Thermoplastic melt apparatus

An assembly for the continuous filtration and transport of a thermoplastic melt from a melt source to a shaping apparatus comprising:

• a melt source providing a continuous flow of a thermoplastic melt;
• a diverting means disposed downstream of said melt source providing communication for said melt between said melt source and at least two parallel disposed conduits;
• at least two parallel disposed conduits, each provided with a removeable filter means, wherein said thermoplastic melt stream is filtered;
• a melt reservoir in communication with the downstream end of each of said parallel conduits, said reservoir providing a pool for storage of a fixed volume of said filtered thermoplastic melt;
• a level controlling means, in control communication with said melt reservoir and said melt source said level controlling means regulating the melt output of said melt source as a function of the level in said melt reservoir to insure a uniform melt flow to said melt reservoir;
• a positive displacement pumping means in communication with the outlet of said reservoir, said pumping means providing the motive force to provide a uniform rate of flow of said melt to a shaping apparatus;
• and
• said shaping apparatus in communication with the discharge out of said positive displacement pumping means, for shaping said thermoplastic melt, which flows into said shaping apparatus at a uniform rate, into a shaped article.