Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B02—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING
  • B02C—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN
  • B02C17/00—Disintegrating by tumbling mills, i.e. mills having a container charged with the material to be disintegrated with or without special disintegrating members such as pebbles or balls
  • B02C17/18—Details
  • B02C17/24—Driving mechanisms
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B02—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING
  • B02C—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN
  • B02C17/00—Disintegrating by tumbling mills, i.e. mills having a container charged with the material to be disintegrated with or without special disintegrating members such as pebbles or balls
  • B02C17/04—Disintegrating by tumbling mills, i.e. mills having a container charged with the material to be disintegrated with or without special disintegrating members such as pebbles or balls with unperforated container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B02—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING
  • B02C—CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN
  • B02C17/00—Disintegrating by tumbling mills, i.e. mills having a container charged with the material to be disintegrated with or without special disintegrating members such as pebbles or balls
  • B02C17/18—Details

Definitions

• This invention relates to the field of powder metals preparation. More particularly, it is an improvement on the ball milling process to allow a operator to set up a ball mill can on the rollers of a ball mill stand withou centering or modifying the position of the can.
• a ball mill In the preparation of powder metals a ball mill can contains the bulk metal and a powderizing media typically a quantity of hardened spherica balls.
• the powderizing media converts the bulk metal to powder form whe
• the ball mill can is repeatedly tumbled or rotated in a specifically designed and regulated process.
• Ball mill cans are made in varying sizes and of various materials.
• a ball mill can is cylindrical having a solid bottom end wall opposit a top end wall which includes a closure device specifically designed t contain the metal powders and media within the ball mill can.
• the ball mill can is tumbled or rotated using a ball mill stand.
• the ball mill stand includes a number of rotationally driven rollers onto whic the ball mill can is positioned and supported.
• a circumferential side wall o the ball mill can is positioned atop the rollers such that a longitudinal axis o the ball mill can is generally parallel to the underlying rollers.
• Frictiona contact between the stationary surfaces of the ball mill stand and the bal mill can during the milling process is a problem because it leads to the wea and degradation of the ball mill can and the ball mill stand, thereby lessenin the useful life of each.
• the ball mill can In addition to the need to avoid the frictional contact between the ball mill can and the stand, the ball mill can must be accuratel positioned and centered on the rollers to avoid shifting of the ball mill ca during the milling process which could lead to a deviation in the millin process and the resulting powder metal.
• Prior solutions to the problem of using various sizes of ball mill cans on a ball mill stand include securing a section of channel or angle metal
• the section of angle metal may or may not include a Teflon facing.
• the continuous frictional contact between the ball mill can and the angle metal during the millin process caused wear to the ball mill can as well as the positioning angle
• the automatic positioning device for a ball mill can be used on a ball mill stand in the preparation of powder metals.
• the positioning device for the ball mill can should be automatic or require little or no operator time and be applicable for various sizes of ball mill cans and avoid the degradation or
• This invention is directed to an automatic positioning device for
• a ball mill can mounted atop the rollers of a ball mill stand.
• the automatic ball mill can positioning device is clipped onto the surface of a ball mill stand
• the invention accomplishes the task of automatically positioning various sizes of ball mill cans placed o
• the presen invention additionally offers quieter operation with less operator distractio than previous solutions to the problem of positioning various sizes of ball mil cans on the ball mill stand.
• the ball mill can automatic positioning device of the presen invention includes a generally circular wheel or disk in which the outer edg
• the disk is mounted both for rotation about an axis passing through the center of the disk and for pivoting relative to a plane containing the disk. Mounted to both rotate and pivot, the disk positions itself in a proper tangential orientation to the rotation of the ball mill can while in
• a horizontal plane permits the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-up or positioning time. Furthermore, the ability of the disk and positioning device to be used with various size ball mill cans having different diameters of end walls without added operator set-
• the disk to pivot compensates for minor alignment variations between the positioning device and the ball mill can.
• the ability of the disk to rotate about a central axis perpendicular to the its major axis in response to the rotation of the ball mill can atop the rollers avoids the frictional wear of the ball mill can and stand associated with the fixed positioning devices previously described.
• the disk rotates about a pin mounted through the center of the disk and supported by a yoke.
• the yoke is generally U-shaped having a pair of parallel arms to which the pin is secured at the terminal end of each yoke arm. The disk rotates about the pin and between the arms of the yoke.
• the yoke is fixed to one end of a post.
• the post is mounted within a bore hole formed in a mounting fixture.
• the yoke is fixed to an end
• the post is capable of rotating
• a slot is formed in a base portion of the mounting fixture for the attachment of the mounting fixture to the ball mill stand by clipping the slot to the stand.
• the mounting fixture is mounted to the ball mill stand so that the outer edge of the disk contacts the end wall of the ball mill can during the milling process.
• the disk is free to spin or rotate about the pin between the arms of the yoke resulting in minimal frictional wear between the disk and the ball mill can.
• the post and yoke are capable of rotating within the bore hole of the mounting fixture, the disk pivots relative to a plane containing the disk in order to align itself in a proper
• the disk is capable of pivoting a total of approximately 60° in order to properly align itself with the ball mill can rotation.
• Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ball mill can, a ball mill stand, and an automatic positioning device according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a top view of the ball mill can, the ball mill stand, and the positioning device of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2;
• Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic end view of the bottom of the ball mill can in contact with a disk of the automatic positioning device;
• Fig. 4 is a perspective bottom view of the ball mill can and the disk showing the proper geometric relationships thereof;
• Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of this invention.
• a position device 10 for a ball mill can 12 is
• the ball mill can 12 is cylindrical with a circumferential side wall 16 joining a solid end wall 18 and a selectively removable end cap 20.
• the end cap 20 is secured to the ball mill can 12 with mounting bolts 22 to thereby form a tight seal to contain the metal and powderizing media or milling balls (not shown) within the ball mill can 12.
• the ball mill can 12 is positioned on the ball mill stand 14 with the circumferential side wall 16 of the ball mill can 12 being supported by rollers 24 mounted in a ball mill stand housing 26.
• Each roller 24 is mounted upon an axle 28 for rotation.
• Each axle 28 is mounted within the ball mill stand housing by a bracket 30 to allow for the rotation of each roller 24 and axle 28 combination.
• each roller 24 is rotationally driven by a motor 32 having a drive shaft 34 which is coupled to each axle 28 by a belt 36 thereby transmitting the rotational energy generated by the motor from the drive shaft 34 to the axle 28.
• the ball mill can, ball mill stand and structure for rotationally driving the rollers are conventional and the automatic positioning device can be employed with other sizes of ball mill cans and designs of ball mill stands within the scope of the present invention.
• the positioning device 10 includes a circular disk 38 in which
• an outer peripheral edge 40 of the disk 38 is in frictional contact with the end wall 18 of the ball mill can 12.
• the contact between the disk 38 and the ball mill can 12 is maintained during the milling process by gravitational forces resulting from the inclination of the ball mill can 12 and ball mill stand 14 relative to a horizontal plane.
• the disk 38 is mounted for rotation
• each yoke arm 42 secured to the terminal end of each yoke arm 42.
• the pin 46 extends
• the U-shaped yoke 44 is secured to the end of an elongated cylindrical post 48.
• the post 48 is inserted through a bore hole 50 in a
• the post 48 is mounted within the bore hole 50 to permit the rotation of the post 48 within the bore hole 50, thereby pivoting the disk 38 attached to the yoke 44 at the end of the post 48 relative to a horizontal plane.
• a metal washer 54 is positioned on the post between the yoke 44 and the mounting fixture 52.
• the disk 38 is replaced by a ball bearing 41 supported in a socket 43 for free-floating non- eccentric rotation as shown in Fig. 5.
• the outer surface of the ball bearing 41 or other comparable spherical mechanism, is in contact with the end wall 18 of the ball mill can 12 during the milling process and the socket is secured to a mounting fixture 53 attached to the ball mill stand 14.
• the socket 43 houses the ball bearing 41 permitting the ball bearing to freely
• the socket 43 and ball bearing 41 are not required to pivot relative to a horizontal plane due to the multi-directional
• the mounting fixture 53 is secured to an upper portion 56 of the
• the mounting fixture 52 for the disk 38 is secured to an upper
• the slot 58 permits the mounting fixture 52 to be clipped to the upper portion 56 of the ball mill stand housing 26.
• the mounting fixture 52 is constructed of aluminum L-shaped block about 0.5 inches thick having a long leg 60 and a short leg 62.
• the bore hole 50 is 5/16 of an inch in diameter and extends parallel to the long leg and through the short leg 62 of the mounting fixture
• the slot 58 cut into the long leg 60 is approximately 0.06 inches thick
• the slot 58 extends approximately three-quarters of the length of the long leg 60 of the mounting fixture 52.
• Each yoke arm 42 is approximately 2.5 inches in length.
• the disk 38 is 2.0 inches in diameter and is centered between the yoke arms 42 on the pin 46 which is secured at the terminal ends of each yoke arm 42.
• the disk 38 is free to pivot relative to a horizontal plane
• the disk 38 should be in a plane perpendicular to the end wall 18 for optimum operation of the positioning device; however, the disk 38 will also position the ball mill can 12 according to this invention even if the disk 38 is obliquely angled relative to the end wall 18 as shown by disks 37 and 39 in Fig.4, provided that the projections P' and P" of disks 37 and 39, respectively, are perpendicular to line L as previously described in reference to projection P.
• the metal to be converted to powder and the powderizing media i.e. milling balls, are placed within the ball mill can 12.
• the end cap 20 is then secured on to the ball mill can 12 by the bolts 22, thereby forming a sealed closure of the ball mill can 12 in preparation for the milling process.
• the ball mill can 12 is then positioned on the rollers 24 of the
• the ball mill stand 14 with the longitudinal axis of the ball mill can 12 being generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rollers 24.
• the circumferential side wall 16 of the ball mill can 12 is supported by the rollers 24 such that the rotation of the rollers 24 is transferred to the ball mill can 12 thereby initiating the milling process.
• the ball mill can 12 is merely placed on the rollers 24 of the ball mill stand 14 without the time consuming and labor intensive task of centering or positioning the can with the prior devices previously described.
• the can 12 is automatically centered and positioned on the ball mill stand 14 once the rotation of the rollers and ball mill can 12 is initiated. Any variations in size of the ball mill can 12 or alignment between the can 12 and the positioning device 10 are compensated for by the pivoting disk 38.
• the disk 38 in contact with the end wall 18 of the ball mill 12 freely spins about the pin 46 as the ball mill can 12 is rotated, thereby
• the disk 38 is also capable of pivoting due to the ability of the post 48 to rotate within the bore hole 50 of the mounting fixture 52, thereby enabling the disk 38 to position itself in a proper tangential orientation to the
• the automatic positioning device 10 of the present invention can be used with varying sizes of ball mill cans thereby eliminating the labor intensive and time consuming tasks of reconfiguring the ball mill stand or modifying the different size ball mill cans.
• positioning device of the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations or geometric relationships described in reference to the preferred embodiment. Likewise, the positioning device can be attached with screws, rivets, or other conventional fasteners as alternatives to the slot

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Crushing And Grinding (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 1993
  • 1993-07-29 US US08/099,185 patent/US5373994A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1993-12-13 WO PCT/US1993/012097 patent/WO1995003889A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1993-12-13 AU AU62266/94A patent/AU6226694A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-12-21 TW TW082110825A patent/TW256784B/zh active

Patent Citations (6)

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