CLAIMS
1. A cutter device (4, 5) for a casting breaking apparatus (1), comprising fixed and movable cutter units (4, 5) provided in a frame (2) of the casting breaking apparatus being composed of fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51), and fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) provided with fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) suspended by the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51), the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51) being made of a casting, the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or the fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) being made of a casting including high-manganese steel, and the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) made of the casting including high-manganese steel being attached to the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51) made of the casting.
2. A cutter device according to Claim 1, wherein the mixing ratio of the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) made of the casting including high- manganese steel is set as follows:
C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt%.
3. A method of enhancing the hardness of a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus, comprising fixed and movable cutter units provided in a frame of the casting breaking apparatus, the cutter units being composed of fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51), and fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) provided with fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) suspended by the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51), the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51) being made of a casting, the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or the fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) being made of a casting including high-manganese steel, the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) made of the casting including high-manganese steel being attached to the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts (41: 51) made of the casting, the method comprising the step of crushing a casting waste between the fixed and movable cutters of the casting breaking apparatus in this attachment state, and the hardness of the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) made of the casting including high-manganese steel being made high to a predetermined hardness.
4. A method of enhancing a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the mixing ratio of the fixed and movable cutter plates (42, 52) and/or fixed and movable cutters (43, 53) made of the casting including high- manganese steel is set as follows:
C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt%.
5. A cutter unit (4, 5) mountable in a frame (2) of a casting breaking apparatus (1), the cutter unit (4, 5) comprising: a cutter supporting part (41: 51) made of a casting; and a cutter plate (42, 52) provided with cutters (43, 53) and made of a casting including high- manganese steel; and the cutter plate (42, 52) and/or cutters (43, 53) being attached to the cutter supporting part (41: 51).
6. A cutter unit (4, 5) according to Claim 5, wherein the mixing ratio of the cutter plate (42,
52) and/or cutters (43, 53) is set as follows: C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn:
10 to 15 wt%.
7. A casting breaking apparatus (1), comprising fixed and movable cutter units (4, 5) provided in a frame (2), the movable cutter unit (5) being mounted for pivoting movement towards and away from the fixed cutter unit (4), and wherein at least one of the cutter units comprises: a cutter supporting part (41: 51) made of a casting; and a cutter plate (42, 52) provided with cutters (43, 53) and made of a casting including high- manganese steel; and the cutter plate (42, 52) and/or cutters (43, 53) being attached to the cutter supporting part (41: 51).
8. A casting breaking apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the mixing ratio of the cutter plate (42, 52) and/or cutters (43, 53) is set as follows: C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn:
10 to 15 wt%.
9. A method of breaking casting waste, comprising placing the casting waste between the fixed and movable cutter units (4, 5) of a casting breaking apparatus (1) according to claim 7, and moving the movable cutter unit (5) toward the fixed cutter unit (4) .
10. A casting breaking apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings .
11. A cutter plate substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings .
12. A method of hardening a cutter plate for a casting breaking apparatus, substantially as herein described. |
CUTTER DEVICE MOUNTED ON CASTING BREAKING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF ENHANCING THE HARDNESS OF CUTTER DEVICE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to cutter devices for casting breaking apparatus which crushes and breaks casting wastes, such as gates, runners, weirs and defective castings, into substantially uniformly sized pieces to facilitate re-melting, and to a method of enhancing the hardness of such cutter devices.
Background Art
The present applicant has proposed many devices for processing casting waste, as can be seen from, for example, Japanese Patent Application 6-106083, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-224580, US Patent No. 5,791,573, European Patent No. 0919283, International Application PCT/JP2006/301918, and International Application PCT/JP2006/324035.
The cutter device of this casting breaking apparatus is composed of a fixed cutter unit and a movable cutter unit facing the fixed cutter unit. The cutter device also has a structure in which fixed and movable cutter plates including a number of interdigitatingly projecting fixed and movable cutters are attached to cutter supporting parts of the fixed and movable cutter units, and a structure in which crushing and breaking of a weir, runner, and defective products for casting (referred to as "casting waste")
are performed between the fixed and movable cutters provided in the fixed and movable cutter plates.
The fixed cutter unit is provided in a frame so as to be inclined, in use, at an angle of about 15 degrees to the vertical. Also, the movable cutter unit has a structure in which it can move via a movable means (hydraulic cylinder) and a shaft.
Also, since the fixed and movable cutters and/or the fixed and movable cutters or cutter plates perform crushing using their facing relationship, the fixed and movable cutters reguire toughness and wear resistance (enhancement in the hardness of the fixed cutters), respectively. In order to ensure this toughness and wear resistance, deposit welding is performed on a seat of fixed cutters that are cast products and/or the surfaces of the cutters, and then impact is given to the deposit welding, thereby- ensuring the toughness and wear resistance (refer to the aforementioned US Patent No. 5,791,573). Problems that the welding and/or deposit operation requires advanced skill and labor, requires accuracy of operation, and requires working hours, arise- in the prior art technique of performing deposit welding and giving impact to the deposit welding to ensure toughness and wear resistance.
Upon investigation of earlier literatures which can solve the problems, the following suggestions were made. In one example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2001-179544 discloses a structure in which a tool holding part having separate coils for electromagnetic induction heating is made of
a heat-resistant high-manganese steel, on the surface of which a sprayed layer of martensitic steel or ferrite steel is formed.. However, since this invention utilizes a heat-resistant high-manganese steel as a member, it does not sufficiently utilize the characteristics of a raw material. Also, a structure in which austenitic stainless steel or austenitic manganese steel containing chromium or nickel is deposit-welded on the surface of a base material to form a holding layer is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2002-139190. However, since this invention utilizes a heat-resistant high-manganese steel as a member, problems arise in that that the characteristics of the raw material are not utilized sufficiently, and the welding and/or deposit operation requires advanced skill and labour, requires accuracy of operation, and requires many hours of operator time. The disadvantage also arises that pieces of the weld beads may break off in operation, contaminating the treated casting waste with weld metal.
Disclosure of the Invention
In view of the above problems, the invention suggests the following improvements and/or structures.
(1) By eliminating the need to perform deposit welding and subsequent impact (peening) to the deposit welding to provide toughness and wear resistance after casting of fixed and movable cutters and/or cutter plates, for example, advanced skill and labor required for welding and/or deposit operation are eliminated,
operation is simplified, working hours are shortened, the operator's physical burdens are relieved, and workplace environments are improved.
(2) The forms (mainly, the whole surface shape, the shape of all angles of the fixed cutters, and the shape of connecting parts between the fixed cutters and the fixed cutter plates) of the fixed cutters become a structure which is not broken, loss of the fixed cutters is avoided, mixing of chips (broken pieces) of high-manganese steel constituting the fixed cutters into the treated waste and into a regenerated casting made therefrom is eliminated, and quality deterioration of the regenerated casting is avoided.
(3) By utilizing the features of (1), the cost of the casting breaking apparatus and/or the fixed cutters is reduced, rapid manufacture and/or delivery is achieved, CO 2 is reduced, and the global environment is maintained, pneumoconiosis by intake of welding gas, etc. is avoided, medical expenses are reduced, and workplace environments are improved.
(4) By utilizing the features of (1), the factory management required for welding, and office work administration are relieved, and a factory space is utilized effectively. (5) In the casting breaking apparatus, there are provided fixed and movable cutters or cutter plates capable of coping with the size of the apparatus and cutters, for example, large-sized models having an apparatus that are 4250 mm (numeric values are approximate values) in total length, 1950 mm in total width, and 1900 mm in height, and a fixed cutter that
is 1600 mm in the longitudinal width of a cutter bottom, 1500 mm in the lateral width of the cutter bottom, and 300 mm in projection height to small-sized models having an apparatus that are 2750 mm in total length, 1250 mm in total width, and 1300 mm in height, and a fixed cutter that is 1000 mm in the longitudinal width of a cutter bottom, 600 mm in the lateral width of the cutter bottom, and 190 mm in projection height.
Advantage of the Invention
The invention provides a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus, in which fixed and movable cutter units provided in a frame of the casting breaking apparatus are composed of fixed and movable cutter supporting parts, and fixed and movable cutter plates provided with fixed and movable cutters are supported by the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts, the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts are made of a casting, the fixed and movable cutters are made of a casting including high- manganese steel, and the fixed and movable cutters made of the casting including high-manganese steel are attached to the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts made of the casting. Accordingly, Claim 1 can exhibit the features of the aforementioned (1) to (5). Feature (1)
A build-up operation to apply weld beads after casting, previously required to ensure the toughness and wear resistance of the cutters, can be eliminated. Also, labour and advanced skill required for the
welding and/or build-up operation can be eliminated. Moreover, operation can be simplified, and working hours can be shortened. Also, operator's physical burdens can be relieved, and workplace environments can be improved.
Feature (2)
Also, the fixed cutters can be made into a structure which resists breakage, loss of the fixed cutters can be avoided, and mixing of chips of high- manganese steel constituting the fixed cutters into a regenerated casting can be eliminated. Also, quality deterioration of a regenerated casting can be avoided.
Feature (3)
By utilizing the features of (1), the cost of the casting breaking apparatus and/or the fixed cutters can be reduced, and rapid manufacture and/or delivery can be achieved. Also, CO 2 can be reduced, and the global environment can be maintained. Also, pneumoconiosis by intake of welding gas, etc. can be avoided, medical expenses can be reduced, and workplace environments can be improved.
Feature (4)
By utilizing the features of (1), the factory management required for welding, and office work administration can be relieved. Also, a factory space can be utilized effectively.
Feature (5)
In the casting breaking apparatus and/or the fixed cutters, there can be provided fixed cutters capable of coping with the size of the apparatus and cutters, for example, large-sized models having an
apparatus that are 4250 mm (numeric values are approximate values) in total length, 1950 mm in total width, and 1900 mm in height, and a fixed cutter that is 1600 mm in the longitudinal width of a cutter bottom, 1500 mm in the lateral width of the cutter bottom, and 300 mm in projection height to small-sized models having an apparatus that are 2750 mm in total length, 1250 mm in total width, and 1300 mm in height, and a fixed cutter that is 1000 mm in the longitudinal width of a cutter bottom, 600 mm in the lateral width of the cutter bottom, and 190 mm in projection height.
In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus, in which the mixing ratio of the metal from which the fixed and movable cutters are made by casting including high-manganese steel is set as follows .
C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt%. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize adverse effects resulting from high-manganese steel.
In another particular embodiment, the invention provides a method of enhancing the hardness of a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus, in which fixed and movable cutter units provided in a frame of the casting breaking apparatus are composed of fixed and movable cutter supporting parts, and fixed and movable cutter plates provided with fixed and movable cutters are supported by the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts, the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts are made by casting, the fixed
and movable cutters are made by casting including high-manganese steel, the fixed and movable cutters are attached to the fixed and movable cutter supporting parts, and casting waste is crushed by the casting breaking apparatus in this attachment state, and the hardness of the fixed and movable cutters made of the casting including high-manganese steel is made high to a predetermined hardness.
Accordingly, the hardness of the fixed and movable cutters made of high-manganese steel can be enhanced naturally during operation through crushing of a casting waste by the casting breaking apparatus. Also, uniform and predetermined hardness can be ensured without requiring labour and/or skill. Moreover, operation can be simplified, and cost can be reduced.
In yet another particular embodiment, the invention provides a method of enhancing the hardness of the cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus, in which the mixing ratio of the fixed and movable cutters made of the casting including high- manganese steel is set as follows:
C: 1.0 to 1.6 wt%, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt%, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt%. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize adverse effects resulting from high-manganese steel.
Brief Description of the Drawings
First, description of drawings will be made. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a whole casting breaking apparatus;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the whole casting breaking apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a left side view showing the whole casting breaking apparatus; FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the whole casting breaking apparatus;
FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the whole casting breaking apparatus;
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a fixed cutter plate of the casting breaking apparatus;
FIG. 7 is a front view showing a movable cutter plate of the casting breaking apparatus; and
FIG. 8 is an enlarged front view of a fixed or movable cutter plate of the casting breaking apparatus.
Description of the Embodiment
The basic structure of a casting breaking apparatus (referred to as "breaking apparatus") of the invention is shown in shown in FIG. 1. An example of the breaking apparatus will now be described. First, reference numeral 1 denotes a breaking apparatus for casting waste. This breaking apparatus 1 includes, as its main components, a frame 2 composed of side plates 2a and 2b, and a span plate 2c and having an open top and bottom, a fixed cutter unit 4 (one cutter unit) provided in the frame 2, a movable cutter unit 5 (the other cutter unit) which faces the fixed cutter unit 4, and a hydraulic cylinder 6. A driving means (not shown) selectively supplies hydraulic pressure to one or other of the ends of the cylinder 6, which advances
and retreats the movable cutter unit 5. The apparatus further comprises a damper 7.
The fixed cutter unit 4 is composed of a span shaft 40 provided between the side plates 2a and 2b of the frame 2, a fixed cutter supporting part 41 for attaching a cutter plate which is supported by the span shaft 40, a fixed cutter plate 42 (there may also be a fixed cutter plate with upper and lower two-stage structure) detachably provided in the fixed cutter supporting part 41, a plurality of truncated semi- conical fixed cutters 43 (received cutters or embossed cutters; there may also be fixed cutters with upper and lower two-stage structure.) for crushing and breaking which are alternately provided in the facing surface of the fixed cutter plate 42. In order to eliminate loss of high-manganese steel, all angles of the fixed cutters 43 are formed in the shape of a curved surface (edges and corners are radiussed) , and a connecting part 44 between the fixed cutter plate 42 and each of the fixed cutters 43 is formed in the shape of a curved surface. Loss (chipping and/or breaking) can be avoided by forming the angles and connecting parts in the shape of a curved surface as such. The loss of high-manganese steel has an adverse effect on a regenerated casting, and for example, causes quality deterioration. It is also desirable to form the angles of the quadrilateral fixed cutter plate 42 in the shape of a curved surface if required. The reason is as mentioned above. Also, the fixed cutter 43 preferably contains C:
1.0 to 1.6 wt% of carbon, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt% of
silicon, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt% of manganese as its chief constituent elements.
Next, the movable cutter unit 5 is composed of a span shaft 50 provided between the side plates 2a and 2b of the frame 2, a movable cutter supporting part 51 for attaching a cutter plate which is supported by the span shaft 50, a movable cutter plate 52 (there may also be a movable cutter plate with upper and lower two-stage structure) detachably provided in the movable cutter supporting part 51, a plurality of truncated semi-conical movable cutters 53 (received cutters or embossed cutters; there may also be movable cutters with upper and lower two-stage structure) for crushing and breaking which are alternately provided in the facing surface of the movable cutter plate 52. In order to eliminate loss of high-manganese steel, all angles of the movable cutters 53 are formed in the shape of a curved surface, and a connecting part 54 between the movable cutter plate 52 and each of the movable cutters 53 is formed in the shape of a curved surface. Loss (chipping and/or breaking) can be avoided by forming the angles and connecting parts in the shape of a curved surface as such, again to avoid loss of high-manganese steel into the treated casting waste. It is also desirable to form the angles of the quadrilateral movable cutter plate 52 in the shape of a curved surface if required. The reason is as mentioned above.
Also, the movable cutter 53 preferably contains C: '1.0 to 1.6 wt% of carbon, Si: 0.25 to 0.8 wt% of silicon, and Mn: 10 to 15 wt% of manganese as its
chief constituent elements.
The top surfaces of the fixed cutters 43 and the movable cutters 53 form curved inclined planes 43a and curved inclined planes 53a, and the curved inclined planes 43a and curved inclined planes 53a have an inclination at which a casting waste can drop positively and naturally. The movable cutters 53 are arranged alternately, a space A into which the truncated semi-conical fixed cutters 43 of the aforementioned fixed cutter unit 4 can be fitted is formed between each adjacent two of the movable cutters 53, and one of the fixed cutters 43 of the fixed cutter unit 4 described later is received into the space A. A broken casting piece drops into fitting gaps formed between the fixed cutters 43 of the fixed cutter unit 4 received into the space A, and the movable cutters 53 of the movable cutter unit 5. In addition, depending on the casting wastes, cast products, other castings (referred to as "raw material W") to be processed, and on the capacity, structure, etc. of the breaking apparatus 1, a basal ridge may be provided in a ridge shape below the movable cutters 53. Also, this basal ridge is effective for efficient breaking and/or cutting, crushing, etc., of a raw material W, prevention of pinching of a regenerated casting W3 (a raw material for regeneration or casting) between the movable cutters 53 and/or the fixed cutters 43, breaking and/or cutting (breaking force) of a conglomerate raw material Wl, breaking of a long raw material W2, and the like. Moreover, the
basal ridge has features of performing prevention of scattering of a regenerated casting W3, and pressing (pressing stress) of the regenerated casting W3 existing in the breaking apparatus 1 (downward) towards a discharge port 11 of the breaking apparatus 1. Moreover, the basal ridge is effective for reinforcement, etc. of the movable cutters 53.
Next, a method of embodying the invention and a method for enhancing hardness will be described. Referring to FIG. 1, first, a method of enhancing the hardness of the fixed cutters 43 of the fixed cutter unit 4 and the movable cutters 53 of the movable cutter unit 5 will be described. In a situation where the movable cutter unit 5 is at its retreat limit, a raw material W is charged from above into a substantially V-shaped charging opening 12 formed by the movable cutter plate 52 and movable cutters 53 of the movable cutter unit 5, and the fixed cutter plate 42 and the fixed cutters 43 of the fixed cutter unit 4.
As for the charged raw material (casting waste) W, when the movable cutter unit 5 advances along a circular arc locus with a lower pivot point 20 as a fulcrum, almost the whole pressing force of the cylinder 6 acts on a fulcrum shaft 21 above the movable cutters 53, and the movable cutters 53 advance along a circular arc locus, a strong crushing force and/or breaking force (referred to as "breaking force") is generated according to the principle of a lever above the discharge port 11 in the vicinity of the lower pivot point 20, thereby positively and
smoothly cutting the charged raw material W between the movable cutters and their facing fixed cutters 43.
As described above, breaking is performed using fitting and/or pressing relationship between the movable cutters 53 and/or movable cutter plate 52, and the fixed cutters 43 and/or fixed cutter plate 42
(between both the cutters).
Also, since this breaking is surely performed with low pressure by a configuration of being movable with the pivot point 20 as a fulcrum and of being movable along a circular arc locus via the upper fulcrum shaft 21 and the upper cylinder 6, this is helpful and useful in miniaturizing the whole breaking apparatus 1 and reducing running cost. Also, the pivot point 20 has features that smooth movement as an annular metal and a fulcrum bearing, which are not shown, and load resistance, are ensured. Also, a broken regenerated cast product (regenerated casting W3) naturally drops towards the discharge port 11 via the surfaces of both the cutters and/or gaps therebetween sequentially.
In addition, in the invention, the damper 7 catches a relatively slender raw material (long raw material W2) of the charged raw material W, which has dropped from between the fixed and movable cutters 43 and 53 (referred to as "between both the cutters"), whereby positive reception of the raw material W and/or long raw material W2 described below, and positive and efficient breaking thereof can be achieved. Also, when a predetermined load is applied to the damper 7, the damper is opened automatically.
Through repetition of the fitting and/or pressing relationship between the movable cutters 53 and the fixed cutters 43 described above, and/or impact against the movable cutters 53 and/or movable cutter plate 52 and the fixed cutters 43 and/or fixed cutter plate 42 by breaking, the hardnesses of the movable cutters 53 and/or the movable cutter plate 52 and the fixed cutters 43 and/or the fixed cutter plate 42 are enhanced. Such enhancement in hardness has the aforementioned features. That is, through crushing of a casting waste by the casting breaking apparatus 1, the hardness can be naturally enhanced during operation. Also, uniform and predetermined hardness can be ensured without requiring labor and/or skill. Moreover, operation can be simplified, and cost can be reduced. In addition, when the hardness of the movable cutters 53 and/or movable cutter plate 52, and the hardness of the fixed cutters 43 and/or fixed cutter plate 42 are fixed, the hardnesses are maintained.
As mentioned above, the movable cutter unit 5 at an advancement limit retreats through extension and retraction of the piston rod 60 of the cylinder 6, and stops by the operation reaching a retreat limit as it is.
However, generally, when a raw material W is placed between the cutters, the movable cutter unit 5 advances, and repeats the same breaking operation as the aforementioned operation. That is, when there is raw material W between the cutters, advancement and retreat of the movable cutter unit 5 are repeated.
Also, when there is no raw material W between the cutters, a new batch of raw material W is charged into the charging opening 12 with the movable cutter in at its retreat limit as described above. The invention thus provides a cutter device mounted on a casting breaking apparatus which crushes and breaks (referred to as "break") casting wastes, such as gates, runners, weirs, and defective castings, and a method of enhancing the hardness of the cutter device. This makes it possible to eliminate a deposit operation after casting required to ensure the wear resistance of the fixed cutters and movable cutters. Also, labour and advanced skill required for welding and/or deposit operation can be eliminated. Moreover, operation can be simplified, and working hours can be shortened. Accordingly, there is a feature useful for the casting industry and the industrial field.