GB2051608A - Crushing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for crushing mineral material e.g. coal is incorporated in a scraper-chain conveyor, at the delivery end thereof. The apparatus has a base frame 1 provided with a floor plate 6 which forms part of the conveying surface of the conveyor. A rotary crusher 15 is disposed above, and co-operates with, the floor plate 6 to crush mineral material. The floor plate 6 is constituted by two angularly inclined sections which meet in the working zone 7 of the crusher 15. The base frame 1 is provided with wheeled support means 2, 3 in the region 7 where the two floor plate sections meet. The support means 2, 3 is pivotably connected to the base frame 1 by generally horizontal rams 19. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crushing apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for crushing mineral material, and in particular to such apparatus that can be used with a mineral mining installation such as a scraper-chain conveyor.

Known mining crushing apparatus is used to comminute mined minerals, such as coal, iron ore, salt, potash and gypsum. In these known forms of apparatus, the mine conveyor (usually a scraper-chain conveyor) forms an abutment for a rotary crusher so that the mined material is broken up as it passes through the gap between the crusher and the top surface of the conveyor.

It has been proposed to provide crushing apparatus with a rotary crusher disposed above, and co-operating with, a floor plate which forms part of a scraper-chain conveyor, the floor plate being constituted by two angularly inclined sections which meet in the working zone of the crusher.

This form of floor plate enables the delivery side floor plate section to be angled upwardly.

It has been found that the crushing action is improved by the upward angling of the floor plate in the working zone of the crusher, since laminar material can be more readily seized and broken up. Since the floor plate rises gently at the delivery side of the crusher, a sufficiently high level is reached at the delivery end of the conveyor to enable the crushed material to be transferred to another conveyor, for example a belt conveyor, although the height of the apparatus as a whole can be kept relatively small. A further considerable advantage resides in the fact that, because of the angling of the conveyor (or of the floor plate that forms it), the height of the entire apparatus is reduced in the angled zone so that, with an overall relatively-small height of the apparatus, a crusher of relatively large diameter can be used.Thus, a more favourable intake angle for the material to be crushed is created at the crushing gap input side, so that larger pieces of mined material are gripped more firmly and broken up.

The angling of the floor plate is also of importance as regards facilitating travel of the crushing apparatus, a pair of wheels being provided on the floor plate in the region at which its two sections meet. In this case, hydraulically extensible and retractable support means are provided for relieving the wheels of load during crushing operations, the apparatus being supported on the floor of the mine working, by the support means and the input side floor plate section. When the apparatus is ready to be moved, however, the support means is retracted so that the apparatus can be readily displaced on its wheels.

Even though the ground-clearance of the apparatus is relatively small in the zone where the wheels are fitted, the two ends of the apparatus still have a relatively great groundclearance, so that mining implements can be moved below it without difficulty.

The aim of the invention is to provide an improved crushing apparatus of this type.

The present invention provides apparatus for crushing mineral material, the apparatus comprising a base frame having a floor plate, a rotary crusher disposed above, and cooperating with, the floor plate, the floor plate being constituted by two angularly inclined sections which meet in the working zone of the crusher, the base frame being provided with wheeled support means in the region where the two floor plate sections meet, wherein the support means is pivotably connected to the base frame by generally horizontal ram means.

Advantageously, the floor plate forms part of a mine conveyor such as a scraper-chain conveyor.

Preferably, the support means comprises a pair of links pivotably attached to the sides of the base frame, and a pair of wheels, each wheel being attached to a respective link, and wherein the ram means is constituted by a pair of hydraulic rams, each ram being pivotably connected between a respective link and the base frame. In this case, each ram may be connected to its link by means of a pivot joint, and each link may be generally triangular in shape.

The apparatus may be such that movement of the rams causes the apparatus to pivot between first and second operating positions, one end of the apparatus being lowered as the apparatus moves from its first operating position to its second operating position. In the first operating position, said one end (the delivery end) of the apparatus is raised sufficiently high for the crushed material to be discharged onto a downstream belt conveyor.

This position is the working position.

Preferably, a support plate is provided on the underside of the base frame at the other end of the apparatus, the support plate contacting the ground when the apparatus is in its first operating position and being raised clear of the ground when the apparatus is in its second operating position. Thus, when the apparatus is in its first (working) position, it is supported by the wheels in the working zone, and by the support plate at said other end (the feed end). When in the second (operating) transport position, the apparatus is supported solely by the wheels, and so is relatively easy to move.

Advantageously, the links are pivotably attached to the base frame in such a manner that, as the apparatus moves from its first operating position to its second operating position, the wheels move towards said one end of the apparatus. This enables said other end of the apparatus to be lifted slightly away from the ground, without said other end losing the support of the adjacent conveyor section. The crushing apparatus can then be coupled to a towing apparatus and removed.

One form of crushing apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a side elevation of the crushing apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, the crushing apparatus has a base frame 1 which forms part of a scraper-chain conveyor (not shown), and is provided with a carriage 2 having wheels 3 having tyres of solid rubber. The scraper-chain conveyor has endless drive chains (not shown) at each side thereof, these chains being interconnected by scrapers (not shown). The chains are driven and reversed respectively at the two ends of the conveyor by way of sprocket drums (not shown). The crushing apparatus has a feed end 4 and a delivery end 5, the discharge end constituting one end of the conveyor. The base frame 1 has a floor plate 6 which forms a continuation of the deck plate of the scraper-chain conveyor.

The base frame 1 (and hence its floor plate 6) is angled, at 7, at about its centre, the carriage 2 being disposed in the zone 7. In the working position (illustrated in the drawing), the portion of the floor plate 6 between the feed end 4 and the zone 7 rises at a very small angle to the floor 8 of the working; and the portion of the floor plate 6 between the zone 7 and the delivery end 5 rises at a larger angle to the floor of the working, the difference between the two angles lying in the range of from 10 to 25 . In this position, the delivery end 5 is raised to such an extent that crushed mineral material can be transferred to a downstream conveyor, for example a belt conveyor (not shown). On the other hand, the feed end 4 lies close to the floor 8 of the working.

A frame 1 6 is pivotably mounted, about a horizontal pivot axis, on the base frame 1, above the floor plate 6, and in the zone 7. A rotary crusher 1 5 (shown in dash-dot lines) is rotatably mounted in the frame 16. The frame 1 6 also supports an electric motor 1 7 which drives the crusher 1 5 via a gear 18, the motor and gear being laterally offset within the frame 16. The frame 16 is pivotably movable about its horizontal pivot axis by means of hydraulic rams 14, the pivotal movement of the frame 1 6 being effective to raise and lower the crusher 15, and so vary the crushing gap between the crusher and the floor plate 6.The conveyor itself is driven by means of a drive station 1 3 flanged to the base frame 1 adjacent to its delivery end 5.

In the illustrated working position, the crushing apparatus is supported on the floor 8 by means of a base plate 12, which is fitted to the underside of the base frame 1 adjacent to its feed end 4, and by means of the carriage 2. In use, material to be crushed passes along the upper run of the conveyor, and on to the crushing apparatus via its feed end 4. The material is then fed to the crushing gap beneath the crusher 1 5. The material, which is crushed to a desired particle size, is then discharged at the delivery end 5.

The wheels 3 of the carriage 2 are mounted on the two sides of the base frame 1, each wheel being supported by a respective, generally triangular link 11. The wheels 3 are each rotatable about an axle 1 0. The links 11 are pivotably mounted, about a pivot axis 9, laterally of the base frame 1. The links 11 are pivoted by means of double-acting hydraulic rams 19, the cylinders of which are pivotably attached, by means of pivot joints 20, to their links 11. The piston rods of the rams 1 9 are pivotably. attached, by means of pivot joints 21, to the base frame 1.

The rams 1 9 are independently extensible and retractible so that the wheels 3 can be set at different heights in order to compensate for irregularities of the floor 8. Upon retraction of the rams 19, the links 11 pivot in an anticlockwise direction, their axles 10 also executing an arcuate pivotal movement in an anticlockwise direction. This arcuate pivotal movement, together with the simultaneous height adjustment of the wheels 3, results in a slight shift of the axles 10 towards the delivery end 5 of the apparatus (that is to say to the right as seen in the drawing). Retraction of the rams 1 9 is effective to lower the delivery end 5 of the crushing apparatus (and simultaneously slightly lifts the feed end 4), so that the entire apparatus can be driven freely.

The crushing apparatus is such that, when in the working position, its centre of gravity lies between the feed end 4 and the points of contact of the wheels 3 against the floor 8.

Thus, the delivery end 5 of the apparatus cannot tip down towards the floor 8. Moreover, as the wheels 3 move slightly towards the delivery end 5, during retraction of the rams 19, the stability of the apparatus is maintained as it is lowered into its non-working (transport) position. Nevertheless, the retraction of the rams 1 9 causes the lowering of the delivery end 5, and a tilting of the base frame 1. During this tilting movement of the base frame 1, the point of support of the apparatus on the base plate 1 2 moves along the base plate to the point 12', so that the feed end 4 of the apparatus is raised. The apparatus can then be removed, for example by towing.

As shown in the drawing, the rams 1 9 are accommodated in a space-saving manner at the sides of the base frame 1. The rams 1 9 are horizontal or positioned at a very small angle to the horizontal. Owing to the lever transmission ratio of the links 11, it is possi ble to achieve a relatively large height setting of the delivery end 5 of the apparatus with a relatively short working-stroke of the rams 1 9.

The pivot joints 20, which connect the rams 19 to the links 11, lie above the pivot axes 9.

Thus, the rams 1 9 can be retracted by relieving their working chambers of pressure medium, the weight of the crusher 1 5 being sufficient to pivot the links 11 in an anticlockwise direction, and so to retract the rams.

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for crushing mineral material, the apparatus comprising a base frame having a floor plate, a rotary crusher disposed above, and cooperating with, the floor plate, the floor plate being constituted by two angularly inclined sections which meet in the working zone of the crusher, the base frame being provided with wheeled support means in the region where the two floor plate sections meet, wherein the support means is pivotably connected to the base frame by generally horizontal ram means.

2. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the floor plate forms part of a mine conveyor.

3. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the floor plate forms part of a scraper-chain conveyor.

4. Crushing apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the support means comprises a pair of links pivotably attached to the sides of the base frame, and a pair of wheels, each wheel being attached to a respective link, and wherein the ram means is constituted by a pair of hydraulic rams, each ram being pivotably connected between a respective link and the base frame.

5. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein each ram is connected to its link by means of a pivot joint.

6. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein each link is generally triangular in shape.

7. Crushing apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the apparatus is such that movement of the rams causes the apparatus to pivot between first and second operating positions, one end of the apparatus being lowered as the apparatus moves from the first operating position to its second operating position.

8. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein retraction of the rams causes the apparatus to move from its first operating position to its second operating position.

9. Crushing apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the links are pivotably attached to the base frame in such a manner that, as the apparatus moves from its first operating position to its second operating position, the wheels move towards said one end of the apparatus.

10. Crushing apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 9, wherein a support plate is provided on the underside of the base frame at the other end of the apparatus, the support plate contacting the ground when the apparatus is in its first operating position and being raised clear of the ground when the apparatus is in its second operating position.

11. Crushing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawing.

1 2. A mine conveyor incorporating crushing apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11.

1 3. A mine conveyor as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the conveyor is a scraper-chain conveyor.

14. A scraper-chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the crushing apparatus is positioned at the delivery end of the conveyor.