APPARATUS

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for handling material, especially soil, the device comprising a bucket (1) of a machine having a grinding device (2) for the material fitted thereto, the grinding device comprising at least two essentially parallel shafts (3) which are set at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization, the shafts comprising grinding members (4) for the material, whereby the grinding members (4) of two adjacent shafts overlap each other, the bottom of the bucket (1) comprising an outlet opening (5) for the handled material. According to the invention the grinding members are comprised of numerous discs (4) which are set at a distance from each other on each shaft (3), the peripheral surfaces of the discs comprising projections, whereby a notch is provided between two adjacent projections. In addition, the bucket (1) comprises a loosening device (6) for the material fitted between the grinding device (2) and the outlet opening (5), the loosening device comprising at least two essentially parallel shafts (7) which are set at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization and which comprise aeration blades (8) for loosening the ground material obtained from the grinding device (2).

Description: APPARATUS. The invention relates to a device for handling material, especially soil, the device consisting of a bucket of a machine having a grinding device for material fitted thereto, the grinding device comprising at least two essentially parallel shafts which are at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization, the shafts comprising grinding members for the material, whereby the grinding members of two adjacent shafts overlap each other, the bottom of the bucket comprising an outlet opening for the handled material. The materials to be handled include, in particular, different soils such as compost, peat, and waste soil as well as different waste materials. The bucket of the above described type which is especially intended to be used as the bucket of an excavator and for grinding soil, is known from FI patent application 902469. The grinding members on the shafts of the grinding device in this known bucket construction consist of radial blades welded on the shafts which mix and grind the soil to be handled. A disadvantage of this construction is that the blade can be twisted by stones or the like resulting in the twisted blade colliding with the blade on the adjacent shaft, whereby the bucket must be stopped and removed for repair. Another disadvantage of the described construction is that roots or the like can become tangled with the blades resulting in jamming the device. The handled soil would not be very loose, either, nor would it be sufficiently high-quality for demanding uses. Screening plants are also well known which handle compost using large drum screens. Such plants are very expensive and require separate transporting equipment if they are to be transferred from one place to another. The purpose of this invention is to provide a device which avoids the above-described drawbacks of known devices, and the purpose of the invention is namely to provide a device which is very reliable and comprises a minimum number of parts which wear and are apt to break, and which, in addition to effectively screening and grinding the material to be handled, also renders it a loose form. An important object of the invention is thus to provide a device which produces very high-quality soil which suits demanding uses very well. These objects can be realized by the device according to the invention, the main characteristics of which are disclosed in the appended Claims. The invention is based on the realization that a bucket construction is provided comprising a grinding device which includes effective and strong grinding members and which screens and grinds the material to be handled, and a loosening device which renders the screened and ground material in a loose form resulting in very high-quality material. Thus the bucket according to the invention, which preferably is a bucket of a wheel loader, comprises a grinding device for the material fitted to the bucket, the grinding device including at least two, preferably four, essentially parallel shafts which are at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization and which comprise grinding members for the material consisting of numerous discs which are at a distance from each other on each shaft, the discs having projections on the peripheral surface thereof, whereby a notch is provided between two adjacent projections. The grinding members of the two adjacent shafts overlap each other. The bottom of the bucket is provided with an outlet opening for the handled material. As described above, the bucket according to the invention further comprises a loosening device which is fitted between th grinding device and the outlet opening and which comprises a least two, preferably two, essentially parallel shafts which ar at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization, including aeration blades for loosening the ground material. The aeration blades are preferably shaped like propellers. According to the invention, also a bar screen can be fit.ed into the bucket which screens, for example, stones, stubs, roots and similar large-size items out of the compost. Such a b screen is fitted above the shafts of the grinding device, prei .ably so that the ribs of the bar screen are between the planar parts of the overlapping discs. The above-mentioned discs preferably comprise an essentially tooth-like shape and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the teeth comprise a widening part extending from the tooth to the notch situated after the tooth in the direction of rotation of the disc. According to the invention, the shape of the shafts of the grinding device is preferably polygonal, especially preferably hexagonal, whereby the discs comprise a corresponding polygonal bore. This construction ensures that the discs are rotated along with the shaft. In order to keep the desired distance between the discs on the same shaft, a spacing sleeve with a length corresponding to the desired distance between the discs can be fitted between the discs and around the shaft. The grinding device and the loosening device are driven by hydraulic mot ~ -s which are connected to the hydraulic system of the machine. The sha≤ts of the grinding device are advantageously rotated in the same direction, the speed of rotation being typically about 100 to 150 rpm. The shafts of the loosening device are rotated at a considerably higher velocity than the shafts of the grinding device, the typical speed of rotation being about 400 to 500 rpm. Depending on the construction of the aeration blades, the shafts of the loosening device can be rotated either in the same direction or in different directions. In the following the invention is described in more detail wit reference to the appended drawings, in which: Fig. 1 represents a simplified section of a preferred bucke according to the invention, Fig. 2 represents the same construction, as in Fig. 1, in partial view as viewed from the mouth of the bucket, Fig. 3 represents a detail shown in Fig. 1 in an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 represents the same construction as in Fig. 3 as viewe from another direction. Referring to Fig. 1, the bucket of a wheel loader is generall marked with reference number 1. The bottom of bucket 1 comprise outlet opening 5 for the material. Bucket 1 comprises grinding device 2 for the material, loosenin device 6 for the ground material being fitted below it. Grinding machine 2 comprises, in this instance, four essentiall planar, essentially parallel shafts 3 which are at a distanc from each other and rotatable in synchronization. Shafts 3 ar preferably rotated in the same direction by a hydraulic moto (not shown in the Figs.) using conventional transmissions. Th hydraulic motor is connected to the hydraulic system of th wheel loader. A large number of discs 4 are fitted to shafts 3 and set at distance from each other. Shafts 3 extend from one side portio of the bucket to the other one. Shafts 3 and discs 4 on them ar fitted with respect to each other in such a way that the disc of the second shaft are laterally displaced with respect to th discs of the first shaft so that the disc of the first shaft i in the middle of two adjacent discs of the second shaft. I addition, the discs of two adjacent shafts overlap each other The discs of the third shaft are aligned with the discs of th first shaft and the discs of the fourth shaft are aligned wit the discs of the second shaft. The material taken into bucket 1 is subjected to grinding device 2 which serves as a coarse screen taking, for instance, stones, stubs, and roots and other large-size parts out of the compost. Grinding machine 2 comprises rotating discs which grind material. The screened and ground material is then subjected to loosening device 6 which in this example comprises two essentially parallel shafts 7 which are set at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization, including propeller-like aeration blades 8. Shafts 7 are rotated with the aid of a hydraulic motor (not shown) which is connected to the hydraulic system of the wheel loader. The screened, ground and loosened material obtained from loosening device 6 is extremely fine-grained and high-quality. Figs. 3 and 4 show a preferred shape of discs 4. These discs 4 granulate and grind material very effectively. Discs 4 mainly consist of a tooth-like shape comprising, in this example, six teeth and six notches between the teeth, respectively. Each tooth 9 has a widening part 11 attached thereto and extending from tooth 9 to adjacent notch 10 which is situated after tooth 9 in the direction of rotation of disc 4. Widening part 11 is formed of a rectangular metal piece comprising a chain link the width of which corresponds to the thickness of the disc. This widening part 11 is welded to disc 4. While discs 4 rotate, widening parts 11 take the material on top of the discs to the space below the discs where loosening device 6 is situated. Shafts 3 of grinding device 2 preferably comprise a hexagonal shape, whereby discs 4 correspondingly comprise a hexagonal opening 12 for the shaft (see Fig. 3). Due to this construction discs 4 rotate in a controlled manner along with shafts 3. Spacing sleeves are fitted between adjacent discs 4 around the shaft. The end sleeves of the shafts are attached to the shaft, for instance, by welding or in another manner. If one of the discs for one reason or another must be replaced with another one, this is simply done by opening the end sleeve fastener and taking away the desired number of sleeves and discs from the shaft and then the desired number of discs and sleeves are refitted on the shaft. Using the bucket according to the invention, compost or like material can be lifted straight from the ground and discharged through a grinding device and a loosening device onto the body of a truck, for instance. Correspondingly, using the bucket according to the invention compost or like material can be lifted, for instance, from the body of a truck and discharged through a grinding device and a loosening device straight to the ground.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for handling material, especially soil, comprising a bucket (1) of a machine having a grinding device (2) for material fitted thereto, the grinding device comprising at least two essentially parallel shafts (3) which are set at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization, the shafts comprising grinding members (4) for the material, whereby the grinding members (4) of two adjacent shafts overlap each other, the bottom of the bucket (1) comprising an outlet opening (5) for the handled material, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the grinding members consist of numerous discs (4) which are set at a distance from each other on each of the shafts (3) , the peripheral surfaces of the discs comprising projections (9), whereby a notch (10) is provided between two adjacent projections, and that the bucket (1) further comprises a loosening device (6) for the material fitted between the grinding device (2) and the outlet opening (5) , the loosening device comprising at least two essentially parallel shafts (7) which are set at a distance from each other and rotatable in synchronization and which include aeration blades (8) for loosening the ground material obtained from the grinding device (2). 2. A device according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the discs (4) comprise essentially a tooth-like configuration. 3. A device according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the teeth (9) comprise a widening part (11). 4. A device according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the widening part (11) extends from the tooth (9) to the adjacent notch (10) which is situated after the tooth (9) in the direction of rotation of the disc (4). 5. A device according to any of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the shafts (3) of the grinding device comprise a polygonal, preferably hexagonal shape, and that the discs (4) comprise a corresponding polygona bore (12). 6. A device according to any of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that between two adjacent discs o the same shaft, spacing sleeves are fitted around the shaft, th steel being pressed between the spacing sleeves. 7. A device according to any of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the aeration blades (10 comprise an essentially propeller-like shape.

Inventors: YRJOELAE MIKKO, YRJOELAE, MIKKO
Applicants: YRJOELAE MIKKO, YRJOELAE, MIKKO
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E02F3
IPC codes: A01C3, E02F3, E02F7