PURPOSE: To provide an apparatus capable of avoiding the escape of gaseous effluents from a molten thermoplastic material, obviating the degradation in the quality of the thermoplastic material and supplying the thermoplastic material of the precisely measured amount to applicators or dispensers no matter whether the dispensers are operated continuously or intermittently.

CONSTITUTION: The apparatus consists of a platen assembly 12 including a follower 38, a heating platen 40 existing below the follower and a pump 42. The platen assembly 12 is insertable into the open top of a shipping drum in a fixed position so that the heating platen 40 contacts and melts a portion of the solid thermoplastic material within the drum to a molten state to delivery the solid thermoplastic material to the inlet of the pump 42. The outlet of the pump 42 associated with the platen assembly 12 is connected by a pipe line to the thermoplastic material dispensers or applicators and a structure to recirculate the unused material from the dispensers or applicators back to the input side of the pump 42 is provided within the platen assembly 12 without exposing the material to atmosphere or otherwise causing degradation of the material.