Granulator and improved feed means therefor

In a device for size reduction of material such as plastic scrap from an injection molding machine, said device having a housing in part defining a generally enclosed chamber, an elongated rotor mounted for rotation about an elongated axis within said chamber, cutting means provided on said rotor for cooperative cutting relationship with bed knife means mounted for projection into said chamber as said rotor is driven, elongated feed means positioned above and generally aligned with said rotor and at least partially enclosing said chamber at an upper end thereof and removable means positioned below said chamber for removing granulated scrap from said granulator, said feed means including a pair of elongated paddle rolls each having spaced blades radially extending from a central shaft, said blades adapted to interdigitate with each other as said shafts rotate in opposite directions towards each other so as to feed material into said chamber, said shafts supported by said housing and normally disposed parallel to each other within a generally laterally disposed plane disposed above said rotor with a first of said shafts fixed in position relative to said housing and the second shaft slidably supported in said housing for movement of any portion of said second shaft towards and away from said first shaft within said lateral plane so as to accomplish increased spacing between said paddle rolls at any location therealong including locations which will skew said second shaft with respect to said first shaft so as to afford the passage of oversized material therebetween, the improvement comprising drive means for driving said shafts in rotational synchronism at all times despite the relative lateral movement which may take place between said shaft, said drive means having a frame pivotally supported on one end of said first shaft, said frame further supporting a pivotal link at one end thereof and to which said shaft is connected at the other end thereof, means extending between said shafts and said frame for transmitting rotary motion to said second shaft as said first shaft is rotated.