Patent Publication Number: US-10780440-B2

Title: Anti-spin apparatus and method for cone crusher head

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefits, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/250,637 filed Nov. 4, 2015 entitled “Anti-Spin Apparatus and Method For Cone Crusher Head” which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to the field of crushers, and more specifically relates to the field of cone or gyratory crushers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Cone or gyratory crushers utilize a gyrating conical crusher head, or cone head, to crush material between the stationary inner conical surface of a bowl liner and the gyrating outer surface of the crusher head&#39;s mantle or head liner. The crusher head is given a gyrating motion by a rotating eccentric. When material is being crushed between the crusher head and the bowl liner, the crusher head is largely prevented from rotating relative to the bowl liner. However when no material is in the crushing cavity between the crusher head and the bowl liner, such as at start up, the spinning of the eccentric causes the crusher head also to spin and may reach the same velocity as the eccentric. This causes wear on the mantle and bowl liner when the material to be crushed is then admitted to the crushing cavity, causing an initial severe impact and braking. This also causes some of the material introduced into the crushing cavity to be violently flung from the machine, which again may damage the machine or risk injury to workers. 
     Prior solutions to this problem included the use of a clutch-based mechanism at the top of the crushing head which suffered from a number of drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,698 discloses the use of fingers at a bottom portion of the crushing gap which engage to prevent spin. U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,143 discloses the use of a braking bush and an annular shoe which engage by centrifugal force during no-load condition to prevent spin. There remains a need therefore for a more effective means for selectively preventing spin of the crusher head during start-up, while releasing the head at other times. 
     The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
     A more effective arrangement and apparatus for counteracting spin of the crusher head is provided. An annular rubber muscle element held in the bowl frame is positioned between the bowl frame and the surface of the head, preferably the lower surface. The muscle element can be selectively placed into contact under pressure with the head surface to prevent spin during start up and then released during normal crushing operation. 
     In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical cross-section of a cone crusher according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a detail of the vertical cross-section of the head assembly of the cone crusher shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating in perspective the anti-spin assembly; 
         FIGS. 3-5  are detail perspective views partly in cross-section of the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view partly in cross-section of the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  are an elevation view partly in cross-section, top and bottom perspective views of the base plate for the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  are an elevation view partly in cross-section, top and bottom perspective views of the outer clamp ring for the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 10  are an elevation view partly in cross-section, top and bottom perspective views of the outer clamp ring for the anti-spin assembly shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , cone crusher  10  has a bowl liner  1 Z mounted in bowl  14  which has a feed opening  18 . Bowl liner  12  has a generally conical interior surface  20 . The crusher head assembly  22  extends upwardly into space  24  formed by bowl liner  12 . In operation, crusher head assembly  22  gyrates about the central shaft  16  on head ball  26 . The crusher head assembly  22  is secured to head ball  26  by a nut  23  and socket washer  25 . Head assembly  22  is thereby provided gyratory movement through head ball  26  which rests freely on socket liner  27  and central shaft  16 . A film of oil permits head ball  26  to move freely on socket liner  27 . Eccentric  17  is motor driven to provide eccentric rotational motion. The crushing surface of crusher head  44  is formed by the mantle  28 , referred to herein as the head liner  28 , which is typically formed of manganese. Head liner  28  is removably fixed to the frusto-conical surface of head  44  by a compression bolt  33  or the like. 
     Anti-spin assembly is shown in cross-section at  30  in  FIG. 1  and in greater detail in  FIG. 2 through 10 . Anti-spin assembly comprises a circular base  36 , muscle element  34  and outer clamp ring  32 . Muscle element  34  is a rubber ring which has a T-shaped lower foot  48  extending downwardly from rubber annulus  50 . The anti-spin assembly  30  is secured to bowl frame  40  by bolts  42  which extend through outer clamp ring  32  and base  36  into frame  40 . Foot  48  of muscle element  34  is thereby held in the cavity formed between base  36  and clamp ring  32  with rubber annulus  50  sitting above the inner circumference  52  of base  36 . 
     Base  36  is provided with an annular air or liquid manifold  46  which is adjacent the lower surface of foot  48  when the assembly  30  is assembled. Pressurized air or hydraulic fluid is provided to manifold  46  through supply line  56  and channel  54  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     In operation, at start-up, air or liquid under pressure is supplied to manifold  46 , which forces muscle element  34  against a surface of head  44 , preferably the lower surface  45  of head  44  progressively in those sections where the head  44  is closest to the central shaft  16  (see  FIG. 3 ) while at the opposite side of the central shaft  16  the head  44  is spaced from the muscle element  34  ( FIG. 4 ). The frictional contact between muscle element  34  and the lower surface  45  of head  44  prevents motion of the head relative to the bowl  14 . After material for crushing is introduced, the source of pressurized air/liquid to manifold  46  is cut off so that the muscle element  34  no longer contacts the head  44  which is then which is free to move relative to said bowl and is prevented from rotation with the eccentric by the friction of the crushed material between head liner  28  and bowl liner  12 . 
     The crusher head  44  counter-rotates relative to the shaft  16  during crushing operation due to the difference in diameter between the head liner and the bowl liner. The rock which is being crushed acts like a gear, and when that gear is released, then crusher head  44  spins in the same direction as the shaft  16  due to oil friction between the crusher head  44  and the eccentric  17 . The anti-spin mechanism can be activated and deactivated by signals from a PLC or other control device based on motor current draw, crusher cavity level sensor or the feed conveyor on/off signal. 
     While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the invention be interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within its true spirit and scope.