Mounting of wear parts for vertical shaft impact crushers

Abstract

This invention relates to a wear part for the rotor of a rock crusher, the rotor including at least one outlet port, and a mounting bar, wherein the wear part is configured to engage with the mounting bar, the wear part including: a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the body also including a surface configured to abut against the outlet port, characterized in that the wear part is configured with a channel having substantially an U-shaped cross section running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a location portion, wherein the locating portion is complementary to the width of the mounting bar; wherein the exterior surface of the bottom portion of the U-shaped cross section includes a lateral projection and abuts the outlet port in use.

Claims

1. A wear part assembly for a rock crusher, wherein the crusher includes a rotor body having an inlet port, a top plate and a bottom plate and at least one outlet port between the plates, the assembly comprising: at least one wear part, wherein the wear part includes a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the body also including an exterior surface; a mounting bar configured for use with the at least one wear part, wherein the mounting bar includes a head and a shaft wherein the shaft is dimensioned to pass through a locating portion of the wear part, wherein the wear part is configured with a channel running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a locating portion, wherein the locating portion is complementary to the width of the mounting bar, wherein the mouth of the channel is narrower than a width of the shaft of the mounting bar, wherein the exterior surface of the body is configured to abut a substantially vertical surface of the outlet port such that, in use, the mouth of the wear part faces substantially away from the inlet port.

2. The wear part assembly of claim 1 wherein the foot of the mounting bar engages with the bottom plate of the rotor body of the rock crusher.

3. The wear part assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wear part is segmented.

4. The wear part assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wear part is a rotor tip.

5. The wear part assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wear part is a cavity wear plate.

6. The wear part assembly of claim 1 wherein the head of the mounting bar engages with the top plate of the rotor body of the rock crusher.

7. The wear part assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting bar includes a foot.

8. A rock crusher, the crusher including a rotor, wherein the rotor includes: at least one wear part, wherein the wear part includes a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the body also includes an exterior surface; a mounting bar for the wear part; a top plate, wherein the top plate includes an aperture for the mounting bar; a bottom plate; an inlet port; and at least one outlet port between the plates, wherein the wear part is configured with a channel running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a locating portion, wherein the locating portion is complementary to the width of the mounting bar, and wherein the exterior surface of the body is configured to abut a substantially vertical surface of the outlet port such that, in use, the mouth of the wear part faces substantially away from the inlet port.

9. A rotor for a rock crusher, wherein the rotor includes: at least one wear part, wherein the wear part includes a body having an upper surface and a lower surface and wherein the body also includes an exterior surface; a mounting bar for the wear part; a top plate, wherein the top plate includes an aperture for the mounting bar, and a bottom plate, an inlet port; and at least one outlet port between the plates, wherein the wear part is configured with a channel running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a locating portion, wherein the locating portion is complementary to the width of the mounting bar, and wherein the exterior surface of the body is configured to abut a substantially vertical surface of the outlet port such that, in use, the mouth of the wear part faces substantially away from the inlet port.

10. A mineral material processing plant, wherein the plant includes the rock crusher of claim 8.

11. A method of assembling a wear part assembly for use in a rotor for a rock crusher, wherein the rotor includes a top plate, the top plate configured with an aperture for a mounting bar, and a bottom plate, an inlet port and an outlet port the wear part assembly including: a wear part, wherein the wear part includes a body having an upper surface and a lower surface and is configured with a channel running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a locating portion, and wherein the exterior surface of the body is configured to abut a substantially vertical surface of the outlet port such that, in use, the mouth of the wear part faces substantially away from the inlet port; a mounting bar, wherein the mounting bar includes a head and a shaft, wherein the shaft is dimensioned to pass through the locating portion of the channel of the wear part, the method comprising the steps of: a) placing the wear part between the top and base plates of the rotor and abutting the vertical surface of the outlet port such that the channel of the body of the wear part is substantially in vertical alignment with the aperture of the top plate, and b) passing the mounting bar through the aperture of the top plate and into the locating portion of the channel, thereby locking the wear part in place relative to the rotor.

12. A method of assembling a wear part assembly for use in a rotor for a rock crusher, wherein the rotor includes a top plate, the top plate configured with an aperture for a mounting bar and wherein the aperture runs between an upper surface of the top plate and a lower surface of the top plate, and a bottom plate, an inlet port and an outlet port the wear part assembly including: a wear part, wherein the wear part includes a body having an upper surface and a lower surface and is configured with a channel running between the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, the channel having a mouth and a locating portion, and wherein the exterior surface of the body is configured to abut a vertical surface of the outlet port such that, in use, the mouth of the wear part faces substantially away from the inlet port; a mounting bar, wherein the mounting bar includes a head and a shaft, wherein the shaft is dimensioned to pass through the locating portion of the channel of the wear part, the method comprising the steps of: a) placing the wear part between the top and base plates and abutting the vertical surface of the outlet port of the rotor such that the channel of the body of the wear part is substantially in vertical alignment with the aperture of the top plate, and b) tilting the mounting bar away from the vertical and passing the head of the mounting bar through the aperture of the top plate from its lower surface, and c) tilting the mounting bar towards the vertical and into the locating portion of the channel, thereby locking the wear part in place relative to the rotor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1a-b is a perspective view of the mounting bar and associated wear part according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 2a-b are perspective views of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-b, in use with a rotor body;

(4) FIGS. 3a-c are perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the invention in use with a rotor body.

(5) FIG. 4a-b is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mounting bar and associated wear part;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of a crusher including the rotor body of the present invention; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of a mobile mineral material processing plant.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1a and 1b, which illustrates the mounting bar (generally indicated by arrow 1) and a wear part (2) for use with the mounting bar respectively.

(9) The mounting bar (1) includes a (3) head, foot (4) and shaft (5).

(10) It will be noted that the cross-sectional area of the mounting bar is substantially constant from top to bottom but this is not strictly a requirement of the present invention. In some embodiments of the mounting bar (not illustrated), the head may be dimensioned such that it has a larger cross-sectional area than the shaft and foot of the mounting bar.

(11) The shaft (5) is provided with a recess (6) across its width. This provides a surface by which the user can grip or otherwise hold the mounting bar (1) using their fingers or perhaps a specialist tool.

(12) The wear part (2) is formed largely with a U-shaped cross-section (7), which defines a channel (8) and a lateral projection (9) which helps locate the wear part (2) in use.

(13) The exterior surface (10) of the portion of the wear part that defines the base of the U in the wear part is configured to abut one the outward facing vertical wall of the rotor assembly (not shown). The interior of the channel (8) approximates the width of the mounting bar (not shown).

(14) The lateral projection (9) of the wear part (2) is configured with a recess (11) into which a tip of tungsten carbide or the like may be inserted, which assists with the breakdown of rock material (not shown) contacting the wear part (2).

(15) In use, as shown in FIG. 2a, wear parts (2) are stacked up in alignment with the apertures (12, 13) of the top (14) and bottom (15) plates of the rotor (16) of the VSI crusher (not shown).

(16) Once the wear parts (2) are in position, the mounting bar (1) can then be lowered (in the direction of arrow (17) through the channel (8) of the wear parts, effectively trapping them against the outwardly facing vertical wall (18) of the rotor (16).

(17) This wall (18) defines one side of the outlet port, and in some embodiments, another set of wear parts will protect the other side (not visible in this view) of the outlet port. It will be noted that the apertures (12, 13), and therefore the mounting bar, are proximate the wall of the rotor so as to not be in the direct path of rock material (not shown) being ejected from the rotor (16).

(18) No fasteners are required to secure the wear parts (2) to the mounting bar (1). It should be appreciated that the mounting bar (1) (and the open portion of the rotor tips (2)) is orientated to face outwards, away from the inlet port (14a) of the top plate (14) surfaces that will be directly contacted by rock material (not shown). This would expose these areas to unnecessary wear and tear, and may lead, because the loss of structural integrity due to the edges of the channel, to premature mechanical failure of the overall wear part assembly (1, 2).

(19) As wear parts (2) deteriorate through use, it may become necessary to replace one or more of them, as depicted in FIG. 2b

(20) To effect this, the mounting bar (1) simply needs to be levered upwards (using fingers or a tool to engage with the recess of the mounting bar). When raised to a sufficient height relative to the wear part (2) requiring replacement, the wear part (2) can simply be removed and replaced as appropriate. This allows for the straight forward replacement of the wear parts through the inspection door of the crusher (not shown).

(21) An alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3c.

(22) In this embodiment, the wear part (19) is configured with a wider mouth (20) than those previously illustrated, the mouth tapering inwards towards the locating portion (21) of the wear part. The mouth (20) is wider than the width of the mounting bar (22).

(23) The wear parts (19) may be stacked (three segments are depicted) up in position on the rotor body (23) as illustrated in FIG. 3b, and the mounting bar (22) offered up to the wear parts. The mounting bar (22) is tilted away from the vertical to allow its head (24) to pass through the aperture (25) in the top plate (26) of the rotor body (23).

(24) In FIG. 3c, the mounting bar (22) is tilted back to the vertical, with the head (24) passing through the top plate (26). The rotor tips are wedged in position against the vertical walls of the outlet port (27) of the rotor. Like the previous embodiment described, no fasteners are required.

(25) FIGS. 4a and 4b is a perspective view of the mounting bar and wear part depicted in FIGS. 3a to 3b. The mounting bar (22) has a more defined head (24) but like the other embodiment described has a shaft (28) and a foot (29) but with a pair of recesses (30). The wider mouth (20) of the wear part (19) is more clearly seen.

(26) Turning now to FIG. 5, this depicts a crusher (31) which includes the rotor body (16) housed within a frame (32). The crusher (31) is driven by a motor (33) mounted to a frame (34). Both the motor (33) and the rotor shaft (35) are provided with pulleys (36).

(27) Rock material (not shown) enters the crusher (31) via a feeder hopper (37) mounted to the roof (38) of the crusher (31).

(28) FIG. 6 shows the crusher (31) as part of a mobile mineral processing plant (39).

(29) The plant (39) includes a feeding device (40) to conduct rock material (not shown) to the feeder hopper (37) of the crusher (31). As the rock material is processed, it exits the plant (39) via a discharge conveyor (41).

(30) The plant (39), mounted to a tracked propelling means (42), is operable via a control unit (43) which controls the crusher (31) and its ancillary equipment such as the feeding device (40). It should be appreciated that instead of, or in addition to, tracks the plant (39) may include wheels, runners or legs.

(31) Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.