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US 4,379,106 AGranted
Method of expanding heat expandable thermoplastic elements with steam and a horizontal expander with a feed near the bottom for expanding the heat expandable element
OwnerHarry Bussey, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The steam expander conveys the expanding heat expandable thermoplastic elements along a horizontal axis using a plurality of paddle frames. The paddle frames serve to agitate and tumble the elements during movement from an inlet to an outlet. At the same time, steam is injected into the housing of the expander to expand the elements. The expanded elements can be drawn off via a vacuum line to an overhead hopper or hoppers.
Claims32
A method of expanding heat expandable thermoplastic elements, said method comprising the steps of
- feeding a supply of heat expandable thermoplastic elements into a horizontally disposed chamber near the bottom dead center of the chamber at one axial end thereof to maintain the chamber in a substantially filled condition;
- agitating the elements in the chamber while conveying the elements towards an outlet at an opposite end of the chamber;
- and
- passing a heated medium upwardly into the chamber for heating and expanding the elements therein during conveyance toward the outlet.
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An expander comprising
- a housing having an inlet at one end near the bottom dead center of said housing for receiving a flow of heat expandable thermoplastic elements and an outlet at an opposite end for expelling a flow of thermoplastic elements in expanded form;
- means for passing a vaporous heated medium into a lower part of said housing for heating and expanding the thermoplastic elements therein while being retained within said housing at said one end;
- and
- means rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis within said housing for continuously agitating and conveying the thermoplastic elements from said inlet to said outlet along said horizontal axis.
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A steam expander for expanding loose fill heat expandable thermoplastic elements, said expander comprising
- a housing defining a horizontal cylindrical chamber including an inlet at one end of said chamber near the bottom dead center of said chamber and an outlet at an opposite end of said chamber;
- rotatable means within said chamber for agitating and conveying thermoplastic elements within said chamber from said inlet to said outlet;
- and
- means for passing steam upwardly into said chamber to heat and expand the thermoplastic elements passing from said inlet to said outlet while being retained within said housing at said one end.
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A system for expanding expandable thermoplastic elements comprising
- a movably mounted expander having an inlet near a bottom thereof for receiving a flow of heat expandable thermoplastic elements, an outlet at an opposite end for expelling a flow of thermoplastic elements in expanded form, and means for heating and expanding the elements between said inlet and said outlet, said expander being movable along a predetermined path;
- a plurality of hoppers disposed over and along said path, each said hopper having an outlet for dumping thermoplastic elements therefrom, at least some of said hopper outlets being selectively connectable to said inlet of said expander to deliver elements thereto for expansion;
- and
- a plurality of vacuum lines, each said vacuum line being in communication with a respective hopper and being selectively connectable to said expander to withdraw elements expelled from said expander outlet into said respective hopper.
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An expander comprising
- a housing defining a cylindrical chamber disposed on a horizontal axis and including an inlet near the bottom dead center of said chamber for receiving a flow of heat expandable thermoplastic elements and an outlet at an opposite end of said chamber for expelling a flow of thermoplastic elements in expanded form;
- means rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis within said housing for agitating and conveying the thermoplastic elements from said inlet to said outlet along said horizontal axis;
- and
- means for passing a vaporous heated medium into said housing longitudinally along a lower part of said chamber and against the direction of flow of the elements for heating and expanding the thermoplastic elements therein while being retained within said housing at the inlet end.
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An expander comprising
- a housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of heat expandable thermoplastic elements and an outlet for expelling a flow of thermoplastic elements in expanded form;
- means for passing a heated medium into said housing for agitating and conveying the thermoplastic elements from said inlet to said outlet along said horizontal axis, said rotatably mounted means including a shaft extending along said axis, a first paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said inlet for pushing the received elements towards said outlet, a second paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said first paddle frame to tumble the elements within said chamber and a third paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said outlet to tumble and retard the outflow of the elements through said outlet.
An expander comprising
- a housing having an inlet at one end near the bottom of said housing for receiving a flow of heat expandable thermoplastic elements and an outlet at an opposite end for expelling a flow of thermoplastic elements in expanded form;
- means for passing a vaporous heated medium into a lower part of said housing for heating and expanding the thermoplastic elements therein while being retained within said housing at said one end;
- and
- means rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis within said housing for continuously agitating and conveying the thermoplastic elements from said inlet to said outlet along said horizontal axis, said rotatably mounted means including a shaft extending along said axis, a first paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said inlet for pushing the received elements towards said outlet, a second paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said first paddle frame to tumble the elements within said chamber and a third paddle frame mounted on said shaft adjacent said outlet to tumble and retard the outflow of the elements through said outlet.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.