DISPERSING APPARATUS FOR A GRINDING MEDIUM

Abstract: Apparatus including a grinding vessel wherein a rotary shaft (8) having an agitator (7) is provided and thereby a processing material is agitated by util­ izing a grinding medium, and is dispersed, ground, agitated and so on. On the rotary shaft of dispersing apparatus for a grinding medium a sleeve (13) is mounted and the rotary shaft (8) is supported rotatably through the sleeve. At the free end of the sleeve (13), a rotor (20) is installed. The rotor (20) faces the stator (10) located at outlet of the grinding vessel to define a small gap and this gap prevents the passage therethrough of the grinding medium.

Description: The invention relates to a dispersing apparatus for a grinding medium according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a dispersing apparatus is known from DE-A-1 949 221. In this known structure the rotor on the rotary shaft is pressed by the sleeve against a shoulder on the rotary shaft and the sleeve is mounted on the circumference of the rotary shaft by a groove and tongue joint. If the rotor must be replaced due to abrasion, it is troublesome to remove the sleeve from the rotary shaft so that the rotor can be removed from the rotary shaft, too. It is the object of the invention to provide a dispersing apparatus of the above mentioned kind in such a way that removing of the sleeve and replacing the rotor is possible in an easy way. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. Due to the fact that the sleeve is mounted on the rotary shaft by means of a wedge the sleeve as well as the rotor can easily be removed from the rotary shaft. An example of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a supporting portion of a rotary shaft of a dispersing apparatus for a grinding medium in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a separator portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a rotor installing plate of the separator portion as represented in Fig. 2. A dispersing apparatus for a grinding medium of this invention may be positioned either a horizontally or vertically. The embodiment mentioned below is a case in which the dispersing apparatus for grinding medium is a vertical type. In Fig. 1, a supporting portion of a rotary shaft 8 of the dispersing apparatus for grinding medium is shown. A grinding vessel 1 for receiving a material to be processed and a grinding medium such as balls, beads, etc has a jacket 2 at the circumference thereof, and an upper board 3 thereof is installed on a flange member 4 removably by bolts 5, and is supported with a main body 6. In the grinding vessel a rotary shaft 8 having an agitator 7 is provided. One end of the rotary shaft 8 is extended upwardly as represented in the drawings and on said end a pulley 9 is installed removably, and the rotary shaft rotates using a drive source such as motor etc not illustrated. On the flange member 4, a ring shaped stator 10 is secured by bolts 11 and the flange member 4 is provided with an outlet 12 for processed material. On the circumference of the rotary shaft 8, a sleeve 13 is mounted. The sleeve has a conically enlarged receiving surface 15a and 15b at each end. The receiving surface 15a illustrated in the lower portion of Fig.1 is engaged with a tapered surface 14 installed at the mid portion of the rotary shaft. The upper receiving surrace 15b is engaged with a conic shaped wedge 16. The wedge 16 is inserted between the sleeve and the rotary shaft and is fastened with a nut 17 on the top surface of the wedge. By pressing the sleeve 13 downwardly the sleeve and the rotary shaft 8 become one integral body and thus the sleeve rotates with the rotary shaft. As an alternative the sleeve may be removed from the rotary shaft 8 by removing the nut 17 and wedge 16. On the lower portion of the sleeve 13 a rotor installing plate 18 is secured by a key 19. A disc-shaped rotor 20 is attached on the rotor installing plate 18 and is supported by a back plate 21 and is fastened on the installing plate with a nut 22 screwed on the sleeve 13. Between the stator 10 and the rotor 20, a small gap is defined which permits only the flow of the processed material. The rotor in this embodiment is formed concentrically with the rotary shaft as mentioned above but it is noted that other structures may be utilized. For example, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, it is possible to install on the rotor one or more protruding portions 23 extending from the periphery of the rotor and to engage the protruding portions with grooves 24 of the rotor 20. These protruding portions operate by transferring the grinding medium centrifugally which approaches the rim area of the rotor. Further, it is possible to form a plurality of protruding portions on the periphery of one base board (not illustrated) and assemble the base board on the back surface of the rotor in such manner that the protruding portions are extended from the periphery of the rotor. On the upper and mid portions, bearings 25 and 26 respectively are provided and the bearings are carried by a frame 28 installed removably in the main body 6 by means of bolts 27 etc. The bearings 26, 26 located in the mid portion are situated within a bearing box 30 which is screwed onto the frame 28. This bearing box is attached by a lock nut 31. By adjusting position of installation of the - bearing box, it is possible to adjust position of axial direction of the sleeve. In the lower side of the bearing portion located in the middle of the sleeve, a mechanical seal 29 is provided to prevent leakage of the processed material. Other adjusting mechanism etc are also provided at suitable places. The above mechanical seal may be made in many types of structure, as already known. Therefore, the internal structure of this mechanical seal is omitted from the drawings. Thus, in accordance with rotation of the agitator and the rotor attached on the sleeve 13, the processed material and the grinding medium such as balls, beads, etc (not shown in the drawing) are as already known successively concentrated at the rim area of the rotor and only the processed material is discharged from the outlet 12 through the small gap as the flow of grinding medium is prevented by the small gap. When adjustment of the small gap or repair of the mechanical seal is required owing to wear of the stator, rotor, etc, it is possible to remove the sleeve from the rotoary shaft. That is to say specifically by removing the pulley 9 from the rotary shaft 8, removing the nut 17 and thence the wedge 16. This is to be followed by removing the frame 28 from the main body 6. Finally removing the flange 4 from the upper board 3. Then the sleeve portion may be removed upwardly in the drawing. Thereafter, each worn out portion or adjustment can be exchanged properly. When replacement or adjustment etc of separator or mechanical portions is required, it will not be necessary to extract the rotary shaft, the agitator, etc from the grinding vessel. As mentioned above, only the sleeve portion may be removed, the effficiency of work effect is, therefore, highly improved.

Claims: A dispersing apparatus for grinding medium comprising: a grinding vessel (1) for receiving processed material and a grinding medium; a stator (10) attached in a stationary portion at an outlet (12) of the grinding vessel; a rotary shaft (8) provided within the grinding vessel, said rotary shaft (8) has a tapered surface (14) at its mid portion and an agitator (7) and extends out of the grinding vessel (1), a sleeve (13) mounted on the circumference of the rotary shaft (8) and supported rotatably; and a rotor (20) attached on the sleeve (13) so as to face the stator (10) with a small gap. characterized in that said sleeve (13) has a receiving surface (15a,b) enlarged outwardly at each end thereof, and a wedge (16) is inserted at the receiving surface (15b) on the outer end while at the other end the tapered surface (14) of said rotary shaft (8) is firmly pressed. A dispersing apparatus for grinding medium according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve (13) is supported by a bearing (26) rotatably and said bearing is packed within a bearing box (30). A dispersing apparatus for grinding medium according to claim 2, wherein said bearing box (30) is installed to a main body (6) in such a way that the position of installation may be adjusted in the axial direction. A dispersing apparatus for grinding medium according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve (13) is provided with a mechanical seal (29).

Inventors: INOUE, MASAKAZU
Applicants: INOUE SEISAKUSHO (MFG) CO., LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B02C17
IPC codes: B02C17