Extruder apparatus for producing sterile pelleted feed product

Apparatus for the continuous production of a pelletized feed product, said apparatus comprising:

• an extruder device including an elongated, tubular barrel presenting an inlet end and an outlet end, and an elongated, axially rotatably, flighted screw situated within said barrel for transporting material from said inlet to said outlet end;
• and
• pelletizing means operatively coupled with said extruder device and including an annular die member secured adjacent to and in communication with the outlet end of said barrel and forming an extension thereof, said annular die member having a diameter greater than the diameter of said outlet end of said tubular barrel for passage of said material from the outlet end of said barrel into an enlarged diameter zone, there being structure defining a plurality of die openings through the die member having axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of said barrel, pellet-forming plate means situated within said die member and cooperable with said die member for forming pellets from said material passing from said extruder barrel outlet end, said plate means having a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of said outlet end of said barrel, and means operatively coupled with said plate means for rotation of the plate means within said die member, said plate-rotating means comprising a prime mover separate from said flighted screw for rotation of said plate means independently of rotation of said flighted screw, said prime mover comprising a short barrel section oriented in opposed relationship to said extruder barrel, a short extruder screw section situated within said short barrel section and operatively coupled with said plate means, said short extruder screw section being opposite in pitch to the pitch of said flighted extruder screw.

A pelleting head having means for securement thereof to the outlet end of an elongated extruder barrel having a rotatable flighted extruder screw therein, said pelleting head comprising:

• an annular die member presenting a pair of opposed, apertured ends, and a diameter greater than the diameter of said barrel outlet end, and a circular wall extending between said apertured ends, there being structure defining a plurality of die openings through said circular wall;
• pellet-forming plate means situated between said apertured ends and presenting a central section and a plurality of radially outwardly extending, circumferntially spaced vanes, each of said vanes including an outboard arcuate edge complemental with said circular wall, said plate means having a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of said barrel outlet end;
• means for coupling said die member to the open outlet end of said extruder barrel whereby one of said die member end apertures is in communication with the interior of the extruder barre;
• and
• means operably coupled with said plate member for rotation thereof within said die member, said plate-rotating means comprising a prime mover separate from said extruder screw for rotation of said plate means independently of rotation of said extruder screw, said prime mover comprising a short barrel section oriented in opposed relationship to said extruder barrel, a short extruder screw section situated within said short barrel section and operatively coupled with said plate means, said short extruder screw section being opposite in pitch to the pitch of said extruder screw.