaces, so that the plastic material is processed between said surfaces in varying material depths.

Claim 12

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein means are provided for axially moving the revolving member, the increasing and the decreasing housing relatively to each other, so that the spaced relationship between the revolving member and the housing interior surfaces can be varied and controlled.

Claim 13

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for introducing plastic material comprise a barrel attached to said increasing housing near said housing entrance circumference, said barrel having an interior surface symmetric to the member axis; a feed screw extending through said barrel, having helical flights, and being connected to said revolving member near said member entrance circumference, so that plastic material is conveyed by said feed screw through said barrel into the processing space between said revolving member and said increasing housing.

Claim 14

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the central portion of said member''s decreasing surface is mounted separately rotatable about an axis of rotation coincident with said revolving member''s axis of revolution; means for rotating said central portion independently, so that said central portion can be rotated at a rate different from the revolving member''s increasing and peripheral decreasing surfaces.

Claim 15

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein an extrusion screw extends from said member''s decreasing surface near the axis thereof through said discharge opening, said extrusion screw having an axis coinciding with said member''s axis, and an extrusion barrel is attached at the one end thereof to the decreasing housing, and has an interior surface communicating with said discharge opening, so that plastic material processed between said decreasing housing and said member''s decreasing surface is extruded by said extrusion screw through said discharge opening and said extrusion barrel.

Claim 16

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 14 wherein said extrusion barrel has a center line coincident with the axis of said extrusion screw; the extrusion barrel having an interior surface decreasing radially in axial direction in a tapering surface; said extrusion screw having a taper in spaced relationship and tapering correspondingly to said tapering surface; means for axially moving said revolving member with said extrusion screw, and said decreasing housing with said extrusion barrel relatively to each other, so that the spaced relationship between said revolving member and said decreasing housing and between said taper and said tapering surface can be varied and controlled simultaneously.

Claim 17

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 13 wherein said central portion of said member has attached an extrusion screw coaxial to said central portion and extending through said discharge opening and in an extrusion barrel attached to said decreasing housing.

Claim 18

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said revolving member has a cylindrical bore coaxial with said member''s axis, having a radial distance from the center line of said increasing housing and from the middle line of said decreasing housing; an injection screw mounted rotatably in and axially movable through said bore and said discharge opening; means for rotating and axially moving said injection screw.

Claim 19

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein said revolving member has a cylindrical bore coaxial with said member''s axis, having a radial distance From the middle line of said decreasing housing; an injection piston being mounted in and axially movable through said bore and through said discharge opening; means being provided for axially moving said injection piston.

Claim 20

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 2 wherein an opening is provided in the housing interior surface near said large housing circumference for devolatilizing gases and vapors, and for introducing additives to the plastic material to be processed.

Claim 21

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 3 wherein the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and of said increasing housing form with the center lines thereof smaller angles than the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and said decreasing housing; said means for introducing plastic material comprising a barrel attached to said increasing housing near said housing entrance circumference, said barrel having an interior surface symmetric to the revolving member''s axis, and a feed screw extending through said barrel, having helical flights and being connected to said revolving member near said member entrance circumference; an extrusion barrel attached at the one end thereof to and coaxial with said revolving member, having an interior surface communicating with said discharge opening on said one end and an extrusion opening on the other end, and decreasing radially in axial direction in a tapering surface; an extrusion screw extending from said member''s decreasing surface through said discharge opening, said extrusion screw''s axis being coincident with the member''s axis, the extrusion screw having a taper in spaced relationship and tapering correspondingly to said tapering surface; means being provided for axially moving said revolving member with said feed screw and said extrusion screw, said increasing housing, and said decreasing housing with said extrusion barrel relatively to each other, so that the spaced relationship between said increasing housing surface and said member increasing surface, between said decreasing housing surface and said member decreasing surface, and between said tapering surface and said taper can be varied and controlled simultaneously.

Claim 22

Apparatus for processing plastic material as claimed in claim 4 wherein the increasing surfaces of said revolving member and said increasing housing diverge from each other by an acute angle, and the decreasing surfaces of said revolving member and said decreasing housing diverge from each other by an acute angle; said surfaces being provided with depressions extending below said surfaces; said means for introducing plastic material comprising a barrel attached to said increasing housing near said housing entrance circumference, said barrel having an interior surface symmetric to the member axis, and a feed screw extending through said barrel, having helical flights, and being connected to said revolving member near said member entrance circumference; means being provided for axially moving said revolving member with said feed screw, said increasing housing with said barrel, and the decreasing housing relatively to each other, so that the spaced relationship between the revolving member and the housing interior surfaces can be varied and controlled; said revolving member having a cylindrical bore coaxial with said member''s axis, having a radial distance from the middle line of said decreasing housing; an injection screw mounted rotatably and axially movable through said bore and said discharge opening; means for rotating and axially moving said injection screw.

Claim 23

Apparatus for processing plastic material comprising a decreasing housing having an interior surface symmetric to the center line of said housing, and decreasing from a first circumference, the large housing circumference, to the circumference of a discharge opening near the center of said decreasing intErior surface; a revolving member surrounded by said housing interior surface in spaced relationship to define a processing space therebetween, said member having a surface decreasing from a first circumference, the large member circumference, toward the center line thereof, the member''s surface being symmetric to the axis thereof; said member being mounted revolvably about said axis having a radial distance to the member''s center line; means for revolving said member; means for introducing plastic material in said processing space near said large circumference, so that during each revolution every point of the revolving member undergoes a change in distance to the decreasing housing surface varying between a maximum and a minimum distance, thus subjecting the plastic material to a circular and spiral kneading and milling treatment.

Claim 24

Apparatus for processing plastic material comprising a decreasing housing having an interior surface symmetric to the center line of said housing, and decreasing from a first circumference, the large housing circumference, to the circumference of a discharge opening near the center of said decreasing intErior surface; a revolving member surrounded by said housing interior surface in spaced relationship to define a processing space therebetween, said member having a surface decreasing from a first circumference, the large member circumference, toward the center line thereof, the member''s surface being symmetric to the axis thereof; said member being mounted revolvably about said axis having a radial distance to the member''s center line; means for revolving said member; means for introducing plastic material in said processing space near said large circumference, so that during each revolution every point of the revolving member undergoes a change in distance to the decreasing housing surface varying between a maximum and a minimum distance, thus subjecting the plastic material to a circular and spiral kneading and milling treatment.