This invention relates to a granulating device and method of granulating and more particularly to a sheet feeding apparatus associated with such granulator so as to accomplish improved operations as will hereinafter be indicated. In order to reprocess waste or off-specification sheet material, it is known to granulate such for subsequent reprocessing. In order to accomplish such, it is necessary that the sheet material be adequately fed to the granulation chamber in such a manner that it will not jam or be adversely affected by the movement of already partially granulated material within the chamber. In that regard, a feed device in the form of a baffle movable towards and away from the rotor is known and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,779 issued June 14, 1977 to the assignee of the present application. In such patent, a baffle acts to deflect already partially granulated material in the granulation chamber from adversely contacting thin accordionable sheet material as it is fed to the chamber. Thus, partially granulated material in the form of fluff and the like, drawn along with the rotation of the rotor is deflected by the baffle and thus at least a portion of such material is prevented from possible adverse contact with the sheet. The apparatus and operational method disclosed herein is particularly suited for thin film-like materials, although has other utility as well.
On some occasions as when handling thicker and relatively more stiff sheet materials such as 2 to 4 mil biaxially orientated polyester film such as utilized in sound recording tape and the like, it is desirable to additionally provide a feed axis opening into the granulation chamber which is variable in dimension. This is particularly true when tears or splits of such material which may undulate in cross section configuration, be doubled or otherwise exhibit multiple folds prior to introduction into the granulating device.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a feeding device for association with a granulator of the type above indicated which simultaneously provides a variable feed opening for sheet material being fed thereto and means for deflecting partially granulated material already in said chamber from adverse contact with said sheet material as it is fed to the granulator.
A still further object of the present invention is the provision of the device of the aforementioned type in which feed rolls are mounted above and spaced from said means and that the space formed therebetween it blocked by secondary means so as to insure movement of the sheet material into the feed opening.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a method of feeding a granulation device of the immediately aforementioned type in which jam ups are reduced yet assuring high speed efficient operation.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a primary baffle extending into the granulation chamber and movable simultaneously towards and away from both the rotor and a wall portion disposed on the rotor downstroke chamber side so as to simultaneously vary both the feed opening and the effective deflection of already granulated material being moved by means of the rotor towards the feed opening. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the baffle is arcuately shaped and pivotally movable towards and away from both the rotor and the downstroke wall portion spaced therefrom and in either embodiment, a secondary baffle may be utilized to prevent material being fed into the chamber from initially being improperly directed into a supportive housing for said feed rolls and said baffle.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.