A system for the continuous extrusion, molding, and curing of tread rubber is provided. A plurality of discrete mold sectors are arranged adjacent to each other along a longitudinal axis between an in-feed and an out-feed of a mold sector transport mechanism that extends through a heated press. As the mold sectors are continuously advanced along a process direction in steps, rubber material is extruded and placed onto at least one of the mold sectors near the in-feed end such that an elongated strip of rubber material extends over multiple mold sectors along the longitudinal axis. As the strip of rubber material exits the press, the mold sectors are sequentially removed from the rubber material and returned to the in-feed. An extruder outlet positioned near the in-feed can be moved towards or away from the mold sectors to supply rubber material and prevent backflow.

A shim stack foaming die for making foam slabs comprises a plurality of shims that are layered together under pressure to form a shim stack, wherein the shims combine to collectively define a plurality of die orifices in a working face, to define a main body of the shim stack foaming die, and also to define a plurality of die cavity that is fluidly connected to the plurality of die orifices. And articles foamed from the shim stack foaming die have found wide use in various applications, thermal or acoustic insulation, reinforcing layers and/or space-filling layers, and so on.

An apparatus for extruding a jacket and/or insulative material onto an extruded product with one or more longitudinal stripes incorporated onto the surface of said extruded product comprising a body, a primary feed conduit for conveying a primary extrusion material, a striping die, a secondary feed conduit for conveying a secondary extrusion material, a striping die adapter, a striping feed conduit extending through the striping die adapter for conveying striping extrusion material. The striping die adapter may also include a thermocouple for maintaining the viscosity of the striping extrusion material and a thermocouple for monitoring the temperature of said striping die adapter. The striping die includes one or more striping extrusion outlets for conveying striping extrusion material onto the extruded product. The striping die may also include a wishbone-shaped trough for delivering equal amounts of striping extrusion material to said extrusion outlets for extrusion onto the product.

A continuous length composite sucker rod assembly is provided for use in down-hole wells. The assembly can include a plurality of parallel composite strands forming an elongate rod. The strands can be encapsulated with a thermoplastic polymer by co-extrusion. A terminus can be affixed to both ends of the length of sucker rod by splaying the strands out into a conical cavity within the terminus and casting a polymer wedge plug. The resulting sucker rod assembly can be readily coiled in a transportable diameter by virtue of the composite strands being able to twist when the rod is coiled and untwist when the rod is un-coiled.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

An apparatus and method for extruding extrudate through an extruding horn having a geometry that allows for a uniform flow from the discharge end into a cooking section that sets the outer surfaces of continuous flow of all meat specie. The technology as disclosed and claimed allows for uniform product thickness throughout the cooking process, increased system throughput, and increased bind in the sheet leading to overall increased product yields. The technology eliminates the need for a meat press ahead of the system to set thickness further reducing yields.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a composite material. The method can include compacting a copper alloy powder into a plurality of substantially uniform compressed sub-assemblies such that the copper alloy powder has a density that is greater than 50%. The plurality of compressed sub-assemblies can be layered relative one another within an aperture of a shell, the plurality of compressed sub-assemblies to form a consecutive assembly of compacted copper alloy. The shell may include one of the following: a precipitation hardened copper alloy, copper alloy, and carbon steel. The consecutive assembly can be sealed within the shell to form a billet. The billet can be hot-extruded to form a rod, and the extruded rod can be further drawn to form a composite wire of a desired diameter. The composite wire may be used to create a composite welding electrode.

An improved rotary head extruder incorporates an auger system comprising more than one auger to create asymmetrical, substantially cylindrical extruded products having a density within the range of about 3.0 to about 6.0 lbs./cu ft. A wide variety of fine particles such as flour and powder can be successfully introduced into and conveyed within a rotary head extruder to the die assembly, where the materials are cooked to form hard, dense extruded collets with randomly asymmetrical shapes. A transition piece at the downstream end of the augers allows for continuous, uniform flow to the die assembly, where cooking takes place. Using the equipment described, raw materials other than the typically used corn meal are produced, while maintaining the desired bulk density, texture, and crunch of random extruded products.

An exemplary method of, for instance, forming a baffle or reinforcer includes extruding an expandable material to have a particular cross-sectional profile, inserting the expandable material into a molding tool, cutting the expandable material to a predetermined length within the molding tool, and overmolding a carrier material onto a portion of the expandable material within the molding tool.

The invention provides devices that are attached to an extruder making the operation thereof more efficient and convenient and allowing for a quick change over of parts used to make various products prepared in the extrusion process. A high pressure relief assembly is attached to the extruder that allows for the rapid release of pressure from the extruder at the end of the process by venting product under pressure from the extruder and the extruder also has attached thereto a quick assembly locking device that allows for the exchange of assemblies, such as a density control assembly and other assembles, without the removal of nuts, bolts, and clamps by attaching the assembly to an arm that can be moved in and out of place in front of the extruder and wherein the device has a locking mechanism that seals and releases the assembly from the extruder.