Method of replacing hammers and spacers

Abstract

Improved free-swinging hammermill hammer configurations are disclosed and described for comminution of materials such as grain and refuse. The hammer configurations of the present disclosure are adaptable to most hammer mill or grinders having free-swinging systems. The configurations as disclosed incorporate comminution edges having increased hardness for longer operational run times. The improved configurations improve installing, removing, and cleaning hammer components within the hammermill. More particularly, a method for replacing hammers and spacers includes pre-assembling hammers, spacers, hammer saddles, locking collars, or any combination thereof and temporarily attaching them to one another before placement onto a hammermill rod. Once placed on the hammermill rod, the temporary attachment is broken such that the hammers within the pre-assembled group may move freely with respect to one another.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.