US2021895A - Crusher - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1935. R. c. NEWHCUSE ET AL 2,021,895

CRUSHER Filed May-24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- M m 7 v 9 a 14 a l a 8 9 MHHM Wen 3 v 7. I

M m H m Q 4 3 M o A M w Nov. 26, 1935. v c. NEWH'OYUSE ETAL 2,

GRUSHER F1190 May 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 38 V i ii Patented Nov. 26, 1?35 UNiTED strnrss 2,021,895 onusnnn I my 0. Newhouse and Robert E. StolL Wauwatosa,

Wis, assignors to Allis-Chalmers'Manufactur- Company, Milwaukee,

of Delaware Wis., a corporation Application May 24, 1930, S No. 455,199

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the-artof supporting movable machine elements, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of thrust bearings especially adapted for use in of this specification in which like reference characters designate the sameor similar parts in the connection with crushers or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bearing structure which is capable of effectively resisting relatively high and ,variable pressures. Another object of the invention is to provide simple and emcient means for eiIecting adjustment of a thrust hearing or the like. Still another object of theinvention' is to provide improved means for protecting the elements oi a machine against damage due to abnormal conditions of operation, A further object of the invention is to provide an improved elastic fluid reaction bearing for crushers or the like, that may be adjusted quickly and conveniently to vary the relative position of cooperating crushing .cordance therewith, may be had by referring to 1 the drawings accompanying and forming a part several views.

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a gyratory crusher embodying the improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section through the thrust bearing adjusting-and cushioning means constituting'a featureof the invention.

,Thegyratory crusher shown in Fig. 1 by way of illustration, comprises in general a pair of relatively movable inner and outer crushing members 3,1 normally disposed in predetermined spaced cooperating crushing relationship to form an annular crushing chamber 6 having a discharge opening at its lower extremity; a hollow main shaft 5 movably supporting the head or inner member 3; a rotary eccentric I cooperating with the lower extremity of the main shaft 5 to producegyration of the member 3 relative to the member a motor 9 for rotating the eccentric l at high speed; a drive shaft 8'directly connected at its upper end to the motor 9 and drivingly connected at its lower end to the eccentric I by a means of a driveplate 32; upper, intermediate and lower frames It], 83, i2, respectively, providing supports for the various elements of the crusher; and suspension cables it associated with the intermediate frame it for yieldingly supl0 porting the crusher structure.

The upper extremity of the main shaft 5 is fulcrumed in a spider it supported upon the upper frame it which also provides a fixed support for the concave or outer crushing member 4. The 15 discharge opening of the crushing chamber 6 is directed into the interior of the intermediate frame I d from which the final product is delivered by gravity along the usual discharge chute. The eccentric i is rotatably supported in a guide bear- 20 ing formed in the lower frame 52, and rests upon a thrust bearing 3i secured toathe lower extremity of the frame 62.

The crushing head or inner member 3 rests directly upon an annular floating thrust ring it 25 which is supported by means of a fluid support comprising an annular plunger it and a confined body it of incompressible fluid such as oil. The annular plunger it is vertically movable between inner and outer walls 3t, 2% respectively, 30 which form an annular recess within the bottom of which the oil body it is confined, and the lower portion of which is provided with a stop 28 for supporting the member 3, shaft 5 and the movable'thrust bearing elements, when the oil 35 body It hasbeen removed or the pressure thereon released." The lower portion of the annular plunger It may furthermore be provided with suitable packing H for preventing escape of 'oil from the confined body it.

. Disposed laterally adjacent to the thrust hearing structure, is a cylinder 26 within which a displaceable piston 2! is slidably disposed. The oil body It extends through a passage it and through an annular chamber as into direct contact with the lower face of the piston 2i so that any motion imparted to the plunger it will be transmitted to the piston 2i and vice versa. The lower face of the piston 2i normally coacts with an abutment or stop member 43 formed integral with the cylinder 20, and the upper face of the piston 2! is. exposed to a cushion 22 of elastic fluid such as air under pressure. In order that it may effectively separate the oil body,- I 8 from the I air in the cylinder 20, the piston 2: is provided with cup-shaped packings 48 to the interiors of which pressure may be admitted through ports 45, as shown in Fig. 2.

A pipe 23 communicating with the annular conduit 44 beneath the piston 2|, serves'to either admit oil to or to withdraw oil from the 011 body ,l8. This pipe 23 may be interchangeably connected with an oil supply pump 24, or with the atmosphere through a drain cock 25, to either 1 increase, or decrease the quantity or oil in the body l8. A pet-cock 21 may also be provided for the purpose of removing air from the space.

within which the 011 body I8 is confined, this air release communicating with the highest por- 15 tion of the oil confining space. The upper surface of the piston 2| may also be covered with a bathof oil in order to prevent air from working past the piston packings.

Associated with the top'cover of the cylinder 2 20, is an air admission and release pipe 26, this pipe being provided with a gage 33 in order to permit establishment of a predetermined pressure in the elastic fluidcushion 22. top cover is also provided with a bore within 25 which an auxiliary piston 34 is slidably disposed; The piston 34 is normally urged downwardly by means of a coil spring 35 having one end engaging the piston 34 and having its opposite end reacting against an adjustable plug 38. The plug 3 36 carries a vertically adjustable central guide 39 which may be raised or lowered with respect to the plug 36 and locked into adjusted position by means of a nut 40; Snugly fitting the bore of the guide 33 but vertically movable therein, is 35 a plunger 38 having a movable contact 4| associated with the upper extremity thereof. An air release valve 31 carried by the auxiliary piston 34 has a stem movable'in alinement with the plunger 38. The movable contact 4| which is 40 carried by the plunger 38 is adapted under certain conditions which will be hereinafter described, to engage a flxedcontact 42 carried by the vertically adjustable guide 38. The contacts- 4|, 42 control mechanism for stopping the motor 45 9 when these contacts come. into engagement with each other.

.When the crusher is operating normally,- a predetermined pressure is established in, the air cushion 22, suflicient to hold the piston 2| against 50 the abutment 43 and to maintain the oil body 18 under such pressure as will prevent the annu -lar plunger l6 from moving under normal crushing conditions. The main shaft 5 is normally being, gyratedrat relatively high speed by the eccen-' 5 5 tric I which is. driven by the motor 9 through the drive shaft 3 and the connecting plate 32, and material is being crushed in the chamber 6 by virtue of this gyration of the shaft 5. Gyration of the shaft 5 is imparted to the inner member 3 co which imparts a'rapid succession of blows to the material advancing by gravity through the chamber 8, and the vertical crushing reaction is taken by the thrust bearing located directly beneath the head or inner member l.

05 If an abnormally hard piece of material such 1 as a piece of steel is admittedto the crushing chamber 8 between the members ,3, 4, the pres-. sure upon the thrust bearing'becomes abnormal, thereby subjecting the fluid body I. to abnormal 70 pressure which is transmitted through the passage l3 and conduit 44 to the lower face of the piston 2|. If theabnormal pressure becomes sufllcient to overcome the resistance set up by ,the elastic cushion 22, the piston-2| moves upwardly thereby increasing the pressure in the The cylindercushion 22. If the abnormal condition continues to prevail and to move the piston 2| upwardly, the pressure within the cushion 22 eventually increases to such an extent that the auxiliary piston 34 is moved upwardly against the resistance 5 offered by the spring 35, causing the stem of the valve 31 which is held shut by the pressure prevailing in the cushion 22, to engage the plunger 38 and to move the contact 4| into engagement with the contact 42. This engagement 'of the 1 contacts 4|, 42 causes the motor 3 to stop. If, however, the pressure within the chamber 22 continues to rise suiiiciently to cause the auxiliary piston 34 to travel upwardly beyond a position corresponding to closing of the contacts 4|, 42,- then the valve 31 will be opened by the plunger 38 and the pressure within the cushion 22 will be relieved by virtue of air escaping past the open valve 31 to theatmosphere. If the pressure within the cushion 22 is thus relieved, this pressure must be re-established by admission of air through the connection 26 after the abnormal condition of operation has been removed. The air connection 26 also serves to relieve the pressure in the cushion 22 whenever 25 desired, and the weight of the inner member 3, shaft 5 and movable thrust bearing elements is supported upon the stop 28 when the air has been thus released from the cushion 22.

If it becomes desirable to change the spaced 30 relationship of the cooperating crushing members to vary the size of the discharge opening associated with the crushing chamber 6, this may be readily accomplished. By opening the drain cock 25 and removing some of the oil from the body I8, the inner crushing member 3 may be lowered thereby increasing the size of the discharge opening. If it is desired to decrease the size of this discharge opening, the pump 24 may be operated to increase the quantity of oil in the body l8 thereby raising the inner member 3. An indicatorsuch as shown at the upper end of the crusher shaft 5 may be provided in order to determine the degree of adjustment of the thrust bearing. It is important to remove all 5 air from direct contact with the oil body I8, and such removal of air may be readily efiected with the aid of the pet-cock 21.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention in fact provides improved bearing structure comprising a confined fluid body, which is capable of effectively resisting relatively high and variable pressures. The size of the discharge opening of the crushing chamber 5 may be readily varied in a relatively short period'of time, to suit any desired degree of reduction of the material demanded by the operator. The elastic cushion 22 provides simple and effective means for protecting the elements of the machine against damage due to abnormal 0 conditions of operation. If the piece of abnormally hard material admitted to the crushing chamber 6 is of such size that it is capable of passing through the discharge opening, then the operation of the machine will not be stopped, but 5 the cushion 22 will function to automatically permit passage of the abnormally hard piece without damaging the structure. If the abnormally hard piece of material is so large that it will not pass through the discharge opening, then the 7 operation of the machine will be stopped, as hereinabove described, before damage of parts results.

While the improvement is especially applicable to machines such as crushers of various types, it will be apparent that the novel features are more generally applicable to machines of any type whichare, liable to be subjected to similar abnormal conditions of operation, or wherein an adjustable thrust bearing structure is desired. 5 The invention has proven to be highly successful in commercial in connection with gyratory crushers, and the practicability of the principles involved has been thoroughly demonstrated.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of manipulating and of operating mechanisms built in M- cordance therewith, for various modificationswithin the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent: I

1. In combination, a pair of members cooperat ,ing to form a crushing chamber, means for causing relative movement of said members to crush material, a liquid support for carrying one of said members, means forming a chamber, a piston in said chamber having one face exposed to the liquid constituting said support and having its opposite face exposed to a source of elastic fluid under pressure and a stop for said piston disposed to limit its movement under the influence of said elastic fluid.

2. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyratingj said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a fluid support for said inner member, and a fluid cushion cooperating with said support to permit movement of said inner member relative to said outer member to vary the size of said opening.

'3. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber, an ec- 4O centric for gyrating said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a. fluid support for said inner member, and a fluid cushion cooperating with said support to establish a predetermined normal supporting resistance at said support.

4. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber, an cccentric for gyrating said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a fluid support for said inner member, and a fluid cushion cooperating with said support to permit dis-'- placement thereof uponattainment of anabnormal condition in said chamber.

5. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating" to form a crushing chamber having,

a. discharge opening, aneccentric for gyrating mid inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a fluid support for said inner member, a fluid cushion coacting with said sup- 0 port, and means for varying the quantity of fluid in said support to efiect variation .of the size of said discharge opening. v r

6. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyrating said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a liquid support for said inner member, means forming a chamber, and a piston in said chamber having one face exposed to. the

liquid constituting said support and having its opposite face exposed to a source of elastic fluid under pressure.

7. In combinatidn, innerand outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyrating moving means.

said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, a liquid support for said inner member, means forming a chamber communicating with said support, a piston in said chamber.

having one face exposed to the liquid constitut- 5 ing said support and having its opposite face exposed to a source-oi elastic fluid under pressure. and-means for varying thequantity or liquid in said support to effect variation of the size of said discharge opening.

8. In combination, a pair of members cooperating to form a crushing chamber, means for causing relative movement ofsaid members to crush material, a liquid support for one of said members, means forming a chamber communi- 15 eating with said support, a piston in said chamber having one face exposed ,to the liquid constituting said support and having its opposite face exposed to a source of elastic fluid under pressure, and means operable by movement of said 20 piston for stoppingthe movement of said member 9. In combinatiominner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric ior gyrating 26 said inner member relative to the outer member to crush material, a liquid support for said irmer member, meansforming a chamber communicating with said support, a piston in said cham- I ber having one race exposed to the liquid conso stituting said support and having its opposite face exposed-to a source oi'elastic fluid under pressure, and means operable by movement of said piston to stop the movement of said eccentric.

10. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form a crushing chamber, an eccentric for moving said inner memberrelative to said outer member to crush material, a thrust bearingfor said inner member comprising a body 4, of oil, and an air cushion cooperating with said oil to establish-a predetermined normal supporting resistance at said thrust bearing.

- 11. In combination, inner and outer members,

an eccentric for gyrating said inner member rel- 4,5

ative to said outer member, a fluid support for saidinner member, a fluid cushion coacting with tity of fluid in said support to efiect variation in 5a the relative position of said members.

12. In combination, inner and outermembers, an eccentric'for moving said inner member relative to said outer member, a thrust bearingfor said inner member comprisinga body of oil, and 55 anair cushion cooperating with said body of oil to establish a predetermined normal supporting resistance at said thrust bearing.

13. In combination, a, pair .of relatively movable crushing members arranged in spaced relation so so as to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, a reaction support comprising a confined body of liquid and a piston member, one of said crushing members floating on said support so as to normally maintain a prcdeterdo mined discharge opening, elastic fluid cushionedmeans for normally opposing the pressure within the liquid of said support and operable in response to a reaction thrust in excess of a predetermined value for permitting said floating crush- '70 ing member to move and increase said discharge bpening, and means for varying the quantity of liquid in said reaction support to eiIect a variation in the size of said discharge opening.

14. In a crusher ving a pair or crushing l5 members arranged in spaced relation so as to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, the combination of a liquid supported thrust bearing-for normally supporting one of said members so as to maintain a predetermined discharge opening, means for moving said one of saidcrushing members relative to the other to crush material, and means for relieving excessive crushing reaction on said thrus'vbearing comprising a piston member having one face in contact with the liquid in said thrust bearing and another face in contact with a body of elastic fluid, and also comprisinga stop member against which said elastic fluid normally biases said piston member.

15. In a crusher having a pair of relatively movable crushing members arranged in spaced relation so as to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening, the combination of a liquid supported thrust bearing for normally supporting one of said members so as to maintain a predetermined discharge opening, means for moving said crushing members relatively to crush material, and means operable upon occurrence of an excessive crushing reaction on said thrust bearing to increase said discharge opening, said last mentioned means comprising a piston memher having one face in contact with the liquid in said thrust bearing and having another face in contact with a body of elastic fluid normally under greater pressure than said liquid, and also comprising a stop member against which said body of fluid normally biases said piston member.

16. In combination, a pair of crushing members arranged to form a crushing chamber, means for causing one of said members to revolve relative to the other to crush material means for resisting the crushing thrust on said revolvable member, said last mentioned means comprising a body of liquid under pressure and'also comprising a piston having a face in contact with said body .of liquid and another face in contact with a conflned'body of elastic fluid under normally greater pressure than the pressure of said liquid whereby saidpiston is displaceable upon occurrence of a crushing reaction on said thrust bearing in excess of apredetermined value to permit a separation of said crushing members,

. stop means disposed to so limit movementof said piston that greater pressure may be maintained in said elastic fluid than in said liquid, and means responsive to a pressure within said body of elastic fluid in excess of a predetermined value for discharging a portion of said body of fluid tov atmosphere.

17. In a crusher the combination of a crushing member, a second crushing member, means.-

arrangedto normally hold said second crushing member in spaced relation with said flrst mentioned crushing member so as to form a discharge opening therebetween, said holding means comprising. a reaction thrust support having a body of liquid normally under a predetermined pressure, means for causing said second crush-,-

' ing member to move relative to said first mensaid discharge opening upon occurrence of excessive crushing reactions.

18. In a crusher having a stationary crushing member and a movable crushing member cooperating therewith to form a crushing chamber 5 having a discharge'opening, the combination of an oil support arranged to support said movable crushing member, means forming a chamber communicating with said oil support, a piston slidable in said chamber and having one face thereof exposed to the oil of said support, an air cushion within said chamber in contact with the opposite face of said piston, and a stop member associated with said chamber, the pressure of said air cushion normally being greater than the pressure of 15 said oil so that said piston is normally biased against said stop member. I 19. In combination, a movable member normally subject to thrusts varying within permissible limits, a thrust bearing-device arranged to 20 support said movable member and comprising a body of liquid normally varying in pressure within limits due to said varying thrusts, a chamber in communication with said body of liquid, 2.- piston within said chamber having one face subject to the pressure of said body of liquid, a stop member associated with said chamber and a body of elastic fluid within said chamber arranged to 'exert a force on the opposite face of said piston greater thanthe force exerted by said body of 30 liquid so as to normally bias said piston into engagement with said stop member,; the pressure of said body of elastic fluid being so predeter- .mined with respect to the upper limit of said limits of liquid pressure that said movablemem- 35 her is displaceable only upon occurrence of a thrust in excess of said permissible limits.

. 20. In combination, a pair of members, means for moving one of said members relative to the other, a thrust support for resisting variable 40 thrusts on said movable member, said thrust support comprising a body of liquid subject to variable pressures, a fluid cushion comprising a body of elastic fluid normally under greater pressure than the pressure of said body of liquid, a dis- 45 placeable element interposed between said body of liquid and said body of fluid, said body of fluid normally biasing said displaceable element to a limiting position, and means for varying the normal pressure of said body of fluid so as to vary 50 the maximum thrust said thrust support is capable of resisting.

21. In combination, inner and outer members, means for imparting a rotary motion to said inner member relative to said outer member, a 55 thrust bearing device arranged to support said inner member, said device comprising a body of liquid under pressure, a displaceable piston having one face subject to the pressure of said liquid,

means arranged to limit the displacement of said 60 .piston, and resilient cushioning means comprising a body of compressible fluid arranged to urge said piston against said limiting means in opposition to the force on said piston caused by said liquid, whereby displacement of said inner member relative to said outer member ispermitted only when the thrust on said inner member ex- ,ceeds a predetermined amount;

22. A crusher comprising relatively movable crushing members, means including'a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain saidcrushing members in cooperating crushing relationship, means including .a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon said liquid to yieldingly urge said crushing members into 75 disposed to exert lationship,

, 2,021,805 crushing relationship in such manner as to permit relative displacement thereof under abnormal crushing conditions, means separating said elastic fluid from said liquid, and means acting uponsaid separating means to limit'the movement thereof under the influence said elastic fluid to normally relatively position said cooperating crushing members in predetermined crushing relationship.

23. A crusher comprising relatively movable crushing members, means including a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain said crushing members in cooperating crushing relationship, means including a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon said liquid to yieldingly urge said crushing members into crushing relationship in such manner as to permit relative displacement thereof under abnormal crushing conditions, means separating said elastic fluid from said liquid, means acting upon said separating means to limit the movement thereof under the influence of said elastic fluid to normally relatively position said cooperating members in predetermined crushing relationship, and means for varying the quantity of liquid in said crushing member supporting means to adjust the normal crushing relationship of said crushing members. I

24. A crusher comp ing relatively movable crushing members, means including a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain said crushing members in cooperating crushing relationship, means including a confined body of elastic fluid pressure upon said liquid to yieldingly urge said, crushing members into crushing relationship in such manner as to permit relative displacement thereoi under abnormal crushing conditions, means separating said elastic fluid from said liquid, means acting upon said separating means to limit the movement thereof under the influence of said elastic fluid to normally relatively position said cooperating crushing members in predetermined crushing reand means for changing the normal crushing relationship or said crushing members including means for changing the relative position of said separating means and one of said crushing members.

25. A crusher comprising relatively movable cooperating crushing members, means including a confined body of inelastic fluid disposed to maintain said crushing members in normal crushing relationship, yielding means including tionship.

. g s a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure on said conflnedbody-oi' inelastic fluid I to tend to move said crushing members toward each other and adapted to yield to permit movement apart of said crushing members under abnormal crushing conditions,

means separating said elastic fluid irom said inelastic fluid, and means acting on said fluid separating means for limiting the .movement of said yielding means in moving said crushing members toward each other to position said crushing members normally in predetermined spaced relationship.

26. Apparatus comprising relatively movable cooperating members, means including a confined body of inelastic fluid disposed to maintain said members in normal cooperating relayielding means including a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon said conflnedbody of inelastic fluid to tend to-cause'relative movement of said members in one direction and adapted to yield to permit relative movement thereof in another direction under abnormal conditions, means separating said elastic fluid from said inelastic fluid, and means acting on said fluid separating means for limiting the movement of said yielding means under the influence of said elastic fluid to thereby position said cooperating members normally in predetermined spaced relationship.

27. Apparatus cooperating members, means including a .confined body of inelastic fluid disposed to maintain said members in normal cooperating relationship, yielding means including a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure 35 upon said confined body of inelastic fluid to tend to cause relative movement of said members in one direction and adapted to yield to permit relative movement thereof in another direction under abnormal conditions, means separating said elaso tic fluid from said inelastic fluid, means acting on said fluid separating means for limiting the movement of said yielding means under the influence of said elastic fluid to thereby position said cooperating members normally in predeterg5 mined spaced relationship, and means for changing the normal spaced relationship of said cooperating members including means to change the position of said fluid separating means relative to one 0! said cooperating members. so

RAY c. NnwHoUs'E. ROBERT E. STOLL.

comprising relatively movable

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