WO2014122615A1

WO2014122615A1 - Crushing tool

Info

Publication number: WO2014122615A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/058856
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matteo VACCARO
Original assignee: Vtn Europe SpA
Current assignee: Vtn Europe SpA
Priority date: 2013-02-08
Filing date: 2014-02-07
Publication date: 2014-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2015-08-08
Also published as: ITVR20130035A1

Abstract

A crushing tool, suitable to be fixed to a mobile arm of an operating machine, comprises a support (2), which can be fixed to the free end of the mobile arm, a first fixed jaw (3) removably- connected to the support (2) in a first coupling area (4) and in a second coupling area (5), a second mobile jaw (6) articulated to the fixed jaw (3) in a first axis (A) and removably connected, in a third coupling area (7), to a hydraulic cylinder (8) for the actuation of the second jaw (6), adapted to rotate the latter between an opening position and a closing position with respect to the first jaw (3). The third coupling area (7) comprises a connection element (13), provided with elements (15) for selectively hooking to a corresponding third seat (16) provided in the second jaw (6), wherein the selective hooking elements (15) comprise at least one hook (33) rotatably supported on the connection element (13).

Description

"CRUSHING TOOL"

Designated inventor: Matteo Vaccaro

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention regards a crushing tool.

More in detail, the present invention regards a tool of the two-jaw type for crushing structures such as building or industrial buildings or the like.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

In the operations of crushing industrial building structures, specific' tools mounted on machines provided with an articulated robotic arm are used. Such tools may be used both for the so-called primary crushing, which regards the actual demolition of the structure and the secondary crushing, aimed at recycling and grinding the material previously demolished in the primary step into finer parts.

More in detail, these tools generally comprise a support that can be fixed to the free end of the articulated mobile arm, and a pair of crushing jaws, hinged to each other, connected to the above- mentioned support in a removable manner, so as to be easily demounted or replaced when necessary.

Of the two jaws, a first jaw is mounted fixed with respect to the support, while the second jaw is mobile, i.e. articulated with respect to the first jaw and thus with respect to the support.

The connection between the aforementioned support and the crushing jaws is usually obtained at respective coupling areas, which are provided in a limited number to quicken the operations of removing and replacing the jaws.

In some of these tools, the coupling areas between the support and the jaws comprise holes or slots provided in the support and in the jaws, in which pins or pegs which mutually constrain the components are manually inserted.

In these tools, the jaw assembly, disassembly or replacement operations are rather long and tedious, and lead to long interruptions of the crushing machine work.

But above all, these operations are extremely hazardous for the operators, given that the manual removal of the aforementioned coupling pins or pegs may lead to risk situations due to the temporary detachment of the parts, which are obviously extremely heavy and cumbersome and they can move in an uncontrollable manner with respect to each other. In order to overcome both the problem regarding long interruptions of work and the problem regarding the safety of the operators tools like the one described, for example, in the European patent EP 1 571 265 have been recently developed.

The tool described in this document comprises a first and a second area for removably coupling of the jaw fixed to the support, one of which is provided with hydraulic actuated locking means, and thus no longer manually.

Furthermore, a third area for coupling the mobile jaw with the end of the stem of the hydraulic jack which actuates the tool is provided.

The first of the two areas for coupling the fixed jaw to the support comprises two first opposite open seats provided in the support, in which two respective first pins of the fixed jaw are intended to be inserted.

The second of the two areas for coupling the fixed jaw to the support also comprises two second seats provided in the support in a different area, into which two respective second pins of the fixed jaw are intended to be inserted.

The aforementioned locking means comprise two hydraulic actuated shutters which close the second seats provided in the support after the second pins of the fixed jaw are inserted thereinto. However, this does not overcome the problem regarding the coupling of the mobile aw to the hydraulic actuated jack, which still occurs manually by inserting a further pin into two closed seats of the mobile jaw and into a slot provided in the stem of the jack.

Thus, the problems regarding the long times of assembling and disassembling the tool and the injury risks the operator is exposed to during performance of such operations still remain to a given degree.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The technical task of the present invention is to improve the state of the art.

Within this technical task, an object of the present invention is to provide a crushing tool that is extremely simple and rapid to assemble and disassemble.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a crushing tool capable of eliminating the risk of injuring the operator during the assembly, disassembly and maintenance operations.

This task and these objects are attained by the crushing tool according to the attached claim 1.

The tool, suitable to be fixed to a mobile arm of an operating machine, comprises a support which can be fixed to the free end of the mobile arm, a first fixed jaw connected in a removable manner to the support in a first coupling area and in a second coupling area, and a second mobile jaw articulated to the fixed jaw in a first axis and connected in a removable manner, in a third coupling area, to a hydraulic cylinder for operating the second jaw in turn articulated to the support in a second axis. The second jaw is thus articulated with respect to the first jaw between an opening position and a closing position.

The aforementioned first coupling area comprises two first seats provided in the support, and two corresponding reliefs provided in the first jaw adapted to be inserted in the first seats.

The second coupling area comprises instead two second seats provided in the second jaw and two corresponding hydraulic actuated mobile elements associated to the support and selectively couplable to the second seats.

The third coupling area comprises a connection element, articulated to the support in a third axis and to the stem of the cylinder in a fourth axis, provided with means for selectively hooking to a corresponding third seat provided in said second j aw .

The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. The characteristics of the invention shall be better understood to those skilled in the art from the following description and the attached drawings, provided by way of non-limiting examples, wherein: figure 1 is a side view of the crushing tool according to the invention with the two jaws coupled to the support;

figure 2 is a side view of the crushing tool with the two jaws separated from the support;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool with the two jaws coupled to the support;

figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool with the two jaws separated from the support;

figure 5 is a further perspective view of the tool with the two jaws separated from the support, and with some parts removed for more clarity;

figure 6 is a perspective view of the support with some parts removed for more clarity;

figure 7 is a detailed section of the support at the second coupling area with the first jaw;

figure 8 is a detailed side view of the tool with some parts removed for more clarity.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the attached figure 1, a crushing tool according to the present invention is indicated in its entirety with 1.

The crushing tool 1 according to the present invention may be used, generally and without limitation, on operating machines provided with a mobile arm and suitable for the demolition of civil or industrial buildings, or even natural structures. In particular, the tool may be used for both primary and secondary crushing operations, in the sense clarified in the introduction of the present invention .

The dimensions and the proportions between the parts evincible from the attached drawings are purely indicative: actually, the tool 1 may be of any size and the dimensional proportions between the various parts may evidently be any, depending on the specific use requirements.

Even the materials for obtaining the tool 1 may be any, without any limitation to the objects of the present invention.

The tool 1 comprises a support, indicated in its entirety with 2, which can be fixed to the free end of the mobile arm of the operating machine.

The figures do not show the operating machine and the relative mobile arm for the sake of simplicity. However they are of the type per se known in the art and however they are not subject of the present invention.

The tool 1 comprises a first fixed jaw 3.

The first jaw 3 is removably connected to the support 2, so as to ^' be able to be disassembled and re-assembled for maintenance, replacement or any other reason.

More in detail, the first jaw 3 is removably connected to the support 2 in a first coupling area 4 and in a second coupling area 5.

The tool 1 further comprises a second mobile jaw 6, articulated to the first jaw 3 fixed in a first axis A.

The second mobile jaw 6 is also connected in a removable manner, in a third coupling area 7, to a hydraulic cylinder 8 for operating the second jaw 6. The hydraulic cylinder 8 is in turn articulated to the support 2 in a second axis B.

The second jaw 6 is mobile between an opening position and a closing position with respect to the first jaw 3, according to the usual operating methods of this type of tools.

The first area 4 for coupling the first jaw 3 to the support 2 comprises, more in particular, two first seats 9 provided in the support 2, and two corresponding reliefs 10 provided in the first jaw 3 and adapted to be inserted in the first seats 9.

The second area 5 for coupling the first jaw 3 to the support 2 instead comprises two second seats 11. provided in the second jaw 6 and two corresponding hydraulic actuated mobile elements 12 associated to the support 2 and selectively couplable to the aforementioned second seats 11.

According to an important aspect of the present invention, the third area 7 for coupling the second jaw 6 to the hydraulic cylinder 8 comprises a connection element 13.

The connection element 13 is articulated to the support 2 in a third axis C.

Furthermore, the connection element 13 is articulated to the stem 14 of the hydraulic cylinder 8 in a fourth axis D.

The connection element 13 is provided with means 15 for selectively hooking to a corresponding third seat 16 provided in the second jaw 6.

More in detail, the means 15 for selectively hooking to the third seat 16 are of the hydraulic actuated type.

As more observable hereinafter, the latter characteristic in particular allows to obtain the connection of the support to the jaws 3,6 without any manual intervention except for the simple accurate approaching of the parts to be joined through special adjustable and regulatable support abutments .

In other words, the operator designated for assembling, disassembling or replacing jaws 3,6 of the tool 1 according to the present invention shall not manually assemble or disassemble parts such as pins or the like, or maintain the tool or parts thereof in the correct position during assembly and disassembly .

This allows to eliminate the risks due to injuries in the execution of such operations, for example caused by the inadvertent movement or falling of parts of the tool during the connection thereof.

More in detail, the support 2 comprises a flanged portion 17 for connection to the mobile arm of the operating machine.

The main body 18 of the support 2 to which the jaws 3,6 are connected is rotatably coupled to the flanged portion 17.

The rotatable coupling between the main body 18 and the flanged portion 17 allows, in a per se known manner for this type of tools, to direct the jaws 3,6 at will with respect to the mobile arm of the operating machine, to perform the required operations in the best conditions.

The main body 18 of the support 2 comprises two opposite side walls 19, in which the aforementioned first seats 9 are obtained.

Furthermore, the side walls 19 support the mobile elements 12 of the second area 5 for coupling to the first jaw 3, which shall be described further in detail hereinafter.

The hydraulic cylinder 8 is housed between the. two side walls 19, and it is articulated thereto at the aforementioned second axis B.

This can be in particular observed in figure 6, where the support 2 is represented in detail with one of the protection casings of the side walls 19 removed for more clarity.

In the flanged portion 17 and in the main body 18 of the support 2 all hydraulic actuated members valves, conduits, fittings and others - required for the operation of the tool 1 are housed. Such actuating members are obviously hydraulically connected to special controls provided in the cabin for manoeuvring the operating machine and they shall not be described further in detail herein in that they are of the per se substantially known type and they do not constitute an object of the present invention .

The first jaw 3 and the second jaw 6 are both substantially box-shaped, and each of which bears respective teeth 20 along the crushing sides 21.

In particular, the first jaw 3 comprises two respective first parallel walls 22 joined by first bridge structures 23.

Each of the first parallel walls 22 define respective first extensions 24 in which the reliefs 10 facing each other are provided.

In addition each of the first parallel walls 22 defines respective second extensions 25 in which the second seats 11 of the second coupling area 5 are provided.

The second jaw 6 comprises two respective second parallel walls 26 joined by second bridge structures 27.

The second jaw 6 further comprises a rear plate 28, whose function shall be further clarified hereinafter .

The connection element 13 has a box-shaped structure defined by two opposite side plates 29.

Between the side plates 29 the selective hooking means 15 are housed.

The connection element 13 is substantially L-shaped. In particular, the connection element 13 comprises a long arm 30 and a short arm 31, which meet at a vertex 32.

The third axis C for articulation to the support 2 is provided in the free end of the long arm 30.

In addition, the fourth axis D for articulation to the hydraulic cylinder 8 is provided in the free end of the short arm 31.

The selective hooking means 15 comprise a hook 33 rotatably supported in the connection element 13 at a fifth axis E.

Such fifth axis E is substantially provided at the vertex 32 of the connection element 13.

The selective hooking means 15 further comprise a hydraulic actuated crank mechanism 34 associated to the hook 33.

The hydraulic actuated crank mechanism 34 is adapted to selectively rotate the hook 33 from an engagement position in the third seat 16 to a position of disengagement from the third seat 16, and vice versa .

The hydraulic actuated crank mechanism 34 comprises a hydraulic actuator 35 articulated to the connection element 13 at a sixth axis F.

Such sixth axis F is substantially provided at the centreline of the long arm 30 of the connection element 13.

Lastly, the hydraulic actuator 35 has the stem articulated to an extension 36 of the hook 33, at the seventh axis G.

Thus, the exit stroke of the stem of the hydraulic actuator 35 causes the rotation of the hook 33 from the engagement position in the third seat 16 - in particular illustrated in figure 8 - to the disengagement position from the third seat 16.

Vice versa, the return stroke of the stem of the hydraulic actuator 35 causes the rotation of the hook 33 from the disengagement position to the engagement position in the third seat 16.

In particular, the third seat 16 consists of a recess obtained in the rear plate 28 of the second j aw 6.

The third seat 16 is particularly observable in figure 5. The hook 33 is thus suitably shaped to abut in the recess of the third seat 16.

The hook 33 actually comprises two orthogonal surfaces 37 which are coupled stably and without clearance with the recess of the third seat 16.

The mobile elements 12 provided in the second coupling area 5 comprise a respective pin 38 moveable, along the axis thereof, between a position within the support 2 to an outer position projecting with respect to the support 2, in which it is engaged in the corresponding second seat 11 of the first jaw 3.

More in particular, as illustrated in figure 7, the pins 38 of the two mobile elements 12 are mounted coaxial and connected to the stems of a two-stem hydraulic actuator 39, associated to the support 2. In particular, the two-stem hydraulic actuator 39 is mounted in a respective housing 40 provided in the support 2.

The housing 40 is defined by a bushing structure fixed between the side walls 19 of the main body 18. The method of using the crushing tool 1 according to the present invention is entirely intuitive according to the description above.

In order to connect the jaws 3,6 to the support 2 the actuators 35,39, are actuated, at different times, in particular the double acting hydraulic actuator 39 is actuated so as to move the pins 38 to the inside position into the support 2, while the hydraulic actuator 35 is actuated so as to move the hook 33 to the position of disengagement from the third seat 16.

The actuators 35,39 may be associated to separate hydraulic actuated members or members suitable to simultaneously actuate the two actuators 35,39.

Then, the support 2 is approached - by simply actuating the mobile arm or with the help of the designated operator - to the jaws 3,6, so that the reliefs 10 are inserted into the first seats 9, the pins 38 are positioned at the second seats 11 and the hook 33 is positioned at the third seat 16.

At this point, the hydraulic actuators 35,39 are actuated so as to insert the pins 38 into the second seats 11 and the hook 33 into the third seat 16.

The connection is thus complete; the manual intervention of the operator is absent or minimal and such not to create risks of any type.

Thus, the results obtained in terms of injury prevention are evident.

Furthermore, the times required to perform the connection are extremely reduced with respect to those distinguishing the tools of the known type. These results are obtained through a simple construction structure and which is simple, safe and reliable to operate.

It has thus been observed how the invention attains the proposed objects.

The present invention has been described according to the preferred embodiments, however equivalent variants may be conceived without departing from the scope of protection provided by the claims that follow .

Claims

Crushing tool, suitable for being fixed to a mobile arm of an operating machine, comprising a fixable support

(2) to the free end of the mobile arm,

a first fixed jaw

(3) removably connected to said support (2) in a first coupling area

(4) and in a second coupling area

(5),

a second mobile jaw

(6) articulated to said fixed jaw (3) in a first axis (A) and removably connected, in a third coupling area

(7), to a hydraulic cylinder (8) for actuating said second jaw (6) ,

said hydraulic cylinder

(8) being articulated to said support (2) in a second axis (B) , and being suitable for rotating said second jaw (6) between an open position and a closed position with respect to said first jaw (3) ,

said first coupling area (4) comprising two first seats

(9) foreseen in said support (2) and two corresponding projections

(10) foreseen in said first jaw (3) suitable for inserting in said first seats ( 9) ,

said second coupling area (5) comprising two second seats

(11) foreseen in said second jaw (6) and two corresponding hydraulically-actuated mobile elements

(12) associated with said support (2) and able to be selectively coupled with said second seats (11),

said third coupling area (7) comprises a connection element

(13), articulated to said support (2) in a third axis (C) and to the stem

(14) of said cylinder (8) in a fourth axis (D), provided with selective hooking means (15) to a corresponding third seat (16) foreseen in said second jaw (6), said selective hooking means (15) being of the hydraulically-actuated type, characterised in that said selective hooking means (15) comprise at least one hook (33) rotatably supported in said connection element

(13) at a fifth axis (E) .

Crushing tool according to claim 1, wherein said selective hooking means (15) comprise a hydraulically-actuated crank mechanism (34) associated with said hook (33) and suitable for selectively rotating said hook (33) from an engaged position in said third seat (16) to a disengaged position from said third seat (16) and vice-versa .

Crushing tool according to the previous claim, wherein said hydraulically-actuated crank mechanism (34) comprises a hydraulic actuator (35) articulated to said connection element (13) at a sixth axis (F) , having the stem articulated to an extension (36) of said hook (33) at a seventh axis (G) .

Crushing tool according to one of the previous claims, wherein said third seat (16) consists of a recess provided in a rear plate (28) of said second jaw (6), at which said hook (33) is suitable for being received.

Crushing tool according to one of the previous claims, wherein said connection element (13) is substantially L-shaped with a long arm (30) and a short arm (31) that meet at a vertex (32) , said third axis (C) being foreseen in the free end of said long arm (30) , said fourth axis (D) being foreseen in the free end of said short arm (31) . Crushing tool according to the previous claim, wherein said fifth axis (E) is foreseen substantially at said vertex (32) of said connection element (13) .

Crushing tool according to one of the previous claims, wherein said connection element (13) has a box-like structure defined by two opposite side plates (29) between which said selective hooking means (15) are housed.

Crushing tool according to one of the previous claims, wherein said mobile elements (12) each comprise a respective pin (38) that is mobile, along its axis, between a position inside said support (2) to a position outside of and projecting with respect to said support - (2) in which it engages in the corresponding second seat (11) of said first jaw (3) .

Crushing tool according to the previous claim, wherein said pins (38) of said two mobile elements (12) are mounted coaxially and connected to the stems of a respective hydraulic actuator having a double stem (39) associated with said support (2) .