US 9,873,211 B2Granted

Systems and methods for self-aligning cutting hub assembly

AssigneeGala Industries, Inc.

InventorMichael A. Fridley

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Abstract

A system that enables a cutter head to pivot for improved alignment with a cutting face or die is disclosed. The system includes a cutter hub and a driveshaft hub mated with a plurality of round, spherical, or ovoid surfaces to enable the cutter hub to pivot with respect to the driveshaft hub. The system can include a plurality of alignment pins with spherical surfaces to transfer torque from the driveshaft hub to the cutter hub. The system can also include a cutter head, which can include a plurality of cutting blades. The system can be used in cutting machinery, such as a pelletizer, where alignment of the cutting head and the cutting die (or other cutting surface) is desirable.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a die face comprising a plurality of extrusion holes;
a driveshaft;
a driveshaft adapter with a first side and a second side and comprising:
a first plurality of cylindrical alignment holes disposed on the first side of the driveshaft adapter;
and
a concave spherical surface disposed on the first side of the driveshaft adapter, the first and second sides of the driveshaft adapter being oriented parallel to the die face;
a cutter adapter with a first side and a second side and comprising:
a second plurality of cylindrical alignment holes disposed on the second side of the cutter adapter;
and
a complementary convex spherical surface disposed on the second side of the cutter adapter for mating engagement with the concave spherical surface of the driveshaft adapter, the first and second sides of the cutter adapter being oriented parallel to the die face;
a cutter head attached to the cutter adapter and comprising a plurality of cutting blades;
a plug adapter comprising a convex surface sized and shaped to be in slideable engagement with a concave surface on the first side of the cutter adapter, the plug adapter further configured to be in engagement with the driveshaft adapter;
and
a plurality of alignment pins each with a first end and a second end, each first end comprising a rounded or elliptical surface sized and shaped to be in slideable engagement with one of a first and second plurality of cylindrical alignment holes and each second end being fixed in the other of the first and second plurality of cylindrical alignment holes;
wherein the convex spherical surface of the cutter adapter is configured to engage with and pivot about the concave spherical surface of the driveshaft adapter as the rounded or elliptical surfaces on the plurality of alignment pins slide within the alignment holes to align the cutter adapter with the die face.

12 more elements

A system comprising:

a die face comprising a plurality of extrusion holes;
a power source;
a driveshaft, with a first end and a second end, the first end detachably coupled to the power source;
a driveshaft adapter with a first side and a second side, the first side detachably coupled to the second end of the driveshaft and the second side being aligned parallel to the die face, the driveshaft adapter comprising:
a first plurality of cylindrical alignment holes disposed on the second side of the driveshaft adapter and aligned perpendicular to the die face;
and
a concave spherical surface disposed on the second side of the driveshaft adapter;
a cutter adapter with a first side and a second side and comprising:
a second plurality of cylindrical alignment holes disposed on the first side and aligned perpendicular to the die face;
and
a convex spherical surface disposed on the first side of the cutter adapter;
a cutter head attached to the cutter adapter and comprising a plurality of cutting blades;
a plug adapter comprising a convex surface sized and shaped to be in slideable engagement with a concave surface on the second side of the cutter adapter, the plug adapter further configured to be in engagement with the driveshaft adapter;
and
a plurality of alignment pins each with a first end and a second end, each first end comprising a rounded or elliptical surface in slideable engagement with one of the first and second plurality of alignment holes, and each second end being fixed in the other of the first and second plurality of alignment holes;
wherein the convex spherical surface of the cutter adapter is configured to engage with and pivot on the concave spherical surface of the driveshaft adapter as the rounded or elliptical surfaces on the plurality of alignment pins slide within the alignment holes;
and
wherein the cutter adapter is configured to pivot to align the cutting blades with the die face in parallel arrangement.

15 more elements

A system for aligning cutting blades with a die surface, the system comprising:

a driveshaft adapter connected to a driveshaft said driveshaft adapter having a first side and a second side arranged in parallel to the die surface, and a concave spherical surface disposed on the first side;
a cutter adapter having a first side arranged in parallel to the die surface with a convex spherical surface disposed on the first side, and a second side arranged in parallel to the die surface with a concave spherical surface disposed on the second side;
a plug adapter having a first side and a convex surface disposed on the first side of the plug adapter and sized and shaped to be in slideable engagement with the concave surface on the second side of the cutter adapter, the plug adapter further configured to be in engagement with the driveshaft adapter;
and
a cutter head attached to the cutter adapter and comprising cutting blades;
wherein the convex and concave spherical surfaces of the cutter adapter are configured to engage with and pivot between the concave surface of the driveshaft adapter and the convex surface of the plug adapter, respectively, in response to a force applied to the cutting blades;
and
wherein the cutter adapter is configured to pivot to align the cutting blades with the die face in parallel arrangement.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/462,604Filed 19 Aug 2014 · us provisional application
Priority: 20 Aug 2013
Published: US 2015/0056322 A126 Feb 2015
Granted: 23 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B29B 9/065
In the form of filamentary material, e.g. combined with extrusion: under-water, e.g. underwater pelletizers
B26D 5/02
Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by…
B26D 7/26
Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting: means for mounting or…
B29C 48/0022
Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations: combined with cutting

Family

Application61/867,901Us provisional application · filed 20 Aug 2013
US 2015/0056322 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Feb 2015
US 9,873,211 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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