US3167813A

US3167813A - Extrusion mill and feeder means therefor

Info

Publication number: US3167813A
Application number: US223577A
Authority: US
Inventors: James T Keefe
Original assignee: California Pellet Mill Co
Current assignee: California Pellet Mill Co
Priority date: 1962-09-10
Filing date: 1962-09-10
Publication date: 1965-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-02

Description

Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANS THEREFOR I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. JAMES 7: KEEFE H/S ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANS THEREFOR 5 Sheets5heet 2 Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. .14 M55 7. K E E F E ood 0:000 SZOQOQ 2300000 82:50 m

oooqoog 00002 3:02; Q0232; 230 o H/S ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE 3,167,813

EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JAMES 7'. KEEFE HIS ATTORNEYS States nite The invention relates to extrusion mills and more particularly to the type utilized in the pelleting of moldable material. This application is a continuation of my pending application for Extrusion Mill and Feeder Means Therefor, Serial No. 773,440, filed Nov. 12, 1958, now abandoned.

'One of the problems connected with the operation of such a mill is to, not only assure substantially equal rate of feed of the moldable material to each of the extrusion rollers conventionally employed in such a mill, but also to assure maximum feed to such rollers commensurate with the capacity of the rollers to extrude the material fed to them, whereby to obtain both a maximum and uniform output from the mill. This is particularly important with respect to light weight, bulky materials, as such materials are rather diflicult to handle in connection with the extrusion of the same, and present a real problem in the extrusion thereof. 7

One manner of attaching this problem is to pre-compact the light weight bulky material at some point prior to its reaching the extrusion roller, whereby the material will more nearly approach the more compact type of material which the rollers have no difiiculty in extruding through the die to produce firm pellets.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved extrusion mill capable of producing firm extrusions from moldable material which is normally of light weight and bulky;

(2) To provide a novel and improved extrusion mill capable of precompacting material which is normally of light weight and bulky, to subsequently efit'ect firm extrusions of such material;

(3) To provide novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill of the above type, which will increasethe output of such mill and improve the efliciency thereof, particularly in the handling of lightweight, bulky material; and

- (4) To provide novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill of theabove type, which feed means may be adjusted to the character of material fed to such mill.

Additional objects of the invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of an extrusion mill embodying the present invention, showing the mill with its door in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken in the plane 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front view in elevation with the door of the mill in open position.

Referring to-thedrawings for details of the present invention, the same is disclosed'as embodied in a mill of the type illustrated in Meakin patent for Extrusion Mill, No. 2,240,660 of May '6, 1941, and insofar as the present invention is concerned, such mill involves a mill housing 1 having a front Wall 3 adjacent which is rotatably supported;

a cylindrical die 5 with its longitudinal axis normal to the front wall of the housing, to provide a die chamber 7.

Located within the die chamber are a pair of extrusion means such as rollers 9 for cooperating with the cylindri- 3,17,813 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 brackets is a door 17 including a substantially cylindrical wall 19 of a diameter exceeding that of said die and having

alternative discharge passageways

21, 23 at its lowermost point controlled by a flap gate 25, and a front wall 27 spanning an end of said substantially cylindrical wall, this front wall having a feed opening 36 therein.

Mounted on the inner surface of the front wall of the door, and concentric with the feed opening therein, is a ring shaped element 31 having an inside conical surface 33 flaring inwardly. With the door in its closed position,

this ring is concentric with the die, and in spaced relationship thereto.

In the space intermediate the die 5 and the ring element 31, there is mounted a feeder blade assembly involving a mounting ring 35 including an intermediate section 37, an outwardly directed mounting flange 39 at one end of the intermediate section and an inwardly directed feeder blade attaching flange 41 at the other end of the intermediate section, the internal diameter of flange 41 matching the diameter at the large end of the conical surface 33.

'To the inner edge of this blade attaching flange 41 are welded one or more feeder blades 43, preferably a plurality of the same uniformly spaced about the circumference. The feeder blade assembly is affixed to the free end of the die, for which purpose the die is grooved adjacent its front end to provide a rib 45 for use with a chain clamp 47 in which alternate trough type links 48 straddle the flange 39 and rib 45 about the die, and when tensioned, serves to clarnp'the blade assembly to the end of the die.

The blade supporting flange 41- is provided with a frontal rib 51 adapted to lit a complementary groove in the facing end of the ring element 31 when the door is swung to its that the feeder blade assembly, being affixed to the die,

will whirl with the die, while the ring with the conical surface remains fixed. Moldable material, therefore, entering the feed opening in the door, will be engagedby the'whirling blades, and by reason of the helical or spiral pattern of these blades, such material will be whirled with considerable velocity into the die chamber, in the course of which, the upper half of the die chamber will receive a substantial portion of the incoming material.

The large increase in velocity thus imparted to the material as it approaches the die chamber, effectively increases the volume of material capable of being handled by the mill, which therefore calls for a door opening of adiameter somewhat in excess of openings conventionally provided in prior art machines employing dies of similarfsize, to accommodate such increase, and along with type, which did not embody the presentinvention.

cry thereof and an ex rusion means.

i That portion of the incoming material which is directt ed by the whirling blades toward the lower half of thedie chamber is aided by gravity in its movement'toward this portion of the die chamber; Thatportion of the ma;- terial however which is thrown upwardly by-thefwhirling 'blades, is not aided by the-force of gravity, and toencourage a fuller measure of ,flowiof material intothe upper half of the die chamber, one might provide a baffle 65 at the upper-end of apost 67 which is anchored striketthe bafile and be diverted thereby intothe die n chambertoward the upper extrusion pocket formed by one of the rollers with the upper half of'the die. The,

' An extrusion mill comprising a mill housinghavin'g V a front wall,.a' cylindrical dierotatably supported with one end adjacent said housing front walland with its axis substantially horizontal to provide a die'chamber, extrusion means within said cylindrical die, means enclosing a said die and having .a feed opening therein, means providing a conical surface aflixed to and flaring inwardly from ,saiddie enclosing means, substantially concentric with the feed opening therein 'and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axial alignment with said die, a feeder blade assembly including a plural- 'ity of blades arranged on a circle concentric with the free endfof said die, witheach blade directed spirally along and in proximity to butout of Contact with said inwardlyflaring conical surface," and means for rotating said feeder 'blade a'ssemblyirelative tosaid conical surface during rotation of saidhdie to'throwv material from said conical surface into said cylindrical die-betweenthe inbafile is preferably made adjustable as to angularity so that the extent to which it might function may be varied,

to realize maximum effectiveness and efficiency for different'materials.

The increase in capacity'of'lthe machine'rmade possible by the whirling blades, makesthe machine very effective weight and bulky, for the increased rate of feedof such material causes the-same to pack itself into the -die chamberand bring about a precompaction before eX-* trusion, thereby solving a real problem in connection with the'extrusion of light weight and bulky materials, 7

From the foregoing description-of the present inven-- tion inits preferred-form, itwill beapparent that'the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved, and I 2 V in'the handling of moldable material'which'is light in accordinglydo not desire to be limited in my protection to the specific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

' I claim: 1

l."An extrusion mill having a cylindrical die rotatably supported with'its axis substantially horizontal to provide a die chamber, extrusion means within said "cylindrical die, means enclosing said die and having a feed opening therein,,means providing a conical surface aflixed 5' to and flaringinwardly from said die enclosing means,

substantially concentric withthe' feed opening therein,

and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substanv tially axial alignmentwith said'die, a feeder blade assembly including a plurality of blades arranged on a circle concentric with the free end of said die, with each blade ternal periphery thereof'and saidextrusionmeans; 20

4. An extrusion mill comprising a mill housing having a frontwall, a cylindrical die rotatably supported with one end adjacent said housing front wallan'd with" its axis substantially horizontal to. provide a die chamber, extru sion means within said cylindrical die,1a' door having a feed opening therein, means providing a conical-surface 'affixed to and flaring inwardly from the front wall of said 7 door substantially concentric withthe feed opening therein, means securing said door tosaidtmill housing for closure thereof about said cylindricalidie and with said inwardly flaring; conical surface in substantially axial alignment'with' said die, a feeder blade assembly includ-. ing a plurality of blades arranged on a circle concentric with 'the; free end of said die, with each blade directed spirally along andin proximity to but out of contact with said inwardly flaring'conical surface when said door is in its closed position, andmeans for rotating said feeder V bladeassemblyrelative to saidiconical surface during rotation of said die to throw material fromjsaid conical surface into said cylindricaldie between theinternal a riphery thereof and said extrusion means. a

5. An extrusion mill comprising a mill'housing having a front wall, a cylindrical die rotatably supported with lone end adjacent to said housing front wall and with its axis 'substantiallyhorizontal toprovide a die chamber, extrusion means withinsaid cylindrical die, a door ineluding a substantially cylindrical wall of a dia'meterex ceeding, that of said dieand having a discharge passage, a front wall spanning an vend'of said substantially cylindrical wall and having a feed opening therein, means pro--' viding a conical surface flaring inwardly from the' front wall ofsaid door substantially concentric with the feed directed spirally alongrandin proximity to but out of w trusion means.

2. An extrusion mill comprising 'a mill housing, a cylindrical die rotatably supported with one end adjacent said housing and witlLits axis substantially horizontal to.

provide adie chambenextrusion'means within said cylin-.-

contact with said inwardly flaring conical surface, and

means forrotating said feeder' blade assembly relative to said conical surface during rotation ofsaid dievto throw material from said conical surface into saidcylindrical 1 die between the internal periphery thereofand said ex-,

drical diepmeans enclosing said die and having a feedi opening therein, means providing a conical surfaceaffixedto and flaring inwardlyafrom said die: enclosingtmeans and'with said inwardly flaring conical surface in'substan',- tially axial alignment with saiddie afeeder blade. assemopening thereLu,,means hingedly-securingsaid door to said mill housing for; closure thereof about said; cylindrical die and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axial, alignment with said die,'a feeder blade assembly-including a plurality of; blades, arranged on a circle concentric with the freeend of said die, with each "blade directed spirally along and in' 'proximity to; said inwardly flaring conical surface when said door isin its closed position, and meansfor-rotatingsaidfeeder blade assembly during rotationlof said die (to throw'mat'erial from said conical surface into said cylindrical die between the internal peripherythereof and ;'said extrusion means, and means supported in the path-olf flowi of such mate- ,rial into the up'per portion of said die' rchamberfor dc fleeting additional ofsuch material into the, upper region'- 1 of said die chainber.

bly intermediate said die andsaidconicalrsurfa'ce means face intosaid cylindrical die between the internal periphand including at least one blade directed spirally-along, and in proximity, to but out ofcontact with said inwardly flaring conical surface-and means for rotalting said feeder 'blad'ei assembly relative to said conical surface, during ro-f tation of said die to throw material from said conicalsuraxis substantiallyhorizontal-toprovide a didchamber; I extrusio'ni means within said cylindrical ldie, ia door infclu'ding a substantially cylindrical .wall of a diameter exceeding that of said die and having a discharge passage at t V 1 75 its lowermost point, a front Wall spanning anend or said 1 6. An extrusion millconiprising a mill housing having a front wall, a cylindrical die rotatably, supported with one end adjacent saidihousing frontf walljandiwith its substantially cylindrical wall and having a feed opening therein, means providing a conical surface flaring inwardly from the front wall of said door substantially concentric with the feed opening therein, means hingedly securing said door to said mill housing for closure thereof about said cylindrical die and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axial alignment with said die, a feeder blade assembly including a plurality of blades arrangedon a circle concentric with the free end of said die, with each blade directed spirally along and in proximity to said inwardly flaring conical surface when said door is in its closed position, and means for rotating said feeder blade assembly during rotation of said die to throw material from said conical surface into caid cylindrical die between the internal periphery thereof and said extrusion means, means supported in the path of flow of such material into the upper portion of said die chamber for deflecting additional of such material into the upper region of said die chamber, said deflecting means including a post extending upwardly from said extrusion assembly and a deflector strip at the upper end of said post, said deflector strip being angularly adjustable to adjust the rate of feed of material to said upper region.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. AN EXTRUSION MILL HAVING A CYLINDRICAL DIE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED WITH ITS AXES SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TO PROVIDE A DIE CHAMBER, EXTRUSION MEANS WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL DIE, MEANS ENCLOSING SAID DIE AND HAVING A FEED OPENING THEREIN, MEANS PROVIDING A CONICAL SURFACE AFFIXED TO AND FLARING INWARDLY FROM SAID DIE ENCLOSING MEANS, SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC WITH THE FEED OPENING THEREIN, AND WITH SAID INWARDLY FLARING CONICAL SURFACE IN SUBSTANTIALLY AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID DIE, A FEEDER BLADE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF BLADES ARRANGED ON A CIRCLE CONCENTRIC WITH THE FREE END OF SAID DIE, WITH EACH BLADE DIRECTED SPRIALLY ALONG AND IN PROXIMITY TO BUT OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID INWARDLY FLARING CONICAL SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID FEEDER BLADE ASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO SAID CONICAL SURFACE DURING ROTATION OF SAID DIE TO THROW MATERIAL FROM SAID CONICAL SURFACE INOT SAID CYLINDRICAL DIE BETWEEN THE INTERNAL PERIPHERY THEREOF AND SAID EXTRUSION MEANS.