US 4,792,063 AGranted

Follower plate assembly

AssigneeIndustrial Machine Manufacturing, Inc.

InventorLeo M. Moore

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A follower plate assembly for dispensing hot melt material from a drum-like container including a bottom plate which is heated, a top plate spaced from the bottom plate, and a cylindrical member positioned between the top and bottom plates. The cylindrical member includes seals which engage the inside wall of the container from which material is to be dispensed. A plurality of metallic slip rings serve to seal the interface between the bottom plate and the cylindrical member.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A follower plate assembly shaped to fit inside a container having an inner wall comprising:

a bottom plate including an upper boundary surface and a lower boundary surface and having at least one aperture therethrough, said bottom plate including means associated therewith useful in providing for heating said bottom plate when said follower plate assembly is in operation;
at least one top plate spaced from said bottom plate and having an upper boundary and a lower boundary, said top plate including an outer peripheral portion;
a cylindrical member having an outer surface, an inner surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, said cylindrical member being positioned between said bottom plate and said top plate, such that said upper surface is adjacent said lower boundary and said lower surface is adjacent but not in contact with said upper boundary surface, to form a cavity formed by said bottom plate, said top plate, and said cylindrical member, and said cylindrical member including means engaging said outer surface for sealing an interface between said inner wall of said container and said outer surface of said cylindrical member when said follower plate assembly is inserted into said container;
means engaging said upper surface and said lower boundary to form first means for sealing said cavity at an interface between said cylindrical member and said top plate;
means positioned between said lower surface and said upper boundary surface to form second means for sealing said cavity at an interface between said cylindrical member and said bottom plate, said second means including a plurality of stacked metallic slip rings including an uppermost slip ring which engages said lower surface and a lowermost slip ring which engages said upper boundary surface;
and,
means engaging said top plate and said bottom plate for urging said top plate towards said bottom plate to actuate said first means and said second means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A follower plate assembly shaped to fit inside a container having an inner wall comprising:

a bottom plate including an upper boundary surface and a lower boundary surface and having at least one aperture therethrough, said bottom plate including means associated therewith useful in providing for heating said bottom plate when said follower plate assembly is in operation;
at least one top plate spaced from said bottom plate and having an upper boundary and a lower boundary, said top plate including an outer peripheral portion;
a cylindrical member having an outer surface, an inner surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, said cylindrical member being positioned between said bottom plate and said top plate, such that said upper surface is adjacent said lower boundary and said lower surface is adjacent but not in contact with said upper boundary surface, to form a cavity formed by said bottom plate, said top plate, and said cylindrical member, and said cylindrical member including means engaging said outer surface for sealing an interface between said inner wall of said container and said outer surface of said cylindrical member when said follower plate assembly is inserted into said container;
means engaging said upper surface and said lower boundary to form first means for sealing said cavity at an interface between said cylindrical member and said top plate;
means positioned between said lower surface and said upper boundary surface to form second means for sealing said cavity at an interface between said cylindrical member and said bottom plate, said second means including a plurality of stacked metallic slip rings including an uppermost slip ring which engages said lower surface and a lowermost slip ring which engages said upper boundary surface;
and,
means engaging said top plate and said bottom plate for urging said top plate towards said bottom plate to actuate said first means and said second means.

4 more elements