Abstract: A chip destructuring and fissuring machine for destructuring wood chips or the like. The chip destructuring machine includes a support frame and two swing assemblies that provide parallel side-by-side squeeze rollers are swing-mounted on the frame to swing the rollers toward about a swing axis and away from one another between active and inactive positions. A drive motor having a drive shaft with a rotational axis aligned with the swing axis is mounted to the support frame, and drive assemblies couple the drive shaft to the rollers for rotating the rollers in opposite directions at the same rotational speed. Co-acting stops are mounted on the swing assemblies and are positioned to define a spacing between the rollers when they are in the active position for squeezing and destructuring of the chips. A biasing mechanism yieldingly urges the rollers toward one another into the active position.

Abstract: The anvil rotor on a wood chip slicing machine is connected to its drive shaft via shear pins which extend into the hub of the rotor from a coupling which is mounted on the shaft. The coupling provides bearings for rotation of the rotor hub thereon when the shear pins are sheared as a consequence of an overload or load shock condition. The overload protection mechanism is applicable to other machines.

Abstract: An impeller is disclosed for use in a centrifugal impact rock crusher. The crusher includes a cylindrical housing and an impact surface positioned radially around the housing interior. The impeller, which is mounted for concentric rotation within the housing, includes upper and lower cover plates, a landing surface being carried upon the lower plate and an opening being formed in the upper plate for directing rock into the impeller. A cylindrical sidewall connects the cover plates and has a plurality of exit openings formed equally spaced around the sidewall. Rotation of the impeller causes a portion of the rock to be crushed to be retained with the impeller by lips and baffles mounted therein, the retained rock forming accumulations having relatively well-defined faces.

Abstract: A centrifugal rock crusher that is convertible from a type utilizing anvils to a type utilizing a rock bed to define the impact surface includes a housing having upper and lower cylindrical portions, the upper portion being of a greater diameter than the lower portion, and a circular horizontal shelf ring connecting the upper and lower portions. An impeller disposed for rotation concentrically within the housing receives rock to be crushed and throws the rock outwardly into the upper housing portion. Anvils may be positioned along the shelf ring to define the impact surface and receive the thrown rock. Alternatively, the anvils may be removed and an insert may be provided that includes a circular horizontal shelf extension ring having an outer diameter equal to the diameter of the lower housing portion.

Abstract: An improved impeller assembly for use in a centrifugal impact rock crusher is provided in which rock to be crushed is directed to the impeller interior. The impeller assembly is rotated within the crusher housing and throws the rock against an impact surface positioned radially around the housing interior. The impeller assembly includes generally circular upper and lower plates, the upper plate having a concentric circular opening for receiving rock into the impeller interior. A cylindrical side wall connects the upper and lower plates and has defined therein a plurality of exit openings equally spaced along the wall through which rock to be crushed is thrown. Each of the openings has upper, lower and two side edges, with the upper and lower edges being remote from the upper and lower plates, respectively. A portion of the incoming rock material is trapped as accumulations within the impeller interior.

Abstract: An improved feed arrangement is provided for use in a centrifugal impact rock crusher that includes a housing with a housing cover attached thereto having a circular housing feed opening defined therein concentric with a central axis. An impeller is rotated concentrically with the axis to throw rock received within the impeller against an impact surface within the housing to crush the rock. An impeller cover includes a circular impeller feed opening concentric with the axis and of a diameter substantially equal to that of the housing feed opening. The feed arrangement includes a hopper with a circular exit opening of a diameter substantially equal to that of the housing and impeller feed openings. The hopper is supported above the housing cover, and a cylindrical feed tube extends from within the hopper, through the exit opening and the housing feed opening and into the impeller feed opening. The feed tube is of a diameter slightly less than the openings through which it passes.