US 5,226,604 A · Method of and apparatus for adjusting comminuting machines

Abstract

The width of the clearance between a rotor with orbiting beaters and a pivotable impact plate of a machine for comminuting coal, rock, and like materials is adjusted by a computer which controls a reversible motor serving to pivot the impact plate relative to the path of orbital movement of the beaters. The computer causes the plate to pivot toward the path of the beaters when it receives a signal that the admission of material into the housing of the comminuting machine is interrupted and a converted acoustic signal denoting that the machine generates sounds which are indicative of completed evacuation of material from the housing. The direction of pivotal movement of the plate is reversed when the computer receives a series of converted acoustic signals or a single converted acoustic signal denoting that the width of the clearance has been reduced to zero, i.e., that the beaters actually strike the adjacent portion of the plate. The computer arrests the motor when the width of the clearance reaches a preselected value and the computer thereupon initiates renewed admission of material into the housing.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A method of operating a comminuting machine, wherein a driven first tool carries beaters which move along a predetermined path adjacent a mobile second tool to define a clearance with the second tool, said clearance determines the particle size of the comminuted product as a result of admission into the clearance, comprising the steps of

interrupting the feeding of material into the machine;
allowing the machine to be emptied of material;
generating first signals based on a first sound of the emptied machine;
electronically processing the first signals corresponding to said first sound having a first sound intensity of said machine running without feed of materials after an evacuation of comminuted material from the machine;
feeding said processed first signals to a drive connected to said second tool and initiating a drive;
moving said second tool actuated by said drive toward said path of the beaters until said beaters strike said second tool with attendant generation of a second sound having a predetermined second intensity;
electronically processing and distinguishing a second signal derived from said second sound of the second intensity from said first signal representing said first sound intensity;
and
retracting said second tool from said path in response to the generation of said second sound to establish a clearance having a predetermined width.

6 more elements

A comminuting machine, particularly an impact crusher, comprising

a housing having an inlet for material to be comminuted therein;
a first tool movably mounted in said housing and having a plurality of beaters;
drive means connected with said first tool to move said beaters in said housing along a predetermined path;
a second tool movably mounted in said housing adjacent said path and together with said first tool defining a clearance;
moving means operable to move said second tool relative to said first tool to thus vary the width of said clearance;
and
control means including
means for generating first signals denoting the first intensity of said first sound which is generated by the machine running in the absence of material to be crushed;
means for generating second signals denoting the second intensity of second sounds which are generated when the width of said clearance is zero so that said beaters strike said second tool;
electronic means for separating one of said first signals from one of said second signals;
and
means for operating said moving means in response a first signal to reduce the width of said clearance and thereupon in response to a second signal to increase the width of said clearance to a predetermined value.

9 more elements

Method for the operation of a comminuting machine, which comprises

associating a first rotating comminution tool with at least a second comminution tool,
adjusting the second comminution tool in its position relative to the first rotating comminution tool,
forming an adjustable grinding gap between the first rotating comminution tool and the second comminution tool,
performing a forward motion at certain time intervals with the second comminution tool for avoiding substantial changes of the grain size of the comminuted material by a drive in an empty-running comminution machine toward said first rotating comminution tool up to a first contact with said first rotating comminution tool,
performing a reversal motion with said second comminution tool to result in a desired distance from said first rotating comminution tool after observation of a noise caused by the first contact between said first rotating comminution tool and said second comminution tool which is made perceptible by a microphone,
automatically determining the motion of the second comminution tool with a computer for a start of the forward motion, for a starting point in time of a reversal motion, and at an end of the reversal motion,
switching on the drive of the second comminution tool to therefore initiate the motion of the second comminution tool toward the first rotating comminution tool if
(a) a first signal reaches the microprocessor, said signal is generated after a switching off of a feeding of material and said signal is fed with a delay to the computer that upon reaching the computer, the comminution machine has been emptied of material to be processed, and
(b) a second signal reaches the microprocessor, said second signal originates from a microphone furnished at a casing of the comminution machine and said second signal, upon filtering a third signal generated by the general running noises, results in a second filtered signal essentially generated only by hard noises which result from the contacting of said second comminution tool with said first rotating comminution tool,
(c) the third signal reaches the microprocessor, said third signal originates from a microphone disposed at the casing of the comminution machine and said third signal is generated by the general noises of the running of the comminution machine under a load,
wherein the microprocessor reverses the motion of said second comminution tool and stops the motion of the second comminution tool after a certain distance which is calculated from the reversal position.

8 more elements

An apparatus for automatically adjusting an impact plate of an impact mill comprising

an impact plate;
a casing of the impact mill;
a drive aggregate for said impact plate, said drive aggregate impact plate can be adjusted relative to a rotor impact circle;
a microphone disposed in said casing of said impact mill;
amplifiers (19, 20) connected to said microphone (18);
a channel transmitting an amplified signal comes from said microphone (18) and is subdivided into two channels (21, 22), of which said two channels (21, 22) includes a first channel that leads to a first signal decoupler (23) with a low trigger threshold, and a second channel that leads to a second signal decoupler (24) with a high trigger threshold to a microprocessor (27) wherein said microprocessor (27) is programmed to receive a time-delay signal derived from the switching off of the material feed, said microprocessor switches on said drive aggregate (10, 11) when said impact plate (5, 7) approaches said rotor impact circle (8), wherein
said microprocessor reverses this motion as soon as a second signal reaches said microprocessor in a repeated successive sequence, and said second signal surpasses said high trigger threshold, wherein said microprocessor stops the reverse motion based on a program entered into the microprocessor, and wherein said microprocessor reinitiates the feeding in of material into the impact mill.

4 more elements

A method for operating a comminuting machine comprising

moving a second comminuting tool in a forward direction by a drive toward a first rotating comminution tool up to a first contact with said first rotating comminution tool in an empty-running comminution machine for avoiding substantial changes of the grain structure of the comminuted material, wherein said second comminution tool is coordinated to said first rotating comminution tool, wherein said second comminution tool adjustably disposed in its position relative to a position of said first rotating comminution tool, wherein a motion of said second comminution tool is automatically controlled with a microprocessor, wherein said first rotating comminution tool and said second comminution tool form an adjustable grinding gap;
receiving a switching signal in the microprocessor, said switching signal is generated by a switching off of a feeding of material and said switching signal is fed with a delay to said microprocessor that reaches the microprocessor and the comminution machine has been emptied of material to be processed;
receiving a first signal in said microprocessor, wherein said first signal originates from a microphone disposed in the casing of said comminution machine and said first signal is generated by the general noises of the running of the comminution machine;
switching on a drive of said second comminution tool via the microprocessor to initiate a forward motion of said second comminution tool toward said first rotating comminution tool to define a starting time of said forward motion;
generating a second signal with the microphone member in the casing of the comminution machine and feeding said second signal to said microprocessor, wherein said second signal is filtered and separated from said first signal generated by the general running noises, wherein said second signal is essentially generated only by said hard noises, which result upon the contacting of the second comminution tool contacts the first rotating comminution tool;
initiating a reverse motion of said second comminution tool via said microprocessor to obtain a desired distance of said second comminution tool from the first rotating comminution tool after observing said noise caused by the contact of said first comminution tool with said second comminution tool which is made perceptible by said microphone;
calculating a stop position based on the reversal position with said microprocessor;
stopping the reverse motion of said second comminution tool after a certain distance has been covered with said microprocessor.

5 more elements

Automatically adjusting a grinding pag of a comminution machine by determining the grain size of the output of the comminution machine comprising

a casing of the comminution machine;
a first rotating comminution tool;
a second comminution tool;
a drive aggregate for a positional adjustment of said second comminution tool, wherein the position of said second comminution tool can be adjusted by said the drive aggregates relative to the position of siad first rotating comminution tool;
a microphone disposed in the casing of said comminution machine;
a microphone amplifier having an output and connected to an output port of said microphone;
a first signal decoupler with a low trigger threshold having an output and having an input connected to said output of the amplifier and forming a first signal channel;
a second signal decoupler with a high trigger threshold having an output and having an input connected to said output of said amplifier and forming a second signal channel, thus subdividing an amplified signal coming from said microphone into two separate channels;
a feed means for the material to be processed in said comminution machine;
a switch connected to said feed means for turning said feed means on or off and said switch having an input;
signal means furnishing a switching signal when said feed means is switched off;
a microprocessor having a first input connected to said output of said first signal decoupler having a low trigger threshold and having a second input connected to said output of said second signal decoupler having a high trigger threshold, said microprocessor having a third input connected to said signal means, said microprocessor having a first output connected to said drive aggregate and having a second output connected to said switch,
wherein said microprocessor is programmed with a program to switch on said drive aggregate to sense the movement of said second comminution tool toward said first rotating comminution tool upon receiving a time-delay signal derived by said signal means which indicates that said feed means is switched off, wherein said microprocessor reverses a direction of motion for moving said second comminution tool away from said first comminution tool as soon as a second signal reaches said microprocessor wherein said second signal surpasses said high trigger threshold in a certain amount and wherein said second signal is of a longer time duration, wherein said microprocessor stops the movement of said second comminution tool away from said first comminution tool based on the program entered into said microprocessor, and said microprocessor reinitiates the feeding of material into said impact mill by sending a corresponding signal to said switch.

10 more elements

An impact mill for automatically adjusting an impact plate comprising

a casing of the impact mill;
a rotor;
an impact plate;
a drive aggregate attached to said impact plate for adjusting the position of said impact plate relative to an impact circle of said rotor;
a control switch associated with said drive aggregate for controlling the operation of said drive aggregate;
a microphone having an output and disposed in the casing of the impact mill;
an amplifier having an output and an input connected to said output of said microphone;
a first signal decoupler with a low trigger threshold having an ouput and an input connected to said output of the amplifier;
a second signal decoupler with a high trigger threshold having an output and an input connected to said output of said amplifier, whereby an amplified signal, coming from said microphone is subdivided into two channels with a first channel formed by said first signal decoupler with said low trigger threshold, and with a second channel formed by said second signal decoupler with said high trigger threshold;
feed means for feeding material into said impact mill;
signal means associated with said feed means for indicating if said feed means is in an on or off state;
a microprocessor having a first input connected to said ouput of said first signal decoupler having said low trigger threshold, and a second input connected to said output of said second signal decoupler having said high trigger threshold, said microprocessor having a third input connected to said signal means and said microprocessor having a first output connected to said control switch and a second output connected to said feed means,
wherein said microprocessor is programmed with a program to receive a time-delay signal derived from said signal means indicating a switching off of the material feed, said microprocessor switches on said drive aggregate when said sense of the impact plate moves toward said impact circle of said rotor, said microprocessor initiates the switch when said sense of said impact plate moves away from said impact circle of said rotor as soon as a signal is derived from said microphone that reaches said microprocessor in a repeated successive sequence, and said signal surpasses said high trigger threshold, wherein said microprocessor stops the motion when said said impact plate moves away from said impact circle of said rotor based on said program entered into said microprocessor, and wherein said microprocessor reinitiates the material feed-in by sending a corresponding signal to said feed means.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for adjusting comminuting machines

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Method of and apparatus for adjusting comminuting machines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims45