Title of Invention	APPARATUS FOR FILING A SCREW BEARINGLY SUPPORTED WITHIN A HOUSING AND PROCESS FOR OPERATION OF SUCH AN APPARATUS
Abstract	Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that within the receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69) constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tools (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material.

Title of Invention

APPARATUS FOR FILING A SCREW BEARINGLY SUPPORTED WITHIN A HOUSING AND PROCESS FOR OPERATION OF SUCH AN APPARATUS

Abstract

Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that within the receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69) constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tools (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material.

Full Text	The invention relates to an apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, wherein The filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice. Further, the invention relates to a process for operation of such an apparatus. An apparatus of the initially desc ibed kind is known to the applicants from practice as a vacuum hopper for injection molding or extrusion machines. Such a construction, however, cannot suivably be used for all kinds of synthetic plastic material, in particular not for such kinds of plastics which require a longer dwell time within the receptacle, for example PET (polyethylene terephthalate), for example comminuted material deriving from bottles, bottle pre-forms, foils or plates. This material, as a rule, s not pre-crystallized and requires a certain temperature and homogenous distribution before it is introduced into the screw housing for plastification. The dwell time within the receptac e is categorized broadly as under: Short dwell time : 5 to 30 minutes Optimum dwell time : 40 to 90 minutes Longer dwell time : 1-3 hours. These are accepted categories in the art, for which no experimental results are available. The invention has at its object to improve an apparatus of the initially described kind so that the requirements mentioned above are met, that means, that such special kinds of plastics, in particular milled PET-material, are so processed within the receptacle that the material is fed with the desired homogenous condition into the filling opening of the screw housing. The invention solves this task by the features that within the receptacle, in the middle region of the height thereof, at least one tool that quickly rotates for creating a mixing cone, is disposed between an upper inte rior portion and a lower interior portion of the receptacle, wherein within the upper interior portion the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization of the material, and wherein tools circulating within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material. Within this, the invention starts from the finding that it is difficult to feed the screw with material processed within the receptacle and having a uniform dwell time through the lower outflow opening of the receptacle. Tests have shown that this difficulty can be overcome by the fact that within the upper region of the receptacle the power necessary for obtaining the desired temperature range of the material can be relatively quickly obtained by the tool circulating within this region. The power that can be introduced by the circulating tools is within the lower region of the receptacle smaller, because there processing is less intensive, what contributes to avoid overheating c f the material, although the processed material remains within the lower inner part of thte receptacle mostly for a considerable dwell time. This dwell time ensures a good the mal homogeneity of the material entering the screw housing and, therefore, a good quality of the material that is conveyed by the screw to a further processing, for example an extruder. The longer the average dwell time of the material within the receptacle is, he less is the likelihood that a plastic particle that is not sufficiently pre-heated or, respectively, dried or, respectively, pre-crystallized, enters the screw housing, what is not desired. The minor action of the tools disposed within the lower receptacle section contributes also to supply the stirred material without any difficulty, in particular without clustering by agglomeration, to the filling opening of the screw housing which suitably is immediately connected to the outflow end of the receptacle, in special cases, however, can also be connected therewith via a connecting tube. The evacuability of the receptacle ensures a better drying of an eventual wet material and shields the pre- heated material, in particular PE, against the air oxygen, so that this material can be pre- crystallized in the desired manner and a high pre-crystallization value can be obtained. In the described manner, also wet plastic material (humidity up to about 5%) can be processed, because within the upper inner space portion of the receptacle the higher additional power required for drying can be introduced without any problem, without that there is the danger of a non-horr ogenous treatment of the synthetic plastic material. According to a further enbodiment of the invention, the tool circulating within the central region of the receptacle is positioned on the upper side of a disc, the edge thereof being spaced a small distance from the inner wall of the receptacle. Within the spirit of the invention, this distance amounts, to at least 20 mm. By this distance, an annular-shaped penetration opening around the edge of the disc is provided for the plastic material processed within the upper inner space portion of the receptacle, through which this material by and by reaches the lower inner space portion of receptacle from the upper inner space portion. The most favorable distance for forming this annular gap depends from the kind of the processed plastics material and also from the degree of comminuting it. The greater the density of the processed material is, the smaller can be the size of the said annular gap. In order to enable an adaptation to different conditions, it is suitable within the spirit of the invention, if the size of the distance can be adjusted, and this can be designed by a suitable adjustment of marginal sections of the disc without any problem. The introduction of the processed material disposed within the receptacle into the intake opening of the screw housing is facilitated if the receptacle has an upper cylindrical section and a lower conical section which tapers towards the filling opening of the screw housing. Such a construction has also the advantage that the tools disposed within the conical section of the receptacle ge t shorter and shorter from above to below, so that, when a sufficient stirring action is maintained, the power introduction into the treated material becomes neglectibly small. Within that, it is of advantage when within the spirit of the invention the tool creating the mixing cone is disposed in the region of the upper end of the conical section, because this favors forming the mixing cone by the inclined wall sections. It has been shown that favorable relations between the height of the cylindrical section and the height of the conica section are in the range of between 3:1 and 1:3. As already mentioned, the tools disposed within the lower inner space section of the receptacle are mere mixing tools. This may hold also for the tools creating the mixing cone in the upper inner space portion of the receptacle, because comminuting of the plastic material that is mostly ntroduced in a pre-comminuted condition into the receptacle, as a rule, is not necessary. If desired, however, a tool disposed in the upper section of the receptacle can be formed as a comminuting tool, preferably it can be provided with cutting edges, in particular if such comminuting tools are carried by the disc separating the two inner space sections of the receptacle. For constructional reasons, it is favorable to close the vacuum-tight receptacle up by a cover which has an opening for introduction of the material, to which a chamber is connected that can be closed up and below by vacuum-tight closeable valves, in particular gates, and to which an evacuating line is connected, wherein an additional evacuating line is connected to the receptacle. T lis chamber acts as evacuable sluice for the material to be introduced into the receptacle, so that no air oxygen reaches the receptacle when filling it. The cover can be used for carrying the drive means, in particular a controllable drive means, and, if desired, also a gear means, for the tools. Such a drive means enables one to change the speed of rotation of the tools and to adapt thereby to the respective present circumstances. A finer adjustment of desired operation conditions within the receptacle is obtained according to a further embodiment of the invention by the features that the tools positioned within the lower section of the receptacle and the tools positioned within the upper suction of the receptacle are driven via coaxial shafts independently from each other. Thereby, the object aimed at can be met in a particular favorable manner, namely to int oduce the power in the upper section of the receptacle as quick as possible into the material positioned there, for example by tools quickly rotating there. However, in the lower receptacle section it is intended to thermally homogenize the, material, in order to keep the desired exit temperature at the outflow opening of the funnel' and for this a comparatively lower circulation of the tools may be sufficient. It is suitable for obtaining the desired effect, to provide according to the invention in the upper and in the lower section of the receptacle at least one temperature sensor each and to control the operation process in dependence from the temperature conditions detected by these temperature sensors. In order to avoid losses to the outside, the receptacle has heat-hsulating walls. A further possibility to influence the temperature conditions within the receptacle consists in that the receptacle has at least one double-walled casing section, the hollow space of which is connected to a line for a temperature control medium which can be a liquid or a gas. Thereby, for example, heating of the material positioned within the upper receptacle section can be accelerated by applying additional heat power via the temperature control medium anc/or a cooling of the material positioned within the lower receptacle section can be obtained via the temperature control medium. It has been shown that particular favourable operating conditions can be obtained if the effective volume of the receptacle corresponds at least to the half throughput per hour of the screw, preferably to the single to triple throughput. For this, it is suitable if the entire tools introduce into the processed plastics material a mixing energy of 3 to 12 kWh per 100 kg throughput of the extruder screw. This is sufficient also for processing wet synthetic plastic material. The by far predominant portion of this mixing energy is introduced by the tools relating to the upper interior portion of the receptacle. The inventive process for operating an inventive apparatus is characterized in that the energy introduced into the material contained within the receptacle is controlled by controlling the rotational speed of at least one shaft carrying the tools. Thereby optimal results can be obtained. This control of the rotational speed of the tools is suitably made independent from the temperatures of the processed material measured in the lower and upper section of the receptacle. If desired, an additional tempering of the processed plastic material can be obtained by introduction of a tempering medium into at least one of the tools. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, tempering of the material contained within the receptacle can be performed by supplying a tempering medium into the hollow space of least one double-walled section of the casing of the receptacle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS In the drawings, exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are schematically shown. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment in a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment in a section similar to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a detail in a horizontal section. Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment in a vertical section. Fig. 6 shows a fourth embodiment in a vertical section. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a detail of a constructional variant to Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows n a section similar to Fig. 6 and 7 a further variant and Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line X-X of Fig. 9. Within the embodiment according to Fig. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a stationary receptacle 1 for the synthetic plastic material to be processed which, in particular, is pre-comminuted PET-material, that is therefore in a pourable condition. As a rule, this material derives from commnuted, in particular milled, bottles, bottle pre-forms, foils or plates of PET. The upright receptacle 1 has a vertical axis 62 and a substantially cylindrical upper section 2 to which a f usto-conical section 3 is below connected. The two sections 2, 3 confine an upper interior portion 68 and a lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1. The entire receptacle 1 has a great volume so that great volumes of material can be processed so that all materia portions of the material to be processed remain within the receptacle 1 for a certain, sufficient long dwell time to be sufficiently pre- conditioned before the respective materia) enters from the lower outflow opening 4 of the receptacle 1 into a vacuum-tight filling opening 5 of the housing 6 of a screw 7. For example, the volume of the receptacle is so dimensioned that the material contained therein reaches an average processing time in the container 1 for about one hour. The housing 6 together with the screw 7 forms mostly an extruder, it can be a single screw extruder or a multiple screw extruder. Within the housing 6, the material supplied through the filling opening 5 to the screw 7 is plasticized by the screw and is extruded in a known manner through an extruder head 8 in fc rrn of ropes. A granulating apparatus (not shown) or another shape-producing tool can be connected to the extruder head 8. However, the screw 7 can also be a mere conveying screw or, respectively, dosing screw which feds the material conveyed by it to any desired processing apparatus, for example to an extruder. The filling opening 5 is suitably vacuum-tightly connected directly to the discharge opening 4, only in special cases an indirect connection can be made, for example by means of a vacuum-tight tube piece. The screw 7 is driven in direction of the arrow 9 by a drive means (not shown) via a shaft 10 which intersects a vacuum-tight front-side closure 11 of the housing 6 and is connected for common rotation to the core 12 of the screw 7. As it is shown, this core 12 can have different diameters over the axial length of the screw 7. In the embodiment shown, the core diameter increases towards two relief zones 13,14 each, in front of which the conveyed material is in each case compressed and plasticized and is then subjected to pressure decrease in the relief zones 13 or 14, respectively. By this pressure decrease, the gas bubbles contained within the material conveyed by the screw 7 can release and can escape through de-gassing openings 15 or 16, respectively, from the housing 6 in direction of the arrows 17. Suitably, these gases are collected and, if desired, supplied to re-utilization. Adjacent the second relie zone 14 the diameter of the screw core 12 increases again, so that the material conveyed by the screw 7 reaches the extruder head 8 or, respectively, the exit nozzles disposed therein in a sufficiently plasticized condition. The material to be processed is supplied to the receptacle 1 through a chamber 18 (Fig. 2) of an evacuable sluice 60 which is vacuum-tightly constructed and, for this, is provided up and down with valves 19 or 20, respectively. Suitably, these valves 19, 20 are constructed as gate valves, the ga e plates 21 or 22, respectively, intersect vacuum-tightly the walls of the chamber 18 and c an be moved reciprocably by means of hydraulically or pneumatically actuated cylinders 28, 24. To the upper filling opening 25 of the chamber 18 there is connected the outflow end of a hopper 26 via which the material to be processed is introduced into the apparatus .The lower outflow end of the chamber 18 is vacuum- tightly connected to an opening 2' of a cover 28 by which the receptacle 1 is vacuum- tightly closed to above. To this cover28 an evacuating line 29 is connected, by which the interior of the receptacle 1 can be evacuated. By means of a further evacuating line 61 the sluice 60 is evacuable. Within the receptacle 1 tools 30, 31 constituted by radial wings revolve around the vertical container axis 62. These tools 30, 31 are fixed to a vertical shaft 32 that is coaxial to the container axis 62 and may extend outwardly from this shaft in a substantially horizontal direction. The shaft 32 is vacuum-tightly bearingly supported for rotation in the cover 28 at the place 33 and is drive n for rotation by a controllable motor 34, if desired via a gear-means 35. The control lines therefore are marked with 36. The tools 30 are disposed in the region of that level of the receptacle 1 in which the funnel-shaped lower section 3 merges into the cylindrical upper section 2. These tools 30 extend close to the wall of the section 2 of the receptacle 1 and, therefore, cause by their high peripheral velocity an intensive stirring of the rraterial introduced into the receptacle 1. If necessary, these tools 30 may be provided with cutting edges 70 so that the processed material is also comminuted. At this processing the material contained within the upper interior portion 68 of the receptacle 1 is crculated in form of a mixing cone 71. The power required for this passes for its major part as heat energy into the so treated material and heats it thereby. As it can be seen, the tools 31 disposed within the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1 are shorter than the tools 30 disposed within the cylindrical upper section 2 of the receptacle 1. The lower tools 31, therefore, introduce due to their lower peripheral velocity less energy into the processed plastic material than the upper tools 30. Therefore, within the upper section 2 of the receptacle 1, a quick energy introduction for heating the plastic material supplied coldly from above takes place, which material by and by descends to below and reaches the region of the shorter tools 31, caused by the material discharge through the outflov/ opening 4 performed by the screw 7. The shorter tools 31 only stir the plastic material disposed within their region, the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1, therefore, constitutes a dwell space for the processed heated material in which eventual thermal inhomogeneities are equalized. At the same time, an agglomeration of the heated plastic material is avoided. Particularly then, when the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1 is higher than the upper interior portion 68, there results the intended considerable dwell time of the processed and stirred plastic material within the interior portion 69. Suitably, the conditions are so chosen that the entire effective volume of the receptacle 1 corresponds at least to the throughput of the screw 7 for half an hour. The temperatures occurring within the processed plastic material in the sections 2 and 3 of the receptacle 1 are suitably monitored by temperature sensors 37 or 38, respectively, to which lines are connected leading to a control device (not shown) by which suitable control signals are em tted to the control lines 36 of the motor 34. The ends 39 of the tools 31 which are shorter and shorter to below, may be chamfered, as this is shown in Fig. 2, in order to adapt to he funnel shape of the container section 3. Suitably, the tools 31 are very thin, so that as little as possible energy is introduced into the material. If desired, the rods of the upper tools 30 extending outwardly from the shaft 32 can also be provided with mixing wings ir order to increase the friction action onto the material contained within the container 1, so that the energy transfer onto the processed material is enforced. In order to avoid heat losses :c the outside, the walls of the casing 42 and suitably also of the cover 28 of the receptacle 1 are heat-insolated. Within the embodiment according to Fig. 3 and 4, the tools 30 or 31, respectively, disposed within the upper section 2 and within the lower section 3 of the receptacle 1 can be driven independently from each other. For this, the tools 31 are fixed to a central shaft 32 and the tools 30 to a hollow shaft 43 coaxially surrounding this shaft 32. The two shafts 32, 43 are driven via toothed rings 44 or 45, respectively by two gearings 35, 46, both of them may be driven by a common motor 34. The two gearings 35, 46 are controllable via control lines (not shown), suitably independently from the temperatures of the processed material measured via the temperature sensors 37, 38 (Fig. 1, 2). The motor 34 and the gearings 35, 46 can be carried by the cover 28. The upper tools 30 are here formed by a disc 72, which carries the cutting elements 70 on its outer periphery. This disc can rotate in the same direction as the tools 31 positioned within the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1 (arrow 41, Fig. 4). The two driving shafts 32, 43 however, result also in the possibility to choose different directions of rotation. Fig. 4 shows a particular suitable shape of the tools 31 for the lower portion 3 of the receptacle 1. As it can be seen, the tools 31 are curved and this in direction of their rotation (arrow 41) in order to convey the processed material from the outer edge towards the center, this results in a special mixing action. An additional influence upon the temperature conditions in the two container sections 2, 3 can be obtained by tempering the material within the respective section 2 or 3, respectively, via hollow spaces 47 of the tools 30 or 31, respectively, to which hollow spaces 47 supply lines 48 are connected, via which a tempering medium is fed into the hollow spaces 47. The tempering medium is fed into the supply lines 48 from tempering medium sources 49 via suitably rotating joins. The tempering medium must not be the same for all tools 30 and 31, for example, it is possible to additionally heat the disc 72 forming the tools 30 by the temper ng medium, in order to give the material processed by the disc or, respectively, by the cutting edges 70 as quick as possible the desired increased temperature, whereas the tools 31 are cooled by another tempering medium or by a tempering medium having ar other temperature. The temperatures of the tempering media supplied to the tools 30, 31 can be controlled in a suitable manner. A further possibility for influencing the temperature of the material positioned within the receptacle 1 results from tempering the interior of the receptacle 1 by a double-walled construction of its casing 42. In Fig. 3 this is shown, whereby the hollow space 52 positioned between the two walls 50, 51, of the casing 42 is sub-divided by partition walls 53 into two superimposed sections 54, 55, respectively connected to a line 56 or 81 for the supply or, respectively, discharge of a tempering medium which may be a gas or a liquid. The two lines 56 are connected via control means 57 or 58, respectively, to a source 59 for the tempering medium. If desired, the two control means 57, 58 can be supplied by different sources for the tempering medium. The control means 57, 58 can control the amount and/or tempeature of the respective tempering medium, they can be influenced by the temperature sensors 37, 38 (Fig. 1, 2). As it can be seen, the temperature conditions within the two sections 2, 3 of the receptacle 1 can be influenced by choosing the position of the partition wall 53. Therefore, the partition walls 53 can, but must not, be positioned at the location at which the funnel-shaped section 3 changes into the upper cylindrical section 2. Between the edge of the disc 72 and the inner wall 51 of the receptacle 1 there is an annular gap 73, the width thereof, as a rule, amounts to at least 20 mm, so that the material circulated within the intenor portion 68 and heated thereby can by and by reach the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1. In order to avoid that the processed material penetrates this annular gap 73 too quickly, its width, however, should not be too large, as a rule, it is smaller than 30 mm. An adaptation to different conditions of the processed material is possible, if the width of this annular gap 73 can be changed. For this, the disc 72, or, respectively, the inner wall of the receptacle can be so constructed that the respective edge sections of the disc 72 or, respectively, the wall are adjustable in radial direction. The effective capacity in Kilogram of the processed material of the receptacle 1 having a great volume corresponds at least to the half, suitable to one- to three times the throughput of the screw 7 per hour in kilogram. The drive means (motor 34) for the upper tools 30 suitably introduces a mixing energy of 3 to 12 kWh per 100 kg/h throughput of the screw into the processed materiaI. These operating examples have been shown as favorable, the nearer conditions of operations however, depend from the specific quality and the condition of the respective naterial introduced into the receptacle 1. The shaft 32 (and, respectively, also the hollow shaft 43) must not be positioned exactly vertical, inclinations are possible, however, there results all the more a conveyance of the material positior ed within the receptacle 1 to above or, respectively to below, the more the shaft is inclinec. In the lower interior portion 69, such a conveyance in vertical direction, as a rule, is not cesired, because there the material should be agitated only, but should no more substantially heated. Within the embodiments according to Fig. 1 to 4, the filling of the housing 6 of the screw 7 takes place in radial direc tion with respect to the axis 63 of the screw 7, with which radial direction the axis 62 of the receptacle 1 coincides. Just so, the housing 6 of the screw 7 can be filled on its front side with the material from the receptacle 1. As Fig. 5 shows, however also a tangential connection of the screw housing 6 of the receptacle 1 is possible so that the axis 62 of the container is spaced apart from the screw axis 63 for a distance a. This enables one to subdivide the shaft carrying the tools 30, 31 and to drive the two shaft sections 64, 65 by each one controllable motor 34 or 66, respectively, from above, respectively, from below. For this, it is suitable to give the lower end of the upper shaft section 64 the form of a sleeve 67 surrounding the lower shaft section 65, so that the two shaft sections 64, 65 are centered relative to each other and bearingly supported. This tangential connection of the screw housing 6 to the receptacle 1 enables one also to obtain a stuffing filling of the screw housing 6 by tools 31 rotating around the vertical axis 62 and disposed in the area of the lateral outflow opening of the receptacle 1 or, respectively, of the filling opening 5 of the screw housing 6. Within this embodiment, the tools 30 are also constituted by cutting edges 70 carried by a disc 72. This disc 72 is disposed something lower than the upper edge of the funnel-shaped lower container section 3. This favors forming the mixing cone 71, because the material treated by the cutting edges 70 is thrown off the disc 72 in radial direction and reaches the inclined portions of the wall of the casing of the container section 3, so that the impinging material receives a conponent of motion to above. Within the embodiment acco ding to Fig. 6 the disc 72 carrying the cutting edges 70 is disposed about at the half of the height of the receptacle 1 and substantially below the line at which the two container sections 2, 3 change into each other. As mentioned, the tools 31 disposed below the disc 30 agitate the processed material only, however do not impart it to become a mixing cone, so chat there results an almost flat material level 40 within the interior portion 69. The lower end of the funnel-shaped container portion 3 merges into the filling opening 5 of an extruder screw 7, driven via a gearing 74 by a motor 75. A sealing screw threads 76 avoids exit of the processed material at the drive side end of the screw 7. As Figs. 7 and 8 show, the receptacle 1 may below merge into the filling opening 79 of a dosing screw device 77, which, for example, comprises two dosing screws 78, driven by a common motor 75 and having parallel axes. This dosing screw device conveys the material into a radially disposed filling opening 5 of an extruder screw 7. A variant to this is shown in Fig. 9 and 10. Here, the double dosing screw 78 conveys the material received from the receptacle : into a shaft 80 from which it falls into the extruder screw 7 from above. By the described embodiments an average dwell time of at least one half of an hour can be obtained for each pre-comminuted plastic particle introduced into the container 1. This dwell time is calculated from the entry of the plastic particle into the upper sluice 60 till the exit from the container 1 through the outflow opening 4. The lower outflow opening 4 of the container 1 can feed the material also to another plant as this is shown, for example by means of a conveyor to a silo or to a device for any further processing, also to a dosing apparatus. The publication WO 00/64654 is hereby incorporated in the specification by way of reference. The invention provides apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vaccum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools acts onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that within the receptacle (1) in the niddle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69) constitutes i dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tool (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material. WE CLAIM: 1. Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice characterized in that within the receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69) constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tools (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool circulating within the central region of the receptacle (1) is positioned on the upper side of a disc (72), the edge thereof is spaced at a distance from the inner wall of the receptacle (1). 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distance lies between 20 mm and 30 urn. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the size of the distance is adjustable. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receptacle (1) has an upper cylindrical portion and a lower conical portion (3) that tapers to the filing opening (5) of the screw housing (6). 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tool (30), if desired a comminuting device, creating a mixing cone (71) is disposed in the region of the upper end of the conical section (3). 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the height of the cylindrical section (2) of the receptacle is in the ratio of 3:1 to 1:3 to the height of the conical section (3) of the receptacle. 8. Apparatus as claimed in an/ of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tools (31) in the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) extend for a less distance from their shaft (32) as the tools within the upper interior portion (2) of the receptacle (1). 9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tools (31) within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) are formed as curved mixing wings. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the receptacle (1) is vacuum-tightly closed to above by a cover (28) which has an opening (27) for the introduction of the material, to which opening a chamber (18) is connected, which is closeable to above and to below by vacuum-tightly closing valves (19, 20), in particular slide gates (21,22), and to which chamber an evacuating line (61) is connected, whereby an additional evacuating line (29) is connected to the receptacle (1). 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cover (28) carries the drive means (34) for the tools (30, 31), in particular a controllable drive means, and, if desired, also a gearing (35). 12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claim 1 to 11, wherein the tools (31) positioned within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptable (1) and the tools (30) posit oned within the upper interior portion (68) of the receptable (1) are driven independently from each other by means of coaxial shafts (32, 43) 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tools (31) disposed within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) circulate with a less velocity than the tools (30) associated to the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1) 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the tools (30) disposed within the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1) are carried by a hollow shaft (43) surrounding a shaft (32) carrying the tools (31) disposed within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1), whereby both shafts (32, 43) are driven by drive means disposed at their upper ends. 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the one shaft (32) is driven by a drive means disposed at its upper end, whereas the other shaft (43) is driven by a drive means disposed at its lower end. 16. Apparatus as claimed in an/ of claims 1 to 15, wherein the outflow opening (4) of the receptacle (1) is connected tangentially to the housing (6) of the screw (7). 17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least one temperature sensor (37 or 38) each is disposed within the upper interior portion (68) of th2 receptacle (1) and within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1). 18. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the receptacle (1) has a heat-insulating :asing (42). 19. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the receptacle (1) has at least one double-walled section of its casing (42), wherein the hollow space (42) disposed between the two walls (50, 51) is connected to a line (56) for a tempering medium. 20. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, wherein at least one tool (30,31) has a hollow space (47) for the introduction of a tempering medium. 21. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20, wherein at least one tool (30) creating the mixing cone in the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1) is formed as a comminuting tool, preferably is provided with cutting edges. 22. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the effective volume of the receptacle (1) corresponds to at least the half throughput of the screw (7) per hour, preferably to one to three times of this throughput. 23. Apparatus as claimed n any of claims 1 to 22, wherein the tools (30) associated to the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1) introduce a mixing heat into the processed material of 3 to 12 kWh per 100 kg/h throughput cf the screw (7). 24. Process for operating ar apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23, wherein the energy introduced into the material contained within the receptacle (1) is controlled by controlling the rotational speed of at least one of the shafts (32 or 43) respectively, carrying the tools. 25. Process as claimed in claim 24, wherein the control of the rotational speed of the shaft (32, 43) is performed independently from the temperature of the processed plastics material measured in the lower and/or in the upper sec ion (3 or 2), respectively, of the receptacle (1). 26. Process as claimed in :laim 24 or 25, wherein the tempering of the processed plastics material, if desired an additional tempering, is performed by introduct on of a tempering medium into at least one of the tools (30,31). 27. Process as claimed in any of claims 24 to 26, wherein tempering of the material contained within the receptacle (1), if desired an additional tempering, is performed by introduction of a tempering medium into the hollow space (52) of at least one double-walled section of the casing (42) of the receptacle (1). Dated this 4th day of December 2003. Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that within the receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69) constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tools (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material.

Full Text

The invention relates to an apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported
within a housing, in particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted
synthetic plastic material, wherein The filling opening of a screw housing is in
flow connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight
receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools
are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in
particular vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into
the receptacle from above through a sluice. Further, the invention relates to a
process for operation of such an apparatus.
An apparatus of the initially desc ibed kind is known to the applicants from
practice as a vacuum hopper for injection molding or extrusion machines. Such a
construction, however, cannot suivably be used for all kinds of synthetic plastic
material, in particular not for such kinds of plastics which require a longer dwell
time within the receptacle, for example PET (polyethylene terephthalate), for
example comminuted material deriving from bottles, bottle pre-forms, foils or
plates. This material, as a rule, s not pre-crystallized and requires a certain
temperature and homogenous distribution before it is introduced into the screw
housing for plastification.
The dwell time within the receptac e is categorized broadly as under:
Short dwell time : 5 to 30 minutes
Optimum dwell time : 40 to 90 minutes
Longer dwell time : 1-3 hours.
These are accepted categories in the art, for which no experimental results are
available.
The invention has at its object to improve an apparatus of the initially described
kind so that the requirements mentioned above are met, that means, that such
special kinds of plastics, in particular milled PET-material, are so processed within
the receptacle that the material is fed with the desired homogenous condition
into the filling opening of the screw housing. The invention solves this task by
the features that within the receptacle, in the middle region of the height
thereof, at least one tool that quickly rotates for creating a mixing cone, is
disposed between an upper inte rior portion and a lower interior portion of the
receptacle, wherein within the upper interior portion the processed plastic
material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction
of power, whereas the lower interior portion constitutes a dwell space for the
heated plastic material that has reached it, for thermal homogenization of the
material, and wherein tools circulating within this dwell space are formed as
mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid
agglomeration of the plastic material. Within this, the invention starts from the
finding that it is difficult to feed the screw with material processed within the
receptacle and having a uniform dwell time through the lower outflow opening of
the receptacle. Tests have shown that this difficulty can be overcome by the fact
that within the upper region of the receptacle the power necessary for obtaining
the desired temperature range of the material can be relatively quickly obtained
by the tool circulating within this region. The power that can be introduced by
the circulating tools is within the
lower region of the receptacle smaller, because there processing is less intensive, what
contributes to avoid overheating c f the material, although the processed material remains
within the lower inner part of thte receptacle mostly for a considerable dwell time. This
dwell time ensures a good the mal homogeneity of the material entering the screw
housing and, therefore, a good quality of the material that is conveyed by the screw to a
further processing, for example an extruder. The longer the average dwell time of the
material within the receptacle is, he less is the likelihood that a plastic particle that is not
sufficiently pre-heated or, respectively, dried or, respectively, pre-crystallized, enters the
screw housing, what is not desired. The minor action of the tools disposed within the lower
receptacle section contributes also to supply the stirred material without any difficulty, in
particular without clustering by agglomeration, to the filling opening of the screw housing
which suitably is immediately connected to the outflow end of the receptacle, in special
cases, however, can also be connected therewith via a connecting tube. The evacuability
of the receptacle ensures a better drying of an eventual wet material and shields the pre-
heated material, in particular PE, against the air oxygen, so that this material can be pre-
crystallized in the desired manner and a high pre-crystallization value can be obtained. In
the described manner, also wet plastic material (humidity up to about 5%) can be
processed, because within the upper inner space portion of the receptacle the higher
additional power required for drying can be introduced without any problem, without that
there is the danger of a non-horr ogenous treatment of the synthetic plastic material.
According to a further enbodiment of the invention, the tool circulating within the
central region of the receptacle is positioned on the upper side of a disc, the edge thereof
being spaced a small distance from the inner wall of the receptacle. Within the spirit of the
invention, this distance amounts, to at least 20 mm. By this distance, an annular-shaped
penetration opening around the edge of the disc is provided for the plastic material
processed within the upper inner space portion of the receptacle, through which this
material by and by reaches the lower inner space portion of receptacle from the upper
inner space portion. The most favorable distance for forming this annular gap depends
from the kind of the processed plastics material and also from the degree of comminuting
it. The greater the density of the processed material is, the smaller can be the size of the
said annular gap. In order to enable an adaptation to different conditions, it is suitable
within the spirit of the invention, if the size of the distance can be adjusted, and this can be
designed by a suitable adjustment of marginal sections of the disc without any problem.
The introduction of the processed material disposed within the receptacle into the
intake opening of the screw housing is facilitated if the receptacle has an upper cylindrical
section and a lower conical section which tapers towards the filling opening of the screw
housing. Such a construction has also the advantage that the tools disposed within the
conical section of the receptacle ge t shorter and shorter from above to below, so that,
when a sufficient stirring action is maintained, the power introduction into the treated
material becomes neglectibly small. Within that, it is of advantage when within the spirit of
the invention the tool creating the mixing cone is disposed in the region of the upper end
of the conical section, because this favors forming the mixing cone by the inclined wall
sections.
It has been shown that favorable relations between the height of the cylindrical
section and the height of the conica section are in the range of between 3:1 and 1:3.
As already mentioned, the tools disposed within the lower inner space section of
the receptacle are mere mixing tools. This may hold also for the tools creating the mixing
cone in the upper inner space portion of the receptacle, because comminuting of the
plastic material that is mostly ntroduced in a pre-comminuted condition into the
receptacle, as a rule, is not necessary. If desired, however, a tool disposed in the upper
section of the receptacle can be formed as a comminuting tool, preferably it can be
provided with cutting edges, in particular if such comminuting tools are carried by the disc
separating the two inner space sections of the receptacle.
For constructional reasons, it is favorable to close the vacuum-tight receptacle up
by a cover which has an opening for introduction of the material, to which a chamber is
connected that can be closed up and below by vacuum-tight closeable valves, in particular
gates, and to which an evacuating line is connected, wherein an additional evacuating line
is connected to the receptacle. T lis chamber acts as evacuable sluice for the material to
be introduced into the receptacle, so that no air oxygen reaches the receptacle when
filling it. The cover can be used for carrying the drive means, in particular a controllable
drive means, and, if desired, also a gear means, for the tools. Such a drive means
enables one to change the speed of rotation of the tools and to adapt thereby to the
respective present circumstances. A finer adjustment of desired operation conditions
within the receptacle is obtained according to a further embodiment of the invention by the
features that the tools positioned within the lower section of the receptacle and the tools
positioned within the upper suction of the receptacle are driven via coaxial shafts
independently from each other. Thereby, the object aimed at can be met in a particular
favorable manner, namely to int oduce the power in the upper section of the receptacle as
quick as possible into the material positioned there, for example by tools quickly rotating
there. However, in the lower receptacle section it is intended to thermally homogenize the,
material, in order to keep the desired exit temperature at the outflow opening of the funnel'
and for this a comparatively lower circulation of the tools may be sufficient.
It is suitable for obtaining the desired effect, to provide according to the invention in
the upper and in the lower section of the receptacle at least one temperature sensor each
and to control the operation process in dependence from the temperature
conditions detected by these temperature sensors. In order to avoid losses to the
outside, the receptacle has heat-hsulating walls. A further possibility to influence
the temperature conditions within the receptacle consists in that the receptacle
has at least one double-walled casing section, the hollow space of which is
connected to a line for a temperature control medium which can be a liquid or a
gas. Thereby, for example, heating of the material positioned within the upper
receptacle section can be accelerated by applying additional heat power via the
temperature control medium anc/or a cooling of the material positioned within
the lower receptacle section can be obtained via the temperature control
medium.
It has been shown that particular favourable operating conditions can be
obtained if the effective volume of the receptacle corresponds at least to the half
throughput per hour of the screw, preferably to the single to triple throughput.
For this, it is suitable if the entire tools introduce into the processed plastics
material a mixing energy of 3 to 12 kWh per 100 kg throughput of the extruder
screw. This is sufficient also for processing wet synthetic plastic material. The by
far predominant portion of this mixing energy is introduced by the tools relating
to the upper interior portion of the receptacle.
The inventive process for operating an inventive apparatus is characterized in
that the energy introduced into the material contained within the receptacle is
controlled by controlling the rotational speed of at least one shaft carrying the
tools. Thereby optimal results can be obtained. This control of the rotational
speed of the tools is suitably made independent from the temperatures of the
processed material measured in the lower and upper section of the receptacle. If
desired, an additional tempering of the processed plastic material can be
obtained by introduction of a tempering medium into at least one of the tools.
Alternatively, or in addition thereto, tempering of the material contained within
the receptacle can be performed by supplying a tempering medium into the
hollow space of least one double-walled section of the casing of the receptacle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
In the drawings, exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention
are schematically shown. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment in a vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a second
embodiment in a section similar to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a detail in a horizontal
section. Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment in a vertical section. Fig. 6 shows a
fourth embodiment in a vertical section. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a
detail of a constructional variant to Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 is a section taken along the
line VII-VII of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows n a section similar to Fig. 6 and 7 a further
variant and Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line X-X of Fig. 9.
Within the embodiment according to Fig. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a
stationary receptacle 1 for the synthetic plastic material to be processed which,
in
particular, is pre-comminuted PET-material, that is therefore in a pourable condition. As a
rule, this material derives from commnuted, in particular milled, bottles, bottle pre-forms,
foils or plates of PET. The upright receptacle 1 has a vertical axis 62 and a substantially
cylindrical upper section 2 to which a f usto-conical section 3 is below connected. The two
sections 2, 3 confine an upper interior portion 68 and a lower interior portion 69 of the
receptacle 1. The entire receptacle 1 has a great volume so that great volumes of material
can be processed so that all materia portions of the material to be processed remain
within the receptacle 1 for a certain, sufficient long dwell time to be sufficiently pre-
conditioned before the respective materia) enters from the lower outflow opening 4 of the
receptacle 1 into a vacuum-tight filling opening 5 of the housing 6 of a screw 7. For
example, the volume of the receptacle is so dimensioned that the material contained
therein reaches an average processing time in the container 1 for about one hour. The
housing 6 together with the screw 7 forms mostly an extruder, it can be a single screw
extruder or a multiple screw extruder. Within the housing 6, the material supplied through
the filling opening 5 to the screw 7 is plasticized by the screw and is extruded in a known
manner through an extruder head 8 in fc rrn of ropes. A granulating apparatus (not shown)
or another shape-producing tool can be connected to the extruder head 8. However, the
screw 7 can also be a mere conveying screw or, respectively, dosing screw which feds
the material conveyed by it to any desired processing apparatus, for example to an
extruder. The filling opening 5 is suitably vacuum-tightly connected directly to the
discharge opening 4, only in special cases an indirect connection can be made, for
example by means of a vacuum-tight tube piece.
The screw 7 is driven in direction of the arrow 9 by a drive means (not shown) via
a shaft 10 which intersects a vacuum-tight front-side closure 11 of the housing 6 and is
connected for common rotation to the core 12 of the screw 7. As it is shown, this core 12
can have different diameters over the axial length of the screw 7. In the embodiment
shown, the core diameter increases towards two relief zones 13,14 each, in front of which
the conveyed material is in each case compressed and plasticized and is then subjected
to pressure decrease in the relief zones 13 or 14, respectively. By this pressure decrease,
the gas bubbles contained within the material conveyed by the screw 7 can release and
can escape through de-gassing openings 15 or 16, respectively, from the housing 6 in
direction of the arrows 17. Suitably, these gases are collected and, if desired, supplied to
re-utilization. Adjacent the second relie zone 14 the diameter of the screw core 12
increases again, so that the material conveyed by the screw 7 reaches the extruder head
8 or, respectively, the exit nozzles disposed therein in a sufficiently plasticized condition.
The material to be processed is supplied to the receptacle 1 through a chamber 18
(Fig. 2) of an evacuable sluice 60 which is vacuum-tightly constructed and, for this, is
provided up and down with valves 19 or 20, respectively. Suitably, these valves 19, 20 are
constructed as gate valves, the ga e plates 21 or 22, respectively, intersect vacuum-tightly
the walls of the chamber 18 and c an be moved reciprocably by means of hydraulically or
pneumatically actuated cylinders 28, 24. To the upper filling opening 25 of the chamber 18
there is connected the outflow end of a hopper 26 via which the material to be processed
is introduced into the apparatus .The lower outflow end of the chamber 18 is vacuum-
tightly connected to an opening 2' of a cover 28 by which the receptacle 1 is vacuum-
tightly closed to above. To this cover28 an evacuating line 29 is connected, by which the
interior of the receptacle 1 can be evacuated. By means of a further evacuating line 61 the
sluice 60 is evacuable.
Within the receptacle 1 tools 30, 31 constituted by radial wings revolve around the
vertical container axis 62. These tools 30, 31 are fixed to a vertical shaft 32 that is coaxial
to the container axis 62 and may extend outwardly from this shaft in a substantially
horizontal direction. The shaft 32 is vacuum-tightly bearingly supported for rotation in the
cover 28 at the place 33 and is drive n for rotation by a controllable motor 34, if desired via
a gear-means 35. The control lines therefore are marked with 36. The tools 30 are
disposed in the region of that level of the receptacle 1 in which the funnel-shaped lower
section 3 merges into the cylindrical upper section 2. These tools 30 extend close to the
wall of the section 2 of the receptacle 1 and, therefore, cause by their high peripheral
velocity an intensive stirring of the rraterial introduced into the receptacle 1. If necessary,
these tools 30 may be provided with cutting edges 70 so that the processed material is
also comminuted. At this processing the material contained within the upper interior
portion 68 of the receptacle 1 is crculated in form of a mixing cone 71. The power
required for this passes for its major part as heat energy into the so treated material and
heats it thereby. As it can be seen, the tools 31 disposed within the lower interior portion
69 of the receptacle 1 are shorter than the tools 30 disposed within the cylindrical upper
section 2 of the receptacle 1. The lower tools 31, therefore, introduce due to their lower
peripheral velocity less energy into the processed plastic material than the upper tools 30.
Therefore, within the upper section 2 of the receptacle 1, a quick energy introduction for
heating the plastic material supplied coldly from above takes place, which material by and
by descends to below and reaches the region of the shorter tools 31, caused by the
material discharge through the outflov/ opening 4 performed by the screw 7. The shorter
tools 31 only stir the plastic material disposed within their region, the lower interior portion
69 of the receptacle 1, therefore, constitutes a dwell space for the processed heated
material in which eventual thermal inhomogeneities are equalized. At the same time, an
agglomeration of the heated plastic material is avoided. Particularly then, when the lower
interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1 is higher than the upper interior portion 68, there
results the intended considerable dwell time of the processed and stirred plastic material
within the interior portion 69. Suitably, the conditions are so chosen that the entire
effective volume of the receptacle 1 corresponds at least to the throughput of the screw 7
for half an hour. The temperatures occurring within the processed plastic material in the
sections 2 and 3 of the receptacle 1 are suitably monitored by temperature sensors 37 or
38, respectively, to which lines are connected leading to a control device (not shown) by
which suitable control signals are em tted to the control lines 36 of the motor 34. The ends
39 of the tools 31 which are shorter and shorter to below, may be chamfered, as this is
shown in Fig. 2, in order to adapt to he funnel shape of the container section 3. Suitably,
the tools 31 are very thin, so that as little as possible energy is introduced into the
material.
If desired, the rods of the upper tools 30 extending outwardly from the shaft 32 can
also be provided with mixing wings ir order to increase the friction action onto the material
contained within the container 1, so that the energy transfer onto the processed material is
enforced.
In order to avoid heat losses :c the outside, the walls of the casing 42 and suitably
also of the cover 28 of the receptacle 1 are heat-insolated. Within the embodiment
according to Fig. 3 and 4, the tools 30 or 31, respectively, disposed within the upper
section 2 and within the lower section 3 of the receptacle 1 can be driven independently
from each other. For this, the tools 31 are fixed to a central shaft 32 and the tools 30 to a
hollow shaft 43 coaxially surrounding this shaft 32. The two shafts 32, 43 are driven via
toothed rings 44 or 45, respectively by two gearings 35, 46, both of them may be driven
by a common motor 34. The two gearings 35, 46 are controllable via control lines (not
shown), suitably independently from the temperatures of the processed material
measured via the temperature sensors 37, 38 (Fig. 1, 2). The motor 34 and the gearings
35, 46 can be carried by the cover 28.
The upper tools 30 are here formed by a disc 72, which carries the cutting
elements 70 on its outer periphery. This disc can rotate in the same direction as the tools
31 positioned within the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1 (arrow 41, Fig. 4). The
two driving shafts 32, 43 however, result also in the possibility to choose different
directions of rotation.
Fig. 4 shows a particular suitable shape of the tools 31 for the lower portion 3 of
the receptacle 1. As it can be seen, the tools 31 are curved and this in direction of their
rotation (arrow 41) in order to convey the processed material from the outer edge towards
the center, this results in a special mixing action.
An additional influence upon the temperature conditions in the two container
sections 2, 3 can be obtained by tempering the material within the respective section 2 or
3, respectively, via hollow spaces 47 of the tools 30 or 31, respectively, to which hollow
spaces 47 supply lines 48 are connected, via which a tempering medium is fed into the
hollow spaces 47. The tempering medium is fed into the supply lines 48 from tempering
medium sources 49 via suitably rotating joins. The tempering medium must not be the
same for all tools 30 and 31, for example, it is possible to additionally heat the disc 72
forming the tools 30 by the temper ng medium, in order to give the material processed by
the disc or, respectively, by the cutting edges 70 as quick as possible the desired
increased temperature, whereas the tools 31 are cooled by another tempering medium or
by a tempering medium having ar other temperature. The temperatures of the tempering
media supplied to the tools 30, 31 can be controlled in a suitable manner.
A further possibility for influencing the temperature of the material positioned within
the receptacle 1 results from tempering the interior of the receptacle 1 by a double-walled
construction of its casing 42. In Fig. 3 this is shown, whereby the hollow space 52
positioned between the two walls 50, 51, of the casing 42 is sub-divided by partition walls
53 into two superimposed sections 54, 55, respectively connected to a line 56 or 81 for
the supply or, respectively, discharge of a tempering medium which may be a gas or a
liquid. The two lines 56 are connected via control means 57 or 58, respectively, to a
source 59 for the tempering medium. If desired, the two control means 57, 58 can be
supplied by different sources for the tempering medium. The control means 57, 58 can
control the amount and/or tempeature of the respective tempering medium, they can be
influenced by the temperature sensors 37, 38 (Fig. 1, 2). As it can be seen, the
temperature conditions within the two sections 2, 3 of the receptacle 1 can be influenced
by choosing the position of the partition wall 53. Therefore, the partition walls 53 can, but
must not, be positioned at the location at which the funnel-shaped section 3 changes into
the upper cylindrical section 2.
Between the edge of the disc 72 and the inner wall 51 of the receptacle 1 there is
an annular gap 73, the width thereof, as a rule, amounts to at least 20 mm, so that the
material circulated within the intenor portion 68 and heated thereby can by and by reach
the lower interior portion 69 of the receptacle 1. In order to avoid that the processed
material penetrates this annular gap 73 too quickly, its width, however, should not be too
large, as a rule, it is smaller than 30 mm. An adaptation to different conditions of the
processed material is possible, if the width of this annular gap 73 can be changed. For
this, the disc 72, or, respectively, the inner wall of the receptacle can be so constructed
that the respective edge sections of the disc 72 or, respectively, the wall are adjustable in
radial direction.
The effective capacity in Kilogram of the processed material of the receptacle 1
having a great volume corresponds at least to the half, suitable to one- to three times the
throughput of the screw 7 per hour in kilogram. The drive means (motor 34) for the upper
tools 30 suitably introduces a mixing energy of 3 to 12 kWh per 100 kg/h throughput of the
screw into the processed materiaI. These operating examples have been shown as
favorable, the nearer conditions of operations however, depend from the specific quality
and the condition of the respective naterial introduced into the receptacle 1.
The shaft 32 (and, respectively, also the hollow shaft 43) must not be positioned
exactly vertical, inclinations are possible, however, there results all the more a
conveyance of the material positior ed within the receptacle 1 to above or, respectively to
below, the more the shaft is inclinec. In the lower interior portion 69, such a conveyance in
vertical direction, as a rule, is not cesired, because there the material should be agitated
only, but should no more substantially heated.
Within the embodiments according to Fig. 1 to 4, the filling of the housing 6 of the
screw 7 takes place in radial direc tion with respect to the axis 63 of the screw 7, with
which radial direction the axis 62 of the receptacle 1 coincides. Just so, the housing 6 of
the screw 7 can be filled on its front side with the material from the receptacle 1. As Fig. 5
shows, however also a tangential connection of the screw housing 6 of the receptacle 1 is
possible so that the axis 62 of the container is spaced apart from the screw axis 63 for a
distance a. This enables one to subdivide the shaft carrying the tools 30, 31 and to drive
the two shaft sections 64, 65 by each one controllable motor 34 or 66, respectively, from
above, respectively, from below. For this, it is suitable to give the lower end of the upper
shaft section 64 the form of a sleeve 67 surrounding the lower shaft section 65, so that the
two shaft sections 64, 65 are centered relative to each other and bearingly supported.
This tangential connection of the screw housing 6 to the receptacle 1 enables one also to
obtain a stuffing filling of the screw housing 6 by tools 31 rotating around the vertical axis
62 and disposed in the area of the lateral outflow opening of the receptacle 1 or,
respectively, of the filling opening 5 of the screw housing 6.
Within this embodiment, the tools 30 are also constituted by cutting edges 70
carried by a disc 72. This disc 72 is disposed something lower than the upper edge of the
funnel-shaped lower container section 3. This favors forming the mixing cone 71, because
the material treated by the cutting edges 70 is thrown off the disc 72 in radial direction and
reaches the inclined portions of the wall of the casing of the container section 3, so that
the impinging material receives a conponent of motion to above.
Within the embodiment acco ding to Fig. 6 the disc 72 carrying the cutting edges
70 is disposed about at the half of the height of the receptacle 1 and substantially below
the line at which the two container sections 2, 3 change into each other. As mentioned,
the tools 31 disposed below the disc 30 agitate the processed material only, however do
not impart it to become a mixing cone, so chat there results an almost flat material level 40
within the interior portion 69.
The lower end of the funnel-shaped container portion 3 merges into the filling opening 5 of an
extruder screw 7, driven via a gearing 74 by a motor 75. A sealing screw threads 76 avoids exit
of the processed material at the drive side end of the screw 7.
As Figs. 7 and 8 show, the receptacle 1 may below merge into the filling opening 79 of a dosing
screw device 77, which, for example, comprises two dosing screws 78, driven by a common
motor 75 and having parallel axes. This dosing screw device conveys the material into a radially
disposed filling opening 5 of an extruder screw 7.
A variant to this is shown in Fig. 9 and 10. Here, the double dosing screw 78 conveys the
material received from the receptacle : into a shaft 80 from which it falls into the extruder screw
7 from above.
By the described embodiments an average dwell time of at least one half of an hour can be
obtained for each pre-comminuted plastic particle introduced into the container 1. This dwell time
is calculated from the entry of the plastic particle into the upper sluice 60 till the exit from the
container 1 through the outflow opening 4.
The lower outflow opening 4 of the container 1 can feed the material also to another plant as this
is shown, for example by means of a conveyor to a silo or to a device for any further processing,
also to a dosing apparatus.
The publication WO 00/64654 is hereby incorporated in the specification by way of reference.
The invention provides apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in
particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in
particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow connection with the lower
outflow opening of an upright vaccum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and wherein
within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around
an, in particular vertical, axis, which tools acts onto the material that is introduced into the
receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that
within the receptacle (1) in the niddle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool (30)
for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior
portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed plastic material, in
particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower
interior portion (69) constitutes i dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it,
for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tool (31) disposed within this dwell
space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid
agglomeration of the plastic material.
WE CLAIM:
1. Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in
particular of an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic
plastic material, in particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a
screw housing is in flow connection with the lower outflow opening of
an upright vacuum-tight receptacle for material to be processed, and
wherein within the receptacle tools are provided which are driven by a
drive means for rotation around an, in particular vertical, axis, which
tools act onto the material that is introduced into the receptacle from
above through a sluice characterized in that
within the receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one
quickly rotating tool (30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed
between an upper interior portion (68) and a lower interior portion
(69), wherein within the upper interior portion (68) the processed
plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a mixing cone
with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69)
constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has
reached it, for thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating
tools (31) disposed within this dwell space are formed as mere mixing
tools without substantial power introduction in order to avoid
agglomeration of the plastic material.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool circulating within the
central region of the receptacle (1) is positioned on the upper side of a
disc (72), the edge thereof is spaced at a distance from the inner wall
of the receptacle (1).
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distance lies between 20
mm and 30 urn.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the size of the distance
is adjustable.
5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receptacle
(1) has an upper cylindrical portion and a lower conical portion (3) that
tapers to the filing opening (5) of the screw housing (6).
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tool (30), if desired a
comminuting device, creating a mixing cone (71) is disposed in the
region of the upper end of the conical section (3).
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the height of the
cylindrical section (2) of the receptacle is in the ratio of 3:1 to 1:3 to
the height of the conical section (3) of the receptacle.
8. Apparatus as claimed in an/ of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tools (31) in
the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) extend for a less
distance from their shaft (32) as the tools within the upper interior
portion (2) of the receptacle (1).
9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tools (31)
within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) are formed
as curved mixing wings.
10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the receptacle
(1) is vacuum-tightly closed to above by a cover (28) which has an
opening (27) for the introduction of the material, to which opening a
chamber (18) is connected, which is closeable to above and to below
by vacuum-tightly closing valves (19, 20), in particular slide gates
(21,22), and to which chamber an evacuating line (61) is connected,
whereby an additional evacuating line (29) is connected to the
receptacle (1).
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cover (28) carries the
drive means (34) for the tools (30, 31), in particular a controllable
drive means, and, if desired, also a gearing (35).
12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claim 1 to 11, wherein the tools (31)
positioned within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptable (1)
and the tools (30) posit oned within the upper interior portion (68) of
the receptable (1) are driven independently from each other by means
of coaxial shafts (32, 43)
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tools (31) disposed
within the lower interior portion (69) of the receptacle (1) circulate
with a less velocity than the tools (30) associated to the upper interior
portion (68) of the receptacle (1)
14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the tools (30)
disposed within the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1)
are carried by a hollow shaft (43) surrounding a shaft (32) carrying the
tools (31) disposed within the lower interior portion (69) of the
receptacle (1), whereby both shafts (32, 43) are driven by drive means
disposed at their upper ends.
15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the one shaft (32) is
driven by a drive means disposed at its upper end, whereas the other
shaft (43) is driven by a drive means disposed at its lower end.
16. Apparatus as claimed in an/ of claims 1 to 15, wherein the outflow
opening (4) of the receptacle (1) is connected tangentially to the
housing (6) of the screw (7).
17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least one
temperature sensor (37 or 38) each is disposed within the upper
interior portion (68) of th2 receptacle (1) and within the lower interior
portion (69) of the receptacle (1).
18. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the receptacle
(1) has a heat-insulating :asing (42).
19. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the receptacle
(1) has at least one double-walled section of its casing (42), wherein
the hollow space (42) disposed between the two walls (50, 51) is
connected to a line (56) for a tempering medium.
20. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, wherein at least one
tool (30,31) has a hollow space (47) for the introduction of a
tempering medium.
21. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20, wherein at least one
tool (30) creating the mixing cone in the upper interior portion (68) of
the receptacle (1) is formed as a comminuting tool, preferably is
provided with cutting edges.
22. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the effective
volume of the receptacle (1) corresponds to at least the half
throughput of the screw (7) per hour, preferably to one to three times
of this throughput.
23. Apparatus as claimed n any of claims 1 to 22, wherein the tools (30)
associated to the upper interior portion (68) of the receptacle (1)
introduce a mixing heat into the processed material of 3 to 12 kWh per
100 kg/h throughput cf the screw (7).
24. Process for operating ar apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23,
wherein the energy introduced into the material contained within the
receptacle (1) is controlled by controlling the rotational speed of at
least one of the shafts (32 or 43) respectively, carrying the tools.
25. Process as claimed in claim 24, wherein the control of the rotational
speed of the shaft (32, 43) is performed independently from the
temperature of the processed plastics material measured in the lower
and/or in the upper sec ion (3 or 2), respectively, of the receptacle (1).
26. Process as claimed in :laim 24 or 25, wherein the tempering of the
processed plastics material, if desired an additional tempering, is
performed by introduct on of a tempering medium into at least one of
the tools (30,31).
27. Process as claimed in any of claims 24 to 26, wherein tempering of the
material contained within the receptacle (1), if desired an additional
tempering, is performed by introduction of a tempering medium into
the hollow space (52) of at least one double-walled section of the
casing (42) of the receptacle (1).
Dated this 4th day of December 2003.

Apparatus for filling a screw bearingly supported within a housing, in particular of
an extruder, for processing of pre-comminuted synthetic plastic material, in
particular PET, wherein the filling opening of a screw housing is in flow
connection with the lower outflow opening of an upright vacuum-tight receptacle
for material to be processed, and wherein within the receptacle tools are
provided which are driven by a drive means for rotation around an, in particular
vertical, axis, which tools act onto the material that is introduced into the
receptacle from above through a sluice, characterized in that within the
receptacle (1) in the middle region of its height at least one quickly rotating tool
(30) for creating a mixing cone is disposed between an upper interior portion
(68) and a lower interior portion (69), wherein within the upper interior portion
(68) the processed plastic material, in particular PET, circulates in form of a
mixing cone with introduction of power, whereas the lower interior portion (69)
constitutes a dwell space for the heated plastic material that has reached it, for
thermal homogenization thereof, whereby circulating tools (31) disposed within
this dwell space are formed as mere mixing tools without substantial power
introduction in order to avoid agglomeration of the plastic material.

Documents:

1578-KOLNP-2003-(17-08-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

1578-KOLNP-2003-(17-08-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

1578-KOLNP-2003-FORM-27.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-abstract.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-claims.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-correspondence.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-description (complete).pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-drawings.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-examination report.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 1.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 18.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 2.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 26.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 3.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-form 5.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

1578-kolnp-2003-granted-specification.pdf

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Patent Number

231373

Indian Patent Application Number

1578/KOLNP/2003

PG Journal Number

10/2009

Publication Date

06-Mar-2009

Grant Date

04-Mar-2009

Date of Filing

04-Dec-2003

Name of Patentee

SCHULZ HELMUTH

Applicant Address

HIRSCHGASSE 16/12 A-4020 LINZ

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	SCHULZ HELMUTH	HIRSCHGASSE 16/12 A-4020 LINZ
2	BACHER HELMUT	SCHMIDBERGERWEG 5, A-4490 ST. FLORIAN
3	WENDELIN GEORGE	WALDBOTHENWEG 84 A-4033 LINZ

PCT International Classification Number

B29C 47/58

PCT International Application Number

PCT/AT02/00171

PCT International Filing date

2002-06-06

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	A902/2001	2001-06-11	Australia