The Conair Group, Inc.

Plant Specialties Company

William T Jones

Robert H Bessemer

Robert L Pader

An apparatus and method for extruding, cooling and cutting an extrusion using temperature feedback can include an extruder for producing an extrudate which can be fed through appropriate sizing, support and cooling devices, which can include one or more of a vacuum chamber, cooling chamber, and calibrators having internal cooling passages. The apparatus can also include a cutting blade, a programmable temperature controller for controlling the cooling of the extrudate based upon feedback on the temperature of the extrudate sensed near the cutting blade and/or prior to a device which feeds the extrusion through the system. The method can include sensing the temperature of the extrudate, at a point near the cutting blade and/or prior to the feed device, subsequent to extrusion being passed through the sizing, support and/or cooling devices. Such feedback can be used to control the cooling of the extrudate such that the extrudate is maintained within a desired range of temperature as it is cut and/or engaged by the feeding device. Where calibrators are used the apparatus can include additional temperature sensors at different sides the calibrators and/or different sides of a multi-sided extrudate. Such additional temperature feedback can be used by the temperature controller to adjust the temperature of the extrudate, including at different surfaces of a multi-sided extrudate.

Apparatus and method for producing and cutting extruded material using temperature feedback

An apparatus and method for extruding, cooling and cutting can include an extruder for producing an extrudate which can be fed through appropriate sizing, support and cooling devices, which can include a vacuum chamber, cooling chamber, and calibrators, which can have internal cooling passageways. The apparatus can also include a cutting blade, a programmable temperature controller for controlling the temperature of the extrudate prior to being cut by the cutting blade, and a temperature sensor, which can be positioned near the cutting blade and provide feedback to the temperature controller. The method can include sensing the temperature of the extrudate, at a point near the cutting blade, after it is fed through the sizing, support and cooling devices and before being cut. Such feedback can be used to control the temperature of the extrudate such that the extrudate is maintained within a desired range of temperature as it is cut. The temperature controller can automatically cool and maintain the extrudate within a desired range of temperatures using the temperature feedback at the point near the cutting blade. Where calibrators are used the apparatus can include additional temperature sensors at different sides of a multi-sided extrudate at a point near where the extrudate exits the calibrator. Such additional temperature feedback can be used by a temperature controller to adjust the temperature of the extrudate, and also at different surfaces of a multi-sided extrudate.

An energy recovery system includes a source of fluid desired to be cooled which is passed through a heat exchanger which receives input air and passes it through the heat exchanger utilizing a temperature controlled variable volume fan controlled to assure the discharge temperature from the heat exchanger is maintained at a predetermined temperature or within a predetermined temperature range.

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East Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

William T Jones