High flow melting grid and melter unit
First Claim
1. A high flow melting grid used for melting a mass of material, the melting grid comprising:
- first and second sets of elongated grid members intersecting to form a grid structure having through passages between the intersecting grid members, said first set of grid members formed by a plurality of high level grid members and said second set of grid members formed by a plurality of low level grid members, said high and low level grid members being tapered and having side surfaces which converge upwardly toward respective leading edges, wherein the leading edges of said high level grid members are disposed above the leading edges of said low level grid members; and
,a heater device operatively connected to at least one of said first and second sets of grid members.
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Abstract
A melting grid, and melter unit provided with such a melting grid which achieves high melting rates and flow rates. The melting grid is generally formed with two intersecting sets of grid members with each set being formed from a plurality of grid members. The first set of grid members includes tapered, converging side surfaces extending up to a leading edge disposed at a height above the leading edges of the second set of grid members. The grid members of the second, lower set also have tapered or converging side surfaces extending toward a leading edge, however, these surfaces converge toward one another at a greater angle than the side surfaces of the higher set such that the higher level grid members of the first set have more gradual tapers than the lower level grid members of the second set.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A high flow melting grid used for melting a mass of material, the melting grid comprising:
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first and second sets of elongated grid members intersecting to form a grid structure having through passages between the intersecting grid members, said first set of grid members formed by a plurality of high level grid members and said second set of grid members formed by a plurality of low level grid members, said high and low level grid members being tapered and having side surfaces which converge upwardly toward respective leading edges, wherein the leading edges of said high level grid members are disposed above the leading edges of said low level grid members; and
,a heater device operatively connected to at least one of said first and second sets of grid members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A substantially circular aluminum melting grid comprising:
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first and second sets of elongated grid members intersecting to form a grid structure having through passages between the intersecting grid members, said first set of grid members comprised of high level grid members and said second set of grid members comprised of low level grid members, said high and low level grid members being tapered members having side surfaces which converge upwardly toward respective leading edges, opposite side surfaces of said high level grid members tapering upwardly toward one another at a smaller angle relative to vertical than opposite side surfaces of said low level grid members, and wherein the leading edges of said high level grid members are disposed above the leading edges of said low level grid members and said high level grid members partially vertically overlap said low level grid members such that bottoms of each high level grid member are disposed above respective bottoms of said low level grid members; and
,heating elements contained within said low level grid members. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A melting unit for melting a mass of hot melt adhesive, the melting unit comprising:
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a hopper having an upper open end for receiving a mass of adhesive material and a lower end; a melting grid mounted at the lower end of said hopper, the melting grid including first and second sets of elongated grid members intersecting to form a grid structure having through passages between the intersecting grid members, said first set of grid members comprised of high level grid members and said second set of grid members comprised of low level grid members, said high and low level grid members being tapered members having side surfaces which converge upwardly toward respective leading edges, wherein the leading edges of said high level grid members are disposed above the leading edges of said low level grid members; and
,a heater device operatively connected to at least one of said first and second sets of grid members.
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27. A melting unit for melting a mass of hot melt adhesive, the melting unit comprising:
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a hopper having an upper open end for receiving a mass of adhesive material and a lower end; a melting grid mounted at the lower end of said hopper, the melting grid including first and second sets of elongated grid members intersecting to form a grid structure having through passages between the intersecting grid members, said first set of grid members comprised of high level grid members and said second set of grid members comprised of low level grid members, said high and low level grid members being tapered members having side surfaces which converge upwardly toward respective leading edges, opposite side surfaces of said high level grid members tapering upwardly toward one another at a smaller angle relative to vertical than opposite side surfaces of said low level grid members, and wherein the leading edges of said high level grid members are disposed above the leading edges of said low level grid members and said high level grid members partially vertically overlap said low level grid members such that bottoms of each high level grid member are disposed above respective bottoms of said low level grid members; and
,heating elements contained within said low level grid members.
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28. A method of melting a mass of hot melt adhesive comprising:
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bearing an end of the mass against a plurality of first elongated grid members of a melting grid, said first grid members being both heated and tapered to initially heat and slice the end of the mass; passing the sliced end of the mass into a plurality of elongated channels extending lengthwise along said first elongated grid members; passing the end of the mass into a plurality of second elongated grid members which intersect said first elongated grid members, said second elongated grid members being heated and tapered to again heat and slice the end of the mass in a direction transverse to the first elongated grid members after the end has passed through said elongated channels; and
,discharging molten adhesive from through passages contained between the intersecting first and second elongated grid members. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification