GB2117268A

GB2117268A - Crushing machinery

Info

Publication number: GB2117268A
Application number: GB08209443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Pierce Martin Parry
Original assignee: JPM Parry and Associates Ltd
Current assignee: JPM Parry and Associates Ltd
Priority date: 1982-03-31
Filing date: 1982-03-31
Publication date: 1983-10-12
Also published as: GB2117268B

Abstract

A crushing machine comprises a crushing member 20 which is semi- cylindrical in shape, and mounted to permit pivotal movement. Extending downwardly from the crushing member 20 are elongate support members 24, which carry at their lower ends a weight 26. Application of force to the weight, causes it to oscillate the pendulum, causing the crushing member 20 to rotate back and forth about said axis. The crushing member 20 cooperates with a stationary member 28, which is also semi-cylindrical. When raw material e.g. clay for making bricks is loaded into the machine, via a chute 30, the material passes down into the nip between the crushing member and the stationary member, during which the material is reduced in particle size. If tramp material approaches the nip the stub shafts (22) of the member 20 permit the member to lift in mountings (16 Fig. 2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to crushing machinery This invention is concerned with improvements relating to crushing machinery.

In 1977 a study was commissioned by the overseas division of the Building Research Establishment of the various production processes used for brick making in developing countries with the objective of identifying research and development needs, and one of the principal recommendations was for a low cost and simple method for aiding the preparation process for clay.

Conventional practice in developing countries for the crushing of clay preparatory to a brick making Operation includes the following methods: a) the "mortar and pestle" arrangement, which ranges from single to two handed grinding and pounding tools. Materials are broken down by sharp blows from a hammer or two handed tool based on the agricultural hoe. None of these are efficient, in that when the material is being pounded, the already broken lumps accumulate around unbroken pieces and "cushion" the blows leading to wasted effort, and when hammer blows are used, energy is wasted both when the blow is too strong and when the blow is not strong enough to break the material and has to be repeated.Additionally manual breaking of hard materials with a hammer is a frequent source of injury to eyes and hands, and it is hard to organise the job in a way which avoids isolation, monotony and dirty and uncomfortable working conditions.

b) The "foot-treading" method is used throughout the world, to turn clay soil into a suitable mud. The operation is very tiring and requires frequent rest, and frequently the foot treading procedure results in clay which is too wet for good quality brick-moulding; to add less water results in incomplete mixing and a material which is far too sticky to tread. Additionally the water required to be used is costly, where (as is oftenfhe case) water must be brought in from a supply a long distance away.

c) In certain countries "hammer hoe" hand tools are used, but this is only suitable with certain types of brick-making materials.

It is one of the various objects of this invention to develop a crushing machine which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use and which can be powered manually.

According to this invention there is provided a crushing machine comprising a crushing member mounted for reciprocating pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and a weight fixedly secured to the crushing member below, and at a distance from the horizontal axis.

Preferably the weight is secured to the crushing member by a supporting assembly rigidly connected to the crushing member and extending downwardly therefrom. Preferably the construction and arrangement is such that force may be applied to the weight, to cause it to swing backwardly and forwardly about said axis as a pendulum, causing the crushing member to rotate back and forth about said axis.

By the use of a pendulum construction, force may be applied to move the crushing member firstly in a "clearing" direction, in which little power is required, and to build up a store of energy for a subsequent movement of the crushing member in an operative direction.

Most conveniently the machine is adapted to be driven by man-power, but conceivably if desired the machine may be driven by, or aided by, water power, or by the power derived from a small motor.

Preferably the crushing member is at least partcylindrical, providing an operative surface which moves across, in fixed relationship with, a stationary member, which is preferably also at least part-cylindrical, being preferably mounted in a fixed position relative to the crushing member.

Preferably the crushing member is provided with projections on its operative surface to assist movement of material through the nip between the crushing and stationary members during an operative stroke of the machine.

Preferably the horizontal axis is provided by a pivot which is capable of positional adjustment, to vary the nip of the machine. Preferably additionally the crushing member is capable of movement out of the axis, to avoid jamming of the machine when encountering a hard object.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a crushing machine which has been selected for the purposes of illustrating this invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of part of the machine, showing a crushing member thereof; and FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the crushing member and a stationary member with which the crushing member co-operates.

The machine which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is particularly adept in crushing raw clay, available in lumps of varying sizes, into granular form of generally uniform particle size.

The machine comprises a framework comprising side frames 6, 6 each comprising two legs 8 and a horizontal frame member 10.

Mounted on each of the two frame members 10 is a slide plate 12, which carries on its upper surface an angle bracket 14, each of said brackets 14 providing an upwardly-open V-shaped mounting 1 6. The slide plates 12 are secured to the frame members 10 by bolts, which may be released to enable the slide plates to be adjusted lengthwise of the frame members 10.

The machine comprises a crushing member 20, which is semi-cylindrical in shape, and which is provided with stub shafts 22 which may be located within the mountings 16, the mountings 16 thereby providing pivotal mountings for the crushing member, enabling the crushing member to move about the longitudinal axis provided by the stub shafts 22 (see Figure 2). Extending downwardly from the crushing member 20 on both sides thereof are elongate support members 24, which carry at their lower ends a weight 26, provided by a steel tank filled with a desired quantity of sand.

The longitudinal axes of the support members 24 pass through the axis provided by the subshafts 22, and the assembly, consisting of the crushing member 20, the stub shafts 22, the support members 24 and the weight 26 can thus swing as a pendulum within the mounted brackets 1 6.

Also mounted on the framework between the side frames 6 is a static crushing head 28, which is also semi-cylindrical, and which provides a semi-cylindrical operative surface 29 which is spaced a short distance from the operative surface 21 of the crushing member 21.

The gap (conventionally termed the "nip") between the movable crushing member and the static crushing head as the assembly swings backwardly and forwardly thus remains of constant size.

Mounted on the framework above the crushing assembly is a hopper 30, into which raw material may be deposited onto the crushing member and static crushing head.

By means of a handle 32 extending from the support members 24, the crushing assembly may be swung backwardly and forwardly, alternately subjecting material to a crushing action as it passes through the nip, and moving the material away from the nip in a "clearing" action. To assist movement of the raw material through the nip, the crushing member is provided with projections 34 which extend from the operative surface thereof.

Mounted beneath the nip is a chute 38 provided with a screen mesh 40, fine material falling through the screen mesh through a fines discharge outlet 42 for collection, whilst oversized lumps travel over the surface of the screen mesh and pass through an oversized lumps outlet 44.

The size down to which the raw material is crushed may be varied by adjustment of the slide plate 12 on the frame members 10, varying the size of the nip between the crushing member and the static crushing head.

By virtue of the mounting of the stub shaft 22 in the upwardly-mountings 16, should a lump of very hard raw material be deposited in the hopper, rather than subjecting the machine to undue loading, the stub shafts 22 will be lifted a short distance out of the mountings 16, allowing the hard lump to pass through the nip and through the outlet 44.

By the use of the machine, manual effort may be used to swing the pendulum weight 26 forwardly (to the left, Figure 1) to cause the crushing member 24 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, tending to clear the nip of raw material. Such movement of the weight 26 will also build up a store of energy in the weight, allowing the crushing member to be moved more easily in the opposite, anti-clockwise direction, in a crushing operation. Thus noncontinuous manual effort may be applied to the machine to produce a continuous, reciprocating crushing operation on the raw material delivered into the hopper.

Whilst the invention has been devised primarily for the crushing of raw material in the production of clay for use in the manufacture of bricks, it is to be appreciated that the invention in principie at least may be used in crushing other articles, such as fruit.

Claims

1. A crushing machine comprising a crushing member mounted for reciprocating pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and a weight fixedly secured to the crushing member below, and at a distance from the horizontal axis.

2. A crushing machine according to Claim 1 wherein the weight is secured to the crushing member by a supporting assembly rigidly connected to the crushing member and extending downwardly therefrom.

3. A crushing machine according to one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein the construction and arrangement is such that force may be applied to the weight, to cause it to swing backwardly and forwardly about said axis as a pendulum, causing the crushing member to rotate back and forth about said axis.

4. A crushing machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the crushing member is at least part-cylindrical, providing an operative surface which moves across, in fixed relationship with, a stationary member.

5. A crushing machine according to Claim 4 wherein the stationary member is at least partcylindrical, being mounted in a fixed position relative to the crushing member.

6. A crushing machine according to one of Claims 4 and 5 wherein the crushing member is provided with projections on its operative surface to assist movement of material through the nip between the crushing and stationary members during an operative stroke of the machine.

7. A crushing machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the horizontal axis is provided by a pivot which is capable of positional adjustment.

8. A crushing machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the crushing member is capable of movement out of the axis.

9. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a chute into which raw material for crushing may be loaded, and comprising an outlet through which raw material is directed into the nip of the machine.

10. A crushing machine according to Claim 9 wherein the chute is provided with a screen mesh to prevent oversized lumps passing through the outlet.

11. A method of crushing clay preparatory to a brick making operation, involving the use of a machine according to any one of the preceding claims, and the steps:- (a) loading raw material into the machine; and (b) applying force to the weight to cause the crushing member to reciprocate about said horizontal axis.

12. A crushing machine constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 3. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.