In-line homogenizing of extrudable ceramic batch materials

In extrusion apparatus including an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion die on the outlet end of said extrusion cylinder, and a reciprocal plunger within said cylinder for extruding successive charges of ceramic batch material through said extrusion die into ceramic articles, the improvement comprising means positioned within said extrusion cylinder upstream of said extrusion die for initially breaking up and dissipating interfacial discontinuities in said batch material and then for compacting such material into a continuous homogeneous slug of batch material prior to being extruded through said extrusion die, said means including a flow homogenizer positioned within said extrusion cylinder, said flow homogenizer having substantially cylindrical outer sidewall portions conforming to inner wall portions of said extrusion cylinder and an upper wall portion extending across said sidewall portions forming a compaction chamber within said flow homogenizer between said sidewall and upper wall portions, a plurality of passages extending through said upper wall portion communicating between the interior of said extrusion cylinder and said compaction chamber, said passages extending diagonally through said upper wall portion and forming mixing means for laterally transposing batch material fed therethrough to an offset position within said compaction chamber relative to its initial orientation in said extrusion chamber.