Abstract:
A cone crusher comprising a conical body; a mantle removably positioned over the conical body; and an assembly for securing the mantle on the conical body. The assembly comprises a retainer for pressing the mantle onto the conical body, and an adapter located between the retainer and the conical body. The adapter is secured on the conical body and the retainer is movably mounted on the adapter.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cone crusher, and/or a method of assembling a cone crusher. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A cone crusher is used for crushing materials such as rocks, stones and ores. A typical cone crusher has a conical body arranged to rotate eccentrically with respect to a concave element mounted on an upper frame. The eccentric rotation of the conical body with respect to the concave element means that gap between the body and concave element opens and closes, thus crushing material therebetween. 
         [0003]    It will be appreciated that the outside surface of the conical body and the inside surface of the concave element can be subject to high levels of wear during use of the crusher. To combat the high levels of wear, the outer surface of the conical body and/or the inside surface of the concave element are replaceable or provided with a sacrificial lining. 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a cone crusher  110  of the prior art. A conical mantle  112  is positioned over a conical body  114  of the cone crusher. The mantle  112  is clamped to the conical body using a single nut  116 , which engages a large diameter cylindrically shaped neck  118  at the upper end of the conical body. When the nut  116  is tightened, it presses the mantle  112  into compressive engagement with the conical body  114 . 
         [0005]    During operation of the cone crusher, the conical body  114  rotates eccentrically, so as to crush material between the mantle  114  and a lining of the concave cover. However, contact with material to be crushed (e.g. a rock or a stone) may cause the mantle  112  to temporarily stop rotating or to temporarily rotate slower than the conical body  114 . Such relative rotational motion can cause relative rotation between the nut  116  and the conical body  114 , resulting in the nut  116  becoming loosened from the conical body  114 . 
         [0006]    To prevent the nut  116  being loosened from the conical body  114  by this movement, the thread on the nut  116  is provided in a direction such that the nut  116  tightens during operation rather than loosens. Nevertheless, prior to operation of the cone crusher, the nut  116  must be securely tightened onto the conical body  114 . This requires considerable torque and typically this can only be applied by the use of a sledge hammer, which can have safety implications. 
         [0007]      FIG. 6  shows an upper frame assembly of a known cone crusher, having a concave element  150  with a sacrificial liner  152 . The liner  152  has lugs  154  that are configured to overlap a portion of the concave element  150 . The liner  152  is jacked into engagement with the cover  150  using wedges  156  between the lugs  154  and the cover  150 . Positioning the wedges is a physically exerting task which often requires the use of a T-bar and a sledge hammer, and thereby raises safety issues. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0008]    There is a need to alleviate one or more of the above mentioned problems. 
         [0009]    According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cone crusher comprising:
       a conical body;   a mantle removably positioned over the conical body; and   an assembly for securing the mantle on the conical body, said assembly comprising a retainer for pressing the mantle onto the conical body, and an adapter located between the retainer and the conical body, wherein the adapter is secured on the conical body and the retainer is movably mounted on the adapter.       
 
         [0013]    The assembly of retainer and adapter provides a novel and advantageous solution to problems associated with the single nut retention mechanism of the prior art. 
         [0014]    In embodiments, the retainer and adapter are separate interconnected components moveable relative to one another. 
         [0015]    The connection between the adapter and the retainer may be configured such that the retainer is rotatable relative to the adapter. In such embodiments, in use, when the mantle experiences a resistance to motion the retainer can rotate relative to the adapter to tighten the retainer relative to the mantle. 
         [0016]    The retainer may be annular in shape and positioned coaxially with the adapter. The retainer may be threadingly engaged with the adapter, e.g. on an outer surface of the adapter. 
         [0017]    The adapter may be directly fastened to the conical body. 
         [0018]    The adapter may be fastened to the conical body using two or more fasteners. The fasteners may be provided within an area corresponding to an upper surface of a neck of the conical body, and/or the diameter of the fastener may be less than the diameter of a neck of the conical body. This can massively reduce the amount of torque required to tighten or untighten the fasteners compared to the single nut of the prior art. 
         [0019]    The fasteners may extend through bores provided in the adapter to fasten to the conical body, for example, to fasten to a neck of the conical body. For example, the adapter may take the form of a plate, wherein the bores extend from an upper surface to a lower surface of the plate, so that the fasteners can pass down through the plate for tightening engagement into the conical body. 
         [0020]    Each, or each combination of, the above described configurations result in the torque required to tighten each of the fasteners being reduced to a fraction of the torque required to tighten the single nut of the prior art, obviating the need for high risk solutions such as the use of a sledge hammer. 
         [0021]    The fastener may be threaded and the bores may be a threaded bore for threadingly receiving the fastener. 
         [0022]    The two or more fasteners may be bolts. The fasteners may be arranged circumferentially around the adapter. The cone crusher may comprise, three, four, five, six, seven, eight or more fasteners. 
         [0023]    The cone crusher may comprise a relief ring positioned between the retainer and the mantle. The relief ring may be made from a material that is easily burnt. The relief ring can be made from any suitable material of the type well known in the art, e.g. manganese. 
         [0024]    A resilient member may be positioned to space the adapter axially from the conical body. Spacing the adapter axially from the conical body can set the position of the adaptor to prevent the bolts ‘bottoming out’, which would prevent the required clamping force to the mantle being generated. The resilient member may be a spring, or a plurality of springs. One or more of the springs may be substantially coaxially aligned with one of the fasteners. 
         [0025]    A protective cap may be positioned over the adapter and/or retainer. For example, the protective cap may be positioned on the retainer so as to at least cover the adapter. The protective cap provides a barrier to material ingress to components of the cone crusher. 
         [0026]    According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembly of a cone crusher, the method comprising the step of:
       positioning a mantle over a conical body of a cone crusher;   providing an assembly for securing the mantle on the conical body, said assembly comprising a retainer for pressing the mantle onto the conical body, and an adapter for location between the retainer and the conical body;   the method further comprising the steps of mounting the retainer on the adapter; and   securing the adapter on the conical body, in order to press the mantle onto the conical body via the retainer.       
 
         [0031]    The adapter may be directly fastened to the conical body. The retainer may be directly connected to the adapter. The adapter may be positioned coaxial with the conical body. The adapter may be positioned coaxial with the conical body before the retainer is connected to the adapter. 
         [0032]    The retainer may be connected to the adapter using a configuration such that the retainer is rotatable relative to the adapter. In such embodiments, in use, when the mantle experiences a resistance to motion the retainer can rotate relative to the adapter to tighten the abutment with the retainer and mantle. 
         [0033]    The method of assembly may comprise the step of threadingly engaging the retainer to the adapter. 
         [0034]    The method may comprise the step of fastening the adapter to the conical body using two or more fasteners. The fasteners may be positioned within an area corresponding to an upper surface of a neck of the conical body. The diameter of the fastener may be less than the diameter of a neck of the conical body. The fastener may be positioned to extend through bores provided in the adapter to fasten to the conical body, for example, to fasten to a neck of the conical body. Each, or each combination of, the above described configurations result in the torque required to tighten each of the fasteners being reduced to a fraction of the torque required to tighten the single nut of the prior art, obviating the need for high risk solutions such as the use of a sledge hammer. 
         [0035]    The method of assembly may comprise the step of positioning a relief ring between the retainer and the mantle, the relief ring being made from a material that is easily burnt. 
         [0036]    The method of assembly may comprise the step of positioning a resilient member so as to space the adapter axially from the conical body. 
         [0037]    The method may comprise the step of tightening the fasteners to provide a preload on the adapter. 
         [0038]    According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a cone crusher of the kind having:
       a frame positioned over and spaced from a conical body of the cone crusher, and a concave wear element mounted on the frame, wherein the conical body is rotatable relative to the frame for crushing material between the concave wear element and the conical body,   the cone crusher further comprising a jacking arrangement for moving the wear element relative to the frame, wherein the jacking arrangement includes a jacking plate arranged to act between the wear element and the frame, to provide compressive engagement between the wear element and the frame,   and wherein the upper end of the wear element includes location formations configured to overlap a portion of the jacking plate, and the jacking plate is configured to allow the upper end of the wear liner to pass through the jacking plate for location or removal of the wear element relative to the jacking plate.       
 
         [0042]    The cone crusher of the previous aspects of the invention may comprise one or more of the features of this aspect of the invention. 
         [0043]    This aspect of the invention avoids the need for the jacking wedges of the prior art. Accordingly, some of the associated health and safety risks are alleviated. Moreover, it provides a frame assembly in which the wear liner can be more easily assembled on or removed from the cone crusher. 
         [0044]    The location formations may comprise radial tugs, and the jacking plate may have an inner periphery shaped to allow the lugs on the wear element to pass through the plate. 
         [0045]    The jacking plate may include location formations for receiving the location formations of the wear element. 
         [0046]    The location formations on the jacking plate may comprise a tapered surface, such that, in use, relative rotation of the liner with respect to the frame causes the liner to tighten relative to the frame. 
         [0047]    The location formations on the wear element may comprise radial lugs and the location formations on the jacking plate may comprise recesses for receiving the radial lugs. 
         [0048]    An inner periphery of the jacking plate may include recesses configured to allow the lugs on the wear element to pass through the plate. 
         [0049]    A location formation on the jacking plate may be provided between two of the recesses on the inner periphery of the jacking plate. 
         [0050]    The jacking plate may be arranged to act against the lugs of the wear element for lifting the wear element relative to the frame. 
         [0051]    The cone crusher may further include jacking bolts for jacking the wear element relative to the frame. 
         [0052]    The jacking bolts may extend through the jacking plate for jacking against the frame. 
         [0053]    The jacking strips may be provided between the ends of the jacking bolts and the frame. 
         [0054]    The jacking plate may be a ring. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0055]    Other features and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments made by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0056]      FIG. 1  shows a cross sectional view of a conical body, mantle and nut of a cone crusher of the prior art; 
           [0057]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of a cone crusher according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0058]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of the cone crusher shown in  FIG. 2  in a first step of assembly; 
           [0059]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the cone crusher shown in  FIG. 2  in a second step of assembly; 
           [0060]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of the cone crusher shown in  FIG. 2  in a third step of assembly; 
           [0061]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a concave element and concave liner of a cone crusher of the prior art; 
           [0062]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a concave element and concave liner of a cone crusher according to another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0063]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a first step of assembly of the concave element and concave liner shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0064]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a second step of assembly of the concave element and concave liner shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0065]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of a third step of assembly of the concave element and concave liner shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0066]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a fourth step of assembly of the concave element and concave liner shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0067]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a cone crusher is indicated generally at  10 . The cone crusher has a conical body  14  with a cylindrical shaped neck  18  at an upper position of the conical body  14 . The neck  18  of the cone crusher  10  shown in  FIG. 2  is shallower than the cylindrical neck  118  of the prior art (see  FIG. 1 ). The reasons for this difference will become apparent in the following description, but in alternative embodiments the neck may be of a similar height to the neck of the cone crushers of the prior art. 
         [0068]    A mantle  12  of sacrificial wear material, for example manganese, is generally conical in shape and is positioned over and coaxial with the conical body  14  (i.e. the conical body and the mantle share the same central axis  9 ). The mantle has a neck  19  at an upper position of the mantle body. The neck  19  is configured to be concentric with the neck  16  of the conical body  14 . The angle of the sides of the mantle  12  and the conical body  14  are non-parallel, to enable the mantle  12  to be pressed into an interference fit against an outer surface of the conical body  14 . 
         [0069]    A releasable retention assembly  15  is provided for securing the mantle  12  to the conical body  14 . The assembly  15  includes an adapter  20  fastened to the conical body and a retainer  22  positioned for pressing the mantle down onto the conical body. 
         [0070]    The adapter  20  is connected to and coaxial with the neck  18  of the conical body  14 . The adapter  20  is located coaxial with the neck  18  via the provision of an annular protrusion  36  that fits inside the neck  18  of the conical body  14 . 
         [0071]    The adapter  20  is fastened to the conical body  14  by, in this embodiment, four fasteners  26  (only two of which are visible in the Figures). In this embodiment, each fastener is a bolt and therefore has a threaded body  32  and a head  30 . The adapter  20  has four threaded bores extending therethrough. The threaded bores are configured to engage with the thread of a respective fastener. The conical body  14  has corresponding threaded bores  28  formed at an upper end thereof, for receiving the ends of the fasteners as they extend through the adapter. 
         [0072]    The retainer  22  is annular in shape and has a thread on an inner surface, for threaded engagement of a thread provided on an outer surface of the adapter  20 . The thread is provided in a direction such that if, in use, the mantle experiences a resistance to motion the retainer rotates axially towards the mantle  12 . 
         [0073]    A relief ring  24  is positioned between the retainer  22  and the mantle  12 , so as to separate the retainer and the mantle. 
         [0074]    A resilient member, in this case a spring  34 , is positioned within the bores  28  of the conical body, so as to maintain a gap between the conical body and the adapter. 
         [0075]    A method of assembling the cone crusher shown in  FIG. 2  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 . Firstly, referring to  FIG. 3 , the mantle  12  is positioned over the conical body  14 . A resilient member, in this embodiment a spring  34 , is positioned in each threaded bore  28  of the conical body  14  for providing a gap between the conical body and the adapter. The adapter  20  is then positioned coaxial with the conical body, but not in contact with the conical body. The lower protrusion  36  of the adapter is received in the neck  18  of the conical body  14  to aid in locating the adapter coaxially with the conical body. 
         [0076]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the next step of assembly includes positioning the relief ring  24  on an upper surface of the mantle  12 , in this embodiment, the relief ring is substantially coaxial with the mantle  12 . 
         [0077]    The threaded surface of the retainer  22  is then threaded onto the threaded surface of the adapter  20  until the retainer abuts the relief ring  24 . The abutment of the retainer with the relief ring restricts movement of the mantle away from the conical body. 
         [0078]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the final stages in assembling the cone crusher are illustrated. In the final stage, the fasteners  26  are received in and threadingly engaged with the bores of the adapter. The fasteners are then further screwed into the bores  28  of the conical body  14  so as to fasten the adapter to the conical body  14 . The fasteners are tightened so as to cause the retainer to push the mantle into an interference fit with the conical body and apply a preload to the mantle. 
         [0079]    To disassemble the cone crusher of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the relief ring  24  is burnt away. This releases most, if not all, of the additional load that has built up during operation of the cone crusher. The fasteners  26  can then simply be removed. 
         [0080]    In this embodiment, because of the smaller diameter of the fasteners  26  compared to the neck of the conical body (and the nut of the prior art), the adapter can be attached to and removed from the conical body  14  using a spanner or wrench, and in some cases by hand. This is advantageous over the cone crushers of the prior art which require greater physical effort and sometimes high risk solutions for applying the required torque, for example, use of a through bar and a sledge hammer. 
         [0081]    In alternative embodiments of the invention to the embodiment described, the number of fasteners  26  may be two, three, five, six, seven, eight or any suitable number of fasteners may be positioned circumferentially around the adapter  20  body and the conical body  14 . 
         [0082]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , part of an upper frame of a cone crusher is shown at  50 , having an associated wear liner  52 . 
         [0083]    As in the prior art, the liner  52  is positioned within the frame  50  and material is crushed between the liner  52  and a mantle positioned on an eccentrically rotating conical body below the frame  50  (e.g. the conical body and mantle previously described herein). The liner  52  is sacrificial and can be replaced when needed, e.g. once the liner  52  reaches a certain level of wear. 
         [0084]    An upper end of the liner  52  includes lugs  54  which serve as radial projections for correctly locating the liner  52  relative to the frame  50 . In this embodiment, there are four lugs  54  spaced equidistantly and circumferentially around the upper end of the liner  52 . 
         [0085]    A support or jacking plate  56  is arranged between the frame  50  and the liner  52 . The lugs  54  of the liner  52  are arranged for operative engagement with the jacking plate  56 . More particularly, the jacking plate  56  defines a plurality of recesses or depressions  62  into which the lugs  54  of the liner  52  are positionable, for correctly locating the liner  52  relative to the jacking plate  56 . 
         [0086]    The jacking plate  56  further defines a plurality of clearance cut-outs or recesses  60  on its inner diameter. The clearance recesses  60  are formed through the thickness of the jacking plate  56  and are wider than the lugs  54  of the liner  52 , to enable the lugs  54  to pass within the clearance recesses  60 , as will be described below. In this embodiment, the clearance recesses  60  are spaced equidistantly about the inner diameter of the jacking plate  56 , and the locating recesses  62  are provided between the clearance recesses  60 . 
         [0087]    In some embodiments, the locating recesses  62  may have a tapered surface configured such that relative rotation of the liner  52  with respect to the frame  50  causes the liner  52  to tighten its engagement with the frame  50 . 
         [0088]      FIGS. 8 to 11  show the steps in assembling the liner  52  on the frame  50 . 
         [0089]    As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , arcuate jack strips  64  (three of which are visible in  FIG. 8 ) are mounted on an upper surface of the frame  50 , e.g. adjacent the rim of the central opening in the frame  50 . The jacking plate  56  is then placed on top of the jack plates  64 . 
         [0090]    The liner  52  is arranged below the frame  50  (e.g. as shown in  FIG. 9 ) before being manoeuvred so that the upper end of the liner  52  passes up through the central aperture in the frame  50 . To do this, the lugs  54  are positioned to pass up through the clearance recesses  60  of the jacking plate  56 . The liner  52  is then rotated to bring each lug  54  into engagement with a respective locating recess  62  in the upper surface of the jacking plate  56  (e.g. as shown in  FIG. 10 ). 
         [0091]    Typically, the liner  52  will have an external configuration intended to mate with or lay adjacent an inner surface of the frame  50 , when the lugs  54  are correctly arranged in the locating recesses  62 . 
         [0092]    A jacking arrangement is provided for jacking the jacking plate  56  and hence the upper end of the liner  52  (via the lugs  54 ) upwards relative to the frame  50 , in order to urge the lower end of the liner  52  into compressive engagement with an internal surface of the frame  50 . The jacking arrangement includes jacking bolts  58  provided to extend through the jacking plate and into engagement with the jack strips  64 . The jacking bolts can be rotated in order to jack the jacking plate  56  in a manner known in the art and understood by a person skilled in the art, e.g. by cooperation with a threaded bolt. The jacking bolts  58  act against the jack strips, to prevent or reduce the risk of damage to the frame  50  during jacking of the jacking plate/liner  52 . The jack strips  64  may be easily replaced if damaged, as a result of the forces generated during jacking of the liner  52 . 
         [0093]    In this embodiment, additional bolts  60  extend through the jacking plate and are threaded into the frame  50 . The additional bolts  60  are positioned to be spaced between the lugs, and sets of jacking bolts in this embodiment four additional bolts are provided each being positioned equidistant from an adjacent lug. The additional bolts  60  act to limit deflection of the jacking plate  56 . In alternative embodiments the additional bolts  60  may not be required. 
         [0094]    The arrangement shown herein advantageously requires much less force exertion to securely connect the liner to the frame than the methods of the prior art. 
         [0095]    Although the invention has been described above with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.