Patent ID: 7337994

Claim:
A system for chopping rope of cellulose fibers into fragments, comprising, a spool having rope coiled thereon, the spool being fixedly disposed on a rotatable shaft, the rope having a diameter in the range from 3.175 mm (0.125″) to 19.05 mm (0.75″); a variable speed drive means drivingly engaged with the shaft to rotate it at a chosen number of revolutions per unit time; a variable speed feeder-pulley over which the rope is trained in non-slipping engagement therewith; control means to control the revolutions per minute of the feeder-pulley within a predetermined range; a train of pulleys over each of which the rope is engaged, the pulleys disposed intermediate the shaft and the feeder-pulley, the train including a dancing roll movable between upper and lower limits; limit switch means to sense the upper and lower limits of travel of the dancing roll; an inline granulator having a bed blade adjustable to provide a cutting clearance of no more than 25.4 μm (0.001″) and associated blades revolving at a speed in the range from about 1200-1800 revs/min; and, a screen means having openings no larger than 6.35 mm (0.25″).