CHOPPER FOR CHOPPING SHREDDS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shredder for shredding chips according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such shredders are used primarily to reduce chips generated during machining operations, such as turning or milling. The reduced chips, also called fine chips, can be fed into a centrifuge, for example, to remove any liquids adhering to the chips, such as cooling lubricants. In this case, the shredder can be part of a chip processing system, together with a centrifuge.

[0003] The chips fed into a shredder may contain coarse particles, such as iron parts, screws, nuts, or tools. Such coarse particles can become stuck inside the shredder and jam the shredder. The blockage then has to be cleared, especially manually, resulting in extended downtime of the shredder and, consequently, any chip processing system containing the shredder.

[0004] Such a shredder can also be used to shred other materials, such as pieces of wood, plastic parts, or similar. Its use is not limited to shredding chips, especially metal shavings.

[0005] DE 10040602 A1 and DE 102021126898 B3 each propose a shredder for shredding chips, in which the shredder is prevented from becoming clogged by coarse particles. The shredder described therein has a feed hopper for feeding chips, a fine crusher for breaking the chips into fine chips, and a chip discharge. The feed hopper is arranged vertically above the fine crusher, and the fine crusher is arranged vertically above the chip discharge. The chips fed through the feed hopper may contain coarse particles, as described above. The fine crusher has fixed, external teeth and a rotatable, internal cutter head with knives.The knife head of the fine crusher is designed and, in an operating position of the segments, arranged in relation to the fixed teeth such that, when the knife head rotates, chips fed to the fine crusher are broken down into fine chips by the interaction of the knives and the fixed teeth. The fixed teeth of the fine crusher are arranged on at least two segments which are movable such that, when coarse material enters the fine crusher, they can be removed from the knife head so that the coarse material can pass through the fine crusher. When viewed from above, the segments have a shape which corresponds to a section of a circular ring. The segments of the fine crusher are arranged in a space between a base plate and a cover plate arranged vertically above the base plate.The chip discharge is designed and arranged so that fine chips leaving the fine crusher are directed via the chip discharge from the shredder. For reliable shredder operation, it is necessary that the segments of the fine crusher can be reliably removed from the cutter head when coarse material enters the fine crusher, thus allowing the coarse material to pass through.

[0006] US 1687886 A describes a shredder having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0007] In contrast, the object of the invention is, in particular, to propose a shredder that enables the longest possible operating times without the need to disassemble the shredder for cleaning and maintenance purposes. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a shredder having the features of claim 1.

[0008] The inventive shredder for shredding chips has a hopper for feeding the chips, a fine crusher for crushing the chips into fine chips, and a chip discharge. The hopper is arranged vertically above the fine crusher, and the fine crusher is arranged vertically above the chip discharge. The chips fed through the hopper may contain coarse particles. The fine crusher has fixed, external teeth and a rotatable, internal cutter head with knives. The cutter head of the fine crusher is designed and, in an operating position of the segments, arranged relative to the fixed teeth such that, when the cutter head rotates, chips fed to the fine crusher via the hopper are crushed into fine chips through the interaction of the knives and the fixed teeth.The fixed teeth of the fine crusher are arranged on at least two segments which are movable in such a way that when a coarse particle enters the fine crusher, they can be moved away from the knife head so that the coarse particle can pass through the fine crusher. The segments of the fine crusher are arranged in a space between a base plate and a cover plate arranged vertically above the base plate. The chip discharge is designed and arranged in such a way that fine chips leaving the fine crusher are guided out of the shredder via the chip discharge. The segments of the fine crusher can assume a cleaning position in addition to the operating position, whereby in the cleaning position of the segments the space between the base plate and the cover plate is accessible from a horizontal direction up to the knife head.

[0009] This means that when the segments of the fine crusher are in the cleaning position, surfaces of the particularly horizontally running base plate and the particularly horizontally running cover plate that are oriented towards the aforementioned gap, as well as surfaces of the segments of the fine crusher that are oriented towards the base plate and cover plate, can be cleaned without dismantling the crusher, i.e. without removing the cover plate, and in particular can be freed from contamination in the form of metal dust and small chips. Over time, the aforementioned contamination can lead to the segments becoming difficult or impossible to remove from the knife head in order to allow coarse material to pass through. It can also happen that one or more chips become wedged between a segment of the fine crusher and the base plate or the cover plate, making it difficult for the segment to remove from the knife head.Such chips can also be easily removed in the cleaning position of the fine crusher segments. The described cleaning position of the segments and the resulting accessibility of the space between the base plate and the cover plate allow the fine crusher segments to be reliably removed from the cutter head without disassembling the shredder. This enables long-term, reliable operation of the shredder.

[0010] To move the segments of the fine crusher from their operating position to their cleaning position, the segments are at least partially removed from the space between the base plate and the cover plate. This occurs without separating the base plate and the cover plate. Thus, the aforementioned space between the base plate and the cover plate remains intact and is accessible from a horizontal direction up to the knife head of the fine crusher. The space is bounded at the bottom by an upward-facing surface of the base plate and at the top by a downward-facing surface of the cover plate. Both surfaces are accessible from a horizontal direction and can therefore be cleaned.By at least partially removing the segments of the fine crusher from the said intermediate space, the segments can also be easily cleaned; in particular, the upward and downward oriented surfaces of the segments are accessible and can thus be cleaned.

[0011] According to the invention, the segments of the fine crusher are each pivotable about a vertical pivot axis. This allows the segments of the fine crusher to be easily pivoted out of the space between the base plate and the cover plate by pivoting about their respective axes, thus bringing them into their cleaning position. Furthermore, the segments of the fine crusher can also be moved into the operating position and the passing position by simply pivoting. The pivot axis is located, in particular, at one end of a segment.

[0012] The chips, including the coarse particles, filled into the hopper are transported to the fine crusher by gravity.

[0013] The fixed, external teeth of the fine crusher are arranged, in particular, along a circular path in which the rotating cutter head is concentrically arranged. The cutter head is driven by a drive, in particular an electric motor. Said drive also drives, in particular, a ripper arm of an optional coarse crusher, in which case the cutter head and ripper arm are arranged on a common shaft.

[0014] The fine crusher typically has between 4 and 10 fixed teeth, and the cutter head has between 4 and 10 knives. However, more or fewer fixed teeth and knives can also be provided.

[0015] The segments of the fine crusher having the fixed teeth are each subjected to an inward restoring force, i.e. towards the cutter head, by means of an energy accumulator, for example in the form of a spring or a pressure accumulator. The segments are thus moved or pushed into their operating position. As soon as a coarse particle enters the fine crusher, at least one segment of the coarse particle is pushed outwards against the restoring force of the energy accumulator and thus into a passing position, and thus away from the cutter head so that the coarse particle can pass through the fine crusher. As soon as the coarse particle has left the fine crusher, the segments pushed outwards into their passing position are brought back inwards into their original position and thus into their operating position by the restoring force of the energy accumulator.The level of the described restoring force can be adjusted to the type of chips fed into the shredder.

[0016] It is also possible that a coarse part is detected by a sensor and, after detection of a coarse part, at least one segment of the fine crusher is moved outwards by means of an actuator and, after passing the coarse part, is moved back inwards into its initial position and thus into its operating position.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, one end of each of the segments of the fine crusher opposite the respective pivot axis is pushed toward the knife head of the fine crusher by means of an energy storage device. The energy storage device thus acts on the respective segment of the fine crusher via the longest possible lever arm and therefore has to apply the lowest possible force to return the segment from its passing position to its operating position. The energy storage device can thus be designed to be particularly small and cost-effective.

[0018] In one embodiment of the invention, the energy storage devices are arranged in the space between the base plate and the cover plate and can be removed horizontally from the space. The arrangement of the energy storage devices in said space enables a compact design of the shredder and also allows the energy storage device to act directly on the associated segment. Furthermore, the energy storage devices are arranged in said space, protected from external influences. The fact that the energy storage devices are removable horizontally from said space allows the pressure storage devices to be removed from the space without separating the base plate and cover plate.In addition, this creates space to pivot the segments of the fine crusher from their operating position via the passing position into the cleaning position and thus out of the aforementioned gap, thus making the gap accessible from the horizontal direction up to the knife head.

[0019] The energy storage units can be secured in the aforementioned space, particularly by means of brackets attached to the outside of the shredder. The energy storage units are secured to the aforementioned brackets when the shredder is in an operational state, i.e., when the segments of the fine crushing mechanism are in their operating position or in their passing position. The external fixation of the energy storage units allows for easy release of the fixation and thus easy removal of the energy storage units from the space between the base plate and the cover plate.

[0020] The aforementioned brackets are designed, for example, as metal tabs that are screwed to the outside of the shredder, in particular to the base plate and / or the cover plate. An energy storage device then rests against the associated metal tab from the inside and is thus prevented from being pushed out of the aforementioned space. The metal tab thus supports the force exerted on the associated segment of the fine crusher toward the operating position.

[0021] In an embodiment of the invention, the chip discharge has a discharge surface which is designed and arranged such that fine chips and coarse particles leaving the fine crushing mechanism fall onto the discharge surface and are guided out of the shredder. Between the fine crushing mechanism and the chip discharge, a discharger with at least one rotatable discharge arm is arranged for displacing the fine chips after they leave the fine crushing mechanism to the discharge surface of the chip discharge. The entire discharge surface of the chip discharge has a minimum vertical distance from the discharger of at least 100 mm, in particular 200 mm. This allows coarse particles passing through the fine crushing mechanism, in particular also elongated coarse particles, to be discharged from the shredder via the discharge surface of the chip discharge without there being a risk of the coarse particles becoming jammed between the fine crushing mechanism or discharger and the discharge surface.Such jamming of a coarse part would lead to a blockage of the shredder, which would have to be cleared, especially manually.

[0022] The chip discharge area extends horizontally, particularly across the entire discharger, and can also extend beyond the discharger. This ensures that all fine chips and coarse particles leaving the fine crusher and the discharger fall onto the chip discharge area. The discharge area is particularly designed as a flat surface and is inclined relative to the vertical, so that it has a gradient. The entire chip discharge area is then arranged at a vertical distance from the discharger.

[0023] The discharger can improve the discharge of fine chips and coarse particles via the chip discharge from the shredder. The discharge arm is driven, in particular, by the drive that powers the knife head of the fine crusher. In this case, the discharge arm and the knife head are arranged on a common shaft. The discharger can, in particular, have more than one discharge arm, for example, between four and eight.

[0024] In one embodiment of the invention, a coarse crusher with a rotating ripper arm is arranged between the feed hopper and the fine crusher. The ripper arm extends upwards, and its outer contour is adapted to the shape of the feed hopper.

[0025] The chips poured into the feed hopper are then transported by gravity to the coarse crusher, where they are torn into coarse chips by the ripper arm. They then move to the fine crusher by gravity. The coarse crusher is particularly advantageous when wool chips are fed into the shredder. Because these have a comparatively large volume and low density, a shredder without a coarse crusher may not reliably transport the wool chips to the fine crusher.

[0026] The chips filled into the hopper can also be fed directly to the fine crusher.

[0027] Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the drawing. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in simplified form in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. Fig. 1 a crusher with a fine crushing mechanism for crushing chips in a side view, Fig. 2 a fine crushing mechanism with two movable segments in their operating position, Fig. 3 the fine crushing mechanism from Fig. 2 with one movable segment in its cleaning position, Fig. 4 a fine crusher with three movable segments in their operating position and Fig. 5 the fine crusher from Fig. 4 with a movable segment in its cleaning position,

[0028] According to Fig. 1A shredder 1 has a frame 10, on top of which a hopper 11 is arranged. In the hopper 11, a coarse crushing mechanism 12 is arranged, consisting of a tearing arm 13 and teeth 14, 15 arranged on the walls of the hopper 11. The tearing arm 13 is driven by a vertically aligned electric motor 17 arranged in the frame 10. Vertically below the hopper 11, there is a fine crushing mechanism 20. It consists of a rotating knife head 16 and fixed teeth 18. The knife head 16 of the fine crushing mechanism 20 is also driven by the electric motor 17. The fixed teeth 18 are mounted on movable segments (29 in Fig. 2 to 5 ) which are related to the Fig. 2 to 5will be described further. The fixed teeth 18 and thus the aforementioned movable segments are arranged in a space 37 between a horizontally extending base plate 38 and a cover plate 39, which also extends horizontally and is arranged vertically above the base plate 38.

[0029] Parts to be crushed, such as chips from a machining operation, such as wool shavings 22, enter the feed hopper 11. These are grasped by the tearing arm 13 and, in cooperation with the teeth 14, 15 arranged on the walls of the feed hopper 11, are initially crushed into coarse chips to such an extent that they can be fed to the fine crushing unit 20. Below the tearing arm 13, the coarse chips enter the fine crushing unit 20, where they are processed into fine chips. For this purpose, the fine crushing mechanism 20 has the fixed, external teeth 18 and the rotatable, internal knife head 16 with knives 34. The knife head 16 with the knives 34 is designed and arranged in relation to the fixed teeth 18 in such a way that when the knife head 16 rotates, chips fed to the fine crushing mechanism 20 via the filling hopper 11 are broken down into fine chips by the interaction of the knives 34 and the fixed teeth 18.

[0030] Below the fine crusher 20 is a discharger 31 with several rotatable discharge arms 32. The discharger 31 is also driven by the electric motor 17. Fine chips emerging from the fine crusher 20 are moved by the discharge arms 32 to a chip discharge 23 located below the discharger 31 and transported to a transport container (not shown here).

[0031] It's also possible for the shredder to lack a discharger. In this case, the chip discharge is located directly below the fine crusher.

[0032] The chip discharge 23 has a discharge surface 25 designed as a flat surface, which extends horizontally across the entire fine crusher 20 or the entire discharger 31. The discharge surface 25 is inclined relative to the vertical, so that it has a gradient.

[0033] The entire discharge surface 25 of the chip discharge 22 is arranged at a distance in the vertical direction from the discharger 31 and thus also from the fine crusher 20. The entire discharge surface 25 of the chip discharge 23 has a minimum distance d from the discharger 31 of at least 100 mm, in particular 200 mm, in the vertical direction.

[0034] If the shredder does not have a discharger, the entire discharge area of ​​the chip discharge in the vertical direction has at least a minimum distance from the fine crushing mechanism of 100 mm, in particular 200 mm.

[0035] It is also possible that the discharge surface of the chip discharge has a smaller or no minimum distance in the vertical direction from the fine crusher or the discharger.

[0036] If a coarse part 24, which can be designed as a metal rod, a piece of steel or a tool, enters the filling hopper 11 together with the chips, it is also captured by the fine crushing mechanism 20. The fixed teeth 18 of the fine crushing mechanism 20 are arranged according to Fig. 2 to 5 arranged on two segments 29 which are movable in such a way that when a coarse part 24 enters the fine crushing mechanism 20, they are removed from the knife head 16 in such a way that the coarse part 24 can pass through the fine crushing mechanism 20.

[0037] The Fig. 2shows a top view of the fine crusher 20 and the base plate 38 without the cover plate 39. Energy storage devices 35 in the form of pressure accumulators are each fixed in the intermediate space 37 with a holder 40 in the form of a metal tab. The holders 40 are screwed from the outside to the base plate 38 and the cover plate 39 by means of two screws 42 each, and are thus fixed to the shredder 1. The energy storage devices 35 are thus also fixed to the shredder 1 from the outside.

[0038] When viewed from above, the segments 29 have a shape corresponding to a section of a circular ring extending over approximately 180°. The segments 29 are arranged relative to one another such that together they form a ring, with their adjacent ends spaced apart from one another. The segments 29 are each pivotably mounted about a vertically extending pivot axis 44 located at one end of the corresponding segment 29. The pivot axis 44 is designed, for example, as a vertically oriented bolt that extends through a corresponding recess in the segment 29.

[0039] The segments 29 and the energy storage devices 35 are arranged in such a way that the corresponding energy storage device 35 acts centrally between the two ends of the segment 29 and the segment 29 is moved inwards towards the cutter head 16 and thus into the Fig. 2As soon as a coarse part 24 enters the fine crushing mechanism 20, at least one segment 29 is pressed outwards by the coarse part 24 against the restoring force of the corresponding energy storage device 35 and pivoted outwards about the pivot axis 44. The segment 29 is thus removed from the knife head 16 and brought into its passing position so that the coarse part 24 can pass the fine crushing mechanism 20. As soon as the coarse part 24 has left the fine crushing mechanism 20 downwards in the direction of the chip discharge 23, the outwardly pressed segments 29 are again pushed inwards about the pivot axis 44 into their Fig. 2 shown initial position and thus pivoted into its operating position.

[0040] In addition to the operating position and the passing position, the segments 29 can assume a further position in the form of a cleaning position. Fig. 3The right segment 29 of the fine crusher 20 is shown in its cleaning position. To remove the right segment 29 from the Fig. 2 operating position shown in the Fig. 3 To bring the cleaning position shown, the energy storage device 35 associated with the right segment 29 is removed. To do this, the two corresponding screws 42 are loosened and the holder 40 is removed. The energy storage device 35 can then be pulled out horizontally from the space 37 and thus removed. The segment 29 can then be rotated outwards around the corresponding pivot axis 44 into the position shown in Fig. 3 The cleaning position shown can be pivoted. This allows the gap 37 to be accessed horizontally up to the cutter head 16 and can be cleaned. Additionally, the right segment 29, which is in the cleaning position, can also be cleaned.

[0041] After cleaning is complete, the right segment 29 is pivoted back into its operating position, and the associated energy storage unit 35 is reinserted and secured. The left segment 29 can then be moved into its cleaning position. Similarly, the left segment 29 can also be pivoted into its cleaning position and back into its operating position.

[0042] According to Fig. 4 and 5 The fine crusher 20 can also have three instead of the Fig. 2 and 3 two movable segments 29. The fine crushing units 20 of the Fig. 2 and 3 or 4 and 5 are otherwise very similar in structure, which is why only the differences between the fine crushers will be discussed.

[0043] The segments 29 of the fine crusher 20 according to the Fig. 4 and 5When viewed from above, they have a shape corresponding to a section of a circular ring extending over approximately 120°. The segments 29 are arranged relative to one another such that together they form a ring, with their adjacent ends each spaced apart. The segments 29 are also each pivotable about a vertically extending pivot axis 44 located at one end of the corresponding segment 29.

[0044] The segments 29 and the energy storage devices 35 are arranged in such a way that the corresponding energy storage device 35 acts on an end 46 of the segments 29 of the fine crushing device 20 opposite the respective pivot axis 44 and thus pushes the segment 29 towards the knife head 16 of the fine crushing device 20. In the Fig. 4 all three segments 29 of the fine crusher 20 are in their operating position.

[0045] In Fig. 5The right segment 29 of the fine crusher 20 is in its cleaning position. The change from the Fig. 4 operating position shown in the Fig. 5 The cleaning position shown is analogous to the one above for the Fig. 2 and 3 described the change of the right segment from its operating position to its cleaning position. Similarly, the other two segments 29 can also be Fig. 4 and 5 into its cleaning position and back into its operating position.

[0046] The fine crusher can also have more than three, for example four or five, movable segments with fixed teeth.

Claims

1. A crusher for comminuting chips comprising - a hopper (11) for filling the chips (22), - a fine breaking mechanism (20) for breaking the chips (22) into fine chips, and - a chip discharge (23), wherein - the hopper (11) is arranged above the fine breaking mechanism (20) in the vertical direction and the fine breaking mechanism (20) is arranged above the chip discharge (23) in the vertical direction, - the chips filled via the hopper (11) may include coarse particles (24), - the fine breaking mechanism (20) is provided with fixed external teeth (18) and a rotary inner cutter head (16) with blades (34), - the fixed teeth (18) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) are arranged on at least two segments (29) movable in such a way that they can be moved away from the cutter head (16) when a coarse particle (24) enters the fine breaking mechanism (20) so the coarse particle (24) can pass through the fine breaking mechanism (20). - the segments (29) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) are arranged in an intermediate space (37) between a base plate (38) and a cover plate (39) arranged in the vertical direction above the base plate (38), - the cutter head (16) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) is designed and arranged in an operating position of the segments (29) with respect to the fixed teeth (18) in such a way that chips (22) fed via the hopper (11) to the fine breaking mechanism (20) when the cutter head (16) is rotating are broken into fine chips through the interaction of the blades (34) and the fixed teeth (18), - the chip discharge (23) is designed and arranged so that the fine chips leave the crusher (1) from the fine breaking mechanism (20) via the chip discharge (23), whereby the segments (29) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) can assume a cleaning position in addition to the operating position, wherein, when the segments (29) are in the cleaning position, an intermediate space (37) is provided between the base plate (38) and the cover plate (39) allowing access in the horizontal direction to the cutter head (16), characterized in that the segments (29) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) are swivelably arranged around a vertical pivot axis (44).

2. A crusher according to claim 1, characterized in that one end (46) of each of the segments (29) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) opposite the respective pivot axis (44) is pressed in the direction of the cutter head (16) of the fine breaking mechanism (20) by means of an energy storage device (35).

3. A crusher according to claim 2, characterized in that energy storage devices (35) are arranged in the intermediate space (37) between the base plate (38) and the cover plate (39) and can be removed from the intermediate space (37) in the horizontal direction.

4. A crusher according to claim 3, characterized in that the energy storage devices (35) can be fixed in place in the aforementioned intermediate space (37) by means of holders (40) fixed to the outside of the crusher (1).

5. A crusher according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that - the chip discharge (23) is provided with a discharge surface (25), which is designed and arranged such that the fine chips and coarse particles (24) leaving the fine breaking mechanism (20) fall onto the discharge surface (25) and are conveyed out of the crusher (1), - a scraper (31) comprising at least one rotatable scraper arm (32) for moving the fine chips after leaving the fine breaking mechanism (20) to the discharge surface (25) of the chip discharge (23) is arranged between the fine breaking mechanism (20) and the chip discharge (23), and - the entire discharge surface (25) of the chip discharge (23) is at a minimum distance (d) from the scraper (31) in the vertical direction of at least 100 mm, in particular 200 mm.

6. A crusher according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a coarse breaking mechanism (12) with a rotatable tearing arm (13) for breaking chips (22) is arranged between the hopper (11) and the fine breaking mechanism (20).