The present invention relates to a crusher feed hopper hatch and in particular, although not exclusively, to a hatch having a frame and a door in which the door may be secured to either side of the frame so as to be right or left-hand opening.
Gyratory crushers are used for crushing ore, mineral and rock material to smaller sizes. Typically, the crusher comprises a crushing head mounted upon an elongate main shaft. A first crushing shell is mounted on the crushing head and a second crushing shell is mounted on a frame such that the first and second crushing shells define together a crushing gap through which the material to be crushed is passed. A driving device is arranged to rotate an eccentric assembly arranged about the lower portion of the shaft so as to cause the crushing head to perform a gyratory pendulum movement and crush the material introduced in the crushing gap. Example gyratory crushers are described in WO 2004/110626; WO 2010/123431and WO 2012/005651.
Similarly, vertical shaft impact crushers (VSI-crushers) are used in many applications for crushing hard material like rocks, ore etc., with examples described in WO 2004/020103 and WO 2010/042025.
Common to the various types of crushers is the need for the controlled feeding of material into the crusher in order to optimise the crushing action and crusher efficiency. Typically, a feed hopper is mounted at the crusher inlet and acts to guide the material into the crushing zone. In some situations the operation of the crusher may be disturbed by problems in the feeding flow of material. Such problems reduce crushing efficiency and increase the need for maintenance work. In particular, hoppers typically comprise a side access hatch to allow personnel to carry out the required maintenance work. However, conventional hatches, due to their design, impose limitations on the hopper design and installation planning. Accordingly, what is required is a hatch for a hopper that addresses these problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hatch for a crusher feed hopper having a door with a hinge mechanism that is conveniently adjustable such that the door hinge may be interchanged at various regions of the hatch frame. For example, according to the present invention, the door may be hinged at the right or left-hand side of the frame so as to be right or left-hand opening. This introduces design flexibility to the hopper and crusher construction and installation.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hatch for a hopper in which the door is securely lockable at the hatch frame and is prevented from unwanted opening. It is not uncommon for conventional hatches to open during crushing operations due to vibrations transmitted to the hopper by the crushing action. Accordingly, the present invention comprises a reliable lock mechanism. Furthermore, components of the lock mechanism of the subject invention are identical to those of the hinge mechanism and in particular use the same mountings at the hatch frame that mount the door in either its right or left handed hinge position. Accordingly, the function of the hinge mechanism and the lock mechanism may be interchanged with one another (without removing either components from the respective mountings) by simply removing and reattaching the door via its hinge edge.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a crusher feed hopper hatch comprising: a frame for attachment to a hopper, the frame having walls that define an opening; at least one first hinge mount positioned at a first wall of the frame; a door configured for positioning against the walls; characterised by: at least one second hinge mount positioned at a second wall of the frame; and at least one body provided at the door, the body configured to mate with either the first and the second hinge mount to pivotally mount the door at either the first or the second wall.
Preferably, the first wall and the second wall are positioned on opposite sides of the frame.
Preferably, the hatch further comprises a lock body mountable at either the first and second hinge mounts that engage with a region of the door and locks the door in position at the frame in the hatch closed position. Reference within the specification to a ‘lock body’ include the same fundamental ‘body’ component that is used to hingeably mount the door at the frame (with or without minor variation of the component parts of each respective body, including in particular, component dimensions, such as length). Preferably, when functioning as a hinge, the body is positioned towards a hinge edge of the door. The door comprises an opposed opposite lock edge that is engageable by a corresponding body positioned at the opposite side of the frame. Preferably, when functioning as a part of the lock mechanism, the body, being a lock body is pivotally mounted at either the first and the second hinge mount and comprises an engaging end to engage a region of the door.
Preferably, the lock edge of the door comprises at least one slot engageable by the engaging end of the lock body by pivoting the lock body at either the first and second hinge mount.
Optionally, the first and second hinge mount each comprise a pair of shoulders spaced apart at the wall, each shoulder having an aperture. Optionally, the body comprises a barrel having a longitudinal axis and is mountable between the pair of shoulders within each aperture so as to be rotatable within each aperture and allow the door to pivot between a hatch open and a hatch closed position. Preferably, the barrel is mounted upon an axle extending from the door, the axle having a longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel.
When functioning as a part of the lock mechanism, the lock body comprises a barrel having a longitudinal axis and is mountable between the pair of shoulders within each aperture so as to be rotatable within each aperture. Additionally, the lock body may further comprise an axle having a longitudinal axis aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel, the axle being adjustably mounted relative to the barrel so as to extend and retract radially relative to the longitudinal axis of the barrel.
Preferably, the hatch comprises two hinge mounts provided at each of the first and second walls; and the door comprising two bodies engageable with the two respective hinge mounts on either the first or second walls.
According to a specific implementation, component parts of the lock body may differ from component parts of the hinge body. In particular, the axle of the hinge body is shorter than the corresponding axle of the lock body. Additionally, the hinge body does not necessarily comprise a securing pin, extending through a part of the axel of the lock body so as to prevent the axel being withdrawn completely from the barrel of the lock body.
Accordingly, when switching the door between right and left hand opening, the axels of the two respective types of bodies (hinge and lock) would also be switched, due to their respective different lengths. As such, the hinge axle(s) would always be situated at the hinge side and the lock axel(s) at the lock side of the door.
Preferably, the hatch further comprises a sealing gasket extending between the door and the frame to provide a seal when the door is in a hatch closed position at the frame.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a crusher hopper comprising a hatch as described herein.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a crusher comprising a hopper as described herein.
A specific implementation of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to
Side wall 104 comprises a maintenance access hatch 101 that includes a door hingeably mounted at one side and attached to a part of wall 104.
Referring to
Referring to
A sealing gasket 503 extends around a perimeter region of surface 504 to provide a seal as door 203 is closed against frame 200. Additionally, a mounting plate 505 is secured to door surface 504 and is dimensioned so as to fit within frame walls 201, 202 when door 203 is in the closed hatch position. Plate 505 and sealing gasket 503 may comprise a resiliently deformable material so as to provide a sealing contact against frame 200. The second half of horizontal mechanism 208 extends from door face 504 towards hinge edge 204.
The substantially planar door 203 is curved towards lock edge 205 along the edge length. A pair of slots 502 extends inwardly from the lock edge of door 203 a short distance in the direction of length edge 506. This curved region 501 defines a handle part of door 203. When in the hatch closed position, the exposed substantially planar face 500 of plate 505 occupies opening 207 such that hatch 100 is closed. The door 203 is maintained in the hatch closed position by lock bodies 206 engaging with slots 502 to prevent door 203 pivoting via hinge mechanism 208 to the door open position.
Referring to
Axle 702 extends through the body of barrel 703 via a through bore 802. Collar 701, extending around axle 702, is positioned between head 700 and barrel 703. Axle 702 is capable of advancing and retracting through barrel 702 via cooperation of corresponding screw threads (not shown) formed on an external surface of axle 702 and formed internally within bore 802. Accordingly, axle 702 may be screwed through barrel 703 via head 700. Axle 702 is prevented from detachment from barrel 703 by virtue of head 700 comprising a greater radial diameter than bore 802 and pin 801 that projects beyond bore 800 such that a length of pin 801 is greater than the diameter of bore 802.
Referring to
Each barrel 703 is dimensioned so as to sit within apertures 302 of each pair of arms 301. Accordingly, the longitudinal axis 803 of barrel 703 is aligned parallel to vertical walls 201. Body 805 is secured to door 203 at its hinge edge 204 as shown in
When employed as the lock mechanism and not the hinge mechanism, the outer end of axle 702 towards head 700 is capable of pivoting into each respective slot 502 as door 203 is brought to the hatch closed position. When in this position, each head 700 may be rotated to clamp against a region of external surface 600 to lock the door 203 in the closed position.
As the frame 200 comprises identical sets of arms 301 at both opposite vertical walls 201 the door 803 may be secured and hingeably mounted at either side wall 201 by simply removing bolts 700, 702, rotating door 203 through 180° and reattaching the door via its hinge edge 204 at the opposite set of mounts 300 at the opposite frame wall 201. Accordingly, the present hatch is configured to be both left and right hand opening. Additionally, the lock mechanism is also capable of actuation at either the right or left wall 201. Accordingly, the present hatch comprises four pivotally mounted bodies 805 secured at each four hinge mounts 301 with the bodies 805 acting as either the hinge mechanism or the lock mechanism by interchanging the respective bolts (700, 702). As bodies 805 are retained in position at each mount 300, door 203 may be conveniently interchanged between left and right hand opening by adjustment of heads 700 using an appropriate tool (not shown).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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12179087.7 | Aug 2012 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2013/062864 | 6/20/2013 | WO | 00 |