GB2604939A

GB2604939A - Improved log washer

Info

Publication number: GB2604939A
Application number: GB2107753.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: O'neill Barry
Original assignee: Tyrone International Ltd
Current assignee: Tyrone International Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-15
Filing date: 2021-06-01
Publication date: 2022-09-21
Also published as: GB202107756D0; GB2606584A; GB2606584B; GB2604941A; GB202108584D0; GB2604942A; GB2606584A8; GB2604942B; GB202103537D0; WO2022194776A1; GB202107753D0; GB202108578D0

Abstract

A log washer set-up comprising a log washer tub or body 1 inclined at an angle to the supporting framework 5; a log washer supporting framework 5 including a rear log washer support frame 11, a front log washer support frame 12, stabilizer jack legs 9 and lift arms, a log washer feed chute 10 on top face of the log washer tub or body 1 for receiving the feed. A chassis 7 with tracks for holding the supporting framework along with the log washer; and hydraulic control banks 13 including hydraulic cylinders F located around the supporting base framework for controlling the lowering and raising of different parts of the set-up. The set-up may further include a trash screen 3, water or sump tank 4, pump 6, hydrocyclone towers 14 or trash screen support 8. The chassis may comprise a trailer having at least two wheels as well as a continuous track, the chassis may comprise 4 stabilising jack legs 9. Also disclosed is method of transitioning a log washer set up between inclined and horizontal transport positions.

Description

IMPROVED LOG WASHER

Object of the Invention This invention relates generally to a log washer, used for disintegrating, scrubbing and washing the faces of tough rocks, clay particles etc., thereby producing a material that is clean and easy to process and particularly, to an improved log washer having a tracked arrangement.

Background to the Invention

This application derives priority from the United Kingdom patent application number 2103537.32, titled "Mobile Wash Plant" and filed on 15th March 2021 in the name of Tyrone International Limited.

The said priority application relates to a fully functional, tracked, mobile wash plant or apparatus specifically designed to alleviate the drawbacks of static wash plants. The tracked mobile wash plant thus includes various components like log washer, vibrating screens, sand plant, conveyors, cyclone towers and sump tank etc. on a single mobile chassis. Such an arrangement helps to achieve full mobility of the set-up, has much quicker speed of installation and the ability to move and transport the plant easily. It is also more economical to install and operate than conventional static plants and does not require prior planning permission As also indicated in the specification of the priority application, the various components comprising the tracked mobile wash plant according to the priority application can be aggregated to form the mobile wash plant unit as a whole as well as can be segregated from one another and exist as individual units, while still retaining the novel and inventive aspect within each component along with the associated benefits of the core invention.

Accordingly, the present invention provides one such segregated component of the tracked mobile wash plant, i.e., an improved tracked log washer mounted on a chassis.

The improved tracked log washer provides several advantages when compared to a static plant. The unit is mobile and can be moved on site easily to new a location or transported on a trailer anywhere. Since it is mobile and can hydraulically move into a transport configuration, there is less manpower, time and crane equipment needed for setup/transport.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides an improved tracked log washer set-up for disintegrating, separating, scrubbing and washing hard rock ore, gravel, limestone and phosphate that have tough, plastic sticky clay contaminants as well as other contaminants from raw material aggregates.

Typically, aggregates are materials commonly used in construction sub-bases, concrete production, drainage and utility schemes. They include mainly sand, gravel and crushed rock.

A log washer is a high energy unit designed to disintegrate and scrub the faces of tough rocks, clay particles etc. and produce a material that is clean and easy to process. It can process and classify both virgin as well as a variety of recycled aggregates and remove contaminates such as silt, clay particles and detritus materials to produce stockpiles of clean materials.

The strength and functioning of a log washer are governed mainly by its three aspects, namely the tub design, the shafts and the gearbox. The length of a log washer directly affects the retention time of the material being washed. Longer wash tubs provide significantly increased retention time, which can further be increased by modifying paddle design and working angles. The shafts of log washers are also available in a variety of diameters.

A log washer can either be a fine material screw washer type or a coarse material screw washer type. Fine Material Screw Washers are widely used for washing, classifying and dewatering solids material that as large as lOmm or smaller whereas coarse material screw washers are widely used for washing crushed stone, aggregates, wood particles and other hard ores that > 5mm which contain the soluble clays and dust coatings.

When selecting a log washer, the type of feed material is taken into consideration. The size and shape of the feed material can affect the capacity of a particular size unit of a log washer.

Normally, height of a log washer is one of the major concerns while considering its movement and transport as an independent unit as well as a part of a washing apparatus or wash plant. A conventional log washer requires vibrating screens to be at a much higher level whereby there is material feeding into the top of the log washer from a pre-screen and out of the log washer onto a trash screen and an aggregate screen.

As a general practice, log washers sit at a slope, normally at angles between zero and 14 degrees, depending upon the severity of the washing action required. The slope of the log washer is so optimized that maximum washing is achieved while also maintaining low power consumption and wear and tear of parts of the washer. For the purpose of washing, log washers are equipped with heavy duty conveying paddles welded to the shafts. When two log shafts rotate in opposite directions, the paddles welded to the shafts overlap so as to get maximum scrubbing action.

In an aspect of the invention, the improved tracked log washer set-up comprises a log washer supporting framework including a rear log washer support frame, a front log washer support frame, stabilizer jack legs and lift arms; a log washer tub or body inclined at an angle to the supporting framework; a log washer feed chute on top face of the log washer tub or body for receiving the feed a chassis with tracks for holding the supporting framework along with the log washer tub or body; and multiple hydraulic control banks including multiple hydraulic cylinders located around the supporting framework for controlling the lowering and raising of different parts of the set-up as and when required.

Optionally, in addition to the above components, the improved tracked log washer according to the invention may include a trash screen, a water or sump tank, a water pump, hydro cyclone towers and a rear chassis trash screen support.

Preferably, the angle of inclination of the log washer body during working position is 9°.

Advantageously, the tracked log washer tub or body includes unique access doors pivoted at the top of the hull which open upwards and provide optimum access to the inner workings of the log washer while still retaining a shorter height to facilitate easy transport.

Advantageously, the tracked log washer is capable of being retracted into a horizontal resting position from the inclined working position so as to enable and facilitate easy movement and transport of the same when not in use.

Preferably, the improved tracked log washer set-up is mounted on a single mobile chassis allowing easy transport of the entire set-up as a single unit.

Preferably, the chassis comprises a trailer having at least two wheels over which a continuous track is run. There are four stabilizing jack legs around the chassis for supporting the entire framework of the log washer set-up when in situ.

Preferably, there are four hydraulic control banks comprising four hydraulic cylinders located around the supporting framework of the log washer set-up.

Preferably, each hydraulic control bank has levers that operate the hydraulic cylinders so as to fold, unfold, push or retract the tracked log washer.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for transitioning the tracked log washer set-up from an inclined working position to a retracted horizontal transport position is provided. Said method includes the following steps: (a) lowering of the trash screen first, when present as an optional component, using a number of hydraulic cylinders of the hydraulic control banks whereby the trash screen runs or slides into guide channels inside the chassis; (b) activating the retracting hydraulic cylinders located on the chassis, to facilitate lowering of the log washer tub or body, by removing four safety pins located on the chassis as well as the two safety pins located on both sides of the log washer supporting framework; (c) lowering of the log washer tub or body angle from a working angle of preferably 9° to a horizontal level by using the activated retracting hydraulic cylinders and control bank levers located on the chassis; (d) securing the retracted log washer tub or body in the horizontal position by reinserting four pins at four locations on the chassis as well as two pins on both sides of the log washer supporting framework.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to just the preferred embodiments but includes all the plausible variants concerning the assembly and operating mechanism of different parts of the log washer.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective isometric view of improved tracked log washer set-up according to the invention, including the optional components; Figure 2 is a front view of the improved tracked log washer set-up, including the optional components; Figure 3 is detailed view of the lifting and retracting means of the log washer, including the hydraulic cylinders, control bank levers and safety pins; Figure 4 is a front view of the improved tracked log washer set-up without the optional components; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the improved tracked log washer set-up without the optional components; Figure 6 is an isometric view of the improved tracked log washer set-up when in retracted or transport position without the optional components; Figure 7 is an isometric view of the improved tracked log washer set-up when in retracted or transport position including the optional components; Figure 8 is a front view of the improved tracked log washer set-up when in retracted or transport position including the optional components; and Figure 9 is a front view of the improved tracked log washer set-up when in retracted or transport position without the optional components.

Detailed Description

The invention will hereafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an improved tracked log washer by way of examples only.

Referring to Figure 1, an improved tracked log washer set-up 100 comprises a log washer tub or body 1 inclined at an angle to the supporting framework 5; a log washer supporting framework 5 including a rear log washer support frame 11, a front log washer support frame 12, stabilizer jack legs 9 and lift arms; a log washer feed chute 10 on top face of the log washer tub or body 1 for receiving the feed; a chassis 7 with tracks for holding the supporting framework along with the log washer; and hydraulic control banks 13 comprising hydraulic cylinders F located around the supporting base framework for controlling the lowering (retracting) and raising (lifting) of different parts of the set-up as and when required.

Referring to Figure 3, the lifting and retracting of the set-up is also facilitated using safety pins K for fixing at or removing from position L as well as safety pins P to be inserted into or removed from position N depending upon the need whether to retract or lift the set-up respectively.

Optionally, in addition to the above components, the improved tracked log washer according to the invention may include a trash screen 3, a water or sump tank 4, a water pump 6, hydro cyclone towers 14 and a rear chassis trash screen support 8.

The improved tracked log washer 100 is capable of being retracted from an inclined working position to a horizontally levelled transport position. A method resulting in such a transition comprises the following steps: (a) lowering of the trash screen 3 first, when the same is present as an optional component, using a number of hydraulic cylinders F of the hydraulic control banks 13 whereby the trash screen 3 runs or slides into guide channels inside the chassis 7; (b) activating the retracting hydraulic cylinders F located on the chassis, to facilitate lowering of the log washer tub or body 1, by removing four safety pins P located on the chassis 7 as well as the two safety pins K located on both sides of the log washer supporting framework 5; (c) lowering of the log washer tub or body 1 angle from a working angle of preferably 9° to a horizontal level by using the activated retracting hydraulic cylinders F and control bank levers located on the chassis 7; (d) securing the retracted log washer tub or body 1 in the horizontal position by reinserting four pins P at four locations on the chassis 7 as well as two pins K on both sides of the log washer supporting framework 5.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of examples only and various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSAn improved tracked log washer set-up (100) comprising a log washer supporting framework (5) including a rear log washer support frame (11), a front log washer support frame (12), multiple stabilizer jack legs (9) and lift arms; a log washer tub or body (1) inclined at an angle to the supporting framework (5); a log washer feed chute (10) on top face of the log washer tub or body (1) for receiving the feed; a chassis (7) with tracks for holding the supporting framework (5) along with the log washer tub or body (1); and multiple hydraulic control banks (13) comprising multiple hydraulic cylinders (F) located around the supporting framework (5) for controlling the lowering and raising of different parts of the set-up (100) as and when required.
2. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising a trash screen (3), a water or sump tank (4), a water pump (6), hydro cyclone towers (14) and a rear chassis trash screen support (8).
3. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein the preferred angle of inclination of the log washer tub or body (1) during working position is 9°.
4. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein the log washer tub or body (1) further comprises access doors pivoted at the top of the hull.
5. The improved tracked log washer set-up as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said access doors open upwards providing optimum access to the inner workings of the log washer body while still retaining a shorter height to facilitate easy transport.
6. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein the set-up is mounted on a single chassis (7) allowing its easy transport as a single unit.
7. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein the chassis (7) comprises a trailer having at least two wheels along with a continuous track running over the trailer.
8. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein the log washer supporting framework (5) includes four stabilizing jack legs (9) located around the chassis (7).
9. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein four hydraulic control banks (13) including four hydraulic cylinders (F) are located around the log washer supporting framework (5).
10. The improved tracked log washer set-up (100) as claimed in the above claims, wherein each hydraulic control bank (13) has levers that operate the hydraulic cylinders (F) so as to either fold, unfold, push or retract the tracked log washer set-up.
11. A method for transifioning the improved tracked log washer set-up (100) from an inclined working position to a retracted horizontal transport position comprising the steps of (a) lowering of the trash screen (3) first, when the same is present as an optional component, using a number of hydraulic cylinders (F) of the hydraulic control banks (13) whereby the trash screen (3) runs or slides into guide channels inside the chassis (7); (b) activating the retracting hydraulic cylinders (F) located on the chassis, to facilitate lowering of the log washer tub or body (1), by removing four safety pins (P) located on the chassis (7) as well as the two safety pins (K) located on both sides of the log washer supporting framework (5); (c) lowering of the log washer tub or body (1) angle from a working angle of preferably 9° to a horizontal level by using the activated retracting hydraulic cylinders (F) and control bank levers located on the chassis (7); (d) securing the retracted log washer tub or body (1) in the horizontal position by reinserting four pins (P) at four locations on the chassis (7) as well as two pins (K) on both sides of the log washer supporting framework (5).