ES1313168U - FRAGMENTATION MACHINE (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Fragmentation machine comprising: - a fragmentation chamber (1) comprising an inlet opening for material to be fragmented (8); - a lower fragmentation grid (3) comprising a plurality of outlet holes, located in a lower part of the fragmentation chamber (1); - a cutting rotor, located inside the fragmentation chamber (1), comprising a rotational shaft (4) and two or more discs (5) mounted on said rotational shaft (4), the cutting rotor being in an upper part of the lower fragmentation grid (3); - a plurality of hammers (6), mounted on the outer perimeters of the two or more discs (5) of the cutting rotor, configured to hit the material to be fragmented (8); - rotational drive means, connected to the rotational shaft (4), configured to transmit a rotational movement to the discs (5) of the cutting rotor; - at least one fragmentation anvil (9) comprising an immobile element, configured to receive an impact of material to be fragmented (8), struck by the hammers (6); characterized in that the fragmentation machine comprises: - an accumulation zone (16) located inside the fragmentation chamber (1), and above the cutting rotor; and - an upper fragmentation grill (11), located in an upper part of the accumulation zone (16), comprising a plurality of outlet holes through which the fragmented material (8) accumulated in the accumulation zone (16) is ejected, by the striking of the hammers (6), in said zone; where the accumulation zone (16) is configured to accumulate a material to be fragmented (8) of a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grill (3), during the rotation of the cutting rotor, increasing an effective hitting area: and where the upper fragmentation grill (11) comprises a flat inclined surface, an angle greater than 0º and less than 60º, with respect to a horizontal plane defined by a floor on which the fragmentation machine rests.

Description

DESCRIPTION

FRAGMENTATION MACHINE

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

The present invention relates to an optimized fragmentation machine, of the type used to fragment metal scrap, the configuration and design of which results in an improvement in the quality of the product obtained, an increase in productivity in relation to the energy consumed and an increase in the safety of the fragmentation process.

The invention is part of the mechanical engineering and recycling technology sector, specifically in the design and optimization of fragmentation systems for the processing of metal scrap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A shredder or shredding machine is a machine that processes material, mainly metal-based material (known as scrap), with the aim of reducing the size of its constituent components and increasing their density. This system is applied in the early stages of recycling metallic materials, since the product obtained is more compact and easy to separate, making it suitable for recycling and reuse in numerous applications.

More specifically, this invention focuses, although not exclusively, on the fragmentation of metal scrap. This practice has become an integral part of the steel industry, improving the economic viability of the sector and reducing the environmental impact.

Compared to mineral extraction, the use of recycled ferrous metals significantly reduces CO2 emissions, energy and water consumption, as well as air pollution. In addition, steel recycling makes more efficient use of the Earth's natural resources.

Metal recycling is a pyramid industry that has a base made up of numerous small companies that supply scrap metal to large multinationals at the top of the pyramid. Steel is a suitable material for the recycling process because, if recycled correctly, its physical and mechanical properties do not degrade and it can be recycled continuously.

Recycled steel can be used for the same applications as steel produced from virgin material. Recycling one tonne of steel saves 1,100 kilograms of iron ore, 630 kilograms of coal and 55 kilograms of limestone, and CO2 emissions are reduced by 58% by using ferrous scrap.

On the other hand, a shredder, like the usual ones on the market, comprises a series of common elements that can be summarized as follows:

- a drive responsible for supplying mechanical power to the fragmentation process. Such as a motor, servomotor or actuator;

- a feeding system responsible for feeding the machine with the material to be fragmented;

- a fragmentation system where the material is fragmented, reducing its size; and

- an evacuation system that carries the fragmented material to the following processes in the facility.

The present invention focuses on the fragmentation system, which normally comprises a series of hammers arranged in a rotor that, when rotating, strike the material against other elements that act as an anvil, within a peripheral chamber surrounding the rotor, called the crushing chamber or fragmentation chamber.

The material is struck within the chamber until its size can pass through "grills" with slits arranged in an area of the chamber, called the evacuation zone. The separation of the slits in the grids (usually called the clearance) determines the size of the fragments obtained in the process.

The smaller the size, the higher the quality of the product obtained, implying a greater number of impacts and, therefore, greater processing time and associated energy costs.

In the state of the art, fragmentation devices can be found, such as the one described in document ES2924307T3, in which elements are integrated into the fragmentation chamber, such as additional slots, which are activated actively or passively to facilitate the evacuation of non-crushable elements (due to hardness or size) or to facilitate the movement of the material to be fragmented towards the inlet, to prevent it from clogging the evacuation grids, with benefits in terms of productivity and wear.

One of the main problems with the shredders currently on the market is the possibility of explosions occurring inside them when flammable materials are introduced with the scrap introduced for processing (for example, a fuel tank with traces of fuel, gas cylinders, etc.), since, in the fragmentation process, the hammers rotate at high peripheral speed and the impacts that occur inside the fragmentation chamber can generate heat and sparks. It must be taken into account that one of the most common purposes for this type of machine is the fragmentation of scrapped vehicles, which may contain flammable or explosive liquids.

When the presence of flammable material is combined with the generation of heat and sparks, explosions of greater or lesser magnitude may occur, which constitute a risk for the machine operators, for the integrity of the machine and for the elements surrounding it.

As indicated in other documents present in the state of the art, such as ES1209488U, one of the ways to avoid explosions is by carrying out a prior fragmentation of the material, using machinery designed for this purpose, which carries out a coarse fragmentation of the material at a lower speed, reducing the risk of generating sparks, and therefore the risk of explosion.

This solution involves an additional step in the scrap process, which is carried out using pre-shredding or pre-fragmenting machines (known by their English name as "Pre-shredder machines"). This process is not always feasible due to space in the plant, production costs or economic limitations at the time of investment.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present description is based on a shredder of those used to shred scrap, which comprises an optimized fragmentation chamber, the configuration and design of which provides an improvement in the quality of the product obtained, increases productivity in relation to the energy consumed and increases the safety of the fragmentation process.

The present invention focuses on optimizing the upper geometry of the fragmentation chamber of a fragmentation machine, with the aim of increasing the safety of the fragmentation process, reducing the risk of fire, increasing the energy efficiency of the machine and improving the quality of the product.

Thus, the present invention consists of a fragmentation machine comprising a fragmentation chamber, such as those existing on the market, which, in turn, comprises an inlet opening for the material to be fragmented, colloquially known as scrap.

The shredding machine also comprises elements such as those existing in the shredders described in the background, such as a lower shredding grid comprising a plurality of outlet holes, located in a lower part of the shredding chamber; and a cutting rotor, located in an interior of the shredding chamber, comprising a rotation axis and two or more discs mounted on said rotation axis, the cutting rotor being in an upper part of the lower shredding grid.

The outlet holes of the shredding grid can be of different sizes and arrangements, adapted to the size of the shredded product that is desired.

The discs are mounted or assembled to the axis of rotation in a solidary manner, by means of joints that transmit the rotation of said axis to the discs, as rigid joints, which can be disassembled, being oriented in different directions parallel to each other, perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is configured to rotate on itself, that is, with respect to an axis that defines its shape and orientation. For example, if said axis of rotation has a cylindrical shape, the axis of rotation can rotate with respect to the axis that defines said cylindrical shape.

Preferably, the discs are mounted on the axis of rotation, concentrically, although, depending on the needs, they could be mounted with some eccentricity.

The fragmentation machine also comprises a plurality of hammers, mounted on the outer perimeters of the two or more discs of the cutting rotor, configured to strike the material to be fragmented to break it into smaller elements; a rotation drive means, connected to the rotation shaft, configured to transmit a rotation movement to the discs of the cutting rotor; and at least one fragmentation anvil comprising a stationary element (with respect to the rotation of the cutting rotor), made of a material of high hardness and resistance, to withstand and absorb the impacts received, configured to receive an impact of material to be fragmented, struck by the hammers, where the fragmentation of the material introduced through the material inlet opening of the fragmentation chamber occurs.

The fact that the cutting rotor is located in an upper part of the lower fragmentation grid means that, when in operating position, the cutting rotor is located at a higher height than the lower fragmentation grid, so that the material that has been fragmented can fall, by gravity, between the protruding holes of said grid.

The arrangement of the elements described is preferably the same as that in which they are usually arranged in the shredding machines of the aforementioned state of the art, where the axis of rotation of the cutting rotor is oriented in a horizontal direction.

The characteristics that distinguish the claimed fragmentation machine from those disclosed in the state of the art are that the fragmentation machine of the present invention comprises an accumulation zone located inside the fragmentation chamber, above the cutting rotor; and an upper fragmentation grid, located in an upper part of the accumulation zone, which comprises a plurality of outlet holes through which the fragmented material is expelled in the accumulation zone, driven by the impact of the hammers, in said zone. In this way, the accumulation zone is configured to accumulate a material to be fragmented that comprises a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grid, during the rotation of the cutting rotor, increasing an effective impact area.

The fact that the accumulation zone is located above the cutting rotor and that the upper shredding grid is located in an upper part of the accumulation zone means that, when the shredding machine is in operating position on a substantially horizontal floor, the material to be shredded that has not passed through the holes in the lower shredding grid can accumulate above the cutting rotor, being dragged by the hammers during its rotation. Likewise, the upper shredding grid is located at a certain height above the cutting rotor, so that the space between the upper shredding grid and the cutting rotor defines the accumulation zone.

The space between the hammers and the lower shredding grid is very small, so that there is no space between them where material can accumulate, beyond small pieces of shavings, however, the space between the upper shredding grid and the rotor hammers is higher, which allows the accumulation of material described.

This accumulation area allows the number of blows made by the hammers on the material to be fragmented to be increased, since it acts as a warehouse in which the effective impact area around the cutting rotor is increased, increasing the effectiveness of the process per revolution of the cutting rotor and a higher quality in the processed product that receives a greater number of blows in the same time, achieving greater density.

The arrangement of the accumulation area in an upper part of the fragmentation chamber is such that it does not interfere with the feeding sector of the machine, nor with the initial area in which the smaller scrap can be easily extracted through the perimeter grids of the lower fragmentation grid.

In one embodiment, the shredding machine comprises a trap door for evacuating uncrushable material located in the accumulation area, which allows the evacuation of uncrushable material without affecting its operation. Preferably, said trap door can be operated from the outside, to extract the pieces of a material that cannot be fragmented by hammering.

The non-crushable grate can have a similar function to those existing in the machines mentioned in the background. Normally, it is operated from the outside and is located on the side of the fragmentation chamber to allow hard or large elements to escape that would damage the hammers and the elements of the fragmentation zone if they remained inside during the process.

In one embodiment, the accumulation zone located above the cutting rotor comprises a blind tray, which limits the accumulation of the material to be fragmented, which comprises a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grid during the rotation of the cutting rotor (that is, the material that has not been fragmented enough to be able to pass through said holes), the upper fragmentation grid, which has already been described, and the evacuation hatch for uncrushable material.

The blind tray acts as a stop to retain the material to be shredded in the accumulation zone, so that said material can only be expelled through the upper shredding grid. In fact, the material that comes out through said upper shredding grid is not connected to the material inlet of the shredder, but to the shredded material outlet. This upper shredding grid is one of the keys to the invention since it allows to significantly increase the productivity of the machine when combined with the accumulation zone.

In one embodiment, the upper shredding grid comprises a substantially flat surface. Likewise, the upper shredding grid comprises a first end edge in contact with a first end edge of the blind tray. When the shredding machine is in the position and orientation for use, the first end edge of the upper grid is also located in a border region arranged at a height above the axis of rotation, with respect to the cross section of the horizontal direction of the axis of rotation, such that said border region comprises a transverse width of 100 mm, and is centered with respect to the axis of rotation.

The upper shredding grid could also comprise a slightly curved surface without the effect of said curvature affecting the operation of the described embodiment, provided that said curvature had a radius and encompassed the required space.

The first extreme edge of the upper grill is the one closest to the material inlet opening of the fragmentation chamber.

The border region is a specific area of the accumulation zone to indicate the position of the upper fragmentation grid with respect to the axis of rotation, since a very precise location of said upper fragmentation grid with respect to the axis of rotation, as defined in this embodiment, greatly favors the performance of the fragmentation machine with respect to the machines described in the background. Thus, in this embodiment, the upper fragmentation grid is located, in addition to a height higher than the axis of rotation, on an opposite side of the blind tray, the first edge of said upper fragmentation grid (the one closest to the material inlet opening of the fragmentation chamber) being in the space called the border region (being where it is joined to the first extreme edge of the blind tray). In other words, said border region is located just above the axis of rotation and has a width of 100 mm. Therefore, the first edge of the upper shredding grid may be located, in this embodiment, in a space of a width of 100 mm, 50 mm on each side of the center of the axis of rotation, from a perspective transverse to the direction of the axis of rotation, but at a higher height, which delimits the accumulation zone.

In one embodiment, the shredding machine comprises a feed means configured to move material to be shredded from an exterior of the shredding machine towards the inlet opening of the shredding chamber. Preferably, the feed means comprises a device selected from a hopper, a conveyor belt, a chute, and a combination of the above. That is, material may be introduced into the material to be shredded inlet opening by any of these automatic or manual means.

In one embodiment, the hammers are each mounted to the perimeters of the two or more disks by hinged articulated joints, each of said hammers being configured to rotate freely relative to the disk to which they are mounted, a limited angle within a range comprising (-60° to 60°). This angular amplitude may be narrower, such as -30 to 30°. In another embodiment, the hammers are mounted by rigid joints to the disks.

In one embodiment, the shredding machine comprises at least one post-shredding anvil located in the accumulation zone. This post-shredding anvil allows for correct fragmentation of the material in said accumulation zone, by being able to strike the material on it, and not only in the area where the lower shredding grid is located, which already comprises a fragmenting anvil. In this way, all the space around the cutting rotor is used to fragment the material, and not only the lower part of the fragmentation chamber, as is usual.

In one embodiment, when the shredding machine is in the operating position, the axis of rotation of the cutting rotor is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction, where the two or more discs comprise a joint arrangement with a cylindrical shape. That the direction is substantially horizontal means that it is parallel, or substantially parallel to the ground on which the shredding machine rests. In fact, for correct operation of the shredding machine, it is appropriate that it is supported on a flat floor that allows an orientation as defined.

The position of the shredding machine is of great importance for its correct operation, since, as is normal in this type of device, the removal or exit of the crushed material from the shredding chamber is largely determined by gravity, hence the arrangement of the cutting rotor in relation to the lower shredding grid and the upper shredding grid must be very precise.

The discs are spaced at a regular distance from each other in said horizontal direction of the axis of rotation, such that they preferably span the width of the axis of rotation.

One of the characteristics that differentiates the fragmentation chamber of the fragmentation machine from those existing in the state of the art is that said fragmentation chamber is divided into three angular regions (or zones), with respect to the axis of rotation, and with respect to a cross section in the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation. That is, the fragmentation chamber can be divided into three angular sections or zones, easily appreciated from a lateral perspective of the cutting rotor, using the axis of rotation as a reference.

These angular regions are:

- an angular region for material inlet, where the inlet opening for introducing the material to be fragmented into an interior of the fragmentation chamber is located; - an angular fragmentation region in which the lower fragmentation grid(s) are located, where an initial impact of the plurality of hammers against the material to be fragmented, as well as against the fragmentation anvil, occurs, expelling fragmented pieces, which are smaller than the outlet holes of said lower fragmentation grids; and

- an angular accumulation region located above the cutting rotor.

The operability of these areas does not interfere with the operability of the surrounding areas, as they are clearly differentiated and separated.

In a more specific embodiment, the angular accumulation region comprises an angular cross section, comprising an angle between 75° and 105°, preferably comprising a value of 90°. In many of the fragmentation systems that currently exist, the fragmentation chamber is usually completely blind at its top, without having an upper fragmentation grid as claimed, which forces the product to be expelled through the sides of the cutting rotor, a fact that reduces the production of the machine, since the scrap has a smaller useful section to leave the fragmentation zone.

In one embodiment, the angular accumulation region is divided into three angular subregions, relative to the axis of rotation, and relative to a cross section to the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation:

- a first angular sub-region delimited by the evacuation hatch for uncrushable material;

- a second angular sub-region delimited by the upper fragmentation grid; and - a third angular sub-region delimited by the blind tray;

where the second angular subregion is greater than any of the other subregions; and where the second angular subregion is greater than 30°.

The angular size (angle covered) of the upper shredding grate also significantly differentiates the performance of the described version from that of machines on the market. Beyond the size of the upper shredding grate, the angle covered by its arrangement in the accumulation zone is fundamental.

In one embodiment, the fragmentation machine comprises an upper outer casing, located at a height above the upper fragmentation grid, outside the accumulation zone, the fragmentation machine being in the position and orientation of use, where said outer casing is configured to conduct the fragmented material expelled through the plurality of outlet holes of said upper fragmentation grid, towards a fragmented material outlet.

This arrangement of the upper outer casing facilitates the exit of the processed material through the upper grill.

It should be understood that in operation the cutting rotor rotates at high speed, so that the hammers hit the material to be fragmented strongly, hence the fragmented material is ejected with force through the plurality of outlet holes of the upper fragmentation grate. The outer casing prevents said ejected material from being dispersed, but is instead collected in a discharge area.

The upper fragmentation grid comprises a flat surface inclined, with respect to a horizontal plane (determined by the flooring on which the fragmentation machine rests) at an angle greater than 0 and less than 60°, preferably between 20 and 45°, with the fragmentation machine in the operating position. That is, the upper fragmentation grid is inclined at a certain angle with respect to said horizontal plane, in order to allow a greater amount of fragmented material to exit the accumulation zone.

In the embodiment in which the upper fragmentation grid is inclined to the indicated limits, the volume remaining under said grid, in the accumulation zone, can be between 40 and 80% greater compared to the configuration in which the upper grid is completely horizontal.

The fact that the accumulation area has a large volume means that the hammers can repeatedly strike the accumulated material to be fragmented, at a constant rate, making the flow of ejected material more homogeneous, obtaining the required product density, requiring less energy, which also increases the efficiency of the system, since the fragmenter is processing more material in the fragmentation chamber. In other words, the entire span of the cutting rotor is used, except for the inlet area, to fragment the material, and not just a lower part, as is usual.

In turn, this accumulation zone allows the accumulated material to be fragmented to present a certain movement, thus reducing the impact of the specific material with the accelerated hammers, also reducing the possibility of generating sparks that could cause fires or explosions inside the fragmentation chamber.

Another benefit of the accumulation zone is that, by having a more homogeneous load of material, the knocking of the system elements is reduced when processing the material to be fragmented with acceleration and deceleration of the hammers, increasing the useful life of the fragmentation components.

In one embodiment, the fragmentation machine comprises a re-crushing grid comprising a plurality of holes configured to filter material to be fragmented accumulated in the accumulation zone, by the hammers striking towards the material to be fragmented inlet opening of the fragmentation chamber. That is to say, not all the material in the accumulation zone ends up being expelled through the upper fragmentation grid or through the uncrushable material evacuation hatch, but rather part of said material can repeat the fragmentation cycle, heading to the material inlet zone.

This re-crushing grid injects part of this material that has not been completely reduced in size towards the material inlet, thus increasing the density of the input material and facilitating the reduction in size of said material by hitting it again together with the scrap that has been introduced into the inlet.

Furthermore, by introducing pre-fragmented material together with the unprocessed material to be fragmented, the internal impacts of the material itself increase and, consequently, the production of the fragmenter increases.

In one embodiment, the lower fragmentation grid comprises a cylindrical curved surface surrounding a lower portion of the rotor. More specifically, the curved surface of the lower grid is positioned eccentrically to the substantially cylindrical surface of the two or more rotor disks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description and in order to assist in a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by some figures in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following have been represented:

- Figure 1.- Represents a sectioned side perspective view, or profile view, in which all the components of the shredding machine can be seen, as well as their arrangement.

- Figure 2.- Represents a side perspective view, as shown in Figure 1, in which the different angular zones of the fragmentation chamber can be seen, as well as the subregions of the accumulation zone, where the upper fragmentation grid is oriented with an inclination between 20 and 40°, with respect to a horizontal plane.

List of elements shown in the figures:

1. - Fragmentation chamber

2. - Feeding medium

3. - Lower fragmentation grill

4. - Rotation axis

5. - Discs

6. - Hammers

7. - Hinged articulated joints

8. - Material to be fragmented

9. - Fragmentation anvil

10. - Blind tray

11. - Upper fragmentation grill

12. - Post-fragmented anvil

13. - Uncrushable evacuation hatch

14. - Grinding grid

15. - Upper outer casing

16. - Accumulation zone

I. - Angular region of material entry

II. - Angular fragmentation region

III. - Angular accumulation region

a.- Second angular subregion

p.- Third angular subregion

9.- First angular subregion

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen in the figures, the present invention consists of a fragmentation machine, a machine for fragmenting, or fragmenter, specially configured to fragment, into small pieces, scrap of metallic origin.

These types of devices are well known in the state of the art, most of them comprising common elements or means.

For example, in Figure 1 it can be seen that the fragmentation machine comprises a fragmentation chamber (1) which is where the material introduced through an inlet opening for the material to be fragmented (8) is fragmented, located on one side (right in Figure 1) of said fragmentation chamber (1).

Inside said fragmentation chamber (1) the fragmentation machine comprises a cutting rotor, which in turn comprises a rotation axis (4) and a plurality of discs (5) mounted on said rotation axis (4), arranged in parallel, forming a cylindrical structure. Each of said discs (5) is connected to hammers (6), which may be connected to one of its sides, or to two coinciding sides of two adjacent discs (5).

The connection between the hammers (6) and the discs (5) is articulated, with respect to the respective hinged articulated joints (7), which allow a slight rotation of the hammers (6), with respect to the discs (5), at a certain angle.

The hammers (6) have a first extreme part where there is a fixing point to the corresponding hinged articulated joint (7), and a second extreme part where the striking and cutting area of the material to be fragmented is located.

Below the cutting rotor there is a lower fragmentation grid, or a series of grids, (3), comprising a cylindrical shape complementary to the set formed by the rotor with the hammers (6). That is to say, the rotor with the hammers (6) are located in the cylindrical cavity formed by the lower fragmentation grid(s) (3).

The fragmentation machine also comprises a rotation drive means, connected to the rotation shaft (4), which rotates said rotation shaft (4), on itself, from the axis that defines its geometry, to transmit a rotation movement to the discs (5) of the cutting rotor. These discs (5) transmit their rotation movement to the hammers (6), inside the fragmentation chamber (1).

Next to the material to be fragmented inlet opening (8) of the fragmentation chamber (1), there is a fragmentation anvil (9) which basically consists of a stationary element, configured to receive an impact of material to be fragmented (8), struck by the hammers (6). In this way, the material to be fragmented (8), also called "scrap" in this specification, is introduced through the material to be fragmented inlet opening (8), being struck by the hammers (6), as they are rotating with respect to the axis of rotation (4), against the fragmentation anvil (9), generating a fragmentation of the material, which is expelled, by the effect of gravity and the impulse generated by the hammers (6), through the outlet holes, through the lower fragmentation grid (3).

The difference between the fragmentation machine described and those existing in the state of the art is that said fragmentation machine makes use of the entire surface or envelope of the cutting rotor to fragment the material, introduced through the material inlet opening of the fragmentation chamber (1), which makes it much more efficient, providing a much higher performance than that found until now.

For this purpose, the fragmentation machine comprises an accumulation zone (16) located inside the fragmentation chamber (1), above the cutting rotor. That is, just below the lower fragmentation grids (3), which comprise a cylindrical shape, with respect to the circular path made by the hammers (6).

In an upper part of said accumulation zone (16) the fragmentation machine also comprises an upper fragmentation grid (11), which in turn comprises a plurality of outlet holes through which the material to be fragmented (8) accumulated in the accumulation zone (16) can also be expelled, and which is struck by the hammers (6), in said zone.

This upper fragmentation grid (11) does not coincide with the cylindrical shape of the rotor, like the lower fragmentation grid (3), but is located at a sufficient distance to create the accumulation zone (16), which allows the accumulation of the material to be fragmented (8) of a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grid (3), and which, therefore, could not be expelled during the rotation of the cutting rotor.

This accumulation of material to be fragmented (8) in the accumulation zone (16) allows said material to be attacked and hit by the hammers (6) until it is fragmented to a specified size. In fact, given the high speed of rotation of the cutting rotor, the fragments of fragmented material can be expelled by the upper fragmentation grid (11), since they receive blows with a great force sufficient to lift them and expel them, without needing them to fall by their own weight.

In the event that there is material to be fragmented (8) that cannot be fragmented due to its hardness or morphology, the fragmentation machine has an evacuation hatch (13) for uncrushable material located in the accumulation area (16), which can be seen in figure 1. Said hatch can be operated to remove material of a size larger than the holes in the grids.

In fact, the evacuation hatch (13) is one of the elements that delimit the accumulation zone (16) from above. Specifically, the accumulation zone (16) is delimited, following the direction of rotation of the hammers (6) with respect to the axis of rotation, by said evacuation hatch (13), the upper fragmentation grid (11), and a blind tray (10), which is responsible for limiting the movement of the material to be fragmented (8) which is so large that it could not be expelled through the outlet holes of the fragmentation grids.

In addition to these elements located in the accumulation zone (16), one of the configurations that differentiates the present invention from those existing on the market is the arrangement of the upper shredding grid (11). More specifically, the upper shredding grid (11) comprises a substantially flat surface, although it could also comprise a substantially curved surface, such as a cylindrical surface. A first end edge of said upper shredding grid (11) is in contact with a first end edge of the blind tray (10). The second end edge of the upper shredding grid (11) is in contact with the edge of the evacuation hatch (13).

In order to understand the configuration of the upper shredding grid (11), it is necessary to analyse the shredding machine as if it were in its operating position and orientation. Thus, the first end edge of the upper grid (11) (which is in contact with a first end edge of the blind tray (10)) is located in a border region arranged at a height higher than the axis of rotation (4), with respect to the cross section of the horizontal direction of the axis of rotation (4). Said border region has a transverse width of 100 mm, and is centred with respect to the axis of rotation (4).

In this way, if for example the upper shredding grid (11) has a rectangular shape, the first extreme edge of the upper shredding grid (11) (which is in contact with a first extreme edge of the blind tray (10)), would preferably be vertically aligned with the centre of the axis of rotation (4) or in a space called "border region" which comprises a width of 100 mm and is centred with respect to the axis of rotation.

Not only the location of the upper shredding grid (11) is important for obtaining a good performance of the shredding machine, but also the amplitude it covers. To analyse this, the shredding chamber (1) of the shredding machine is divided into three angular regions (I, II, III), with respect to the axis of rotation (4), and with respect to a cross section to the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation (4). That is, with respect to the lateral perspective shown in figure 2.

The regions would be the angular region of material entry (I), where the entry opening is located to introduce the material to be fragmented (8) to the fragmentation chamber (1). The angular fragmentation region (II), where the lower fragmentation grid(s) (3) are located, and where the greatest impact of the plurality of hammers (6) against the material to be fragmented (8) occurs, and the angular accumulation region (III) where the accumulation zone (16) is located.

This angular accumulation region (III) comprises an angular cross section, which comprises an angle between 75° and 105°, although preferably it comprises a value of 90°, that is, approximately a quarter of the 360° determined by the axis of rotation (4).

In turn, the angular accumulation region (III) is divided into three angular subregions (a, 9, P), also with respect to the axis of rotation (4), and with respect to a cross section to the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation (4).

These three angular subregions would be the first angular subregion (9) delimited by the evacuation hatch (13) of uncrushable material, the second angular subregion (a) delimited by the upper fragmentation grid (11), and a third angular subregion (P) delimited by the blind tray (10).

In order for the efficiency of the shredding machine to be as high as possible, the second angular sub-region (a), which is the one delimited by the upper shredding grid (11), must be larger than any of the other sub-regions (P, 9). In addition, it must also be greater than 30°. This ensures that the material to be shredded (8), hit by the hammers (6), in the accumulation zone (16) can be ejected more easily by having a large output amplitude.

The upper shredding grid (11) comprises a flat surface inclined, with respect to a horizontal plane, at an angle between 20° and 45°, with the shredding machine in the operating position. That is, a position and orientation as shown in figure 2. This inclination is adapted to the angle of impact of the material by the hammers (6), in the accumulation zone (16).

In addition to the arrangement of the described components that delimit the accumulation zone (16), the fragmentation machine also comprises a post-fragmentation anvil (12) located in the accumulation zone (16), which improves the fragmentation performance in said zone, by absorbing the impacts of the material hit by the hammers (6).

In order to carry the material to be fragmented (8) to the fragmentation chamber (1), the fragmentation machine may comprise a feeding means (2) as shown in figure 1, comprising a conveyor belt, which moves said material to the material inlet opening.

On the other hand, and also as can be seen in figure 1, the fragmentation machine comprises an upper outer casing (15) located at a height above the upper fragmentation grid (11), outside the accumulation zone (16), the fragmentation machine being in the position and orientation of use. Said outer casing (15) prevents the fragmented material expelled through the plurality of outlet holes of said upper fragmentation grid (11) from being lost or dispersed, causing it to be directed towards the outlet zone.

Furthermore, the fragmentation machine also has a re-crushing grid (14) that allows the material to be fragmented, accumulated in the accumulation zone (16), to be directed towards the material to be fragmented inlet opening (8) of the fragmentation chamber (1), creating a recirculation of said material.

Claims (12)

1. Fragmentation machine comprising: - a fragmentation chamber (1) comprising an inlet opening for the material to be fragmented (8); - a lower fragmentation grid (3) comprising a plurality of outlet holes, located in a lower part of the fragmentation chamber (1); - a cutting rotor, located in an interior of the fragmentation chamber (1), comprising a rotation axis (4) and two or more discs (5) mounted on said rotation axis (4), the cutting rotor being in an upper part of the lower fragmentation grid (3); - a plurality of hammers (6), mounted on the outer perimeters of the two or more discs (5) of the cutting rotor, configured to strike the material to be fragmented (8); - a rotation drive means, connected to the rotation shaft (4), configured to transmit a rotation movement to the discs (5) of the cutting rotor; - at least one fragmentation anvil (9) comprising a stationary element, configured to receive an impact of material to be fragmented (8), struck by the hammers (6); characterized in that the fragmentation machine comprises: - an accumulation zone (16) located inside the fragmentation chamber (1), and above the cutting rotor; and - an upper fragmentation grid (11), located in an upper part of the accumulation zone (16), comprising a plurality of outlet holes through which the fragmentation material (8) accumulated in the accumulation zone (16) is expelled, by the impact of the hammers (6), in said zone; where the accumulation zone (16) is configured to accumulate a material to be fragmented (8) of a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grid (3), during the rotation of the cutting rotor, increasing an effective striking area; and where the upper fragmentation grid (11) comprises an inclined flat surface, an angle greater than 0° and less than 60°, with respect to a horizontal plane defined by a floor on which the fragmentation machine rests. 2. Fragmentation machine according to claim 1, wherein the upper fragmentation grid (11) comprises a flat surface, inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, an angle between 20 and 45°, the fragmentation machine being in the operating position. 3. Fragmentation machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising an evacuation hatch (13) for uncrushable material located in the accumulation zone (16). 4. Fragmentation machine, according to the preceding claim, wherein the accumulation zone (16) is located above the cutting rotor, and is delimited by: - a blind tray (10), which limits the accumulation of the material to be fragmented (8) comprising a size greater than the outlet holes of the lower fragmentation grid (3), during the rotation of the cutting rotor; - the upper fragmentation grid (11); and - the evacuation hatch (13) for uncrushable material. 5. Fragmentation machine according to the preceding claim, where: - the upper fragmentation grid (11) comprises a first end edge in contact with a first end edge of the blind tray (10); the fragmentation machine being in position and orientation for use: - said first extreme edge of the upper grill (11) is also located in a border region arranged at a height higher than the axis of rotation (4), with respect to the cross section of the horizontal direction of the axis of rotation (4); and - where said border region comprises a transverse width of 100 mm, and is centered with respect to the axis of rotation (4). 6. Fragmentation machine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, with the fragmentation machine in the operating position, the axis of rotation (4) of the cutting rotor is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction, where the two or more discs (5) comprise a joint arrangement with a cylindrical shape. 7. Fragmentation machine, according to the preceding claim, wherein the fragmentation chamber (1) of the fragmentation machine is divided into three angular regions (I, II, III), with respect to the axis of rotation (4), and with respect to a cross section to the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation (4): - an angular material inlet region (I), where the inlet opening is located for introducing the material to be fragmented (8) into an interior of the fragmentation chamber (1); - an angular fragmentation region (II) in which the lower fragmentation grid(s) (3) is located, where an initial impact of the plurality of hammers (6) against the material to be fragmented (8) occurs, expelling fragmented pieces through the outlet holes of said lower fragmentation grid(s) (3); - an angular accumulation region (III) where the accumulation zone (16) is located. 8. Fragmentation machine, according to the preceding claim, wherein the angular accumulation region (III) comprises an angular cross section, comprising an angle between 75° and 105°, preferably comprising a value of 90°. 9. Fragmentation machine according to any of claims 7 to 8, and claim 4, wherein the angular accumulation region (III) is divided into three angular subregions (a, 9, P), with respect to the axis of rotation (4), and with respect to a cross section to the horizontal direction of said axis of rotation (4): - a first angular sub-region (9) delimited by the evacuation hatch (13) of uncrushable material; - a second angular subregion (a) delimited by the upper fragmentation grid (11); and - a third angular sub-region (P) delimited by the blind tray (10); where the second angular subregion (a) is greater than any of the other subregions (P, 9); and where the second angular subregion (a) is greater than 30°. 10. Fragmentation machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising an upper outer casing (15) located at a height greater than the upper fragmentation grid (11), outside the accumulation zone (16), the fragmentation machine being in the position and orientation of use, where said outer casing (15) is configured to conduct the material to be fragmented (8) expelled through the plurality of outlet holes of said upper fragmentation grid (11), towards an outlet for fragmented material. 11. Fragmentation machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a re-crushing grid (14) comprising a plurality of holes configured to filter material to be fragmented (8) accumulated in the accumulation zone (16), by the impact of the hammers (6) towards the inlet opening of material to be fragmented (8), of the fragmentation chamber (1). 12. Fragmentation machine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fragmentation machine comprises at least one post-fragmentation anvil (12) located in the accumulation zone (16).