Cutter head holder of an underwater granulator

A cutter head holder for blades of an underwater granulator for granulating pellets from a plastic melt that emerges from a perforated plate into a process chamber in a housing of the underwater granulator, wherein the cutter head holder comprises:

• a. a cutter shaft coupled to a motor shaft of a motor of the underwater granulator, wherein the cutter shaft comprises:
• (i) an inner cutter shaft part, wherein the inner cutter shaft part has a blade holder securing blades to the inner cutter shaft part;
• (ii) an outer cutter shaft part at least partially disposed about the inner cutter shaft part, wherein the outer cutter shaft part and the inner cutter shaft part are axially displaceable relative to one another, and wherein the inner and the outer cutter shaft parts are prevented from rotating relative to one another;
• (iii) a front support in a forward region that faces the perforated plate of the underwater granulator so as to be axially displaceable relative to the outer cutter shaft part, wherein the front support supports the outer cutter shaft part, and wherein the outer cutter shaft part is supported to be rotatable relative to the housing of the underwater granulator by at least one rotary bearing;
• and
• (iv) a driver element for connecting the inner cutter shaft part to the outer cutter shaft part, wherein the driver element transmits rotational force and axial force between the inner cutter shaft part and the outer cutter shaft part, and further wherein the driver element comprises at least one drive pin connected to both the inner cutter shaft part and the outer cutter shaft part.