Device For Moving In The Longitudinal Direction A Screw Shaft For Mixing Machines And Mixing Machine Equipped With Said Device

Abstract

Device for moving in the longitudinal direction a shaft with screw rotationally driven by a motor, comprising at least one cylinder coaxial with said shaft and provided with at least one rotating piston rigidly connected to the shaft and able to produce a displacement in either direction of the shaft from a first retracted end-of-travel position into a second advanced end-of-travel position, and vice versa.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details may be obtained from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of the subject of the present invention, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view, along an axial vertical plane, of a machine with the device according to the present invention during the advancing movement of the screw;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along the plane indicated by II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 1, with the device during retraction of the screw;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, along an axial vertical plane, of a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention during the advancing movement;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section, similar to that of FIG. 4, with the device during retraction;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention during retraction; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view, along a vertical plane, of the machine according to FIG. 6 during the advancing movement.

Claims

1. A device for moving, in a longitudinal direction, a shaft with screw rotationally driven by a motor, comprising: at least one cylinder coaxially arranged with said shaft and including at least one rotatable piston rigidly connected to the shaft, wherein the piston is displaceable in either longitudinal direction and moves the shaft between a retracted position and an advanced position.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder includes a chamber and the chamber is axially closed by a front flange and by a rear cover.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said front flange has a coaxial opening that includes at least one seal and said coaxial opening is adapted to receive the shaft with screw.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder includes a rear nozzle and a front nozzle, each adapted for supplying and discharging actuating fluid to actuate the cylinder.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said front flange is rigidly fixed to a mixing machine.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said motor is coaxial with the shaft.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein a side wall of the chamber is engaged by the motor to prevent rotation of the motor with respect to the chamber.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the motor includes a housing and two pins, each projecting transversely from the housing of the motor and adapted to engage a seat of the side wall of the chamber of the cylinder to prevent rotation of the motor with respect to the chamber.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein an annular extension of the seat in the wall of the chamber is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the pin.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said motor is arranged inside the cylinder.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the chamber includes a rear piston and a front piston, each provided with at least one annular seal and each piston is mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of the motor in the longitudinal direction.

12. A device according to claim 10, wherein said cylinder is mounted coaxially with and at the rear of said chamber containing the motor.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder is mounted externally on the rear cover of the chamber.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein said chamber has a rear closing cover provided with a coaxial opening including at least one seal, and the coaxial opening is adapted to receive the shaft.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is axially extended beyond the motor on the opposite side to that where the screw is situated.

16. A device according to claim 12, wherein said cylinder has a single rotating piston actuated in both directions along the longitudinal axis.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder is rigidly attached to a fixed support.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the motor is outside the said cylinder and has an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein said motor is fixed to a case that is movable axially on guide rails between a first retracted position and a second advanced position.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein the case houses internally a first gear rigidly connected to the shaft and the first gear engages at least one corresponding gear actuated by the motor.

21. A machine for mixing a polymer supplied from an inlet and pushing the polymer towards an outlet, the machine comprising: a mixing chamber extending in a longitudinal direction and having, coaxially arranged inside the mixing chamber, a shaft with screw rotationally driven by a motor,an actuator adapted for actuating said shaft in the longitudinal direction, the actuator comprising at least one cylinder, arranged coaxial with said shaft, and at least one rotating piston, rigidly connected to said shaft, and wherein the actuator is adapted to produce a displacement in either direction of the shaft from a first retracted end-of-travel position to a second advanced end-of-travel position, and vice versa.

22. A machine according to claim 21, wherein the chamber of said cylinder is axially closed by a front flange and by a blind rear cover.

23. A machine according to claim 22, wherein said front flange has a coaxial opening that includes at least one seal and the coaxial opening is adapted to receive the shaft with screw.

24. A machine according to claim 21, wherein the side surface of the cylinder includes a rear nozzle and a front nozzle, each adapted for supplying and discharging actuating fluid to actuate the cylinder.

25. A machine according to claim 22, wherein said front flange is rigidly fixed to a mixing machine.

26. A machine according to claim 21, wherein said motor is coaxial with the shaft.

27. A machine according to claim 26, wherein a side wall of the chamber is engaged by the motor to prevent rotation of the motor with respect to the chamber.

28. A machine according to claim 27, wherein the motor includes a housing and two pins projecting transversely from the housing of the motor and adapted to engage a seat of the side wall of the chamber of the cylinder to prevent rotation of the motor with respect to the chamber.

29. A machine according to claim 28, wherein an annular extension of the seat in the wall of the chamber is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the pin.

30. A machine according to claim 21, wherein said motor is arranged inside the cylinder.

31. A machine according to claim 30, wherein the chamber includes a rear piston and a front piston, each provided with at least one annular seal and each piston is mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of the motor in the longitudinal direction.

32. A machine according to claim 30, wherein said cylinder is mounted coaxially with and at the rear of said chamber containing the motor.

33. A machine according to claim 31, wherein said double-acting cylinder is mounted externally on the rear cover of the chamber.

34. Machine according to claim 33, wherein said chamber has a rear closing cover provided with a coaxial opening including at least one seal, and the coaxial opening is adapted to receive the shaft.

35. A machine according to claim 21, wherein said shaft is axially extended beyond the motor on the opposite side to where the screw is situated.

36. A machine according to claim 22, wherein said cylinder has a single rotating piston actuated in both directions along the longitudinal axis.

37. A machine according to claim 21, wherein the cylinder is rigidly attached to a fixed support.

38. A machine according to claim 37, wherein the motor is outside the said cylinder and has an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

39. A machine according to claim 38, wherein said motor is fixed to a case that is movable axially on guide rails between a first retracted position and a second advanced position.

40. A machine according to claim 39, wherein the case houses internally a first gear rigidly connected to the shaft and the first engages at least one corresponding gear actuated by the motor.