Entek Manufacturing LLC

Craig Allen Benjamin

Dean Justin Elliott

Larry T Keith

Colt Aaron McDaniel

Melissa Christine Jensen-Morgan

A multiple screw extruder () combines application of vacuum to a vacuum vent () positioned between material feed locations () of the extruder and use of specially configured extruder screws () to extract gases, primarily air, out of the extruder to densify the materials introduced into it and to extract unwanted fluid from material introduced for mixture with molten polymeric material flowing through the extruder. The multiple screw extruder is operationally versatile in that it is capable of carrying out the material densification and fluid extraction processes either separately or simultaneously. Implementation of the disclosed vacuum feed technology provides an increase in rate of extrudate throughput as compared with that achievable by implementation of atmospheric venting () in a conventionally configured extruder ().

Multiple screw extruder implemented with vacuum vent and screws configured to densify, or extract fluid from, material processed by the extruder

Puck and collar alignment device embodiments facilitate simultaneous insertion of free end portions of screw shafts into open end portions of complementary drive couplings. The embodiments have alignment keys that correct deviations in alignment and rotation introduced while moving the screw shafts though a barrel of an extruder. Tapered front faces of the alignment keys incrementally adjust coaxial alignment, and tapered side faces of the alignment keys incrementally adjust rotational position cooperatively between the alignment devices and drive couplings. The coaxial and rotational position adjustments cooperate to simultaneously guide multiple alignment keys to fit within corresponding keyway sections while providing alignment of external splines on the screw shafts to interlock in a timed relationship with internal splines on the drive couplings during the simultaneous insertion.

Extruder screw shaft alignment apparatus and method

A restored metallic extrusion processing element comprises a tubular metal core around which is consolidated a powdered metal extrusion component that includes metallurgically bonded interior shell and exterior working portions. The interior shell portion covers the core and is characterized by a first multiple-crystalline microstructure, and the exterior working portion is characterized by a second multiple crystalline microstructure of densified powdered metal particles. The exterior working portion has an outside surface including outer working surface features that extend along the length of the extrusion processing element. A bond interface of metallurgical type defines a crystalline microstructure boundary between the first and second multiple-crystalline microstructures.

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Lebanon, OR, United States of America

Craig Allen Benjamin