Patent ID: 6537054
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
An apparatus for manufacturing expansion-molded articles comprising,a first substantially rectangular passageway and a second substantially rectangular passageway defined by a first and second set of structural members, said first passageway having a heating region and said second passageway having a cooling region, a first endless belt continuously traveling along a first and second upper inside face of said first and second passageway, a second endless belt continuously traveling along a first and second lower inside face of said first and second passageway, said first set of structural members comprising a first upper structural member defining said first upper inside face, a first lower structural member defining said first lower inside face and a set of side-face structural members, at least one of said first upper and lower structural members being mounted for movement in a vertical direction between said side-face structural members whereby the depth of said first passageway is adjustable, said second set of structural members comprising a second upper structural member defining said second upper inside face, a second lower structural member defining said second lower inside face and said set of side-face structural members, at least one of said second upper and lower structural members being mounted for movement in a vertical direction between said set of side-face structural members whereby the depth of said second passageway is adjustable, and a first means for moving said first upper and lower structural members and a second means for moving said second upper and lower structural members, whereby expansion moldable material is successively passed through said heating region and said cooling region of said passageway by said belts to form an expansion-molded article wherein the thickness of said article is controlled by said first and second means for moving.