EP4344781A1

EP4344781A1 - A horizontal shaft impact crusher

Info

Publication number: EP4344781A1
Application number: EP22199079.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas Forsberg; Knut Kjaerran; Rowan Dallimore
Original assignee: Sandvik SRP AB
Current assignee: Sandvik SRP AB
Priority date: 2022-09-30
Filing date: 2022-09-30
Publication date: 2024-04-03

Abstract

A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) comprising a crusher housing (15) having a curtain (70,80) with an upper end (71,81) and a toe end (72,82) against which material accelerated by an impeller (50) may be crushed, the curtain (70,80) being pivotably mounted at the upper end (71,81) on a pivot shaft (90,100) between first and second pivot points (110,130,120,140) and an adjustment system (20) for adjusting the position of the pivot points (110,120,130,140) between a first crushing setting and a second crushing setting in which the adjustment system (20) comprises a rotatable pivot shaft support plate (150,155) on the pivot shaft (90,100) for supporting the pivot shaft (90,100) and defining the first pivot point (110,130) and a drive (160) for effecting rotation of the pivot shaft support plate (150,155) to adjust the position of the first pivot point (110,130) between the first and second crushing settings.

Description

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a horizontal shaft impact crusher having a curtain, mounted on a pivot shaft, against which material accelerated by an impeller can be crushed in which the curtain can be adjusted by an adjustment system between primary and secondary crushing settings.

Background of the Invention

Horizontal shaft impact crushers are utilized in many applications for crushing hard material such as pieces of rock, ore etc. A horizontal shaft impact crusher is generally made up of a housing having an inlet for material to be crushed, an outlet for material that has been crushed, an impeller, mounted on a horizontal shaft in the crusher housing, operative for rotating around a horizontal axis, a curtain mounted between pivot points against which material accelerated by the impeller may be crushed, and an adjustment bar for adjusting the position of said curtain relative to the impeller. Pieces of rock are fed towards the impeller and are struck by beater elements mounted on the impeller. The pieces of rock are disintegrated by being struck by the beater elements and are accelerated and thrown against the curtains where further disintegration occurs.
The action of the impeller thus causes the material fed to the horizontal shaft impact crusher to move freely in a crushing chamber and to be crushed upon impact against the beater elements, against the curtains, and against other pieces of material moving around at high speed in the crushing chamber.
In some crushers, the position of the curtain can be adjusted between first and second crushing settings e.g. between primary and secondary or between secondary and tertiary etc. crushing settings. The adjustment is typically made by altering the position of the pivot points to vary the distance between the curtain and the impeller. However, movement of the pivot points generally requires manual handling and the use of lifting equipment which can expose operatives to safety hazards. In addition, with mobile crushers, suitable lifting equipment may not always be available on site. Adjustment of the position of the curtain may also be required to compensate for both curtain wear and beater element wear.
An object of the invention is to overcome at least some of the problems of the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a horizontal shaft impact crusher comprising:

a crusher housing having an inlet for material to be crushed;
an outlet for material that has been crushed;
an impeller mounted on a horizontal shaft (60) in the crusher housing and being operative for rotating around a horizontal axis;
a curtain having an upper end and a toe end, against which material accelerated by the impeller may be crushed, pivotably mounted at the upper end (on a pivot shaft between first and second pivot points defining the position of the curtain relative to the impeller, and
an adjustment system for adjusting the position of the pivot points between a first crushing setting in which the curtain is positioned a first distance from the impeller and a second crushing setting in which the curtain is positioned a second distance from the impeller
wherein the adjustment system comprises
a rotatable pivot shaft support plate on the pivot shaft for supporting the pivot shaft and defining the first pivot point and
a drive for effecting rotation of the pivot shaft support plate to adjust the position of the first pivot point between the first and second crushing settings. The adjustment system allows the pivot points to be repositioned without any manual intervention or the need for lifting equipment.

In one embodiment, the adjustment system further comprises a second rotatable pivot shaft support plate defining the second pivot point and a connector extending between the first pivot shaft support plate and the second pivot shaft support plate to enable synchronised positioning of the pivot points. The use of the second rotatable pivot shaft support plate and the connector allows for the effective and simultaneous repositioning of the pivot points.
In any embodiment, the pivot shaft support plate is attached to the pivot shaft towards a free end of the pivot shaft. This facilitates ease of attachment of the pivot shaft support plate to the pivot shaft.
In any embodiment, the pivot shaft support plate is an annular plate having an eccentrically positioned pivot shaft receiving opening. By being eccentrically positioned, the pivot shaft receiving opening is spatially moved upon rotation of the annular plate to reposition the pivot point.
In one embodiment, the annular plate is an annular disc to allow for circumferential contact with the drive.
In one embodiment, the annular disc is a gear and the drive comprises a complementary drive gear engageable with the gear to effect rotation of the gear. Such a gear mechanism ensures effective and efficient movement of the annular disc.
In one embodiment, the gear is an eccentric gear. The eccentric gear provides for easy repositioning of the pivot points.
In any embodiment, the horizontal shaft impact crusher further comprises a motor for powering the drive gear. The drive gear can therefore be operated independently of the crusher motor to allow for pivot point repositioning with the crusher motor switched off.
In one embodiment, the drive gear and the motor are mounted on the crusher housing. The crusher housing therefore supports the drive gear and the motor.
In any embodiment of the invention, the drive comprises a linear drive engageable with the pivot shaft support plate to effect rotation of the pivot shaft support plate. This provides an alternative to the use of a drive gear.
In one embodiment, the linear drive comprises a hydraulic ram and cylinder. A hydraulic ram and cylinder can be in fluid communication with the hydraulic system of the crusher.
Suitably, the linear drive further comprises a linkage between the hydraulic ram and the pivot shaft support plate. The linkage facilitates rotation of the pivot shaft support plate.
In another embodiment, the linear drive comprises a pneumatic linear drive. A pneumatic linear drive can be operated independently of the crusher hydraulic system.
In another embodiment, the linear drive comprises a mechanical linear drive. A mechanical linear drive can be operated independently of the crusher hydraulic system and can be operated manually if required.
In any embodiment, the first crushing setting is a primary crushing setting and the second crushing setting is a secondary crushing setting. Accordingly, the curtains can be positioned as required in accordance with the crushing action required.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partially cut away side view through a horizontal shaft impact crusher of the invention with a first upper curtain adjustment system mounted at the free ends of the pivot shaft of a first upper curtain of the crusher and a second lower curtain adjustment system mounted at the free ends of the pivot shaft of a second lower curtain of the crusher with the adjustment systems in a first crushing setting (e.g. primary crushing setting) position;
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the crusher of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view from the rear and one side of a first upper curtain adjustment system of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the adjustment system of Figure 3, and
Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the adjustment system of Figure 3 in a second crushing setting (e.g. secondary crushing setting) position.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figures 1 and 2 show a horizontal shaft impact crusher 10 of the invention provided with curtain adjustment systems 20.
As shown in the drawings, the horizontal shaft impact crusher 10 comprises a housing 15 having an inlet 30 for receiving material to be crushed, an outlet 40 for material that has been crushed and an impeller 50 within the housing 15. A crusher motor, not illustrated for reasons of maintaining clarity of illustration, is operative for rotating a horizontal shaft 60 on which the impeller 50 is mounted. As an alternative to the impeller 50 being fixed to the shaft 60, the impeller 50 may rotate around the shaft 60. In either case, the impeller 50 is operative for rotating around a horizontal axis, coinciding with the centre of the horizontal shaft 60.
Internally, the housing 15 is provided with a plurality of wear protection plates 16 that are operative for protecting the walls of the housing 15 from abrasion and from impact by the material to be crushed. Furthermore, the housing 15 comprises a bearing 17 for the horizontal shaft 60. A lower feed plate (not shown) and an upper feed plate (not shown) are arranged at the inlet 30. The feed plates are operative for providing the material fed to the crusher 10 in a suitable direction with respect to the impeller 50.
As shown particularly in Figure 1, the housing 15 houses a first upper curtain 70, and a second lower curtain 80. Each curtain 70,80 comprises at least one wear plate 73,83 against which material may be crushed.
The illustrated impeller 50 has four beater elements 51 with each beater element 51 having a bent shape, as shown particularly in Figure 1. The area formed between the impeller 50 and the first and second curtains 70,80 can be called a crushing chamber 11 of the crusher 10.
An upper end 71 of the first curtain 70 is mounted on a horizontal first pivot shaft 90 and an upper end 81 of the second curtain 80 is mounted on a horizontal second pivot shaft 100 so that the pivot shafts 90,100 are suspended in the housing 15.
Material to be crushed first reaches the first curtain 70, being located upstream of the second curtain 80 as seen with respect to the direction of travel of the material. By means of the feed plates the material is directed towards the impeller 50 rotating at, typically, 400-850 rpm. When the material is hit by the beater elements 51 it is crushed and accelerated against the wear plates 73 of the first curtain 70 where further crushing occurs. The material bounces back from the first curtain 70 and is crushed further against material travelling in the opposite direction and, again, against the beater elements 51. When the material has been crushed to a sufficiently small size it moves further down the crusher chamber 11 and is accelerated, by means of the beater elements 51, towards the wear plates 83 of the second curtain 80, being located downstream of the first curtain 70. Hence, the material moves freely around in the crushing chamber 11 and is crushed against the beater elements 51, against the wear plates 73,83 respectively of the curtains 70,80 and against other pieces of material circling around, at a high velocity, in the crusher 10.
As shall be explained more fully below, in the present embodiment, a curtain adjustment system 20 is provided on each pivot shaft 90,100 towards a free end of each pivot shaft 90,100 and is axially rotatable to adjust the distance between the curtains (70,80) and the impeller (50) so that the curtains (70,80) can be easily adjusted between a first crushing setting such as a primary crushing setting shown in Figures 1 to 4 and a second crushing setting such as a secondary crushing setting shown in Figure 5.
As shown particularly in Figure 2, in the present embodiment, the first pivot shaft 90 extends beyond pivot shaft openings (not shown) in the housing 15 to define first and second free ends 190,200 of the first pivot shaft 90 and a curtain adjustment system 20 is provided at both the first free end 190 and the second free end 200. Similarly, the second pivot shaft 100 extends beyond openings (not shown) in the housing 15 to define first and second free ends 210,220 of the second pivot shaft 100 and a curtain adjustment system 20 is provided at the first free end 210 and the second free end 220. However, in other embodiments, a curtain adjustment system 20 can be provided at either free end 190,200 and 210,220 of the pivot shafts 90,100 respectively.
Figures 3 and 4 show enlarged views of the upper curtain adjustment system 20 of Figure 2 at the free end 190 of the pivot shaft 90 - the adjustment system 20 at the opposite free end 200 of the pivot shaft 90 being identical in configuration. Similarly, adjustment systems 20 at the free ends 210,220 of the pivot shaft 100 are identical in construction to the adjustment system 20 of Figures 3 and 4 described in more detail below.
As shown in the drawings, the adjustment system 20 is generally made up of an axially rotatable pivot shaft support plate 150 for supporting the pivot shaft 90 towards its free end 190 at a first pivot point 110 defined in the pivot shaft support plate 150. The pivot shaft support plate 150 is rotatably mounted on a mounting ring 151 secured to the housing 15 so that the adjustment system 20 is supported on the housing 15 by the mounting ring 151 at the pivot shaft opening. The pivot shaft support plate 150 is an annular plate 230 in the form of an annular disc 245 provided with an eccentrically positioned pivot shaft receiving opening 240, which defines the first pivot point 110, towards the periphery of the disc 245. The pivot shaft support plate 150 therefore serves to support the pivot shaft 90 at the eccentric pivot point 110 to mount the pivot shaft 90 in the housing 15 to in turn suspend the curtain 70 in the crushing chamber 11 (see also Figure 1). As indicated above, the pivot shaft 90 is supported at a second pivot point 120 similarly defined in a second identical pivot shaft support plate 170 of an adjustment device 20 at its opposite free end 200. In analogous fashion to the pivot shaft 90 of the upper curtain 70, the pivot shaft 100 of the lower curtain 80 is supported between first and second pivot shaft support plates 155,175 identical in configuration to the pivot shaft support plates 150,170.
The annular disc 245 is a gear 250, which in the present embodiment is an eccentric gear 250 which can be axially rotated by a drive 160 in the form of a complementary drive gear 260 engaged with the eccentric gear 250. The complementary drive gear 260 is rotatably mounted on the crusher housing 15 beneath the eccentric gear 250 and is powered by a motor 270 also mounted on the housing 15 at a motor mounting bracket 280. Accordingly, axial rotation of the support plate 150, which in the present embodiment is the eccentric gear 250, is effected by the drive gear 260 so that the position of the of the first pivot point 110 can be adjusted between first and second crushing settings. Similarly, axial rotation of the second support plate 170 results in the adjustment of the position of the second pivot point 120 between first and second crushing settings. A connector 180, which can be a bar (not shown), extends between the first and second support plates 150,170 and enables simultaneous and synchronised positioning of the pivot points 110,120.
In use, the motor 270 is activated to rotate the drive gear 260 to in turn effect axial rotation of the eccentric gear 250. This action is simultaneously performed at the pivot shaft support plate 150 and the second pivot shaft support plate 155 at the free end 190,200 of the pivot shaft 90. As a result, the positions of the first and second pivot points 110,120 are adjusted between the first and second crushing settings, e.g. primary and secondary cutting setting in a safe manner without requiring manual intervention or the use of lifting equipment. The positions of the first and second pivot points 130,140 on first and second pivot shaft support plates 155,175 of the lower curtain 80 can be adjusted in a similar manner.
In another embodiment of the invention, the drive 160 can be a linear drive such as a hydraulic ram and cylinder, a pneumatic linear drive or a mechanical linear drive engageable with the pivot shaft support plate 150,155,170,175 to effect rotation of the pivot shaft support plate 150,155,170,175. The hydraulic linear drive can also include a linkage between the hydraulic ram and the support plate 150,155,170,175.

Claims

A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) comprising:
a crusher housing (15) having an inlet (30) for material to be crushed; an outlet (40) for material that has been crushed;
an impeller (50) mounted on a horizontal shaft (60) in the crusher housing (15) and being operative for rotating around a horizontal axis;

a curtain (70,80) having an upper end (71,81) and a toe end (72,82), against which material accelerated by the impeller (50) may be crushed, pivotably mounted at the upper end (71,81) on a pivot shaft (90,100) between first and second pivot points (110,130,120,140) defining the position of the curtain (70,80) relative to the impeller (50), and

an adjustment system (20) for adjusting the position of the pivot points (110,120,130,140) between a first crushing setting in which the curtain (70,80) is positioned a first distance from the impeller (50) and a second crushing setting in which the curtain (70,80) is positioned a second distance from the impeller (50) wherein the adjustment system (20) comprises
a rotatable pivot shaft support plate (150,155) on the pivot shaft (90,100) for supporting the pivot shaft (90,100) and defining the first pivot point (110,130) and

a drive (160) for effecting rotation of the pivot shaft support plate (150,155) to adjust the position of the first pivot point (110,130) between the first and second crushing settings.
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adjustment system (20) further comprises a second rotatable pivot shaft support plate (170,175) defining the second pivot point (120,140) and a connector (180,185) extending between the first pivot shaft support plate (150,155) and the second pivot shaft support plate (170,175) to enable synchronised positioning of the pivot points (110,120,130,140).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pivot shaft support plate (150,155,170,175) is attached to the pivot shaft (90,100) towards a free end (190,200,210,220) of the pivot shaft (90,100).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the support shaft support plate (150,155,170,175) is an annular plate (230) having an eccentrically positioned pivot shaft receiving opening (240).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the annular plate (230) is an annular disc (245).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the annular disc (245) is a gear (250) and the drive (160) comprises a complementary drive gear (260) engageable with the gear (250) to effect rotation of the gear (250).
A horizontal impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the gear (250) is an eccentric gear (255).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7 further comprising a motor (270) for powering the drive gear (260).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the drive gear (260) and the motor (270) are mounted on the crusher housing (15).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the drive (160) comprises a linear drive engageable with the pivot shaft support plate (150,155,170,175) to effect rotation of the pivot shaft support plate (150,155,170,175).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the linear drive comprises a hydraulic ram and cylinder.
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the linear drive further comprises a linkage between the hydraulic ram and the pivot shaft support plate (150,155,170,175).
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the linear drive comprises a pneumatic linear drive.
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the linear drive comprises a mechanical linear drive.
A horizontal shaft impact crusher (10) as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the first crushing setting is a primary crushing setting and the second crushing setting is a secondary crushing setting.