Patent ID: 8348659

Claim:
A honeycomb extrusion apparatus for extruding batch material, the apparatus comprising: a die body comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, a central axis, a first set of feedholes extending from the inlet end to an interior interface portion of the die body, a second set of feedholes extending through the die body from the inlet end to the outlet end, a set of central slots extending from the outlet end to the interior interface portion of the die body, a set of outermost peripheral slots disposed radially outwardly of the central slots, wherein the interior interface portion of the die body is configured to allow flow of the batch material from the first set of feedholes to the central slots and to the outermost peripheral slots, wherein the outlet end of the die body comprises a distal surface from which the set of central slots extends toward the interior interface portion of the die body, a first axially recessed surface surrounding the distal surface, and a second axially recessed surface surrounding the first axially recessed surface; a flow control device disposed at the inlet end of the die body, the flow control device comprising a flow blocking portion for blocking flow of the batch material at the inlet end of the die body into feedhole inlets of the first set of feedholes which directly feed the outermost peripheral slots; a mask disposed proximate the outlet end of the die body that is configured with a recessed section; a throttle disposed proximate the second set of feedholes at the outlet end of the die body, the throttle being axially movable with respect to the die body, wherein the range of movement of the throttle is such that a reservoir capable of being fed by the second set of feedholes is formed when the throttle is spaced away from an outlet face of the second axially recessed surface, wherein when the volume of the reservoir is at its highest, a downstream face of the throttle contacts the recessed section of the mask and when the volume of the reservoir is at its lowest, an upstream face of the throttle contacts the second axially recessed surface; and a substantially tubular insert holder that is configured to enclose the mask and a substantially tubular insert that is partially housed interiorly of the insert holder, wherein the insert is axially moveable with respect to the insert holder and the insert is coupled to the throttle so that the insert and throttle are axially moveable as a unit.