Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing thermoformable parts includes an extruder for extruding a hot synthetic material to form a horizontal strip, a rolling device for rolling the strip, a chain device for drawing the strip along horizontally by its edges and with a continuous movement immediately upstream of a thermoforming station, a heating device for heating the strip upstream of the thermoforming station to a temperature compatible with thermoforming it over a part of its length substantially equal to that needed for the thermoforming operation, a cooling section between the heated part and the area in which the strip is rolled, and a thermoforming station for bringing the heated part into face-to-face relationship with a mold and for moving the mold in the same direction as the strip and at the same speed, so that the strip is simultaneously thermoformed and cut to yield a piece comprising the thermoformed part and a skin retaining the edge portions during continuous movement thereof. The molded and cut piece is removed while the skin is still held by the edge portions and the skin is then removed. The mold is returned to its initial position immediately at the end of the thermoforming operation. The skin that remains after the thermoforming operation is cut up and ground and the resulting granular material is recycled to the extruder which produces the strip. This granular material may be mixed with non-recycled granular material before it is recycled to the extruder.