Patent ID: 6394782
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
Apparatus for cooling and sizing an extruded plastic profile as the extruded plastic profile is advanced forwardly in a longitudinal direction from an extrusion die therefor;wherein said apparatus is connected to a source of cooling water and includes at least one water passage for the flow of cooling water therethrough; wherein said apparatus is connected to at least one vacuum pump, and includes vacuum passages and vacuum chambers within said apparatus so that vacuum domains are set up within said apparatus; said apparatus comprising: a base plate, a first side plate, at least one second side plate, a top plate, and a plurality of vacuum sizer die elements; each of said plurality of vacuum sizer die elements having a passageway therethrough, which is in the shape of an extruded plastic profile to be cooled and sized by being advanced in a longitudinal direction through said apparatus; said plurality of vacuum sizer die elements being arranged sequentially in at least one group thereof, with the first die element in any group of die elements being the die element in that group of die elements which is closest to the end of said apparatus which faces an extrusion die when in its operative position; wherein the respective passageways of contiguous die elements are aligned one with another; at least one water passage being formed in at least one of said base plate, first side plate, at least one second side plate, and said top plate; at least one vacuum chamber being formed in at least one face of at least one vacuum sizer die element in said at least one group thereof, which at least one face contacts a face of a contiguous vacuum sizer die element; at least one vacuum slot extended from said at least one vacuum chamber to the outer periphery of said passageway so as to provide vacuum communication from said passageway to said at least one vacuum chamber; said at least one vacuum chamber being in vacuum communication through a respective passage formed in said base plate with said at least one vacuum pump; said base plate and first side plate being permanently connected one to the other so as to provide a pair of reference planes defined thereby; wherein said pair of reference planes are perpendicular to each other; each of said vacuum sizer die elements being formed with two faces which are perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, and four sides forming a rectangular periphery thereof; wherein two of said four sides of each of said vacuum sizer die elements, which are perpendicular to each other, are precisely machined so as to be reference sides of each respective die element, and said reference sides of said plurality of vacuum sizer die elements fit to said reference planes defined by said base plate and said first side plate; and wherein said passageway formed in each of said plurality of vacuum sizer die elements is placed with a precise relationship to the respective reference sides of each respective vacuum sizer die element.