Abstract:
A screw adjust cone crusher with a top tramp iron relief system where the bonnet can be vertically adjusted by rotating the threaded bonnet support within the threaded lower section. The tramp iron system is disposed entirely above the bonnet, thereby creating a small footprint screw adjust cone crusher with overhead tramp iron release system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of the provisional application having Ser. No. 61/013,874 filed on Dec. 14, 2007 by John Vendelin, which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to rock crushers, and more particularly to screw adjusting cone crushers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the past, many rock crushing operations have used a shim adjusting cone crusher atop a trailer, together with a crushed rock capturing conveyor disposed below the crusher. Many of these systems have performed well in the past. However, the cone crusher in these systems has a limited life and must be occasionally replaced. Screw adjusting cone crushers have gained popularity in the industry for their quick material (output) close side setting adjustment capabilities. However, these screw adjusting cone crushers are often too large to function as a replacement on a trailer for a smaller shim adjust cone crusher. 
     Consequently, there exists a need for a screw adjust cone crusher with a limited footprint so as to allow for retro-fitting on to a trailer previously holding a shim adjust cone crusher. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide rock crushing operations with a cost-effective quick material output size adjusting cone crusher. 
     It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a screw adjusting cone crusher with a tramp iron relief system disposed substantially entirely on top of the bonnet. 
     It is an advantage of the present invention to provide for the ability of a compact screw adjust cone crusher to replace a shim adjust cone crusher of the type having a footprint which is smaller than a typical footprint size for a screw adjust cone crusher. 
     The present invention is an apparatus and method for crushing rock which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. For some crushing operations, the present invention is carried out in a “trailer replacement-less system” in a sense that the need to replace a trailer and a conveyor system every time a mobile shim adjust cone crusher needs replacement, has been greatly reduced. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method for screw adjusting a cone crusher with a top tramp iron relief system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the cone crusher of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the cone crusher of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the cone crusher of  FIGS. 1 and 2  taken on line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of the top sections of the cone crusher of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the tramp iron relief section of the cone crusher of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the tramp iron relief section taken on line G-G of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged section of the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the tramp iron relief system of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the bottom section of the cone crusher of  FIG. 1  where the cone  102  is removed to reveal the detail of the internal threading therein configured to receive the external threading on the bottom of the bonnet support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Now referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like matter throughout, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a screw adjust cone crusher with overhead tramp iron release system generally designated  1000 , which in intended to be used in the rock crushing industry in a manner similar to other rock crushers which are manufactured and sold by the Terex Corporation. Screw adjust cone crusher with overhead tramp iron release system  1000  includes a lower section  100 , an upper section  200  and an optional wire basket hopper  300 . 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , lower section  100  is similar in many respects to prior art cone crushers and includes gyrating cone  102  which is driven by drive shaft  104 . Lower section  100  has a lower section bottom  106  section and a lower section top  108 . 
     Lower section  100  has a novel screw adjust mechanism which includes lower section internal threads  114  located at the lower section top  108 . Lower section internal threads  114  are included for mating with bonnet support external threads  206 . Lower section  100  further includes a clamping ring  110  which performs the function of locking the material output size setting and reducing vibration. Clamping ring  110  includes a threaded edge for mating with bonnet support external threads  206 . Hydraulic locking cylinders  112  extend up through the lower section top  108  and impacts clamping ring  110  and cause it to press against bonnet support external threads  206 , thereby jamming or locking the two threaded pieces together and thereby locking the material output size setting. Anti-rotation pins  113  index the clamping ring  110  with the internal thread  114 , prevent rotation of clamping ring  110 , but allow vertical movement of said ring for clamping action. 
     Bonnet  202  rests upon bonnet support  210  and specifically rests upon v seat  212 . During a tramp iron event, bonnet  202  is pushed upward and pivots on one side of v seat  212  and allows any uncrushable matter to drop into the crushed output material. 
     To control the upward movement of the bonnet  202  during tramp iron events, bonnet  202  has bonnet rotation stops  218 . Bonnet rotation stops  218  are adjacent an angled bonnet rotation stops  216  which is fixed to the top of the bonnet support  210  and tends to cause the bonnet  202  to fall back into its original position after a tramp iron event. Also bonnet  202  is contacted by tramp iron relief cylinder push rod  232 , which is a component of the tramp iron relief cylinder  230  of the tramp iron relief system  220 . Each tramp iron relief cylinder  230 , with its internal cavity  234 , is coupled to every other tramp iron relief cylinder  230  via a ring of manifold tubes  236 . Also coupled to the ring of manifold tubes  236  are the accumulators  222  which are connected via accumulator fluid connector tube  223 . Accumulator  222  may have a nitrogen or other gas-filled bladder therein which could be filled and pressurized to variable settings, depending upon the needs of a particular job. Accumulator  222  could have an independent valve for control of such pressure. Similarly, manifold tubes  236  and tramp iron relief cylinders  230  are filled with hydraulic fluid and can be pressurized to set standards which may vary, depending upon the particular task at hand. 
     The operation of the tramp iron relief system  220 , shown in more detail in  FIGS. 4-8 , is similar to prior art tramp iron relief systems. The primary distinction of the tramp iron relief system  220  of the present invention is that it is disposed above the bonnet  202  and does not have accumulators which make the crusher overall wider; i.e., the accumulators  222  are all located inside a vertical line drawn up from the widest point of the screw adjust cone crusher with overhead tramp iron release system  1000  and are located below a point of material input into the hopper sides  304  and the optional wire basket at the hopper end  302 . 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  9 , the screw adjust cone crusher with overhead tramp iron release system  1000  of the present invention can adjust its material output size setting as follows: 
     The clamping ring  110  is disengaged by releasing pressure on the hydraulic locking cylinders  112 ; this then allows the lower section internal threads  114  and the bonnet support external threads  206  to move with respect to each other. The ring gear drive mechanism  130  is energized by the ring gear drive motor  132 , which drives a gear (not shown) which drives ring gear  208  to rotate. Ring gear  208  rests upon support rollers  122 , ring gear supports  120  and support brackets  121 . Coupled to the top of ring gear  208  are vertical channel members  140 . These may be bolted on channel members with a predetermined channel gap or a non-channel vertical member could be used as well. Vertical channel members  140  are sized and configured to engage channel mating rods  214 , which are attached to the bonnet support side wall  204 . Channel mating rods  214  and vertical channel members  140  are both elongated members which would allow relative vertical movement while a rotational pressure is being applied; i.e., as the vertical channel members  140  push the channel mating rods  214  around, the bonnet support  210  will be threaded up or down with respect to the lower section internal threads  114 , thereby raising or lowering the bonnet. The vertical channel members  140  and channel mating rods  214  combination allows for continued rotational force transmission despite significant vertical translation. Once the desired material output size setting is achieved, the ring gear drive motor  132  will be stopped and the hydraulic locking cylinders  112  will be activated to jam the clamping ring  110  into the bonnet support external threads  206 , and thereby lock the material output size setting at its new setting. Note that the anti-rotation pins  113  extend through the anti-rotation pin holes  113 A in clamping ring  110 , to further prevent unwanted rotation. 
     Throughout this description the bonnet support has been described as having external threads and the lower section has been described as having internal threads. The present invention is intended to include means for screw adjusting the cone crusher which include a bonnet with internal threads and the lower section with some portion with external threads. The details of a design which is reversed from what is shown in the figures is not necessary as they would be well within ordinary skill in the art after reading the text of this specification. 
     It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. This includes using an external thread on the lower assembly  100  and an internal thread on the upper assembly. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.