Abstract:
A shredder apparatus has a moveable, shaftless ring component and a secondary comb member component. The ring component and the secondary component cooperate to shred material. The shredder mechanism may be positioned so as to be substantially in-line with the material entering the shredder. The shredder apparatus may be used in a method for shredding materials.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The shredder apparatus and method for shredding disclosed herein relate generally to the shredding of wet chip materials that are subsequently separated into dry chips and fluid, and, more specifically, to a shredder apparatus having a shaftless shredder ring component and a shredder comb member component that cooperate to shred wet chip materials.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Wet chip materials are generated in the course of machining operations. Often the wet chip material, which can vary in size and configuration, is passed through a shredder apparatus that serves to shred the material prior to its passing on to other work stations, e.g., filtering or centrifugal separation stations.  
         [0003]     Shredder apparatuses for shredding wet chip materials are well known in the art. Conventional shredder apparatuses include systems that utilize a plurality of spaced shredder members that are disposed upon a rotatable rotor. One example is the shredder apparatus shown and disclosed in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/611,526, filed Jul. 1, 2003, the disclosure, drawings and claims of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein. Upon actuation of such a shredder apparatus, the rotor rotates, and the shredder members fixed to the rotor rotate and cooperate with shredder comb members to shred material entering the apparatus.  
         [0004]     In some instances, however, it has been found that, because of the nature of the material to be shredded, the shredder apparatus experiences difficulty in properly transporting the material to be shredded to the shredder components, such that appropriate shredding does not occur. For example, certain wet chip material, e.g., ball bearing-type scrap material or scrap rings formed in the manufacture of pistons, sometimes fail to shred properly with conventional shredding apparatuses. It has been found that this type of material, once it enters the shredder apparatus, is not properly carried to the shredder components within the shredder apparatus.  
         [0005]     What is desired is to have a shredder apparatus that allows for the appropriate shredding of material whereby material to be shredded is properly transported to and within the shredder apparatus.  
         [0006]     It is also desired to have a shredder apparatus where the shredder elements that cooperate to shred material are positioned principally orthogonal to the primary flow direction of the material to be shredded.  
         [0007]     It is further desired to have a shredder apparatus located at least partially in a coolant flow path so that coolant flowing along the flow path and through the shredder apparatus assists in moving material through the shredder.  
         [0008]     Finally, it is desired to have a shredder apparatus where, if desired, the shredding can occur without the requirement of having rotating shredding elements located on a rotating shaft-like member.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0009]     A shredder apparatus may include a shaftless shredder ring component attached to an apparatus frame. The shredder ring component may be a cylindrically-shaped member that includes a plurality of spaced shredder rings. Spacer bars serve to join and space the shredder rings from each other. The shredder ring component is positioned within the frame to be substantially in-line with wet chip or other material entering the shredder apparatus to be shredded.  
         [0010]     A secondary shredder component includes a plurality of spaced comb members attached to the frame. Upon rotation of the shredder ring component relative to the comb members, the shredder rings and comb members cooperate to shred material in the shredder apparatus into more discrete wet chips.  
         [0011]     Wet chip material enters the shredder apparatus through an opening in a frame wall and passes through one end of the shredder ring component. While in the shredder ring component, the material is shredded due to the cooperation of the comb members and shredder rings. Following a shredding operation, the shredded material passes out of the remaining end of the shredder ring component.  
         [0012]     Other advantages of such a shredder apparatus will become apparent from the drawings and the following detailed description of the shredder apparatus and method of shredding. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a frontal perspective view of the shredder apparatus;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of shredder apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a left side view of the shredder apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective rear view of the shredder apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the drive assembly and top plate removed;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  shows a perspective view of a shredder ring having a first shredder portion;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  shows a perspective view of a shredder ring having a second shredder portion;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of a sprocket ring assembly;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a shredder comb member;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a shredder ring spacer bar having a plurality of grooves located therein;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  shows a rear, or discharge end, perspective view of the shredder rings and spacer bars, as assembled;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  shows a frontal perspective view of the shredder rings and spacer bars, as assembled;  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  shows an enlarged, partial perspective view of a plurality of cam followers contacting a surface of a shredder ring;  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  shows a frontal perspective view of spaced shredder rings and comb members positioned relative to one another;  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  shows a schematic diagram of a drive assembly employed in the shredder apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  shows a schematic diagram of a shredder assembly, wherein the shredder ring component is tapered and the secondary shredder component comprises comb members having shredder portions of different lengths; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  shows a frontal perspective of the shredder apparatus of  FIG. 1  disposed at least partially in a fluid flow path (e.g., a flume). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]     An exemplary shredder apparatus  10  comprises frame assembly  11  that, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  4 , includes base  12 , front (end) wall  13 , back or rear (end) wall  14  and side walls  15 ,  16 . Top plate  17  is fixed at plate ends  18 ,  19  and sides  20 ,  21  to the frame assembly front, back and side walls  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 . Top plate  17  has an opening therein. A second top plate  22 , which, if desired, can be hinged, is disposed on top of top plate  17  and covers the opening in plate  17 . A conventional locking assembly  23 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , holds plate  22  in place relative to plate  17 . A first threaded boss  24  extends upwardly from plate  17  and a second threaded boss  25  extends upwardly from top plate  22 . Bolt  26  extends through the two bosses and is held in place by nut  27 .  
         [0030]     Shredder assembly  30  is disposed within frame assembly  11 . Shredder assembly  30  comprises a first, cylindrically-shaped shredder ring component  31  and a second shredder component  32  (see  FIGS. 2, 3 , and  12 ). Shredder ring and shredder components  31 ,  32  cooperate to shred material entering shredder apparatus  10  through an opening in front wall  13 .  
         [0031]     The shredder ring component  31  is a shaftless rotatable member made up of plurality of shredder rings  33 ,  34  (see  FIGS. 9 and 11 ). As illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , rings  33 ,  34  include an annular portion  35  bounded by a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface and having a thickness. The radially inner surface also defines a ring opening  36 . Each ring  33 ,  34  includes a plurality of equally spaced projections  37  extending inwardly from portion  35  into ring opening  36 . A recess  38  is located in ring portion  35  adjacent each projection  37 .  
         [0032]     Rings  33  have a plurality of spaced tapered shredder portions  39  (see  FIGS. 2 and 5 A), each having a first desired length “x”. Rings  34  have a plurality of shredder portions  40  (see  FIGS. 2 and 5 B) each having a second desired length “y”. The shredder portions  39 ,  40  are, as shown, formed integrally with or defined by the radially inner surfaces of the rings  33 ,  34 .  
         [0033]     Turning to  FIGS. 2, 4  and  8 , the rings  33 ,  34  are spaced from each other by means of a plurality of spacer bars  41 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , each spacer bar  41  includes a plurality of projections  42  along the length of one side of bar  41  to define a plurality of spaced grooves  43 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , each spacer bar  41  is positioned in one of the recesses  38  of each shredder ring  33 ,  34  and abuts one of the projections  37 . Specifically, one of the spacer bar projections  42  will be disposed in one of the shredder ring recesses  38 . Once the bar  41  is positioned relative to the plurality of cutter rings  33 ,  34 , the bar  41  is fixed in place, for example, by welding.  
         [0034]     It will be appreciated that while four, equally-spaced spacer bars are employed in this illustrative embodiment, other spacer bar arrangements could be employed to space and align the rings  33 ,  34  with respect to the shredder component  32  described below. Further, while, in the shredder ring component embodiment shown, a pair of spaced shredder rings  33  is shown positioned adjacent a pair of spaced shredder rings  34 , other arrangements could be utilized. For instance, a single ring  33  could be positioned adjacent a single ring  34 .  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , for example, the secondary shredder component  32  comprises a plurality of spaced comb members  44 . Each comb member  44  includes an opening  45  and a shredder portion  46 . A bar  47  extends through each opening  45  to provide a plurality of aligned, spaced comb members  44 .  
         [0036]     The bar  47  is fixed to the frame assembly front and rear walls  13 ,  14  in any suitable manner, e.g., welding or a release bolt fastener such as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 . Each comb member  44  is positioned on bar  47  so that it can cooperate with a shredder portion  39 ,  40  on shredder rings  33 ,  34 . The comb members  44  are positioned on bar  47  so that they extend into and pass through the spacer bar grooves  43  during operation of shredder apparatus  10 . The comb members  44  may move relative to the bar  47 , although it is preferred to limit the movement of the comb members  44  relative to the bar  47 , for example, through the cooperation of the cross-section of the bar  47  (which is square as shown) and the shape of the opening  45  (which is also square as shown) so that the component  32  is substantially stationary.  
         [0037]     Shredder ring component  31  is positioned within frame assembly  11  so that the cylindrically-shaped structure extends from front wall  13  to rear wall  14 .  FIGS. 4 and 12 , for example, illustrate a system for mounting shredder ring component  31  to frame assembly  11 . A plurality of cam follower assemblies  50  are disposed on each end wall  13 ,  14 . The assemblies  50  surround an opening in the end walls  13 ,  14 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , cam follower assemblies  50  each include a bolt  5   1 , washer  52 , nut  53  and cam follower  54  in the form of a roller. Cam followers  54  position shredder ring component  31  in position within the frame assembly  11  while allowing for rotation of ring component  31 . Rollers or cam followers  54 , as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , contact the outer face  56  of each outboard shredder ring located contiguous to a respective frame assembly end wall  13 ,  14 .  
         [0038]     Shredder ring component  31  also includes a sprocket ring assembly  58  that, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , includes shredder sprocket ring  59  having a sprocket  60 , two spacer or shield rings  61 ,  62  and a modified shredder ring  63  having a recess  64  formed in the outer circular ring portion  65 . Shredder ring  63 , in this particular embodiment, is the same as shredder ring  34  save for recess  64  formed in annular portion  65 . Sprocket ring  59  can be fixed in place in recess  64  of shredder ring  63  by any suitable means, such as, for example, welding.  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  shows sprocket ring assembly  58  located on shredder ring component  31 . The sprocket ring assembly  58  is disposed inwardly from the end of component  31  located contiguous to rear end wall  14 . Spacer or shield ring  61  is located adjacent one side of shredder ring  63  and spacer or shield ring  62  is located adjacent the opposite side of shredder ring  63 . Spacer or shield rings  61 ,  62  sandwich sprocket ring  59  between them. These spacer or shield rings  61 ,  62  shield the chain from contacting the adjacent shredder rings  63 .  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIG. 13 , drive assembly  70  includes motor  71  having a drive shaft that is connected by belt drive to a conventional gear reducer  72 . A drive sprocket  73  is attached to drive shaft  74  extending from reducer  72 . Sprocket chain  75  connects drive sprocket  73  and sprocket ring  59 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, a cover  76  encloses the belt drive between motor  71  and reducer  72 , and a cover  77  encloses the sprocket chain  75 .  
         [0041]     In operation, material to be shredded is directed to an inlet opening  81  in front end wall  13 . Upon actuation of motor  71  of drive assembly  70 , shredder ring component  31  rotates about its longitudinal axis which is substantially in-line with the incoming material to be shredded, as opposed to traversing the material. Shredder rings  33 ,  34  rotate whereby shredder portions  39 ,  40  cooperate with comb members  44  to shred the material passing through the openings  36  defined by the radially inner surfaces of the rings  33 ,  34 . The shredded material continues on through shredder assembly  30  and discharges out of opening  82  in rear end wall  14 . It has been found that having shredder portions  39 ,  40  of different lengths “x” and “y” assist in transporting the material to be shredded and shredded material along the length of shredder assembly  30 .  
         [0042]     In some instances, where a shredder apparatus  10  is disposed at least partially in a fluid flow path  100  (as shown in  FIG. 15 ), fluid and material to be shredded (e.g., wet chips) flow along the flow path  100  and through the shredder assembly  30  (as illustrated by the arrow marked “F”). In such a case, the fluid may also assist in directing or moving material to be shredded, being shredded or having been shredded through shredder assembly  30 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the shredder apparatus  10 , and in particular shredder assembly  30 , is disposed at least partially in a fluid flow path  100 , in this case defined, at least in part, by a flume. In other embodiments, the shredder apparatus  10  and/or shredder assembly  30  may be totally or almost totally disposed or submerged in the fluid flow path. The fluid (including coolant) flowing along the flume also passes through the shredder assembly  30  and directs the material (including wet chips and shredded wet chips) through the shredder assembly  30 . Eventually, the fluid and shredded material passes out of the shredder assembly  30  and shredder apparatus  10  along the fluid flow path  100 .  
         [0043]     While shredder rings  33 ,  34  have been shown as having the same outer diameter, it is appreciated that, if desired, the shredder rings could be formed of varying diameters traveling from one end of the cylindrically-shaped shredder ring component  31  to the remaining end. In this embodiment, the cylindrically-shaped ring component would resemble somewhat of a cone-like or tapered shape, with the larger opening preferably contiguous the material feed end of apparatus  10 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 14  illustrates such an embodiment in which shredder ring component  90  has a tapered or cone-like shape. In this embodiment, the shredder ring  92  closest to the material feed end of component  90  would have the largest diameter, “D”, in the component  90 , whereas the shredder ring  93  nearest the exit end would have the smallest diameter, “d”. Similarly, secondary shredder component  94  would also employ comb members having shredder portions of varying sizes, but in the lengths of the comb members would vary inversely to the diameters of the shredder rings. That is, the comb member  95  contiguous to the ring  93  would preferably have a greater length, “L”, than the length, “1”, of the comb member  96  located contiguous to ring  92 .  
         [0045]     Similarly, if desired, the tapered shredder portions of shredder rings  33 ,  34  could be arranged to form a helical shaped shearing path progressing from the feed end of shredder ring component  31  to the material discharge end. This could be accomplished by varying the length dimensions of “x” and “y” of the shredder portions to form a helical path.  
         [0046]     Utilizing the embodiment shown and disclosed herein allows material to be shredded to enter a shredder assembly wherein the shredder assembly is substantially in-line with the material to be shredded. Moreover, the rotatable component comprises a shaftless ring component, as opposed to being mounted on a shaft.  
         [0047]     Further, it may be desired to have the shredder rotation reverse in the event that a large piece of material to be shredded interferes with the shredder operation. The drive assembly  70  can be actuated to reverse the direction of shredder ring component  31  to allow the unwanted material to be cleared. A drive assembly utilizing this type of reversible drive assembly is disclosed in my heretofore-referenced pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/611,526, filed Jul. 1, 2003, which has been incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
         [0048]     While one or more embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it will be understood that modifications and variations thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention and the appended claims.