Pelletizing
AssigneeVelcro Industries B.V.
InventorsPeter J. Mueller, Richard H. Fetter, Robert A. Hewitt, Jamie Allen Chomas, Jason Bradley Forgash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuous length of material of non-circular cross-section is pelletized to form discrete bits, by feeding the material to a cutting wheel with shaped cutters that form non-planar bits having non-circular axial projections and that are aligned with the material. The material is fed so as to maintain a rotational orientation with respect to the cutters, and so as to avoid buckling. Multiple banks of strands of material are severed simultaneously, thereby producing high volumes of shaped bits that are useful as filling and as filter material, and as friction-enhancing additives.
Claims16
A method of pelletizing a length of material to form discrete bits of material, the method comprising
- feeding a longitudinally continuous length of material through a guide aperture;
- supporting a distal region of the continuous length of material against a support surface defining an edge beyond which a distal end of the continuous length of material is fed downstream of the guide aperture;
- and, while continuing to feed the continuous length of material through the guide aperture and over the edge of the support surface,
- severing the continuous length of material at or beyond the distal edge at discrete intervals by a series of cutters disposed at spaced intervals about a cutting wheel, to form discrete and separate bits of the material,
- wherein the continuous length of material is of non-circular cross-section, the cutting wheel is maintained in alignment with the guide aperture, and the cutters are shaped such that severing the continuous length of material forms cut surfaces that have
- perimeters of non-circular axial projection;
- and
- non-planar cut profiles perpendicular to a direction in which the cutter moves through the continuous length of material, wherein the edge of the support surface is shaped in accordance with the cut profile, such that each cutter passes through a recess at the edge of the support surface after severing the material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.