Patent Publication Number: US-8122620-B2

Title: Screening, crushing or mixing bucket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a screening, crushing or mixing bucket, which is formed into a bucket of an excavating machine or bucket loader, comprising a bottom plate, side walls and at the rear part of the bucket working drums rotatable about their shafts, which screen, crush or mix the material in the bucket as they rotate and at the same time deliver screened, crushed or mixed material out of the bucket between or through the working drums, and casings for the power transmission and bearings of the working drums, the said casings being limited by frame plates to which the bearing housings of the drums are attachable. 
     A bucket of this type is known from the Applicant&#39;s international patent application WO 0158595. In this and other known buckets, a problem is presented by wear in the slot which is formed between the rotating shaft and the frame. The material in the bucket continuously presses new wearing material into this slot, which will eventually result in damage to the bearings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of the invention is to solve this problem by means of a structure which prevents direct material pressure on the said slot. 
     This aim is achieved by means of the bucket according to the invention, the characterising features of which are disclosed in the appended claim  1 . 
     The solution is, therefore, based on the use of a separate mudguard made of wear-resistant steel. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mud-guard is used together with the end flanges of the working drums. The mud-guard prevents direct material pressure on the slot between the frame and the shaft and, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, forms a labyrin-thine structure together with the end flange. The section to be sealed is, therefore, only stressed by dust. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       One example of the invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the bucket according to the invention from behind, partly opened and with the topmost working drum detached; 
         FIG. 2  shows a detail of  FIG. 1  on a larger scale; 
         FIG. 3  shows the bucket of  FIG. 1  as seen diagonally from the front; 
         FIG. 4  shows the same as  FIG. 1 , but without the working drums. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The bucket according to the invention can be fixed to be the bucket of an excavating machine or bucket loader, for which purpose there are fastening lugs  8  on the top side of the bucket. 
     The bucket comprises a bottom plate  1 , side walls  2  and at the rear part of the bucket working drums  3  rotatable about their shafts, which screen, crush or mix the material in the bucket as they rotate and at the same time deliver screened, crushed or mixed material out of the bucket between or through the working drums  3 . Between the flanges of the working drums  3  may be fixed different types of crushing teeth, which are not shown. 
     To the rear parts of the side walls  2  are attached casings  4  for the power transmission and bearings of the working drums  3 . In the embodiment shown, the casings  4  are separated from the interior of the bucket by frame plates  5 , to which the bearing housings  6  of the working drums  3  are attachable. In the case shown, the frame plates  5  are a direct extension of the side walls  2  and of the same plate material as the side walls  2 . 
     The working drums  3  have end flanges  9  which are located on the opposite side of the frame plate  5  with respect to the bearing housing  4 , immediately adjacent to the frame plate  5 . The end flanges  9  rotate with each working drum  3 , that is, the end flanges  9  are attached to the shaft of the working drum  3 . 
     On the inner side of the frame plate  5  and/or of the inner wall  2  is fixed a mudguard  10 , which extends next to the end flanges  9  so that at least a part of each end flange  9  remains between the frame plate  5  and the mudguard  10 . The mudguard  10  guides the material being processed past the slot between the end flange  9  and the frame plate  5 . 
     In the disclosed example, the mudguard  10  is comprised of a protective plate  10  transverse to the axial direction of the working drums, the plate extending partly over the end flanges  9 . The mudguard  10  has cut-outs  11  for receiving the shafts of the working drums  3 . The cut-outs or slots  11  allow the mudguard  10  to be replaced without detaching the shaft of the working drum. At the same time, the structure has clearance towards the trailing side in the direction of flow of the material, and thus material passing between the mudguard  10  and the frame plate  5  is easily removed therefrom.