Horizontal vacuum chamber seal control device
AssigneeOwens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
InventorRobert Sadinski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus and a corresponding method for producing a continuous foamed extrudate product in which the extrusion and initial expansion of the foamed extrudate is conducted within a chamber under a partial vacuum. The foamed extrudate is then removed from the chamber through an orifice submerged within a liquid baffle. The dimensions of the foamed extrudate are monitored as it approaches the orifice and, if necessary, the effective sizing of the orifice is adjusted through the movement of a pair of side gates and a single vertical gate arranged external the orifice to match opening to the foamed extrudate and impede the flow of liquid into the chamber through the orifice.
Claims14
An apparatus for the production of a continuous extrudate product comprising:
- a vacuum chamber, the vacuum chamber including
- an extruder for forming an extrudate;
- an internal liquid reservoir having a first liquid level;
- a bulkhead partially submerged within the internal liquid reservoir;
- an external liquid reservoir having a second liquid level;
- an orifice formed in the bulkhead, the orifice located completely below both the first liquid level and the second liquid level, the orifice providing a connection between the internal liquid reservoir and the external liquid reservoir;
- conveying means for guiding the extrudate from the extruder into the internal liquid reservoir, through the orifice and into the external liquid reservoir, the extrudate passing through the orifice with an orientation substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the bulkhead;
- a pair of side gate assemblies, the side gate assemblies arranged adjacent and external to the orifice, the side gate assemblies being operable for controlling the effective width and horizontal position of the orifice;
- a roller assembly arranged adjacent and external to the side gate assemblies for defining a effective lower surface of the orifice;
- a vertical gate assembly arranged adjacent and external to the side gate assemblies, the vertical gate assembly being operable for controlling, in cooperation with the roller assembly, the effective height of the orifice.
An apparatus for controlling the effective sizing of an orifice through which a material exits an enclosed chamber comprising:
- a bulkhead, the bulkhead defining a downstream limit of the enclosed chamber;
- an orifice arranged in the bulkhead;
- a pair of side gate assemblies, the side gate assemblies arranged adjacent and external to the orifice, the side gate assemblies being operable for controlling the effective width of the orifice;
- a roller assembly arranged adjacent and external to the side gate assemblies for defining a effective lower surface of the orifice;
- a vertical gate assembly arranged adjacent and external to the side gate assemblies, the vertical gate assembly being operable for controlling, in cooperation with the roller assembly, the effective height of the orifice.
A method of forming a continuous, low density foam product comprising:
- forming a polymeric melt including a blowing agent;
- extruding the polymeric melt through a die into a chamber, the chamber being maintained at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, to form a foamed extrudate;
- conveying the foamed extrudate below the surface of a liquid baffle maintained within the chamber and through an orifice provided in the chamber and into a liquid baffle maintained outside the chamber;
- measuring dimensions and positioning of the foamed extrudate as it approaches the orifice;
- adjusting the positioning of a pair of side gates and a vertical gate arranged adjacent the orifice and outside:
- the chamber to form an effective orifice opening corresponding to the dimensions and positioning of the foamed extrudate to form an active seal around the foamed extrudate and thereby impede the flow of liquid into the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.