Patent ID: 8974710
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: B30B

Abstract:
1. A pellet mill for preparing pellets from a pelletizable material supplied to the pellet mill, comprising: a frame, a main axle rotatably mounted in said frame and having a first end and an opposite second end, an annular die being supported by said second end and having an inner surface for receiving a portion of said pelletizable material supplied to said pellet mill, an outer surface and a plurality of radial channels extending from said inner surface to said outer surface for preparing pellets from said portion of said pelletizable material, a roller holder supported by said frame, a number of roller axles, each of said number of roller axles being moveably mounted in said roller holder, a number of rollers, each of said number of rollers being rotatable around a corresponding one of said number of roller axles, each of said number of rollers being adapted to press said portion of pelletizable material against said inner surface for rolling, in response to rotation of said annular die, along said inner surface of said annular die for forcing said portion of said pelletizable material from said inner surface to said outer surface through at least one of said plurality of radial channels for preparing said pellets, said roller axles being adapted to move in said roller holder in the event of an overload such that the distance between each of the number of rollers and the inner surface of the annular die increases to prevent damage to the pellet mill, and a number of actuators, each of said number of actuators being operatively connected to a corresponding one of said number of roller axles and being adapted to prevent movement of said corresponding one of said number of roller axles relative to said die holder for maintaining a distance between a corresponding one of said number of rollers and said inner surface of said annular die, characterized by each of said number of actuators further being adapted to prevent movement of a corresponding one of said number of roller axles until a sufficiently large force, corresponding to the event of an overload, is applied to said roller axle, whereby movement is no longer prevented, and by each of said number of actuators comprising a hydraulic cylinder provided with a relief valve connected to said hydraulic cylinder.