FAILSAFE SYSTEM FOR MATERIAL APPARATUS

• US 20090224087A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terex Usa, LLC (Terex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anders Ragnarsson
• Inventors: Ragnarsson, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,900,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/34
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/06 with beaters rigidly connected to the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/31 Safety devices or measures
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 21/026 self-propelled

Abstract

A material reducing apparatus comprising a feed conveyor, for conveying material to be reduced, and a feed roller cooperating with the feed conveyor. An upwardly rotatable rotor carrying a plurality of strikers which facilitate reduction of the material to be reduced and an anvil cooperating with the plurality of strikers to facilitate further reduction of the material to be reduced. A grate assembly, located adjacent an arcuate path of the rotor, which permits sufficiently reduced material to pass therethrough. The material reducing apparatus further includes a failsafe system which comprising an accelerometer supported by the rotor and coupled to a control system such that the accelerometer, upon detection of the rotor contacting a hard material, sends a signal to the control system. If the signal indicates a sufficiently large material, the control system reverses a rotational direction of the feed roller so that the feed roll rotates to withdraw the hard material from contact with the rotor. A section of the grate assembly may also be moved away from the rotor, by a release device, upon the release device receiving a command from the control system.

Claims

1. A material reducing apparatus comprising:

a feed conveyor for conveying material to be reduced;

a feed roller cooperating with the feed conveyor for assisting with conveying the material to be reduced;

an upwardly rotatable rotor carrying a plurality of strikers which facilitate reduction of the material to be reduced;

an anvil cooperating with the plurality of strikers to facilitate further reduction of the material to be reduced; and

a grate assembly, located adjacent an arcuate path of the rotor, which permits sufficiently reduced material to pass through openings provided therein;

wherein in the material reducing apparatus further includes a control system which comprising an accelerometer supported by the rotor and coupled to the control system, and the accelerometer transmits vibrations signals to the control system, and the control system, when it receives a signal above a threshold, reverses a rotational direction of the feed roller so that the feed roll rotates to withdraw the hard material from contact with the rotor.

2. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a section of the grate assembly is movable away from the rotor by a release device, and the control system is coupled to the release device and only actuates when the release device receives a release signal from the control system.

3. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the release device moves the section of the grate assembly away from the rotor within about 200 milliseconds.

4. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the grate assembly comprises a pivotally mounted upper grate assembly and a fixed lower grate assembly, and the release device only pivots the upper grate assembly radially away from the rotor about a pivot axis.

5. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lower grate assembly is supported by shear pins which will shear away and allow the lower grate assembly to fall away from the rotor.

6. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system further reduces a rotational speed of the rotor when the control system determines that the rotor contacted a hard material.

7. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is supported by a bearing housing for the rotor.

8. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a discharge conveyor is located to receive material which passes through the grate assembly and facilitates conveyance thereof.

9. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material reducing apparatus is provide with stop pins which limit radially downward movement of the lower grate assembly, away from the rotor, when the shear pins are sheared.

10. A material reducing apparatus comprising:

a feed conveyor for conveying material to be reduced;

a feed roller cooperating with the feed conveyor for assisting with conveying the material to be reduced;

an upwardly rotatable rotor carrying a plurality of strikers which facilitate reduction of the material to be reduced;

an anvil cooperating with the plurality of strikers to facilitate further reduction of the material to be reduced;

a grate assembly, located adjacent an arcuate path of the rotor, which permits sufficiently reduced material to pass therethrough, the grate assembly comprises a pivotally mounted upper grate assembly and a fixed lower grate assembly;

a release device connected for actuation of the upper grate assembly; and

a discharge conveyor for receiving material which passes through the grate assembly to facilitate conveyance thereof;

wherein the material reducing apparatus further includes a control system which comprising an accelerometer supported by the rotor and coupled to the control system, and the accelerometer, upon detection of vibration, sending a signal to the control system and the control system, when the controls systems determines that the signal is of a sufficient magnitude, reverses a rotational direction of the feed roller and the feed conveyer so that the feed roll and the feed conveyer rotate to withdraw the hard material from contact with the rotor and the release device pivots the pivotally mounted upper grate assembly radially away from the rotor.

11. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lower grate assembly is supported by shear pins which will shear away and allow the lower grate assembly to fall away from the rotor.

12. The material reducing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control system further reduces a rotational speed of the rotor when the control system detects contact of the rotor with a hard material.