Process for producing polybutadiene golf ball cores
View Patent ↗An improved process for producing polybutadiene golf ball cores is disclosed. The golf ball cores are from polybutadiene rubber compositions having a high Mooney viscosity and/or a high molecular weight and a low dispersity is disclosed. The apparatus includes an internal mixer that compounds a batch of golf ball core stock. A sheeter forms sheets of golf ball core stock and has a sheeter inlet proximate the mixer outlet and a sheeter outlet. A preform shaper forms golf ball core preforms from the sheets of golf ball core stock.
1. An improved processing system for forming golf ball preforms comprising high Mooney viscosity polybutadiene, said system comprising:
an internal mixer that compounds a batch of golf ball core stock, the internal mixer having a mixer outlet;
a sheeter that forms sheets of golf ball core stock, the sheeter having a sheeter inlet proximate the mixer outlet and having a sheeter outlet;
wherein the sheeter includes:
an extruder portion and a calendar portio;
the extruder portion receiving the compounded golf ball core stock from the mixer outlet and having at least one screw that feeds the compounded golf ball core stock to the calendar portion;
the calendar portion having a first roller and a second roller that is upwardly displaced from the first roller to define a nip point where the sheets of golf ball core stock are formed from the compounded golf ball core stock; and
preform shaping means for forming golf ball core preforms from the sheets of golf ball core stock;
wherein the improved processing system eliminates the need for two-roll mill.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preform shaping means includes:
a warm-up mill for warming the sheets of golf ball core stock; and
an extruder for forming golf ball core preforms of a desired shape from the warmed sheets of golf ball core stock.
3. The system of claim 2 , further including a cool down unit for cooling the sheets of golf ball core stock prior to being warmed by the warm-up mill.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the warm-up mill combines the first-mentioned batch of golf ball core stock with a second batch of core stock to form the warmed sheets of golf ball core stock.
5. The system of claim 2 , further including means for rolling the warmed sheets of golf ball core stock into “pigs” prior to being extruded into the golf ball core preforms.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the extruder portion includes two counter-rotating screws that feed the compounded golf ball core stock to the calendar portion.
7. The system of claim 1 , further including an extruder that forms golf ball core preforms of a desired shape from the sheets of golf ball core stock.
8. The system of claim 7 , further including means for rolling the sheets of golf ball core stock into “pigs” prior to being extruded into golf ball core preforms.
9. An improved processing system for forming golf ball preforms comprising high Mooney viscosity polybutadiene, said system comprising:
an internal mixer that compounds a batch of golf ball core stock, the internal mixer having a mixer outlet;
a sheeter that forms sheets of golf ball core stock, the sheeter having a sheeter inlet proximate the mixer outlet and having a sheeter outlet;
wherein the sheeter includes:
an extruder portion and a die head portion;
the extruder portion receiving the compounded golf ball core stock from the mixer outlet and having at least one screw that feeds the compounded golf ball core stock to the die head portion;
the die head portion having at least one die and the compounded golf ball core stock being extruded through the at least one die to form golf ball preforms of a desired shape.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the extruder portion includes two counter-rotating screws that feed the compounded golf ball core stock to the die head portion.