Patent ID: 8297961

Claim:
A cutter assembly for an extruder, comprising: an elongated extrusion member having an open feed end, said open feed end being attachable in fluid communication with the extruder for supplying a mash to said elongated extrusion member, the elongated extrusion member including an annular portion forming an extrusion passage for the mash, and a generally block-shaped extrusion portion removably mounted to an end thereof; an extrusion die including an extrusion outlet formed therein, said extrusion die being removably mounted to a front surface of said generally block-shaped extrusion portion; a filling tube attachable in fluid communication with the extruder for supplying a filling to the filling tube, said filling tube being removably mounted to a rear, opposed surface of said generally block-shaped extrusion portion; and a cutter member having a drivable end and a cutter blade with a cutting surface for cutting extrudate to a desired length as the extrudate exits the extrusion die, said drivable end including a collar reciprocably mounted on the annular portion of the elongated extrusion member, said cutter member being operably connectable at the drivable end to a drive device of the extruder for reciprocatably sliding the cutting surface of the cutter blade over and away from the outlet of the extrusion die.