Abstract: A pelletizer with a rotatably drivable cutter head for dividing material strands output from a die plate into pellets, the cutter head being drivingly connected to a drive motor via a drive shaft, and with a feed device for axial adjustment of the cutter head relative to the die plate in the direction of the cutter head axis of rotation. A spindle element of a spindle drive stage of the feed device is configured as a spindle sleeve which is axially firmly seated on the rotating drive shaft between the drive motor and the cutter head. The drive shaft is connected to the cutter head in an axially-fixed and rotationally-fixed manner and transmits the axial movement of the spindle sleeve to the cutter head.

Abstract: An underwater pelletizer including a die plate, a cutting chamber housing having a cutting chamber and a rotatably drivable cutter head, which is arranged in the cutting chamber for dividing melt strands output from the die plate into pellets. The cutting chamber is flushed through by process water which can be introduced through at least one inlet into the cutting chamber and, together with the cut pellets, can be discharged from the cutting chamber via an outlet. A plurality of flow channels and/or chambers are provided in the cutting chamber housing for generating different process water streams, which include at least one co-rotating flow path passing through at least one cutter head channel through the rotating cutter head, as well as at least one flow path which does not co-rotate and which leads from a fixed inlet into the cutting chamber.

Abstract: A pelletizing system including a supporting rail, a pelletizer that is suspended from the supporting rail, a suspension base, a supporting arm, and an articulated arm. The supporting arm is supported at a first end on the suspension base by means of a first swivel joint and is hinged to the supporting rail at a second end by means of a second swivel joint. The articulated arm includes a first articulated arm branch which is connected to a second articulated arm branch by a third swivel joint. The first articulated arm branch is supported on the suspension base by means of a fourth swivel joint, and the second articulated arm branch is hinged to the supporting rail by means of a fifth swivel joint. In an embodiment, the first through fifth swivel joints each have an essentially vertical swivel axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection adapter for connecting two melt-guiding components having two adapter halves having connection means for connection to a respective one of the components and having connection means for connecting the two adapter halves to one another and having a melt-guiding piece that is adapted to a first of the melt-guiding components by a first opening cross-section and to the second of the melt-guiding components by a second opening cross-section. The invention furthermore relates to a melt processing plant having two melt-guiding components such as an extruder and a pelletizer that are connected to one another by such a connection adapter. In accordance with the invention, the melt-guiding piece is formed separately from the adapter halves and is tensionable against the melt-guiding components by the mutually connected adapter halves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection adapter for connecting two melt-guiding components having two adapter halves having connection means for connection to a respective one of the components and having connection means for connecting the two adapter halves to one another and having a melt-guiding piece that is adapted to a first of the melt-guiding components by a first opening cross-section and to the second of the melt-guiding components by a second opening cross-section. The invention furthermore relates to a melt processing plant having two melt-guiding components such as an extruder and a pelletizer that are connected to one another by such a connection adapter. In accordance with the invention, the melt-guiding piece is formed separately from the adapter halves and is tensionable against the melt-guiding components by the mutually connected adapter halves.

Abstract: The present innovation concerns pelletizing system, comprising a supporting rail (3); a pelletizer (5) that is suspended from the supporting rail (3); a suspension base (2); a supporting arm (10) that is supported at a first end on the suspension base (2) by means of a first swivel joint (11) and is hinged to the supporting rail (3) at a second end by means of a second swivel joint (12); and an articulated arm (20) with a first articulated arm branch (21), which is connected to a second articulated arm branch (22) by a third swivel joint (23), wherein the first articulated arm branch (21) is supported on the suspension base (2) by means of a fourth swivel joint (24), and the second articulated arm branch (22) is hinged to the supporting rail (3) by means of a fifth swivel joint (25), wherein the first through fifth swivel joints (11, 12, 23, 24, 25) each have an essentially vertical swivel axis.

Abstract: A melt processing plant including a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, is provided. Upstream of the processing head a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated with the melt charger, and a portioning device for portioning the discharged melt into melt portions is associated to the diverter valve. A cooling device for cooling the melt portions to at least partly solidified chunks of material is also provided, the cooling device including a cooling bath having an associated belt conveyor with a first collecting belt portion inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal and extending through the level of the cooling bath for collecting chunks of solidified material.

Abstract: A melt processing plant is provided that includes a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, in which a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated to the melt charger upstream of the processing head. A splitter divides the discharged melt into melt portions with the melt channels of the splitter head having at least one step-like cross-sectional enlargement of their inflow portion, a cross-sectional shape different from the outlet cross-section of the discharge channel, and an open orifice region out of the splitter.

Abstract: A cutter hub position control device for consistent blade adjustment in an underfluid pelletizer is provided in connection with a motion rod attached to the pelletizer cutter hub and extending through a hollow shaft of the pelletizer motor. The cutter hub position control device can be collinear, transaxial or in a plane parallel to the axis of the motion rod to which it is attached. Adjustment of the cutter hub position control device is automated through use of feedback control mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a melt processing plant, comprising a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular pelletizing head, with melt, wherein upstream of the processing head a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated to the melt charger. According to the invention, the melt channels of the splitter head have at least one step-like cross-sectional enlargement of their inflow portion, a cross-sectional shape different from the outlet cross-section of the discharge channel, and an open orifice region out of the splitter.

Abstract: A pelletizer, preferably in the form of an underwater pelletizer, having a cutter and/or grinding head and a tool carrier is provided. The tool carrier can rotatably be driven about a tool carrier axis of rotation, and at least one cutting and/or grinding tool, which is attached to the tool carrier and is spaced from the tool carrier axis of rotation, is used to knock off plastic melt emerging from a pelletizer die plate and/or for grinding the pelletizer die plate. In one embodiment, the cutting and/or grinding tool rotates together with the tool carrier about its tool carrier axis of rotation, and in another embodiment, the cutting and/or grinding tool can rotate about its own axis of rotation relative to the tool carrier.

Abstract: A cutter hub position control device for consistent blade adjustment in an underfluid pelletizer is provided in connection with a motion rod attached to the pelletizer cutter hub and extending through a hollow shaft of the pelletizer motor. The cutter hub position control device can be collinear, transaxial or in a plane parallel to the axis of the motion rod to which it is attached. Adjustment of the cutter hub position control device is automated through use of feedback control mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a melt processing plant, comprising a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular palletizing head, with melt, wherein upstream of the processing head a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated to the melt charger, and to a method for melt processing in such melt processing plant. In accordance with the invention, a portioning device for portioning the discharged melt into melt portions is associated to the diverter valve, wherein a cooling device for cooling the melt portions to at least partly solidified chunks of material is provided.

Abstract: A centrifugal dryer for the separation of pellet-like substances from process water including a housing, a rotor arranged in the housing and a screen surrounding the rotor at the peripheral side. The screen has at least one porous screen member which is placed in an arcuate manner around at least one screen carrier hoop and is releasably fastened thereto. The screen is composed of a plurality of screen members which mutually overlap in the peripheral direction and are clamped tight to the screen carrier hoop by one or more tension belts which wrap around the mutually overlapping screen members at the peripheral side.

Abstract: A cutter hub position control device for consistent blade adjustment in an underfluid pelletizer is provided in connection with a motion rod attached to the pelletizer cutter hub and extending through a hollow shaft of the pelletizer motor. The cutter hub position control device can be collinear, transaxial or in a plane parallel to the axis of the motion rod to which it is attached. Adjustment of the cutter hub position control device is automated through use of feedback control mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pelletizer, preferably in the form of an underwater pelletizer. In particular, this invention relates to a cutter and/or grinding head for such pelletizer, comprising a tool carrier which can rotatorily be driven about a tool carrier axis of rotation, and at least one cutting and/or grinding tool, which is attached to the tool carrier and is spaced from the tool carrier axis of rotation, for knocking off plastic melt emerging from a pelletizer die plate and/or for grinding said pelletizer die plate. In accordance with the invention, the cutting and/or grinding tool is rotatably mounted on the tool carrier about an axis of rotation spaced from the tool carrier axis of rotation. This provides a second component of movement for the cutting and/or grinding tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifugal dryer for the separation of pellet-like substances from process water, comprising a housing, a rotor arranged in the housing and a screen surrounding the rotor at the peripheral side, with the screen having at least one porous screen member which is placed in an arcuate manner around at least one screen carrier hoop and is releasably fastened thereto. In accordance with the invention, the screen is composed of a plurality of screen members which mutually overlap in the peripheral direction and are clamped tight to the screen carrier hoop by one or more tension belts which wrap around the mutually overlapping screen members at the peripheral side. Generally, differently made pliable, flexible and/or resiliently flexible tension members can be wrapped around screen members as a tension belt which are clamped and hereby hold the screen members together.

Abstract: An adjustable sectioned water flow guide stationarily mounted in the water box of an underwater pelletizer to adjust the flow of pressurized water through the water box in order to accommodate a range of variable process requirements, such as pellet size, water flow, water temperature, melt flow, etc., while preventing pellet distortion and die hole freezing. The length and surface configuration of the water flow guide may be readily adapted through selection of an appropriate number of grooved or ungrooved sections to optimize fluid flow for particular pelletizer applications.

Abstract: A filter-replacement cassette for an extruder. A housing (1) has at least one bore. The bores (2 & 3) extend above and below and at a right angle to the horizontally flowing plastic. A cartridge (4 or 5) that accommodates a replaceable filter (5) slides back and forth inside each bore. The object is to facilitate start-up operation. The cartridge accordingly has at least one tap (7, bore 15, or bore 45) permanently integrated into it in addition to the replaceable filter. The housing accommodates either a cartridge or a start-up outlet bore (16, 36, or 47). While the cartridge is in a prescribed position, the start-up outlet bore can communicate with the cartridge's tap and with an intake channel (13 or 31) for the extrudate.