Comminution device with controllable pull-in mechanism

Abstract

The comminution device includes a feed opening for feeding material to be comminuted, a comminution shaft for comminuting the material fed to the device, and a cutting chamber, arranged between the feed opening and the comminution shaft and delimited by a cutting chamber wall, which can be pivoted.

Claims

1. A comminution device comprising: a feed opening for feeding material to be comminuted into a cutting chamber; at least one comminution shaft for comminuting the fed material, wherein the cutting chamber is arranged between the feed opening and the comminution shaft and delimited by cutting chamber walls, and wherein at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable to thereby control the pull-in action of the fed material to the comminution shaft based on the fed material's own weight; a control device for adjusting a pivoting angle of the at least one cutting chamber wall, wherein the control device controls the pivoting angle during operation of the comminution device depending on at least one selected from the group consisting of: (1) a load applied to the comminution shaft; (2) a torque applied to the comminution shaft; (3) a current supplied to an electric motor driving the comminution shaft; (4) a hydraulic pressure supplied to a hydraulic motor driving the comminution shaft; and (5) an operating condition of an internal combustion engine driving the comminution shaft; and wherein the pivoting angle is adjusted in such a way that the pull-in action is reduced based on an increase in at least one selected from the group consisting of the load, the torque, the current, and the hydraulic pressure, respectively; and a pressing device for pressing the material to be comminuted against the comminution shaft, wherein the pressing device is pivotable together with the at least one cutting chamber wall.

2. The comminution device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable during operation of the comminution device or wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable outside the operation of the comminution device.

3. The comminution device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable about a pivot axis parallel or substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the comminution shaft and wherein the pivot axis is provided at a lower end of the at least one cutting chamber wall.

4. The comminution device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable about a pivot axis parallel or substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the comminution shaft, wherein the pivot axis is provided at a lower end of the at least one cutting chamber wall, wherein the pressing device is rotatable about a rotary axis, and wherein the rotary axis is arranged parallel or substantially parallel to but offset from the pivot axis.

5. The comminution device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall comprises a partially cylindrical section and the rotary axis of the pressing device is arranged in the central axis of the cylinder with respect to the partially cylindrical section of the at least one cutting chamber wall.

6. The comminution device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall is pivotable about a pivot axis parallel or substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the comminution shaft, wherein the pivot axis is provided at a lower end of the at least one cutting chamber wall, wherein the pressing device is rotatable about a rotary axis, and wherein the rotary axis is arranged parallel or substantially parallel to but offset from the pivot axis.

7. The comminution device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cutting chamber wall comprises a partially cylindrical section and the rotary axis of the pressing device is arranged in the central axis of the cylinder with respect to the partially cylindrical section of the at least one cutting chamber wall.

8. A method for operating a comminution device, the method comprising: providing a comminution device comprising a feed opening, a comminution shaft, and a cutting chamber arranged between the feed opening and the comminution shaft and delimited by cutting chamber walls; feeding material to be comminuted into the feed opening; comminuting the fed material with the comminution shaft by pivoting at least one cutting chamber wall in order to control the pull-in action of the fed material to the comminution shaft based on the fed material's own weight; adjusting the pivoting angle during operation of the comminution device depending on at least one selected from the group consisting of: (1) a load applied to the comminution shaft; (2) a torque applied to the comminution shaft; (3) a current supplied to an electric motor driving the comminution shaft; (4) a hydraulic pressure supplied to a hydraulic motor driving the comminution shaft; and (5) an operating condition of an internal combustion engine driving the comminution shaft, wherein the pivoting angle is adjusted such that the pull-in action is reduced based on an increase in at least one selected from the group consisting of the load, the torque, the current, and the hydraulic pressure, respectively; and pressing, by a pressing device, the material to be comminuted against the comminution shaft, wherein the pressing device is pivotable together with the at least one cutting chamber wall.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pivoting step comprises: pivoting the at least one cutting chamber wall during operation of the comminution device or pivoting the at least one cutting chamber wall outside the operation of the comminution device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the comminution device according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the comminution device according to the invention.

EMBODIMENTS

(3) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the comminution device according to the invention.

(4) The first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 shows a comminution device 100 with a feed opening 10 for feeding material to be comminuted, a comminution shaft 20 for comminuting the fed material, and a cutting chamber 30 arranged between the feed opening 10 and the comminution shaft 20 and delimited by cutting chamber walls (shown is only a cutting chamber wall 40a and a cutting chamber wall 40b, the two end walls are not shown). According to the invention, the cutting chamber wall 40a can be pivoted during operation of the comminution device 100. Here, the cutting chamber wall 40a is just exemplarily designed only partially as a flat wall. In this first embodiment, however, a differently shaped cutting chamber wall can also be used (such as the cylindrical shape according to the second embodiment described below).

(5) The cutting chamber wall 40a in this embodiment can be pivoted about the pivot axis 41. The pivot axis 41 is parallel to the rotation axis 25 of the comminution shaft 20. The comminution shaft 20 comprises rotor knives 21. In addition to the comminution shaft 20 (several comminution shafts 20 can also be provided), stationary counter knives 80 are also located in the cutting chamber 30. By rotating the comminution shaft 20 around the rotation axis 25, the material is comminuted between the rotor knives 21 and the counter knives 80. An optional sieve 60 can be used to determine the size below which the comminuted material can leave the cutting chamber 30. The sieve 60 then represents the lower limit of the cutting chamber 30.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a first position I, in which the cutting chamber wall 40a is arranged at a steep angle, and a second position II, in which the cutting chamber wall 40a is arranged at a flat angle. In position I, the pull-in action of the material is greater than in position II due to its own weight. In this way, the throughput of the comminution device can be controlled. Furthermore, an adaptation to the material to be comminuted can take place. In particular, in the case of a temporarily increased power supply to a motor (not shown) of the comminution shaft 20, a flatter angle can be set due to a temporary supply of coarser material in order to reduce the further supply of the material.

(7) A control device 50 is provided for adjusting a pivoting angle of the cutting chamber wall 40a. The control device 50 adjusts the pivoting angle during operation of the comminution device 100 depending on a load applied to the comminution shaft 20 and/or a torque applied to the comminution shaft 20 and/or a current supplied to an electric motor driving the comminution shaft 20. The pivoting angle is adjusted in such a way that the pull-in action is reduced when the load and/or the torque and/or the current increase, so that the angle of the cutting chamber wall 40a is reduced/flattened in relation to the horizontal.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the comminution device according to the invention.

(9) The second embodiment of the inventive comminution device 200 shown in FIG. 2 further comprises, in contrast to the first embodiment of the comminution device 100 according to the invention, a pressing device 90 for pressing the material to be comminuted against the comminution shaft 20. The cutting chamber wall 40a is here made cylindrical at least partially. The pressing device 90 can be rotated around a rotary axis 91. This rotary axis 91 also represents the symmetry axis of the cylindrical section of the cutting chamber wall 40a. The rear cutting chamber wall consists of two axially adjacent parts 40c and 40d (which, for example, are perpendicular to the rotary axis 91), wherein the part 40d is connected to the cutting chamber wall 40a and is pivoted together with the cutting chamber wall 40a.

(10) FIG. 2A shows a sectional view of the comminution device, with the pressing device 90 shown in a raised position. In FIG. 2B, the pressing device 90 is in a lowered position and presses the material to be comminuted against the comminution shaft 20.

(11) FIGS. 2C and 2D show the corresponding positions of the pressing device 90, but the unit of cutting chamber wall 40a and pressing device 90 is pivoted about the pivot axis 41, so that the cutting chamber wall 40a is steeper and a greater pull-in action is thus effected.

(12) FIGS. 2E and 2F show perspective views of FIGS. 2C and 2B respectively.

(13) However, since these are also sectional views, the front cutting chamber wall (which, like the rear cutting chamber wall 40c, 40d, consists of two parts) is not shown.

(14) In summary: The cutting chamber wall 40a is not made rigid, but pivotable, so that the pull-in action can be changed during operation. The control unit 50 detects how much pull-in action is optimal for the current material. On the one hand, this makes the comminution device 100 more flexible as it can adapt to a wide variety of materials. On the other hand, many materials are comminuted more consistently, resulting in an increase in throughput.

(15) The embodiments shown are only exemplary and the complete scope of the present invention is defined by the claims.