GB1597801A - Crusher for crushing solid blocks - Google Patents

Description

(54) CRUSHER FOR CRUSHING SOLID BLOCKS (71) We, OHBAYASHI-GUMI CO.

LTD., a joint stock company organised under the laws of Japan, of 3-37 Kyopashi, Higashiku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan and KYC MACHINE INDUSTRY CO. LTD., a joint stock company organised under thy laws of Japan, of 1-31, Minami-Doshin-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a crusher for crushing solid blocks into smaller solid particles.

It is known to transport solid materials by means of a pressurized liquid, such as water or slurry, through a pipe. Such a method is widely used hl the slurry shield method for constructing a tunnel by excavating the earth. In the slurry shield method, a steel tubular frame is used to sustain the earth pressure while the nose of a tube is equipped to excavate the earth, wherein a slurry is circulated under pressure for the stabilization of the area to be cut by an excavator and simultaneously for enabling excavated solid materials to be transported as a fluid mixture.In order to enable effective circulation of the slurry to take place, it has been necessary to separate or remove large solid blocks from the solid materials mixed in the slurry being piped out, because large solid blocks in the excavated materials will clog the transportation pipe and prevent the circulation of the slurry. It is not possible to avoid this in practice by using a transportation pipe having a larger diameter to enable the transportation of the large solid blocks, since the pressurizing pump needed for the transportation pipe will then need to be very much bigger, as will the associated facilities for the transportation of the solid blocks.

Accordingly, it has been a normal procedure to classify and remove the large solid blocks from the transportation line and to continuously transport only the classified small solid particles through a transportation pipe together with the liquid. The removed large solid blocks are crushed into smaller solid particles in the air, which are reintroduced into the transportation line or pipe for piping out.

However, in such a known method which requires crushing of the large solid blocks into smaller particle size in the air, problems arise such as spattering of the dust and the noise of crushing. Further, it has been troublesome to remove the large solid blocks from the transportation line for crushing into smaller particles and to reintroduce them into the transportation line. In addition, in order to classify and remove the large solid blocks contained in the liquid and continuously transport only the separated small solid particles, it has been necessary to use additional items of equipment such as a rotary classifier.

According to the invention there is provided a crusher for use in crushing large solid blocks carried by a pressurized liquid, comprising: A laterally extending cylindrical housing having an inflow port and an outflow port, the inflow port being provided at the upper portion of the housing through which, in use, the large solid blocks are fed together with the pressurized liquid, the outflow port being provided at the lower portion of the housing through which, in use, crushed solid particles are discharged into a transportation pipe, and a cylindrical rotor eccentrically rotatable within the cylindrical housing, the cylindrical rotor and housing defining a crushing passage therebetween, the crushing passage becoming narrower toward the outflow port.

The crusher effectively crushes the large solid blocks into small solid particles and allows the crushed small solid particles to be smoothly discharged therefrom together with the liquid. The crusher can be made relatively compact and is suitable for use in a slurry shield method.

Preferably, some of the solid materials of small particle size are diverted from the crushing passage and are confluent with the crushed solid particles for further transporting in the transportation pipe.

Preferably, the inflow port of the crusher is tangentially inclined relative to the cylindrical side wall of the housing and directed to the upper part of the crushing passage.

In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical housing is provided with a plurality of guide plates at the inner circumferential portion thereof opposite to the crushing passage. The guide plates have upper ends inclined toward the upper part of the crushing passage for leading the large solid blocks to the crushing passage. The guide plates are spaced from each other to allow small solid particles to fall down through the spaces therebetween toward the outflow port.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a transportation method employing a crusher according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertically sectioned front view showing the crusher used in the method of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertically sectioned side view of the crusher of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing an alternative transportation method using a crusher according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing another transportation method using a crusher according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing yet another transportation method using a crusher according to the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, water 1 in a storage tank 2 is pressuriz d by a first pump 3 and fed back to a chamber 4 through a pipe 5. The chamber 4 contains solid materials of various particle sizes including large solid blocks and small solid particles.

The mixture of the solid materials and water contained in the chamber 4 is then transported through a main pipe 6 by pressure generated by a second pump 7. The second pump 7 has a high capacity to enable the large solid blocks in the chamber 4 to be transported by the pressurized water. The main pipe 6 is connected to an upper opening of a crusher 8, so that all of the mixture of the solid materials and water in the main pipe 6 are fed into the crusher 8. While the mixture fed into the crusher 8 moves down to the outflow port thereof, the large solid blocks are crushed into small solid particles, as described below in detail.The crushed small solid particles as well as the small particles not subjected to crushing are discharged from the outflow port of the crusher and then piped out through a transportation pipe 9 by the action of the second pump 7 and a third pump 10 into a solid storage tank 11, from which the water 1 is separated into the water storage tank 2 for recirculation.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the crusher 8 comprises a cylindrical housing 12 the axis of which extends in the horizontal direction. The housing 12 has an inflow port 13 at the upper end thereof which is inclined almost tangentially with respect to the cylindrical side wall 14, and an outflow port 15 at the lower end portion thereof. Eccentrically provided inside of the cylindircal housing 12 is a cylindrical rotor 16 to which a rotary shaft 17 is also eccentrically secured. The rotary shaft 17 extends through both side walls 18 of the cylindrical housing 12 with bearings 19 being interposed therebetween. The rotary shaft 17 is operably connected to an appropriate driving means (not shown).

The inner circumferential part of the cylindrical housing 12 has a lining 20, which is substantially crescent-shaped in section and extends along the cylindrical side wall 14 in the lengthwise direction thereof, and a plurality of guide plates 21, which are also substantially crescent-shaped in section and spaced from each other at appropriate intervals in the lengthwise direction of the cylindrical side wall 14. The lining 20 and the guide plates 21 are opposite to each other about the centre axis of the cylindrical housing 12. The lining 20 and the rotor 16 define a crushing passage therebetween, to the upper portion of which the inclined inflow port 13 is directed. The lining 20 as well as the rotor are made of materials which have a high coefficient of friction and also high durability against abrasion.The lining 20 is provided in such a manner that when the eccentric rotor 16 rotates in the clockwise direction as shown by an arrow in Fig. 2, the space, i.e. the crushing passage, between the outer circumference of the rotor and the inner surface of the lining 20 are gradually reduced toward the lower end of the lining 20 which is adjacent the outflow port 15 of the cylindrical housing 12. Each guide plate 21 has an upper end 21a which is inclined inwardly toward the upper portion of the crushing passage so as to form an inclined straight line with the inner lower surface of the inflow port 13.

In such a crusher 8, when the mixture of the solid materials and liquid is fed into the inflow port 13 of the cylindrical housing 12, solid blocks larger than the interval between the adjacent guide plates 21 are guided by the upper ends 21a of the guide plates 21 toward the space between the upper end of the lining 20 and the eccentric rotor 16, while solid particles smaller than the interval between the adjacent guide plates 21 are allowed to be diverted from the moving direction of the large solid blocks and to fall down through spaces between the adjacent guide plates 21 toward the outflow port 15. The large solid blocks coming into the crushing passage between the lining 20 and the eccentric rotor 16 are then subjected to crushing while the eccentric rotor 16 rotates about the shaft 17 due to the reducing space therebetween. The crushed smaller solid particles are then discharged from the outflow port 15 into the transportation pipe 9 and carried by the liquid for piping out. The small solid particles which fall down through the spaces between the adjacent guide plates 21 are directly discharged from the outflow port 15 and are then confluent with the crushed small solid particles for further transportation in the transportation pipe by the liquid also discharged from the outflow port 15.

As can be understood from the above description, since the solid blocks are crushed in the liquid, the present invention is free from problems caused by solid blocks being forced to impinge against a crushing device in the air, thereby generating noise, and causing jumping of the solid blocks. Thus, in comparison with the known dry-type crushing device, the present crusher improves the crushing efficiency, prevents spattering of the dust and generates little noise during crushing.

Further, the crusher permits small solid particles to fall down through the spaces between the guide plates 21 toward the outflow port 15 without passing through the crushing passage between the lining 20 and the rotor 16, so that the possibility of the crushing passage being choked or clogged by the small solid particles is much reduced. The crushing passage between the lining 20 and the eccentric rotor 16 has a wide space at the upper end of the lining 20 but becomes narrower as it goes toward the outflow port 15. This wide space at the upper end of the lining 20 allows the large solid blocks to enter into the crushing passage.Since the large solid blocks are fed into the crushing passage together with the pressurized liquid, these solid blocks are urged into the narrower part of the crushing passage by the liquid and the crushed solid particles are smoothly discharged from the outflow port 15 of the cylindrical housing 12. The inflow port 13 inclined tangentially to the cylindrical side wall 14 facilitates a smooth flow of the liquid mixture along the inner surfaces of the cylindrical side wall and the lining 20. Also, the inclined inflow port 13 and the upper ends 21a of the guide plates 21 effectively lead the the large solid blocks into the crushing passage.

Further advantages of the present crusher can be obtained when it is used in a slurry shield method for constructing a tunnel by excavating the earth. Usually, the tunnel thus formed by the slurry shield method does not have a large amount of room, especially in the vertical direction. Accordingly, it is desirable for all of the equipment for piping out the excavated dross or solid material to be compact. The crusher of the present invention is very compact due to the laterally extending cylindrical housing, so that it can be installed in a tunnel space of restricted height.

Moreover, in the crusher described above, the internal volume of the cylindrical housing 12 is constant at any rotary position of the rotor 16, so that the flow of the mixture of liquid and solid particles discharged from the outflow port 15 is constant and does not pulsate.

The solid particles discharged from the outflow port 15 of the crusher have small particle sizes less than a predetermined size, so that these solid particles can be transported by a reduced pressure. Thus, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the transportation pipe 9 and to transport the solid materials for a long distance by means of the pump 10. In addition, the durability of the transportation pipe 9 is much improved. In consequence, the totaI cost of transporting the solid materials can be much reduced.

The method shown in Fig. 4 is adapted for transporting solid materials or muck excavated in the construction of a tunnel by an open-cut technique. The excavated solid materials 22 are collected in a hopper 23 and fed into a rotary valve 24 through a feeder 25. The excavated solid materials have various sizes from small solid particles to large solid blocks. In the rotary valve, a predetermined amount of solid particles is successively fed into the main pipe 26 through which a pressurized slurry is circulated by a pump. The flow velocity of the slurry in the main pipe 26 is high enough to transport the large solid blocks fed therein from the rotary valve 24.The solid materials are then fed into the crusher 8 of the type described above, wherein the large solid blocks are crushed into small solid particles by the rotation of the rotor 16 and discharged from the outflow port 15 thereof into a transportation pipe 28. Since the crushed solid particles have a small particle size, it is possible to transport such crushed solid particles for a long distance through the transportation pipe 28 by the action of the pump 27. The solid particles piped out from the transportation pipe 28 are removed by a screen 29, while the liquid piped out from the transportation pipe 28 is stored in a tank 30 for recirculation by the pump.

In both the methods described above, all of the solid materials in the main pipe are made to pass through the crusher 8. However, some of the solid particles in the main pipe, which are small enough to be carried through the transportation pipe by the pressurized liquid flowing therethrough, need not be passed through the crusher 8. Accordingly, it is prefereable to provide a classifier 31 and a flow regulating valve 32 in parallel to the crusher 8 as shown in Fig. 5. The solid materials carried by the pressurized liquid in the main pipe 33 then collide with the classifier 31 which has small openings.The small solid particles of a size less than the openings in the classifier 31 are allowed to pass therethrough into the transportation pipe 34, while the large solid blocks larger than the openings in the classifier 31 are by-passed to the crusher 8 where the solid blocks are crushed into smaller solid particles and carried to the transportation pipe 34 for discharge. By adjusting the flow regulating valve 32, the amount of small solid particles which can pass through the openings in the classifier 31 can be controlled.

Although the present invention can be conveniently used in transportation of the excavated dross or solid materials in the construc- tion of a tunnel or the like on the ground, it can be adapted to many other transportation methods of the solid materials, due to the compact suucture of the crusher. Fig. 6 shows the use of the crusher in reverse system underwater excavation. Rocks, sand and gravels, at the bottom of water are excavated by a drill or excavator 35 and sucked up into a crusher 8a together with the water by a vacuum means 36 on a foundation barge 37. The crusher 8a under the water is supported by a crawler crane 38 on the barge 37 and actuated by a power source 39 also provided on the barge 37.The solid materials sucked up into the crusher 8a are crushed into small solid particles and then transported together with the water to a classifier or separator 40 by a booster pump 41. In this manner, it is possible to use the present invention in underwater excavation so as to transport the solid blocks at the bottom as a slurry.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A crusher for use in crushing large solid blocks carried by a pressurized liquid, comprising: a laterally extending cylindrical housing having an inflow port and an outflow port, the inflow port being provided at the upper portion of the housing through which, in use, the large solid blocks are fed together with the pressurized liquid, the outflow port being provided at the lower portion of the housing through which, in use, crushed solid particles are discharged into a transportation pipe, and a cylindrical rotor eccentrically rotatable within the cylindrical housing, the cylindrical rotor and housing defining a crushing passage therebetween, the crushing passage becoming narrower towards the outflow port.

2. A crusher as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inflow port is substantially tangentially inclined relative to the cylindrical side wall of the housing and directed toward the upper part of the crushing passage.

3. A crusher as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylindrical housing is provided with a plurality of guide plates at the inner circumferential portion thereof opposite to the crushing passage, the guide plates having upper ends inclined toward the upper part of the crushing passage for leading the large solid blocks to the crushing passage, the guide plates being spaced from each other to allow small solid particles to fall down through the spaces therebetween toward the outflow port.

4. A crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylindrical housing is provided with a crescent-shaped lining at the inner circumferential portion thereof, the lining and the rotor defining the crushing passage therebetween.

5. A crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rotor is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical housing, and the rotary axis of the rotor is eccentric to the centre thereof.

6. A crusher for use in crushing large solid blocks, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An apparatus for transporting solid materials, by means of a pressurized liquid, which comprises a crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. pipe 34 for discharge. By adjusting the flow regulating valve 32, the amount of small solid particles which can pass through the openings in the classifier 31 can be controlled. Although the present invention can be conveniently used in transportation of the excavated dross or solid materials in the construc- tion of a tunnel or the like on the ground, it can be adapted to many other transportation methods of the solid materials, due to the compact suucture of the crusher. Fig. 6 shows the use of the crusher in reverse system underwater excavation. Rocks, sand and gravels, at the bottom of water are excavated by a drill or excavator 35 and sucked up into a crusher 8a together with the water by a vacuum means 36 on a foundation barge 37. The crusher 8a under the water is supported by a crawler crane 38 on the barge 37 and actuated by a power source 39 also provided on the barge 37.The solid materials sucked up into the crusher 8a are crushed into small solid particles and then transported together with the water to a classifier or separator 40 by a booster pump 41. In this manner, it is possible to use the present invention in underwater excavation so as to transport the solid blocks at the bottom as a slurry. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A crusher for use in crushing large solid blocks carried by a pressurized liquid, comprising: a laterally extending cylindrical housing having an inflow port and an outflow port, the inflow port being provided at the upper portion of the housing through which, in use, the large solid blocks are fed together with the pressurized liquid, the outflow port being provided at the lower portion of the housing through which, in use, crushed solid particles are discharged into a transportation pipe, and a cylindrical rotor eccentrically rotatable within the cylindrical housing, the cylindrical rotor and housing defining a crushing passage therebetween, the crushing passage becoming narrower towards the outflow port.

2. A crusher as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inflow port is substantially tangentially inclined relative to the cylindrical side wall of the housing and directed toward the upper part of the crushing passage.

3. A crusher as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylindrical housing is provided with a plurality of guide plates at the inner circumferential portion thereof opposite to the crushing passage, the guide plates having upper ends inclined toward the upper part of the crushing passage for leading the large solid blocks to the crushing passage, the guide plates being spaced from each other to allow small solid particles to fall down through the spaces therebetween toward the outflow port.

4. A crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylindrical housing is provided with a crescent-shaped lining at the inner circumferential portion thereof, the lining and the rotor defining the crushing passage therebetween.

5. A crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rotor is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical housing, and the rotary axis of the rotor is eccentric to the centre thereof.

6. A crusher for use in crushing large solid blocks, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An apparatus for transporting solid materials, by means of a pressurized liquid, which comprises a crusher as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.