Filter for plastic material

A filter for plastic melt material comprising:

• a hollow body defining an internal cavity;
• a first filtration device sealingly spanning said internal cavity and defining a first chamber upstream of said first filtration device;
• a second filtration device sealingly spanning said internal cavity downstream of said first filtration device and defining a second chamber between said first filtration device and said second filtration device;
• an inlet for introducing molten plastic material into said first chamber;
• an at least partially hollow, externally actuated drive shaft extending through said first and second filtration devices;
• a first scraper fixedly mounted on said at least partially hollow, externally actuated drive shaft such that it rotates and scrapingly engages a filtration surface of said first filtration device when said drive shaft rotates;
• a second scraper fixedly mounted on said at least partially hollow, externally actuated drive shaft such that it rotates and scrapingly engages a filtration surface of said second filtration device when said drive shaft rotates;
• a filtered melt outlet downstream of said second filtration device;
• a first fluid path extending through said at least partially hollow, externally actuated drive shaft in fluid communication with said first chamber for allowing egress of debris accumulated on said first filtration surface;
• a second fluid path extending through said at least partially hollow, externally actuated drive shaft in fluid communication with said second chamber for allowing egress of debris accumulated on said second filtration surface;
• and
• valving for controlling fluid flows such that filtration and debris removal may be separately accomplished;
• wherein molten plastic introduced into said first chamber passes through said first filtration device, said second filtration device and exits through said filtered melt outlet, while debris contained in said introduced molten plastic is captured by said first and second filtration devices, and is subsequently removed by said first and second scrapers, and said removed debris exits through said first and second fluid paths.