WO2025088146A1 - Laboratory mill - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a laboratory mill, in particular a cutting mill (1) for laboratory operation, further in particular a table-top cutting mill, having a housing (2) and a drive motor (3) which is coupled to the housing (2) and has a drive shaft (4), wherein a grinding tool, in particular a cutting rotor (5) with at least one cutting blade (6), can be connected to the drive shaft (4), in particular for the cutting comminution of material to be ground by shearing action, having a grinding chamber (15), provided in the housing (2), for the arrangement of the grinding tool in the grinding chamber (15). According to the invention, a cyclone receptacle (57) formed by a recess or cutout and/or depression in the housing (2) is provided for receiving an exchangeable cyclone separator (12) in the housing (2).

Description

Laboratory mill

The invention relates to a laboratory mill, in particular a cutting mill for laboratory use, further in particular a table cutting mill, with a housing and a drive motor with a drive shaft connected to the housing, wherein a grinding tool, in particular a cutting rotor with at least one cutting blade, can be connected to the drive shaft, in particular for cutting and comminuting material to be ground by shearing action, with a grinding chamber provided in the housing for arranging the grinding tool in the grinding chamber.

The invention further relates to a cyclone separator for a laboratory mill of the aforementioned type.

Laboratory cutting mills comminute the material to be ground using a scissor-like cutting action between a rotating cutting rotor with attached cutting blades and stationary counterblades located on the inside of the grinding chamber side wall. The cutting blades and counterblades extend in the axial direction of the drive shaft as cutting bars. Laboratory cutting mills are advantageously used for comminuting soft, medium-hard, tough, elastic, fibrous, and heterogeneous sample mixtures. Examples of laboratory cutting mills are the applicant's SM 100, SM 200, and SM 300 cutting mills.

In rotor impact mills, comminution and deagglomeration occur through impact and shearing. In the center of the grinding chamber, the feed material is crushed between the rotor, screen, and grinding insert. As soon as the material is lighter than the aperture size of a screen, it falls through the gravity outlet into a collecting vessel. An example of a rotor impact mill is the applicant's SR 300 rotor impact mill. Rotor impact mills are used for the coarse and fine comminution of dry, soft, medium-hard, organic, and inorganic substances.

Cross beater mills are also suitable for coarse and fine comminution and are used for processing medium-hard and brittle materials. Comminution occurs through impact. The feed material enters the center of the grinding chamber, where it is caught by a cross beater and crushed between the impact plates of the cross beater and a toothed grinding insert. As soon as the material is smaller than the aperture size of an inserted bottom screen, it passes through this and flows through the gravity outlet into a collecting container. The material from the cross beater into Ambient air drawn into the grinding chamber accelerates the discharge of the crushed material. An example of a cross beater mill is the applicant's SK 300 cross beater mill.

Cyclone separators are used in well-known laboratory mills to ensure not only good cooling of the material to be ground and the grinding tools, but also improved discharge of the sample from the grinding chamber.

Supported by a vacuum cleaner, the cyclone optimizes the air flow through the grinding chamber of the laboratory mill, which cools the sample material and grinding tools and improves material discharge from the grinding chamber. This is particularly useful when grinding, for example, temperature-sensitive materials or very light samples. Further advantages include convenient sample recovery and the ability to process large sample volumes. When grinding solids to analytical fineness, the use of a cyclone can be advantageous, depending on the material properties. Conventional laboratory mills can therefore be optionally equipped with a cyclone.

The present invention is based on the object of increasing the usability of the previously known laboratory mills, in particular the usability of cutting mills.

In particular, the present invention is based on the object of providing a laboratory mill of the type mentioned at the outset which, when equipped with a cyclone separator, allows good cooling of the material to be ground and the grinding tools as well as improved discharge of the sample from the grinding chamber and is characterized by high operating comfort and easy cleaning.

In addition, the laboratory mill, when equipped with a cyclone separator, should be characterized by a space-saving design and thus be suitable for use as a table-top device.

The aforementioned objects are achieved by a laboratory mill having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the inventive solution are the subject of the subclaims. The laboratory mill according to the invention has a cyclone receptacle formed by a recess or gap and/or depression in the housing for accommodating a cyclone separator in the housing. The size and geometry of the recess or gap in the housing of the laboratory mill forming the cyclone receptacle is adapted to the size and geometry of the cyclone separator, so that the cyclone separator can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle.

The cyclone separator is replaceably inserted or integrated into the housing, resulting in a space-saving design of the laboratory mill. This makes the laboratory mill particularly suitable for installation as a tabletop unit. An external connection of the laboratory mill to a cyclone separator positioned separately from the laboratory mill or attached to the laboratory mill is therefore unnecessary. In particular, the invention deviates from the prior art laboratory mills with cyclone separators, in which the cyclone separator is arranged as an overhang laterally next to the housing of the laboratory mill.

The cyclone separator integrated into the cyclone holder ensures, in a known manner, good cooling of the grinding material and the grinding tools on the one hand and improved discharge of the sample from the grinding chamber on the other.

Another particular advantage is that the cyclone separator can be removed from the cyclone holder for simplified cleaning and cleaned separately from the laboratory mill.

In addition, it is possible to use cyclone separators made of different materials, depending on the material being ground.

According to the invention, the cyclone separator can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle as a separate unit, separate from the grinding chamber, and removed from the cyclone receptacle. In particular, the cyclone separator is not directly connected to the grinding chamber or the parts of the laboratory mill that form the grinding chamber and can thus be removed from the housing of the laboratory mill independently of the grinding chamber. The cyclone receptacle can be designed to accommodate an inlet channel or feed section of the cyclone separator leading to a vortex chamber of the cyclone separator and, preferably, to at least substantially completely accommodate the vortex chamber and, preferably, to accommodate a dip tube of the cyclone separator opening into the vortex chamber. As a result, the solution according to the invention preferably provides for the substantially complete integration of all essential components or functional units of the cyclone separator into the housing of the laboratory mill. The cyclone separator can in any case be integrated into the cyclone receptacle with an inlet channel to the vortex chamber, the vortex chamber, a dip tube, and, preferably, at least with parts of a separation chamber, in particular the majority of parts of the separation chamber.

The cyclone receptacle can have a first, preferably substantially horizontally extending first receptacle area, and a second, preferably substantially vertically extending second receptacle area, wherein the first receptacle area opens into the second receptacle area and the second receptacle area opens into a lower housing opening of the device housing.

A ground material air stream is fed tangentially into a vortex chamber of the cyclone separator via an inlet channel of the cyclone separator.

A rotationally symmetrical vortex chamber can be designed to create a rotary flow. The first, essentially horizontally extending receiving area of the cyclone receptacle can then be provided to accommodate at least the inlet channel of the cyclone separator.

A vortex chamber of the cyclone separator can be formed by a rotationally symmetrical upper part that can merge into a conical lower part of the cyclone separator, wherein the conical lower part forms a separation chamber. The rotationally symmetrical upper part of the cyclone separator or the vortex chamber and the conical lower part of the cyclone separator or the separation chamber can extend downward from a suction channel of the housing in the second, substantially vertically extending second receiving area of the cyclone receptacle.

A dip tube of the cyclone separator can be arranged coaxially to the separation chamber, which can extend downwards from the suction channel in the housing of the laboratory mill and open into the separation chamber. The suction channel can be A sealing element must be connectable or connected to the immersion tube. The suction channel serves to connect a suction device, such as a vacuum cleaner, and enables negative pressure operation in the grinding chamber during the grinding process by extracting a grinding chamber air stream from the grinding chamber via the cyclone separator.

The separation chamber of the cyclone separator can extend beyond a lower housing opening of the housing of the laboratory mill and end outside the housing of the laboratory mill.

A quick-release fastener for a sample vessel can be provided at the free end of the separation chamber.

The cross-sectional area of the inlet channel can narrow in a nozzle-like or funnel-like manner, so that the grinding material air flow is accelerated toward the vortex chamber. The inlet channel can then open into a vortex chamber opening, with a tangential inlet of the grinding material air flow into the vortex chamber being provided.

The invention particularly preferably provides that the cyclone separator can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle via a front side of the housing. This simplifies handling of the cyclone separator when inserting it into the cyclone receptacle and when removing it from the cyclone receptacle. A pivotable housing door can be provided on the housing of the laboratory mill, wherein the cyclone separator can then only be inserted into the cyclone receptacle when the housing door is in the open position. In a closed position of the housing door, however, the cyclone receptacle, including any cyclone integrated therein, is closed by the housing door.

In particular, the cyclone separator can be inserted and removed without tools into the cyclone receptacle or the housing of the laboratory mill, which simplifies operation. However, "tool-free" within the meaning of the invention also includes embodiments in which locking, latching, or detent means must be manually actuated to secure the cyclone separator in the cyclone receptacle and/or remove it from the cyclone receptacle. In particular, such manually actuated locking, latching, or detent means can be spring-loaded; furthermore, the insertion and/or removal of the cyclone separator into or from the housing can be spring-loaded. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing of the laboratory mill has a cassette holder formed by a recess or cutout and/or depression in the housing for receiving an interchangeable cassette in the housing. The aforementioned interchangeable cassette forms the rear wall and the side wall of the grinding chamber. The interchangeable cassette can be fully inserted or received in the cassette holder.

Particularly preferably, only the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall are formed on the interchangeable cassette, which for this purpose can have a one-piece and/or single-piece base body that defines the grinding chamber radially and axially on the motor side. A grinding chamber cover, which can be releasably placed against the base body, can form an at least partial closure of the grinding chamber on the front or front side of the cassette facing away from the drive motor.

The grinding chamber cover can preferably be held or fastened to an openable and closable housing door that is directly or indirectly connected to the housing and can be moved together with the housing door. When the housing door is closed, the grinding chamber cover can rest against the interchangeable cassette and at least partially close off the grinding chamber on the front of the housing. By opening the housing door, the grinding chamber cover is brought into an open position together with the housing door, so that access into the grinding chamber is possible via the front of the housing, for example to remove the interchangeable cassette from the cassette holder and/or to clean the grinding chamber.

However, a design in which the grinding chamber cover is detachably attached to a base body of the interchangeable cassette that borders the grinding chamber side wall and the grinding chamber rear wall is also possible. In this case, the base body can be removed from the cassette holder together with the grinding chamber cover or inserted into the cassette holder.

In contrast to the prior art, in the laboratory mill according to the invention, the walls that define the grinding chamber radially and axially on the motor side are formed on a replaceable cassette. The housing, in turn, has a receptacle for the cassette, the The geometry is adapted to the cassette geometry and cassette size, so that the cassette can preferably be fully inserted into the cassette holder. The front surfaces of the removable cassette and the front surfaces of the housing wall bordering the cassette holder can then be aligned, or the front surfaces of the removable cassette can be lowered relative to the front surfaces of the housing wall bordering the cassette holder.

During operation of the laboratory mill according to the invention, the cutting rotor then sweeps over the rear wall of the cassette, which forms the grinding chamber rear wall. The grinding chamber side wall is formed by a side wall of the interchangeable cassette, which can essentially concentrically surround the rotational axis of the drive shaft, at least in some areas.

The use of an interchangeable cassette forming the grinding chamber, as provided for in the invention, creates the possibility for simplified cleaning. After opening the housing door and the associated grinding chamber cover, the grinding chamber can be easily cleaned via the open front of the interchangeable cassette. The cassette can remain in the cassette holder during cleaning.

Alternatively, the cassette can also be removed from the cassette holder for cleaning purposes.

In addition, it is possible to use cassettes made of different cassette materials, for example steel, aluminum or certain steels, especially those low in heavy metals.

In addition, cassettes can be used that differ from one another in the direction of the grinding material flow when removing the grinding material from the grinding chamber and/or the direction of the grinding material flow when feeding the grinding material into the grinding chamber.

In principle, cassettes with different dimensions of the grinding chamber can also be used, which may require the use of intermediate or adapter pieces that are inserted into the cassette holder. The invention particularly preferably provides that the removable cassette can be inserted into the cassette holder via a front side of the housing. This simplifies the handling of the cassette when inserting it into the cassette holder and when removing it from the cassette holder.

The term "interchangeable cassette" within the meaning of the invention refers to cassette solutions in which a cassette, as a separate component or separate assembly, forms the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall, and, if appropriate, a grinding chamber front wall, thus spatially delimiting the grinding chamber. Particularly preferably, the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall are formed by a cassette base body, wherein the grinding chamber front wall can be formed by a grinding chamber cover that closes the grinding chamber toward the front of the laboratory mill and can be detachably connected to the cassette base body or pressed against the cassette base body.

Furthermore, the cassette can be replaced without tools, which in turn simplifies handling when changing cassettes. The removable cassette can be removed from or inserted into the cassette holder entirely manually, without the use of tools such as screwdrivers or pliers.

However, "tool-free" within the meaning of the invention also includes embodiments in which locking, latching, or detent means that secure the cassette in the cassette receptacle must be manually operated in order to secure the cassette in the cassette receptacle and/or remove it from the cassette receptacle. For example, to secure the cassette in the cassette receptacle after a specific insertion position of the cassette has been reached, a manually operable pin can be provided that engages positively and/or non-positively in the cassette and/or the housing, thereby securing the cassette in a specific position in the cassette receptacle.

Preferably, however, the cassette can be inserted into and removed from the cassette receptacle without having to actuate connecting, locking, and/or arresting means. Inserting and removing the cassette into and from the cassette receptacle is then carried out without the use of tools and does not require the actuation of connecting elements designed for a positive and/or non-positive connection between the cassette and the housing. Particularly preferably, the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall are formed on a single-piece or one-piece cassette base body. In principle, however, the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall can also be formed on detachably connected cassette components.

A sieve or grid insert can be inserted into the grinding chamber in a manner known per se, whereby a sieve seat for the sieve or grid insert can be formed on the side wall of the interchangeable cassette in the area of a cassette opening in order to hold the insert in and on the cassette.

The housing comprises at least one recess, cutout or gap which forms a cassette receptacle.

The cassette receptacle can be formed by a recess in the housing that is at least partially circular. The cassette receptacle can adjoin or transition upwards into an upper recess or upper cutout in the housing, which opens into an upper housing opening. The cassette receptacle can adjoin or transition downwards into at least one lower recess or lower cutout in the housing, which opens into at least one lower housing opening.

The upper recess or upper cutout in the housing can be provided for the partial, end-side accommodation of a material feed shaft of a grinding material hopper and form a shaft receptacle. Furthermore, a grinding material inlet formed on the cassette through the cassette wall, which opens into an upper cassette opening and through which the grinding material to be comminuted is fed to the area of the cutting rotor or the grinding chamber, can engage at least partially in the upper recess or upper cutout in the housing.

The lower recess or lower cutout in the housing can be provided for the partial reception of an outlet funnel connected to the exchangeable cassette, wherein the lower recess or lower cutout forms an outlet funnel receptacle.

The cassette has an upper cassette opening and at least one lower cassette opening. The ground material enters the cassette and thus the grinding chamber via the upper housing opening and the upper cassette opening. The crushed material leaves the grinding chamber and the cassette through the cassette opening and exits the housing via the lower housing opening.

Furthermore, at least one spring means and/or clamping means can be provided for applying a pressure and/or clamping force to the interchangeable cassette acting in the axial direction to the drive motor, so that the interchangeable cassette is pressed in the axial direction against an axial wall surface of the housing in the region of the cassette holder.

Particularly preferably, an openable and closable housing door can be provided, which can preferably be pivotally mounted on the housing forming the cassette receptacle. When the housing door is closed, the housing door can transmit a clamping force to the cassette, so that the cassette is pressed in the axial direction towards the drive motor and is clamped axially in the cassette receptacle. At least one sealing element can be provided between the housing door and the cassette, which is compressed when the housing door is closed and thus ensures that the cassette is clamped axially in the cassette receptacle without any play. The sealing element thus fulfills a sealing function and, at the same time, functions as a means for transmitting a clamping force to the cassette.

Preferably, the interchangeable cassette is held in the cassette receptacle without play in the axial and circumferential directions solely by clamping forces transmitted to the interchangeable cassette in the axial direction, for example, by a housing door as described above in the closed position of the housing door. The formation of an anti-twist device by interacting connection and holding geometries is then preferably not provided.

The interchangeable cassette provides a lower, laterally aligned cassette opening in the side wall of the interchangeable cassette for lateral removal of the ground material from the interchangeable cassette, wherein, preferably, the ground material is first deflected in a horizontal direction on the inner surface of the side wall of the interchangeable cassette and exits in a horizontal direction from the interchangeable cassette via the lateral cassette opening.

Particularly preferably, the interchangeable cassette has a lower cassette opening for a grinding material outlet from the interchangeable cassette in an outlet direction deviating from the direction of gravity at an angle, in particular for a grinding material outlet from the interchangeable cassette transverse to the direction of gravity, wherein, Preferably, the ground material is deflected horizontally to the lower cassette opening on the inner surface of the side wall of the interchangeable cassette below the axis of rotation of the drive shaft and exits the cassette opening in a horizontal direction.

The lateral discharge of a grinding material air stream from the interchangeable cassette is advantageous if the interchangeable cassette is adjacent to the cyclone separator and the grinding material air stream is transferred laterally via the lateral cassette opening into the inlet channel of the cyclone separator.

In the vertical direction, the interchangeable cassette can then be designed to be closed, so that the interchangeable cassette only has a lower cassette opening that is open to the side.

The lower, laterally oriented cassette opening in the side wall of the interchangeable cassette is preferably located within the housing when the interchangeable cassette is inserted into the cassette receptacle. As already described above, the cassette receptacle can laterally adjoin or merge into a lower recess or cutout in the housing, which is designed to at least partially accommodate a cyclone separator and is referred to as the "cyclone receptacle" within the scope of the invention.

The cassette holder and the cyclone holder are fluidically connected to each other or merge into one another. The cassette holder and the cyclone holder can be formed by a common, continuous, uninterrupted recess, cutout, and/or depression in the housing. This allows the interchangeable cassette and the cyclone separator to be installed side by side in the housing.

When the interchangeable cassette is inserted into the cassette holder, the lower, laterally aligned cassette opening can then be opposite the inlet channel of a cyclone separator inserted into the cyclone holder of the housing, so that a direct transition of a ground material air flow via the cassette opening of the interchangeable cassette into the cyclone separator within the housing is ensured.

The cyclone separator can be constructed in several parts, wherein, preferably, several parts are detachably and/or unsealedly connectable or connected to one another. "Unsealed" in the sense of the present invention refers to the connection several components together without the need for sealants or a sealing element. Since a negative pressure level is created in the grinding chamber and thus also in the cyclone separator during extraction operation, grinding material components are extracted via the cyclone separator and do not enter the cyclone receptacle or cassette receptacle via the unsealed components of the cyclone separator. The use of sealing elements can therefore be dispensed with.

The cyclone separator can be a sheet metal construction made up of several sheet metal components that are detachably or permanently connected to one another.

An inlet channel for a ground material air flow leading to the vortex chamber of the cyclone separator can be defined/formed by a lateral front channel wall, a lateral rear channel wall, a lower channel wall, and an upper channel wall. Preferably, the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, and the lower channel wall can be welded together and thus formed as a single piece.

The upper channel wall can be placed in the form of a cover on the front channel wall and the rear channel wall and can preferably be connected in a form-fitting manner. For this purpose, projections and/or recesses can be formed on the front channel wall and/or the rear channel wall to form a form-fitting connection with the upper channel wall.

As described above, the vortex chamber of the cyclone separator can be formed by a rotationally symmetrical, preferably cylindrical, upper part that merges into a rotationally symmetrical, preferably conical, lower part of the cyclone separator. The lower part can then form a separation chamber.

The front channel wall and/or the rear channel wall can be firmly connected, in particular welded, to the rotationally symmetrical upper part. A detachable connection of the front channel wall and/or the rear channel wall to the upper part is also possible. Furthermore, the front channel wall and/or the rear channel wall can also be loosely connected to the rotationally symmetrical upper part.

Preferably, the front channel wall, the rear channel wall and the upper part are firmly connected, in particular welded, to a support plate, wherein the support plate delimits the inlet channel on the bottom side in the inlet area and has a lower Channel wall. In particular, the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, the upper part, and the support plate can be welded together to form a composite component. The rotationally symmetrical lower part can then be connected to the support plate from below, in particular welded to the support plate.

A cover plate can be provided to close the inlet channel and the vortex chamber at the top. The cover plate can have an opening for the dip tube. Preferably, the cover plate can be placed on the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, and the upper part and, preferably, can be detachably connected to the front channel wall and/or the rear channel wall and/or the upper part only via form-fitting, interlocking edge sections. In particular, the cover plate rests unattached on the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, and the rotationally symmetrical upper part solely due to its weight.

The inlet channel preferably extends to the cassette opening of the interchangeable cassette. The outer wheels of the lower channel wall, the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, and the upper channel wall defining the inlet channel can then directly abut the wall sections of the cassette defining the cassette opening or border the wall sections. Only one separation point is then provided in the area of the inlet opening of the inlet channel, through which the grinding material air stream is then fed to the vortex chamber opening. The cyclone separator inserted into the cyclone holder enables the connection of a cyclone to the grinding chamber with a minimal number of coupling points, namely preferably just one, and optionally intermediate elements.

If the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, the upper part and a support plate, which limits the inlet channel at the bottom and forms the lower channel wall, are firmly connected to one another, in particular welded together, and covered by a cover plate, carryover of the ground material during feeding to the vortex chamber of the cyclone separator in the area of the inlet channel can be reduced to a large extent, which leads to low cleaning effort.

In particular, according to the invention, the inlet channel to the vortex chamber is or can be fully integrated into the cyclone receptacle formed in the housing of the laboratory mill. In contrast to the prior art, the invention preferably does not provide a hose or pipe connection for discharging the ground material air stream from the grinding chamber and feeding it into the vortex chamber. According to the invention, the ground material air stream is fed from the grinding chamber into the vortex chamber via an inlet channel as an integral unit of the cyclone separator according to the invention.

Furthermore, there is the advantageous alternative of constructing the cyclone separator with the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, the rotationally symmetrical upper section, the lower channel wall, in particular designed as a common support plate for the front channel wall and the rear channel wall as well as the upper section, and, if applicable, also the conical lower section of the cyclone separator, as a one-piece milled component. This enables simple and cost-effective production. In addition, a tight seal between the walls and the upper section and, if applicable, the lower section is ensured. Here, too, the top closure of the inlet channel and the vortex chamber can be formed by a cover plate, which can preferably be inserted into a circumferential groove geometry along the outer edges of the front channel wall, the rear channel wall, and the rotationally symmetrical upper section. In particular, the cover plate rests unsealed on the walls and the upper section. Nevertheless, a sealing effect can be achieved solely due to the groove geometry by means of a groove geometry into which the cover plate engages, preferably circumferentially.

As described above, an openable and closable housing door can be provided, which can preferably be pivotally mounted on the housing. When the housing door is closed, the housing door can optionally transmit a clamping force to the cyclone separator, so that the cyclone separator is pressed in the axial direction towards the drive motor and is clamped in the axial direction in the cyclone receptacle. Here, too, a spring means and/or clamping means can be provided, for example a sealing element, which is arranged between the housing door and the cyclone separator and is compressed when the housing door is closed, so that the cyclone separator is clamped in the cyclone receptacle without axial play.

However, it can also be provided that the cyclone separator can be secured in the cyclone holder simply by means of locking, latching, or snap-in devices, regardless of any closing movement of the housing door. The cyclone separator is then securely held in the cyclone holder even when the housing door is open. The cyclone separator and the cassette can have geometrically complementary edge geometries at opposite edge regions when inserted. In particular, the edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette and the cyclone separator can be designed to complement each other in such a way that the interchangeable cassette can be displaced relative to the cyclone separator held on the housing in the drive shaft direction and can thus be inserted into and removed from the cassette receptacle, while the cyclone separator remains in the cyclone receptacle. In particular, the cassette can be inserted into and/or removed from the cassette receptacle independently of the cyclone separator.

When inserted, the cassette and the cyclone separator are preferably not directly connected to each other in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner.

Further preferably, the cyclone separator can also be inserted into the cyclone holder and/or removed from the cyclone holder independently of the cassette, so that, if required, the laboratory mill can be operated with or without the cyclone separator without changing the cassette.

By appropriately designing the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator, it is possible for the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator to be inserted into the cassette holder or cyclone holder of the housing and/or removed from the housing independently of each other. Spacing the edge geometries from each other particularly simplifies the replacement of the interchangeable cassette independently of the cyclone separator and vice versa.

Furthermore, in particular, the adjacent edge geometries of the cassette and cyclone separator can be designed to complement each other in such a way that, upon insertion or removal, a displacement of the cassette and cyclone separator relative to each other in the drive shaft direction is possible. For example, the cassette can then move in the drive shaft direction or in the axial direction of the drive shaft relative to the cyclone separator inserted into the cyclone holder, allowing the cassette holder to be inserted.

The cyclone operation of the laboratory mill with negative pressure generation in the grinding chamber allows the cyclone separator to be inserted unsealed into the cyclone receptacle The cassette can also be inserted into the cassette receptacle without sealing. Adjacent edge geometries of the cassette and cyclone separator can be positioned opposite each other without sealing. The term "unsealed" within the meaning of the invention refers to embodiments in which the cyclone separator and the cassette are inserted into the respective housing receptacle without the use of a sealing element or seal and/or in which no sealing element is provided between the cassette and the cyclone separator in the region of the edge geometries of the cassette and cyclone separator.

In order to prevent the escape of crushed material from adjoining edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator into free spaces of the cassette holder and/or the cyclone holder, the adjoining edge geometries can be kept or arranged at a distance from one another, in particular to form an air gap between adjoining edge geometries.

The cyclone separator allows grinding to be carried out at a negative pressure level in the grinding chamber, with a grinding material-air mixture being drawn in through an upper cassette opening and extracted through a lower cassette opening. During the extraction of the grinding material-air mixture, ambient air is drawn in through the air gap created between the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator and enters the interchangeable cassette. This prevents the escape of crushed material through the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator into the cassette holder and thus into the interior of the cutting mill.

Furthermore, the mutual spacing of the interchangeable cassette and the cyclone separator eliminates the possibility of damage during grinding operation due to mechanical contact between the interchangeable cassette and the cyclone separator.

The air gap or the mutual spacing is preferably provided over the entire surface between the adjacent edge geometries of the exchangeable cassette and the cyclone separator, so that the extraction of false air can take place over the entire extent of the facing edge geometries or at any point. Furthermore, the inner surfaces of the interchangeable cassette and cyclone separator can be substantially aligned when inserted and/or an extension of the flow cross-section can be provided at the transition from the cassette opening to the inlet channel of the cyclone separator in order to avoid the deposition of crushed material on projections and/or edges in the transition area from the interchangeable cassette to the cyclone separator.

At least one spring element, in particular a first spring element, can be provided for transmitting a spring force acting vertically against the cyclone separator, in particular an upward spring force. This simplifies the insertion of the cyclone separator into the cyclone receptacle, which contributes to a high level of operating convenience.

Preferably, in addition to the first spring element, at least one spring element, in particular a second spring element, can be provided for transmitting a spring force acting horizontally against the cyclone separator, in particular a spring force acting toward the cassette. This also simplifies the insertion process of the cyclone separator. The spring force acting horizontally can then press the cyclone separator horizontally against a stop provided on the housing in the area of the cyclone receptacle or against a contact edge.

The cyclone separator can be held in a predetermined insertion position by transmitting a spring force from at least one spring element, and/or the cyclone separator can be moved from the insertion position into a removal position against the spring force of at least one spring element. In particular, the cyclone separator is held in the insertion position by transmitting a spring force acting vertically against the cyclone separator from the first spring element and by transmitting a spring force acting horizontally against the cyclone separator from the second spring element, and, more preferably, can be moved from the insertion position into a removal position against the spring force of the first spring element and/or the second spring element.

It is also advantageous if the cyclone separator is locked in a predetermined insertion position against unwanted displacement from the insertion position, in particular in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner, further in particular by forming a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the cyclone separator and the housing of the laboratory mill and/or by forming a form-fitting and/or force-locking connection between the cyclone separator and at least one spring element. In particular, to release the form-locking and/or force-locking connection, it is necessary to manually exert a specific removal force in the horizontal and/or vertical direction on the cyclone separator. In particular, it is necessary to manually transmit a removal force in the horizontal and/or vertical direction to the cyclone separator that is greater than the holding force or spring force transmitted to the cyclone separator by the at least one spring means, with which the cyclone separator is held in the inserted position. The removal force then counteracts the spring force.

A stop can be provided on a housing wall bordering the cyclone receptacle, against which the cyclone separator rests in the inserted position. The stop can form a contact edge, ensuring secure contact of the cyclone separator against the housing in the inserted position.

Furthermore, haptic, acoustic, and/or optically perceptible information can be generated upon reaching the insertion position. For example, the generation of information can be the result of the contact between complementary geometries of the cyclone separator and a spring element that transmits a spring force to the cyclone separator in the insertion position.

In particular, visually and acoustically perceptible information can be generated when the cyclone separator reaches the insertion position and a positive and/or non-positive connection is formed between the cyclone separator and the housing of the laboratory mill and/or between the cyclone separator and a ratchet element. For example, a noise can be generated when the immersion tube of the cyclone separator engages the suction channel of the housing upon reaching the insertion position and/or when the spring leg of a spring element resting against the cyclone separator engages an undercut in the cyclone separator.

A quick-release fastener for a sample vessel can be provided at the free end of the cyclone separator, wherein the quick-release fastener has at least one spring-loaded sealing element for the self-sealing insertion of the sample vessel into the quick-release fastener. When inserting a sample vessel, an upper vessel rim, which defines a receiving opening of the sample vessel, is clamped between the A sealing element and a holding geometry are clamped to the quick-release fastener, thus automatically sealing the vessel edge from the environment.

The features of the above-described aspects of the present invention can be combined with one another as needed, even if this is not expressly described. The present invention is not limited to laboratory mills that are designed and constructed for use with tool-free interchangeable cartridges.

Particularly preferred and advantageous aspects and features of the present invention are mentioned below with reference to the reference numerals used in the figures described below, without limiting the mentioned aspects and features to the embodiments shown in the figures.

Particularly preferred and advantageous aspects and features of the present invention relate to a laboratory mill, in particular a cutting mill (1) for laboratory use, furthermore in particular a table cutting mill, comprising a housing (2) and a drive motor (3) connected to the housing (2) with a drive shaft (4), wherein a grinding tool, in particular a cutting rotor (5) with at least one cutting blade (6), can be connected to the drive shaft (4), in particular for cutting and comminuting material to be ground by shearing action, comprising a grinding chamber (15) provided in the housing (2) for arranging the grinding tool in the grinding chamber (15), wherein

- a cyclone receptacle (57) formed by a recess or cutout and/or depression in the housing (2) is provided for receiving a replaceable cyclone separator (12) in the housing (2), in particular wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) as a separate structural unit separated from the grinding chamber (15) and can be removed from the cyclone receptacle (57), and/or wherein

- the cyclone receptacle (57) for receiving an inlet channel (62) of the cyclone separator (12) leading to a vortex chamber (61) of the cyclone separator (12) and, preferably, for substantially completely receiving the vortex chamber (61) and, preferably, for receiving a Vortex chamber (61) opening dip tube (64) of the cyclone separator (12), and/or wherein

- the cyclone receptacle (57) has a first, preferably substantially horizontally extending first receptacle region (58) and a second, preferably substantially vertically extending second receptacle region (59), wherein the first receptacle region (58) opens into the second receptacle region (59) and the second receptacle region (59) opens into a lower housing opening (60) of the housing (2), and/or wherein

- the cyclone receptacle (57) is open on a front and/or front side (27) of the housing (2) for inserting or removing the cyclone separator (12) via the front and/or front side (27) of the housing (2) and/or wherein

- a housing door (7) is provided which is pivotably mounted on the housing (2) and that the cyclone separator (12) can only be inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) in an open position of the housing door (7) and/or wherein

- the cyclone holder (57) is designed for tool-free insertion and/or removal of the cyclone separator (12) into or from the cyclone holder (57) and/or wherein

- a cassette receptacle (26) formed by a recess or cutout and/or depression in the housing (2) is designed to receive an exchangeable cassette (14) in the housing (2), wherein the cassette (14) forms the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall, and/or wherein

- the cassette holder (26) is open on a front and/or front side (27) of the housing (2) for inserting or removing the cassette (14) via the front and/or front side (27) of the housing (2) and/or wherein

- the cassette holder (26) and the cyclone holder (57) are formed by a common recess or cutout and/or depression in the housing (2) and/or wherein - a cyclone separator (12) is inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) and a cassette (14) is inserted into the cassette receptacle (26), preferably each replaceable, and that a lower cassette opening (20) of the cassette (14) is aligned with an inlet channel (62) of the cyclone separator (12) and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) is designed in several parts, in particular wherein the cyclone separator (12) has a lower part and an upper part, and wherein the upper part and the lower part are connected to one another in an unsealed manner, and/or wherein

- the cassette (14) has a lower cassette opening (20) for the grinding material to be discharged from the interchangeable cassette (14) in an exit direction deviating from the direction of gravity at an angle, in particular for the grinding material to be discharged from the interchangeable cassette (14) transversely to the direction of gravity, wherein, preferably, the grinding material is deflected on the inner surface of the side wall (16) of the cassette (14) in a horizontal direction to the lower cassette opening (20) and discharges from the cassette opening in a horizontal direction, and/or wherein

- the cassette (14) is closed downwards in the vertical direction and/or wherein

- the lower cassette opening (20) is arranged within the housing (2) and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) and/or the cassette (14) into the cassette receptacle (26) without tools and/or can be removed from the cyclone receptacle (57) or the cassette receptacle (26) without tools and/or wherein the housing door (7) in the closed position rests against the cyclone separator (12) via at least one sealing element (38) and/or wherein the cyclone separator (12) is clamped in the cyclone receptacle (57) via the sealing element (38) in the closed position of the housing door (7) and/or wherein the cyclone separator (12) and the cassette (14) have geometrically complementary edge geometries at opposite edge regions and/or wherein

- the cassette (14) can be inserted into the cassette holder (26) and/or removed from the cassette holder (26) independently of the cyclone separator (12) and/or wherein

- adjacent edge geometries of the cassette (14) and the cyclone separator (12) are designed to be complementary to one another in order to enable a displacement of the cassette (14) and the cyclone separator (12) relative to one another in the drive shaft direction during insertion or removal and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) is inserted unsealed into the cyclone receptacle (57) and/or that the cassette (14) is inserted unsealed into the cassette receptacle (26) and/or that adjacent edge geometries of the cassette (14) and cyclone separator (12) are opposite each other unsealed and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) and the cassette (14) are spaced apart from each other at opposite edge regions and/or wherein

Inner surfaces of cassette (14) and cyclone separator (12) are substantially aligned in the inserted state and/or that an extension of the flow cross-section is provided at the transition from cassette (14) to cyclone separator (12) and/or wherein

- at least one spring element (107), in particular a first spring element, is provided for transmitting a spring force acting in the vertical direction against the cyclone separator (12), in particular an upwardly directed spring force and/or wherein

- at least one spring element, in particular a second spring element (109), is provided for transmitting a spring force acting in the horizontal direction against the cyclone separator (12), in particular a spring force acting in the direction of the cassette (26), and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) by transmitting a spring force from at least one spring element (107, 109) in a predetermined insertion position is held and/or that the cyclone separator (12) is movable against the spring force of at least one spring element (107, 109) from the insertion position into a removal position and/or wherein

- the cyclone separator (12) is locked in a predetermined insertion position, in particular in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner, further in particular by forming a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the cyclone separator (12) and the housing (2) and/or by forming a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the cyclone separator (12) and at least one spring element (109), and/or wherein

- a stop is provided on a housing wall of the housing (2) delimiting the cyclone receptacle (57) and that the cyclone separator (12) rests against the stop in the inserted position and/or wherein

- when the insertion position is reached, haptic, acoustic and/or visually perceptible information is generated and/or

- a quick-release fastener (13) for a sample vessel is provided at the free end of the cyclone separator (12), and the quick-release fastener (13) has at least one spring-loaded sealing element (114) for the self-sealing insertion of the sample vessel into the quick-release fastener (13).

The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawings. The features shown and described using the example of a cutting mill can, if necessary, also be implemented in laboratory mills of other designs, in particular in rotor mills, such as rotor impact mills, or in cross-impact mills.

The drawing shows:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting mill according to the invention, obliquely from above;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the cutting mill from Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a component group of the cutting mill from Fig. 1 in a perspective view after dismantling a front housing door of the cutting mill;

Fig. 4 shows the component group from Fig. 3 in a front view;

Fig. 5 shows a component group of the cutting mill from Fig. 1 in a perspective partial view after disassembly of the housing door of the cutting mill;

Fig. 6A shows the detail VI-A from Fig. 3;

Fig. 6B shows the detail VI-B from Fig. 8;

Fig. 7A shows the detail VII-A from Fig. 5;

Fig. 7B shows the detail VII-B from Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting mill of Fig. 1 along the section line VI ll-VIII of Fig. 18;

Fig. 9 shows the cutting mill from Fig. 1 in a perspective view after the housing door of the cutting mill has been opened;

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of an interchangeable cassette of a first embodiment for the cutting mill from Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 the interchangeable cassette from Fig. 10 in a front view;

Fig. 12 the interchangeable cassette from Fig. 10 in a rear view;

Fig. 13 a housing of the cutting mill from Fig. 1 in a perspective

Opinion;

Fig. 14 the housing from Fig. 13 in a front view;

Fig. 15 the housing from Fig. 13 in a rear view; Fig. 16 shows a component group of the cutting mill from Fig. 1 in a perspective view with the interchangeable cassette and cutting rotor inserted into the housing from Fig. 13;

Fig. 17 a front view of the component group from Fig. 16

Fig. 18 is a plan view of the cutting mill according to the invention from Fig. 1;

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting mill according to the invention from Fig. 18 along the section line XIX-XIX from Fig. 18 with an optionally provided stop as anti-twist means on the inside of the housing of the cutting mill;

Fig. 20 shows detail XX from Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cutting mill of Fig. 18 along the section line XXI - XXI of Fig. 18;

Fig. 22 shows detail XXII from Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the housing of Fig. 13 with an interchangeable cassette according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 24 shows the housing with removable cassette shown in Fig. 23 in a front view;

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the interchangeable cassette from Fig. 23;

Fig. 26 is a front view of the interchangeable cassette from Fig. 25;

Fig. 27 a rear view of the interchangeable cassette from Fig. 25;

Fig. 28 is a perspective view of an outlet funnel for the interchangeable cassette shown in Fig. 23;

Fig. 29 is a front view of the outlet funnel of Fig. 28; Fig. 30 is a partial sectional view of a housing of the laboratory mill of Fig. 1 and of a cyclone separator inserted into a cyclone receptacle of the housing;

Fig. 31 is a perspective component view of the laboratory mill from Fig. 1 with a grinding material hopper, an exchangeable cassette and a cyclone separator in a partial view;

Fig. 32 is an enlarged partial view of the housing of the laboratory mill from Fig. 31 with the cyclone separator inserted into a cyclone holder;

Fig. 33 is a perspective view of the housing of the laboratory mill of Fig. 1 and the cyclone separator of Fig. 30 before insertion of the cyclone separator into the housing;

Fig. 34 is a perspective view of the cyclone separator of Fig. 30;

Fig. 35 is a perspective view of a cyclone separator according to the invention in an open state, designed as a sheet metal construction;

Fig. 36 the cyclone separator from Fig. 35 in a closed state;

Fig. 37 an alternative embodiment of a cyclone separator according to the invention in a perspective view, designed as a milled component, in the open state and

Fig. 38 the cyclone separator from Fig. 37 in the closed state.

With reference to Figures 1 to 29, features and aspects of a cutting mill 1 for laboratory use, in particular designed as a table-top device, as well as features and aspects of two embodiments of an interchangeable cassette 14 designed for use with the cutting mill 1 shown are explained below.

The cutting mill 1 shown has a housing 2 and a drive motor 3 connected to the housing 2 with a drive shaft 4. A cutting rotor 5 with cutting blades 6 can be connected to the drive shaft 4 in a manner known per se for cutting and comminuting the material to be ground by shearing. The cutting mill 1 further comprises a housing door 7 which is pivotally connected to the housing 2 and can be opened and closed from a closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 into an open position shown in Fig. 9. In the embodiment shown, the housing door 7 consists of a lower door section 8 and an upper door section 9, wherein the two door sections 8, 9 can be rigidly connected to one another or wherein the housing door 7 can also be formed integrally with the door sections 8, 9. However, an embodiment in which the door sections 8, 9 are formed as separate door parts and are held on the housing 2 so as to be pivotable relative to one another and independently of one another is not excluded.

Not shown is the possibility of providing a safety switch with a door signaling contact to detect the proper closing of the housing door 7. In particular, mill operation may only be possible once the housing door 7 has reached a predetermined closing position.

At the front, a door cover 10 is firmly connected to the lower door section 8. The housing door 7 can be opened or closed by pulling or pushing the door cover 10. For simplified handling, a handle element can be formed on the door cover 10, for example in the form of a bend on the edge of the door cover 10 or a recessed grip, by which the door cover 10 can be grasped and pulled forward to open the housing door 7 or pushed towards the drive motor 3 to close the housing door 7.

The cutting mill 1 further comprises a grinding material hopper 11 or a grinding material hopper and a cyclone separator 12, which may have a quick-release fastener 13 for a sample vessel at the outlet from the housing 2.

Figures 3 and 4 show views of an assembly of the cutting mill from Figure 1 after the housing door 7 has been dismantled.

As can be seen from Fig. 3 and 4, a removable cassette is inserted into the housing 2

14. The interchangeable cassette 14 forms a grinding chamber 15 and is designed to accommodate the cutting rotor 5 with the cutting blades 6 in the grinding chamber 15. The interchangeable cassette 14 has a side wall 16 which defines the grinding chamber

15 radially bounded and forms a grinding chamber side wall (Fig. 10). The side wall 16 extends axially towards a rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette, which limits the grinding chamber 15 in the axial direction on the motor side and forms a grinding chamber rear wall.

Stationary counterblades 18 are mounted on the inside of the side wall 16, which engage with the cutting blades 6 during the cutting and comminution of the material to be ground. The number of cutting blades 6 and counterblades 18 is not limited to the number shown in the exemplary embodiment.

Figures 10 to 12 show the interchangeable cassette 14 from Figures 3 and 4. The side wall 16 of the interchangeable cassette 14 is interrupted in the region of an upper cassette opening 19 and in the region of a lower cassette opening 20, so that two side wall sections 21, 22 are formed.

Furthermore, a shaft passage opening 23 is provided in the rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette 14 forming the grinding chamber rear wall, through which the cutting rotor 5 can be driven by the drive shaft 4.

At the door-side outer edges, the side wall sections 21, 22 merge into two radially extending collar sections 24, 25.

Figures 13 to 15 show the housing 2 of the cutting mill 1. The housing 2 has a central recess or depression that forms a cassette receptacle 26 for the interchangeable cassette 14. This allows the interchangeable cassette 14 to be inserted manually and without tools into the cassette receptacle 26 via an end or front side 27 of the housing 2 after the housing door 7 has been manually pivoted open from the housing 2 via the handle section of the door cover 10 and thus moved into an open position. The open position of the housing door 7 is shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 also shows two hinge parts 28, 29 with which the housing door 7 is pivotally held on the housing 2.

The interchangeable cassette 14 can be inserted into and removed from the cassette holder 26 without the need for tools. When inserted, the end faces 30, 31 of the collar sections 24, 25 of the interchangeable cassette 14 are slightly lowered relative to adjacent end faces 32 of the housing 2, but can also be aligned.

When inserted, the side wall 16 of the exchangeable cassette 14 extends in the axial direction of the drive shaft 4 and limits the grinding chamber 16 in the radial direction. direction, while the rear wall 17 of the interchangeable cassette 14 limits the grinding chamber 15 on the motor side.

As can be seen from Fig. 10 and Fig. 12, the side wall 16 of the interchangeable cassette 14 forms radial bulges 33, so that pockets 34 are formed on the inside, which are provided for receiving and holding the counter knives 18. The counter knives 18 can be exchangeably or detachably attached to the interchangeable cassette 14 using appropriate locking and holding means. Furthermore, it is possible to provide setting and adjustment means in order to be able to set or finely adjust the counter knives to a desired cutting gap with the cutting knives 6.

Furthermore, it is possible for the side wall 16 of the interchangeable cassette 14 to form a radial connection geometry, in the embodiment shown in the form of the radial bulges 33, which can bear against a holding geometry on a housing wall 35 of the housing 2 radially delimiting the interchangeable cassette receptacle 26 in order to form a positive connection in the circumferential direction. As can be seen from Figures 18 to 20, an internal stop 36 connected to the housing wall 35 can be fastened, in particular detachably by screwing, wherein a spring means 37, for example a leaf spring, can be held on the stop 36, so that the interchangeable cassette 14, in the inserted state, bears against the housing wall 35 of the housing 2 without play in the circumferential direction due to the spring force of the spring means. When inserting the interchangeable cassette 14 into the cassette holder 26, the spring force then causes the interchangeable cassette 14 to be rotated into a circumferential position in which the interchangeable cassette 14 rests against the housing 2 without play.

Preferably, however, it is provided that the interchangeable cassette 14, when the housing door 7 is closed, is pressed against an axial housing wall 39 of the housing 2 by force transmission from the housing door 7 via a sealing element 38 (see Figure 9) arranged between the housing door 7 and the interchangeable cassette 14, so that a positive connection in the circumferential direction is achieved solely by the compressive force transmitted to the interchangeable cassette 14 by the housing door 7. An additional anti-twist device in the form of a stop 36 on the inside of the housing wall 35 delimiting the cassette receptacle 26 is then unnecessary.

A central opening 39a is provided in the axial housing wall 39 of the interchangeable cassette (Figs. 13 - 15). On the housing wall 35 of the housing 2 radially delimiting the cassette receptacle 26, a step 40 is provided in some areas on the inner edges (Fig. 14), whereby the interchangeable cassette 14 can be inserted into the cassette receptacle 26 and the end faces 30, 31 of the collar sections 24, 25 of the interchangeable cassette 14 do not protrude forwards relative to the end face 32 of the housing 2.

As can be seen from Figs. 21 and 22, an axial connection geometry with an axial contact surface 41 for contacting a contact surface 42 on the housing wall 39 of the housing 2 axially delimiting the cassette receptacle 26 is formed on the rear wall 17 of the interchangeable cassette 14. Preferably, the interchangeable cassette 2 only contacts the housing 2 in the axial direction via the axial connection geometry, and not via the collar sections 24, 25 of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the steps 40 on the housing 2.

The connection geometry allows the interchangeable cassette 14 to be held at a distance from the housing 2 in the axial direction.

Preferably, the axial connection geometry on the rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette 14 is formed by an annular projection 43. It is understood that a corresponding connection geometry can also be provided on the axial housing wall 39 of the housing 2.

As can be seen from Fig. 9, a grinding chamber cover 44 is inserted into the lower door section 8 on the inside or motor side, which adjoins a shaft cover 45 inserted into the lower door section 8 and the upper door section 9 on the motor side.

Fig. 9 shows the sealing element 38, which encloses the shaft cover 45 and the grinding chamber cover 44 in the area of the lower door section 8. The radial distance of the sealing means 38 from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 4 is selected such that the sealing means 38 comes into contact with the collar sections 24, 25 of the exchangeable cassette 14 when the housing door 7 is closed and, in the closed state, a sufficient clamping force can be transmitted to the exchangeable cassette 14 via the housing door 7 in order to press the exchangeable cassette 14 with the contact surface 41 on the rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette 14 against the contact surface 42 on the axial housing wall 39 of the housing 2 and thereby achieve a positive fit of the exchangeable cassette 14 in the circumferential direction of the cassette holder 26. The housing door 7 acts with the sealing element 38 as a clamping means for applying a pressure and clamping force to the interchangeable cassette 14 acting in the axial direction to the drive motor 3.

As shown schematically in Fig. 19, a sieve insert 46 can be removably secured to the inside of the side wall 16 of the interchangeable cassette 14. For this purpose, the side wall 16 can form a sieve seat to which the sieve insert 46 is held in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner. The sieve insert prevents coarser ground material components from escaping uncomminuted from the area of the grinding chamber 15 through the lower cassette opening 20 and from being further crushed.

With reference to Figs. 21 and 22, which show a cross-sectional view of the cutting mill 1, a cassette centering device of the interchangeable cassette 14 is described below by way of example. The cassette centering device is formed on the rear wall 17 of the interchangeable cassette 14 in the form of a radial contact surface 47 of the interchangeable cassette 14, which is centered on a radial centering surface 48 of an intermediate flange 49, which is connected to the housing 2 in a rotationally fixed manner and is coaxial with the drive shaft 4 of the drive motor 3. The centering surface 48 could in principle also be formed on the housing 2. The intermediate flange 49 provides a larger centering surface in the axial direction for the radial contact surface 47 of the interchangeable cassette 14, so that highly precise centering is possible.

The intermediate flange 49 serves to connect a motor housing 51 of the drive motor 3 to the housing 2. A motor flange 50 of the motor housing 51 is connected to the housing 2 in a rotationally fixed manner via the intermediate flange 49 and the drive motor 3 is held on the housing 2.

A shaft sleeve 52 is mounted on the drive shaft 4 as a receiving element for the cutting rotor 5. The torque is transmitted from the drive shaft 4 to the cutting rotor 5 via the shaft sleeve 52.

The interchangeable cassette 14 can be pushed coaxially to the drive shaft 3 onto the shaft sleeve 52, whereby in the centered state of the interchangeable cassette 14, the fit clearance between the interchangeable cassette 14 and the shaft sleeve 52 is greater than the fit clearance between the radial contact surface 47 of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the radial centering surface 48 of the intermediate flange 49. The interchangeable cassette 14 can be easily pulled out by hand from the centering seat formed on the intermediate flange 49. The minimum and maximum play between the interchangeable cassette 14 and the shaft sleeve 52 can be greater than the minimum and maximum clearance between the exchangeable cassette 14 and the intermediate flange 49.

In the embodiment shown, the cassette centering is formed by an annular centering projection 53, which is formed on the rear side of the rear wall 17 of the interchangeable cassette 14. The centering projection 53 has the radial contact surface 47 on its outer side. A centering opening is provided centrally on the intermediate flange 49, which is delimited by the centering surface 48. The centering projection 53 can be inserted or fitted precisely into the centering opening, at least in sections, over a predetermined insertion length. When inserted, the drive shaft 4 extends through the centering opening in the intermediate flange 49 and the shaft passage opening 23 of the interchangeable cassette 14. In the centered state, the centering extension 53 is arranged radially between the intermediate flange 49 and the drive shaft 4 or the shaft sleeve 52 connected to the drive shaft 4 and is centered via the interacting contact surfaces on the radial outer side of the centering extension 53 and the radial inner side of the intermediate flange 49. This allows for very precise centering of the interchangeable cassette 4, either directly or indirectly, on the housing 2.

To seal the shaft passage opening 23, in particular to prevent comminuted ground material from reaching the bearings of the drive motor 3 via the area formed between the centering extension 53 and the adjacent shaft sleeve 52, the shaft passage opening 23 in the embodiment shown is sealed by a contact seal, in particular a radial shaft seal or an annular seal, further in particular by a felt seal 54. The felt seal 54 can be formed by an adapter with an inserted felt strip and effectively protects against the passage of finely comminuted ground material.

As can be seen from Figs. 10 to 12, in a preferred embodiment, the interchangeable cassette 14 can have a lower cassette opening 20 which is not arranged centrally below the shaft passage opening 23 and is open vertically downwards, but is arranged offset laterally to the shaft passage opening 23 and is open substantially horizontally to the side. This enables lateral removal of the comminuted grinding material from the grinding chamber 15, wherein the grinding material is deflected on an inner surface 55 of the side wall section 21 of the interchangeable cassette 14 in the area below the shaft passage opening 23 from a radially outward flow direction into a horizontal flow direction and exits the exchangeable cassette 14 in the horizontal flow direction. This is shown schematically in Fig. 10 by the arrows 56.

The side wall 16 of the exchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 10 to 12 is closed in the vertical direction so that the grinding material cannot be discharged in the direction of gravity.

When the interchangeable cassette 14 is inserted into the housing 2, the lower cassette opening 20 is located within the housing 2, as shown, for example, in Figs. 3, 4 and 9.

As can be further seen from Figs. 13 and 14, the housing 2 has a cyclone receptacle 57 formed by a further recess or depression in the housing 2 for receiving the cyclone separator 12. The interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 are separate components and can be inserted into or removed from the respective receptacles 26, 57 independently of one another. Due to the structural separation of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12, it is possible to insert the interchangeable cassette 14 into the cassette receptacle 26 independently of the cyclone separator 12 or to remove it from the cassette receptacle 26 to replace the interchangeable cassette 14. The cyclone separator 12 can remain in the cyclone receptacle 57. Particularly for cleaning purposes, it is advantageous to be able to remove and reinsert the interchangeable cassette 14 from the housing 2 independently of the cyclone separator 12.

The cyclone separator 12 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle 57 and removed from the cyclone receptacle 57 from the front of the housing 2 after opening the housing door 7, preferably without tools and/or independently of the interchangeable cassette 14.

The geometry of the cassette holder 26 is adapted to the outer geometry of the interchangeable cassette 14 in order to enable the insertion of the interchangeable cassette 14 into the cassette holder 26.

Likewise, the receiving geometry of the housing 2 in the area of the cyclone receiving means 57 is adapted to the external dimensions and the external geometry of the cyclone separator 12 in order to enable the insertion of the cyclone separator 12 into the cyclone receiving means 57. Preferably, the cyclone separator 12 can be fully inserted into the cyclone receptacle 57 in the axial direction and is then fully integrated into the housing 2 in a closed position of the housing door 7 in the axial direction.

The cyclone receptacle 57 and the cassette receptacle 26 are formed by a common recess or merge into one another. When the interchangeable cassette 14 is inserted, the lower cassette opening 20 of the embodiment of the interchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 10 to 12 is aligned laterally with the cyclone receptacle 57, i.e., with the first receiving area 58.

The cyclone receptacle 57 is formed by a recess or depression in the housing 2, which has a first, substantially horizontally extending first receiving area 58 and a second, preferably substantially vertically extending second receiving area 59 to the first receiving area 58. This is also shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The first receiving area 58 merges into the second receiving area 59, and the second receiving area 59 opens into a lower housing opening 60 of the housing 2. The housing opening 60 is provided laterally offset from the central housing opening 39a or laterally offset from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 4 on the underside of the housing 2.

The first receiving area 58 of the cyclone receptacle 57 serves to accommodate an inlet channel 62 with an inlet opening 63 (see Fig. 8) leading to a vortex chamber 61 of the cyclone separator 12. The inlet opening 63 adjoins the lower cassette opening 20 of the interchangeable cassette 14 in the flow direction of a grinding material air stream, which is sucked out of the grinding chamber 15 by the cyclone separator 12 via the lower cassette opening 20.

In the embodiment shown, the vortex chamber 61 is formed by a rotationally symmetrical upper part 65, which merges into a conical lower part 66 of the cyclone separator 12, which forms a separation chamber 67 and extends downwards in the second vertical receiving area 59 of the cyclone receptacle 57 beyond the housing opening 60 of the housing 2. The quick-release fastener 13 for a sample container is arranged at the end of the conical lower part 66 protruding from the housing 2 beyond the housing opening 60.

Furthermore, the second receiving area 59 of the cyclone receptacle 57 serves to receive an immersion tube 64 of the cyclone separator 12 extending vertically through the vortex chamber 61. The inlet channel 62 is bounded by an upper channel wall 68, a lower channel wall 69, a rear channel wall 70, and a front channel wall 71. The cyclone separator 12 can be designed as a solid component assembly, with the exception of the upper channel wall 68, which also covers the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65 of the cyclone separator 12; the upper channel wall 68 can then be placed unsealed on this component assembly.

The divisible design of the cyclone separator 12 facilitates internal cleaning.

The immersion tube 64 ends at the bottom at the transition between the vortex chamber 61 and the separation chamber 66. At the top, the immersion tube 64 opens into a suction channel 73 of the housing 2 via a sealing element 72 at the outlet from the upper channel wall 68. The suction channel 73 opens into a connection opening 74 of the housing 2 for connection to a suction pipe of a suction device.

The rotationally symmetrical vortex chamber 61 creates a rotary flow when a grinding material air stream is extracted with a suction device via the connection opening 74, with the grinding material air stream being fed tangentially to the vortex chamber 61 via the inlet channel 62. In the vortex chamber 61, the grinding material and air stream are then separated in the separation chamber 67, with the grinding material passing through the lower part 66 under the influence of gravity into a sample container held by the quick-release fastener 13.

It is understood that the cyclone or centrifugal separator 12 may also have a structural design that differs from the one shown.

When inserting the interchangeable cassette 14 and cyclone separator 12 independently of one another, it is advantageous if the edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12, which are adjacent to one another, are designed to be complementary to one another in such a way that the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 can be displaced relative to one another in the direction of the drive shaft 4 when inserted into the cassette holder (26) or into the cyclone holder (57). This enables simple axial insertion and axial removal into or from the respective holder 26, 57 of the housing 2. As can be seen particularly from Fig. 7, the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 are spaced apart from each other at adjacent edge geometries. This spacing ensures that forces that occur during cutting operation of the cutting mill 1 and can lead to the interchangeable cassette 14 being moved relative to the cyclone separator 12 cannot lead to unintentional contact between the edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12.

By extracting a mixture of grinding material and air via the cyclone separator 12, grinding can be carried out in the grinding chamber 15 at a negative pressure level. A design with a circumferential gap 75 between the edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 (see Figs. 7A and 7B) and between the interchangeable cassette 14 and the housing 2 adjacent in the area of the cassette opening 20 is suitable for sucking in infiltration air through the resulting gap 75. Infiltration air from the environment is then sucked into the inlet channel 62 of the cyclone separator 12 between the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 and fed to the vortex chamber 61. This prevents the escape of grinding material beyond the boundary area of the adjacent edge geometries into the cassette receptacle 26 and the cyclone receptacle 57.

In Figs. 7A and 7B, a gap 75 is shown schematically between the adjacent edge regions of the side wall sections 21, 22 and the rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette 14 on the one hand and the adjacent edge regions of the channel walls 68 to 71, which form the inlet channel 62 of the cyclone separator 12, on the other hand.

The spacing or the gap 75 formed between the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 2 extends - in particular with reference to the cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 7B - preferably along the entire extension length of the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 and in particular over the entire surface of the adjacent edge geometries.

The sealing between the housing door 7 and the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 is effected in the closed position of the housing door 7 via the sealing element 38 (Fig. 9), which extends over the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12. The sealing element 38 also allows the cyclone separator 12 to be pressed when the housing door 7 is closed.

Furthermore, adjacent inner surfaces of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the cyclone separator 12 can be aligned when inserted into the housing 2 in order to avoid the agglomeration of comminuted grinding material on projections, edges or the like extending into the flow path of the extracted grinding material air stream.

Figs. 23 to 27 show another embodiment of an interchangeable cassette 14. Corresponding features of the interchangeable cassette 14 shown in the preceding figures and described above and the interchangeable cassette 14 described below with reference to Figs. 23 to 27 are identified by the same reference numerals.

The interchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 23 to 27 has a lower cassette opening 20 for vertical downward discharge of the ground material. The ground material is discharged in the direction of gravity. The side wall 16 is radially closed, with the exception of the upwardly directed cassette opening 19 and the lower cassette opening 20.

As can be seen from a comparison of Figs. 10 to 12 on the one hand and 25 to 27 on the other hand, both embodiments of the interchangeable cassette 14 have a matching external geometry, so that both interchangeable cassettes 14 can be inserted into the cassette receptacle 26 as needed. In both embodiments of the interchangeable cassette 14, the grinding material is fed via the upper cassette opening 19 at an angle a to the perpendicular passing through the center of the shaft passage opening 23. This is shown schematically for both embodiments in Figs. 11 and 26.

In the second embodiment of the interchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 23 to 25, the cassette has on the inner side a circular segment-shaped upper side wall profile and an adjoining trapezoidal lower side wall profile which merges into the lower cassette opening 20.

In the first embodiment of the interchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 10 to 12, the upper circular segment-shaped side wall profile merges into a lower horizontal side wall profile and into the cassette opening 20 oriented to the side.

Figs. 13 to 15 show that the housing 2 has an outlet funnel receptacle 77 formed by a further recess or depression in the housing 2 below the housing opening 39a. The outlet funnel receptacle 77 is provided for inserting an outlet funnel 78, which is shown in Figs. 28 and 29.

The cassette receptacle 26 and the outlet funnel receptacle 77 are formed by a common recess or depression in the housing 2 and merge into one another. When inserted, the lower grinding material outlet opening 20 of the interchangeable cassette 14 shown in Figs. 24 to 27 is aligned with the outlet funnel receptacle 77. The outlet funnel receptacle 77 opens into a further lower housing opening 79 of the housing 2, which is provided centrally to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 4 below the housing opening 39a. This creates the possibility of inserting an interchangeable cassette 14 with a laterally arranged grinding material outlet opening 20 or with a bottom-arranged grinding material outlet opening 20 for vertical removal of the grinding material in the direction of gravity into the housing 2, if necessary.

Not shown and not excluded is an embodiment of an interchangeable cassette 14 which has a lower grinding material outlet opening for vertical removal of the grinding material in the direction of gravity and a lateral grinding material outlet opening for lateral removal of the grinding material in cyclone operation, wherein a closure means can then be provided in order to close one of the two openings in each case depending on the removal of the grinding material in the direction of gravity or on the removal of the grinding material during suction by means of a cyclone.

On the inside, both side wall sections 21, 22 of the side wall 16 of the interchangeable cassette 14 can form a seat 80 for the inner edge of the outlet funnel 78. In the embodiment shown, the seat 80 is formed by a cutout of the collar sections 24, 25 of the side wall sections 21, 22 adjacent to the cassette opening 20.

The outlet funnel 77 is formed according to Figs. 28 and 29 by a truncated pyramid or truncated cone-shaped funnel inlet 81 which is connected to a funnel neck 82 via an intervention guard 83. The upper side edges 84 of longitudinal side walls 85 of the funnel inlet 81 rest against the side wall sections 21, 22 of the exchangeable cassette 14 from below in the inserted state.

Preferably, the funnel inlet 81 lies unsealed against the side wall sections 21, 22 and the rear wall 17 of the interchangeable cassette 14 in the region of the side edges 84 of the longitudinal sides 85 and in the region of the longitudinal edge 89 of a rear wall 90 of the funnel inlet 81.

The connection geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the outlet funnel 78 are selected such that the crushed material can exit unhindered from the lower cassette opening 20 into the funnel inlet 81. For this purpose, the adjacent inner surfaces of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the outlet funnel 78 can be aligned and/or an expansion of the clear flow cross-section is provided at the transition from the interchangeable cassette 14 to the outlet funnel 78.

The intrusion guard 83 can be detachably attached to the housing 2, for example, by screwing it from below. When attached, the intrusion guard 83, which can be formed by two retaining and fastening tabs 87 extending transversely to the direction of gravity, closes the further housing opening 79 of the housing 2 adjacent to the funnel neck 2. The intrusion guard 83 prevents any intrusion into the rotor area via the lower housing opening 79, with the outlet funnel 78 fulfilling a safety function.

According to Figs. 23 and 24, the size and geometry of the outlet funnel receptacle 77 in the housing 2 are selected such that the funnel inlet 81, when the outlet funnel 78 is inserted or mounted, is arranged within the housing 2 and abuts radially against the interchangeable cassette 14. The funnel neck 82 is preferably arranged outside the housing 2 and has an internal inlet opening 88 for the ground material, through which the ground material then enters the funnel neck 82 and exits the housing 2. The funnel neck 82 can have a holding device for holding a sample vessel at its free end.

The outlet funnel 78 is preferably open on its front side. A front end wall of the funnel inlet 81 is then closed by the inside the housing door 7 when the housing door 7 is in the closed position.

Furthermore, the complementary edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the outlet funnel 78 and the receiving geometries of the cassette receptacle 26 and the outlet funnel receptacle 77 enable the interchangeable cassette 14 and the outlet funnel 78 to be inserted into the housing 2 or removed from the housing 2 independently of one another. The outlet funnel 78 and the interchangeable cassette 14 can be inserted into or removed from the respective receptacle 26, 77 via a front side of the housing 2 with the housing door 7 open. To simplify handling, the interchangeable cassette 14 and the outlet funnel 78 are preferably displaceable relative to one another in the direction of the drive shaft 4 and can thus be inserted into the respective receptacle 26, 77 one after the other or removed from the respective receptacle 26, 77.

Figs. 10 and 25 show that the side wall sections 21, 22 of the interchangeable cassette 14 can be linear in the inlet area of the upper cassette opening 19 and run parallel to one another, thus creating a grinding material inlet 91 for the grinding material fed into the grinding chamber 15 and to be comminuted. The grinding material inlet 91 is preferably oriented obliquely to the vertical, which is schematically shown in Figs. 11 and 26 by the angle α. The grinding material is thus fed to the cutting rotor 5 obliquely from above and laterally offset from the rotational axis of the cutting rotor 5.

Preferably, in both embodiments shown, the interchangeable cassette 14 is held in a form-fitting manner in the cassette holder 26 solely due to the contact pressure transmitted from the housing door 7.

Furthermore, preferably no connecting, locking, and/or arresting means are provided that must be (manually) actuated to insert the cassette into the cassette holder and/or to remove the cassette from the cassette holder. This ensures easy handling of the interchangeable cassette 14 when inserting and removing it from the housing 2.

On the housing 2, above the cassette holder 26, a shaft holder 92 for at least partially inserting a material feed shaft 93 of the grinding material hopper 11 into the housing 2 and for supplying grinding material into the grinding chamber 15. Particular reference is made to Figures 3, 4 and 13, 14.

The shaft receptacle 92 is in turn formed by a recess or depression in the housing 2, which forms a receiving area for the material feed shaft 93 that runs inclined to the direction of gravity and opens into an upper housing opening 94 of the housing 2. The upper housing opening 94 is preferably arranged laterally offset from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 4.

The cassette holder 26 and the grinding material holder 92 are formed by a common, continuous and uninterrupted recess in the housing 2.

When the interchangeable cassette 14 is inserted, the upper cassette opening 19 of the interchangeable cassette 14 is aligned with the shaft receptacle 92 to enable the grinding material to be fed to the cutting rotor 5. Thus, in the embodiment shown, no frontal or end-side feeding of the grinding material to the rotor 5 is provided.

In the embodiment shown, the material feed chute 93 is formed by a baffle wall 95, an opposite side wall 96 and a rear wall 97. The side wall 96 forms a filling slope 99 at the mouth area of a material filling chute 98 into the material feed chute 93.

The part of the side wall 96 forming the filling slope 99 delimits the material filling chute 98 in the vertical downward direction. The material filling chute 98 and the material feed chute 93 overlap in the opening area and merge into one another, with a grinding material slide 100 being guided in the material feed chute 93 in a longitudinally adjustable manner.

A locking device 101 is provided to secure the grinding material slide 100 in a lowered position (Fig. 8). Above the opening area of the material filling chute 98 into the material feed chute 93, an upper side wall 102 is provided, which laterally delimits the material feed chute 93 above the opening area.

The front sides of the material feed chute 93 and the material filling chute 98 are open. Front shaft walls of the material feed shaft 93 and the material filling shaft 98 can be formed at least partially, preferably at least substantially completely, on the housing door 7. In the closed position, with the material feed shaft 93 inserted into the shaft receptacle 92, the housing door 7 then forms at least partially the front shaft walls and closes the material feed shaft 93 and the material filling shaft 98 at least partially, preferably completely. By opening the housing door 7, the material feed shaft 93 and the material filling shaft 96 are released for external access in the open position of the housing door 7, for example for cleaning purposes.

In the embodiment of the cutting mill 1 shown, the front shaft wall of the material feed shaft 93 is formed in the closed state of the housing door 7 by the door insert 45 shown in Fig. 9, which can be made of an abrasion-resistant material.

To seal the material feed chute 93 and the material filling chute 98 against the housing door 7, the sealing element 38 shown in Fig. 9 is provided, which extends on the side of the baffle 95 essentially over the entire height of the baffle 95 and on the opposite side follows the course of the side wall 96. The sealing element 38 comes into contact with the baffle 95 and the side wall 96 when the housing door 7 is closed.

For grinding, the material to be ground is added via the material feed chute 98, and the material feed slide 100 is raised, exposing a filling opening 103 where the material feed chute 98 opens into the material feed chute 93. The material to be ground then enters the grinding chamber 15 and is propelled back out by the rotating cutting blades 6. The material feed slide 100 is then moved downward and secured there, preferably with the locking means 101. This moves the material to the rotating cutting blades 6 of the cutting rotor 5 until it is carried along and cut by the counter blades 18.

Furthermore, a lock flap 104 can be provided which closes the material feed chute 93 in the raised state of the grinding material slide 100, as shown in Fig. 8, and thus ensures that manual intervention in the material feed chute 93 is not possible when the grinding material slide 100 is raised. When the material feed chute 93 is inserted into the chute receptacle 92, the material feed chute 93 is aligned obliquely to the direction of gravity with respect to its central longitudinal axis. This results in an advantageous supply of ground material to the cutting rotor 5 during grinding operation.

As can be seen in particular from Figs. 6A and 6B, the exchange cassette 14 and the material feed shaft 93 are spaced apart from each other over their entire surface at all adjacent edge geometries.

In Figs. 6A and 6B, a gap 105 is shown schematically between the adjacent edge regions of the side wall sections 21, 22 and the rear wall 17 of the exchangeable cassette 14 on the one hand and the adjacent edge regions of the baffle wall 95, the side wall 96 and the rear wall 97 of the material feed chute 93 on the other hand.

The spacing or the gap 105 formed between the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed shaft 93 extends - in particular with reference to the cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 6B - preferably along the entire extension length of the adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed shaft 93 and in particular over the entire surface of the adjacent edge geometries.

In particular, adjacent edge geometries of the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed chute 93 can form a labyrinth geometry. If a negative pressure level is generated in the area of the grinding chamber 15 during grinding operation with the cyclone separator 12, this leads to infiltration of ambient air through the gap 105 formed between the adjacent edge geometries of the material feed chute 93 and the interchangeable cassette 14 via the shaft receptacle 92, thus preventing the escape of material to be ground via the adjacent edge geometries. The formation of a labyrinth geometry between adjacent edge geometries further impedes the escape of material to be ground via the adjacent edge geometries.

The connection of the grinding material hopper 11 as a separate assembly is preferably carried out by inserting the material feed chute 93 into the chute receptacle 92 at the front or axially. Locking means can be provided to connect a hopper housing 106 of the grinding material hopper 11 to the housing 2 in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner. When the material feed chute 93 is inserted into the The hopper housing 106 of the grinding material hopper 11 can then stand on the housing 2 via the shaft holder 92.

Particularly preferably, the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed chute 93 can be inserted into the housing 2 and/or removed from the housing 2 independently of one another. In particular, the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed chute 93 can be displaceable relative to one another in the drive shaft direction when inserting the cassette 14 into the cassette receptacle 26. The ability to remove the interchangeable cassette 14 from the housing 2 and insert it into the housing 2 independently of the grinding material hopper 11 simplifies cassette changing.

Particularly preferably, the material feed shaft 93 can be inserted into the shaft receptacle 92 and/or removed from the shaft receptacle 92 without tools.

When the interchangeable cassette 14 and the material feed chute 93 are inserted, adjacent inner surfaces of both components can be aligned and/or an expansion of the flow cross-section can be provided at the transition between the inner surfaces of the material feed chute 93 and the interchangeable cassette 14. This prevents particle agglomerations in the transition area of the inner surfaces due to edges or projections or the like protruding into the flow cross-section.

Further features and aspects of the cyclone separator 12 are explained with reference to Figs. 30 to 34.

Fig. 31 and Fig. 32 show the cyclone separator 12 inserted into the cyclone receptacle 57. As can be seen from an enlarged view in Fig. 32, a first spring element 107 with a first spring leg 108 is provided for transmitting a spring force acting vertically against the inserted cyclone separator 12. Due to this spring force, the cyclone separator 12 is pushed upward.

In addition, a second spring element 109 with a second spring leg 110 is provided, which transmits a spring force acting in a horizontal direction against the cyclone separator 12 to the cyclone separator 12, specifically in the direction of the cassette 14. The cyclone separator 12 is held in a predetermined insertion position by transmitting the spring forces from the two spring elements 107, 109. To remove the cyclone separator 12 from the cyclone holder 57, the cyclone separator must be moved from the insertion position to a removal position against the spring force of the spring elements 107, 109.

When inserting the cyclone separator 12 into the cyclone receptacle 57, it is pushed into the cyclone receptacle 57 along the obliquely arranged spring leg 108 of the first spring element in the axle shaft direction and lifted in the process. As soon as the cyclone separator 12 has reached a predetermined insertion position in which the cassette opening 20 and the inlet opening 63 of the cyclone separator 12 are exactly opposite each other, the second spring leg 110, with a recess 111 formed thereon, snaps into an undercut 112 on the lower channel wall of the cyclone separator 12. This achieves a first positive and/or non-positive locking or fixing of the cyclone separator 12 in the predetermined insertion position. In addition, the immersion tube 64 with the sealing element 72 engages in the suction channel 73 in the vertical direction, so that a further positive and/or non-positive connection is created between the cyclone separator 12 and the housing 2 and thus a second locking of the cyclone separator 12 in the inserted position.

Due to the action of the second spring element 109, the cyclone separator 12 is urged toward the cassette 14 and thereby comes into contact with a contact edge 113 (Fig. 30) of the housing 2. The contact edge 113 forms a stop for the cyclone separator 12 in the inserted position.

To remove the cyclone separator 12, it is necessary to manually apply a removal force, for example, by pressing on the cyclone separator 12 from above, so that it is moved downward against the spring force of the spring leg 108 of the first spring element 107 and simultaneously out of the cyclone receptacle 57. Removal of the cyclone separator 12 is facilitated by a bevel 118 on the housing 2. At the same time, the cyclone separator 12 jumps out of the positive connection with the suction channel 73 and the locking between the spring leg 110 of the second spring element 109 and the undercut 112 on the lower channel wall 69 of the cyclone separator 12 is released. Preferably, when a compressive force is applied to the cyclone separator 12, the latter "jumps" out of the inserted position towards an operator or outwards, so that a simplified removal of the Cyclone separator 12 from the cyclone holder 57 is possible. In particular, one-handed operation is possible when removing the cyclone separator 12.

Upon reaching the insertion position, haptic, acoustic, and/or visually perceptible information can be generated. In the embodiment shown, this can occur when the sealing element 72 at the end of the dip tube 64 engages the suction channel 73 and/or when the recess 111 on the spring leg 110 of the second spring element 109 engages the undercut 112 of the lower channel wall 69.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. 30, the quick-release fastener 13 for a sample vessel can have a spring-loaded sealing element 114, which can be designed in the form of an annular seal. When inserting the sample vessel into the quick-release fastener 13, the sample vessel is inserted with an upper vessel edge, which annularly surrounds a vessel opening, into the area between a closure element 120 and a circular segment-shaped projection 115 on a jacket section 116 of the quick-release fastener 13. The closure element 120 is moved upwards against the spring force of a spring 117 and thereby bears against the sealing element 114. In the inserted state, the upper vessel edge is clamped between the closure element 120 and the projection 115, and the sealing element 114 bears sealingly against the closure element 120. This enables self-sealing insertion of the sample vessel into the quick-release fastener 113.

If the elasticity of the sealing element 114 is sufficient, the spring 117 can also be omitted, so that the closure element 120 is urged downwards in the direction of the projection 115 solely due to the elasticity of the sealing element 114.

The jacket section 116 of the quick-release fastener 113 has a recess 118 adapted to the diameter of the sample vessel in the area of the upper vessel rim. By using quick-release fasteners 13 of different sizes, sample vessels of different sizes can be connected to the cyclone separator 12.

According to Fig. 35 and Fig. 36, the cyclone separator 12 can be a sheet metal construction formed from several detachably or permanently connected sheet metal components. An inlet channel 62 for a ground material air flow leading to the vortex chamber 61 of the cyclone separator 12 is formed by a lateral front channel wall 71, a lateral rear channel wall 70, a lower channel wall 69 and an upper channel wall 68. Preferably, the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70 and the lower channel wall 69 can be welded to one another and thus be one piece.

The upper channel wall 68 can be placed in the form of a cover on the front channel wall 71 and the rear channel wall 70 and can preferably be connected in a form-fitting manner. For this purpose, projections 121 and/or recesses 122 can be formed on the front channel wall 71 and/or on the rear channel wall 70 in order to form a form-fitting connection with the upper channel wall 68.

The vortex chamber 61 of the cyclone separator 12 can, as described above, be formed by a rotationally symmetrical, preferably cylindrical, upper part 65 that merges into a rotationally symmetrical, preferably conical, lower part 66 of the cyclone separator. The lower part 66 can then form a separation chamber.

The front channel wall 71 and/or the rear channel wall 70 can be firmly connected, in particular welded, to the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65. A detachable connection of the front channel wall 71 and/or the rear channel wall 70 to the upper part 65 is also possible. Furthermore, the front channel wall 71 and/or the rear channel wall 70 can also be in contact with the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65 without being sealed.

Preferably, the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, and the upper part 65 are firmly connected, in particular welded, to a support plate via further projections 125 and further recesses 126, wherein the support plate delimits the bottom of the inlet channel 62 in the inlet region and forms the lower channel wall 69. In particular, the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, the upper part 65, and the support plate can be welded together to form a composite component. The rotationally symmetrical lower part 66 can then be connected to the support plate from below, in particular welded to the support plate.

A cover plate may be provided to close the inlet channel 62 and the vortex chamber 61 at the top. The cover plate may have an opening 123 for the dip tube 64. Preferably, the cover plate may be mounted on the front The cover plate can be placed on the channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70 and the upper part 65 and, preferably, can be releasably connected to the front channel wall 71 and/or the rear channel wall 70 and/or the upper part 65 only via form-fitting, interlocking edge sections. In particular, the cover plate rests unattached on the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70 and the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65 solely due to its weight.

The inlet channel 62 preferably extends to the cassette opening 20 of the interchangeable cassette 14. The outer walls of the lower channel wall 69, the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, and the upper channel wall 68 defining the inlet channel 62 then border the wall sections of the cassette 14 defining the cassette opening 20. Only one separation point is then provided in the region of the inlet opening 63 of the inlet channel 62, through which the grinding material air flow is then fed to the swirl chamber opening 124. The cyclone separator 12 inserted into the cyclone receptacle 57 enables the connection of a cyclone to the grinding chamber with a coupling point.

If the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, the upper part 65 and a support plate which delimits the inlet channel 62 at the bottom and forms the lower channel wall 69 are firmly connected to one another, in particular welded to one another, and covered by a cover plate, entrainment of the ground material during feeding to the vortex chamber 61 of the cyclone separator 12 in the area of the inlet channel 62 can be reduced to the greatest possible extent, which leads to low cleaning effort.

In particular, according to the invention, the inlet channel 62 to the vortex chamber 61 is or can be fully integrated into the cyclone receptacle 57 formed in the housing 2 of the laboratory mill 1.

Furthermore, there is the advantageous alternative shown in Figs. 37, 38, of forming the cyclone separator 12 with the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65, the lower channel wall 69, in particular designed as a common support plate for the front channel wall 71 and the rear channel wall 70 as well as the upper part 65, and, if appropriate, also the conical lower part 65 of the cyclone separator 12, as a milled component. This enables simple and cost-effective production. In addition, a tight seal is ensured between the walls 69, 70, 71 and the upper part 65 and, if appropriate, the lower part 66. The closure of the inlet channel 62 and the vortex chamber 61 according to Here, too, a cover plate can form the top, which can preferably be inserted into a circumferential groove geometry 127 along the outer edges of the front channel wall 71, the rear channel wall 70, and the rotationally symmetrical upper part 65. In particular, the cover plate rests unsealed on the walls 70, 71 and the upper part 65. Nevertheless, a sealing effect is achieved by the groove geometry 127, into which the cover plate engages, preferably circumferentially.

List of reference symbols:

1 cutting mill 36 stop

2 Housing 37 Spring means

3 Drive motor 40 38 Sealing element

4 Drive shaft 39 Housing wall

5 Cutting rotor 39a opening

6 cutting blades 40 graduations

7 Housing door 41 Contact surface

8 lower door section 45 42 contact surface

9 upper door section 43 projection

10 Door cover 44 Grinding chamber cover

11 Grinding hopper 45 Shaft cover

12 cyclone separators 46 sieve inserts

13 Quick release 50 47 Contact surface

14 Cassette 48 Centering surface

15 Grinding chamber 49 Intermediate flange

16 Side wall 50 Motor flange

17 Rear panel 51 Motor housing

18 Counter blade 55 52 Shaft sleeve

19 Cassette opening 53 Centering extension

20 cassette opening 54 felt seal

21 Side wall section 55 Inner surface

22 Side wall section 56 Arrow

23 Shaft passage opening 60 57 Cyclone holder

24 collar section 58 receiving area

25 Collar section 59 Receiving area

26 cassette holder 60 housing opening

27 Front 61 Vortex chamber

28 Joint part 65 62 Inlet channel

29 Joint part 63 Inlet opening

30 Front face 64 Immersion tube

31 front face 65 upper part

32 front face 66 lower part

33 bulge 70 67 separation chamber

34 Pocket 68 Canal wall

35 Housing wall 69 Channel wall 70 Channel wall 30 99 Filling slope

71 Channel wall 100 Grinding material slide

72 Sealing element 101 Locking device

73 Suction channel 102 Side wall

74 Connection opening 103 Filling opening

75 gap 35 104 lock flap

76 Sealing element 105 Gap

77 Outlet funnel holder 106 Funnel housing

78 Outlet funnel 107 Spring element

79 Housing opening 108 Spring leg

80 Seat 40 109 Spring element

81 funnel inlet 110 spring leg

82 funnel neck 111 recess

83 Protection against intrusion 112 Undercut

84 Page margin 113 Attachment edge

85 Long side 45 114 Sealing element

86 Longitudinal edge 115 Projection

87 Tab 116 Shell section

88 Inlet opening 117 Spring

89 Longitudinal edge 118 Recess

90 rear wall 50 119 slope

91 Grinding material inlet 120 Closure element

92 shaft mount 121 projection

93 material feed chute 122 recess

94 Housing opening 123 Opening

95 baffle 55 124 swirl chamber opening

96 side wall 125 projection

97 Rear wall 126 Recess

98 Goods filling chute 127 Groove geometry

Claims

Patent claims: 1. Laboratory mill, in particular a cutting mill (1) for laboratory use, further in particular a table cutting mill, with a housing (2) and a drive motor (3) connected to the housing (2) with a drive shaft (4), wherein a grinding tool, in particular a cutting rotor (5) with at least one cutting blade (6), can be connected to the drive shaft (4), in particular for cutting and comminuting material to be ground by shearing, with a grinding chamber (15) provided in the housing (2) for arranging the grinding tool in the grinding chamber (15), characterized in that a cyclone receptacle (57) formed by a recess or gap and/or depression in the housing (2) is provided for receiving a replaceable cyclone separator (12) in the housing (2). 2. Laboratory mill according to claim 1, characterized in that the cyclone separator (12) can be inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) as a separate structural unit separated from the grinding chamber (15) and can be removed from the cyclone receptacle (57), in particular without tools. 3. Laboratory mill according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cyclone receptacle (57) is designed to receive an inlet channel (62) of the cyclone separator (12) leading to a vortex chamber (61) of the cyclone separator (12) and, preferably, to substantially completely receive the vortex chamber (61) and, preferably, to receive an immersion tube (64) of the cyclone separator (12) opening into the vortex chamber (61). 4. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cyclone receptacle (57) is open on an end and/or front side (27) of the housing (2) for inserting or removing the cyclone separator (12) via the end and/or front side (27) of the housing (2), wherein, preferably, a housing door (7) held pivotably on the housing (2) is provided and the cyclone separator (12) can only be inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) in an open position of the housing door (7). 5. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cassette holder (26) formed by a recess or gap and/or depression in the housing (2) is designed to receive an exchangeable cassette (14) in the housing (2), wherein the cassette (14) forms the grinding chamber rear wall and the grinding chamber side wall. 6. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cassette holder (26) and the cyclone holder (57) are formed by a common recess or gap and/or depression in the housing (2). 7. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cyclone separator (12) is inserted into the cyclone receptacle (57) and a cassette (14) is inserted into the cassette receptacle (26), preferably each exchangeable, and that a lower cassette opening (20) of the cassette (14) is aligned with an inlet channel (62) of the cyclone separator (12). 8. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cyclone separator (12) is designed in several parts, in particular wherein the cyclone separator (12) has a lower part and an upper part, and wherein the upper part and the lower part are connected to one another in an unsealed manner. 9. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing door (7) in the closed position rests against the cyclone separator (12) via at least one sealing element (38), wherein, preferably, the cyclone separator (12) is clamped in the cyclone receptacle (57) via the sealing element (38) in the closed position of the housing door (7). 10. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cyclone separator (12) and the cassette (14) have geometrically complementary edge geometries at opposite edge regions and/or that the cassette (14) can be inserted into the cassette holder (26) and/or removed from the cassette holder (26) independently of the cyclone separator (12). 11 . Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent edge geometries of the cassette (14) and cyclone separator (12) are designed to be complementary to one another in order to enable displacement of the cassette (14) and cyclone separator (12) relative to one another in the drive shaft direction during insertion or removal, wherein, preferably, the cyclone separator (12) is inserted unsealed into the cyclone receptacle (57) and/or the cassette (14) is inserted unsealed into the cassette receptacle (26) and/or wherein adjacent edge geometries of the cassette (14) and cyclone separator (12) are opposite one another unsealed. 12. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cyclone separator (12) and the cassette (14) are spaced apart from one another at opposite edge regions. 13. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cyclone separator (12) is held in a predetermined insertion position by transmitting a spring force from at least one spring element (107, 109) and/or that the cyclone separator (12) can be moved from the insertion position into a removal position against the spring force of at least one spring element (107, 109). 14. Laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that upon reaching the insertion position, haptic, acoustic and/or visually perceptible information is generated. 15. Cyclone separator (12) for a laboratory mill according to one of the preceding claims and/or having features of a cyclone separator (12) according to one of the preceding claims.