Apparatus and method for supporting and retaining a hammer and cutter

• US 7,448,567 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Roozeboom, Keith, Verhoef, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/784,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20080105773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 241/191, 241/197, 241/294
• US Class Current: 241/191
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/06 with beaters rigidly connected to the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/2804 the beater elements being rigidly connected to the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/145 with knives spaced axially and circumferentially on the periphery of a cylindrical rotor unit
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/18 Knives; Mountings thereof

Abstract

A rotary drum having a cutter extending outward from the outer diameter of the rotary drum. The rotary drum further includes a sleeve. The cutter is retained in a position relative to the drum by at least one block having a surface that wedges the cutter and/or interconnected member against the sleeve.

Claims

1. A rotary grinder, comprising:

a) a cylindrical body having an axis of rotation, the cylindrical body defining first and second receiving apertures;

b) a cutting element extending between the first receiving aperture and the second receiving aperture, the cutting element including cutters located outside of the cylindrical body;

c) a wedge positioned within the first receiving aperture between the cutting element and the cylindrical body; and

d) a wedge tightening element having an end accessible at the second receiving aperture and an opposite end connected to the wedge positioned within the first receiving aperture;

e) wherein tightening the accessible end of the wedge tightening element at the second receiving aperture secures the cutting element in relation to the cylindrical body by wedging the wedge in the first receiving aperture between the cutting element and the cylindrical body.

2. The grinder of claim 1, wherein the wedge tightening element is a bolt, the opposite end of the bolt being a threaded end that engages a threaded hole formed in the wedge.

3. The grinder of claim 1, wherein the wedge is a first wedge, the grinder further including a second wedge positioned within the second receiving aperture between the cutting element and the cylindrical body.

4. The grinder of claim 3, wherein the accessible end of the tightening wedge element is positioned through a through hole formed in the second wedge.

5. The grinder of claim 4, wherein tightening the accessible end of the tightening wedge element pulls the first wedge and the second wedge toward one another.

6. The grinder of claim 1, further including a spacer positioned between the first and second receiving apertures, the spacer including a stop surface that limits wedging movement of the wedge.

7. The grinder of claim 1, further including a sleeve, the cutting element being positioned within the sleeve, the sleeve having a shoulder that limits wedging movement of the wedge.

8. A rotary grinder, comprising:

a) a cylindrical body having an axis of rotation, the cylindrical body defining first and second receiving apertures, the first and second receiving apertures extending through the cylindrical body from an exterior of the cylindrical body to an interior;

b) a cutting element having a first end and a second end, the first end extending beyond the exterior of the cylindrical body at the first receiving aperture, the second end extending beyond the exterior of the cylindrical body at the second receiving aperture; and

c) a wedge arrangement including a first wedge located within the first receiving aperture, a second wedge located within the second receiving aperture, and a single wedge tightening element, the single wedge tightening element being arranged to pull the first and second wedges toward one another to generate a clamping force that secures the cutting element in relation to the cylindrical body.

9. The grinder of claim 8, wherein the single wedge tightening element is a threaded bolt having a threaded end that engages a threaded hole formed in the one of the first and second wedges.

10. The grinder of claim 8, wherein the single wedge tightening element has an end accessible at the one of the first and second receiving aperture and an opposite end connected to the wedge positioned within the other of the first and second receiving apertures.

11. The grinder of claim 10, wherein tightening the accessible end of the single wedge tightening element at the one receiving aperture pulls the first and second wedges in the first and second receiving apertures toward one another.

12. The grinder of claim 10, wherein the accessible end of the tightening wedge element is positioned through a through hole formed in the wedge positioned within the one of the first and second receiving apertures.

13. The grinder of claim 8, further including a spacer positioned between the first and second receiving apertures, the spacer including a stop surface that limits wedging movement of the wedges.

14. The grinder of claim 8, further including a sleeve, the cutting element being positioned within the sleeve, the sleeve having a shoulder that limits wedging movement of the wedges.

15. A rotary grinder, comprising:

a) a cylindrical body having an axis of rotation, the cylindrical body defining first and second receiving apertures;

b) a cutting element extending through the cylindrical body, the cutting element having a first cutting end located at the first receiving aperture and a second cutting end located at the second receiving aperture; and

c) a retaining arrangement that secures the cutting element in relation to the cylindrical body, the retaining arrangement including;

i) a first block located within the first receiving aperture;

ii) a second block located within the second receiving aperture; and

iii) a securing element that pulls at least one of the first and second blocks toward the other block;

iv) wherein the at least one block has non-parallel sides, the one block with non-parallel sides wedging between the cutting element and the cylindrical body to secure the cutting element in relation to the cylindrical body when the securing element pulls the one block toward the other block.

16. The grinder of claim 15, wherein the securing element is a threaded bolt having an accessible end and a threaded end, the threaded end being engaged with a threaded hole formed in one of the first and second blocks, the accessible end being located within a through hole formed in the other of the first and second blocks.

17. The grinder of claim 16, wherein the through hole is formed in the one block with non-parallel sides.

18. The grinder of claim 16, wherein the threaded hole is formed in the one block with non-parallel sides.

19. The grinder of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second blocks has non-parallel sides.

20. The grinder of claim 19, wherein the securing element pulls each of the first and second blocks towards one another.