Patents by Inventor James D. Layfield

James D. Layfield has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4457882
    Abstract: A centrifugal pelletizer has a hollow electrically and thermally conductive rotor with a series of orifices along its outer rim portion for centrifugally powering strands of heated thermoplastic material from a body of said material in a flowable state within the interior of the rotor. A knife mounted on the frame adjacent the rotor orifices severs the strands into pellets of a predetermined length. A molten material feed tube with fins therein at the exit end to divide the flow extends into a rotor housing to direct flow in a uniform manner to an axially opposite impeller on the rotor and control mechanism, sensitive to the temperature of the rotor adjacent the orifices, controls the supply of current to electromagnets, which have a peripheral magnetic flux conducting plate system extending to and forming a part of the housing creating a flux field which is interrupted by the spinning rotor to induce currents in the rotor which heat it according to the temperature sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Baker Perkins Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Todd, James D. Layfield
  • Patent number: 4412964
    Abstract: Uniform pellets of thermoplastic material are formed by centrifugally expressing strands of heated material from orifices on the rim of a hollow rotor and severing the strands with a linearly moving endless blade at a selected radial distance from the rim. The severed pellets pass in a tangential path through a cooling spray at the entrance to a pellet outlet duct. The severing blade is mounted on a bracket for movement to and from the severing position and for adjustment radially and circumferentially of the rotor axis. Two blade assemblies are employed alternately so that blade replacement may be accomplished without interrupting operation. Downstream from the outlet duct an auxiliary knife-gate is employed adjacent a scrap duct and is movable from a severing position to a scrap duct closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Baker Perkins Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Todd, James D. Layfield
  • Patent number: 4408972
    Abstract: Uniform pellets of thermoplastic material are formed by centrifugally expressing strands of heated material from orifices on the rim of a hollow rotor and severing the strands with a linearly moving endless blade at a selected radial distance from the rim. The severed pellets pass in a tangential path through a cooling spray at the entrance to a pellet outlet duct. The severing blade is mounted on a bracket for movement to and from the severing position and for adjustment radially and circumferentially of the rotor axis. Two blade assemblies are employed alternately so that blade replacement may be accomplished without interrupting operation. Downstream from the outlet duct an auxiliary knife-gate is employed adjacent a scrap duct and is movable from a severing position to a scrap duct closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Baker Perkins Inc.
    Inventor: James D. Layfield