Patent ID: 6079867
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: B29B,B29C,B29K

Abstract:
A high-pressure self-cleaning mixing apparatus adapted to mix at least one pre-polymer and at least one additive reactive with the pre-polymer to form a mixture and feed the mixture to a mold, said apparatus comprising:a discharge duct;a body having a mixing chamber angularly disposed relative to said discharge duct, a first-valve guiding hole incorporating said mixing chamber, and at least one pre-polymer feed passage and at least one additive feed passage, said pre-polymer feed passage being constructed and arranged to feed the pre-polymer from a pre-polymer source into said mixing chamber so that the pre-polymer enters said mixing chamber along a radial direction of said mixing chamber;a first valve member having a longitudinal axis and being movable in said first-valve guiding hole relative to said body between open and closed positions, at least a portion of said first valve member having a longitudinally-extending passage and an associated orifice formed therethrough, said longitudinally-extending passage and said associated orifice being constructed and arranged to communicate said additive feed passage with said mixing chamber and thereby feed the additive from an additive source into said mixing chamber so that said additive enters said mixing chamber along an axial direction of said mixing chamber;a second valve member receivable in said longitudinally-extending passage, said second valve member being both slidable relative to said longitudinally-extending passage and said associated orifice and operable to control the flow of the additive into said mixing chamber; anda hydraulic actuator operatively connected to said first and second valve members and selectively connectable to a fluid source,wherein when said first valve member is in the open position, said pre-polymer feed passage feeds the pre-polymer to said mixing chamber so that the pre-polymer enters said mixing chamber along the radial direction of said mixing chamber and said additive feed passage feeds the additive through said longitudinally-extending passage and said associated orifice and into said mixing chamber so that said additive enters said mixing chamber along the axial direction of said mixing chamber.