Abstract:
A cutter machine having a knife holder  13  mounted onto a cutter shaft  6  at the center portion, wherein a material to be cut is cut with knives  15  mounted onto the outer circumference of the knife holder  13  by rotating the knife holder  13  around the cutter shaft  6 , characterized in that the knife holder  13  is separated into a fixing member  17  mounted onto the cutter shaft  6  and a mounting member  18  onto which the knives  15  are mounted, wherein the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around more than two axes with respect to the fixing member  17 . In the cutter machine, the knives and a die plate come into contact with each other by a small press force of the knives without any usage of the resilient effect resulting from a gum bush, a metal plate or the like, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a cutter machine, which is used in a pelletizer or the like.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 10 shows the structure of a conventional pelletizer for plastic material. In order to obtain a satisfactory pellet by cutting molten plastic material extruded from a die plate  101 , the cutting surface  104  of knives  103  and a resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate have to be always maintained parallel to each other during the operation of the pelletizer. Consequently, it is necessary to precisely adjust the perpendicularity between the cutter shaft  106  onto which a knife holder  105  (onto which the knives  103  are mounted) is mounted and the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate prior to the operation.  
           [0005]    However, in the pelletizer shown in FIG. 10, the connection between the knife holder  105  and the cutter shaft  106  is fixed. As a result, a deviation in the pre-adjusted perpendicularity between the cutter shaft  106  and the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate due to a small thermal stress and others in various portions of the pelletizer causes the parallelism between the cutting surface  104  of the knives  103  and the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate to be deviated and thereby to provide an incomplete cutting.  
           [0006]    In conventional knife holders shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is intended that the parallelism between the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate and the cutting surface  104  of the knives  103  is always maintained with the aid of the strain arose either in a gum bush  110  or in a metal plate  111 , which are both disposed inside the knife holder  105 , even if the perpendicularity is deviated during the operation.  
           [0007]    In this case, the knives  103  are rotated by a drive apparatus  109  in the state in which the knives are always pressed against the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate via the cutter shaft  106  by means of a press apparatus (not shown). When the parallelism between the cutter shaft  106  and the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate is deviated, a space takes place in part of the circumferential contact area between the knife  103  and the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate. Since, however, the knives  103  are pressed against the resin-discharge surface via the cutter shaft  106  and the knife holder  105 , a deformation either in the gum bush  110  or in the metal plate  111  disposed inside the knife holder  105  causes the knives  103  to be pressed against the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate and therefore to be in contact therewith over the entire circumferential contact areas, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained.  
           [0008]    In the conventional knife holder, a spring action effect obtainable either from the gum bush in FIG. 11 or from the metal plate in FIG. 12 is used. Accordingly, if the press force is small, such a spring element is not deformed and therefore the knives  103  come into no contact with the resin-discharge surface over the entire circumferential contact areas, thereby occasionally causing the incomplete cutting to be provided. On the contrary, if the press force is increased to securely come into contact therewith over the entire contact areas, the press force is greatly increased at areas at which knives and resin-discharge surface is in contact with each other in the initial state, so that the resin-discharge surface  102  in the die plate may be injured. This causes the abrasion of the knives  103  to be accelerated, and further the bending of the knives  103  due to the bending force applied thereto forces the root of the knives to come into contact with the die plate  101 , so that a space occurs between the knives and the die plate at the end part of the knives. This also provides an incomplete cutting, a break in the knives and the other troubles.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cutter machine, which is capable of ensuring knives to completely become in contact with a die plate even with a small press force, using neither a gum bush nor a metal plate for the resilient action.  
           [0010]    The object is attained by the following technical means:  
           [0011]    In a first aspect of the present invention, a cutter machine comprises a cutter shaft, a knife holder mounted onto the cutter shaft at the center portion of the knife holder, a knife for cutting a material to be cut, the knife being mounted onto the outer circumference of the knife holder and a driving apparatus for rotating the cutter shaft. The material is cut with the knife by rotating the knife holder around the cutter shaft. The knife holder is separated into a fixing member mounted onto the cutter shaft and a mounting member onto which the knife is mounted. The cutter machine is characterized in that the mounting member is pivotally supported around at least two axes with respect to the fixing member.  
           [0012]    In a second aspect of the present invention, a rocking ring is interposed between the fixing member and the mounting member, and the rocking ring is pivotally supported around a first axis with respect to the fixing member, and the mounting member is pivotally supported around a second axis approximately perpendicular to said first axis with respect to the rocking ring.  
           [0013]    In a third aspect of the present invention, a first fitting convex surface is disposed on the outer circumference of the fixing member and a first fitting concave surface is disposed on the inner surface of the rocking ring, in which case the first fitting convex surface in said fixing member and the first fitting concave surface in the rocking ring are sidably engaged with each other in such a manner that the rocking ring can be rocked relative to the fixing member. In addition, a second fitting convex surface is disposed on the outer circumference of the rocking ring and a second fitting concave surface is disposed on the inner circumference of the mounting member, in which case the second fitting convex surface of said rocking ring and the second fitting concave surface in the mounting member are slidably engaged with each other in such a manner that the rocking ring can be rocked with respect to the fixing member.  
           [0014]    In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a first support pin in the direction of the first axis and a second support pin in the direction of the second axis are provided. The rocking ring is pivotally supported around the first support pin with respect to the fixing member, and the mounting member is pivotally supported around the second support pin with respect to the rocking ring.  
           [0015]    In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the first support pin is supported inside both the fixing member and the rocking ring and the second support pin is supported inside both the rocking ring and the mounting member.  
           [0016]    In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the first support pin is fixed to one of the fixing member and the rocking ring, and a first fitting concave depression for rotatably supporting the first support pin around the first axis is disposed on the other of the fixing member and the rocking ring. In addition, the second support pin is fixed to one of the rocking ring and the mounting member, and a second fitting concave depression for rotatably supporting the second support pin around the second axis is disposed on the other of said rocking ring and the mounting member.  
           [0017]    In a seventh aspect of the present invention, rolling elements are interposed between the fixing member and the mounting member, by providing a space in the circumferential direction, in such a manner that the mounting member is pivotally supported with respect to the fixing member.  
           [0018]    In accordance with the present invention, the ring and the cutter shaft in the knife holder and/or the ring and the knives in the knife holder are slid with respect to each other at a spherical surface, when a partial spacing occurs on a circumference in the case of pressing the knives against the die plate, so that the knives come into contact with the die plate over the entire area, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained.  
           [0019]    Since, moreover, no resilient action resulting from a spring, such as a gum bush, metal plate or the like is used, the surface pressure between the knives and the die plate in contact therewith is always maintained to be constant. Hence, a biased abrasion of the die plate due to a strong press force, incomplete cutting resulting from an accelerated abrasion and/or bending of the knives, the breakage of knives and the like can be excluded.  
           [0020]    Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows longitudinal sections of a first embodiment according to the invention viewed in the Y axis and X axis directions;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a cross section of the same viewed from the rear side;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of a pelletizer, which is equipped with a cutting machine of the first embodiment;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 shows longitudinal sections of a second embodiment according to the invention viewed in the Y axis and X axis directions;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the same;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 shows longitudinal sections of a third embodiment according to the invention in the Y axis and X axis directions;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a cross section of the same viewed from the rear side;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section of a fourth embodiment according to the invention viewed in a longitudinal direction;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is a cross section of the same viewed from the rear side;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pelletizer in the prior art;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a knife holder in the first prior art; and  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of another knife holder in the second prior art. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]    Referring now to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 shows the structure of a pelletizer, to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 3, reference numerals  1 ,  2  and  3  imply a die plate, a die holder and the resin-discharge surface in the die plate  1 , respectively.  
         [0035]    Reference numeral  6  implies a cutter shaft which is rotatably supported around the axis of a cylindrical holder  7 , and the cutter shaft  6  is rotated around its own axis by a driving apparatus  8 , such as a motor or the like. Reference numeral  9  is a water compartment having a water inlet  10  and a water outlet  11 , and the compartment is constituted such that it may be filled with water.  
         [0036]    Reference numeral  13  implies a knife holder, the center portion of which is fixed to the cutter shaft  6  with an anchor element  14 . A plurality of knives  15  is fixed to the outer circumference of the knife holder  13  in such a way that they are projected from the outer circumference. When the cutter shaft  6  is rotated by the driving apparatus  8 , the knife holder  13  is rotated, together with the cutter shaft  6 , around the axis of the cutter shaft  6 , and the knives are pressed against the resin-discharge surface  3  via the cutter shaft  6 , so that the resin in the die plate is cut by the knives.  
         [0037]    In FIGS. 1 and 2, the knife holder  13  can be divided into a fixing member  17  coupled to the cutter shaft  6  and a mounting member  18  to which the knives  15  are mounted, and a rocking ring  19  is interposed between the fixing member  17  and the mounting member  18 .  
         [0038]    The fixing member  17  includes a cylinder-shaped fixing cylindrical element  21  and a cylinder-shaped inner hub element  22 . The fixing cylindrical element  21  is fastened to the cutter shaft  6  by means of the above-mentioned anchor element  14  inserted into the fixing cylindrical element  21 . The inner hub element  22  is mounted on the outside of the fixing cylindrical element  21  and fastened to the fixing cylindrical element  21  by means of anchor elements  23 , such as bolts or the like.  
         [0039]    The mounting member  18  includes an annular mounting element  25  and a cylinder-shaped outer hub element  26 . The knives  15  are coupled to the mounting element  25 , spaced in the circumferential direction. The outer hub element  26  is inserted into the mounting element  25  and fastened to the mounting element  25  by means of anchor elements  27 , such as bolts or the like.  
         [0040]    The fixing member  17  is equipped with a first fitting convex surface  29  on the outer circumference of the inner hub element  22 . A first fitting concave surface  30  is disposed on the inner circumference of the rocking ring  19  in accordance with the first fitting convex surface  29 , and a second fitting convex surface  31  is disposed on the outer circumference of the rocking ring  19 . A second fitting concave surface  32  corresponding to the second fitting convex surface  31  is disposed on the inner circumference of the outer hub element  26  in the mounting member  18 . The first fitting convex surface  29 , the first fitting concave surface  30 , the second convex surface  31  and the second fitting concave surface  32  are formed on a spherical surface having the origin as a cross point O of the Y axis (first axis) and the X axis (second axis).  
         [0041]    The first convex surface  29  in the fixing member  17  and the first fitting concave surface  30  in the rocking ring  19  are slidably fitted to each other, so that the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around the cross point O with respect to the fixing member  17 . The second fitting convex surface  31  in the rocking ring  19  and the second fitting concave surface  32  in the mounting member  18  are sidably fitted to each other, so that the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around the cross point O with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0042]    In the rocking ring  19 , paired upper and lower first fitting holes  35  are formed respectively as an upper through hole and a lower through hole in the Y direction. Paired upper and lower first fitting depressions  36  corresponding to the first fitting holds  35  are formed in the inner hub element  22  of the fixing member  17 . Paired upper and lower first support pins  37  aligned in the Y direction are fitted respectively into each of the first fitting holes  35  and each of the corresponding first fitting depressions  36 , so that the paired upper and lower first support pins  37  are supported between the fixing members  17  and the rocking ring  19  by the insertion of these pins thereinto, thereby enabling the rocking ring  19  to be pivotally supported around the first support pins  37  (the Y axis, the first axis) with respect to the fixing member  17 .  
         [0043]    In the rocking ring  19 , paired left and right second fitting holes  39  are formed respectively as a left through hole and a right through hole in the X direction. Paired left and right second fitting depressions  40  corresponding to the second fitting holes  39  are formed in the outer hub element  26  of the mounting member  18 . Paired left and right second support pins  41  aligned in the X direction are fitted respectively into each of the second fitting holes  39  and each of the second fitting depressions  40 , so that the paired left and right second support pins  41  are supported between the rocking ring  19  and the mounting member  18  by the insertion of these pins thereinto, thereby enabling the mounting member  18  to be pivotally supported around the second support pins  41  (the X axis, the second axis) with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0044]    Annular cover element  43  and  44  are disposed respectively on the front and rear sides of the rocking ring  19 . In this case, the cover elements  43  and  44  are removably fixed to the inner hub element  22  in the fixing member  17  by means of anchor elements, such as bolts or the like. A space having a spacing of 0.1 to 0.2 mm is provided respectively between the cover element  43 ,  44  and the end surfaces of the rocking ring  19  and between the cover element  43 ,  44  and the end surfaces of the outer hub element  26  in the mounting member  18  in order to suppress an excessive rotation of the mounting member  18  and/or the rocking ring  19  as well as to obtain a movement of these elements  18  and  19 , when a space takes place between the knives  15  and the die plate  1  in the case of cutting (the actual spacing in the operation substantially ranges from {fraction (3/100)} to {fraction (5/100)} mm).  
         [0045]    In the above-mentioned embodiment, a rotation of the cutter shaft  6  by the driving apparatus  8  causes the knife holder  13  to be rotated around the axis of the cutter shaft  6  together with the cutter shaft, so that the resin in the die plate is cut by the knives  15  which are pressed against the resin discharging surface  3  via the cutter shaft  6 .  
         [0046]    In this case, the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around the Y axis (the first axis) with respect to the fixing member  17 , whereas the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around the X axis (the second axis) with respect to the rocking ring  19 . Accordingly, the mounting member  18  is capable of being pivotally moved around the Y axis (the first axis) as well as around the X axis (the second axis). When, therefore, a partial space takes place between the knives  15  and the die plate  1  during the operation of the pelletizer, the rocking ring  19  and/or the mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  is oscillated around the X axis or the Y axis or around a composite axis consisting of the X and Y axes, since the knives  15  are always pressed against the die plate  1  via the knife holder  13  and the cutter shaft  6 . Hence, all of the knives  15  are aligned parallel to the die plate  1  without any spacing therebetween, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be attained.  
         [0047]    In this structural arrangement, no spring force is generated even when the mounting member  18  of the knife holder  13  is oscillated, so that the pressure applied to the planes of all knives  15  along the die plate  1  is constant, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained. Moreover, neither the resin-discharging surface  3  of the die plate  1  is injured nor the abrasion of the knives  15  are accelerated.  
         [0048]    When a conventional gum bush type cutter machine, as shown in FIG. 11, is used in an underwater cutting pelletizer, a knife holder is rotated in a hot water at 50-70° C. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the gum bush is deteriorated due to such a high temperature. In the structural arrangement according to the invention, however, no thermal deterioration occurs, since the components used therein are made of metal.  
         [0049]    Although a certain sliding resistance is assumed in the sliding of the fitting convex surfaces  29 ,  31  relative to the fitting concave surfaces  30 ,  32 , such a sliding resistance can be practically reduced by increasing the spacing between the slide surfaces and/or by using rocking ring  19  made of a metal having a low abrasion coefficient and/or by coating a fluoro-resin onto the slide surfaces.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of a cutter machine, in which a rectangular ring-shaped rocking ring (guide block)  19  is interposed between a fixing member  17  and a mounting member  18 . An inner hub element  22  in the fixing member  17  is constituted in the form of a square plate corresponding to the shape of the rocking ring  19 , and an outer hub element  26  in the mounting member  18  is constituted in the form of a rectangular ring corresponding to the shape of the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0051]    First fitting convex surfaces  29  are provided on the left and right sides in the outer circumference of the inner hub element  22 , and first fitting concave surfaces  30  corresponding to the first fitting convex surfaces  29  are provided on the left and right sides in the inner circumference of the rocking ring  19 . The first fitting convex surfaces  29  and the first fitting concave surfaces  30  are constituted in the form of a partial cylindrical surface having a center axis in the Y direction, and the first fitting convex surfaces  29  in the fixing member  17  and the first fitting concave surfaces  30  in the rocking ring  19  are sidably coupled to each other, so that the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around a support line in the Y axis with respect to the fixing member  17 .  
         [0052]    Second fitting convex surfaces  31  are provided on the upper and lower sides in the outer circumference of the rocking ring  19 , and second fitting concave surfaces  32  corresponding to the second fitting convex surfaces  31  are provided on the upper and lower sides in the inner circumference of the outer hub element  26 . The second fitting convex surfaces  31  and the second fitting concave surfaces  32  are constituted in the form of a partial cylindrical surface having a center axis in the X direction, and the second fitting convex surfaces  31  in the rocking ring  19  and the second fitting concave surfaces  32  in the mounting member  18  are slidably coupled to each other, so that the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around a support line in the X axis direction with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0053]    Paired upper and lower first support pins  37  are formed such that they are projected from the inner hub element  22  in the Y axis direction. Paired upper and lower first fitting holes  47  rotatably coupled to the first support pins  37  around the Y axis (the first axis) are disposed in the rocking ring  19  so that the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around the first support pins  37  (the Y axis, the first axis) with respect to the fixing member  17 .  
         [0054]    Paired left and right second support pins  41  are formed such that they are projected from the rocking ring  19 . Paired left and right second fitting holes  48  rotatably coupled to the second support pins  41  around the X axis (the second axis) are disposed in the outer hub element  26  in the mounting member  18 , so that the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around the second support pins  41  (the X axis, the second axis) with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0055]    The other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. As is similar to the first embodiment, all of the knives  15  have no spacing along the die plate  1 , even if a deviation partially generates in the spacing between the knives  15  and the die plate  1 , thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained. Hence, neither the resin-discharging surface  3  in the die plate  1  is injured nor the abrasion of the knives  15  is accelerated.  
         [0056]    In addition, the first fitting convex surfaces  29 , the first fitting concave surfaces  30 , the second fitting convex surfaces  31  and the second fitting concave surfaces  32  are all machined as a cylindrical surface for a sliding surface. This allows a high precision to be realized with ease in the machining.  
         [0057]    In the second embodiment, the first support pins  37  is fixed to the fixing member  17 , and the first fitting concave depressions  47  for rotatably supporting the first supporting pins  37  around the first axis are disposed in the rocking ring  19 , whereas the second supporting pins  41  are disposed in the rocking ring  19 , and the second fitting depressions  48  for rotatably supporting the second support pins  41  around the second axis are disposed in the mounting member  18 . Alternatively, an arrangement can also be selected such that the first support pins  37  in the Y axis direction is fixed to the rocking ring  19 , and the first fitting depressions  36  for rotatably supporting the first support pins  37  around the first axis are disposed in the fixing member  17 , whereas the second support pins  41  in the X axis direction is fixed to the mounting member  18 , and the second fitting depressions  40  for rotatably supporting the second supporting pins  41  around the second axis are disposed in the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0058]    Either in the first embodiment shown in FIGS.  1  to  3  or in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fixing member  17  includes the fixing cylinder element  21  and the inner hub element  22  as separate elements and the inner hub element  22  is fastened to the fixing cylinder element  21  by means of the anchor element  23 . Alternatively, the fixing member  17  can be formed such that the fixing cylinder element  21  and the inner hub element  22  are unified into an element.  
         [0059]    Either in the first embodiment shown in FIGS.  1  to  3  or in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting member  18  includes the mounting element  25  and the outer hub element  26  as separate elements and the outer hub element  26  is fastened to the mounting element  25  by means of the anchor element  27 . Alternatively, the mounting member  18  can be formed such that the mounting element  25  and the outer hub element  26  are unified into an element.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of a cutter machine, in which a fixing member  17  in a knife holder  13  is constituted by a fixing cylinder element  21  having an unified cover element  43  and a mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  is constituted by a mounting element  25  having an unified cover element  44 , and further an rocking ring (cross pin guide)  19  is interposed between the fixing cylinder element  21  and the mounting element  25 , in which case, the rocking ring  19  is formed such that it has a circular inner circumference and an octagon-shaped outer circumference.  
         [0061]    Paired upper and lower first support pins  37  are disposed respectively on the upper and lower sides of the outer circumference in the rocking ring  19  such that they are projected in the Y axis direction from the outer circumference, and paired left and right second support pins  41  are disposed respectively on the left and right sides of the outer circumference in the rocking ring  19  such that they are projected in the X axis direction from the outer circumference.  
         [0062]    Paired upper and lower first pin-receiving elements  52  each having a first fitting hole  51  in the Y axis direction are disposed respectively at the upper and lower parts of the rocking ring  19  between the fixing cylinder element  21  and the mounting element  25 , and each of the first pin-receiving elements  52  is fastened to the cover element  43  in the fixing member  17  by means of anchor elements, such as bolts or the like. The paired upper and lower first support pins  37  are coupled respectively to the paired upper and lower first pin-receiving elements  52  via the corresponding first fitting holes  51 , so that the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around the first support pins  37  (the Y axis, the first axis) with respect to the fixing member  17 .  
         [0063]    Paired left and right second pin-receiving elements  54  each having a second fitting hole  53  in the X axis direction are disposed respectively at the left and right parts of the rocking ring  19  between the fixing cylinder element  21  and the mounting element  25 , and each of the second pin-receiving elements  54  is fastened to the cover element  44  in the mounting member  18  by means of anchor elements, such as bolts or the like. The paired left and right second support pins  41  are coupled to the paired left and right second pin-receiving elements  54  via the corresponding second fitting holes  53 , so that the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around the second support pins  41  (the X axis, the second axis) with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0064]    The other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. As is similar to the first embodiment, all of the knives  15  have no spacing along the die plate  1 , even if a deviation partially generates in the spacing between the knives  15  and the die plate  1  during the operation of the pelletizer, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained. Hence, neither the resin-discharging surface  3  in the die plate  1  is injured nor the abrasion of the knives  15  is accelerated.  
         [0065]    In addition, there is neither a spherical surface nor a cylindrical surface between the fixing member  17  and the rocking ring  19  as well as between the rocking ring  19  and the mounting member  18 , thereby making it possible to easily machine the fixing member  17 , the rocking ring  19  and the mounting member  18 . Moreover, there is no such large sliding surface as a spherical surface, a cylindrical surface or the like, and therefore the mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  can be pivotally moved around the Y axis as well as around the X axis with reduced resistance, when a space takes place between the knives  15  and the die plate  1 .  
         [0066]    [0066]FIGS. 8 and 9 show another embodiment of a cutter machine, in which a fixing member  17  in a knife holder  13  is constituted by a fixing cylinder element  21  and a mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  is constituted by a mounting element  25 . Balls  58  as rolling elements are interposed between the fixing cylinder element  21  and the mounting element  25 , and they are arranged in the same circumferential spacing with the aid of an annular holder  57 . An annular inner ring  59  is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the fixing cylinder element  21  and an annular outer ring  60  is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting element  25 . In this case, the balls  58  are supported between the inner ring  59  and the outer ring  60 .  
         [0067]    On the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring  59 , a holding groove  63  is formed such that it has an arch-shaped surface centered at the origin O in the axial direction, i.e., in the front/rear direction, as well as a substantially semicircular surface in the circumferential direction in accordance with the balls  58 . On the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring  60 , a holding groove  64  is formed such that it has an arch-shaped surface in the axial direction and a substantially semicircular surface in the circumferential direction in accordance with the balls  58 . The holder  57  holds the balls at the center of the holding grooves  63  and  64  in the axial direction. With the aid of the rolling movement of the balls  58 , the mounting member  18  can be supported pivotally around four axes, i.e., the Y axis, the X axis and two intermediate axis between the Y and X axes with respect to the fixing member  17 .  
         [0068]    The other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. As is similar to the first embodiment, all of the knives  15  have no spacing along the die plate  1 , even if a deviation partially generates in the spacing between the knives  15  and the die plate  1  during the operation of the pelletizer, thereby enabling a satisfactory cutting to be obtained. Hence, neither the resin-discharging surface  3  in the die plate  1  is injured nor the abrasion of the knives  15  is accelerated.  
         [0069]    In the fourth embodiment, the rotation torque of the cutter shaft  6  is transferred from the fixing member  17  in the knife holder  13  to the mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  via the balls  58 . When a partial space takes place between the knives  15  and the die plate  1 , the rolling of the balls  58  is used to rock the mounting member  18  relative to the fixing member  17 , thereby making it possible to more smoothly rock the mounting member  18  relative to the fixing member  17 . In other words, the rolling of the balls  58  allows the mounting member  18  in the knife holder  13  to be rocked with less resistance.  
         [0070]    In the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the balls are used as most preferable rolling elements. However, the other elements each having a shape other than a ball can also be used, so long as they provide no disturbance on the rocking motion and the transmission of the rotation torque.  
         [0071]    In the first embodiment shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 , or in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, or in the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rocking ring  19  is pivotally supported around the Y axis with respect to the fixing member  17 , and the mounting member  18  is pivotally supported around the X axis with respect to the rocking ring  19 . However, the rocking direction is restricted neither to those around the Y axis nor to that around the X axis. For instance, the rocking ring  19  can be pivotally supported around a first axis other than the Y axis with respect to the fixing member  17 , and the mounting member  18  can be pivotally supported around a second axis other than the X axis with respect to the rocking ring  19 .  
         [0072]    While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of example, and not by limitation.