Rotor for a disintegrating machine

A rotor for use in a disintegrating machine comprises a rotor body adapted to be rotated about its axis and provided at its periphery with a plurality of receptacles extending parallel to the axis, each receptacle having on one side an opening facing in the direction of rotation. The rotor further comprises a plurality of beater bars, each of which has a bar body extending in a direction which is parallel to the axis and has a symmetrical cross-section. Each bar body has at least one retaining extension supported in a respective receptacle, has a longitudinal plane of symmetry extending in a direction which is substantially parallel to a tangent to a flight circle defined by an outer periphery of the bar bodies of the beater bars upon rotation of the rotor body, and is provided with axially spaced apart knife edges which protrude at the periphery to be contiguous to the flight circle, are symmetrical to the plane of symmetry and extend in planes which are normal to the axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a rotor for a disintegrating machine, which 
comprises peripheral receptacles for supporting beater bars, which are 
parallel to the axis of the rotor and comprise a bar body that has a 
symmetrical cross-section, and comprise retaining extensions, which extend 
into the receptacles of the rotor, and relates also to the beater bars 
themselves. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Known rotors for disintegrating machines are provided with radially 
extending receptacles for inserted beater bars, which so extend in said 
receptacles that the plane of symmetry of each beater bar extends 
approximately radially. As a result, the beater bars, which owing to their 
rotation impinge on the material to be disintegrated, are stressed 
substantially transversely to the plane of symmetry and the rotor must be 
provided with stable backing structures for the beater bars in order to 
take up the resulting tilting moments and striking forces. That 
requirement involves a considerable structural expenditure and because the 
beater bars must be free to act in the striking direction it is difficult 
to provide the required space and arrangement. Beater bars are used which 
have substantially beamlike bar bodies, which only by a specific 
cross-sectional shape can be adapted to different requirements imposed by 
the material to be disintegrated and regarding the disintegrating 
performance and this is unsatisfactory particularly with relatively small 
machines which can be used for numerous purposes. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to eliminate said disadvantages and to 
provide a rotor which is of the kind described first hereinbefore and 
distinguishes by having a relatively simple structure, a high performance, 
a high adaptability, and not least an economical operation. 
That object is accomplished in accordance with the invention in that the 
receptacles of the rotor are open in the direction of rotation of the 
rotor and the beater bars extend in the receptacles of the rotor so that 
the plane of symmetry of the bar bodies is approximately parallel to a 
tangent on the flight circle of the rotor, and the bar body is provided 
with protruding axis-normal knife edges, which is defined by an outer 
periphery of the bar bodies of the beater bars upon rotation of the rotor 
body, which are symmetrical to the plane of symmetry of the associated bar 
body and extend in planes which are normal to the axis of the rotor. For 
this reason said beater bars are supported in the receptacles of the rotor 
substantially in the direction in which load is applied to the beater bars 
so that they will not be subjected to substantial tilting moments under 
the action of the striking force and the bars can be supported in a 
desirable manner. Besides, the disintegrating action of the beater bars is 
strongly improved by the axis-normal knife edges, so that the 
cross-sectional shape of the bar bodies, on the one hand, and the number 
and arrangement of the knife edges, on the other jand, permit an optimum 
adaptation of the disintegrating action to various conditions. Besides, 
the symmetry of the beater bars and their knife edges permits their use in 
two positions, which are angularly spaced through 180.degree. with respect 
to the plane of symmetry, so that the useful lives of the beater bars can 
virtually be doubled because when the beater bar has been worn in one 
position a beater bar which is virtually unworn in the other position will 
be available. 
If the knife edges have a recess or are interrupted adjacent to the plane 
of symmetry, it will be possible to restrict the wear to one-half of each 
knife edge during a use of the beater bars in the one position so that the 
beater bar will be fully effective when it is subsequently used in the 
other position. Besides, the shapes of the recessed or interrupted knife 
edges are more desirable regarding the impact and cleaving actions because 
the knife edges are formed with corners or strongly curved portions so 
that higher pressures per unit of surface area will be applied as the 
knife edges impinge on the material to be disintegrated and the 
disintegrating action will thus be increased. The recesses or 
interruptions of the knife edges may have various configurations and in 
particular may be U- or V-shaped and will suitably be combined with bar 
bodies having a similar shape in cross-section. 
The action of the beater bars may also be adapted to given conditions in 
that axially extending knife edges are provided on the bar body between 
the axis-normal knife edges and/or the knife edges are provided with 
chisellike striking spikes, so that a high disintegrating performance can 
be achieved. 
If the axis-normal knife edges slope toward the bar body at their outer 
ends, said knife edges at the outer periphery will extend along the flight 
circle of the rotor and a substantial wear of said end portions will be 
avoided whereas the action will not be decreased. 
The beater bars may be held in the receptacles of the rotor by various 
clamping and fixing means. For instance, the retaining extension may have 
a cross-section which is dovetaillike or enlarged like a mushroom and is 
inserted in and interlocks with undercut guides of the receptacle of the 
rotor. Wedge-shaped backing surfaces defining the receptacles together 
with wedge drives and clamping drives may effect a suitable retention of 
the retaining extensions of the beater bars and in most cases it will be 
sufficient to provide one longitudinally extending retaining extension per 
beater bar, although two or more parallel retaining extensions and 
correspondingly shaped receptacles of the rotor may be provided. But it 
will be particularly desirable to permit the beater bars to be locked in 
the receptacles of the rotor by locking rods, which are parallel to the 
axis of the rotor and fit longitudinally extending grooves formed in the 
retaining extensions and backing surfaces which define the receptacles and 
conform to the locking rods. In that case a positive joint between the 
retaining extension and the receptacles can be made in the receptacles by 
means of the locking rods and that positive joint will be eliminated when 
the locking rods are removed so that the beater bars can then freely be 
removed. As a result, the beater bars can be locked and released by a few 
manipulations and the beater bars can tangentially be inserted into and 
removed from the rotor. 
Another desirable support will be achieved if the beater bars have 
transversely extending retaining extensions, which have an enlarged head 
portion, and the receptacles of the rotor define approximately radially 
extending receiving grooves, which are undercut to fit the retaining 
extensions, because in that case the beater bars can simply radially be 
inserted whereas they still extend in the direction in which they strike. 
The parts can be fixed in position by the provision of lugs or other 
closures for the receiving grooves but it will be desirable to provide the 
retaining extensions and the surfaces of the receptacles with grooves or 
openings which extend along the plane of symmetry and fit respective 
longitudinally extending locking bars so that a locking can be effected 
simply in that a locking bar is inserted. Such positive joints made by 
means of a locking bar will be particularly suitable if the beater bars do 
not integrally extend throughout the axial length of the rotor but are 
divided in their longitudinal direction into two or more parts; it will be 
possible to use a locking bar which is continuous or one which is also 
divided. 
A particularly simple design will be achieved if the rotor comprises 
axially extending backing plates, which are disposed between radial cheeks 
and at least in part define the receptacles formed in the rotor for the 
beater bars. This will result in a structure which is rugged but 
relatively light in weight and in which the axially continuous backing 
plates support the beater bars throughout their length and substantially 
without a bending moment. If the backing plates are properly arranged it 
will be possible to optimally adapt the cross-sectional shape of the rotor 
to the tangentially extending beater bars whereas the strength of the 
rotor will not be decreased. 
If the basic shape of the rotor consists of a cylinder having a 
substantially elliptical cross-section, the rotor will have a shape which 
is particularly suitable for the use of two diametrically opposite beater 
bars because those beater bars which are disposed in the narrower portions 
of the cross-section will be exposed to strike in a large area, and the 
rotor will be light in weight and material will be saved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a body of a rotor 1 
of a disintegrating machine, which is not shown in more detail and 
consists, e.g., of an impact crusher, comprises a hub tube 3, which is 
connected to a drive shaft 2 and to which peripherally spaced apart, 
radial cheeks 4 are welded, and axial backing plates 5, 5a and 5' disposed 
between adjacent cheeks 4. The backing plates 5 and one of the backing 
plates 5a extend between the cheeks 4 at a distance from the hub tube and 
are welded to cheeks 4, and the other backing plates 5a and backing plates 
5' are partly welded to hub tube 3 and partly to cheeks 4 so that the 
rotor structure is relatively light in weight and yet stable. Receptacles 
6 for supporting beater bars 7, which are parallel to the axis of the 
rotor, are defined in the rotor 1 by suitable recesses in the cheeks 4 and 
by suitably arranged backing plates 5a. Each beater bar 7 consists of a 
bar body 7a and a retaining extension 8 and has a cross-section which is 
symmetrical to a plane of symmetry S extending along the longitudinal 
center line of the bar. The plane of symmetry S extends approximately in 
the direction of a tangent on the flight circle defined by the outer 
periphery of bar bodies 7a of rotating beater bars 7 and through the 
associated receptacle 6, which is open in the direction of rotation and 
receives the retaining extension 8 of the beater bar 7. On their leading 
side the bar bodies 7a have knife edges 9, which extend perpendicularly to 
the rotor axis and are contiguous to the flight circle, and these knife 
edges are also symmetrical to the plane of symmetry S and extend in planes 
which are normal to the axis of the rotor. 
The rotor 1 contains two diametrically opposite beater bars 7. The cheeks 
4, the backing plates 5, 5a, 5' and beater bars 7 occupy an area an 
elliptical configuration E, as seen in a top plan view. A satisfactory 
action of the beater bars 7 will be ensured, which will be effective at 
their leading surface and by the knife edges 9 without an adverse effect 
of the cross-section of the rotor. Besides, the beater bars will be fully 
backed throughout their length by the backing plates 5a and will thus be 
able to withstand high stresses and will have a high stability. Because 
mainly the radially outer half of each beater bar will strike on the 
material to be disintegrated, the inner half may be covered by suitable 
plates 5b affixed to backing plates 5', which serve to protect the bars, 
so that only one ball will be worn at a time and owing to the symmetry of 
the beater bars 7 their life can be prolonged simply by inverting the 
beater bars. 
In the receptacles 6 of the rotor the beater bars 7 are positively locked 
by locking rods 10, which are parallel to the axis of the rotor. To that 
end the retaining extensions 8 have longitudinally extending grooves 11 
and the receptacles 6 define mating surfaces 12 for backing the locking 
rods. For this reason the retaining extension 8 of each beater bar 7 can 
simply be inserted into the receptacle 6 from its leading side and can 
then positively be locked in the rotor 1 by inverting the locking rod 10. 
Conversely, when the locking rods 10 have been pulled out the beater bars 
7 will be freely removable. As a result, the beater bars 7 can be changed 
with a few manipulations but are held in position and properly supported 
in the rotor 1. 
In the other illustrative embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, identical 
parts are designated by the same reference characters and in order to 
avoid repetition will not be described again. 
The rotor 13 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is designed like the rotor 1 shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2 but the beater bars 14 instead of comprising a 
longitudinally extending retaining extension are formed with axially 
spaced apart, transversely extending retaining extensions 15 provided with 
a head portion 15a, which is enlarged in the shape of a mushroom. Those 
retaining extensions 15 of the beater bars 14 extend into approximately 
radially extending receiving grooves 16, which are formed in the 
receptacles 6 of the rotor and are undercut to fit the retaining 
extensions. For this reason the beater bars 14 must radially be inserted 
and a positive joint between the beater bars 14 and the rotor 13 will 
inherently be obtained. In that case the position is also fixed by a 
locking rod 17, which is parallel to the axis of the rotor and extends 
between the backing plates 5a of the receptacles 6 and along the plane of 
symmetry S of the beating bar 14 passes through grooves 18 of consecutive 
retaining extensions 15. The beater bars 14 are divided in length into two 
parts 14a and are locked by a common locking rod 17. 
In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the rotor 19 is provided 
with three beater bars 20, which comprise retaining extensions 21, which 
are dovetail-shaped in cross-section and extend into correspondingly 
undercut receiving grooves 22 in the receptacles 6 of the rotor. In that 
case the beater bars 20 are wedged and clamped in position against the 
backing plates 5a in the receptacles by a backing member 23 and a merely 
slightly indicated wedge drive 24. The rotor 19 is a cylinder having 
flattened sides between adjacent beater bars 20 so that the leading side 
of each beater bar 20 is again free to act. 
Beater bars having a symmetrical shape are inserted in the rotors in 
accordance with the invention and have knife edges, which extend in planes 
which are normal to the axis of the rotor when the beater bars have been 
inserted. As is apparent from FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9 it is possible to use 
beater bars which differ greatly in shape so that the beater bars and the 
disintegrating action can be adapted to widely different disintegrating 
tasks. The bar body 25a of the beater bar 25 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is 
approximately C-shaped in cross-section and between the axis-normal knife 
edges 26 comprises axially extending knife edges 27, which protrude to be 
contiguous to the flight circle of the rotor. Adjacent to the plane of 
symmetry S the axis-normal knife edges 26 are formed each with a U- or 
V-shaped recess 28, and they may have sloping portions 29 at their outer 
ends. This will result in a particularly strong cleaving action and in an 
improved impact and the wear of the knife edges of the beating bars 25 
will be restricted in use to one-half of the bar at a given time so that 
the beater bars can be used twice because they can be inverted. 
In the beater bar 30 shown in FIG. 8, chisellike beater spikes 32, which 
protrude to be contiguous to the flight circle of the rotor, are formed on 
the bar body 30a and the axis-normal knife edges 31 so that special 
striking and cleaving actions will be achieved. 
As is indicated in FIG. 9, a beater bar 33 may be used in which the bar 
body 33a is provided with two parallel retaining extensions 34 and with 
axis-normal knife edges 35 and axial knife edges 36, which cross in a grid 
pattern. 
The rotor in accordance with the invention is simple in design and 
distinguishes by its high performance and high adaptability and for this 
reason can be used to disintegrate widely different materials and can 
optimally be adapted in its disintegrating action to the requirements in 
each case.