GB2116875A

GB2116875A - Mineral breakers

Info

Publication number: GB2116875A
Application number: GB08227120A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Potts
Original assignee: MMD Design and Consultancy Ltd
Current assignee: MMD Design and Consultancy Ltd
Priority date: 1979-02-03
Filing date: 1982-09-23
Publication date: 1983-10-05
Also published as: GB2116875B

Abstract

A mineral breaker for breaking mineral travelling along a conveyor 201, the breaker including a breaker drum 202 which is movably mounted above the conveyor for movement toward or away from the conveyor by means of arms 203 pivoted at 206. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mineral breakers The present invention relates to mineral breakers and is primarily, but not exclusively concerned with breakers for use in coal mining for sizing coal being delivered from the coal face.

According to the present invention there is provided a mineral breaker for breaking mineral travelling along a conveyor, the breaker including a breaker drum which is movably mounted above the conveyor for movement toward or away from the conveyor.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away of a breaker according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view along line A-A in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through another embodiment according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view of another embodiment according to the present invention; and Figure 7 is an end view of the embodiment shown in Figure 6.

In the drawings there is illustrated breakers for breaking material flowing along a conveyor. In Figures 1 to 3 there is shown a breaker 20 which may be located at any suitable position along the conveyor. As shown in Figures 1 to 3 the breaker 200 co-operates with an armoured flexible conveyor 201.

The floor of the conveyor 201 with which the breaker drum 202 co-operates is preferably reinfiorced in order to withstand the working conditions. For example, the floor may be formed with 3" thick steel plating.

The breaker 200 includes a breaker drum 202 which is rotatably mounted between the terminal end of a pair of support arms 203. The support arms 203 are connected to one another by a pair of spaced transverse members 204 and a tube 205.

The ends of the arms 203 remote from the drum are rotatably mounted on a shaft 206. The shaft 206 is supported in opposed walls 207,208 of the breaker housing 209.

Accordingly, the height of the drum 202 relative to the conveyor 201 may be adjusted by pivotal deflection of arms 203 about shaft 206. A hydraulic ram 210 is provided, connected at one end to a bracket 210a secured to the housing 209 and at the other end to a bracket 210b which is bolted to the transverse members 204 by means of bolts 210c. As seen in Figure 3, transverse members 204 are provided with a second set of apertures 21 Odfor reception of bolts 210c. The ram is operable to raise or lower the drum as desired.

Stops (not shown) are provided for co-operation with arms 203 so as to limit the upward or downward travel of the drum in order to prevent it hitting either the roof 211 or housing 204 or the conveyor 201.

One or more shear pins may be provided to lock the arms 203 in a desired position. In the illustrated embodiment two shear pins are provided in the form of two bolts 203a (only one being shown) each of which is located in one of a series of apertures 212 formed in the arms 203 and an aperture 212a formed in the opposed walls 207,208 of the housing. Each shear pin is designed so as to shear and permit the drum to rise in the event of something too hard passing between the drum and the conveyor. The hydraulic circuitry controlling ram 210 is arranged to permit the drum to rise and then permit the drum to return slowly towards the conveyor.

It is also envisaged that the use of shear pins may be dispensed with and instead the ram 210 could be used to hold the drum in a desired position. The hydraulic circuitry would be designed to permit the drum to rise should something too hard pass through.

As a safety feature it is envisaged that where space permits, a sensor may be located on the conveyor at a point upstream from the breaker 200. The sensor would be arranged to sense the presence of personnel on the conveyor and actuate the ram 210 to raise the drum to a height sufficient for a person to pass under the drum.

A spraying head (not shown) may be provided in the roof of the housing 209 for spraying water onto the material being broken in order to reduce airborne dust.

Wall 207 is provided with a window 221 through which the drive connection between the drum 202 and motor/gear box 226 passes. The motor/gear box 226 are also carried by one of the arms 203. In this respect a support arm 220 extends from arm 203 through the window and terminates in a connecting plate 220a to which the housing of the gear box is bolted. The motor/gear box 226 may be housed in a casing (not shown) which may be bolted to the wall 208.

It is envisaged that the wall 208 may also be provided with a window 221 so that the motor/gear box 226 may be located on either.side of the breaker housing 209. Thus to locate the motor/gear box 226 on the opposite side of the housing 209 the drum 202 and arms 203 are inverted through 1800 and the bracket 210b is bolted via the second set of bolt holes 210dto the transverse members 204.

As seen in Figure 2 a drive coupling 230 as described in U.K. Application No. 7928089 is used for connecting drive from the gear box to the drum 202.

This enables the drum 202 to be easily and quickly detached from the gear box.

The drum 202 is rotatably mounted at either end in bearings 249 which are mounted in identical bearing housings 241. Accordingly, the drum 202 may be turned through 180 to enable the motor/gear box to be mounted on the opposite side of the housing 209 without the need to invert arms 203.

The terminal end of each arm 203 is provided with a removable end cap 203a which embrace the housings 241 so that on removal, the drum 202 may be moved radially away from the arms 203. Thus removal of the drum 202 is very easy.

The drum 202 is made up from an assembly of separate rings 250 carrying picks 18 and spacer rings 251 keyed onto a shaft 252. The assembly of rings 250 and 251 are held together by through bolts 253.

Accordingly, once the drum 202 has been removed from the arms 203 it is a simple matter to replace or rearrange the rings 250 and 251. In some instances it may be desirable to dispense with some or all of the spacer rings 251 so that a finer breaking action may be achieved.

As shown in Figure 3, spacer rings 251 have recesses 251a formed in their periphery so as to interfere as little as possible with mineral being broken and thereby permit a greater throughput.

However if desired the rings 251 may be annular.

A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 which is similar to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. Accordingly, the same reference numerals have been used in Figures 4 and 5 to designate the same parts as illustrated in Figures 1 to3.

In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, the rings 250 carrying picks 18 and the spacer rings 251 have been replaced by swing hammer assemblies 300.

Each swing hammer assembly 300 includes three hammer heads 301 each of which is pivotally attached to a through bolt 253 via a pair of arms 302.

As more clearly seen in Figure 5, each head 301 is recessed to receive arms 302 which are bolted to the head by a pair of bolts 303. The arms 302 are provided with recesses 304 to accommodate the bolt heads and nuts of bolts 303 so that they do not project beyond the sides of the head 301. Each arm 302 is provided with an aperture 306 so that each pair of arms 302 may be rotatably received on a sleeve 308 received on a respective th roughbolt 253. 253.

As seen in Figure 5 three sleeves 308 are received on a throughbolt 253 and are spaced from one another by washers 309.

Each hammer assembly also includes a support plate 310 which is keyed to shaft 252 so as to be rotatable therewith. In respect of each hammer assembly, the support plate 310 is positioned between each pair of arms 302 as clearly shown in Figure 5. During rotation of the shaft 252 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4, each hammer head 301 is free to swing between two limit stops, viz. movement of a hammer head in a clockwise direction about bolt 253 as viewed in Figure 4 is limited by a projection 312 formed on support plate 310 which co-operates with a shoulder (not shown) on the hammer head; movement of a hammer head in an anticlockwise direction is limited by side face 301a engaging a respective support plate 310.Accordingly, as each hammer head 301 approaches the conveyor during rotation of shaft 252 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 4) the leading face 301b of the hammer head strikes material being conveyed by the conveyor. If necessary, each head 301 will move in an anticlockwise direction after striking the material in order to give a greater amount of clearance between the hammer head and conveyor.

Each hammer head is preferably formed from a casting of manganese steel and is provided with a leading face 301b which is basically pyramidal in shape.

A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 wherein parts similar to the parts contained in the apparatus of Figures 1 to 3 have been designated with the same reference numerals.

Basically, the breaker 400 illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 differs from the breaker illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 in that the hydraulic ram 210 has been replaced by a screw threaded shaft 410. The shaft 410 is rotatably connected at its lower end to bracket 21 Ob and is threadedly received in the threaded bore of a support member 412 which is rotatably connected to bracket 210a. The support member 412 is provided with a lubrication duct which communicates with its internal bore at one end and with a lubrication pipe 413 at its other end. The lubrication pipe 413 extends to a suitable location on the housing to terminate at a grease nipple and thereby enable the bore to be conveniently lubricated.

It is also envisaged that the housing 209 may be split horizontally to enable spacing plates to be inserted. Accordingly, the height of the housing 209 may thus be varied.

Claims

1. A mineral breaker for breaking mineral travelling along a conveyor, the breaker including a breaker drum which is movably mounted above the conveyor for movement toward or away from the conveyor.

2. A mineral breaker according to Claim 1 wherein the breaker drum is rotatably carried by a pair of spaced support arms, the arms being pivotally mounted in a housing.

3. A mineral breaker according to Claim 2 wherein the support arms are moved about their pivot by a hydraulic ram in order to raise or lower the breaker drum.

4. A mineral breaker according to Claim 3 wherein shear pins are provided which are located in apertures formed in the support arms and housing in order to retain the arms at predetermined positions.

5. A mineral breaker according to Claim 3 or4 wherein the hydraulic circuitry controlling the hydraulic ram is arranged to permit the drum to rise in the event of material passing between the conveyor and drum which exceeds the spacing therebetween and which remains unbroken.

6. A mineral breaker according to Claim 3 wherein a sensor is provided for detecting the presence of an object exceeding the spacing between the drum and conveyor by a predetermined amount, the sensor when detecting such an object actuating the ram to raise the drum.

7. A mineral breaker according to Claim 2 wherein the support arms are moved about their pivot by a screw threaded shaft.

8. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 2 to 7 wherein the drum is mounted at the terminal end of each support arm, each support arm being provided with detachable end caps which when removed enable the drum to be radially removed from the support arms.

9. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 1 to 8 wherein a reinforcing plate is provided for reinforcing the surface of the conveyor with which the drum co-operates.

10. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 1 to 9 wherein the breaker drum is an assembly of rings at least some of which carry picks, which are secured to a common drive shaft so as to be rotatable therewith.

11. A mineral breaker substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A mineral breaker according to Claim 10 wherein spacer rings are provided with separate rings carrying picks.

12. A mineral breaker according to Claim 11 wherein the spacer rings are provided with recesses spaced about their periphery.

13. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 10 to 12 wherein the rings are detachably held together to prevent axial separation by means of through bolts.

14. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 1 to 9 wherein the breaker drum comprises one or more swing hammer assemblies.

15. A mineral breaker according to Claim 14 wherein each swing hammer assembly includes a support plate which is secured to a drive shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, and a plurality of hammer heads pivotally connected to the support plate and spaced about its periphery.

16. A mineral breaker substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 29 April 1983 Superseded claims 1 to 16 New or amended claims:

1. Amineral breakerforbreaking mineraltravelling along a conveyor, the breaker including a conveyor section, a breaker drum which is movably mounted above the conveyor section for movement toward or away from the conveyor section, the drum being an assembly of rings, secured to a common drive shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, some of the rings carrying picks for breaking mineral and being separated from one another by spacer rings having no picks, each spacer ring having recesses spaced about its periphery.

2. A mineral breaker according to Claim 1 wherein the rings are detachably held together to prevent axial separation by means of through bolts.

3. A mineral breaker according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the breaker drum is rotatably carried by a pair of spaced support arms, the arms being pivotally mounted in a housing.

4. A mineral breaker according to Claim 3 wherein the support arms are moved about their pivot by a hydraulic ram in order to raise or lower the breaker drum.

5. A mineral breaker according to Claim 4wherein shear pins are provided which are located in apertures formed in the support arms and housing in order to retain the arms at predetermined positions.

6. A mineral breaker according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the hydraulic circuitry controlling the hydraulic ram is arranged to permit the drum to rise in the event of material passing between the conveyor and drum which exceeds the spacing therebetween and which remains unbroken.

7. A mineral breaker according to Claim 4wherein a sensor is provided for detecting the presence of an object exceeding the spacing between the drum and conveyor by a predetermined amount, the sensor when detecting such an object actuating the ram to raise the drum.

8. A mineral breaker according to Claim 3 wherein the support arms are moved about their pivot by a screw threaded shaft.

9. A mineral breaker according to any of Claims 3 to 8 wherein the drum is mounted at the terminal end of each support arm, each support arm being provided with detachable end caps which when removed enable the drum to be radially removed from the support arms.

10. Amineral breaker according to any of Claims 1 to 9 wherein a reinforcing plate is provided for reinforcing the surface of the conveyor with which the drum co-operates.