The invention pertains to an anvil for use in an impact rock crusher machine wherein the rocks impinge against the anvil during the rock crushing process. In particular, the invention pertains to an improved anvil for use in an impact rock crusher machine wherein such anvil provides for an increased useful life as compared to earlier anvils.
Generally speaking, an impact rock crusher machine is utilized to reduce the size of larger earth materials (e.g., rocks) into aggregate of a smaller size. The construction industry trades employ a variety of impact crusher machines to reduce large aggregate to aggregate sizes and shapes required to satisfy construction specifications for mixtures and admixtures of aggregate with cement and other ingredients.
During the rock crushing process, an impact rock crusher machine receives aggregate, which is of a larger size, for crushing or reducing aggregate into a smaller size. The impact rock crusher machine feeds aggregate to an impeller table, which has a central feed body and impeller shoes attach to an impeller assembly. The impeller shoes, in combination with centrifugal force, hurl and direct a flow or stream of larger size aggregate against one or more anvils located within the crusher. This type of rock crusher machine is shown and described in published United States Patent Application No. US2004/0251358A1 to Condon, published on Dec. 13, 2004 (filed on Jun. 11, 2003, patent application Ser. No. 10/459,252), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
As mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,791 to Smith et al., the anvils in a rock crusher machine experience substantial wear during the rock crusher operation due to the impingement of the aggregate thereon. An anvil experiences wear up to where it exceeds its useful life and it is then necessary to replace the anvil. In order to replace an anvil, the operator must stop the rock crusher machine so that he can detach the used anvil and replace it with a new anvil. This activity takes time away from the operation of the rock crusher machine. Hence, it would be desirable to provide an anvil that would reduce the number of times that the operator must stop operation of the rock crusher machine in order to replace the anvils. More specifically, it would be highly desirable to provide an anvil that presents better wear resistance, and hence, a longer useful life, than what has been heretofore available.
As mentioned above, in an impact rock crusher machine, rocks or aggregate are hurled again the anvil whereby the rocks breaks the aggregate into smaller size aggregate. The rock crusher machine maintains an optimum efficiency when the maximum (or optimum) amount of breakage of the aggregate occurs upon impingement of the aggregate against the anvil. Experience has shown that the efficiency of the rock crusher machine decreases as the anvil wears. This is due to the fact that an increase in the wear of the anvil results in a change in the geometry of the impingement surface (or face) such as, for example, from a flat surface into a cupped or concave-shaped surface. When the aggregate impacts the cupped surface, not as much aggregate is broken as compared to aggregate that impacts a flat surface. Hence, an increase in the anvil wear results in a decrease in the amount of breakage of the aggregate. Such a decrease in the amount of breakage of the aggregate requires that the unbroken aggregate be again hurled against the anvil.
It can be appreciated that the necessity to re-hurl (or re-process) the aggregate against the anvil increases the processing costs and the time required to break the aggregate to the desired size requirements. It would thus be highly desirable to provide an improved anvil for use in a rock crusher machine that exhibits improved wear resistance so as to maintain the flatness of the anvil face and the operational efficiency of the rock crushing process for a longer duration.
In one form thereof, the invention is an anvil for use in a crusher. The anvil comprises a body that has an impingement surface wherein the impingement surface has a high concentration wear area and a low concentration wear area. The anvil further includes a wear-resistant member. The high concentration wear area of the body has the wear-resistant member and the high concentration wear area of the body has a greater wear resistance than the low concentration wear area of the body.
In another form thereof, the invention is an anvil for use in a crusher. The anvil comprises a body that has an impingement surface that has a greater impingement portion that experiences a greater extent of impingement. The body contains a plurality of wear-resistant members made from one or more wear-resistant materials. The greater impingement portion contains a higher concentration of the one or more wear-resistant materials.
In still another form thereof, the invention is an anvil for use in a crusher. The anvil comprises a body that has an impingement surface whereby aggregate impinges against the impingement surface. The body is positionable between a first position and a second position. A first portion of the impingement surface experiences a greater extent of impingement when the anvil is in the first position. A second portion of the impingement surface experiences a greater extent of impingement when the anvil is in the second position. The body contains wear-resistant material. The first portion of the impingement surface contains a higher concentration of the wear-resistant material, and the second portion of the impingement surface containing a higher concentration of the wear-resistant material.
The following is a brief description of the drawings that form a part of this patent application:
Referring to
The centrifugal force generated via the rotation of the impeller turntable 22 causes above the impeller shoes 24 slings or hurls the rock or aggregate in a radial outward direction so that it strikes (or impinges) upon the surface of one or more anvils 30. Typically, the anvils are oriented so that the impingement surface thereof is normal to the direction of movement of the aggregate hurled by the impellers. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,484 to Smith et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Upon impingement, the larger sized aggregate breaks apart into aggregate of a smaller size. In other words, the larger-sized aggregate is crushed into smaller-sized aggregate.
The impeller blades 24 and the central feed body are mounted to an impeller table by methods well known in the industry. Further, the anvils are mounted to the outer ring of the impact rock crusher machine in a manner known to those skilled in the art.
There is more than one way to mount the anvils to the rock crusher machine. In one arrangement, once one portion of the anvil becomes worn, the anvil can be rotated 180 degrees to expose another portion of the anvil to the impingement of the aggregate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,673 to Ackers et al. shows and describes such an arrangement. Applicants hereby incorporate U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,673 to Ackers et al. by reference herein. In another arrangement, to expose unworn surfaces, the anvils are adjusted in a radial inward direction toward the impeller assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,280 to Burk shows and describes such an assembly. Applicants hereby incorporate U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,280 to Burk by reference herein. In still another arrangement, the ring to which the anvil mounts can be raised or lowered in the vertical direction so as to expose different portions of the anvil to the impingement of the aggregate.
As can be appreciated, the impingement of rock (or aggregate) on the anvils causes the anvils to experience wear due to such impingement. Heretofore, in many commercial arrangements, the anvils have been made from a high chromium-iron alloy, which while satisfactory, has experienced wear. One exemplary iron alloy is a so-called white iron alloy that has a composition along the lines of ASTM Specification A532 class III A alloy (2.3-3.0 weight percent carbon; 0.5-1.5 weight percent manganese; up to 1.0 weight percent silicon; up to 1.5 weight percent nickel; up to 1.5 weight percent molybdenum; 23-28 weight percent chromium, trace impurities and the balance iron). Like for most wear products, there always exists a need to improve such a wear product through increasing the wear resistance thereof and the resultant useful life.
As described above, in some rock crusher machines the anvil is rotatable 180 degrees after it has experienced a certain degree of wear. This type of anvil is illustrated in
Referring to the tungsten carbide inserts 36 through 74, especially as illustrated in
Typically, the portion of the impingement surface that experiences the greater degree of wear will have a higher concentration of wear-resistant material in the form of the inserts. The portion of the impingement surface that experiences the lesser degree of wear will have a lower concentration of wear-resistant material in the form of the inserts.
Although not shown for the other inserts, this is also true for the other inserts. In this regard, inserts 36, 44, 60 (as well as 52) and 68 positioned along the left horizontal side 78 of the anvil typically are of a different size (or can be oriented in different ways) so as to provide for better (or optimum) wear resistance than the interior tungsten carbide inserts (38, 40, 46, 48, 54, 56, 62, 64, 70 and 72). In this regard, and in some cases inserts like 36, 44, 52 and 60 can be considered to have exposed a larger-sized wear-resistant portion of the member while the interior inserts can be considered to have exposed a smaller-sized wear-resistant portion of the member. The same is true for the inserts positioned at or near the right side 80 of the anvil wherein inserts 42, 50 (as well as 58), 66 and 74 are of a different size (or can be oriented in different ways) so as to provide for better (or optimum) wear resistance than the interior tungsten carbide inserts (38, 40, 46, 48, 54, 56, 62, 64, 70 and 72). It should be noted that insert 40 and insert 42 have substantially the same exposed surface area on the impingement surface, and yet, insert 42 extends deeper into the body of the anvil.
The area of the impingement surface that is along the left side of the anvil body can be considered to be a first portion of the impingement surface. The area of the impingement surface along the right side of the anvil body can be considered to be a second portion of the impingement surface. The interior area of the impingement surface that does not experience as great an extent of wear can be considered to be the third portion of the impingement surface.
The principal reason that these inserts 52 and 58 extend deeper into the body 34 is to better resist the greater extent of wear experienced along the opposite horizontal edges (or sides) 78 and 80 of the anvil 30. This area that experiences a greater extent of wear can be considered to be a higher concentration wear portion (or a greater impingement portion) of the impingement surface. An insert that extends deeper into the body of the anvil will typically exhibit a longer useful life than an insert that does not extend as deep into the anvil body. The interior area of the impingement surface does not experience this greater degree of wear and can be considered to be a lower concentration wear portion (or a lesser impingement portion) of the impingement surface.
A typical wear pattern for such an anvil is shown in
In the case of anvil 30, once it reaches a point where it no longer has a useful life, the anvil 30 can be rotated 180 degrees from a first position to a second position and then reused. This is the case for the worn anvil 30 of
Referring to
Anvil 30 (as worn) can be rotated 180 degrees and the substantially unworn impingement surface along the edge 78 now becomes the portion of the impingement surface that experiences the greater degree of wear. In this embodiment, the impingement surface along the right side of the anvil body could be considered to be a first portion of the impingement surface that experiences the wear when the anvil is in the first position in the crusher. The impingement surface along the left side of the anvil body could be considered to be a second portion of the impingement surface when the anvil is in the second position in he crusher.
As mentioned hereinabove, another style of anvil 100, which is shown in
When this type of anvil 100 wears to a predetermined point, the rings are adjusted either vertically or horizontally in the rock crusher machine so as to expose another area of the anvil to impingement by the aggregate. For this kind of anvil 100, the tungsten carbide inserts are positioned at the different points of wear.
Referring to the (third) specific embodiment illustrated in
The anvil 120 contains a plurality of wear-resistant members (or inserts) that present a specific orientation that is designed to reduce the extent of wear of the face (or impingement surface) of the anvil 120, and thus, extend its useful life. Anvil 120 presents a left-hand vertical row of wear-resistant inserts (130, 138, 146, 154 and 162) and a right-hand vertical row of wear-resistant inserts (136, 144, 152, 160 and 168). The anvil 120 also has two vertical rows of interior wear-resistant inserts wherein one row comprises wear-resistant inserts 132, 140, 148, 156, 164 and 170, and the other vertical row comprises wear-resistant inserts 134, 142, 150, 158, 166 and 172.
Generally speaking, the wear-resistant inserts that are in the interior of the anvil 120 do not extend as deep into the body 12 as do the wear-resistant inserts that are along the vertical edges (124, 126) of the anvil 120. The different depths that the wear-resistant inserts extend into the body 122 can be seen especially well by the cross-sectional views (
Referring back to the orientation of the wear-resistant inserts on the face of the anvil 120, as previously mentioned, the orientation of the wear-resistant inserts is such that a horizontal joint or gap does not extend along the entire horizontal dimension of the anvil. In this regard, reference is made to horizontal axis A-A in
Applicants have found that by positioning or orienting the wear-resistant inserts in such a fashion so as to eliminate a horizontal joint or gap (as viewed in
By positioning the wear-resistant inserts in such a fashion as to eliminate a horizontal joint or gap (as viewed in
Referring to
In reference to the wear-resistant inserts, there is a vertical row of inserts on the left-hand side of the anvil comprising inserts 208, 210 and 212. It can be appreciated that the exposed surfaces of these wear-resistant inserts take on different geometries in that the exposed surface of insert 208 is more of a square and the exposed surfaces of inserts 210 and 212 take on the shape of rectangles. There is a second vertical interior row of inserts that comprise wear-resistant insert 214 which has an exposed surface of a rectangular shape, wear-resistant insert 216 which has an exposed surface of a circular shape and insert 218 which has an exposed surface of a triangular shape. Three more interior wear-resistant inserts are to the right (as viewed in
The typical material that comprises the wear-resistant inserts in each one of the above embodiments is a cemented (cobalt) tungsten carbide. Specific compositions of the cemented (cobalt) tungsten carbide are set forth below. Other hard wear-resistant materials may also be suitable for use in the wear-resistant inserts as described below.
The typical composition for the cemented tungsten carbide inserts (or wear-resistant members) as used in these kinds of anvils (30 and 100) comprises, in its broader range, between about 5 weight percent and about 20 weight percent cobalt with the balance tungsten carbide (and trace amounts of impurities). A mediate range for the composition of the cemented tungsten carbide inserts is between about 5 weight percent and about 10 weight percent cobalt with the balance tungsten carbide (and trace amounts of impurities).
Applicants believe that two specific compositions of cemented tungsten carbide are preferred for the anvil. One composition comprises between about 7.5 weight percent and about 8.1 weight percent cobalt and the balance tungsten carbide (and trace amounts of impurities). The other composition comprises between about 5.7 weight percent and about 6.3 weight percent cobalt and the balance tungsten carbide (and trace amounts of impurities).
Applicants contemplate that others compositions of cemented carbides would be suitable for use in this anvil, as well as other hard material (e.g., ceramics such as alumina and zirconia or combinations thereof) would be suitable for use in this anvil. Specific applications may require specific compositions of materials for the insert to achieve optimum performance.
Applicants also contemplate that the composition of the wear-resistant inserts may vary in the anvil depending upon the specific application. For example, referring to the anvil 120 as illustrated in
Applicants further contemplate that the compositions of the wear-resistant insert may vary in that some inserts may be made of cemented (cobalt) tungsten carbide and some may be made of other wear-resistant materials such as other carbides or other cemented carbides or ceramics or cermets or the like.
In its broader aspects, applicants contemplate that any one of a wide variety of castable materials would be suitable for use as the body of the anvil. Of course, the castable material and the material of the wear-resistant member must be compatible.
One preferred composition for the body as used in these kinds of anvils comprises a steel having the following composition (in weight percent): 0.28-0.35 wt. % carbon; 1.5-2.0 wt % manganese; 1.3-1.7 wt % silicon; 0.08-0.15 wt % aluminum; 1.0-2.0 wt % nickel; 0.80-1.2 wt % chromium; 0.20-0.30 wt % molybdenum; and the balance iron and trace impurities. Applicants contemplate that others compositions of steel such as, for example, a high manganese steel (ASTM A128) which has a composition that typically ranges between about 1.0 weight percent and 1.4 weight percent carbon, between about 10 weight percent and about 14 weight percent manganese, and the balance iron and trace amounts of impurities. The white iron alloy (ASTM Specification A532 class III A alloy) referred to herein above, which has the composition of 2.3-3.0 weight percent carbon; 0.5-1.5 weight percent manganese; up to 1.0 weight percent silicon; up to 1.5 weight percent nickel; up to 1.5 weight percent molybdenum; 23-28 weight percent chromium, trace impurities and the balance iron, would also be a suitable steel for the body of the anvil.
It should be appreciated that specific applications may require specific compositions of materials for the alloy to achieve optimum performance. Thus, applicants do not intend to be limited to any specific composition for the wear-resistant member and for the body of the anvil.
It can thus be appreciated that applicants have invented a new and useful anvil for use in connection with an impact rock crusher machine. Applicants' anvil provides cast-in wear-resistant inserts in a steel body wherein these inserts provide for optimal wear protection.
The patents and other documents identified herein are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or a practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting on the scope of the invention. The true scope and spirit of the invention is indicated by the following claims.