Patent ID: 6881049

Claim:
An improved processing system for forming golf ball preforms comprising high Mooney viscosity polybutadiene, said system comprising: an internal mixer that compounds a batch of golf ball core stock, the internal mixer having a mixer outlet; a sheeter that forms sheets of golf ball core stock, the sheeter having a sheeter inlet proximate the mixer outlet and having a sheeter outlet; wherein the sheeter includes: an extruder portion and a calendar portio; the extruder portion receiving the compounded golf ball core stock from the mixer outlet and having at least one screw that feeds the compounded golf ball core stock to the calendar portion; the calendar portion having a first roller and a second roller that is upwardly displaced from the first roller to define a nip point where the sheets of golf ball core stock are formed from the compounded golf ball core stock; and preform shaping means for forming golf ball core preforms from the sheets of golf ball core stock; wherein the improved processing system eliminates the need for two-roll mill.