GRANULATOR SHEAR PIN SAFETY MECHANISM

Abstract

A granulator shear pin safety mechanism includes a shear pin housing disposed on a granulator frame or a gear box, a shear pin flange covered on an end surface of the shear pin housing, a shear pin disposed between the housing and the flange, a limit switch disposed on the housing, and a shear pin shroud hinged with the housing. The housing is penetrated by a main shaft of the granulator, the flange is connected to the main shaft, and the shear pin shroud covers a terminal of the main shaft. The limit switch is connected to a power control device. When the limit switch detects that a rotation displacement occurs for the flange, the power control device stops the granulator. A granulator shear pin safety mechanism have a two-piece shear pin shroud, suitable for a granulator having a remote roll adjust drive.

Claims

1. A granulator shear pin safety mechanism, comprising: a shear pin housing, disposed on a granulator frame or a gear box of a granulator, and penetrated through by a main shaft of the granulator; a shear pin flange, covered on an end surface of the shear pin housing, and connected to the main shaft of the granulator; at least one shear pin arranged between the shear pin flange and the shear pin housing; a first limit switch, disposed on the shear pin housing and connected to a power control device of the granulator, for detecting whether a rotation displacement occurs for the shear pin flange; and a shear pin shroud, hinged with the shear pin housing and covering a terminal of the main shaft, wherein when the first limit switch detects that the rotation displacement occurs for the shear pin flange, the power control device stops the granulator according to the detection that the rotation displacement occurs for the shear pin flange.

2. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 1, wherein one side of the shear pin shroud is hinged with the shear pin housing, and the other side of the shear pin shroud is connected with the shear pin housing through a clamp; and the granulator shear pin safety mechanism further comprises a second limit switch disposed on the clamp and connected to the power control device, for determining whether the shear pin shroud is in an open position or not, and when the second limit switch determines that the shear pin shroud is in the open position, the power control device stopes the granulator according to the determination that the shear pin shroud is in the open position.

3. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 1, wherein the terminal of the main shaft of the granulator is connected with a lubricating swivel head for connecting to a lubricating line.

4. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 3, wherein the shear pin shroud has an insertion slot for the lubricating line to pass through.

5. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 1, wherein a middle portion of the shear pin is opened with a groove, and the groove is located at a position of a fitting end surface of the shear pin flange and a fitting end surface of the shear pin housing.

6. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 5, wherein a gap exists between the fitting end surface of the shear pin flange and the fitting end surface of the shear pin housing, and a width of the gap is substantially the same as a width of the groove in the middle portion of the shear pin.

7. A granulator shear pin safety mechanism for a granulator, comprising: a granular supporting frame; a main shaft inserted in the granular supporting frame, and fixed to the granular supporting frame by a shear pin so as to restrict rotation of the main shaft; a remote roll adjust drive installed to an end of the main shaft, and fixed to the granular supporting frame; and a shear pin shroud disposed at an outside of the main shaft, wherein the shear pin shroud includes two shroud pieces in a shape of a clam shell, the two shroud pieces are disposed at two sides of the main shaft, each of the two shroud pieces has a fixing end pivotally connected to the granular supporting arm and a free end, and the two shroud pieces protect the end of the main shaft and the shear pin inside when the two shroud pieces are closed; and wherein a latch clip is installed to the shear pin shroud, and configured to lock the two shroud pieces.

8. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a sensor switch fixed to the granular supporting frame, wherein the sensor switch is configured to detect whether the two shroud pieces are open or not, and when the two shroud pieces are detected open, the sensor switch is configured to stop the granulator.

9. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a torsion spring disposed at the fixing ends of the two shroud pieces, to maintain opening positions of the two shroud pieces.

10. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a pneumatic spring disposed between the granular supporting frame and the two shroud pieces, to open the two shroud pieces.

11. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a seat support, wherein the shear pin shroud is pivoted to the seat support through a shear pin, the remote roll adjust drive is fixed to the sear support through a torsion arm, such that the remote roll adjust drive is fixed to the granular supporting frame.

12. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 7, wherein the latch clip comprises a latch connected with one of the shroud pieces, and a hook fixed to the other one of the shroud pieces, the latch has a handle pivoted with the one of the shroud pieces, the handle is hinged with a lock through a rotary shaft, the handle in operation is configure to engage the lock with the hook.

13. The granulator shear pin safety mechanism of claim 12, wherein the lock is in a shape of C, and comprises two vertical sides in parallel and a transverse side between the two vertical sides and perpendicular to the two vertical sides, each of the two vertical sides is formed with thread, the two vertical sides are respectively inserted through the rotary shaft, a plurality of nuts are disposed at two sides of the rotary shaft and connected to the threads of the two vertical sides, and extension of the lock outside of the rotary shaft is adjusted through rotation of the nuts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and together with the written description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a granulator shear pin safety mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention, where the shear pin shroud is open.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a granulator shear pin safety mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention, where the shear pin shroud is closed.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a granulator shear pin safety mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of position A in FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a granulator according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a granulator shear pin safety mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a granulator shear pin safety mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention, where the shear pin shroud is open.

[0037] FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a latch clip according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various embodiments of the invention are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of a, an, and the includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of in includes in and on unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Moreover, titles or subtitles may be used in the specification for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present invention.

[0039] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being on another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being directly on another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] Furthermore, relative terms, such as lower or bottom and upper or top, may be used herein to describe one element's relationship to another element as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. For example, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as being on the lower side of other elements would then be oriented on upper sides of the other elements. The exemplary term lower, can therefore, encompasses both an orientation of lower and upper, depending of the particular orientation of the figure. Similarly, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as below or beneath other elements would then be oriented above the other elements. The exemplary terms below or beneath can, therefore, encompass both an orientation of above and below.

[0041] As used herein, around, about or approximately shall generally mean within 20 percent, preferably within 10 percent, and more preferably within 5 percent of a given value or range. Numerical quantities given herein are approximate, meaning that the term around, about or approximately can be inferred if not expressly stated.

[0042] As used herein, the terms comprising, including, carrying, having, containing, involving, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to.

[0043] The description will be made as to the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in FIGS. 1-4. In accordance with the purposes of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, this invention, in one aspect, relates to a granulator shear pin safety mechanism.

[0044] In certain embodiments, a shear pin safety mechanism of a granulator is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The granulator includes, among other things, a gear box 1, a shear pin housing 2, a shear pin flange 3, one or more shear pins 4, a first limit switch 5, a shear pin shroud 6, a hinge 7, a clamp 8, a second limit switch 9, and a main shaft 10.

[0045] The shear pin housing 2 is fixed to one side of the gear box 1 through one or more bolts, and the terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator penetrates through the shear pin housing 2. The shear pin flange 3 is covered on the end surface of the shear pin housing 2. One end of the shear pin flange 3 is inserted into the shear pin housing 2, and fixedly connected to the terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator through a straight tooth 20. Two shear pins 4 are inserted between the shear pin housing 2 and the shear pin flange 3 along the axial direction of the main shaft 10. When the shear pins 4 are cut off, the shear pin flange 3 rotates together with the main shaft 10 within the shear pin housing 2. The shear pin housing 2 is opened with a notch for installing the first limit switch 5. The first limit switch 5 is used for monitoring the rotation displacement of the shear pin flange 3. The first limit switch 5 is connected with a power control device of the granulator. When the granulator is overloaded and the shear pins are cut off, the shear pin flange 3 rotates with the main shaft 10 of the granulator. Once the first limit switch 5 detects that the shear pin flange 3 is displaced, the first limit switch 5 sends a first signal to the power control device or the power control device retrieves the first signal from the first limit switch 5, and in response to the received first signal, the power control device stops the granulator, thereby prevent the terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator and the shear pin flange 3 from continuing rotating.

[0046] The shear pin housing 2 is hinged with the shear pin shroud 6. The shear pin shroud 6 is used for enclosing the terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator. One side of the shear pin shroud 6 is hinged with the shear pin housing 2 through the hinge 7, and the other side of the shear pin shroud 6 is fixedly connected with the shear pin housing 2 through the clamp 8. The clamp 8 is equipped with a second limit switch 9 for monitoring whether the shear pin shroud 6 is opened, or whether the shear pin shroud 6 is in an open position or a close position. The second limit switch 9 is connected with the power control device. When the shear pin shroud 6 is opened, the second limit switch 9 detects that the shear pin shroud 6 is in the open position, the second limit switch 9 then sends a second signal to the power control device or the power control device retrieves the second signal from the second limit switch 9. In response to the received second signal, the power control device stops the granulator. The terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator and the shear pin flange 3 are enclosed by the shear pin shroud 6. The shear pin flange 3 and the main shaft 10 cannot make contact with operator or maintenance personnel, even if they are rotating. Therefore, the safety and protection properties of the granulator are improved.

[0047] The terminal of the main shaft 10 of the granulator is connected with the lubricating swivel head 30. The lubricating swivel heard 30 is used for connecting a lubricating line. The shear pin shroud 6 is carved with an insertion slot 61 to let the lubricating line pass through. The lubricating line enters into the shear pin shroud 6 through the insertion slot 61, and is connected with the lubricating swivel head 30.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the end portion and the middle portion of each shear pin 4 are respectively carved with a groove 41. The shear pin 4 is plugged into the shear pin flange 3 and the shear pin shroud 6. The groove 41 in the middle portion of the shear pin 4 is located on the fitting end surfaces of the shear pin flange 3 and the shear pin housing 2. There exists a gap 60 between the fitting end surface of the shear pin flange 3 and the fitting end surface of the shear pin housing 2. The width of the gap 60 is substantially the same as the width of the groove 41 in the middle portion of the shear pin 4. The groove 41 on the end portion of the shear pin 4 is located on the outer side face of the shear pin flange 3. The groove 41 on the end portion of the shear pin 4 is clamped with a card 40, and the card 40 is fixedly connected with the shear pin flange 3 through a bolt 50. The groove 41 on the end portion of the shear pin 4 is convenient for positioning the card 40 and limiting the plugging-in depth of the shear pin 4, so that the groove 41 in the middle portion of the shear pin 4 is always located at the location of the fitting end surfaces of the shear pin flange 3 and the shear pin shroud 2. The groove 41 in the middle portion of the shear pin 4 is the vulnerable point of the shear pin 4. Thus, when the granulator is overloaded, the shear pin 4 is easily cut off at the location of the groove 41 in the middle portion of the shear pin 4, so that the die, the compression roller and the main shaft 10 are protected from damage.

[0049] In certain cases, some granulators are equipped with a compression roller remote roll adjust (RRA) drive. Since the RRA is much larger than a manual compression roller adjustment device, it is difficult to use an one-unit shear pin shroud to protect the RRA drive and the shear pin, or the open of the shear pin shroud occupies a large space, which is inconvenient for maintenance operations. Therefore, in another aspect, the present invention relates to a shear pin safety mechanism having a two piece hinged shroud. In certain embodiments, a shear pin shroud of a granulator is shown in FIGS. 5-8. As shown in FIGS. 5-8, a granular shear pin safety mechanism includes a granulator supporting frame 101 to which a main shaft 102 of a compression roller is inserted. The main shaft 102 is fixedly connected to the granulator supporting frame 101 through the shear pin 103 for restricting the rotation of the main shaft 102. When the granulator overloads, the shear pin 103 is cut off, and the main shaft 102 and the compression roller rotate along with the die to protect the compression roller and the main shaft 102 from breaking. An automatic adjusting and driving device 104 is installed at the end of the main shaft 102. A seat support 105 is fixedly installed on the granulator supporting frame 101. The seat support 105 is on an adjacent side of the main shaft 102. Two shroud pieces 106 of a shear pin shroud are pivoted to the seat support 105. The two shroud pieces 106 have an opposite clam shell shape, and are respectively opened on two sides of the main shaft 102. The two shroud pieces 106 having the clam shell shape, when being closed, enclose the end of the main shaft 102 and the shear pin 103. The two shroud pieces 106, when being opened, are suitable for maintenance or replacement of the shear pin 103. One end of each shroud piece 106 is pivoted to the seat support 105 a pin 107, and the other end of the shroud piece 106 is a free end. A latch clip 108 is installed on the two shroud pieces 106. The latch clip 8 closes and locks the two shroud pieces 106. The remote roll adjust drive 104 is fixedly connected with the seat support 105 through a torque arm 109. The torque arm 109 is fixed to the seat support 105. The torque arm 109 is fixed with both the remote roll adjust drive 104 and the granulator to ensure that the remote roll adjust drive 104 never rotates relative to the sear support 105 or the granulator. A sensor switch 110, for detecting whether the clam shell shaped shroud pieces 106 are open or not, is installed on the granulator supporting frame 101. When the shroud pieces 106 are open, the sensor switch 110 turns the granulator off. A torsion spring is installed at the pivotal ends of the shroud pieces 106 to maintain an open status of the shroud pieces 106, or a pneumatic spring is installed at the pivotal ends of the shroud pieces 106 for driving the shroud pieces 106 open. The shroud pieces 106 can be maintained at the maximum opening position by the torsion spring or the pneumatic spring, such that the replacement and the maintenance of the shear pin 103 are convenient. The latch clip 108 includes a latch 111 coupled to one of the shroud pieces 106 and a hook 112 secured to the other one of the shroud pieces 106. The latch 111 includes a handle 113 hinged to the corresponding shroud piece 106. The handle 113 is hinged with a lock 115 through a pivot shaft 114. The lock 115 is in a shape of C, and includes two parallel vertical sides 116 and a transverse side 117 between the two vertical sides 116 and perpendicular to the vertical sides 116. The free end of each of the two vertical sides 116 away from the transverse side 117 is provided with thread. The two vertical sides 116 are respectively inserted into the two rotary shafts 114. Two nuts are connected to the thread of each of the vertical sides 116. The two nuts are fixed on both sides of corresponding one of the rotary shafts 114. The length of each free end of the lock 115 that extends out of the corresponding rotary shafts 114 is adjusted by rotating the corresponding nuts. The handle 113 can be pulled to engage the lock 115 with the hook 112, and then pushed back to achieve locking of the two shroud pieces 106. In this way, the open of the shroud pieces 106 due to vibration is avoided, and the safety of the equipment is ensured. The lock 115 is fixed using threads and nuts. By adjusting the position of the nuts, the extension of the lock 115 out of the rotary shaft 114 is controlled, such that error caused during metal formation can be adjusted.

[0050] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

[0051] The embodiments are chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to activate others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.