FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

This invention is related to a disintegrating machine of the kind comprising a casing and at least one element rotatably ar¬ ranged in the casing for disintegration of material, the casing compπsing at least one wall portion extending along the rotatable element.

Such a machine is described in the applicant's SE-C 446 247 (8303168-2). In this prior machine, the casing is rigidly de¬ signed and it comprises on both sides of the rotatable element stationary wall portions extending along the element. At least one counteredge arrangement is provided on such a stationary wall portion and this counteredge arrangement comprises a cutting member which is displaceable relative to the stationary wall portion in order to adjust the position of the cutting member relative to the rotatable element.

In such disintegrating machines overload situations occur at times as a consequence of supply to the machine of an exces¬ sive amount of material or material difficult to disintegrate. A drive arrangement for the rotatable elements occurring com¬ prises suitably an overload function causing reversal of the direction of rotation on overload. Although this simplifies problems occurring in overload situations, it may nevertheless be difficult to deliberate the disintegrating machine from stuck material or otherwise material which is not desired to be

subjected to disintegration, for instance in view of the fact that it may have such a hard character that there is a risk for damages on the rotatable element. In order to make the prior machine deliberate itself from material in overload situations one must operate the machine with repeated reversal of direction of rotation so that the material in question is successively forced down through the machine during disintegration in the same. However, this may give rise to considerable damages on parts of the machine since the possibilities for passage down through the machine are permanently constant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to obtain a machine designed so that it may be adapted with respect to the current operational conditions. In particular, it is desired that the machine in overload situations should be capable of adapting itself in order to simplify passage of material through the machine or other¬ wise simplify for the machine to deliberate itself from material present therein.

This object is, according to the invention, achieved by the wall portion being at least partially formed by a device movably arranged relative to the rest of the casing and this device being movable between a first position, in which the device is located in a normal operational position relative to the rotatable ele¬ ment, and a second position, in which the device is moved away from the rotatable element.

Already a certain displacement of the movable device away from the rotatable element simplifies passage through the machine of material difficult to disintegrate. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the movable device is, however, intended to involve, in its second position, such an opening of the casing that hindering material or material difficult

to disintegrate may be fed out of the machine through the opening deliberated by means of the movable device.

According to a preferred embodiment a counter edge arrange- ment is provided on the movable device and adapted to co¬ operate with the rotatable element for disintegration of the material. In this way the counteredge arrangement will accom¬ pany the movable device in its movement between the two positions and be moved towards the rotatable element and away therefrom.

According to another embodiment it is preferred that a locating arrangement is resilient in order to allow the movable device to move away from its first position when forces exerted on the device exceed a predetermined value. In this way it is achieved that unacceptable forces will not be exerted on the movable device and the counteredge arrangement possibly provided thereon.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the movable device comprises at least two movable parts. It is preferred that the two parts are in engagement with each other by means of engagement members at least when they are in the first position.

In case the movable device is designed so that it causes, in its position moved away from the rotatable element, a substantial opening sidewardly relative to the axis of rotation of the rotat¬ able element, it is possible to design the machine so that the movable element may be taken out of the machine through an opening formed by the movable device in its second position.

Further features and advantages of the machine according to the invention will appear from the claims and the subsequent description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the enclosed drawings a more specific description of embodiment examples of the invention follows hereunder.

In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a view of the machine according to the invention viewed from above,

Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 but with two upper first rotatable disintegrating elements removed so that a second rotatable disintegrating element present there¬ under is clearly apparent (the latter element is not drawn in Fig 1 ),

Fig 3 is a partially cut and partially diagrammatical view in a section transverse to the axes of rotation of the rotat¬ ably arranged elements,

Fig 4 is a view similar to Fig 3 but illustrating parts con¬ tained in a movable device in a somewhat different position,

Fig 5 is a view similar to Figs 3 and 4 but illustrating parts contained in the movable device in an opening posi¬ tion,

Fig 6 is an enlarged view of details in Fig 4,

Fig 7 is a view from above of the rotatable element shown to the right in Fig 1 and the co-ordination thereof with a part contained in the movable device,

Fig 8 is a view of the latter part viewed in isolation accord¬ ing to the arrow VIII-VIII,

Fig 9 is a view similar to Fig 3 of a somewhat modified embodiment,

Fig 10 is a view similar to Figs 3 and 9 of a further variant, and

Fig 11 is a view of a yet another variant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment according to Figs 1-8

The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for coarse or unsorted material of the most varying kinds but may also be used for other disintegrating operations.

The machine comprises a casing generally denoted 1. This casing comprises at the top (Fig 3) an opening 2 for supply of material to be disintegrated. The casing comprises at the bottom an opening 3 for discharge of disintegrated material. For the rest the casing 1 comprises gable walls and side walls collectively designated 4 and 5 respectively. In the example three elements 6, 7, 8 are rotatably arranged in the casing.

It is pointed out that the machine also comprises a frame for supporting the elements. This frame and the casing 1 are integrated in a suitable manner. For instance, the frame may, as indicated in Fig 3, comprise a frame erected in a conventional manner by beams 9, covering wall portions being attached to these beams, namely gable wall portions 10 and side wall portions generally denoted 1 1 in Fig 3, only one side

wall portion appearing in Fig 3. Thus, the frame described and the wall portions form the casing 1.

The three rotatable elements 6, 7, 8 are conceived to have the character of rolls or shafts and are at their ends rotatably supported in the gables 4 and rotatably driven by suitable motors, of which those for the elements 6, 7 appear in Fig 1 and are denoted 12 and 13 respectively therein. The rotatable elements 6, 7, 8 could for instance be adapted to operate mutually for disintegrating purposes in the manner which is characterizing for the inventive aspect according to the European patent No. 81 539. However, it is pointed out that this is not absolutely necessary for the present invention. Thus, only the two upper elements 6, 7 could for instance operate according to the principle of the just mentioned European patent whereas the remaining element 8 could be of a different configuration or otherwise all rotatable elements could be designed to operate according to other disintegrating principles. Expressed in other words, this means that the rotatable elements 6-8 do not necessarily have to have processing members in the forms of threads or the like but they could instead have other processing members, such as beating members, discs etc.

Hereunder the rotatable elements 6, 8 will be described as having the character of rolls.

It is preferred that the two upper rolls 6, 7 form a disintegrating zone 14 between each other and this preferably by the rolls being caused to rotate so that their peripherical portions move downwardly in the processing zone 14. The directions of rotation in question for the rolls are, accordingly, indicated by the arrows 15 and 16 respectively in Fig 3.

The further roll 8 is in the example arranged in the area under the disintegrating zone 14 and more specifically such that the roll 8 forms, with each of the two upper rolls 6, 7, a common disintegrating zone 17 and 18 respectively. The roll 8 is rotat- able in opposite directions indicated by the arrows 19, 20.

When using the function according to the European patent 81 539, the two upper rolls 6, 7 are designed to subject material present in the disintegration zone 14 for actuation in substan- tially opposite directions along the axes of rotation of the rolls 6, 7. For this purpose the rolls 6, 7 present threads 21 , 22 arranged on central cores. These threads 21 , 22 are blade shaped and to obtain a good disintegrating function they slope in opposite directions. The directions of rotation and directions of threads of the rolls 6, 7 are chosen such that the screw threads 21 , 22 will tend to actuate material present in the disintegrating zone 14 in opposite directions. In the example the rolls 6, 7 are driven with opposite directions of rotation whereas the threads 21 and 22 on the rolls have the same thread direction. Other variants are, however, also applicable. For instance, the rolls could be driven in the same direction of rotation but with a differential number of revolutions, still with the same thread direction on the threads 21 , 22.

Also the lower roll 8 is in the example designed to operate in accordance with the principle according to the European patent No. 81 539. Thus, also the roll 8 presents a core and threads 22, 23 arranged thereon. The threads are here constituted by two different types having a markedly differing pitch. On rota- tion of the roll 8 in any of the directions indicated with the arrows 19, 20, first of all the thread denoted 24 will tend to actuate material along the roll 8 in one of the directions depending upon the direction of rotation. The corresponding is due for the thread denoted 23 although it will give rise to comparatively small axial force component on the material

under disintegration as a consequence of the very large pitch thereof. On rotation of the roll 8 in the direction of the arrow 20, the roll 8 will co-operate for disintegration in the zone 18 between itself and the roll denoted 7 since the threads on the rolls 7 and 8 with the mentioned directions of rotation (arrows 20 and 16) will tend to subject material present in the disintegrating zone 18 and being under disintegration for force actuation in opposite directions along the rolls. On reversal of the direction of rotation of the roll 8 to be in accordance with the arrow 19, the corresponding function in the disintegration zone 17 is obtained.

It is pointed out that short thread sections 25 and 26 respec¬ tively, which are directed oppositely relative to the threads 21 , 22 on the rolls, are arranged at the opposite ends of the rolls 6, 7. These thread sections 25, 26 have the purpose to avoid stagnation of material at the opposite ends of the rolls 6, 7 as a consequence of the different feeding directions, in which the threads 21 and 22 are acting on the material under disintegra- tion.

Hereunder the design at one of the wall portions 11 appearing in Fig 3 will be described with the assistance of a.o. Fig 3. It is, however, pointed out that mirror-inverted but otherwise similar constructions are present on the other side of the machine so that the machine, accordingly, has a substantially mirror symmetrical design with regard to a vertical centre plane P1 ex¬ tending through the machine in parallelism with the axes of ro¬ tation of the rolls.

The wall portion 11 appearing in Fig 3 is at least partially formed by a device generally denoted 27 and movably arranged relative to the casing 1 for the rest. This device 27 is movable between a first position, which appears from Fig 3 and in which the device is present in a normal operational position relative to

the rolls 7, 8, and a second position appearing from Fig 5, in which the device 27 is moved away from the rolls 7, 8.

Thus, the movable device 27 has a wall like character in the sense that the device serves for restriction sidewardly of a space present internally in the casing 1 , in which space disintegration is intended to occur and in which the rolls 6-8 are arranged.

A counteredge arrangement generally denoted 28 is provided on the movable device 27 and adapted to co-operate with the roll 8 for disintegration of material. As appears from a compari¬ son with Fig 5, the counteredge arrangement 28 is adapted to accompany the device 27 in its movement to the position illustrated in Fig 5 and be moved away from the roll 8 during such movement.

Fig 4 illustrates that the movable device 27 has been read¬ justed somewhat relative to the position according to Fig 3 so that the counteredge arrangement 28 has been moved away from the periphery of the roll 8. This periphery is formed by the most extremely located portions of the thread formations 23, 24.

The movable device 27 is connected to an arrangement gen- erally denoted 29 for locating the device in its first position according to Fig 3. The locating arrangement 29 is preferably resilient in order to allow the movable device 27 to be moved away from its first position when the forces exerted on the device exceed a predetermined value. Expressed in other words, this means that when the roll 8 and possibly also the roll 7 are driven such that (arrows 20 and 16) material is pressed towards the area of the counteredge arrangement 28, force ac¬ tuation on the counteredge arrangement 28 above a certain value will cause the counteredge arrangement 28 and, accord- ingly, the entire device 27 to be moved away to, for instance,

the position according to Fig 4 so that destructive forces are not exerted on the device 27 and the counteredge arrangement 28. In cases with excessive forces, the device may even be opened in a manner indicated in Fig 5.

It is preferred that the locating arrangement 29 involves at least one power exerting member. This may for instance have the character of a member variable in length and acting between a stationary point 30 relative to the casing 1 and a point 31 on the movable device 27. An advantageous example of power exert¬ ing members is a piston cylinder mechanism capable of operat¬ ing, in addition, resiliently in the manner just described.

The locating arrangement 29 is adapted to displace the mov- able device 27 into a position, in which the device 27 has been moved away from the rolls 7, 8 relative to the first position of the device 27.

The movable device 27 comprises in the example two movable parts 32, 33. The two parts 32, 33 are in engagement with each other by means of engagement members 34, 35 at least when the parts are in the first position according to Fig 3.

The counteredge arrangement 28 is provided on one of the parts 32, 33. In the example the counteredge arrangement 28 is provided on the part denoted 33.

The locating arrangement 29 acts upon one of the parts 32, 33 for direct actuation thereof whereas the remaining part is arranged to be actuated indirectly via the engagement members 34, 35.

In the example the locating arrangement 29 acts on the part 33, on which also the counteredge arrangement 28 is located. This

part 33 forms in the example a lower part of the movable device 27 viewed in its entirety.

At least one of and suitably both of the parts 32, 33 in the movable device 27 are pivotably movable about axes 36 and 37 respectively. The pivot axis 36 of the upper part 32 is located at a level above the counteredge arrangement 28.

The engagement members comprise (compare also with Fig 5) at least one projection 34 on one of the parts and at least one recess 35, in which the projection is receivable, on the second of the parts. The projection/recess 34, 35 involves a meshing engagement between the parts.

Fig 6 illustrates somewhat more clearly how the counteredge arrangement 28 is constructed, adjustable and attachable. As can be seen, a cutting member 38 is secured to a base part 39 by screws. This base part 39 is secured relative to the frame of the part 33 by means of a bolt. The recess 35 is formed by means of two pieces 41 , 42 secured to the frame of the part 33 by screws. The piece 41 abuts against a shoulder on the frame of the part 33 and forms in its turn a support for the base part 39. As is indicated in Figs 3-6, spacers may be put in between the base part 39 and the piece 41 to control the projection of the cutting member 38 from the part 33. As appears from Fig 6, the bolt 40 is, in order to enable such control, sidewardly displaceably received in slots 43. Tensioning means, here in the form of nuts 44, associated to the bolt 40 must of course be released before the spacers may be inserted and removed respectively.

One 32 of the parts has its pivot axis 36 located considerably higher than the pivot axis 37 of the other part 33. When the parts 32, 33 are pivoted to its second position according to Fig 5, they are pivoted in opposite directions about their axes so

that the engagement members 34, 35 disengage. The locating arrangement 29 will in the example maintain its engagement with the part 33 carrying the counteredge arrangement 28 whereas the second part 32 must be pivoted upwardly to the position according to Fig 5 by other means. In this position the counteredge arrangement 28 is conveniently accessible for replacement of the cutting members and the carrying out of other possibly required service.

The part 32 could be associated to a locating arrangement of its own for displacement of the part 32, in particular to its opened position illustrated in Fig 5. For instance, the axis 36 could be rigidly connected to the part 32 and associated with a power exerting arrangement forming said locating arrangement for pivoting the part 32. It is in this connection pointed out that also the part 33 could be arranged to be imparted its pivoting movement via the axis 37 which then would be rigidly con¬ nected to the part 33, said axis 37 then having, in its turn, to be subjected to actuation via a suitable power exerting member.

It is indicated in Figs 7 and 8 that the part 32 on its side turned toward the roll 7 is provided with members 45 to form, between itself and the roll 7, a further disintegration zone which will be located at the place indicated at 46 in Fig 3. It is pointed out that the members 45 are not shown in Fig 3.

The members 45 are in this example formed by projecting ribs, which are located with their edges projecting out from the part 32 relatively close to the periphery of the roll 7. In the example the ribs 45 extend in an arc shaped configuration in correspondence to the circumference of the roll 7. The ribs 45 are directed substantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the roll 7 but they could also be inclined. An important feature of the members or ribs 45 is that they should co-operate

with the threads of the roll 7 for disintegration purposes when the threads wander past the members or ribs.

In all embodiments described the movable device 27 comprises wall forming portions located at a level above the counteredge arrangement 28.

In use of the machine described, the device 27 is adjusted for conventional operation to the position according to Fig 3 under influence of the locating arrangement 29. This position is defined by means of a stop member not shown, which delimits the pivoting movement of the part 33 in a direction towards the roll 8. When disintegration occurs, the device 27 may resiliently back away in case the force influence on the device 27 would exceed a certain predetermined level. However, the locating arrangement 29 is intended to have an elastic character so that when the force influence has fallen under said level, the device 27 and accordingly also the counteredge arrangement 28 are moved back to the normal operational position according to Fig 3. When there is a need for removing large undesirable objects, scrap etc. from the machine, the part 32 is pivoted to the opened position according to Fig 5 by means of the locating ar¬ rangement 29 and, in addition, the part 32 is pivoted to its opened position. The rolls may then be driven, possibly by reversal, such that said objects or scrap may be thrown out of the machine. In the opened position according to Fig 5, service and maintenance personnel may conveniently get access to the interior of the machine and, of course, particularly the counter- edge arrangement 28.

Alternative embodiments according to Figs 9-11

The variant illustrated in Fig 9 corresponds generally to the previously described embodiment with the exception that here the counteredge arrangement 28 is connected to the part 32 in-

stead of to the part 33. Expressed In other words, the locating arrangement 29 still acts on the part 33 whereas the counter- edge arrangement 28 is provided on the second part. For the rest, the engagement members 34, 35 are reversed such that the projection 34 is designed on the part 33 whereas the recess 35 occurs on the part 32.

It should also be mentioned that the engagement members 34, 35 between the two parts 32, 33 are located, when the parts are in their first position according to Fig 9, substantially in or adjacent to a plane P2, which is parallel to the pivot axes 36, 37 of the parts and coincides with them. The corresponding circumstance is, for the rest, at hand in the embodiment illustrated in Fig 1-8.

The movable wall like device 27 is in Fig 10 formed by a single part 32, on which the counteredge arrangement 28 is mounted. The part 32 comprises under the counteredge arrangement 28 a lower wall section 47 located adjacent to the roll 8.

The locating arrangement 29 acts between the frame of the machine and the part 32. Thus, the locating arrangement 29 in the form of a piston cylinder mechanism or the like serves for manoeuvring the part 32 and, accordingly, the counteredge arrangement 28 between its operational position and an open position corresponding to the position assumed by part 32 in Fig 5.

Finally, Fig 11 illustrates an embodiment substantially corre- sponding to the embodiment according to Figs 1-8 but as far as the part 33 presenting the counteredge arrangement 28 is concerned it is here indicated that the part 33 may be pivoted entirely freely 360° if the roll 8 would not be in the way. More specifically, the part 33 is here intended to be put into its pivoting movement by means of the axis 37, which is under the

influence of a suitable power exerting arrangement. It also appears from Fig 11 that the part 32 also here comprises the previously described members or ribs 45 for forming a disinte¬ gration zone between itself and the roll 7.

POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS

The invention is of course not only restricted to the embodiment examples discussed above. Thus, a number of modifications may be made within the scope of the basic idea behind the invention. For instance it is pointed out that it is not necessary that the movable device 27 is formed by one or more pivotably movable parts. Instead it would be possible to design one or more of said parts as movable in a displacement movement which could be entirely straight, arcuate or otherwise adjusted to the circumstances. In case of a movable device formed by two parts 32, 33, one of these parts could, for instance, be pivotably movable whereas the other would be movable in translation or otherwise displaceable. Also other modifications are realized by men skilled within this art.