Side-tilt Feed Roller Assembly for Hammer Mill Maintenance Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontally fed hammer mills pose safety risks and limit worker access due to the tendency of the feed roller to fall back into place during maintenance, as existing tilting mechanisms provide inadequate access and can result in injury or damage.
Innovation Solution
A side-tilt feed roller assembly that pivots about a transverse axis, allowing the feed roller to be raised and moved away from the hammer mill, repositioning its center of gravity to prevent falling back and enabling full access for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the feed roller is positioned to engage the feed material for grinding, then the grinding function is effective, but the worker access to the hammer mill assembly is blocked and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The feed roller assembly is designed with a side-tilt mechanism that allows it to dynamically change position between a working position (engaging the feed material) and a raised position (providing worker access). The assembly can be tilted on its side to raise the feed roller away from the hammer mill, enabling workers to safely access the assembly for maintenance while maintaining effective grinding operation when in the working position.
2Ease of operation
If the feed roller assembly is lifted upward to provide access for maintenance, then worker access is improved, but the feed roller may fall back down into place causing injury or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The side-tilt mechanism repositions the center of gravity of the feed roller assembly. When the feed roller is tilted on its side to the raised position, the center of gravity shifts to a position that prevents the assembly from falling back down into the hammer mill. This gravitational repositioning creates a stable raised position that maintains worker safety during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The side-tilt mechanism acts as an intermediary between the feed roller and the hammer mill assembly. By introducing this intermediate tilting motion, the system allows the feed roller to be separated from the hammer mill in a controlled manner, preventing direct contact and potential injury while enabling maintenance access.
3Productivity
If the feed roller is positioned to compact or push the feed material, then the feeding function is effective, but the hammer mill assembly cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The feed roller assembly incorporates a side-tilt mechanism that enables it to dynamically switch between two states: a working state where the feed roller engages and compacts the feed material for effective grinding operation, and a maintenance state where the assembly is tilted on its side to raise the feed roller away from the hammer mill, providing full access for maintenance and repair operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances worker safety by preventing the feed roller from falling back into the hammer mill during maintenance and provides greater access to the assembly, reducing the risk of injury and allowing for more effective maintenance procedures.
Implementation Method 1
When the feed roller carrier and the feed roller are advanced to the raised position the feed roller and feed roller carrier are pivotable with the side-tilt frame about the tilt-frame axis from the closed to an open position wherein a center of gravity of the side tilt frame, the roller carrier and the feed roller extends past a vertical plane extending through the tilt frame axis.
Data Source
AI summary
A feed roller assembly for a horizontal grinder having a hammer mill and a conveyor moving material to be ground or processed toward the infeed side of the hammer mill includes a side tilt frame hingedly connected along a first axis to a hammer mill frame and a feed roller frame hingedly connected along a second axis to the side tilt frame. In a first position, the side tilt frame and the feed roller frame are downwardly hinged so as to engage the feed roller with feed material. In a second position, the feed roller frame is hinged upward about the second axis to disengage the feed roller from the feed material and the hammer mill frame. In a third position, the side tilt frame is further hinged outward about the first axis to pivot the entire feed roller assembly away from the hammer mill frame.