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A method and apparatus to process a diverted molten polymer waste stream directs the polymer stream to one of at least two passages, separates it into individual segments while containing and discharging it from a containment exit, cools each segment with a quench fluid to form a solid or semi-solid

A method and apparatus to process a diverted molten polymer waste stream directs the polymer stream to one of at least two passages, separates it into individual segments while containing and discharging it from a containment exit, cools each segment with a quench fluid to form a solid or semi-solid polymer, and transports the solidified segments away from the exit and into a container using the quench fluid. The apparatus includes a cross-section transition connector, a moveable block with two passages, a block oscillator, a cut-off plate, and open space above an inclined transporting device, a quench fluid jet, and a quench fluid transporting trough.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising the steps of:(a) shaping and containing the polymer stream in a first passage;(b) passing the shaped polymer stream from the first passage through a second passage containing the polymer in a moveable block placed in a first positio

1. A method of continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising the steps of:(a) shaping and containing the polymer stream in a first passage;(b) passing the shaped polymer stream from the first passage through a second passage containing the polymer in a moveable block placed in a first position;(c) passing the polymer stream through a first cut-off opening in a fixed plate abutted against the moveable block and aligned with the second passage in the block;(d) shifting the moveable block in a first direction to interrupt the alignment of the second passage with the first cut-off opening and thereby cut the polymer stream and form a discrete segment of polymer, and simultaneously placing the moveable block in a second position for passing the shaped polymer stream from the first passage through a third passage containing the polymer in the moveable block placed in the second position, and simultaneously passing the polymer stream through a second cut-off opening in the fixed plate abutted against the moveable block and aligned with the third passage in the block, the cut-off openings each defining a containment exit;(e) transporting the polymer segment away from the containment exits;(f) shifting the moveable block in a second direction to interrupt the alignment of the third passage with the second cut-off opening and thereby cut the polymer stream and form a discrete segment of polymer, and simultaneously placing the moveable block in the first position for passing the shaped polymer stream from the first passage through the second passage in the moveable block placed in the first position, and simultaneously passing the polymer stream through the first cut-off opening in the fixed plate abutted against the moveable block and aligned with the second passage in the block. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of shaping the polymer stream comprises shaping the stream into a flattened shape, the shape having a width that is less than a length;The method further comprising the steps:(g) arranging the flattened shape length dimensions in the second and third passages in the moveable block parallel to each other, and arranging the flattened shape length dimensions in the first and second cut-off openings in the fixed plate parallel to each other, and(h) spacing the second and third passages at a first spacing of one to two width dimensions from each other adjacent the first passage and spacing the second and third passages at a second spacing of three or more width dimensions from each other adjacent the first and second cut-off openings, and(i) spacing the first and second cut-off openings at a spacing of one to two width dimensions less than the second spacing of the second and third passages, thereby spacing the polymer stream passing from the first cut-off opening apart from the polymer stream passing from the second cut-off opening by a distance of at least two width dimensions. 3. A method of segmenting and quenching a continuous molten polymer stream, comprising the steps of:(a) directing the polymer stream to a first containment exit and passing the polymer stream into an open space above an inclined surface;(b) interrupting the polymer stream coming from the first containment exit to form a discrete polymer segment;(c) redirecting the polymer stream to a second containment exit and passing the polymer stream into the open space above the inclined surface;(d) interrupting the polymer stream coming from the second containment exit to form a discrete polymer segment;(e) directing a quench fluid down the inclined surface and contacting the polymer segment with the fluid thereby urging the polymer segment down the inclined surface and cooling the molten polymer. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the interrupting step comprises interrupting the polymer stream before the polymer stream contacts the inclined surface. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein urging the polymer segment down the inclined surface comprises urging a first segment at a rate so that a second segment immediately following the first segment contacts only the inclined surface and the quench fluid, and is free of contact with the first segment. 6. An apparatus for continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising:a shaping connector having a first passage for passing a polymer stream and shaping it, the first passage ending in an exit end;a moveable block urged against the exit end of the first passage in the connector, the block having a second passage aligned at a first position of the block for receiving the shaped polymer stream from the first passage, the block having a second passage spaced from the third passage and aligned for receiving the shaped polymer stream from the first passage at a second position of the block;a fixed cut-off plate abutted against the moveable block and having a first cut-off opening spaced apart from a second cut-off opening, the first cut-off opening aligned to receive polymer from the second passage, the space between the first and second cut-off openings being less than the space between the second and third passages where the passages abut the cut-off plate;an oscillator for shifting the moveable block from the first position to the second position to interrupt the alignment of the second passage with the first passage and the first cut-off opening, and to align the third passage with the first passage and the second cut-off opening, and for shifting the block back to the first position. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shaping connector shapes the polymer stream into a flattened shape having a width that is less than a length;the apparatus further comprising:the second and third passages in the moveable block have a similar flattened shape with the length dimensions of the shapes arranged parallel to each other, and the first and second cut-off openings in the fixed plate have a similar flattened shape with the length dimensions of the shapes arranged parallel to each other, andthe second and third passages are placed at a first spacing of one to two width dimensions from each other adjacent the first passage and the second and third passages diverge to a second spacing adjacent the first and second cut-off openings. 8. An apparatus for segmenting and quenching a continuous molten polymer stream, comprising:a segmenting device connected to a source of molten polymer with polymer stream containment means and stream interrupting means to form a discrete polymer segment length, the device having a containment exit;an inclined surface having an upper end spaced below the containment exit by a distance at least equal to a segment length, the surface arranged to receive a segment from the containment exit, the inclined surface having a lower end spaced laterally from the containment exit;a fluid jet at the upper end of the inclined surface and arranged to direct quench fluid down the inclined surface into contact with the polymer segment for urging the polymer segment down the inclined surface and cooling the molten polymer. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, whereinthe segmenting device comprises a connector with a first polymer passage exit, a moveable block adjacent the first polymer passage exit, the block containing second and third polymer passages each with exit ends; a cut-off plate adjacent the exit ends of the two polymer passages in the block, the plate containing two cut-off openings with each comprising a containment exit; and an oscillator attached to the block for shifting the block from a first position, aligning the second passage with the first passage and first cut-off opening, to a second position, aligning the third passage with the first passage and second cut-off opening, and for shifting the block back to the first position. 10. An apparatus for continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising:a shaping connector having a first passage for passing a polymer stream and shaping it, the first passage ending in an exit end having a width;a moveable block urged against the exit end of the first passage in the connector, the block having a second passage with a width aligned at a first position of the block for receiving the shaped polymer stream from the first passage and passing it to an exit end of the second passage, the block having a third passage spaced from the second passage and with a width aligned for receiving the shaped polymer stream from the first passage and passing it to an exit end of the third passage at a second position of the block;the second and third passages are placed at a first spacing of one to two width dimensions from each other adjacent the first passage and the second and third passages diverge to a second spacing of two or more width dimensions at the exit ends of the second and third passages;an oscillator for shifting the moveable block from the first position to the second position in the direction of the passage widths to interrupt the alignment of the second passage with the first passage, and to align the third passage with the first passage, and for shifting the block back to the first position. 11. An apparatus for continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising:a connector having a first passage for passing and containing a polymer stream, the first passage having an exit end;a moveable block positioned adjacent the exit end of the first passage, the block having a second passage for containing said polymer stream, the second passage having an inlet end and an exit end, the inlet end of the second passage aligned with the exit end of the first passage;a housing containing the moveable block and supporting it for rotation therein, the housing having at least two containment exits, the containment exits arranged to be alignable with the exit end of the second passage during rotation of the moveable block in the housing;rotating means engaged with the moveable block to rotate the moveable block within the housing. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rotating means is for continuous rotation of the moveable block within the housing. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rotating means is for oscillating rotation of the moveable block within the housing. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the exit end of the second passage has a width in the direction of rotation of the moveable block and the containment exits are spaced apart at a distance in the direction of rotation of the moveable block, and the width is wider than the distance between two adjacent containment exits so polymer flow at one rotational position can pass through the two adjacent containment exits simultaneously. 15. An apparatus for continuously segmenting a polymer stream, comprising:a connector having a first passage for passing and containing a polymer stream, the first passage having an exit end;a moveable block positioned adjacent the exit end of the first passage, the block having a second passage for containing said polymer stream, the second passage having an inlet end and an exit end, the inlet end of the second passage aligned with the exit end of the first passage, the passage having a first axis passing through the center of the inlet end and a second axis passing through the center of the exit end, the second axis angled at 45 degrees or less from the first axis;a housing containing the moveable block and supporting it for rotation therein, the housing having at least two containment exits, the containment exits arranged to be alignable with the exit end of the second passage during rotation of the moveable block in the housing, the housing having deflectors adjacent each containment exit to deflect polymer from a direction aligned with the second axis of the moveable block to a direction aligned with the first axis of the moveable block;rotating means engaged with the moveable block to rotate the moveable block within the housing.