Abstract: The pellet mill includes a ring die having die openings and rollers within a die cavity defined by the ring die whereby material fed to the die cavity and in the nips between the rollers and ring die is extruded through the openings to form pellets. The roller shafts are cooled by a water injector comprised of a tube disposed within and spaced radially from the interior surfaces of a bore through the roller shaft. A fitting at one end of the tube has an inlet for supplying cooling water to the interior of the tube. A return passage for the heated cooling medium is provided in the annular space between the tube and the bore terminating in an outlet in the fitting. In this manner, the roller bearings and lubricant are cooled.

Abstract: The retractable die clamp for a pellet mill includes a clamp segment having a generally C-shaped cross-section with radial extending flanges for wedging the die ring flange and mounting or quill flange of the pellet mill frame against one another, securing the ring to the frame. The clamp includes end bolts threaded into the mounting flange. A centrally located Acme fastener has an externally threaded sleeve and a bolt extends through the sleeve and is threaded into the mounting flange. The Acme fastener also includes an internally threaded nut restrained on the clamp for limited axial movement. The nut is also rotatable relative to the clamp to back the clamp radially away from the mounting flange to retract the clamp from the ring and mounting flanges. The Acme fastener also maintains the clamp attached to the frame by the bolted connection when the clamp is backed off the mounting and die ring flanges.

Abstract: A pelleting die is provided, preferably in cylindrical form. The die includes a cylindrical body having inner and outer cylindrical surfaces and holes through the surfaces in which particulate material is extruded to form pellets. The die is formed of an H-group steel alloy, preferably H13 alloy, with the surfaces being nitrided to provide increased surface hardness, resistance to wear, improved fatigue life and improved corrosion resistance.

Abstract: The hammermill includes a housing, a working chamber defined by a polygonal screen, an inlet to the chamber, an outlet and a plurality of free-swinging hammers attached to a driven rotor. Support brackets extend the length of the housing and mount deflectors for eliminating tangential motion of materials being comminuted in the working chamber in the region of the deflectors. Side doors mount screen carriages for movement toward and away from the doors. In a closed position of the door, springs bias the screen carriages into engagement with wear-linings and the support brackets. The doors are pivotal away from the housing for access to the screens and the interior of the working chamber. A bottom screen carriage is movable toward and away from the chamber for access to the bottom screen sections.

Abstract: The cooler/dryer includes a product inlet having an inlet discharge chute oscillatable about a horizontal axis corresponding to the direction of conveyance of the product within the dryer/cooler. The chute is at an opposite angle to the direction of conveyance and drops product onto a seal plate angled in the direction of conveyance. Through the combined oscillating motion of the chute and the opposed feed angles of the chute and seal plates in relation to the conveyor, an air seal between the conveyor and the seal plate and level distribution of product across the conveyor are provided. A secondary pivoting seal downstream from the inlet prevents air drawn in through the inlet along with the product from passing directly into the cooling/drying chamber.

Abstract: A roll surface grinder includes a frame mounted on a carriage assembly for traversing movement between opposite sides of the frame in a direction parallel to the axis of the roll subject to grinding. The carriage assembly includes a linear drive system for controlling the transverse back-and-forth motion and speed of the carriage assembly along the frame during grinding. The carriage assembly includes a swing arm pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotal relative to the carriage assembly. The pivot angle of the swing arm relative to the carriage assembly can be adjusted manually to adjust the depth of the grinding.

Abstract: A cooler/dryer includes a housing for storing bulk product including a bulk product inlet at the top of the housing and a grid structure adjacent the bottom of the housing for discharging bulk product. The grid structure is movable between open and closed positions and, in both positions, primary air flows upwardly through the grid structure to cool and/or dry the bulk product. Auxiliary air inlet ducts are located above the grid structure for flowing auxiliary air into the product bed. The primary air and the auxiliary air combine in the product bed to increase the cooling and/or drying effect without substantially increasing the velocity of the primary air through the grid structure which would otherwise affect the discharge rate of the product through the grid structure.

Abstract: A gravity flow apparatus that scalps off the large pieces of foreign material from grain before processing or storage. The scalper consists of an upright housing with a grain inlet at the top. The grain enters the housing and drops onto a dead head slide. The dead head slide with a flexible baffle slows the momentum of the falling grain then spreads the grain out over the slide width before it enters the screen. The slide is sloped to suit the grain's natural angle of repose and is lined with an anti-friction material for mass flow. The grain enters the full width of the screen while a second baffle stops grain from freely pouring into the foreign material discharge. The screen is adjustable to allow the grain to spread on the screen at its natural angle of repose while trash is scalped off over the screen into the trash discharge.