Patent GB-816389-A (GB)
Title: Method of and apparatus for disintegrating solid particles
Inventor: BROADBENT SIMON RALPH KEOGH
IPC: B02C15/12
Filed: 1954-08-27
Abstract: 816,389. Disintegrating apparatus. C.U.B.A. PATENTS Ltd. Aug. 19, 1955 [Aug. 27, 1954], No. 25027/54. Class 59 Apparatus for disintegrating solid particles, e.g. coal particles, comprises an extended disintegration member having an extended disintegration surface in the form of a surface of revolution, a series of rotary disintegration members arranged about the axis of the disintegration member with their surfaces adjacent to and forming with the extended disintegration surface a disintegration zone, driving means for causing relative movement between the extended disintegration member and the series of rotary members about the axis of the extended disintegration member, means for feeding solid particles on to the extended disintegration member in such manner that they enter the disintegration zone in a free-flowing condition (i.e. the particles move substantially independently of one another), and outlet means permitting the particles to leave the disintegration zone in a free-flowing condition, the extended disintegration surface being a tapering surface the diameter of which gradually diminishes in an axial direction towards the position of feed of the particles on to the extended disintegration member. The extended disintegration member and/or the series of rotary disintegration members may be directly driven either in the same direction at different speeds or in opposite directions. The particles to be disintegrated may be caused to move over the outwardly extending surface of the extended disintegration member and through the disintegration zone under gravity, by centrifugal force or by being impelled by a gas or liquid, or by a combination of two or more of these agencies. The material discharged from the apparatus may pass to a separator for separating finer material of the desired size, the coarser material being returned to the apparatus. In the form shown in Fig. a rotatable cone 10 has three series of balls 11, 12, 13 supported against the outer surface thereof by means of retaining rings 14, 15, 16. The particles are given a component of revolution about the axis of the cone 10 either by means of vanes 18 or by directing a current of air upon the particles. Instead of three series of balls, only a single series or more than three series may be provided. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), the balls are replaced by rotatably-mounted rollers. In another modification, Fig. 4, the apparatus comprises three disintegrating members 22. 23, 24 and a rotary discharge plate 25, series of balls 29, 30, 31 being supported against the conical surfaces of the members 22, 23, 24 by means of retaining rings 32. The particles to be disintegrated are fed through an inlet 33 on to the apex of the cone 22. Material leaving the first disintegration zone falls on to the conical frustum 23, and similarly material leaving the second disintegration zone falls on to the conical frustum 24. Material falling from each disintegration zone is swept by an air current which carries away finer material and allows the coarser material to continue its travel to the next zone or to the plate 25. For this purpose, inlets 33a, 33b, 33c are provided through which air enters, then passes across material falling from the disintegration zones into horizontal passages 34a, 34b and 34c respectively, and finally through vertical passages 35a, 35b, and 35c respectively which lead to a common discharge pipe 36. In a further modification, Fig. 5, a rotatable support 48 has stepped portions to which are fixed an upper cone 49, a middle conical frustum 50 and a lower conical frustum 51, the members 49, 50, 51 having series of balls 52, 53, 54 respectively supported thereagainst by spring- influenced retaining rings 55, 56 and 57, each pair of adjacent retaining rings being connected together by a rubber band 62. The material to be disintegrated is fed to the top of the cone 49 by means of a rotary disc-like table 71 above the centre of which is a feed pipe 76 to which is fixed one end of a blade 77. The speed or rotation of the table and/or the height of the blade above the table can be varied. The material leaving the lowermost disintegration zone passes into a discharge shoot 64.