Extrusion and refining apparatus and method

An apparatus for processing thermo-plastic and rubber like materials by extruding and straining the materials, said apparatus comprising;

• a barrel extending in a longitudinal direction and having multiple sections, said barrel sections each having a cylindrical bore;
• a rotor positioned in said cylindrical barrel bore and rotatable relative to said cylindrical barrel, said rotor including extrusion grooves extending around an upstream end of said rotor and a downstream end of said rotor for transporting said materials through said barrel, said extrusion grooves being interrupted by a smooth conical section intermediate said upstream and downstream ends of said rotor;
• and
• a conical barrier section positioned between separate sections of said barrel, said conical barrier section having barrier grooves on the inside of said conical barrier section;
• said rotor being positioned relative to said barrier section so that said smooth conical section on said rotor is positioned on the interior of said barrier grooves, said materials being transported though said barrier grooves past said smooth conical section on said rotor;
• said rotor being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel and to said conical barrier section between a first and a second position, said smooth conical section closing said barrier grooves in said first position and said barrier grooves being fully open in said second position, said rotor being longitudinally movable between said first and said second positions to partially restrict material flow through said barrier grooves to change the amount of strain on said materials when passing through said barrier grooves.