A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 5 millibars; (E) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (F) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A method for manufacturing a decorative molded article includes first to fourth steps. In the first step, a plastic sheet is secured to a cavity block in a state in which first and second portions are arranged along an open end of a molding recess. The plastic sheet is tightly held by the cavity block and a securing member at the first portions and is not tightly held at the second portions. In the second step, the plastic sheet is deformed. In the third step, the plastic sheet is secured to the cavity block in a state in which the plastic sheet is tightly held by the cavity block and the securing member over the entire periphery of the opening of the molding recess. In the fourth step, the plastic sheet is molded by being caused to closely contact the molding surface of the cavity block through vacuum suction.

A planetary roller extruder with planetary spindles and stop ring. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading Abstract of the Disclosure. The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

A device, to homogenise plastics material melts, has a homogenising element with a plurality of flow channels, which differ with respect to at least one feature from the group length, cross sectional area and cross sectional shape. When flowing through the homogenising element, the plastics material melt is divided into a plurality of part streams, which, in each case, flow through an associated flow channel. When leaving the respective flow channel the part streams have different flow speeds so the plastics material melt is expanded and sheared on transition to a uniform flow. As a result, a homogenisation of the plastics material melt takes place in a simple, efficient and effective manner.

A method and a device for admixing additives into a polymer melt made of non-extracted polyamide 6 are disclosed. The polymer melt is combined in a highly concentrated form with an additional melt flow without additives and mixed therewith. Additionally, a part of the melt is branched off from a main melt flow (3), wherein the sub-melt flow (4) is transported into a dispersing device (5) and is supplied and mixed with one or more additives (12). The side-melt flow (4) with additives is then returned into the main melt flow (3), mixed with the main melt flow, and subsequently supplied for further processing.

A process for preparing a thermoplastic polymer composition or a thermoplastic polymer blend, comprising: from 20 to 80% by weight of at least one water-moist elastomer component A containing up to 40%, preferably up to 30% by weight of residual water, from 20 to 80% by weight of at least one thermoplastic polymer B, from 0 to 40% by weight of at least one further polymer C, and from 0 to 60% by weight of additive(s) D, by mixing the elastomer component A with the thermoplastic polymer B and, if present, the further polymer C and, if present, the additive(s) D in an extruder, comprising the steps of precipitating the elastomer component A, and mechanical dewatering of the elastomer component A leads to improved salt-free products.

Device for lateral flow charging of an extruder in which material is fed to at least one conveyor screw disposed in an extruder housing. The material contains gaseous concomitant materials, wherein a degassing housing for receiving an air flow is disposed on the extruder housing, which air flow acts in the extruder housing and which is directed contrary to the conveying direction of the conveyor screw.

A sealing device for sealing a venting port of an extrusion apparatus. The sealing device includes a saddle having a saddle counter bore and a seal ring positioned in the saddle counter bore of the saddle. The sealing device also includes a barrel counter bore provided in a barrel of the extrusion apparatus. The saddle counter bore and the barrel counter bore are dimensioned to receive the seal ring, wherein when the seal ring is positioned in the saddle counter bore and the barrel counter bore, a seal is formed between the seal ring in all range of processing temperatures, the saddle and the barrel to prevent the unwanted leakage of high pressure melt.

An improved device for degassing polymer melts is characterised by, inter alia, the following features: the at least one vacuum separator comprises cooling pipes extending parallel to each other in the tank interior of the vacuum separator housing, the cooling pipes are double-walled, the cooling pipes end at a distance above a collection chamber or above the tank bottom of the vacuum separator housing, and a cleaning device having a scraper or a wiper is provided, said cleaning device being adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the cooling pipes and preferably to the course of the inner wall of the vacuum separator housing and being movable at least in a partial height at least to the lower end of the cooling pipes.

In an embodiment, a method of dewatering a wet polymer composition comprises introducing the wet polymer composition via a polymer feed location to a powder conveying section of an extruder; wherein the wet polymer composition comprises greater than or equal to 1 wt % of water based on the total weight of the wet polymer composition; venting the water through a conveying section vent to form a dry polymer composition; melt kneading the dry polymer composition in a melt kneading section of the extruder to form a polymer melt; conveying the polymer melt in a melt conveying section of the extruder; and adding an additive in one or both of the powder conveying section and the melt conveying section.