Abstrict A crushing plant is carried on one trailer and a screening plant
is carried on another trailer. A separate hopper for receiving material
is supported on the crushing plant trailer. The trailers are positioned
angularly with respect to each other. Conveyors on the trailers
cooperate to move crushed material from a crusher to a screen. The
screen classifies material and adequately crushed material is removed.
Insufficiently crushed material is returned by conveyors to the
crusher. The conveyors and other components are movable to permit
transport of the trailers over public roadways.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A portable crushing apparatus comprising:
a vibratory hopper having extendable legs permitting it to be temporarily
supported from the ground;
a crusher disposed on a movable vehicle, said vehicle being adapted
to be moved under the hopper while it is supported by the extendable
legs on the ground and so that the crusher during operation receives
material from the hopper; and
a classifier disposed on a movable vehicle adapted for classifying
material from the crusher according to size.
2. A portable crushing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
the movable vehicle associated with the crusher supports the vibratory
hopper in an operative position.
3. A portable crushing apparatus comprising a trailer mounted crusher,
a screen unit for classifying material by size, a feed conveyor
for carrying crushed material discharged by the crusher to the classifier
screen unit, a return conveyor for conveying oversize material from
the classifying screen unit back to the crusher for additional crushing,
a vibratory hopper for receiving material to be crushed and for
transferring the received material to the crusher, the hopper being
constructed and arranged to be transported to a work site on a trailer
and including support members for supporting the hopper from the
ground at locations straddling the trailer on which it is transported,
the support members being arranged to support the hopper while the
trailer on which it is transported to the work site is removed and
while the trailer carrying the crusher is rolled beneath it.
4. A portable crushing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein
said support members include depending extendable jacks assembled
on the hopper.
5. A portable crushing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein
said extendable jacks comprise four units, with two units disposed
on each side of the trailer used to transport the hopper.
6. A portable crushing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein
the trailer on which the crusher is carried includes jacks arranged
to elevate such trailer when it is under the hopper so that it supports
the hopper during operation of the apparatus.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of concrete crushing,
rock crushing, mining, and recycling of concrete and other materials,
and specifically to a concrete crushing plant transportable over
highway systems to construction and demolition sites.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable crushing plants for rock, concrete and other demolition
materials have been developed for applications where the quantity
of material to be crushed at a particular site is limited. Highway
portability is important, for example, in non-mining applications
such as in building demolition or in clearing the wreckage following
a natural disaster, such as an earthquake. However, high capacity
machinery in a typical plant, rated in tons per hour, can often
exceed the legal weight limits specified by the federal or state
government for its roadways. This situation has been overcome, in
part, by breaking down the plant into subcomponents that are separately
transported to a new site and then reassembled. Typically, where
the crusher is fed with a vibratory hopper/feeder, it has been a
custom in large capacity plants to transport the vibratory hopper/feeder
separately on a general utility trailer. At a new site, a heavy
crane is used to lift the hopper/feeder from the transport trailer
onto the framework of the main part of the plant. When a job is
completed, this set-up process is reversed again using a heavy crane
to lift the hopper/feeder from the main structure to a utility trailer.
This set-up procedure, although commonly used, is very costly because
of crane rental charges incurred at the beginning and end of a job.
When a plant is only at a location for a short period of time, the
crane rental charges can greatly increase the overall cost of the
job.
Various crushing apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4383651
to Couperus, U.S. Pat. No. 4585179 to Tsuji, U.S. Pat. No. 4598875
to Bronson, U.S. Pat. No. 4655402 to Desourdy, U.S. Pat. No. 4881691
to Oldengott, U.S. Pat. No. 4951885 to Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5026205
to Gorski, and U.S. Pat. No. 5161744 to Schoop, all incorporated
herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a portable crushing plant that offers
a large production capacity and avoids costly and complicated set-up
and take-down procedures, such as the use of a heavy crane to install
the plant equipment.
In particular, the portable crushing plant includes a crusher disposed
on a first movable vehicle; a classifier disposed on a second movable
vehicle and adapted for classifying material according to size;
a feed conveyor for carrying output material from the crusher to
the classifier; and a return conveyor for returning oversize material
from the classifier to the crusher.
The trailers are supported on ground engaging wheels. The crusher
is disposed on the first trailer and has a side chute for receiving
material. A plurality of jacks are adapted for elevating the first
trailer. A swingable under crusher conveyor is disposed on the first
trailer and under the crusher for conveying output material from
the crusher. The first feed conveyor extends from beneath the crusher
and is adapted for conveying material from the under crusher conveyor.
The conveyor extends laterally from the trailer and is retractable.
A hopper is supported on ground engaging legs and is adapted for
being positioned over the first trailer so as to rest thereon when
the first trailer is elevated. The hopper is adapted for classifying
material received therein and discharges undersize material on the
feed conveyor and discharges oversize material to the crusher.
The second movable trailer is adapted for being positioned adjacent
the first trailer so as to extend laterally therefrom. A plurality
of jacks are adapted for elevating a forward end of the second trailer.
A second feed conveyor is adapted for communicating with the first
feed conveyor. A funnel directs material from the first feed conveyor
to the second feed conveyor. A magnetic separator is disposed adjacent
the second feed conveyor and adapted for removing magnetic material
from the second feed conveyor. The separator is pivotably mounted
for movement between travel and operating positions. A vibratable
screen assembly is adapted for receiving material from the second
feed conveyor and has screens adapted for classifying the material
according to size. A discharge conveyor is disposed below the screen
assembly and adapted for conveying output material passed by the
screen assembly. Lateral conveyors are disposed at return ends of
the screens and adapted for receiving oversize material therefrom.
A return conveyor is adapted for receiving material from the lateral
conveyors and conveying the material to the side chute of the crusher.
The return conveyor is pivotably mounted to the second trailer.
A retractable cable is disposed between the second trailer and the
return conveyor and adapted for pivoting the second feed conveyor
between a travel position and an operating position. A shroud is
disposed adjacent the lateral conveyors and mounted for movement
with an end of the return conveyor to partially enclose the lateral
conveyors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a first trailer equipped with
a crusher and conveyors in a retracted state according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of a hopper according to the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of a second trailer equipped with
a screen and conveyors in a retracted state according to the invention;
FIG. 4 shows a side elevation of the first trailer in an operative
state with the hopper installed thereon;
FIG. 5 shows a rear end elevation of the first trailer shown in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows a side elevation of the second trailer in an operative
state; and
FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of the trailers assembled to form
a crushing and screening plant according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 components of a crushing plant 10 are mounted
on a first movable trailer 12. Preferably, the trailer 12 is provided
with ground engaging wheels and is adapted for being pulled by a
tractor over streets and highways. A modified flatbed trailer with
a pin 11 for connecting to a tractor is suitable. Jacks 13 or extendable
legs are provided for elevating the trailer 12 to a stable operative
position with the wheels off the ground, as shown in FIG. 4. In
the operative position the trailer load is substantially removed
from the wheels. A crusher 14 is provided about midway along the
length of the trailer 12. Suitable crushers are well known in the
art and include an electric motor or combustion engine 16 that powers
a rotating member (not shown). The rotating member is adapted for
disintegrating material, such as concrete, into smaller chunks.
The crusher 14 is provided with an inlet 18 adapted for receiving
the material to be crushed. The inlet 18 is also provided with a
side chute 20 adapted for receiving material from a side of the
crusher 14 and directing the material into the inlet 18 as discussed
below.
The first trailer 12 is also provided with an under crusher conveyor
22 adapted for sliding or pivoting between a retracted position,
shown in FIG. 1 and an operative position, shown in FIG. 4. In
the retracted position, the under crusher conveyor 22 provides adequate
clearance from the ground to permit travel of the trailer 12. A
first feed conveyor 24 or auxiliary feed conveyor is disposed on
a side of the first trailer 12. A relatively horizontal part 24a
of the feed conveyor 24 extends under the trailer near the crusher
14. The feed conveyor 24 is mounted for vertical movement on the
trailer between a retracted position, shown in FIG. 1 and an operative
position, shown in FIG. 4. In the retracted position, the feed conveyor
24 provides adequate clearance from the ground to permit travel
of the trailer 12. An inclined part 24b of the first feed conveyor
24 extends upwardly from the horizontal part 24a past a side of
the trailer 12. The inclined part 24b is pivotably mounted at the
horizontal part for movement between a retracted position, shown
in FIG. 1 and a sloped, operative position, shown in FIGS. 4 and
5. The conveyors 22 24 described above and others described below
are generally conventional in construction, each having an endless
belt suitable for transporting crushed material from one location
to another.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7 a vibratory hopper 26 is supported
on four extendable legs 28 or jacks. The hopper is adapted for receiving
material from a front end loader, for example, and provided with
a screen 29 or "grizzly deck" adapted for classifying
material by size. The hopper 26 is sized so as to be portable on
a semi-trailer and the legs 28 are spaced so as to be capable of
straddling the first trailer 12 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The
hopper 26 is provided with an outlet end 30 adapted for communicating
with the inlet 18 of the crusher 14 so as to direct oversize material
from the hopper into the crusher. Undersize material that does not
require crushing is passed by the screen 29 and falls through discharge
port 31.
Referring to FIG. 3 a screening plant 32 is disposed on a second
trailer 34. Preferably, the second trailer 34 is provided with ground
engaging wheels and a pin 35 and is adapted for being pulled by
a tractor over streets and highways. A modified flatbed trailer
is suitable. Jacks 36 or extendable legs are provided for elevating
the trailer 34 to a stable operative position, as shown in FIG.
6. A screen assembly 38 is provided about midway along the length
of the second trailer 34. Suitable screen assemblies are well known
in the art and typically comprise a vibratory enclosure supporting
one or more screens 39 or "grizzly decks" adapted for
passing material smaller than a certain size and directing larger,
oversize material to a return end 40 of the enclosure.
A second feed conveyor 42 is provided on the second trailer 34
and terminates over an input end of the screen assembly 38. A funnel
44 disposed at an end of the second feed conveyor 42 is adapted
for receiving material from the first feed conveyor 24 and directing
it to the second feed conveyor 42. A discharge conveyor 46 is disposed
below the screen assembly 38 for collecting and transporting the
material passed by the screens. One or more lateral conveyors 48
are located across the return end 40 of the screen assembly 38.
These are located so as to receive and convey material not passed
or partially passed by the screen assembly 38. A shroud 49 is disposed
around the lateral conveyors 48 to prevent spillage. A return conveyor
50 is located at an end of the lateral conveyors 48 and adapted
to receive material therefrom. The return conveyor 50 extends rearwardly
along a side of the second trailer 34. An end of the return conveyor
50 is movably supported by a retractable cable 52 extending from
a stanchion 54 mounted on the trailer 34. The cable 52 is retractable
by a winch 56 for example. A magnetic separator 56 is pivotably
mounted at a front end of the second trailer 34 and adapted to be
positioned over an end of the second feed conveyor 42 over the screen
assembly 38.
Erection and operation of the crushing plant 10 and screening plant
32 can best be understood by reference to FIGS. 4 through 7. As
shown in FIG. 4 the first trailer 12 is backed under the hopper
26 which is supported on the ground at a location where the crushing
is to occur. The trailer 12 is positioned so that the hopper outlet
end 30 is disposed above the crusher inlet 18 and the discharge
port 29 is over the first feed conveyor 24. The first trailer 12
is elevated on the jacks 13 to support the hopper 26 on the trailer.
The first feed conveyor 24 is lowered and the under crusher conveyor
22 is moved beneath the crusher 14 so that an end of the under crusher
conveyor is located above the horizontal part 24a of the first feed
conveyor.
As shown in FIG. 7 the second trailer 34 is moved adjacent the
first trailer 12 so that longitudinal axes of the trailers 12 34
intersect at about a 70.degree. angle. The end of the return conveyor
50 is positioned over the side chute 20 of the crusher 14. As shown
in FIG. 6 the front end of the second trailer 34 is pivoted upwardly
and supported by the jacks 36 while the cable 52 is retracted to
pivot the return conveyor 50 upwardly. Thus, the second feed 40
and return 50 conveyors have non-intersecting longitudinal axes
generally forming an "X." The shroud 49 moves with the
return conveyor 50 to partially enclose the lateral conveyors 48.
Pivoting the front end of the trailer 34 upwardly lowers the end
of the second feed conveyor 42 and the funnel 44 at the rear of
the trailer. As shown in FIG. 5 the inclined part 24b of the first
feed conveyor 24 is pivoted downwardly from the generally vertical
transport position so that the inclined part remains in an upwardly
sloping position. The inclined part 24b terminates over the funnel
44. Referring to FIG. 6 the magnetic separator is pivoted over
the end of the second feed conveyor 42.
The flow of operation is apparent from the assembly as shown in
FIG. 7. Raw material to be crushed is loaded into the hopper 26
from where oversize material moves by vibration and gravity to the
crusher 14 from the hopper outlet end 30 into the crusher inlet
18. The crusher 14 crushes the oversize material, which is discharged
onto the under crusher conveyor 22 (FIG. 4). The material moves
on the under crusher conveyor 22 to the first feed conveyor 24
which serves as an auxiliary feed conveyor for moving material to
the second or main feed conveyor 40. Undersize material that does
not require crushing is passed by the screen 29 and falls through
the hopper discharge port 31 directly to the first feed conveyor
24. The magnetic separator 56 removes magnetic material and deposits
it in a suitable receptacle (not shown) for reclaiming.
Referring to FIG. 6 non-magnetic material falls into the screen
assembly 38. The screen assembly 38 vibrates and the material falls
through the screens 39 therein according to size. Acceptably small
material passes through the screen assembly 38 onto the discharge
conveyor 46 which conveys the material upwardly to another receptacle
(not shown) for transport and reuse of the crushed material. Oversize
material that is not passed by the screen assembly 38 falls onto
one of the lateral conveyors 48. Referring again to FIG. 7 the
lateral conveyors 48 move the oversize material to the return conveyor
50 which returns the material to the side chute 20 of the crusher
14. The material is crushed again and repeats the cycle until it
is sufficiently crushed to pass through the screen assembly 38 onto
the discharge conveyor 46.
At the completion of a crushing and screening operation, the assembly
steps are essentially reversed. The two trailers 12 34 and hopper
26 are then ready for transport over public roadways.
The present disclosure describes one embodiment of the invention,
however, the invention is not limited to this embodiment. Variations
are contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the invention
and appended claims. |