Patent ID: 6634415
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: B21C

Abstract:
A continuous extrusion machine having a chassis (1) supporting a wheel (2) for rotation and a shoe (3) enveloping a span of the periphery of the wheel (2) and co-operating with a groove (7) formed in the periphery of the wheel (2) to form a passage,a support mechanism supporting said shoe (3) [and/or wheel (2)] to be relatively displaceable in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the wheel (2) during use, a gap sensor system able to sense the size and shape of a gap (12) between the wheel periphery and the shoe (3) when the machine is operating, and a control device responsive to the gap sensor system to adjust the support mechanism to displace the shoe (3) relative to the wheel (2), said support mechanism comprising: a first wedge assembly disposed to displace the shoe in a first direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and a second wedge assembly disposed to displace the shoe in a second direction perpendicular to the rotary axis of the wheel and to the first direction, whereby the size and shape of the gap can be controlled and altered in response to the size and shape of the gap sensed by the gap sensor system.