Patent ID: 7077348

Claim:
A rock and ore crusher apparatus having a suspended impeller, the crusher apparatus comprising: a) a supporting main frame structure, b) a substantially hollow impeller support spindle having opposite terminal ends, the interior confines of the hollow spindle open through said opposite terminal ends, c) a support bearing apparatus on said main frame arranged to supportingly engage said spindle for rotation of the spindle in substantially vertically-suspended condition supported on said main frame, the opposite terminal ends of the spindle identifying respective vertical top and bottom ends of the vertically-suspended spindle supported rotatably on the main frame, d) power drive means on said main frame for engaging said spindle to rotate the spindle supported in vertically-suspended condition on the main frame by said support bearing apparatus, e) a rock and ore impeller mounted on the vertical bottom end of the suspended spindle for rotation therewith, the interior confines of the hollow spindle open to the impeller through the bottom end of the spindle, f) a hopper supported on the main frame and arranged to receive rock and ore material to be crushed, said hopper further arranged to communicate rock and ore material from the hopper into the hollow interior confines of the vertically-suspended, rotatable spindle through the vertical open top end thereof, for passage of rock and ore material through the hollow spindle to said impeller during powered rotation of the spindle and impeller mounted thereon, g) an annular rock impact chamber supported on said main frame structure and arranged to freely encircle said impeller, said annular chamber arranged to receive rock and ore material ejected from the rotating impeller in material-shattering impact within the encircling annular chamber, and h) crushed material discharge means for communicating with said annular chamber and receiving crushed material falling from the annular chamber after impact therein and for discharging the material from the crusher apparatus, i) whereby with the power drive means operating to rotate said spindle and impeller at a selected speed of rotation, rock and ore material to be crushed may fall from the hopper vertically through the interior of the vertically suspended, rotating, hollow spindle to the rotating impeller whereupon the material is ejected outwardly from the impeller and into violent, crushing impact within the impeller-encircling annular chamber, the impacted material then falling by gravity from the annular chamber for discharge from the crusher apparatus.