Material extruder

A large volume viscous explosives extruder, comprising:

• a housing defining a transparent cylindrical tube for containing a quantity of said viscous explosive material, said tube having an outlet opening at one end and an inlet opening at the opposite end along a longitudinal axis;
• a tapered nozzle sealingly engaged at the outlet opening;
• a non-metallic piston sealingly engaged with the interior surface of said tube and defining a first area in said tube between said piston and said nozzle in which viscous explosive material is housed;
• an end cap sealingly engaged at said inlet opening of said tube and defining a second area in said tube between said piston and said end cap;
• at least one inlet aperture in said end cap;
• and
• a variable flow control valve coupled to said inlet aperture and adapted to admit pressurized gas, said valve interposed between said inlet aperture and a conduit in communication with a high pressure gas source whereby an operator may selectively admit pressurized gas into said second area linearly transposing said piston toward said nozzle thereby forcing said viscous explosive material to be extruded though said nozzle.

A method of dispensing a viscous explosive compound comprising the steps of:

• providing a transparent enclosure having an outlet opening and an inlet opening for containing a quantity of said viscous material;
• providing a partition slideably inserted into sealed engagement with at least one interior surface of said enclosure and defining a first area between said partition and said outlet opening in which said viscous material is contained, said partition further defining a second area between said partition and said inlet opening;
• providing a plurality of control mechanisms in communication between a pressurized fluid or gas source and said second area, said control mechanisms including a flow control valve coupled to an inlet aperture in said second area and adapted to receive gas from a pressurized gas source;
• providing a high pressure fluid or gas source coupled to said flow control valve;
• positioning said outlet opening at the point where viscous material is required;
• selectively allowing fluid or gas to flow from said high pressure gas source to said second area by operation of said valve whereby the fluid or gas pressure in said second area forces said partition to be displaced into said first area causing the viscous explosive to be extruded at said outlet opening;
• visually monitoring the flow of the extruded material;
• and
• reducing flow of fluid or gas into said second area upon observing that the desired amount of material has been extruded.

An injector comprising:

• a housing, said housing and an internal surface, said internal surface defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis, said cavity being adapted to receive a piston slidingly therewithin where said piston defines a first and second variable area disposed on either side of said piston, said internal surface including a first surface region, a second surface region, and a transition region between said first and second surface regions, said transition region being configured to diverge from a corresponding surface of said piston which is fully displaced towards said transition region within said cavity and along a line between said transition region and said longitudinal axis so as to form no pinch point between said internal surface and said surface of said piston;
• and
• a plurality of control mechanisms in selectable communication between a pressurized fluid or gas source and said first variable area;
• whereby said control mechanisms are adapted to selectively admit pressurized gas or fluid into said first area to displace said piston along said longitudinal axis toward said transition region, thereby forcing said viscous material to be extruded from said second area though an outlet opening in said housing.