US3877649A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for converting thermoplastic material
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-11-23
•
Granted: 1975-04-15
•
Expires: 1993-11-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides an apparatus and process for converting thermoplastic materials in the form of lumps, pieces, sheets, or plates into a free-flowing granulated form, in which the material is fed to a mixing receptacle and comminuted by a rapidly rotating comminuting device. The comminuted material is then heated solely by frictional heat generated within the material, agglomerated, condensed, and then cooled immediately after gelation. The comminution is effected without any perceptible evolution of heat by means of a cutting blade mounted on the axle of the comminuting device in the upper part of the mixing receptacle. The frictional heat is generated by mixing blades rotating in the lower portion of said receptacle. The granulated material is then removed from an outlet in the mixing receptacle.
Inventors
- 👤 Friedrich Walter Herfeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:37
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29B; B29B17/00; B29B17/04; B29B17/0412; B02; B02C; B02C18/00; B02C18/06; B02C18/08; B02C18/086; B29B2017/0424; B29B2017/0476; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/52; Y02W30/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for converting thermoplastic material in the form of lumps, pieces, plates, and sheets into free flowing granulated form comprising: a substantially cylindrical mixing receptacle having a floor portion and a top portion; a shaft pivotably disposed through the axis of the mixing receptacle having mixing blades for movement along the floor of said receptacle; a substantially cylindrical comminuting chamber centrally diSposed in the top portion of said mixing receptacle and receiving said shaft; comminuting blades mounted on said shaft for movement within said comminuting chamber; a charging input communicative with said comminuting chamber for receiving the thermoplastic material to be converted; and a discharge outlet mounted adjacent to the floor of the mixing receptacle for discharging the material after mixing and granulation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for converting thermoplastic material in the form of lumps, pieces, plates, and sheets into free flowing granulated form comprising: a substantially cylindrical mixing receptacle having a floor portion and a top portion; a shaft pivotably disposed through the axis of the mixing receptacle having mixing blades for movement along the floor of said receptacle; a substantially cylindrical comminuting chamber centrally diSposed in the top portion of said mixing receptacle and receiving said shaft; comminuting blades mounted on said shaft for movement within said comminuting chamber; a charging input communicative with said comminuting chamber for receiving the thermoplastic material to be converted; and a discharge outlet mounted adjacent to the floor of the mixing receptacle for discharging the material after mixing and granulation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said shaft additionally comprises a circular plate mounted within said comminuting chamber adjacent to said comminuting blades, said plate and the cylindrical walls of said comminuting chamber defining an annular gap corresponding to the desired grain size of the granulated material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said comminuting blades are spaced from said plate in an axial direction by a distance corresponding to the width of one blade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 additionally comprising fixed blades secured to the wall of said comminuting chamber adjacent to said comminuting blades.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the diameter of said comminuting chamber is smaller than the diameter of said mixing receptacle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising at least one additional comminuting shaft having comminuting blades, inserted in a downwardly tilted direction through the wall of said mixing receptacle, said at least one shaft rotating in the same direction as the shaft of said mixing blades but at a higher peripheral speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising an air blowing device coupled to said mixing receptacle for blowing cool air therein, and said charging input additionally comprises a sealing lid adapted to close automatically by the action of the air pressure in said mixing receptacle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |