Cutter hub pin drive mechanism and quick disconnect hub for an underfluid pelletizer

An underfluid pelletizer for extruding and cutting a process melt into pellets using a pelletizer comprising:

• a pelletizer shaft rotationally driven by a motor, said shaft having a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface thereof;
• a die plate with a plurality of extrusion orifices formed therein through which the process melt is carried from said die plate to a cutting face on a downstream side of said die plate;
• a rotary cutter blade assembly in opposed relation to said cutting face, said cutter blade assembly having a cutter hub and at least one cutter blade mounted on said cutter hub and capable of moving in a plane generally parallel to and closely adjacent said cutting face to cut strands of process melt extruded through said orifices into pellets, said rotary cutter hub assembly being driven by rotational movement of said pelletizer shaft, said cutter hub being coupled to a cutter hub holder having a plurality of grooves in an inner surface thereof, said cutter hub holder grooves being in alignment with said pelletizer shaft grooves to form longitudinally extending drive pin channels;
• a plurality of drive pins captured within said drive pin channels, said drive pins transferring torque from rotation of said pelletizer shaft to said cutter hub holder and cutter blade assembly;
• and
• a cutting chamber enclosing said cutting face and cutter blade assembly, said cutting chamber including a fluid inlet for introducing cooling fluid into the cutting chamber and an outlet for discharge of fluid and pellets entrained in the fluid.

An underfluid pelletizer for extruding and cutting a process melt into pellets using a pelletizer comprising:

• a pelletizer shaft rotationally driven by a motor;
• a die plate with a plurality of extrusion orifices formed therein through which the process melt is carried from said die plate to a cutting face on a downstream side of said die plate;
• a rotary cutter blade assembly in opposed relation to said cutting face, said cutter blade assembly having a cutter hub and at least one cutter blade mounted on said cutter hub and capable of moving in a plane generally parallel to and closely adjacent said cutting face to cut strands of process melt extruded through said orifices into pellets, said rotary cutter hub assembly being driven by rotational movement of said pelletizer shaft, said cutter hub being coupled to a cutter hub holder;
• a cutter hub pin drive mechanism for transferring torque from rotation of said pelletizer shaft to said cutter hub holder and cutter blade assembly;
• a cutting chamber enclosing said cutting face and cutter blade assembly, said cutting chamber including a fluid inlet for introducing cooling fluid into the cutting chamber and an outlet for discharge of fluid and pellets entrained in the fluid;
• and
• a quick disconnect hub configured to removably couple the pelletizer shaft to the cutter hub holder, said quick disconnect hub secured by a retaining element that is engaged within a quick disconnect groove to removably couple the pelletizer shaft and the cutter hub holder.

An underfluid pelletizer for extruding and cutting a process melt into pellets using a pelletizer comprising:

• a pelletizer shaft rotationally driven by a motor;
• a die plate with a plurality of extrusion orifices formed therein through which the process melt is carried from said die plate to a cutting face on a downstream side of said die plate;
• a rotary cutter blade assembly in opposed relation to said cutting face, said cutter blade assembly having a cutter hub and at least one cutter blade mounted on said cutter hub and capable of moving in a plane generally parallel to and closely adjacent to said cutting face to cut strands of process melt extruded through said orifices into pellets, said rotary cutter hub assembly being driven by rotational movement of said pelletizer shaft, said cutter hub being coupled to a cutter hub holder;
• a cutter hub drive mechanism for transferring torque from rotation of said pelletizer shaft to said cutter hub holder and cutter blade assembly;
• a cutting chamber enclosing said cutting face and cutter blade assembly, said cutting chamber including a fluid inlet for introducing cooling fluid into the cutting chamber and an outlet for discharge of fluid and pellets entrained in the fluid;
• and
• a sealing member fitted around said pelletizer shaft and positioned under said cutter hub holder to seal fluid and fines from an area containing said cutter hub pin drive mechanism.