Abstract
The invention concerns a mobile processing device having a material processing unit, such as a mobile crusher having a crusher unit or a mobile screen having a material screening unit. The mobile processing device comprises a power unit, a frame and a noise encapsulation for the material processing unit. The noise encapsulation is attached to the frame and comprises two cover elements, each of which is pivotable between an open position providing access to the crusher unit and a closed position wherein the cover elements can be interconnected to create an encapsulation for the material processing unit.
Claims
1. A mobile processing device having a material processing unit; a power unit; a frame; and a noise encapsulation for said material processing unit, wherein the noise encapsulation is attached to the frame and wherein the noise encapsulation comprises two cover elements, each of said cover elements being pivotable between an open position providing access to the material processing unit and a closed position wherein the cover elements can be interconnected to create an encapsulation for the material processing unit, said encapsulation having a roof and side walls, wherein said material processing unit is a mobile crusher having a crusher unit, and wherein it further comprises a crusher cavity cover element, wherein said crusher cavity cover element is pivotable around a horizontal axis between an open position in which access is provided to the crusher cavity and a closed position.
2. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, wherein the two cover elements are hinged at respective vertical beams.
3. A mobile processing device according to claim 2, wherein the vertical beams are parts of a sub-frame.
4. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, wherein each cover element comprises a sidewall and a roof part and wherein, in the closed position, the respective roof parts abut each other and are interconnectable by locking means.
5. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, wherein each cover element has a height such that it covers the height of the material processing unit when the cover elements are in the closed position.
6. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, wherein said crusher cavity cover element comprises a sealing part which, when the crusher cavity cover element is pivoted towards the closed position, seals against the roof of the encapsulation.
7. A mobile processing device according to claim 3, wherein the cover elements are attached to a wider section of the sub-frame and wherein the sub-frame has a narrower section adjoining the wider section.
8. A mobile processing device according to claim 3, wherein parts of the sub-frame section is arranged in a same vertical plane as adjacent parts of the frame of the mobile processing device, wherein the parts of the sub-frame section and the adjacent parts of the frame of the mobile processing device have corresponding shapes and are arranged abutting each other to create a continuous vertical surface.
9. A mobile processing device according to claim 7, wherein a working platform is arranged laterally and outside the narrower sub-frame section and rearwardly of the wider sub-frame section.
10. A mobile processing device according to claim 7, wherein a hydraulic hammer is attached to the frame of the mobile processing device and arranged laterally and outside the narrower sub-frame section and rearwardly of the wider sub-frame section.
11. A mobile processing device according to claim 9, wherein the working platform is pivotably connected to the same vertical beam as a corresponding cover element, wherein the working platform can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position in which open position access is provided to areas behind the working platform and wherein the pivotal movement of the working platform and that of the corresponding cover element are independent of each other.
12. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, comprising a front wall and wherein at least one of the cover elements is arranged to seal with said front wall when the cover elements are in the closed position to create an encapsulation having a roof, side walls and a front wall.
13. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, further comprising bottom and rearward sealing to create a complete encapsulation of the material processing unit.
14. A mobile processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a material screening unit.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1a shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with cover elements in an open position.
(2) FIG. 1b shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with cover elements in a closed position.
(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b show schematic perspective views of a detail of an embodiment of the invention.
(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of an embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(5) The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and to fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled addressee. Like reference characters refer to like elements throughout.
(6) FIGS. 1a and 1b show a cross-section of an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, with the noise encapsulation in an open and a closed position respectively. The mobile processing device 1 according to this aspect of the invention comprises a mobile crusher. It should be noted though that the inventive idea of the present invention is also applicable to mobile screens as well. The inventive idea of the present invention is also applicable to mobile crushers having a built in screening unit. Such screening unit is typically arranged between the discharge of the crusher unit and the conveyor. In that case separate encapsulations may be provided for the crusher unit and the screening unit. The mobile crusher 1 comprises a mobile crusher frame 6 forming the basic structure of the mobile crusher onto which the rest of the equipment is mounted. The frame 6 generally comprises two frame beams running in parallel from a rear end to a front end. The mobile crusher 1 further comprises a feed hopper 4 mounted near a rear end of the mobile crusher, a crusher unit 2 and a conveyor 5. A power unit 3 acting as a power plant for the mobile crusher, powering the crusher unit 2, the crawlers 30, the conveyor 5 etc., is mounted towards a front end of the mobile crusher 1. The power unit 3 in this case is a diesel engine but can of course comprise an electric motor or a hydraulic engine or any other suitable power unit. In use, a front loader, excavator or other loader equipment dumps ore, rocks, or other material to be processed in the feed hopper 4 of the mobile crusher 1. The feed hopper may be provided with replaceable rubber lining elements, reducing the impact sound from loading the material. From there, the material is transported, by e.g. vibration, to the crusher cavity of the crusher unit 2. It is possible to have a built in screen in the feed hopper 4 separating e.g. fines from the rest of the material. The fines may for example pass through one or more screens and be transported away from the mobile crusher 1 by means of a separate conveyor without entering the crusher unit 2. The screening and vibration can be provided by vibrating grizzly bars 19, performing both the transportation and the screening. The rest of the material enters the crusher unit 2 and is disintegrated to desired fractions. After that, the disintegrated material leaves the mobile crusher 2 via conveyor 5 and possibly a post-crushing screening unit. A magnetic separator 7 may be provided adjacent to the conveyor 5 to separate ferrous particles from the flow of material. The crusher unit 2 may comprise e.g. a jaw crusher, an impact crusher or a cone crusher. They all have that in common that they produce a large amount of noise during use. Noise that sometimes can be tolerated, for example when the device is used in remote, uninhabited areas. However, when the device is used in urban areas, noise need to be kept to a minimum in order to avoid nuisances to people residing in the area. It has been shown that the crusher unit, e.g. jaw crusher, impact crusher or cone crusher, is contributing with up to 50% of the total noise energy emitted by a mobile crusher. Similar numbers apply for mobile screens. Further, the crusher noise is typically considered to be most disturbing noise source from the environmental point of view. Therefore, noise dampening measures are sometimes required. According to the present invention, two cover elements 10 are provided. They are pivotable around respective vertical beams. The two cover elements 10 each comprise a side wall 11 and a roof part 12 such that when they are opened, unhindered access to the crusher unit 2 is provided, e.g. for maintenance or service work. The cover elements may be made from metal, such as aluminium and/or steel or any other suitable material such as glass fibre or similar materials. Prior art solutions often involve the removal and dismantling of several doors and/or hatches attached to the crusher device by bolts or similar. That is of course very time consuming whereas the solution according to the present invention gives quick, almost instant access to the machinery. All that is required to provide access is to open the quick couplings 31, seen best in FIG. 1b, and then the cover elements 10 can be swung open. Quick couplings can be of the type often used on hinged flaps on car trailers. The pivoting movement of the cover elements 10 can be performed by hydraulic actuators or similar. The fact that the cover elements 10 have a size that allows them to cover the entire crusher unit 2 in their closed position also ensures that unhindered access to the crusher unit 2 is ensured when the cover elements 10 are in their open position, as shown in FIG. 1b. Side walls 11 and roof parts 12 provide encapsulation in those directions. Surfaces sealing against other surfaces, such as abutting roof surfaces of the cover elements 10, may be provided with rubber elements to enhance sealing properties. If required, encapsulation in a forward direction is provided by means of front wall element 15 which together with front sealing elements 13 of the cover elements 10 ensures that noise dampening dust encapsulation in a forward direction is ensured. Front wall element 15 may for example be made from rubber and will constitute a static encapsulation in front of the crusher unit 2, avoiding pr at least reducing noise radiation. Optimal noise and dust encapsulation is achieved if the crusher unit 2 is encapsulated entirely. In addition to cover elements 10 and front wall element 15, this would require sealing below the crusher unit and in a rearward direction from the crusher unit. This sealing below the crusher unit 2 can be done by applying encapsulation between the two parallel frame beams, e.g. a rubber mat lying on top of the beam members. The sealing behind the crusher unit 2 can be done by additional wall element(s) 21 and/or by using a rubber mat arranged on the frame beams and extending all the way from underneath the crusher unit 2 to the feed hopper 4. Additionally, a crusher cavity cover element 14 can be provided, seen in all figures but best seen in FIGS. 2a and 2b. Here, a pivotable crusher cavity cover element 14 is illustrated. The crusher cavity cover element 14 can pivoted around a horizontal axis 17 between a closed position in which a sealing element 18 seals against the underside of roof parts 12 of the cover elements 10. The sealing element 18 can comprise a resilient material such as rubber which will provide a good seal against that underside of the roof parts 12. Alternatively, or also, the underside of the roof parts 12 is provided with a deformable and/or resilient material. The other end of crusher cavity cover element 14 is provided with strips 16 of e.g. rubber. These strips 16 will, in the closed position of the crusher cavity cover element 14 be arranged in the flow of material towards the crusher cavity and due to its flexibility, the rubber strips 16 will provide good sealing and noise dampening properties as rocks and similar of different size passes by. A big advantage of this crusher cavity cover element 14 is that it is possible to gain access to the crusher cavity without having to open the cover elements 10. If for example a large piece of rock becomes jammed in the crusher cavity, all that need to be done is to pivot the crusher cavity cover element 14 to its open position and full access is provided. Due to the weight of such crusher cavity cover element 14, the pivoting movement can be performed by e.g. hydraulic actuators or electric motors. It is also conceivable to use a fixed crusher cavity cover element 14. In that case the seal between cover elements 10 and crusher cavity cover element 14 will be provided as cover elements 10 are moved towards their closed position sliding over the tip of sealing element 18 of the crusher cavity cover element 14. It is also possible to combine fixed and pivotable crusher cavity cover elements.
(7) An advantage of the present invention is the fact that the encapsulation is very compact. The encapsulation does at no point add any additional width, height or length to the mobile processing device, or at least only to a very small degree. This means that the fact that an encapsulation is provided, does not imply any limitations as to when and where the mobile processing device can be deployed. Its construction also allows for the mobile processing device to be transported with the encapsulation in place, something that has not been possible with many prior art solutions requiring that the encapsulation be transported separately and mounted in situ.
(8) FIG. 4 shows a mobile crusher in a top view of a mobile crusher. Here it can immediately be seen how space efficient the current invention is. This is due to the combination of a narrower sub-frame section, extending from the rear end of the mobile crusher to the vertical beam to which the cover elements 10 are hinged and a wider section extending from the same vertical beam to the front end of the mobile crusher. This allows for a mobile crusher having an encapsulation to have a working platform 20 to be arranged in its normal position, i.e. in the same position as when no encapsulation is provided. Correspondingly, the invention allows for a mobile crusher having an encapsulation to have a hydraulic hammer 40 to be arranged in its normal and preferred position from where it has quick access to both the feed hopper 4 and the crusher cavity of the crusher unit 2. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the working platform 20 is hinged to the same vertical beam as an adjacent cover element 10. The working platform 20 can be pivoted between a closed position (dashed lines in FIG. 3) in which it gives staff access to e.g. the crusher cavity and an open position where it ensures access to areas behind the working platform. It is also possible to integrate a door or hatch into the working platform 20 such that when the working platform 20 is pivoted to its open position, access is immediately provided to space within the frame 6 and/or sub-frame of the encapsulation, e.g. for service or maintenance of any machinery arranged in such space. It is also possible to separate the working platform 20 from any doors or hatches. This has an advantage in that the working platform 20 is sometimes damaged from falling rocks and similar and needs to be replaced. In such case it is preferable not having to replace the door/hatch as well.
(9) The skilled person realizes that a number of modifications of the embodiments described herein are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims. For example, a mobile processing device according to the invention can instead of running on crawlers run on rails or on bars. Further, it should be noted that with respect to the present invention, the term encapsulation does not necessarily mean complete and total enclosing of e.g. the crusher unit. As used herein, the term encapsulation can mean both partial and complete enclosing as is apparent from the description, claims and figures. In any case, entrance and exit for the material are required. Acoustic damping materials and/or sound absorbing materials can be provided on the surfaces of the encapsulation, e.g. on the inside of cover elements 10, cavity cover element 14, frame 6 and elements 21 in order to improve noise dampening. The invention enables a compact solution of a noise encapsulation which can be widely opened for maintenance work and which is mounted only to the rigid section of the frame of the mobile processing device. The main idea is to combine wall and roof structures in two large hinged sections that are connected together during operation and opened like doors during the maintenance. The construction also allows a modular solution for different type and size of mobile processing devices. The encapsulation can be made more or less airproof and the small amount of heat that is produced within the encapsulation by e.g. the hydraulic motor driving the vibrating grizzly bars can be used to heat the bottom of the feeder, thus preventing freezing of material to the bottom when loading frozen material to the processing device. A further improvement, possible with the present invention is to integrate the belt cover and the flywheel cover of the crushing unit 2 into the cover elements 10. This provide even faster access to the machinery since they need not be removed in a separate stage.
