System with remote visual indication of output material size setting for a jaw-type rock crusher

1. A jaw rock crusher comprising:

a first jaw;

a pitman;

means to cyclically move the pitman along an eccentric path;

a toggle plate disposed adjacent said pitman on an opposite side from said first jaw;

a means for adjusting a location of said pitman so as to control a maximum size of material which is permitted to pass between said fixed jaw and said pitman;

a tension rod assembly coupled to said pitman and configured to create a force which is biased toward increasing contact between said pitman and said toggle plate;

said tension rod assembly comprising a spring which is displaced during operation of the means to cyclically move the pitman; and

an indicator disposed remotely with respect to a gap between said first jaw and a bottom portion of said pitman, said indicator configured to provide an indication of a separation distance between said first jaw and said bottom portion of said pitman, while simultaneously providing an indication of operation of the means to cyclically move the pitman.

2. A jaw crusher of claim 1 wherein said indicator comprises an elongated member coupled to a portion of said tension rod assembly which correspondingly moves in response to cyclical movement of the pitman during an operational phase of use of the jaw crusher when rocks are being crushed and adjustments to an output size setting are not being made.

3. A jaw crusher of claim 2 wherein said tension rod assembly comprises a hydraulically actuated member.

4. A jaw crusher of claim 3 wherein said tension rod assembly comprises a means to preload pressure on a compression spring.

5. A jaw crusher of claim 4 wherein said elongated member comprises graduated markings disposed thereon which indicate a separation distance between the first jaw and the pitman.

6. A jaw crusher of claim 1 wherein an elongated member comprises graduated markings disposed thereon which indicate a separation distance between the first jaw and the pitman.

7. A jaw crusher of claim 1 wherein said indicator comprises an elongated rigid member coupled to the tension rod assembly.

8. A jaw crusher of claim 7 wherein said elongated rigid member extends out a rear end of the tension rod assembly.

9. A jaw crusher comprising:

means for limiting a movement of a rock to be crushed;

means for crushing a rock by pressing the rock against said means for limiting;

an eccentric shaft coupled to said means for crushing, where rotation of said shaft results in motion of said means for crushing;

means for adjusting permissible motion of said means for crushing; and

means solely for remotely indicating a separation distance between a portion of said means for limiting and a portion of said means for crushing, wherein said means for remotely indicating provides a visual indication of an output material size setting which is determined by said means for adjusting;

and said means for remotely indicating comprising an elongated rod.

10. The jaw rock crusher of claim 9 wherein said means for remotely indicating further comprising:

said elongated rod having a free end which moves in unison with a portion of said means for crushing; and

wherein movement of said elongated rod results in relative movement between a series of graduated marks and an adjacent reference mark.

11. The jaw crusher of claim 9 wherein said elongated rod is a rigid elongated rod.

12. A method of crushing rock with a jaw crusher comprising the steps of:

providing a first jaw;

providing a pitman coupled to an eccentric shaft;

providing a toggle plate disposed adjacent to said pitman;

providing a means to limit a location of the toggle plate;

manipulating, from an output control location, the output material size setting of the material output between the first jaw and the pitman by manually actuating the means to limit movement of the toggle plate, while simultaneously viewing relative movement between graduated markings and a reference, from the output control location, on a visual indicator, which relative movement is representative of changes in a remotely located variable gap between the pitman and the first jaw.

13. A method of crushing rock of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

providing a tension device which comprises a spring and a hydraulic device to apply a pre-load to said spring.

14. A method of crushing rock of claim 12 further comprising the steps of automatically reducing a tension between said pitman and said toggle plate when manually actuating the means to limit movement of the toggle plate so as to move said pitman closer to said first jaw.

15. A method of crushing rock with a jaw crusher comprising the steps of:

providing a first jaw;

providing a pitman coupled to an eccentric shaft;

providing a toggle plate disposed adjacent to said pitman;

providing a means to limit a location of the toggle plate;

manipulating, from an output control location, the output material size setting of the material output between the first jaw and the pitman by actuating the means to limit movement of the toggle plate, while simultaneously viewing relative movement between graduated markings and a reference, from the output control location, on a visual indicator, which relative movement is representative of changes in a remotely located variable gap between the pitman and the first jaw.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said steps of simultaneously viewing relative movement between graduated markings and a reference comprises the step of viewing a protuberance extending beyond a rear end of a hydraulically preloaded spring.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said steps of simultaneously viewing relative movement between graduated markings and a reference comprises the step of viewing a translating elongated member coupled to a portion of a tension rod assembly.

18. A jaw rock crusher comprising:

a first jaw;

a pitman;

an eccentric shaft coupled to said pitman;

a toggle plate disposed adjacent said pitman on an opposite side from said first jaw;

a means for adjusting a location of said pitman so as to control a maximum size of material which is permitted to pass between said fixed jaw and said pitman;

a spring tension rod comprising a spring and a rod coupled to said pitman and configured to create a force which is biased toward increasing contact between said pitman and said toggle plate;

said spring tension rod having a hydraulic piston coupled thereto for pre-loading said spring, so that said force may be maintained at a predetermined level irrespective of a setting location of said pitman as determined by said means for adjusting;

said hydraulic piston having coupled thereto a path of hydraulic fluid to a source of hydraulic fluid at an adjustable pressure;

a pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid pressure characteristic which is indicative of a pressure in said path of hydraulic fluid;

a means for automatically releasing pressure in said path of hydraulic fluid in response to an initiation of an adjustment of said means for adjusting;

said means for automatically releasing pressure is responsive to an increase in hydraulic pressure which causes a manipulation of a location of said toggle plate;

wherein said means for automatically releasing pressure is a pressure-relieving device which is responsive to a high pressure in a line other than said path of hydraulic fluid;

a check valve in said line other than said path of hydraulic fluid, where said check valve applies a high pressure to manipulate a pilot to open check valve and flow diverting valve when said means for adjusting moves a wedge;

a pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid pressure characteristic which is indicative of a pressure in said path of hydraulic fluid and a source of variable pressure hydraulic fluid;

wherein said source of variable pressure hydraulic fluid comprises a pump and an electronic pump controller;

wherein said electronic pump controller is a microprocessor which commands pump activity in response to a measurement of said fluid pressure characteristic which measurement is below a predetermined lower limit;

wherein said microprocessor generates a signal which terminates rotation of said eccentric shaft in response to said measurement of said fluid pressure exceeding a predetermined upper limit; and

an indicator disposed remotely with respect to a gap between said first jaw and a bottom portion of said pitman, said indicator configured to provide an indication of a separation distance between said first jaw and said bottom portion of said pitman.