Apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material

Claim 1

Apparatus for melting solid thermoplastic material and for supplying the molten thermoplastic material to a dispenser, said apparatus including a melter tank, said tank comprising a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall, each of said side walls being generally triangular in cross sectional configuration with the base of each of said triangular cross sectional side walls being of greater thickness than the upper edges such that said side walls act as effective heat conductive fins for transferring heat upwardly from the base of said side walls, and a single continuous length of electrical resistance heating means mounted within said bottom wall, a portion of said electrical resistance heating means being located beneath each of said side wall, and the length of electrical resistance heating means mounted within any one portion of said bottom wall being generally proportioned to the mass of said melter tank including the side walls and adhesive required to be heated by said length of electrical resistance heating means mounted within said one portion, a manifold block attached to the bottom exterior surface of said melter tank, conduit means contained within said manifold block for receiving molten material from said melter tank and transmitting it to said dispenser, said manifold block being in heat transfer contact with a substantial area of said exterior wall of said melter tank, the heat transferred from said melter tank into said manifold block being the sole source of heat within said manifold block for maintaining molten material contained within said manifold block conduit means in the molten state, a substantial portion of said conduit means of said manifold block extending parallel to and being located directly beneath a portion of said electrical resistance heating means, a pump located within said melter tank, said pump being operative to supply molten material under pressure from said melter tank to said manifold block, and said electrical resistance heating means being the sole external source of heat to said pump for maintaining molten contained within said pump in the molten state.