Patent Application
20110225829
This invention relates to a heavy duty demolition apparatus, especially adapted to be mounted on a rigid boom of a mobile vehicle and particularly adapted to be mounted on the dipper stick of an excavator, and particularly to such an apparatus with interchangeable jaws. A fuller understanding of the operation of the demolition apparatus of the present invention may be achieved by studying U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,135, hereby incorporated by reference.
Heavy duty shears of the type that are powered by hydraulic cylinders are proving more and more useful in handling scrap and especially metal scrap of all sorts. Such scrap comes in many different forms, and may be in the form of pipes made of steel or soft iron or cast iron, ranging in sizes from 2 inches or smaller, and up to 8 or 10 inches in diameter or larger; structural beams such as I-beams, channels, angle beams in a large range of sizes, up to 8 or 10 inches across and larger; rods and heavy cables having diameters of 2 to 3 inches and larger, metal sheets and plates and formed metal of all sorts including wheels and automobile and truck frames, and a myriad of long and short pieces of stock and metal pieces that are cast, rolled, stamped or otherwise formed, both singly and in various types of assembly.
The prior art has included numerous shears such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,747; U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,721; U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,921; U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,719; U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,515 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,792. Typically, these heavy duty shears mount on the dipper stick of an excavator so that the shears may be controlled fairly well in handling various types of scrap and cutting the scrap into smaller twisted and contorted pieces and lengths as the scrap is drawn into the throat of the shear.
Typically, these shears have a fixed lower jaw and a movable upper jaw that pivots on the lower jaw, with shear blades of hardened steel on both the upper jaw and the lower jaw. The workpiece is sheared by closing the upper jaw against the lower jaw under hydraulic pressure, with the shear blades cutting the workpiece.
Shears such as these have various types of jaw attachments that may be used, for example, for cutting steel or other structural material, including concrete, or for crushing concrete, rock, or coral. To meet these needs, in the past it was desirable to be able to remove the jaws from the shear and replace them with jaws of another type. In the past, this has been done by detaching the jaws at the main pivot point. The main pivot pin of the jaws was slid out of the jaws and the adjacent frame plates. It was also necessary to disconnect pivot pins that attached the jaws to their hydraulic cylinders.
One problem with shears such as this is that the main pivot pin cannot be made very heavy and durable, as it must be slid out from the jaws. Also, the main pivot pin was subject to contamination when changing jaws. Furthermore, removing the main pivot pin exposed operating personnel to injury, as either the pin itself or the jaws might cause injury as the pin was removed.
There is a need for a heavy duty configurable shear crusher demolition tool with crushing teeth and shear blades that can be easily mounted on and demounted from the jaws without removing the jaws from the demolition apparatus.
A heavy duty, configurable shear/crusher demolition tool has an upper jaw, a lower jaw, and a pivot group connecting the upper jaw and the lower jaw; a configurable number of tooth holders mounted on the upper jaw and the lower jaw; a configurable number of teeth removably mounted to the tooth holders; a configurable number of shear blade holders mounted on the upper jaw and the lower jaw; and a configurable number of shear blades removably mounted to the shear blade holders.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is jaw components such as tooth holders and shear blade pockets may be mounted to the jaws in order to meet the needs of a specific customer.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the tooth holders may receive a variable number of removable teeth, which are removable and replaceable in the event of wear.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the shear blade pockets may receive a variable number of removable shear blades, which are removable and replaceable in the event of wear.
Other advantages will be understood from reading the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments.
The heavy-duty configurable shear crusher demolition tool of the present invention is generally referred to in the Figures as reference numeral 10.
Referring to
The upper jaw 14 has a first side 22, and a second side 24. The lower jaw 12 has a first mounting plate 26 adjacent the first side 22, and a second mounting plate 28 adjacent the second side 24. The first mounting plate 26 and second mounting plate 28 receive the pivot pin 16 between them.
The upper jaw 14 further comprises an upper plate 30 for receiving tooth holders 32 and/or shear blade holders 34. Teeth 36 may be removably mounted to the tooth holders 32 as will be further described. The size of the tooth holders 32 and the number of teeth 36 mounted thereon is configurable. Shear blades 38 may be removably mounted to the shear blade holders 34 as will be further described. The size of the shear blade holders 34 and consequently the number of shear blades 38 mounted thereon is configurable. Preferably, the tooth holders and shear blade holders are welded to the upper plate 30 but could be fastened on individually or in groups.
The lower jaw 12 further comprises a lower plate 40 for receiving tooth holders 32 and/or shear blade holders 34. Teeth 36 may be removably mounted to the tooth holders 32 as will be further described. The size of the tooth holders 32 and the number of teeth 36 mounted thereon is configurable. Shear blades 38 may be removably mounted to the shear blade holders 34 as will be further described. The size of the shear blade holders 34 and consequently the number of shear blades 38 mounted thereon is configurable. Preferably, the tooth holders and shear blade holders are welded to the lower plate 40 but could be fastened on individually or in groups.
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A stop 67 may be formed in a blade holder 34 to prevent a work piece from sliding out of the jaws.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.
