Patent ID: 8894398
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: B29B,B29C

Abstract:
1. A plastic extrusion apparatus comprising: a barrel containing a drive screw, the barrel having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends; a motive source operatively connected to the barrel proximal end for rotating the drive screw in the barrel in response to operation of the motive source; a die head at the barrel distal end; at least one hopper removably attached to the barrel adjacent the barrel proximal end, the hopper having an interior volume, a top opening to the interior volume and a cover plate that is removably attached over the top opening; at least one gravimetric feeder removably attached to the hopper, the gravimetric feeder having a housing and an outlet tube projecting from the housing, the outlet tube being removably attached to the hopper; a feeder lift mechanism adjacent the hopper, the feeder lift mechanism being constructed to raise the gravimetric feeder to a raised position of the gravimetric feeder relative to the hopper, and lower the raised gravimetric feeder to a lowered position of the gravimetric feeder relative to the hopper; a docking station above the hopper and the feeder lift mechanism, the docking station having a discharge tube that extends downwardly from the docking station and communicates with the gravimetric feeder when the gravimetric feeder is raised to the raised position by the feeder lift mechanism; at least one bowl container in the docking station, the bowl container having a top opening and an opposite bottom opening with a valve at the bottom opening that is selectively controlled to be opened and closed; and a container lift mechanism adjacent the hopper, the feeder lift mechanism and the docking station, the container lift mechanism being constructed to vertically raise the bowl container to a raised position of the bowl container relative to the docking station and horizontally move the bowl container into the docking station to a position where the bowl container bottom opening is communicated with the docking station discharge tube.