Adjustable die mechanism

An adjustable die mechanism for extruding a profiled strip of plastic material, comprising:

• a. means for providing a flow channel, having a predetermined cross section, for the extrusion therethrough, starting at one end, of said strip of plastic material;
• b. a final extrusion die assembly located on the end opposite said one end and having a predetemined profiled opening, of a cross section preferably less than that of said channel, for extruding said strip of plastic material therethrough;
• c. a plurality of adjacent segments located upstream and in spaced relation from said extrusion die assembly for variably preforming the profiled strip of plastic material, said plurality of segments being mounted for individual and independent adjustment thereof, each segment having one end thereof capable of extending into said channel, and thus into said strip of plastic material;
• d. means for moving said segments relative to said profiled opening in a predetermined manner such that moving said segments into the projection of said profiled opening modifies the flow of said strip of plastic material downstream of said segments as said strip emerges from said die assembly;
• and,
• e. control means for selectively operating said means for moving said segments, thereby producing a strip of plastic material having the desired characteristics.