Abstract: A pretensioning cable assembly for a crusher in which the assembly is an anchor member having a tapered aperture, a cable having an end for being inserted into and through the tapered aperture of the anchor member, and an anchor wedge positioned on the end of the cable for securing the end of the cable in the tapered aperture, for assembly of a crusher.

Abstract: A scrap metal crusher includes a tapered chamber having a relatively large inlet at one end and a relatively small outlet at the opposite end of the chamber. A rotary crusher arm is axially mounted for rotation in the tapered chamber. A plurality of vanes are disposed along the inner surface of the tapered chamber, which vanes in cooperation with the rotary crusher arm convey scrap inserted into the inlet of the tapered chamber toward the outlet of the chamber while simultaneously crushing the scrap. A throat disposed adjacent the outlet of the chamber allows passage of crushed scrap therethrough to a discharge chute. The throat is automatically enlarged upon jamming of the crusher to permit any material causing the jamming to pass through the throat to the discharge chute.

Abstract: A shredding machine has a housing provided with an upwardly presented inlet, and in addition a rotor which revolves within the housing over an arcuate grate which is also in the housing. The rotor includes hammers, the tips of which describe a hammer circle that passes close to the arcuate grate. The hammers generate considerable windage as the rotor revolves, and to prevent this windage from being directed upwardly out of the inlet and thereby interfering with the flow of lightweight feed materials into and through the inlet, a deflector is mounted in the housing over the hammer circle, generally along that portion of the hammer circle that leads up to the top of the circle. The deflector directs the windage generally laterally across the inlet instead of upwardly out of it, and indeed causes much of the air to be drawn around and to a large measure discharged through the grate. As a result even light weight feed materials fall easily into the hammers.

Abstract: A machine for breaking frozen lumps of coal into smaller lumps includes a housing, a rotor which revolves within the housing and has teeth for engaging the coal, and a breaker plate which together with the rotor forms a converging space into which the rotor moves the coal to break up any frozen lumps. In addition, the machine has a baffle plate which at its lower end pivots on the housing and is inclined downwardly toward the rotor so as to direct large frozen lumps of coal into the teeth of the rotor, at least when the machine is configured to process frozen coal. With little effort, the machine may be converted to a by-pass configuration which permits unfrozen coal to pass through the housing without coming into contact with the rotor, and this of course reduces wear on the rotor.

Abstract: At a coal handling facility a reducing machine is mounted on a common carriage along with a by-pass chute, and this carriage is capable of moving either the reducing machine or the by-pass chute into a position directly beneath a receiving hopper. When the by-pass chute is directly below the hopper, coal passes through that chute without interference. However, during winter months when moisture has a tendency to freeze coal together into large lumps, the carriage is moved to bring the reducing machine directly beneath the receiving hopper. The reducing machine has a rotor which engages the large lumps of frozen coal and reduces them to a size more suitable for conveyors and other coal handling equipment. Thus, the coal passes through the reducing machine only when it is necessary to break the frozen coal into smaller lumps, and this in turn prolongs the life of the reducing machine.

Abstract: A ring hammer for a reducing machine includes an annular body and tooth projected radially from the annular body and arranged in two rows, with the teeth of the one row being spaced axially from the teeth of the other row and further being offset circumferentially from the teeth of the other row. A reinforcing ring extends around the annular body in the space between the two rows of teeth and is formed integral with the annular body and the teeth of the two rows. The reinforcing ring tapers downwardly to the side faces of the annular body in the spaces between successive teeth of each row so that the teeth possess greater depth at their outside faces than at their inside faces. The reinforcing ring strengthens the ring hammer and renders the teeth less susceptible to breakage.

Abstract: In a hammer mill or crusher for use in size reduction or even pulverizing rock, metals, or other materials, a rotating crusher and a contiguous surface are confined between opposing side walls and an inlet and discharge for the mill, with each side wall having supports designed for accommodating the arcuate formation of the crushing surface; a series of reversible grate bars span the distance between the side walls and associate at each end a structural shoe designed for stably positioning of each bar into the formed surface. Each grate bar and its end shoes are contoured on their sides to provide for their mating with adjacent bars and shoes when arranged into the crusher surface.

Abstract: A material reducing machine has a housing and a reversible rotor which revolves in the housing. On each side of the rotor the housing carries wear plates which pivot such that their lower ends will move inwardly, thus enabling the wear plate to serve as a deflecting vane for diverging windage away from the feed opening of the housing. Only the vane on the ascending side of the rotor is opened, the other being closed to serve as a wear and breaking surface against which the material is hurled. The grate beneath the rotor is in two sections with the juncture between the sections being directly below the axis of the rotor. At this juncture, the sections are provided with intermeshing teeth to prevent a gap from forming in the grate. The grate sections are supported on cages which pivot at their upper ends and are moved upwardly and downwardly at their lower ends by cams to adjust the spacing between the grate and rotor.

Abstract: The cage of a reducing machine is positioned within the machine housing below the rotor. One end of the cage is pivoted with respect to the machine housing, while the other end is suspended from chains which pass over sprockets so that when the sprockets are rotated the cage is either elevated or permitted to descend. Should the cage fail to descend under its own weight, a downwardly directed force is applied to it by pintle-type gears which mesh with gear segments on the cage. The rotation of the gears and the movement of the chains are synchronized.

Abstract: A shredding system for reducing automobiles and other large pieces of metal scrap to fragments includes a feed chute for receiving the scrap and a shredder to which the chute directs scrap. A track feeder is located above the chute for both crushing the scrap and for controlling the speed at which it is introduced into the shredder. The vertical position of the track feeder is adjusted by a hydraulic system which enables the track feeder to float on the scrap and exert a predetermined yet variable force, to raise or lower under command, or to remain in a fixed position. The shredder has a cutter bar with four cutting edges so that when one is no longer effective the bar can be turned to place another cutting edge opposite the paths of the hammers in the shredder. Also, the cutter bar is adjustable toward and away from the hammer paths to maintain optimum spacing. In addition, the bar can be moved longitudinally so that grooves worn in it are moved out of alignment with the hammer paths.

Abstract: The breaker plate of a coal crusher has holes therein so that coal small enough to pass through those holes does so without being acted upon by the rotor. This increases the capacity of the crusher, reduces fines, and conserves power. The plate is oriented such that windage generated by the rotor urges the smaller pieces of coal through the holes.