US3761025A

US3761025A - Rock crusher and grinding mill

Info

Publication number: US3761025A
Application number: US00247015A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Young
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-04-24
Filing date: 1972-04-24
Publication date: 1973-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-25

Abstract

A rock crusher and grinding mill combination adapted for use in grinding rock aggregate to a usable size for commercial and industrial purposes. The combination includes a horizontal metal base plate rock grinding member having an upstanding vertical center post with a rotatable hub member mounted thereon and having a hub with a sleeve bearing and a universal joint coupling mounted thereon for horizontal rotation, vertical sliding rise and fall action and free movement in all directions, and a rock grinding roller member affixed to said rotatable hub member. The said roller member having a plurality of roller units with each said unit having rollers mounted on a drive shaft connected to power means for travel around said center post with each of said rollers adapted for a toe-in position with said center post and for a skidding sideslip or rubbing action on the material placed on said base plate.

Description

United States Patent [191 Young Sept. 25, 1973 [52] US. Cl 241/107, 241/110, 241/126 [51] Int. Cl. B02c 15/00, B02c 15/14 [58] Field of Search 241/107, 109, 110,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1918 Lane 241/109 X 12/1950 Newcomb et a1 241/109 Primary Examiner.1ames L. Jones, Jr. Assistant Examiner-E. F. Desmond Attorney-Blythe D. Watts et a].

[5 7] ABSTRACT A rock crusher and grinding mill combination adapted for use in grinding rock aggregate to a usable size for commercial and industrial purposes. The combination includes a horizontal metal base plate rock grinding member having an upstanding vertical center post with a rotatable hub member mounted thereon and having a hub with a sleeve bearing and a universal joint coupling mounted thereon for horizontal rotation, vertical sliding rise and fall action and free movement in all directions, and a rock grinding roller member affixed to said rotatable hub member. The said roller member having a plurality of roller units with each said unit having rollers mounted on a drive shaft connected to power means for travel around said center post with each of said rollers adapted for a toe-in position with said center post and for a skidding sideslip or rubbing action on the material placed on said base plate.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ROCK CRUSHER AND GRINDING MILL BACKGROUND 1. Field of Invention This invention relates primarily to the art of grinding and crushing rock and rock aggregates and the removal of earthy material from said rock material and particularly to the field of grinding and crushing rocks-and rock aggregates for reducing such rock material to usable sizes and for removing therefrom the earthy materials, such as clay, for commercial and industrial purposes.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art which is known in the grinding and crushing field including the rock and rock aggregate field is U. S. Pat. No. 13,996 to Ripley for grain mill; U. S. Pat. No. 42,055 to Webster et al. for clay mills; U. S. Pat. No. 563,145 to Duffield and Taylor for crushing and grinding cement clinkers; U. S. Pat. No. 3,408,052 to Simmons for method of milling; U. S. Pat. No. 3,458,142 to Berz'for roller-crushing mill and U. S. Pat. No. 3,610,414 to Harold Zumalt for crushing and screening apparatus.

SUMMARY In contrast with the prior rock grinding and crushing art in the field of roller or rotating grinding and crushing apparatus, the present invention avoids the disadvantages found in such art in the following respects, among others: The combination of the invention includes a plurality of grinding roller units traveling on a fixed base plate member having a vertical fixed center post carrying thereon a rotatable hub member having a bearing sleeve slidably mounted for vertical rise and fall action and a universal joint coupling coupled to said bearing sleeve for free movement of said hub member in all directions. The said roller units are affixed to said hub member for rotating thereabout with free movement in all directions. Each such roller unit includes a power means connected to a rotatable drive shaft mounted in each said roller unit and extending outwardly from said centerpost. There are several rollers, preferably four in number, mounted in spaced relation on each said drive shaft; The said drive shaft of each said unit is positioned off of the centerline of said center post to give each roller a toe-in placement with respect to said center post to provide a skidding sideslip or rubbing action on the material placed on the base.

plate of the combination and to move such material from a center feed area after being ground through the rotational movement of the inner roller of each unit adjacent the center post outwardly toward the rollers next thereto for progressive and successive grinding by such rollers and for the completion of the grinding operation when the material has moved outwardly from the outermost roller.

An important advantage of the invention over the prior art is found in the combination which performs its function by using the material to be ground as an integral part of the grinding operation. Another advantage is that the grinding units are free to wobble and rise or fall, thus permitting the rotating grinders thereof to maintain, throughout the grinding area, a continuous surface contact with the uneven material surface and varied thickness of the material being ground. Another advantage is the improvement in the quality and the quantity of the products produced thereby. Still another advantage is the ability to increase or decrease the grinding or crushing effect on the material as desired. Another advantage is in the use of roller units having either elastic tire or non-elastic tire grinding surfaces. Another advantage is found in a machine that is simple of design and inexpensive to manufacture as well as operating costs.

Other advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments as applied illustratively to a rock crusher and grinding mill machine.

THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which conventional parts are omitted or merely indicated to clarify the specification.

In the drawings: 7

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view showing the rollers in two of the roller unit frames and power means connected thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, elevational view showing the roller unit, base plate, center post, rotatable hub, scrapers, sleeve bearing, universal joint couplingand water connections taken partly in section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the roller unit showing in detail a roller, water sprinkler and power means with a belt drive therefrom to a drive shaft taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, elevational view, partly in section, showing the bolt and nut mounting between the inner end of the roller unit frame at its midpoint and the rotatable hub on the center post as taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, elevational view, partly in section, showing a bolt and nut mounting between the inner end of the roller unit frame adjacent its side juncture and the rotatable hub on the center post as taken on the lines-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, elevational view of the center post and universal joint assembly.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The rock grinding and crushing apparatus of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The rock material supply hopper associated therewith may be of any suitable structure, preferably mounted centrally above the rock grinding apparatus and having one or more chutes to deliver the said rock material to the central feed area of said base plate-apparatus. The water sprinkler system may be of any suitable structure and is used for removing the deleterious material from the rock aggregate material and for reducing the air pollution created by such material during the crushing and grinding operation. The roller tires may be of any suitable structure and preferably rubber tires for reducing the noise factor during the crushing and grinding operation. The power means may be by electrical motor or internal combustion motor as desired.

It will be seen that the apparatus combination of the invention comprises a base plate rock grinding member A, a rotatable hub member B and a rock grinding roller cular flange 12 mounted on the circumference of said base plate 1 1, an axially aligned circular aperture 13 in said base plate 11, a vertically positioned tubular center post 14 mounted on said base plate 11 and over said aperture 13 and in axial alignment therewith, apertures 15 in the base plate 1 l spaced apart around said center post 14 and a water sprinkler supply line of pipe 16 below said base plate 11 and extending from a source (not shown) laterally to an L-shaped fitting 17 and rotary joint 17a mounted thereon and a collar 18 having a position locking set screw 18a mounted thereon in axial alignment with said aperture 13 and upwardly therefrom through said tubular center post 14 to a pipe tee coupling 19 threaded thereon above the top end 20 of said tubular center post 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the said rotatable hub member B includes a hub bearing seat 30 fixedly mounted centrally on said center post 14, a sleeve bearing 31 slidably mounted on said bearing seat 30, a rotatable hub or nave 32 with a hub axle wall 320 having a universal joint coupling 33 coupled to said sleeve bearing 31 and said axle wall 32a, the said hub member B being rotatably and slidably mounted on said center post 14 for rise and fall vertical movement through said bearing sleeve 31 and for free movement in all directions through said universal joint coupling 33 during the rotation of said hub 32, the said sleeve bearing 31 has a shoulder 34 adjacent its upper end for use, if desired, as a mounting for the material supply hopper, the said hub 32 has bars 35 radiating therefrom.

The said hub member B also includes a rim 36 spaced apart from said hub 32 and supported by and affixed to said bars 35. The said rim 36 has a polygonal outer edge 37 of equal sides 37a, preferably forming a regular hexagon, and a circular inner edge 38 and having a water channel 39 adjacent its said inner edge 38.

The said rim 36 has aperture 40 adjacent the said outer edge 37 positioned at the midpoint of each of such polygonal side 37a and a pair of apertures 41 positioned adjacent each angle of said polygonal sides 37a. The said

apertures

40 and 41 are adapted to receive

bolts

42 and 43, respectively, for attachment of units of said roller member C. v

As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply pipe 16 branches from said pipe tee coupling 19 through hose extensions in opposite directions to connections such as L-shaped fittings 44 in said water channel 39 of the rim 36.

As further shown in FIG. 2, the said hub 32 has adjustable plow type angling scraper units 45 attached thereto and for rotation therewith. The said scraper units 45 are positioned with their scraper blades 46 adjacent the said base plate 11 and directly below the material chutes 47. The said scraper units 45 have a truncated conical sleeve 48 mounted for rotation around the said center post 14 adjacent said base plate 11 and arms 49 connecting said scraper blades 46 to said sleeve 48.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the said rock grinding roller member C includes a plurality of similar rock grinding roller units 60. Each such unit has a rectangular carriage frame 61 with an inner end rail 62 and an outer end rail 63 that is substantially equal to one of the polygonal sides 37a of the said outer edge 37 of said rim 36 of the hub member B and having

side rails

64 and 65, respectively, of adequate length to enclose a roller unit 60.

Each of said carriage frames 61 has a U-shaped frame 66 mounted on the outer end rail 63 thereof and in horizontal alignment therewith and a similar U-shaped frame 67 mounted on the side rail 64 thereof adjacent the said outer end rail 63 and in horizontal alignment with said carriage frame 61. The said U-shaped frame 67 is adapted to receive weights to be added where needed for the grinding operation.

Each of said carriage frames 61 has a rotatable drive shaft 68 mounted thereon by means of a journaled bearing 69 mounted under the inner rail 62 and a journaled bearing 70 mounted under the U-shaped frame 66 and a similar journaled bearing 70 on the frame 63 and positioned in radial alignment with said hub 32.

Each such rotatable drive shaft 68 has a plurality of roller wheels 71, preferably four in number, fixedly mounted in spaced relation thereon for rotation therewith and each such wheel 71 has a rock grinding tire 72 mounted thereon, preferably a pneumatic rubber tire as shown.

The drive shaft 68 of each roller wheel unit 60 has an inner roller wheel spacer 73 or'a like outer roller wheel spacer 74 mounted thereon for the adjustable alignment of the roller wheel tire path of circular travel of said wheels on the base plate. The inner wheel spacer 73 is positioned adjacent the inner journaled bearing 69 and the outer wheel spacer 74 is positioned adjacent the outer bearing 70. The tire paths of the wheel tires may be changed as desired for travel on an inner path or an outer path or travel in alternate paths through the placement of the respective spacers 73 and 74.

Further the said drive shaft 68 of each roller unit 60 is connected for rotation to a power supply means 75 in any suitable manner, preferably as shown, through a shaft mounted gear reducer with pulley housing 76 fixedly mounted thereon adjacent the outer journaled bearing 70 and through a V belt 77 to a variable speed pulley 78 of an electric motor 79 in alignment therewith. The said motor 79 being mounted on the U- shaped frame 66 of the frame 61 adjacent the end rail 63 thereof.

The electric power source for a motor may be as desired such as being taken off of a central contact ring (not shown) in the tubular center post 14 and brought to said motor through wires laid on the hub bars 35 and side rails 65 of the frame 61.

The water supply system is extended from the water channel 39 of the hub member B to the rock grinding member C by tapping a hole 80 in the said water channel 39 adjacent the forward side rail 65 of each roller unit 60 and attaching thereto one end of a water hose 81. The other end of said hose 81 is attached to a horizontal spray bar 82 having spaced apart nozzles 83 and which is mounted on said side rail 65 and positioned below said rail 65 with the nozzles directed toward the base plate 11 as is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

It has been found that when the said frame 60 is pivoted toward the rail 65 so that the said drive shaft 68 is 6 degrees 05 of the center line of said center post 14, it will provide satisfactory toe-in placement of the tires 72 for a skidding sideslip rubbing action on the material placed on the base plate 11.

It will be seen that since the said rock grinding roller members C are pivotally mounted in apertures 40 at the midpoint of the frame rail 62 that the grinding tires 1 will rotate on the rock material placed on the base plate 11 so that the rock material is a grinding element of the operation resulting from the said toe-in placement of the tires 72.

Further, it will be seen that the hub member B is slidably mounted on said center post 14 for vertical slidable movement thereon and is additionally mounted thereon through a universal joint coupling for free movement in all directions and that the rock grinding roller member C is pivotally connected to said hub member B so that the said grinder wheel tires 72 of said member C are free to maintain contact and grinding action on the material being ground whether the surface of, and thickness of, the material is uniform orvaried.

Having thus described this invention in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, and having set forth the best mode contemplated of carrying out this invention, 1 state that the subject matter which I regard as being my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in what is claimed, it being understood that equivalents or modifications of, or substitutions for, parts of the above specifically described embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A rock crusher and grinding mill apparatus, as described, for grinding rock aggregate, the said apparatus comprising:

a. an apparatus support frame having a horizontal rock grinding base plate means mounted thereon and material supply chute meansmounted thereabove for depositing rock material on the rock grinding area thereof, and means for retaining said material in the rock grinding area, thesaid base plate having an upstanding vertical tubular center post mounted centrally thereon,

b. a hub means mounted on said center post as the axle thereof and having a rotatable hub for horizontal rotation around said center post, the said hub having slidable and universal joint coupling means for free movement in all directions during the rotation thereof, the said hub having spaced apart support bars radiating outwardly to a rim means of said hub means, the said rim means being mounted on said support bars adjacent the outer ends thereof,

c. rock grinding roller means pivotally attached to said hub rim means of said hub means for rotation therewith around said center post as an axle, d. the said rock grinding roller means comprising a plurality of grinding roller units having a carriage support frame means and a drive shaft'for each such unit, the drive shafts having joumaled bearings mounted on said carriage support frame means in radial alignment with said center post and a plurality of roller wheel grinders fixedly mounted on said drive shafts for rotation therewith,

e. power means for each said grinding roller unit mounted on said carriage support frame and rotatively connected to each said drive shaft for the rotation thereof,

f. water spray pipe means extending from a rotary pipe joint within said center post bypiping to said carriage support frames and to spray nozzles adjacent said roller wheel grinders to provide water for scrubbing the material and removal of substantial earthy materials and reducing air pollution during the grinding operation, and

g. offsetting means on said carriage support frames for ofisetting said drive shafts from radial alignment with said center post axle for toe-in and side slip action of said roller wheel grinders.

2. The rock crushing and grinding mill apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the base plate has a circumferential flange mounted thereon to retain the grinding material in the grinding area.

3. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the base plate means has a scraper means having at least one adjustable blade mounted on said hub means with the said blade adjacent said base plate to move the material for grinding into the grinding area of said base plate.

4. The said rock crushing and grinding mill apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the said hub of said hub means has the said universal joint coupling assembly coupled to the hub axle wall thereof and to a sleeve bearing slidably mounted for vertical movement on a bearing seat attached to said center post and for free universal joint movement in all directions for said hub means and said rock grinding roller means.

5. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 4 wherein the roller wheel grinders maintain continuous surface contact with the uneven material surface and varied thickness of the material during the grinding action. a i

6. The rock crushing and grinding mill apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the said hub means has a hub with at least three spaced apart support bars radiating outwardly therefrom and having rim means mounted thereon adjacent the outer ends thereof.

7. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer edge of said hub rim means is a regular hexagon and the said carriage support frame means is a rectangular frame and having the inner rail of each saidcarriage support frame of said rock grinding roller means aligned with said hexagon side and having said frame inner rail pivotally connected to said rim centrally thereof.

8. The rock crushing and grinding mill defined in claim 7 in which the said offsetting means on said carriage support frames are slot apertures in the inner rails thereof adjacent each end and aligned slot apertures in the said hub rim means and having adjustable securing means therefor in said slots. I

9. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the hub rim mean-s has a water channel therein connected to said spray water means piping with outlet ports therein adjacent each said grinding roller unit for distributing water to said spray nozzles thereof.

10. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the roller wheel grinders have replaceable grinder tires mounted thereon.

11. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 10 in which the grinder tires are treaded pneumatic rubber tires.

12. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the said grinding roller units have at least two said roller wheel grinders mounted on each said drive shaft thereof.

13. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 12 in which the spacing of the roller grinder wheels on the drive shaft of a roller unit is offset from the spacing of the roller grinding wheels on the adja- 15. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in cent drive shafts. claim 1 in which the carriage support frame means has 14. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in a side frame mounted thereon adapted to receive claim 1 in which the power means are electric motors weights for added grinding pressure on hard rock matehaving a power take-off from a central ring contact on rial.

the said center post.

Claims

1. A rock crusher and grinding mill apparatus, as described, for grinding rock aggregate, the said apparatus comprising: a. an apparatus support frame having a horizontal rock grinding base plate means mounted thereon and material supply chute means mounted thereabove for depositing rock material on the rock grinding area thereof, and means for retaining said material in the rock grinding area, the said base plate having an upstanding vertical tubular center post mounted centrally thereon, b. a hub means mounted on said center post as the axle thereof and having a rotatable hub for horizontal rotation around said center post, the said hub having slidable and universal joint coupling means for free movement in all directions during the rotation thereof, the said hub having spaced apart support bars radiating outwardly to a rim means of said hub means, the said rim means being mounted on said support bars adjacent the outer ends thereof, c. rock grinding roller means pivotally attached to said hub rim means of said hub means for rotation therewith around said center post as an axle, d. the said rock grinding roller means comprising a plurality of grinding roller units having a carriage support frame means and a drive shaft for each such unit, the drive shafts having journaled bearings mounted on said carriage support frame means in radial alignment with said center post and a plurality of roller wheel grinders fixedly mounted on said drive shafts for rotation therewith, e. power means for each said grinding roller unit mounted on said carriage support frame and rotatively connected to each said drive shaft for the rotation thereof, f. water spray pipe means extending from a rotary pipe joint within said center post by piping to said carriage support frames and to spray nozzles adjacent said roller wheel grinders to provide water for scrubbing the material and removal of substantial earthy materials and reducing air pollution during the grinding operation, and g. offsetting means on said carriage support frames for offsetting said drive shafts from radial alignment with said center post axle for toe-in and side slip action of said roller wheel grinders.

5. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 4 wherein the roller wheel grinders maintain continuous surface contact with the uneven material surface and varied thickness of the material during the grinding action.

7. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer edge of said hub rim means is a regular hexagon and the said carriage support frame means is a rectangular frame and having the inner rail of each said carriage support frame of said rock grinding roller meanS aligned with said hexagon side and having said frame inner rail pivotally connected to said rim centrally thereof.

8. The rock crushing and grinding mill defined in claim 7 in which the said offsetting means on said carriage support frames are slot apertures in the inner rails thereof adjacent each end and aligned slot apertures in the said hub rim means and having adjustable securing means therefor in said slots.

9. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the hub rim means has a water channel therein connected to said spray water means piping with outlet ports therein adjacent each said grinding roller unit for distributing water to said spray nozzles thereof.

13. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 12 in which the spacing of the roller grinder wheels on the drive shaft of a roller unit is offset from the spacing of the roller grinding wheels on the adjacent drive shafts.

14. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the power means are electric motors having a power take-off from a central ring contact on the said center post.

15. The rock crushing and grinding mill as defined in claim 1 in which the carriage support frame means has a side frame mounted thereon adapted to receive weights for added grinding pressure on hard rock material.