Arrangement facilitating single fastener attachment for strikers of a wood comminuting rotor

A comminuting striker assembly for mounting on a rotor of a comminuting apparatus, the comminuting striker assembly comprising:

• a striker having first and second opposed faces with the first face defining at least one cutting edge, and the second face of the striker having a cooperating surface;
• and
• a striker retainer having a retainer base for attachment to a rotor and a leading face for attachment to the striker, the leading face having a striker support surface for engaging with the cooperating surface of the striker to provide primary support for the striker;
• wherein
• one of the second face of the striker and the leading face of the striker retainer defines a first slot and the other of the second face and the leading face defines a complimentary first key arrange to engage the first slot thereby to facilitate proper alignment of the striker with the striker retainer, with the first slot and first key extending perpendicular to the cooperating surface and the striker support surface.

A method of mounting a comminuting striker assembly on a rotor of a comminuting apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a striker with first and second opposed faces with the first face defining at least one cutting edge, and forming a cooperating surface in the second face of the striker;
• and
• providing a striker retainer with a retainer base for attachment of the comminuting striker assembly to a rotor and with a leading face for attachment of the striker to the striker retainer, forming the leading face with a striker support surface for engaging with the cooperating surface of the striker to provide primary support for the striker;
• and
• the second face defining an alignment component;
• leading face defining a complimentary alignment component arrange to mate with the alignment component of the striker to facilitate desired alignment of the striker with the striker retainer.

A method of mounting a comminuting striker assembly on a rotor of a comminuting apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a striker with first and second opposed faces with the first face defining at least one cutting edge, and forming a cooperating surface in the second face of the striker;
• and
• providing a striker retainer with a retainer base for attachment of the comminuting striker assembly to a rotor and with a leading face for attachment of the striker to the striker retainer, forming the leading face with a striker support surface for engaging with the cooperating surface of the striker to provide primary support for the striker;
• further comprising the steps of:
• defining a first slot in one of the second face of the striker and the leading face of the striker retainer and defining a complimentary first key on the other of the leading face of the striker retainer and the second face of the striker arrange to engage the first slot to facilitate desired alignment of the striker with the striker retainer;
• the first slot and the first key extending perpendicular to the cooperating surface and the striker support surface.