Improvements in Crushers for Ore and other Materials.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 24th Nov,, 1900
Improvements in Crushers for Ore and other Materials.
We, EDWARD DESCOU CHESTER, Engineer, and EDWARD CHESTER AND COMPANY,
LIMITED, both of 120, Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London, Mining
Machinery Contractors and Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to crushers for ore and other materials, of the type in
which a crushing cone carried by an upright spindle is caused to gyrate within a
circular hopper, motion being communicated to the spindle by means of a driving
wheel mounted to rotate co-axially with the hopper and having an excentric
aperture through which the spindle passes freely, the spindle being held at top
in coaxial alignment with the hopper and wheel, and supported at bottom upon a
footstep bearing affording freedom for the gyratory movement of that end of the
spindle.
The invention relates first to the fixed head or cap wherein the upper end of the
spindle is housed; the object of this part of the invention being to facilitate the
feeding of the material to the crushing cone. The invention relates secondly to
means for adjusting the position of the crushing cone vertically within the hopper;
the object of such adjustment being to enable the size, to which the material is
crushed, to be regulated with ease whilst the machine is working. The invention
relates thirdly, to means for enabling the whole of the mechanism, whereby the
adjustment just mentioned is effected, to be readily removed for cleaning or repair.
I. According to this invention the head or cap in which the upper end of the
gyratory spindle is received and maintained in axial alignment with the hopper
and driving wheel, is formed with only two arms instead of three as in the usual
practice, so that the openings for the admission of material are correspondingly
increased in area. The arms instead of being straight and radial, are made spiral
in plan, and with a helical twist from top to bottom, the curvature being in the
direction of the rotation of the crushing cone with the result that the material
fed into the hopper is caused to at once distribute itself around the entire circum-
ference of the crushing edge, of which no portion is allowed to remain compara-
tively idle as is apt to be the case in machines constructed in the usual manner.
II. In order that the crushing cone may be raised or lowered within the inverted
conical hopper, so as to regulate the size of the fragments that fall from below
the crushing edge, the footstep upon which the lower end of the gyratory spindle
rests and works is supported upon the top of a vertical shaft whose lower end
is stepped in a box having a limited vertical (but not rotary) movement within a
casing suspended from the framing and free to rotate about the vertical axis of
the machine. The vertical shaft which supports the spindle passes down through,
and is held vertical by, a cylindrical sleeve rigidly attached to and depending
from the framing of the machine and having on its outer surface towards the upper
part, a strong flange serving to support and guide the suspended casing above
referred to. Below this flange is formed on the exterior of the sleeve a strong
screw-thread adapted to receive and support a pair of conical rollers mounted to

page_text: rotate on studs projecting inwardly, from the opposite walls of the box in which
the vertical shaft is stepped. Fixed around the outside of the casing in which
said box works vertically, is a worm wheel with which gears a worm whose shaft
may be rotated at will by a hand wheel so that by turning the hand wheel in the
one or the other direction, the outer casing may be caused to rotate and to carry
round with it the box which consequently ascends or descends by reason of the
rollers carried by it running as on rails upon the helical path formed by the screw
thread on the outer surface of the vertical sleeve. It follows that the vertical
shaft which is stepped in the box will likewise ascend or descend, causing a corre-
sponding vertical adjustment of the gyratory spindle and crushing cone carried
thereby. Hence there is left between the periphery of the cone and the lower edge
of the hopper within which it works, a space greater or less according to such
adjustment, through which space fragments of greater or less size are accordingly
free to fall. As a safeguard against accidental movement of the spindle in the
downward direction, due to jarring or other cause, the worm shaft is provided with
a ratchet wheel with which engages a detent pawl pivoted on the frame of the
machine.
III. Owing to the dust and grit inseparable from crushing operations, it is of
great importance that all working parts of the machine should be readily accessible
for purposes of cleaning and repair. To this end, the gearing just described,
whereby the vertical adjustment of the spindle is effected, is made separable as
a whole from the rest of the machine and provided with means whereby it may be
easily removed from beneath the machine, and replaced, as required. The sleeve
which supports the outer suspended rotary casing and the inner box in which the
vertical shaft is stepped, is fixed to the bottom of the machine framing by holding-
up bolts so as to be readily detachable, and the casing itself rotates in a seat upon
a wheeled carriage adapted to run on rails beneath the machine, so that by merely
unfastening the holding-up bolts, the entire adjustment mechanism is made ready
to be conveyed away on the carriage. Whilst this is being done, the weight of
the spindle and crushing cone is supported by lifting tackle, the spindle head
being provided with suitable means whereby the tackle may be made fast to it.
Dated this 29th day of November 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Crushers for Ore and other Materials.
We, EDWARD DESCOU CHESTER, Engineer, and EDWARD CHESTER AND COMPANY
LIMITED, both of 120, Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London, Mining
Machinery Contractors and Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to crushers for ore and other materials, of the type in
which a crushing cone carried by an upright spindle is caused to gyrate within a
conical crushing hopper or concave," motion being communicated to the spindle
by means of a driving wheel mounted to rotate co-axially with the crushing hopper
and having an eccentric aperture through which the spindle passes freely, the
spindle being held at top in co-axial alignment with the crushing hopper and with
the driving wheel, and supported at bottom upon a footstep bearing affording
freedom for the gyratory movement of the spindle.

page_text: The invention relates nrst to the fixed head or cap wherein the upper end or
the spindle is housed; the object of this part of the invention being to facilitate
the feeding of the material to the crushing cone. The invention relates secondly
to means for adjusting the position of the crushing cone vertically within the
crushing hopper in which it works; the object of such adjustment being to enable
the size, to which the material is crushed, to be regulated with ease whilst the
machine is working. The invention relates thirdly, to means for enabling the
whole of the mechanism, whereby the adjustment just mentioned is effected, to
be readily removed for cleaning or repair.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of
this specification wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved crusher,
the right-hand side of the figure being shewn in axial section Figure 2 is a rear
elevation of the gearing by which the vertical adjustment of the crushing cone is
effected, shewn separate from the machine as a whole, and with the under carriage
in section. Figure 3 is a plan of the top of the machine. Figure 4 is a section
on line ab, Figure 3. Similar reference numerals denote like parts in all the
figures.
According to this invention the head or cap 1 in which the upper end 2 of the
gyratory spindle 3 is received and maintained in axial alignment with the crush-
ing hopper 4 and driving wheel 5, is formed with supporting arms 6, 6, preferably
two in number, each arm being curved in plan as shewn in Figure 3, and sloped
on the upper surface 7 as shewn in Figure 4, the concavity of the curvature and
the direction of the slope being such as to cause the material thrown into the
crushing hopper, on coming in contact with the arms 6, to be distributed around
the circumference of the crushing edge-8 and in the direction of motion of the
crushing cone 9, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. By this arrangement
access of material to the crushing edge 9 is facilitated, choking of the hopper abové
the level of that edge is prevented and every portion of the circumference of the
crushing edge 8 is kept constantly supplied with material to be crushed, so that
the output of the machine is increased in comparison with that of machines of
the same class as usually constructed.
In order that the crushing cone 9 may be raised or lowered within the crushing
hopper or concave 4, so as to regulate the size of the fragments that fall from the
crushing edge 8, the footstep 10, upon which the lower end 11 of the gyratory
spindle 3 rests and works, is supported upon the top of a vertical shaft or pillar 12
whose lower end is stepped in a socket 13 within a box 14 having a limited
vertical (but not rotary) movement within a casing 15 suspended from the framing.
and free to rotate about the vertical axis of the machine. The pillar 12 which
supports the spindle 3 passes down through, and is maintained vertical by, a
cylindrical sleeve 16 rigidly attached to and depending from the framing of the
machine or, as shewn, from the bearing 17 in which the boss 18 of the driving
wheel 5 rotates. The sleeve 16 has on its outer surface towards the upper part,
a strong flange 19 serving to support and centre the suspended casing 15 above
referred to, the casing being for this purpose bored internally at its upper end to
fit around the flange 19, and provided with a ring 20 bolted to the top of the
casing and bearing upon the upper surface of flange 19. On the exterior of the
sleeve 16 is formed a strong screw-thread 21 adapted to support conical rollers 22,
23 mounted to rotate on studs 24 projecting inwardly from the walls of the box 14
in which the vertical pillar 12 is stepped.
The bosses 25, 26 in which the studs 24 are fixed, project outwardly from the
walls of the box 14 and engage in vertical slots 27 (see Figure 2) in the walls
of the casing 15 so as to prevent the box 14 from rotating relatively to said casing,
but permit it to move vertically therein. In order to limit such vertical move-
ment, a stop 28 fixed to the casing 15 projects into one of the slots 27 beneath
and in the path of the corresponding boss 25, the latter having a shoulder 29
(Figure 2) adapted to engage with the stop 28 when the limit of movement in the
downward direction is reached, the limit in the upward direction being determined

page_text: by boss 25 meeting the upper end 30 of the slot 27. Fixed around the outside
of the casing 15 at its upper part is a worm wheel 31 with which gears a worm 32
whose shaft 33 is journalled in bearings 34, 35 attached to the upper part of the
sleeve 16. The shaft 33 may be rotated at will by a hand wheel 36 keyed upon
it so that by turning the hand wheel in the one or the other direction, the outer
casing 15 may be caused to rotate and to carry round with it the box 14 which
consequently ascends or descends by reason of the rollers 22, 23 carried by it
running upon the helical path formed by the screw thread 21 on the outer surface
of the vertical sleeve 16. It follows that the pillar 12 which is stepped in the
box 14 will likewise ascend or descend, causing a corresponding vertical adjustment
of the gyratory spindle 3 and crushing cone 9 carried thereby. Hence there is left
between the periphery of the cone 9 and the lower or crushing edge 8 of the crush-
ing hopper 4 within which it works, a space greater or less according to such
adjustment, through which space fragments of greater or less size are accordingly
free to fall. As a safeguard against accidental movement of the spindle 3 and
crushing cone 9 in the downward direction, due to jarring or other cause, the worm
shaft 33 carries a ratchet wheel 37 with which engages a detent pawl 38 pivotted
on the frame of the machine and capable of being thrown out of gear with the
ratchet wheel when it is desired to lower the spindle and crushing cone.
Owing to the dust and grit inseparable from crushing operations, it is of great
importance that all working parts of the machine should be readily accessible for
purposes of cleaning and repair. To this end, the gearing just described, whereby
the vertical adjustment of the gyratory spindle 3 is effected, is made separable as a
whole from the rest of the machine and provided with means whereby it may
be easily removed from beneath the machine, and replaced, as required. The
sleeve 16 which supports the outer suspended rotary casing 15 and the inner
box 14 in which the pillar 12 is stepped, has a flange 39 at or about the level of
the footstep 10 on which the spindle 3 rests, this flange being normally bolted to
the machine framing or, as shewn, to the bottom flange 40 of the bearing 17 in
which the boss 18 of the driving wheel 5 rotates, by means of holding-up bolts 41
so as to be readily detachable, and the casing 15 is adapted to rest upon a car-
riage 42 having wheels 43 running on rails 44 beneath the machine, the height of
the carriage being such that on merely unfastening the holding-up bolts 41, the
weight of the entire adjustment mechanism. comes upon the carriage 42. The
level of the top of the carriage is however so far below the level of the bottom
of the casing 15 when the latter is fixed in position on the machine, that upon the
bolts 41 being unfastened the casing is allowed to drop a short distance just
sufficient to permit of the footstep bearing 10 clearing the lower end of the
spindle 3, the weight of the spindle 3 and crushing cone 9 being meanwhile sup-
ported by lifting tackle made fast to an eye-bolt screwed for the time being into a
tapped hole provided in the upper end 2 of the spindle. The bolts 41 having
been unfastened and the spindle and crushing cone suspended as described, the
entire adjustment mechanism may be withdrawn on the carriage 42 from under
the machine. When the adjustment mechanism is to be re-attached in working
position, it is run into place vertically beneath the machine, whereupon the
bolts 41 being inserted and screwed up, the entire adjustment mechanism is there-
by raised and secured again in its original position. It will be seen that by the
arrangement described any disturbance of the driving gear or other portions of
the machine during the removal and replacement of the adjustment mechanism
is avoided. One side of the framework of the carriage 42 is made open as indicated
at 45 (Figure 2) so as to facilitate running the carriage into and out of position
beneath the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. The hereindescribed improvement in ore
crushers of the type wherein a

page_text: crushing cone carried by an upright spindle is caused to gyrate within a conical
crushing hopper or concave, which consists in forming the fixed head or cap,
wherein the upper end of said spindle is housed, with supporting arms so curved
and sloped as to cause the material as it comes in contact with said arms to become
distributed around the circumference of the crushing edge of the crushing hopper,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In an ore crushing machine of the kind specified the combination with the
upright gyratory spindle and with the crushing cone carried thereby, of means
for supporting and vertically adjusting said cone within the crushing hopper or
concave of the machine so as to vary the size of the fragments produced by the
machine whilst the latter is at work, said means comprising a footstep bearing
for the gyratory spindle, a vertically movable pillar supporting said bearing;
a vertical guide sleeve for said pillar fixed to the framework of the machine; a
box carrying a step bearing for the pillar and mounted upon rollers supported and
adapted to run upon a helical rib in one with said guide sleeve, a casing rotatably
slung from the framework of the machine externally of said box and adapted to
afford the latter freedom of vertical but not of rotary movement relatively to the
casing; and means for rotating said casing so that the rollers may be caused to
ascend or descend upon the said helical rib to adjust the level of the crushing cone
whilst the machine is in operation, substantially as specified.
3. In an ore crushing machine of the kind specified, the combination with the
crushing cone and with the gyratory spindle which carries it, of means for sup-
porting and vertically adjusting said crushing cone within the crushing hopper
or concave of the machine whilst the latter is at work, said means consisting
essentially of a nut screwing vertically in or upon the framework of the machine
and adapted to carry the footstep bearing upon which the gyratory spindle rests,
in combination with a member revolvable about, but incapable of longitudinal
movement relatively to, the axis of the nut, and which engages with said nut so
as to impart rotary movement thereto, and gearing adapted to revolve said member
and to hold it in any required angular position, substantially as specified.
4. In an ore crushing machine of the kind specified, wherein the crushing cone
and its spindle are provided with means for effecting the vertical adjustment of
the crushing cone with the crushing hopper or concave in which it works; making
the support for said spindle, and the mechanism whereby said support is rendered
vertically adjustable, separable as a whole from the machine at or about the level
of the footstep bearing of the spindle, so as to enable said supporting and adjusting
mechanism to be withdrawn by a horizontal movement from beneath the spindle
without the necessity of raising the latter, and without disturbing the driving gear
or other parts of the machine.
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.