On-line reclaim system

In an on-line system for reclaiming a portion of oriented and unoriented film produced on an extrusion line, wherein at least one carrier stream transfers said portion of said film to a means for both entangling said oriented and unoriented film to form a collection thereof containing at least 25% by weight of unoriented film and chopping said collection to form a chopped reclaim therefrom and wherein at least one other carrier stream transfers said chopped reclaim to a means for transferring both virgin resin and said chopped reclaim to a means for plasticizing such materials which is a part of said line, an improvement to said means for transferring both virgin resin and said chopped reclaim comprising:

• a first container, a cyclone, a first conduit with a first auger therein, a second conduit with a second auger therein, a third conduit with a third auger therein, a passageway, a meter, and a drive means;
• wherein said first container is adapted (i) to receive and to store virgin resin and (ii) to transfer a first portion of said virgin resin to the interior of said first conduit and to transfer a second portion of said virgin resin gravitationally to the interior of said passageway wherein said cyclone is adapted (i) to receive and to separate chopped reclaim from said at least one other carrier stream, (ii) to receive said first portion of said virgin resin from said first conduit so that such virgin resin and said chopped reclaim simultaneously being received in said cyclone become intermixed under the influence of said at least one other carrier stream so as to form a mixture thereof which collects within said cyclone, and (iii) to transfer said mixture to the interior of said second conduit, wherein said passageway is attached at one end to said first container and at the other end to the interior of said means for plasticizing, said passageway being adapted to accommodate said third conduit with said third auger while also transferring gravitationally said second portion of said virgin resin into said means for plasticizing;
• wherein said first conduit is connected at one end to said first container and at the other end to said cyclone, said one end of said first conduit being adapted to receive said first portion of said virgin resin and upon rotation of said first auger to transfer said first portion of said virgin resin to said cyclone;
• wherein said second conduit is connected at one end to said cyclone and at the other end to said third conduit, said one end of said second conduit being adapted to receive said mixture from within said cyclone and said other end of said second conduit being attached to said third conduit so that upon rotation of said second auger said mixture is transferred to the interior of said third conduit;
• wherein said third conduit is supported within said first container, one end of said third conduit being disposed within said passageway so that upon rotation of said third conduit said mixture is transferred to the interior of said means for plasticizing;
• wherein said third auger within said third conduit has attached at one end thereof said motor, wherein said motor is adapted to impart said rotary motion to said third auger;
• wherein said drive means comprises a first, second, third, and fourth cog wheel, a first chain and a second chain, said first cog wheel being attached to a screw of said extruder so as to cause rotation of said first cog wheel in response to any rotary movement of said screw, said first chain being adapted to couple said first cog wheel and said second cog wheel so as to cause rotation of said second cog wheel in response to any rotary movement of said first cog wheel, said second cog wheel being attached to said second auger so as to cause rotation thereof in response to any rotary movement of said second cog wheel, said third cog wheel being attached to one of said second cog and said second auger so as to rotate in response to any rotary movement of said second auger, said second chain being adapted to couple said third cog wheel and said fourth cog wheel so as to cause rotation of said fourth cog wheel in response to any rotary movement of said third cog wheel, said fourth cog wheel being attached to said first auger so as to cause rotation of said first auger in response to any rotary movement of said fourth cog wheel.