EXTRUSION APPARATUS

摘要

Apparatus and method for producing an extruded product (and in particular a food product) comprising a plurality of intertwined or plaited extruded strands (140, 141, 142). The apparatus for producing a plurality of intertwined extruded strands (140, 141, 142), comprising first (4), second (5) and third (6) extrusion die bodies, a first rotor (2), a second rotor (3), and a stator (7) in which the rotors are rotatably mounted about substantially parallel respective axes, and the arrangement being such that in use one of the rotors is caused to rotate and in so doing engages with two of the die bodies to rotate said two die bodies about the axis of said one rotor, and rotation of the other rotor similarly causes two of the die bodies to be rotated about the axis of that other rotor, and in which each die body is provided with a conduit (28, 28', 28"), and each conduit comprises an inlet (41, 43) and an outlet (110, 111, 112), the inlets of the conduits being axially spaced from one another in the direction of the axes of the rotors, and said inlets being in communication with respective supply chambers (100, 101). Advantageously the inventive apparatus is capable of forming a multi-strand product in which each strand is formed from a particular material.