Rock Crusher for a Potato Harvester

Abstract

The rock crusher has hammers mounted to a rotor and anvils mounted to its casing. First and second anvil sets define a convex surface arrangement facing the rotor and second and third anvil sets define a concave surface arrangement facing the rotor. The anvil sets are oriented to reduce compaction of rocks in the infeed portion of the crusher, and to reduce compaction of aggregate in the casing of the rock crusher. In relation to the movement of each hammer along their work sector, the two operations mentioned above are carried out before a third portion of the work sector wherein rocks are directed to rebound and impact the hammers head-on along the work circle of the hammers. The rock crusher is directly driven by the engine of a potato harvester, wherein the engine, the fan of the harvester and the rock crusher share a common inertia.

Claims

1. A rock crusher comprising a casing, a rotor mounted in said casing, hammers mounted to said rotor and anvils mounted to said casing; said anvils comprising first, second and third anvil sets, and said first and second anvil sets defining a convex surface arrangement facing said rotor and said second and third anvil sets defining a concave surface arrangement facing said rotor.

2. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first anvil set being oriented relative to a work circle of said rotor for projecting rocks toward an infeed portion of said rock crusher; said second anvil set being oriented relative to said work circle of said rotor for projecting rocks toward a discharge opening of said rock crusher, and said third anvils set being oriented relative to said work circle of said rotor for projecting rocks toward said work circle of said rotor of said rock crusher against a direction of rotation of said rotor.

3. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plane of said first anvil set and a plane of said second anvil set intersect along a line above said rotor.

4. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 3, wherein said line is vertically inline with a tip of one of said hammers when said hammer is positioned at a highest portion on said rotor.

5. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor has a work circle and a first tangent line between said work circle and said first anvil set has a first reflection toward an infeed portion of said casing.

6. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 5, wherein a second a tangent line between said work circle and said second anvil set has a second reflection toward a discharge slot of said casing.

7. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 6, wherein a third tangent line between said work circle and said second anvil set has a third reflection toward said third anvil set and a rebound from said third anvil set toward said work circle, against a direction of rotation of said rotor.

8. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 7 wherein said work circle comprises a work sector and said work sector is less than one half of said work circle.

9. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 8, wherein said third tangent line and said rebound are true along a portion of about one half of said work sector.

10. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first and second tangent lines and first and second reflections are true before said third tangent line and said rebound, along said work circle, relative to a direction of rotation of said rotor.

11. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first tangent line and first reflection are true along an angle of about 26 along said work circle, and said work sector has an angle of about 148 along said work circle.

12. The rock crusher as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second tangent line and second reflection are true along an angle of about 18 along said work circle.

13. A method of breaking rocks in a rock crusher, comprising in series, the steps of: projecting rocks toward an infeed portion of said rock crusher; projecting rocks toward a discharge opening of said rock crusher, and projecting rocks toward a work circle of a rotor of said rock crusher against a direction of rotation of said rotor.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a work sector of said rock crusher has an angle of about 148, and said step of projecting rocks toward said infeed is true along a rotation of said rotor along a portion of about 26 along said work sector.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said step of projecting rocks toward said discharge opening is true along a rotation of said rotor along a portion of about 26 along said work sector.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said step of projecting rocks toward a work circle of a rotor of said rock crusher against a direction of rotation of said rotor is true along a rotation of said rotor along a portion of about 71 along said work sector.

17. A potato harvester comprising: an engine; a fan driven by said engine; a drive shaft driven by said engine, and a rock crusher driven by said drive shaft; wherein said fan; said drive shaft and said rock crusher are directly driven by said engine and share with said engine a common inertia.

18. The potato harvester as claimed in claim 17, wherein said rock crusher comprises a rotor, and first, second and third anvil sets; and wherein said first anvil set being oriented relative to said rotor for projecting rocks toward an infeed portion of said rock crusher; said second anvil set being oriented relative to said rotor for projecting rocks toward a discharge opening of said rock crusher, and said third anvils set being oriented relative to said rotor for projecting rocks toward a work circle of said rotor of said rock crusher against a direction of rotation of said rotor.

19. The potato harvester as claimed in claim 18, wherein a work sector of said rock crusher has an angle of about 148, and said first anvil set being oriented for projecting rocks toward said infeed portion during a rotation of about 26 of said rotor along said work sector.

20. The potato harvester as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second anvil set being oriented for projecting rocks toward said discharge opening during a rotation of about 18 of said rotor along said work sector; and said third anvil set being oriented for projecting rocks toward said work circle during a rotation of about 71 of said rotor along said work sector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the rock crusher according to the present invention is described herein with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views. The rock crusher according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is referred to herein simply as the preferred rock crusher, for convenience. It will be appreciated that the preferred embodiment is presented for the purpose of explaining the best embodiment, and that other versions than the one illustrated are included in the intent and meaning of the claims.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a potato harvester with the rock crusher mounted under the end of the rock discharge conveyor of the harvester;

[0018] Table 1 provides dimensions to enable a person skilled in the art to build and use the preferred rock crusher efficiently;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the rotor, the door and the anvils of the preferred rock crusher;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hammer set, and one of the anvils mounted inside the preferred rock crusher;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of one of the hammers mounted inside the preferred rock crusher;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of one of the anvils mounted inside the preferred rock crusher;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a front view of the preferred rock crusher, and the door of the preferred rock crusher;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a partial right side view of the preferred rock crusher;

[0025] FIGS. 8 to 11 illustrate a second, third, fourth and fifth cross-section views of the rotor, the door and the anvils of the preferred rock crusher, showing preferred dimensions and specific regions therein;

[0026] FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the power transmission system for driving the preferred rock crusher.

[0027] The drawings presented herein are presented for convenience to explain the functions of all the elements included in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Elements and details that are obvious to the person skilled in the art may not have been illustrated. Conceptual sketches have been used to illustrate elements that would be readily understood in the light of the present disclosure. These drawings are not fabrication drawings, and should not be scaled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] Referring firstly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein a potato harvester 20, using a digging scoop and conveyor assembly 22 for picking up potatoes off a field, and for shaking off soil from the potatoes as there are conveyed into the machine. The harvester 20 also has a large fan 24 mounted thereto for creating an air current across a gap (not shown) between two conveyors. The air stream from the fan 24 causes potatoes to float across the gap into an accept conveyor 26. The accept conveyor discharges into a truck (not shown) traveling alongside the harvester 20. The air stream from the fan 24 is strong enough to float tubers across the gap, but not enough to float rocks that are conveyed with the potatoes. The rocks fall through the gap into a reject conveyor 28. The reject conveyor 28 discharges into the preferred rock crusher 30 where these rocks are broken into small pieces such that they will not be picked up during the following harvest.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the preferred rock crusher 30 is made of a rotor 32 carrying four hammer bars 34. Each pair of hammer bars 34, 34 is mounted to the rotor 32 with two bolts (not shown) extending diametrically in opposite directions through the rotor 32. One hole 36 in each of the hammer bars 34, 34 is a threaded hole to accept one end of one bolt. The other hole 38 in each of the hammer bars 34, 34 has a countersunk recess to protect the head of a respective bolt.

[0030] Each hammer bar 34, 34 has four hammers 40 thereon. The hammers 40 on one bar are offset the width of one hammer in relation with the hammers 40 on the next bar when the bars 34, 34 are mounted to the rotor 32. The rotation of the rotor 32 has a direction indicated by arrow 42 in FIG. 2.

[0031] Preferred dimensions for the bars 34, 34 are shown in FIG. 4 and Table 1. Table 1 shows dimensions in inches and angles in degrees. The hammer bars 34, 34 are made of hot-rolled steel with a hard facing of Teromatec 4923 welding electrodes, by Castolin Eutectic. Any rebuild after wear is done with hard surfacing EnDOtec DO05 welding electrodes.

[0032] The preferred rock crusher 30 also comprises three groups of anvil bars 44. Each anvil bar 44 is a rectangular bar made of high strength impact-resistant steel having a hardness of 35 Rockwell or better. The anvil bars 44 have threaded holes 46 therein to accept mounting bolts (not shown). Preferred dimensions for the anvil bars 44 are also shown in FIG. 5 and Table 1.

[0033] The first set of anvil bars 44 is mounted to a plate 48 above the rotor 32 and defines with the back plate 52 of the crusher housing an infeed chute 54. The infeed chute 54 has a size of about 12 inch by 20 inch. The second set of anvil bars 44 is mounted against the inside surface of the door 56 of the preferred rock crusher 30. The third anvil bar set 44 is mounted to a shelf 58 below the door 56 of the crusher, and below the diameter of the rotor 32. The third anvil bar set 44 defines with the rotor 32 a discharge slot 60 across the width of the preferred rock crusher 30.

[0034] The infeed chute 54, the plate 48 above the door, the shelf 58 below the door, the back plate 52, the door 56 itself, and the side plates 50 enclosing the back plate constitute the casing of the preferred rock crusher 30.

[0035] A structural angle 62 is mounted above the rotor 32 in the infeed chute 54, to deflect the flow of rocks toward the axis of the rotor 32. The angle 62 and the third anvil set 44 define a total work sector A1 of the rotor 32 wherein rocks are exposed to the hammers 40 of the rock crusher 30.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 6, the casing of th preferred rock crusher 30 is built with inch plate and has an infeed opening 54 width A10 of about 20 inches. The rotor is mounted on a 1.95 inch diameter shaft 72, which is driven by a multi-belt pulley 74. The door 56 of the crusher is mounted on four pins 76, two of which are movable by handles 78 to open the door 56. The purpose of the door 56 is for allowing the replacement of the hammer bars 34, 34, and the anvil bars 44 when required, and to inspect the inside of the preferred rock crusher 30.

[0037] The preferred rock crusher 30 also has a chain-type curtain 80 extending around the discharge opening thereof For reference purposes both the infeed opening 54 and the discharge opening of the preferred rock crusher 30 have nominal dimensions of about 12 inch by 20 inch. Preferred exact dimensions of the housing of the preferred rock crusher 30 are illustrated in FIGS. 2-8, and Table 1.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 8 in particular, the first anvil set 44 is mounted to the plate 48 of the preferred rock crusher 30 along a first plane which is represented by line L1. The second anvil set 44 is mounted inside the door 56 of the preferred rock crusher 30 along a second plane which is represented by line L2. These first and second planes intersect each other along a line that passes along point G. Point G is at a distance B3 of about 18 inches above the center of the rotor 34, in line with the front part of the infeed opening 54, and vertically in line with the tip of a hammer 40 when the hammer bar 34 is positioned at its highest position.

[0039] Because the intersection point G is above the rotor 32 both the first and second anvil sets 44, 44 define a convex surface arrangement facing the rotor 32.

[0040] The third anvil set 44 is comprised of a single anvil bar that is mounted to the shelf 58 at an acute angle B8 of about 10 from a horizontal diameter of the rotor 32 and at a slightly acute angle C3 of 86 from the plane of line L2 of the second anvil set 44.

[0041] Both the second and third anvil sets 44, 44 define a concave surface arrangement facing the rotor 32.

[0042] Because of the position and alignment of the anvil sets, three distinct regions are formed inside the preferred rock crusher 30. These regions are referred to herein as work sectors and will be described with reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.

[0043] The first work sector is defined by angle E1 in FIG. 9. Any rock or fragment of rocks that is projected from a tangent of the hammer swing circle 84 in the work sector associated with angle E1 is projected against the first anvil set 44 and deflected toward the infeed opening 54, as indicated by arrows 86.

[0044] The second work sector is defined by angle E2 in FIG. 10. Any rock or fragment of rock that is projected from a tangent of the hammer swing circle 84 in the work sector associated with angle E2 is projected against the second anvil set 44 and deflected toward the discharge slot 60, between the hammers 40, as indicated by arrows 88 in FIG. 10.

[0045] The third work sector is defined by angle E3 in FIG. 11. The third work sector is the largest work sector. Any rock or fragment of rocks that are projected from a tangent of the hammer swing circle 84 in the work sector associated with angle E3 is projected against the second anvil set 44, deflected against the third anvil set 44, and deflected again head-on toward the hammer swing circle 84, as indicated by arrows 90.

[0046] It will be appreciated that arrows 86, 88 and 90 are reflections of their respective tangent lines intersecting respective surfaces of the respective anvil sets, as best explained by the drawings.

[0047] Rocks and rock fragments deflected toward the infeed opening 54 as in sector defined by E1 cause the loosening up or decompression of the charge in the infeed opening 54 and on the rotor 32 of the crusher, for reducing friction and futile impacts in the infeed area 54.

[0048] Rocks and rock fragments deflected toward the discharge slot 60 as in sector defined by E2 cause the loosening up or decompression of the charge in the crusher housing by timely discharging all rock fragments that have been reduced to an acceptable size. Again, this reduces friction on the rotor 32 and futile work by the rotor 32 of the rock crusher 30 inside the main body of the preferred rock crusher 30.

[0049] Rocks and rock fragments deflected toward the third anvil set 44 are deflected head-on toward the incoming hammers 40 for forceful impact against the moving hammers, as indicated by arrows 90. This work sector of high impact is represented by sector E3 in FIG. 11. Again, this work sector E3 is defined by tangents and rebounds from the work circle 84, and from the third anvil set 44. This sector E3 is referred to herein as the high-impact work sector. This high-impact work sector E3 accounts for 71, or about one half of the total work sector A1 of the rotor 32.

[0050] The effectiveness of this high-impact sector E3 is enhanced by the loosening or decompression of the loading in the infeed chute by the effect of sector E1 and by the loosening or decompression of the loading in the main body of the crusher and into the discharge opening by the effect of sector E2.

[0051] It is believed that the specific deflection of rocks in these regions and the reduction of friction and futile impacts contribute greatly to a better efficiency of this preferred rock crusher 30.

[0052] All three work sectors of the rotor 32 are contained within a total work sector A1 as illustrated in FIG. 2 of 148. Consequently, this relatively short overall work sector provides more frequent breaks between impacts for allowing the rotor 32 to recover its momentum.

[0053] The preferred rock crusher 30 is preferably operated at about 900 RPM. It is operated efficiently on a charge of rock of 1 tons of rocks per hour, where each rock has a diameter of about 6 inches or less.

[0054] Although scientific corroboration of the efficiency of this rock crusher is not available, it is known that a precursor of this machine was separately driven by a dedicated 135 h.p. Now, the dedicated engine has been removed. The preferred rock crusher is driven by the same 115 h.p. engine 92 that is operating the potato harvester, without any reduction in the performance of the harvester.

[0055] Additionally, the aforementioned precursor of the preferred rock crusher has worn twenty-three sets of hammers and anvils during one season, while the preferred rock crusher 30 has worn only five (5) sets in one season.

[0056] Referring now to FIG. 12, the preferred drive system for the preferred rock crusher 30 is illustrated therein. The potato harvester 20 has a first fan 24 for creating a high flow of air to float potatoes across the aforesaid gap, and a small blower 94 to remove plant stocks, roots and foliage from the harvest. Both the fan 24 and blower 94 are connected to the same shaft 96 and this shaft is driven by belts from the engine 92. An auxiliary drive shaft 98 extends under the floor of the harvester, from the engine 92 to the rock crusher 30. This drive shaft 98 is also driven by belts from the engine 92 of the harvester. Although a clutch 100 is available in the bell housing of the engine 92, the drive shaft 98 and the fan 24 and blower 94 are directly connected to the same multi-belt pulley 102. As a consequence of this mounting, the inertia of the preferred rock crusher 30 is part of a larger inertia of the entire system. This larger common inertia contributes to achieve a better efficiency of the preferred rock crusher.

[0057] While one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications, alternate constructions and equivalents may be employed. Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.