Mixing screw and use thereof

Claim 2

A screw for an extruder comprising A. an elongated cylindrical shank having, in axially adjacent relationship, a mid-section, and a terminal section, B. said mid-section and said terminal section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong, C. said erminal section having a smaller diameter than said midsection whereby when the screw is incorporated in an extruder barrel the extruder will be capable of accommodating a larger volume of material at the terminal section, D. at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, suCh secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid-section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, E. said primary and said secondary flights when in functional combination with a given extruder barrel being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to mix to some predetermined extent within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of an extrudate being moved between said barrel and said shank by such flights.

Claim 3

A screw for an extruder comprising A. an elongated cylindrical shank having, in axially adjacent relationship, a beginning section, a mid-section, and a terminal section, B. said beginning section being adapted for engagement with means for rotatably driving said shaft, and to make sealing engagement with an adjacent wall member of a given extruder housing adapted for use with said screw, C. said mid-section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong and adapted in combination with the associated said shank to melt and mix an extrudate to a predetermined extent when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing. D. said terminal section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mid-section, having said integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous flight extending therealong, E. at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, F. said primary and said secondary flights in combination in said terminal section being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of an extrudate when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing.

Claim 4

A screw for an extruder comprising A. an elongated cylindrical shank having, in axially adjacent relationship, a beginning section, a mid-section, and a terminal section, B. said beginning section being adapted for engagement with means for rotatably driving said shaft, and to make sealing engagement with an adjacent wall member of a given extruder housing adapted for use with said screw, C. said mid-section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong and adapted in combination with the associated said shank to melt and mix an extrudate to a predetermined extent when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing. D. said terminal section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mid-section, having said integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous flight extending therealong, E. at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, F. said primary and said secondary flights in combination in said terminal section being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of an extrudate when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing.

Claim 5

An extruder for plastics comprising A. a barrel having a cylindrical bore, B. a screw generally within the bore and adapted to advance plastic therealong, said screw having an elongated cylindrical shank having, in axially adjacent relationship, a mid-section, and a terminal section, said mid-section and said terminal section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong, and further having at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, C. said terminal section having a smaller diameter than said mid-section whereby said extruder will be capable of accommodating a larger volume of material at said terminal section, D. said primary and said secondary flights in combination with said barrel being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of melted plastic, and E. means for injecting a resin into said extruder at said mid-section, and F. means for injecting a preprocessed hot melt material adjacent at least one of the channels defined between said primary and secondary flights.

Claim 6

An extruder for plastics comprising A. a barrel having a cylindrical bore, B. a screw generally within the bore and adapted to advance plastic therealong, said screw having an elongated cylindrical shank having, in axially adjacent relationship, a mid-section, and a terminal section, said mid-section and said terminal section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong, and further having at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, C. said terminal section having a smaller diameter than said mid-section whereby said extruder will be capable of accommodating a larger volume of material at said terminal section, D. said primary and said secondary flights in combination with said barrel being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of melted plastic, and E. means for injecting a resin into said extruder at said mid-section, and F. means for injecting a preprocessed hot melt material adjacent at least one of the channels defined between said primary and secondary flights.

Claim 7

An extruder for plastics and the like comprising A. a barrel having a cylindrical bore, B. a screw generally within the bore and adapted to advance plastic therealong, C. said screw having an elongated cylindrical shank with, in axially adjacent relationship, a beginning section, a mid-section, and a terminal section, said beginning section being adapted for engagement with means for rotatably driving said shaft, and to make sealing engagement wIth an adjacent wall member of a given extruder housing adapted for use with said screw, said mid-section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong and adapted in combination with the associated said shank to melt and mix an extrudate to a predetermined extent when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing, and said terminal section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mid-section, having said integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous flight extending axially therealong, D. said screw further having at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, E. said primary and said secondary flights in combination in said terminal section being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of an extrudate when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing, F. means for injecting into said barrel radially adjacent at least one of said channels a preprocessed hot melt to be combined with plastic material within said bore, and G. said barrel having an input port in the side thereof radially adjacent said mid-section and longitudinally adjacent said beginning section, having an end aperture at one end thereof through which a portion of said beginning section projects, having an end aperture at the opposite end thereof through which plastic is extruded in an operating said extruder, and port means for said injecting means.

Claim 8

An extruder for plastics and the like comprising A. a barrel having a cylindrical bore, B. a screw generally within the bore and adapted to advance plastic therealong, C. said screw having an elongated cylindrical shank with, in axially adjacent relationship, a beginning section, a mid-section, and a terminal section, said beginning section being adapted for engagement with means for rotatably driving said shaft, and to make sealing engagement wIth an adjacent wall member of a given extruder housing adapted for use with said screw, said mid-section having an integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight extending axially therealong and adapted in combination with the associated said shank to melt and mix an extrudate to a predetermined extent when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing, and said terminal section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mid-section, having said integral, primary, radially projecting, continuous flight extending axially therealong, D. said screw further having at least one additional integral, secondary, radially projecting, continuous helical flight on said shank in axially spaced relationship to said primary flight, such secondary flight(s) commencing in said mid section adjacent said terminal section and extending axially along said terminal section, E. said primary and said secondary flights in combination in said terminal section being adapted to minimize cross flow between axially adjacent flights, and being further adapted to maximize mixing within channels between axially adjacent such flights, of an extrudate when said screw is operating in functional combination with said housing, F. means for injecting into said barrel radially adjacent at least one of said channels a preprocessed hot melt to be combined with plastic material within said bore, and G. said barrel having an input port in the side thereof radially adjacent said mid-section and longitudinally adjacent said beginning section, having an end aperture at one end thereof through which a portion of said beginning section projects, having an end aperture at the opposite end thereof through which plastic is extruded in an operating said extruder, and port means for said injecting means.

Claim 9

A process for combining at least two separate streams comprising the steps of simultaneously, A. revolving one of a pair of generally concentric, cylindrical wall members relative to the other thereof within a process zone, there being a plurality of axially adjacent, helically extending channels radially defined therebetween by said respective wall members and axially defined therebetween by a plurality of axially spaced, rib-like projections each integral with said revolving one of said wall members and radially extending therefrom to a position in spaced adjacent relationship to such other one of said wall members, whereby each of said channels is adapted to advance material therealong as said one wall member so revolves, from one end to the opposite end of said process zone, B. charging separate streams to be combined to respective individual ones of said channels along said process zone, and C. combining at said opposite end the respective streams from said so-charged channels.

Claim 10

A process for combining at least two separate streams comprising the steps of simultaneously, A. revolving one of a pair of generally concentric, cylindrical wall members relative to the other thereof within a process zone, there being a plurality of axially adjacent, helically extending channels radially defined therebetween by said respective wall members and axially defined therebetween by a plurality of axially spaced, rib-like projections each integral with said revolving one of said wall members and radially extending therefrom to a position in spaced adjacent relationship to such other one of said wall members, whereby each of said channels is adapted to advance material therealong as said one wall member so revolves, from one end to the opposite end of said process zone, B. charging separate streams to be combined to respective individual ones of said channels along said process zone, and C. combining at said opposite end the respective streams from said so-charged channels.

Claim 11

A process for combining at least two different thermoplastic hot melt streams comprising the steps of A. revolving a screw in a bore, said screw having a plurality of axially adjacent, helically extending channels defined therein between axially adjacent screw flights, whereby each of said channels is adapted to advance material along said bore as said screw revolves, B. charging said streams each to a different one of said channels, and C. combining said streams from said channels at the delivery end of said bore.

Claim 12

A process for combining at least two different thermoplastic hot melt streams comprising the steps of A. revolving a screw in a bore, said screw having a plurality of axially adjacent, helically extending channels defined therein between axially adjacent screw flights, whereby each of said channels is adapted to advance material along said bore as said screw revolves, B. charging said streams each to a different one of said channels, and C. combining said streams from said channels at the delivery end of said bore.