Gyratory Crusher Topshell Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gyratory crushers experience stress concentrations and fatigue due to loading forces, particularly in the annular topshell wall below the spider arms, leading to reduced operational lifetime and complex casting processes.

Innovation Solution

A gyratory crusher topshell design with reinforced annular walls and tapered spider arms to distribute loading forces uniformly, featuring mount bores positioned circumferentially to enhance strength and simplify casting, while maintaining compatibility with existing crusher components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the topshell is designed with uniform wall thickness to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but stress concentrations occur below spider arms reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasting simplicityVSAvoidresistance to fatigue and cracking
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The topshell wall thickness is varied locally: thicker in regions below spider arms to withstand stress concentrations, and thinner in other regions. This non-uniform thickness distribution optimizes both structural reliability and casting feasibility, preventing fatigue and cracking while maintaining manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If spider arms are designed with constant cross-section to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but stress concentrations occur at radially inner ends reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasting simplicityVSAvoidstrength at hub connection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spider arms feature a tapered cross-section that is thicker at the radially inner ends where they connect to the hub, and thinner toward the outer ends. This local variation in thickness strengthens the critical connection region to withstand torsional and compressive loads while maintaining casting feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If complex pour feeder arrangements are used to achieve unitary casting of spider and topshell, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and casting time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunitary casting qualityVSAvoidpour feeder assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The topshell and spider are cast as separate unitary components rather than as a single complex assembly. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex pour feeder arrangements required for unitary casting, while still achieving high manufacturing precision for each component individually, thereby reducing overall device complexity and casting time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3746227B1Gyratory crusher topshell
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 SANDVIK SRP
  • EP3746227B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3746227B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3746227B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A gyratory crusher topshell having an annular shell wall that is strengthened to minimise stress concentrations and increase the topshell operational lifetime. The topshell comprises spider arms that are structurally reinforced at their radially inner regions and also comprises an annular wall that is reinforced at regions immediately below the spider arms to further increase strength and facilitate casting.