Method and apparatus for processing elastomer composite

In a two-roll mill for processing viscoelastic material, the two-roll mill comprising first and second parallel rolls having a nip therebetween, the nip having a vertical dimension v defined by the distance from a center plane of the two-roll mill to a tangent plane of the two-roll mill, the nip further having a first horizontal dimension h defined by the distance between the rolls on the center plane and a second horizontal dimension defined by the distance between the first and second rolls on the tangent plane, the improvement comprising:

• the two-roll mill further comprises a bank guard having first and second concave edges defining a protruding portion therebetween, the protruding portion having an edge, wherein the first and second concave portions are configured such that the first concave edge is disposed from 3 h to 5 h from a portion of the surface of the first roll disposed within the nip and the second concave edge is disposed a distance of about 3 to about 15 mm from a portion of the surface of the second roll disposed within the nip, and wherein the protruding portion extends into the nip towards the center plane to allow, during operation of the roll mill, advancement of viscoelastic material disposed between the center plane and the edge of the protruding portion past the bank guard;
• and
• the two-roll mill further comprising two knives disposed proximate to the first roll and configured to, during operation of the two-roll mill, cut an output strip of viscoelastic material disposed on the first roll, wherein the bank guard is spaced a predetermined distance from a plane perpendicular to the center plane and disposed midway between the two knives, and wherein the predetermined distance is from about 33% to about 90% of the diameter of the first roll.