Multi pass extrudate cooling tank and method

1. An extrudate cooling tank, comprising:

a) a controlled pressure first temperature water chamber adapted for running passage of an extrudate therethrough;

b) a controlled pressure second temperature water chamber adapted for continued running passage of the extrudate therethrough;

c) a controlled pressure third temperature water chamber adapted for further continued running passage of the extrudate therethrough;

d) a rotatable extrudate puller wheel positionable for receivably engaging the running extrudate in one of the water chambers and controlling a speed of the running extrudate as the extrudate engagingly moves with the rotatable puller wheel; and

e) a variable speed motor connected to the puller wheel for controlling a speed thereof to regulate at least one physical parameter of the extrudate, the motor being rotatably connected to the tank for arcuate unitary movement of the motor and puller wheel together between a first position at which the puller wheel engages the running extrudate and a second position at which there is no engagement of the running extrudate by the puller wheel.

2. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 1 further comprising a processor for adjusting the speed of the motor turning the puller wheel thereby controlling the speed of the extrudate to regulate extrudate physical parameters including at least one of outer diameter, wall thickness, concentricity, and ovality, and to prevent extrudate shrinkage, the processor receiving data, for input to an included algorithm to adjust the motor speed, from at least one of:

a) a strain gauge measuring extrudate strain during running passage of the extrudate through the tank;

b) an ultrasonic gauge measuring selected extrudate parameters during running passage of the extrudate through the tank; and

c) a laser gauge measuring selected extrudate parameters during running passage of the extrudate through the tank.

3. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 1 further comprising:

a) an extrudate guide wheel mounted within the third temperature water chamber, for receivably engaging the running extrudate having engaged the puller wheel; and

b) a second variable speed motor connected to the guide wheel for controlling and adjusting a speed thereof to further regulate physical parameters of the extrudate.

4. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a preskinner chamber adjoining the first temperature water chamber at an extrudate entrance, for retaining water in surrounding contact with the running extrudate as the running extrudate passes into the first temperature water chamber; and

b) an air wipe chamber adjoining the third temperature water chamber at an extrudate exit therefrom, for removing water from a running extrudate exterior when exiting the third temperature water chamber while precluding escape of water therefrom.

5. A method of controlling a speed of a running extrudate during cooling thereof comprising:

pivotally moving a motor-puller wheel assembly between a first position at which the wheel engages the running extrudate within a controlled temperature bath thereby cooling the extrudate to regulate at least one of extrudate outer diameter, wall thickness, concentricity, ovality, and shrinkage, and a second position at which the puller wheel does not engage the running extrudate to regulate extrudate physical parameters.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

adjusting a speed of the motor connected to the puller wheel, responsively to algorithmic processed data of at least one of:

i) extrudate strain measured during running passage of the extrudate through one of a plurality of water baths including the controlled temperature bath;

ii) ultrasonically measured selected extrudate dimensional parameters during running passage of the extrudate through one of the water baths; and

iii) laser measured selected extrudate dimensional parameters during running passage of the extrudate through one of the water baths.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising controlling the water bath temperatures independently one of another.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the water baths are contiguous one with another.

9. An extrudate cooling tank, comprising:

a) a plurality of cooling water chambers adapted for running passage of an extrudate serially therethrough, a respective first cooling water chamber being at a preselected regulated variable pressure and respective remaining cooling water chambers being at least at atmospheric pressure, water in the chambers being at different temperatures;

b) a rotatable extrudate puller wheel-servo motor combination hingedly connected to one of the remaining cooling water chambers and movable with respect thereto between two positions, the combination in a first position positioning the puller wheel to receivably engage the running extrudate to rotatably controlling a speed of the running extrudate by contact therewith, the combination in a second position positioning the puller wheel remote from a position of engagement with the running extrudate.

10. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 9 further comprising:

a processor for adjusting a speed of the motor turning the puller wheel thereby controlling the speed of the extrudate to regulate extrudate outer diameter, wall thickness, concentricity, and ovality, and to prevent extrudate shrinkage, the processor receiving data, for input to an algorithm portion thereof for adjusting the motor speed, from:

i) a strain gauge measuring extrudate strain during running passage of the extrudate through the tank;

ii) an ultrasonic gauge measuring selected first extrudate dimensional parameters during running passage of the extrudate through the tank; and

iii) a laser gauge measuring selected second extrudate dimensional parameters during running passage of the extrudate through the tank.

11. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 10 further comprising an extrudate guide wheel positionable within the same cooling water chamber as the puller wheel, for receivably engaging the running extrudate having engagingly passed around the puller wheel; the extrudate guide wheel and a second variable speed motor forming an assembly and being mounted on a frame for arcuate movement between a position at which the guide wheel operatively engages the extrudate in the same chamber and a position at which the guide wheel is disengaged from the extrudate, the second motor when connected to the guide wheel adjusting a speed thereof to further regulate outer diameter and wall thickness of the extrudate.

12. The extrudate cooling tank of claim 11 further comprising:

a) the extrudate guide wheel within a serially respective third temperature water chamber of the plurality of cooling water chambers, for receivably engaging the running extrudate having passed around the puller wheel; and

b) a gearing system for connecting the variable speed motor to the extrudate guide wheel and adjusting the speed thereof to further regulate outer diameter and wall thickness of the extrudate.

13. A two chamber extrudate cooling tank, comprising:

a) a controlled pressure first temperature water chamber adapted for running passage of an extrudate therethrough;

b) a controlled pressure second temperature water chamber adapted for continued running passage of the extrudate therethrough;

c) a rotatable extrudate puller wheel positionable for receivably engaging the running extrudate and controlling a speed of the running extrudate as the extrudate engagingly moves with the rotating puller wheel;

d) a plurality of guide wheels positioned in the tank downstream of the puller wheel to successively contactingly guide the running extrudate through the tank; and

e) a variable speed motor connected to the puller wheel for controlling a speed thereof, the motor being rotatably connected to the tank for arcuate unitary movement of the motor and puller wheel together between a first position at which the puller wheel engages the running extrudate and a second position at which there is no engagement of the running extrudate by the puller wheel.

14. The two chamber extrudate cooling tank of claim 13 in which at least some of the guide wheels are idlers.

15. The two chamber extrudate cooling tank of claim 13 further comprising variable speed motors connected to at least some of the guide wheels, the guide wheel motors being rotatably connected to the tank for arcuate unitary movement of the respective motor and the respective connected guide wheel together between a first position at which the respective connected guide wheel engages the running extrudate and a second position at which there is no engagement of the running extrudate by the respective connected guide wheel.