Abstract:
A gyratory crusher uses a new spider arm guard and rim liner arrangement. The spider arm guard and rim liner are retained on the spider by means of a dowel and recess system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to rock crushing systems, such as conical rock crushers or gyratory crushers. Specifically, this invention relates to protective covers, such as spider arm guards and rim liners, utilized in rock crushing systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gyratory rock crushers generally have a downwardly expanding central conical member which rotates or gyrates within an outer upwardly expanding frustroconically shaped member typically called a shell. The shell can be comprised of two or more pieces, e.g., a top shell and a bottom shell. The central conical member generally has a wearing cover or a liner called a mantle. A spider assembly rests on the top shell, forming the top of the support structure for the machine. This spider assembly can include spider arm guards. Because the material to be crushed is dropped into the top of the machine, the arms and rim of the spider assembly are subject to a great deal of wear as rocks make impact. Therefore, the spider arm guards and rim liners are used on top of the spider assembly to protect the arms and rim from the falling material. These guards are replaced from time to time when warranted by the amount of degradation. 
     Spider arm guards and rim liners are generally affixed to the spider assembly with fastening devices. For example, conventional gyratory rock crushers utilize bolts and sometimes springs to maintain the spider arm guards in place over the spider arms. When the guards require replacement, the fastening devices must be removed, which requires substantial labor and machine down-time. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have guards which can be easily affixed and removed from the spider assembly. Thus, there is a need for spider arm guards and rim liners that are easy to install. Further, there is a need for spider arm guards and rim liners that do not require expensive fasteners or fasteners which are difficult to remove. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a gyratory rock crusher including a shell and a spider having spider arm guards. The spider arm guards have mounting means that are received in recesses or apertures in the spider arms. 
     The invention further relates to a spider arm guard for use with the spider arm of a gyratory crusher. The spider arm guard has a shield portion and a number of mounting pegs. The mounting pegs are sized to fit into corresponding recesses or apertures in the spider arm. 
     The present invention further relates to a gyratory crusher including a shell, a spider with spider arms, spider arm guards, and an attachment system for the spider arm guards. The attachment system includes mounting pegs and recesses or apertures sized to receive the mounting pegs. 
     Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of assembling or repairing a rock crusher including placing a spider arm guard over a spider arm, aligning the mounting pegs of the spider arm guard with corresponding recesses or apertures in a spider arm, and lowering the spider arm guard onto the spider arm. 
     The present invention further relates to a gyratory crusher including a shell, a spider supported by the shell, the spider having a spider rim, a number of rim liner segments mounted on top of the spider rim, and mounting means extending outward from each of the rim liner segments and being received in recesses or apertures in the spider rim. 
     The present invention still further relates to a rim liner for use with a gyratory crusher including a spider, the rim liner including a shield portion shaped to protect the spider, and a number of mounting pegs extending from the shield portion, wherein the mounting pegs are sized to fit into corresponding recesses or apertures on the spider. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Exemplary embodiments will hereafter be described with reference to accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements; and 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a gyratory crusher; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the gyratory crusher showing a spider assembly without spider arm guards; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a spider arm guard; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a segment of a spider rim showing a spider rim liner; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a rim liner segment showing a mounting peg; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting peg; and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a gyratory crusher  10  can be utilized to crush rock, ore, minerals, waste, or other material. Gyratory crusher  10  is assembled on a cast steel base or bottom shell  12  having a central hub  14 . Central hub  14  is provided with a vertical bore  18  adapted to receive cylindrical support shaft  20  and eccentric  24 . Drive housing  13  extends outwardly from hub  14  to enclose a drive mechanism  22 . Drive mechanism  22  causes rotation of an eccentric  24  that directs the gyratory motion of the shaft  20 . 
     A head assembly  26 , which is part of the shaft  20 , includes a head member  30  which is covered by a mantle  34 . Mantle  34  provides one of the crushing surfaces of crusher  10 . 
     A top shell  36  projects upwardly from bottom shell  12  and is covered by a spider assembly including a spider  46 . Alternatively, top shell  36  and bottom shell  12  can be a single piece component. Spider  46  includes an aperture  40  that receives an end  42  of shaft  20 . 
     Top shell  36  is protected from wear by several rows of concaves  62 . Spider  46  can be attached or rest upon top shell  36 . Preferably top shell  36  includes a recessed portion  92  for receiving a flange  94  of spider  46 . Vertical positioning of shaft  20  with respect to top shell  36  adjusts the relative position of the mantle  34  of the head assembly  26  with respret to the canvas  62 , thereby adjusting the size of the crushed material exiting crusher  10 . 
     Material to be crushed is supplied through spider  46  which includes openings  48  (shown in FIG. 2) for entry of the material into crushing cavity  50 . A liquid flush apparatus (not shown) may be provided for spraying a liquid such as water toward the crusher cavity  50 . 
     The spider  46  is comprised of spider arms  52  radially extending outward from the center to spider rim  53  (shown in FIG.  2 ). A spider cap  54  sits on the top center of the spider  46 . Each of the spider arms  52  is protected from falling material by a spider arm guard  56 . The spider rim  53  is protected by a rim liner  57  (shown in FIGS.  4  and  5 ), also known as a hopper liner. 
     The gyratory crusher  10  operates as follows. When the drive mechanism  22  is driven by any appropriate means, it transmits power to the eccentric  24 . The eccentric  24  causes the gyration of the head assembly  26 , resulting in the crushing of the material in the crushing chamber  50 . The phantom lines flanking the mantle and center axis on FIG. 1 indicate the range of gyratory motion. 
     FIG. 2 shows the gyratory crusher  10  from the top. In this particular embodiment, there are two spider arms  52  extending from the center. As material is dumped into the machine through openings  48 , some of the material impacts the spider  46 , requiring the spider arm guards  56  shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     FIG. 3 is a more detailed cross-sectional view of a spider arm guard  56 . In a preferred embodiment, the spider arm guard  56  rests on spider arm  52  and is restrained laterally by means of two mounting pegs  58 . The mounting pegs  58  fit into corresponding recesses  60  (shown in FIG. 1) in the spider arm  52 . The mounting pegs  58  serve to maintain the spider arm guard  56  in place on the spider arm  52 . Each recess  60  can be any aperture that will retain the mounting peg  58 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a segment  59  of a rim liner from a top view. The rim liner is comprised of several curvilinear segments  59  covering the 360 degree arc of the outer peripheral annular rim  53 . In the preferred embodiment, the rim liner has an inner radius of about 65 inches and an outer radius of about 86 inches. The rim liner segment is preferably made of a manganese alloy steel. A preferred embodiment has six rim liner segments  59 , one of which being shown installed in FIG.  2 . The locations of two mounting pegs  58 ′ are shown. A cross-section of this rim liner segment is shown in FIG. 5, the plane including a mounting peg  58 ′. FIG. 7 shows one rim liner segment  59  mounted in place. 
     FIG. 6 shows a mounting peg  58  for a spider arm guard  56  in even more detail. The mounting pegs  58  are designed with the following considerations in mind. The length must be sufficient to allow some vertical motion due to machine vibration without the guard  56  becoming dislodged. In the preferred embodiment, the mounting pegs  58  are about 7.2 inches in length and 3.2 inches in diameter when used on a spider arm guard  56 . The preferred size of mounting pegs  58  when used in a rim liner is about two inches in diameter and 2.8 inches in length. It is preferred to cast the mounting pegs  58  integrally with the spider arm guard  56  to avoid a possible weakness in the joint between the mounting peg  58  and the guard  56 . Although the shape of the spider arm guard  56  helps keep the guard  56  in place, pegs  58  and recesses  60  are necessary to provide a fastening or mounting system that maintains the placement of the arm guard  56  with respect to spider arm  52 . 
     Each spider arm guard  56  may have a number of mounting pegs  58 . Depending on the size of the gyratory crusher  10 , the mounting system may have from one to five mounting pegs  58  per spider arm guard  56 . 
     The mounting pegs  58 ,  58 ′ may take a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, they could have a circular, square, or triangular cross-section. The diameter of the mounting pets  58  can vary depending on the size of the gyratory crusher  10 . Typical diameters would be from one and a half to four inches. The length of the mounting pegs  58  is generally approximately two to three times the diameter, or approximately three to twelve inches depending on the material. However, this ratio may vary depending on the structure of the crusher  10 . For example, in the preferred embodiment of mounting pegs  58 ′ for rim liner segment  59 , the length is only about 1.5 times the diameter. The mounting pegs  58 ,  58 ′ can be constructed of steel, ceramic, or other materials that would withstand the wear and tear of normal operation. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the mounting pegs  58  could extend upward from the spider arms  52  rather than downward from the spider arm guards  56 . The spider arm guards  56  could then be manufactured with recesses sized to fit the mounting pegs  58 . 
     The spider arm guard  56  may be lifted off the spider arm  52  for service without detaching any bolts or spring mechanisms. Therefore, the required labor for service is reduced without sacrificing the operational effectiveness of the machine overall. The method of initial assembly or repair of a spider arm guard  56  is straightforward. The guard  56  must be aligned with the spider arm  52  such that the mounting pegs  58  will fit into the corresponding recesses  60 . The spider arm guard  56  may then be lowered onto the spider arm  52 . Removal of a spider arm guard  56  for service may be accomplished by lifting the guard  56  off the spider arm  52 . 
     The rim liner segment  59  shown in FIG. 4 may use the mounting peg arrangement discussed above as well. Circumferentially spaced recesses  60  are located in the spider rim  53 . A typical number of mounting pegs  58 ′ would be two per rim liner segment  59 , if six segments  59  are used to protect the spider rim  53 . As discussed above, alternative embodiments include extending mounting pegs upward from the spider rim  53 , and using different numbers of pegs per rim liner segment  59  and altering the shapes of the pegs. 
     The above arrangement solves the longstanding problems discussed in the Background of the Invention section because no bolts or springs are required to maintain the spider arm guards  56  on the spider arms  52  or the rim liner segment  59  on the spider rim  53 . The mounting pegs  58 ,  58 ′ maintain the placement of the spider arm guards  56  and rim liner segments  59 . This arrangement therefore will save time and expense when the spider arm guards  56  and rim liner segments  59  must be replaced due to wear and tear because the guards are more easily removed and installed. 
     While several embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that what has been described is considered at present to be the preferred embodiments of a spider arm guard  56  and rim or hopper liner  57  and method of installation. However, in accordance with the patent statutes, changes may be made in the design without actually departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention. The following claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.