US3119147A - Apparatus for producing flexible styrene polymers - Google Patents
Apparatus for producing flexible styrene polymers Download PDFInfo
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- US3119147A US3119147A US132955A US13295561A US3119147A US 3119147 A US3119147 A US 3119147A US 132955 A US132955 A US 132955A US 13295561 A US13295561 A US 13295561A US 3119147 A US3119147 A US 3119147A
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- steam
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C44/00—Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming ; Producing porous or cellular expanded plastics articles
- B29C44/34—Auxiliary operations
- B29C44/56—After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29K2025/00—Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S264/00—Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
- Y10S264/04—Molding and forming bendable and flexible product from rigid preform
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S425/00—Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
- Y10S425/812—Venting
Definitions
- the single sheet of drawing illustrates partially in crosssection an embodiment of the novel apparatus of this invention.
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- Manufacture Of Porous Articles, And Recovery And Treatment Of Waste Products (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Description
Jan. 28, 1964 a. KRACHT 3,119,147
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE STYRENE POLYMERS Filed Aug. 21. 1961 CON m; IJSATB v .v .v .u................
United States Patent 3,119,147 APPARATUS F922 PRQDUCKNG FLEXIBLE STYREIJE P@LYMER Gerhart Kracht, Beaver, Pa, assignor to Koppers Company, inc, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,955 2 Claims. (Cl. 18-1) This invention relates to apparatus for producing flexible foamed styrene polymers.
Co-pending application, Serial No. 859,626, and now abandoned, filed December lS, 1959, by T. V. Roberts and R. H. Immel and assigned to the 'assignee of this invention, describes a process for producing resilient polystyrene foam. According to that application, a sheet of rigid polystyrene foam is subjected to compressive forces until its original thickness is reduced to at least 80 percent and thereafter the compressive forces released. This process has been carried out hereto-fore by the use of presses which increase the density of the final product.
In accordance with this invention, sheets of fomed styrene polymer are rendered flexible and their density is decreased by passing the sheet through crushing rolls, then subjecting the sheets to steam pressure to re-expand the sheet, again passing the sheet through crushing rolls and thereafter re-expanding the foam at atmospheric pressure with steam.
This invention contemplates novel apparatus for producing flexible foamed styrene polymers which comprises a housing that is divided into three chambers whereby air may be introduced into one chamber for cooling and steam may be injected into the other chambers for heating, the steam chambers being closed by pairs of coacting crushing rollers which include an adjustment for varying the crushing force applied by the rollers whereby a sheet of foamed styrene polymer may be passed through the rollers and be crushed thereby, then pass through steam chambers for heating and through an air chamber for cooling.
T he above and other objects and novel features of this invention will appear more fully from the detailed description when the same is read in conjunction with t e accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is not intended to be a definition of the invention, but is for the purpose of illustration only.
The single sheet of drawing illustrates partially in crosssection an embodiment of the novel apparatus of this invention.
Turning now to the drawing: the housing 11 is divided by plates 13 and 14 and crushing rolls 31, 32', 54-, and 65 into chambers A, B, and C, plates 13 and 14- terminate in resilient members :16 which by coaction serve to seal one chamber from the other. Rollers 3d, 3-2 and 6d, serve to seal chamber C. An inlet 2.7 is provided for introducing air into chamber A and an outlet 25 provided for removal of air from chamber A, an inlet IQ is provided for the injection of steam into chamber B and a check valve and line 17 is provided for the removal of condensate from chamber B, an inlet 21 is provided for the injection of steam into chamber C and a check valve and line 23 is provided for the removal of condensate from chamber C.
Chamber B is sealed by two pairs of coacting rollers 31 and 32 and 64 65, these rollers are mounted in seals 35 and 36, and 68, ea, springs 33, 3*)", 72, and 73 provide the compressive force on rollers 31, 32, 64' and 65. This compressive force is adjustable by way of screws 45 4-1, 7 4- and 76. Idle rollers 43 in chambers A, B and C provide support for the sheet of foamed styrene polymer.
Sheets of foamed styrene polymer are readily available commercially. Such sheets can also be made conveniently by subjecting an expandable styrene polymer, that "ice is, one having from 5 to 15 percent of a volatile hydrocarbon incorporated therein, to heat whereupon the polymer particles expand and fuse together to form a foamed structure. Such particles are sold commercially, for example, under the trademark Dylite and may be made into sheets in accordance with the process described in Stastny Patent No. 2,779,062. These sheets may then be sliced to thinner sheets of the desired thickness.
To illustrate the operation of the apparatus of this invention, a large cylinder 7 of foamed styrene polymer is produced by partially filling a cylindrical mold with expandable styrene polymer particles (Dylite). The mold and foam particles are then heated by steam and cooled, the foamed styrene polymer cylinder 7 is then removed from the mold. This cylinder 7 is then tangentially cut by knife 8 into sheets having the desired thickness. The sheet 9 is then passed through rollers 31, '32. and crushed to about one-half its original thickness. It then passes into chamber C where the sheet is subjected to steam at a pressure of from 7 to 15 psig. Thereafter, the expanded foamed sheet is passed through crushing rollers 64, 65. Upon passing through rollers 64-, 65, the thickness of the sheet is reduced to about one-fourth the original thickness. The sheet is then passed through chamber B and subjected to steam at atmospheric pressure where it is re-expanded. Thereafter, the sheet is passed into chamber A where it is cooled. The sheet thus obtained is soft and flexible and is about one-half as dense as the original sheet.
As is evident from the foregoing, the final dimension of a sheet as Well as the degree of softness, flexibility, and resiliency can be controlled by controlling the length of heating time, degree of compression, and cooling time to which the sheet is subjected. The final density of the foam is also controlled by the above method.
The term styrene polymers includes homopolymers of styrene and copolymers of styrene that contain more than 50* percent and preferably more than percent by weight of styrene. Examples of monomers that may be copolymerized with the styrene monomer include the conjugated '1,'3-dienes, e.g., but-adiene, isoprene, etc., alpha, beta-unsaturated rnonocarboxylic acids and derivatives thereof, e.g., acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acryl-ate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and the corresponding esters of methacrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylamide, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, divinyl benzene, etc. Also included are blends of the styrene polymer with other polymers, such as, blends of styrene polymer with rubbery diene polymers or the analogous compositions obtained by dissolving a rubbery diene polymer in styrene monomer and subsequently polymerizing the mixture. All or a portion of the styrene may be replaced with its closely related homologues such as alphamethylstyrene, 0-, 111-, and p-ethylstyrenes, 0-, m, and p-methylstyrenes, 2,4-dimethylstyrene.
The foregoing provides a novel apparatus for producing sheets of foamed styrene polymer which are usable, for exmple, in packaging where high energy absorbing qualities are desired.
What is claimed:
1. Apparatus for producing flexible foamed styrene polymer sheets of low density comprising a housing and means for dividing said housing into an air chamber and two steam chambers, means for flowing air through said air chamber, and means for injecting steam into said steam chambers, said steam chambers including a pair of coacting rollers for closing said steam chambers whereby a sheet of foamed styrene polymer may be passed through said rollers to be crushed thereby, then into said steam chambers to be heated thereby and then into said air chamber to be cooled thereby.
3 4 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an adjustment is 2,518,125 Crabbe et al. Aug. 8, 1950 provided for varying the crushing force of said rollers. 2,557,439 Kmentt June 19, 1951 2,797,201 Veatch et a1 June 25, 1957 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,861,046 Stastny Nov. 18, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,082,774 Benton et al Mar. 22, 1963 2,433,094 Crowley Dec. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,446,620 Swallow etal Aug. 10, 1948 837,714 Germany y 8, 1949
Claims (1)
1. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE FOAMED STYRENE POLYMER SHEETS OF LOW DENSITY COMPRISING A HOUSING AND MEANS FOR DIVIDING SID HOUSING INTO AN AIR CHAMBER AND TWO STREAM CHAMBERS, MEANS FOR FLOWING AIR THROUGH SAID AIR CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR INJECTING STEAM INTO SID STEAM CHAMBERS, SAID STEAM CHAMBERS INCLUDING A PAIR OF COACTING ROLLERS FOR CLOSING SAID STEAM CHAMBERS WHEREBY A SHEET OF FOAMED STYRENE POLYMER MAY BE PASSED THROUGH SAID ROLLERS TO BE CRUSHED THEREBY, THEN INTO SAID STEAM
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US132955A US3119147A (en) | 1961-08-21 | 1961-08-21 | Apparatus for producing flexible styrene polymers |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US132955A US3119147A (en) | 1961-08-21 | 1961-08-21 | Apparatus for producing flexible styrene polymers |
Publications (1)
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US3119147A true US3119147A (en) | 1964-01-28 |
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US132955A Expired - Lifetime US3119147A (en) | 1961-08-21 | 1961-08-21 | Apparatus for producing flexible styrene polymers |
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Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3169272A (en) * | 1962-10-30 | 1965-02-16 | Continental Oil Co | Apparatus for making plastic tubing |
US3250104A (en) * | 1962-11-13 | 1966-05-10 | Battelle Development Corp | High-temperature rolling mill |
US3268640A (en) * | 1962-05-18 | 1966-08-23 | Metal Box Co Ltd | Production of film from organic thermoplastic material |
US3302241A (en) * | 1962-04-18 | 1967-02-07 | Dow Chemical Co | Apparatus for preparation of plastic tubes |
US3497913A (en) * | 1967-06-30 | 1970-03-03 | Gen Electric | Vulcanizing system |
US3647329A (en) * | 1968-08-03 | 1972-03-07 | Reifenhaeuser Kg | Apparatus for the extrusion of cellular synthetic resins |
US4056587A (en) * | 1975-10-20 | 1977-11-01 | W. R. Grace & Co. | Process for expanding |
US4076782A (en) * | 1973-09-07 | 1978-02-28 | Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd | Supplying method for preliminarily expanded polystyrene beads in a thin and uniform layer |
EP0124337A2 (en) * | 1983-04-28 | 1984-11-07 | Mobil Oil Corporation | Improved polymer foam thermoformation process and apparatus therefor |
FR2605638A1 (en) * | 1986-10-27 | 1988-04-29 | Dow Chemical France | METHOD FOR REDUCING THE DENSITY OF AN EXTRUDED PANEL OF THERMOPLASTIC RESIN FOAM MATERIAL AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAME |
US5114656A (en) * | 1987-07-17 | 1992-05-19 | Dionne Robert A | Method of forming packaging material |
US5411689A (en) * | 1993-03-25 | 1995-05-02 | Sealed Air Corporation | Method for accelerating removal of residual blowing agent from extruded flexible foams |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2433094A (en) * | 1946-01-25 | 1947-12-23 | John C Crowley | Apparatus for applying heat and pressure to strip material |
US2446620A (en) * | 1944-01-28 | 1948-08-10 | Bakelite Corp | Automatic pressure sealing device |
US2518125A (en) * | 1948-06-01 | 1950-08-08 | Dunlop Tire & Rubber Corp | Apparatus for the vulcanization of rubber articles in transitu |
US2557439A (en) * | 1948-04-21 | 1951-06-19 | Goodrich Co B F | Continuous heater |
DE837714C (en) * | 1950-08-12 | 1952-05-02 | Guenter Hammesfahr | Method and device for cooling lead-sheathed and vulcanized rubber cables |
US2797201A (en) * | 1953-05-11 | 1957-06-25 | Standard Oil Co | Process of producing hollow particles and resulting product |
US2861046A (en) * | 1956-02-24 | 1958-11-18 | Basf Ag | Process of foaming a mixture of a thermoplastic resin and a binding agent |
US3082774A (en) * | 1961-02-08 | 1963-03-26 | Ct Circuits Inc | Etching machine |
-
1961
- 1961-08-21 US US132955A patent/US3119147A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2446620A (en) * | 1944-01-28 | 1948-08-10 | Bakelite Corp | Automatic pressure sealing device |
US2433094A (en) * | 1946-01-25 | 1947-12-23 | John C Crowley | Apparatus for applying heat and pressure to strip material |
US2557439A (en) * | 1948-04-21 | 1951-06-19 | Goodrich Co B F | Continuous heater |
US2518125A (en) * | 1948-06-01 | 1950-08-08 | Dunlop Tire & Rubber Corp | Apparatus for the vulcanization of rubber articles in transitu |
DE837714C (en) * | 1950-08-12 | 1952-05-02 | Guenter Hammesfahr | Method and device for cooling lead-sheathed and vulcanized rubber cables |
US2797201A (en) * | 1953-05-11 | 1957-06-25 | Standard Oil Co | Process of producing hollow particles and resulting product |
US2861046A (en) * | 1956-02-24 | 1958-11-18 | Basf Ag | Process of foaming a mixture of a thermoplastic resin and a binding agent |
US3082774A (en) * | 1961-02-08 | 1963-03-26 | Ct Circuits Inc | Etching machine |
Cited By (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3302241A (en) * | 1962-04-18 | 1967-02-07 | Dow Chemical Co | Apparatus for preparation of plastic tubes |
US3268640A (en) * | 1962-05-18 | 1966-08-23 | Metal Box Co Ltd | Production of film from organic thermoplastic material |
US3169272A (en) * | 1962-10-30 | 1965-02-16 | Continental Oil Co | Apparatus for making plastic tubing |
US3250104A (en) * | 1962-11-13 | 1966-05-10 | Battelle Development Corp | High-temperature rolling mill |
US3497913A (en) * | 1967-06-30 | 1970-03-03 | Gen Electric | Vulcanizing system |
DE1779374B1 (en) * | 1968-08-03 | 1972-12-14 | Reifenhaeuser Kg | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR EXTRUDING ARTICLES FROM FOAMED THERMOPLASTIC PLASTIC |
US3647329A (en) * | 1968-08-03 | 1972-03-07 | Reifenhaeuser Kg | Apparatus for the extrusion of cellular synthetic resins |
US4076782A (en) * | 1973-09-07 | 1978-02-28 | Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd | Supplying method for preliminarily expanded polystyrene beads in a thin and uniform layer |
US4056587A (en) * | 1975-10-20 | 1977-11-01 | W. R. Grace & Co. | Process for expanding |
EP0124337A2 (en) * | 1983-04-28 | 1984-11-07 | Mobil Oil Corporation | Improved polymer foam thermoformation process and apparatus therefor |
EP0124337A3 (en) * | 1983-04-28 | 1986-12-30 | Mobil Oil Corporation | Improved polymer foam thermoformation process and apparatus therefor |
FR2605638A1 (en) * | 1986-10-27 | 1988-04-29 | Dow Chemical France | METHOD FOR REDUCING THE DENSITY OF AN EXTRUDED PANEL OF THERMOPLASTIC RESIN FOAM MATERIAL AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAME |
EP0268805A1 (en) * | 1986-10-27 | 1988-06-01 | The Dow Chemical Company | Process for reducing the density of an extruded foam board of a thermoplastic resin |
US5114656A (en) * | 1987-07-17 | 1992-05-19 | Dionne Robert A | Method of forming packaging material |
US5411689A (en) * | 1993-03-25 | 1995-05-02 | Sealed Air Corporation | Method for accelerating removal of residual blowing agent from extruded flexible foams |
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