Melt cutter apparatus

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED ROTARY MELT CUTTER APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PELLETS FROM A STRAND OR STRANDS OF A PARTLY MOLTEN THERMOPLASTIC RESIN IN COOPERATION WITH AN EXTRUSION DIE, SAID EXTRUSION DIE HAVING A PLANAR DIE SURFACE INTERSECTED BY ONE OR MORE EXTRUSION ORIFICES, SAID IMPROVED ROTARY MELT CUTTER APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN ROTATIONALLY BY A ROTATING SHAFT STRUCTURE, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID ROTATING SHAFT STRUCTURE TO A ROTATING KNIFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY, SAID ROTATING KNIFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED AND SUPPORTED ON SAID SHAFT AND IN COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID PLANAR DIE SURFACE AND SAID ORIFICES OF SAID EXTRUSION DIE SUCH THAT THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID HOLDER ASSEMBLY IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANAR DIE SURFACE AND SUCH THAT THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF SAID ROTATING KNIFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY IS MAINTAINED ADJACENT AND IN ALIGNMENT PARALLEL TO SAID PLANAR DIE SURFACE AND SAID ORIFICES, MEANS FOR URGING SAID ROTATING KNIFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY AXIALLY TOWARD SAID PLANAR DIE SURFACCE AND SAID ORIFICES, AND ADJUSTABLE THRUST BEARING MEANS COOPERATING WITH THE DIE SURFACE AND KNIFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY TO LIMIT THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROTATING KINFE HOLDER ASSEMBLY TOWARD SAID PLANAR DIE SURFACE AND MAINTAIN A PREDETERMINED KNIFE-TO-DIE CLEARANCE WITHOUT WEAR FOR LONG OPERATING PERIODS INDEPENDENTLY OF SHAFT STRUCTURE MOVEMENT.