Device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone crusher

A device for clamping the adjustment ring 3 of a cone crusher with respect to a support ring 1 mated therewith by means of threads 2 comprises a check nut 4 and hydraulic cylinders 7 with spring-actuated piston rods 6 whose tips 8 are arranged in a groove 9, one of the surfaces of the groove being formed by a taper recess 5 of the clamping ring 4 and the other surface thereof being formed by the end surface 10 of the support ring 1. The piston rods 6 of the hydraulic cylinders 7 are arranged radially with respect to the axis of the check nut 4.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to intermediate and fine cone crushers, and 
more particularly, to devices for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone 
crusher. 
The present invention can be used to best advantage in the construction, 
ore mining and dressing industries. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
The intermediate and fine cone crushers now in use comprise a liner-clad 
adjustment ring and a liner-clad breaking head arranged therewithin. 
Formed between the outer surfaces of the liners is a crushing chamber 
narrowing to the base of the taper liners and terminating, in its bottom 
portion, with a discharge opening defined by the shortest distance between 
the outer surfaces of the liners. 
The breaking head is mounted on a spherical support secured on the crusher 
frame. The adjustment ring is thread-jointed with a support ring mounted 
on the crusher frame. The breaking head has its drive provided with an 
eccentric or out-of-balance weight vibrator. The liners mounted on the 
adjustment ring and on the breaking head are shaped as removable taper 
shells. 
As a result of intensive wear of the liners, the discharge opening between 
their crushing surfaces becomes larger, resulting in a coarser product 
discharging from the crushing chamber. To stabilize the crushing process, 
the crusher setting is periodically adjusted, thus bringing it to the 
initial set value. 
To adjust the setting between the cones, the adjustment ring is rotated in 
the threaded joint whereupon it is clamped with respect to the support 
ring. Clamping is accomplished with the aid of power means providing a 
clamping thrust to said threaded joint. 
The adjustment ring clamping device is one of the most critical units of a 
crusher because of high impact loads generated in the crushing chamber. 
There is known a device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone crusher 
(Cf. USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 298,377, Int.Cl. B02C 2/04, issued 
Aug. 1, 1969, inventors: Kolesnik G. G. and Pikhalenko I. G.). The device 
comprises a support ring screw-threaded to the adjustment ring provided 
with a clamping ring screw-threaded thereon and spaced from the support 
ring at an end clearance, wedge jacks being installed in the support ring 
to apply a clamping thrust to the screw-threaded joints of the adjustment 
ring with the support ring and clamping ring. 
In this device, the clamping ring is screw-threaded with the adjustment 
ring and rests upon the support ring via the wedge jacks placed in annular 
recesses of the clamping ring and the support ring. The wedge jacks are 
fashioned as superimposed pairs of oppositely directed wedges and, as the 
clamping ring is rotated to lock the adjustment ring, the upper wedges, 
under the action of frictional forces, start slipping against the lower 
ones and shifting vertically, thereby applying a clamping thrust to the 
threaded joints of the adjustment ring with the support ring and clamping 
ring. With the adjustment ring rotated, together with the clamping ring, 
in the opposite direction, the upper wedges start slipping downward 
against the inclined surfaces of the lower wedges, which results in the 
elimination of the upthrust in the threaded joints. 
However, the wedge jacks fail to provide a reliable clamping of the 
adjustment ring in the threads, since vibrations of the adjustment ring, 
clamping ring, and support ring caused by the crushing blows in the 
crushing chamber eliminate the force of friction between the wedges, which 
sets the adjustment ring free to rotate back out, this being followed by 
possible failure. Moreover, the wedge jacks are difficult to manufacture. 
There is also known a device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone 
crusher (Cf. French Patent No. 2,038,855, Int. Cl. B02 2/00, patented Jan. 
8, 1971, assigned: Barber Green Company, USA). The device is known to 
comprise a support ring screw-threaded to an adjustment ring, a clamping 
ring and clamping leverages with double-acting hydraulic cylinders. 
In this device, the clamping ring is screw-threaded to the support ring and 
locked not to rotate with respect to the adjustment ring. Mounted 
circumferentially on the clamping ring, at equal distances from each 
other, are thrust levers pivoted to the piston rods of the hydraulic 
cylinders. The levers are pivoted to rams rigidly connected with the 
adjustment ring. 
As in the above device, clamping the adjustment ring of the device under 
consideration is carried out by applying a thrust to the threaded joint of 
the support ring with the adjustment ring and clamping ring. Upon 
supplying oil under pressure into one of the hydraulic cylinder chambers, 
the piston rods displace the lever pairs pivoted thereto from an inclined 
in a vertical position. This results in an increased total length of the 
levers and increased distance between the movable rams and their supports 
rigidly secured on the clamping ring. The rams displace the adjustment 
ring with respect to the clamping ring, which results in their mutual 
wedging relative to the support ring and ensures the clamp of the 
adjustment ring. 
To release the clamp, oil under pressure is supplied into the other chamber 
of the hydraulic cylinders, which brings the levers in an inclined 
position and eliminates the thrust from the rams that, in turn, allow the 
adjustment ring to move downward by gravity. The taper surfaces of the 
threads of the support and adjustment rings are out of contact with each 
other and the upthrust in the joint is eliminated. 
However, the device is known not to suit large-size crushers because of its 
dimensions which are compatible with the units. This stems from a 
necessity to ensure the strength of a variety of hinges and levers 
individually, the length of which must be sufficient to provide the proper 
play of the adjustment ring in the threads. The numerous levers, hinges, 
and rams complicate the device and make it difficult to manufacture. 
Again, this device is not easy to operate. The clamping ring and clamp 
units secured thereon will rotate together with the adjustment ring when 
adjusting the crusher setting, which requires recurrent re-arrangement of 
the oil-supply hoses during the rotation. The rotation force is 
transferred to the adjustment ring through the rams, which may cause 
failure of the latter. 
Moreover, wear of the threads results in an increased play thereof, that 
should be balanced, in case of this device, by adjusting the ram length. 
Attendant personnel should recurrently be present to carry out this 
maintenance work, which makes it impossible to fully automate a crusher 
equipped with this device. 
Known in the prior art is a cone crusher adjustment ring clamping device 
(Cf. U.K. Pat. No. 1,378,011, Int.Cl. B02C 2/00, patented Dec. 18, 1974, 
inventor Louis Wein Jonson). The cone crusher comprises a support ring 
screw-threaded to an adjustment ring. In this crusher, the adjustment ring 
clamping device comprises a clamping ring and hydraulic cylinders provided 
with spring-actuated piston rods, whose tips are seated in a groove, one 
of the surfaces of which is formed by a taper recess of the clamping ring. 
In this arrangement, the clamping ring is screw-threaded to the support 
ring, rests upon the adjustment ring, and is shaped as a split ring. The 
hydraulic cylinders are secured on the adjustment ring in a verticality 
and have their piston rods equipped with taper tips arranged in a wedge 
groove formed by an inside-faced taper recess of the clamping ring and by 
a cylindrical recess of the adjustment ring. 
A stock of disk springs arranged in the hydraulic cylinders give the piston 
rods a thrust directed downward. In this case, the piston rods provide, 
while deepening inside the groove, horizontally directed forces causing 
the segments of the clamping ring to move radially outward until the 
clearance in its threaded joint with the support ring is completely 
eliminated. The force of friction arising in the threads and wedge recess 
prevents the adjustment ring from casual rotation in the threads. 
To release the clamping thrust, oil under pressure is supplied into the 
hydraulic cylinders. The stock of the springs is therewith compressed and 
the taper tips of the piston rods move to the upper portion of the groove, 
ceasing their wedging action upon the clamping and adjustment rings. 
However, this device fails to provide thrust in the threaded joint of the 
adjustment ring with the support ring, since the clamping ring is not 
capable of shifting vertically to provide the mutual clamping of the parts 
of the threaded joint. The force of friction developed by the wedge tips 
of the piston rods on the cylindrical recess of the adjustment ring fails 
to provide its reliable clamping, since the blows in the crushing chamber 
can result in a complete elimination of the force of friction, which sets 
the adjustment ring free to rotate, this leading to a failure. This device 
is complex in design and difficult in operation. In particular, the 
necessity for rotation of the adjustment ring together with the hydraulic 
cylinders secured thereon may cause a deformation of the piston rods 
contacting with the unevenly rotating clamping ring and requires 
periodical re-arrangement of the hoses supplying oil to the hydraulic 
cylinders. This prevents the procedure for adjusting the crusher setting 
from being fully automated, which in turn results in lost time. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for 
clamping the adjustment of a cone crusher, wherein the clamping ring and 
the piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders are made and assembled so as to 
increase the reliability and to simplify operation of the device. 
With this principal object of the present invention in view, there is 
provided a device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone crusher with 
respect to a support ring screw-threaded thereto, comprising a clamping 
ring and hydraulic cylinders with spring-actuated piston-rods whose tips 
are arranged in a groove; one of the surfaces of which is formed by a 
taper recess of the clamping ring, wherein, according to the invention, 
the piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders are arranged radially with 
respect to the axis of the clamping ring having its tapper recess facing 
outward, the other surface of the groove being formed by the end surface 
of the support ring, and the clamping ring is screw-threaded onto the 
adjustment ring. 
The present device is advantageous in that the clamping ring, piston-rods 
contacting the ring and hydraulic cylinders individually are stationary 
during the adjustment of the crusher setting by rotation of the adjustment 
ring and, therefore, there is no need for re-arrangement of the 
oil-supplying hoses of the hydraulic cylinders. 
The present device is further advantageous in that the hydraulic cylinder 
portion to deal with during the adjustment faces outward and emerges 
outside the protective housing secured on the support ring, no removal of 
the housing is therefore needed to adjust the hydraulic cylinders. 
The present device, moreover, has the advantage of simpler design and fewer 
components. 
It is expedient that the check nut be mated with its cylindrical surface 
with the support ring and be locked with respect to it. 
This ensures an even upthrust over the entire circumference of the threads, 
eliminates misalignment in the threaded joint, and makes it possible to 
release partially the wedging force with no need for a precise dosage of 
the oil pressure in the hydraulic cylinders. 
It is also practical that the hydraulic cylinders be mounted on the support 
ring. 
Such structural arrangement reduces the possibility of damage of the 
hydraulic cylinders when carrying out assembling and repair works are kept 
to a minimum, since it is rather infrequent that the support ring needs 
dismantling. 
It is also advisable that the tips be mounted movably and vertically with 
respect to the piston rods. 
In such an embodiment, the piston rods are completely released from 
deforming forces resulting from an inadequate matching of parts to be 
mated and which also occurs when adjusting the crusher setting.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, the device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone 
crusher having a support ring 1 screw-threaded by means of threads 2 to 
the adjustment ring 3, comprises a check nut 4 screw-threaded onto the 
adjustment ring 3 and provided with an outward-facing taper recess 5. 
Piston rods 6 of hydraulic cylinders 7 are mounted radially with respect 
to the axis of the check nut 4 and equipped with taper tips 8 arranged in 
a groove 9 formed by the taper recess 5 and the end surface 10 of the 
support ring 1. The hydraulic cylinders 7 accommodate rams 11 contacting a 
stack of disk springs 12 resting upon a washer 14 having adjusting screws 
13 screwed into a head 15 of the hydraulic cylinders 7. The support ring 1 
has a housing 16 secured thereto and provided with a packing 17 to keep 
dust away from the threads 2. 
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a modification of the device, wherein 
the check nut 4 is jointed, with its cylindrical surface 18, with the 
support ring 1 and locked, by means of pins so as not to rotate with 
respect to it. 
It is preferred to secure the hydraulic cylinders 7 on the support ring 1 
provided with oil-supplying passages 20. 
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown another modification, wherein the tips 
8 are free to move vertically with respect to the piston rods 6 by means 
of projections 21 provided in the piston rods 6 and slots 22 provided in 
the tips 8 and mated thereto. 
The device for clamping the adjustment ring, according to the present 
invention, operates as follows. 
Where a need arises to adjust the crusher setting between the liners of the 
adjusting ring 3 and the breaking head, oil under pressure is supplied to 
the hydraulic cylinders 7. The rams 11 compress the stack of the springs 
12 and reduce the thrust of the tips 8 of the piston rods 6 upon the 
surface of the recess 5 and the end surface 10 of the groove 9, thereby 
partially releasing the upthrust in the threaded joint of the adjustment 
ring 3 with the check nut 4 and support ring 1. After the adjustment ring 
3 has been rotated enough to adjust the required setting between the 
liners of the cones, the oil pressure is released and the stacks of the 
springs 12 return the rams 11 with the piston rods 6 into their initial 
position so that the tips 8 wedge out the support ring 1 with respect to 
the check nut 4 which moves in vertically eliminating play in the threads 
2 and developing the required thrust in these to clamp the adjustment ring 
3 with respect to the support ring 1. 
With the hydraulic cylinders 7 secured on the support ring 1, it becomes 
possible to avoid damage of these when carrying out re-pair and assembling 
works. 
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the clamping ring 4 is, upon action of 
the piston rods 6, shifted strictly vertically along the cylindrical 
surface 18 in the support ring 1, which prevents the clamping ring from 
misalignment in the threads 2 and provides for a uniform distribution of 
the thrust over the circumference of the threaded joint. Moreover, the 
pins 19 exclude casual rotation of check nut 4 together with the 
adjustment ring 3, no need therewith exists in the precise dosage of the 
oil pressure in the hydraulic cylinders 7 to provide for the clamp of 
check nut 4 by means of the friction force alone. 
In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the tips 8 of the piston rods 6 are 
capable of self-adjusting in the groove 9 upon the movement of the piston 
rods 11 and check nut 4, which permits no forces to deform the piston rods 
6. 
The present device for clamping the adjustment ring of a cone crusher, 
according to the present invention, makes it possible: 
to increase the reliability of clamping the adjustment ring; 
to make the operation of the device less labour-consuming; 
to cut down lost time when operating the device; 
to simplify the design. 
The present invention can most advantageously be used in the construction 
ore mining and dressing industries.