[0001] The invention relates to a pelleter for feed and the like, comprising an annular
extrusion die which is secured to a die holder by means of tie rods, said die holder
being bearing-mounted on a stationary main shaft, a driving pulley being mounted on
the die holder for rotating the extrusion die.
[0002] Such a pelleter is known from applicant's European patent application 0,246,710.
In that pelleter it is difficult to draw the annular die to the die holder in a centred
manner, because the free end of the tie rods is disposed in a space that does not
allow easy access, being enclosed between a wall of the die holder and the driving
pulley mounted on said die holder. To prevent the die from skewing and thus assuming
a skewed position when the die is drawn against a conical edge of the die holder,
the die has,to be barred when the screwed rods are drawn, i.e. the die has to be rotated
through parts of a turn so as to allow the interspaced screwed rods along the circumference
to be drawn one by one, and, moreover, in a non-sequential order. Disassembling the
die is also difficult in that the die often becomes wedged within the conical edge
of the die holder and consequently has to be pressed clear from the die holder by
means of locking nuts.
[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks and, accordingly, to provide a pelleter
allowing ready assembly and disassembly of the die and permitting controlled centering.
[0004] To that effect the pelleter according to the invention is characterized in that the
extrusion die is firmly drawn onto the driving pulley, which forms one whole with
the die holder. Thus, the ends of the screwed rods, which do not allow easy access,
have been moved to the other side of the driving pulley, which does allow easy access,
and, furthermore, the possibilty is created of elegantly solving the centering problems
during assembly and the problems of wedging during disassembly.
[0005] For the purpose of solving the centering and disassembly problems, preferably on
the side of the pulley that is away from the die, three clamping/centering units are
arranged along the circumference in regularly spaced interrelationship, the free end
of a screwed rod projecting outside the corresponding clamping/centering unit and
being securable to it by means of a securing nut.
[0006] The three clamping/centering units regularly spaced about the circumference and preferably
adapted to be hydraulically controlled, make it possible for the die to be drawn uniformly
against the conical centering edge of the combined driving pulley/ die holder throughout
the circumference. By loading the clamping/centering unit in the opposite direction,
the die, when drawn against the die holder, can be pushed clear uniformly, thus ensuring
that the die comes off the conical centering edge when disassembled.
[0007] One embodiment of the pelleter according to the invention will now be further explained,
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematice view of a known pelleter;
Fig. 2 shows the pelleter according to the invention with a combined pulley/die holder;
Fig. 3 shows a manually operated clamping/centering unit to an enlarged scale;
Fig. 4 shows a hydraulically controlled clamping/centering unit similar to the one
shown in Fig. 3; and
Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of the driving pulley / die holder viewed in the direction
of arrow F of Fig. 2.
[0008] The known pelleter shown in Fig. 1 comprises an annular die 1 mounted on a die holder
5 which is bearing-mounted on a stationary main shaft 2. The main shaft 2 is supported
by a machine frame 10. Mounted on the die holder 5 is a driving pulley 9 adapted to
be driven by an electric motor for rotating the annular die 1 about the stationary
main shaft 2 Arranged within the die 1 are two press rollers 3 mounted on press roller
shafts 8. At both ends the press roller shafts 8 comprise eccentric bearing journals
4 which serve for adjusting the press rollers 3 in the direction of the die 1. The
shaft journals disposed on the left-hand side of Fig. 1 are mounted in a front plate
12, while the shaft journals 4 disposed on the right-hand side are mounted in recesses
provided in the end plate of the stationary main shaft 2. In accordance with certain
improvements we have invented, adjustment of the press rollers 3 is preferably effected
through an adjusting apparatus as described in the co-pending European patent application
based on Netherlands patent application No.8901130. The die 1 comprises a conical
edge which is drawn against the conical edge 6 of the die holder 5 by means of screwed
tie rods 7. As shown in Fig. 1 the ends of the tie rods 7 are not readily accessible
because they are disposed in a space bounded on opposite sides by the die holder 5
and the driving pulley 9, respectively.
[0009] The material to be processed in the pelleter is supplied in the direction of the
arrow X to the interior of the rotating, annular die 1 driving the press rollers 3.
The press rollers 3 press the material through the channels provided in the annular
die 1, after which the product leaves the pelleter in granular or pellet form in the
direction designated by arrow Y
[0010] Fig. 2 shows the pelleter according to the invention, the driving pulley 9 and the
die holder 5 being combined into a single member. Provided in the driving pulley/die
holder 9, 5 is a recess 26 extending in circumferential direction, in which three
clamping/centering units 11 can be arranged in regularly interspaced relationship
along the circumference for drawing the die 1 against the conical edge 6 of the combined
driving pulley/die holder. The construction of the clamping/centering unit 11 is shown
in detail in Figs. 3-4.
[0011] Fig. 4 shows the pulley/die holder 9, 5 bearing-mounted on the stationary main shaft
2 of the pelleter. The pulley/die holder has a conical centering edge 6 on its side
proximal to the die 1, and the die 1 has a corresponding conical centering edge. Provided
in the die 1 are a plurality of journal holes 13 arranged in regularly interrelationship
along the circumference for receiving the end 14 of a screwed rod 7. The screwed rod
7 extends through an opening in the pulley/die holder 9, 5 and a clamping/centering
unit 11, the end face 20 of the clamping/centering unit 11 forming a stop for the
die 1 when the securing nut 23 is tightened. The clamping/centering unit 11 comprises
a hydraulic cylinder 12 which is mounted by means of bolts 15 on the bottom of the
groove-shaped recess 26 provided in the pulley /die holder 9, 5. The hydraulic cylinder
12 comprises an oil chamber 17 to which oil can be supplied under pressure via an
oil duct 18. Arranged round the screwed rod 7 is a pressure sleeve 16, which can be
slid relatively to the screwed rod 7. The left-hand end 20 of the pressure sleeve
16 projects outside the end face of the pulley/die holder 9, 5 and forms a stop for
the edge of the die 1. The right-hand end of the pressure sleeve 16 projects from
the end wall of the cylinder 12 and forms a stop for a nut 21 to be mounted to the
screwed rod 7. Within the hydraulic cylinder 12 the pressure sleeve 16 has the form
of a piston 25, which can be loaded in two directions. Between the piston 25 and the
wall of the pulley/die holder a packet of Belleville washers 19 are arranged which
load the piston 25 and hence the screwed rod 7 in one direction, the centering edge
of the die 1 being drawn against the conical edge 6 of the pulley/die holder 9, 5.
The oil chamber 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 12 is bounded on the left side by the
piston 25 of the pressure sleeve 16 and on the right side by the end face of the hydraulic
cylinder 12. For the sake of clarity oil seals, necessary in various places and accordingly
provided in practice, have been omitted from the drawings.
[0012] Provided between the securing nut 23 and the end face of the hydraulic cylinder 12
is a pressure block 22.
[0013] As shown in Fig. 5 a total of three clamping/centering units 11 are provided along
the circumference of the pulley/die holder 9, 5. Between each pair of clamping/centering
units 11 one or two locking bolts 24 may further be provided for drawing the die 1
against the pulley/die holder 9.
[0014] A die 1 is mounted on a pulley/die holder 9 as follows:
[0015] In the oil chambers 17 of the three clamping/centering units 11 oil is supplied under
pressure via the oil duct 18, as a result of which the piston 25 of the pressure sleeve
16 in Fig. 4 is pressed to the left, the spring packet 19 thus being compressed. The
end 20 of each pressure sleeve 16, which end forms a stop, is thus pressed further
from the pulley/die holder 9 than shown in Fig. 4. The hollow space within each pressure
sleeve 16 is empty, i.e. the tie rods 7 have not yet been mounted in the pressure
sleeves 16.
[0016] The die 1, comprising three tie rods 7 which are screwed into the tapped holes 13,
is then moved against the projecting stops 20, the three tie rods 7 projecting through
the corresponding pressure sleeves 16. The centering edge of the die remains clear
of the centering edge 6 of the pulley/die holder 9. A nut 21 is tightened on the end
of the tie rod 7 that projects outside the pressure sleeve 16.
[0017] Then in all three clamping/centering units 11 the oil pressure is removed from the
oil chamber 17, the pressure sleeves 16 thus moving uniformly to the right (Fig. 4)
under the influence of the spring packet 19, the centering edge of the die 1 being
drawn uniformly and in a centred manner against the conical centering edge 6 of the
pulley/die holder 9. It is clear the piston 25 of the pressure sleeve 16 is to remain
at a distance from the end wall of the hydraulic cylinder 12. In this position the
tie rods 7 are kept under tensile stress by the spring packets 19.
[0018] Then a pressure block is mounted on the end of the tie rods 7 and the securing nut
23 is tightened. The die 1 is then pressed against the conical centering edge 6 under
the proper pressure.
[0019] Then the locking bolts 24 provided between each pair of clamping/centering units
11 can be tightened without the centering of the die having to be checked.
[0020] The die 1 is disassembled in the following manner:
- unscrew and remove the locking bolts 24 (Fig. 5),
- remove the securing nuts 23 and the pressure blocks 22,
- pressurize simultaneously the oil chambers 17 of the clamping/centering units 11,
the centering edge of the die 1 thus being forced clear of the conical centering edge
6 of the pulley/die holder 9,
- after unscrewing the nuts 21 remove the die with the tie rods 7 screwed into them
horizontally using suitable hoisting apparatus.
[0021] The clamping/centering unit 11 shown in Fig. 3 is different from the one in Fig.
4 only in that the hydraulic control is absent. The spring packet 19 is mounted on
the other side of the piston 25 on.the pressure sleeve 16, and accordingly presses
the pressure sleeve 16 to the left (Fig. 3), so that the end 20, forming a stop, extends
outside the pulley/die holder 9 by the maximum distance. In this position the die
1 is drawn against the stops 20 by tightening the nuts 21, the conical edge of the
die 1 still remaining clear of the conical edge 6 of the pulley/die holder 9.
[0022] The die is then drawn against the edge 6 by alternately and turn-by-turn tightening
the nuts 23 of the clamping/centering units 11 distributed along the circumference.
[0023] During disassembly the spring packets 19 cause the die 1 to be pressed clear.
1. A pelleter for feed and the like, comprising an annular extrusion die which is
secured to a die holder by means of tie rods, said die holder being bearing-mounted
on a stationary main shaft, a driving pulley being mounted on the die holder for rotating
the extrusion die, characterized in that the extrusion die is firmly drawn onto the
driving pulley (9), which forms one whole with the die holder (5).
2. A pelleter according to claim 1, characterized in that on the side of the pulley
(9) that is remote from the die (1), three clamping/centering units (11) are arranged
along the circumference in regularly spaced interrelationship, the free end of a tie
rod (7) extending outside the corresponding clamping/centering unit (11) to which
unit it can be secured by means of a securing nut (23).
3. A pelleter according to claims. 1-2, characterized in that each clamping/centering
unit (11) comprises a cylinder (12) mounted on the pulley (9) and a pressure block
(22) to be placed on said cylinder (12) to form a stop for the securing nut (23).
4. A pelleter according to claims 1-3, characterized in that each tie rod (7) is surrounded
by a pressure sleeve (16) adapted to slide over said tie rod, the end (20) of said
sleeve (16) that is proximal to the die (1) forming a stop extending outside the pulley
(9), and the other end of the pressure sleeve (16) extending outside the cylinder
(12) and forming a stop for a securing nut (21), the pressure sleeve (16) further
comprising a piston (25) arranged within said cylinder and loaded by a spring assembly
(19).
5. A pelleter according to claims 1-4, characterized in that the pulley (9) is connected
to the die (1) by means of locking bolts (24) mounted on the same pitch circle between
the three clamping/centering units (11).
6. A pelleter according to claims 1-5, characterized in that the integrated pulley/die
holder (9, 5) has a groove-shaped recess (26) extending in circumferential direction
for mounting the clamping/centering units (11).
7. A pelleter according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that each clamping/centering
unit (11) is controlled hydraulically in the unclamping direction and is loaded by
a spring assembly (19) in the clamping direction.