Concrete Crusher Attachment

Overview

A concrete crusher attachment is an excavator-mounted tool combining jaw force and integrated rebar shears to reduce structural concrete into rubble suitable for recycling. Unlike passive grabs, it actively crushes aggregate and cuts reinforcing steel in one action. The tool is mounted via a quick-change coupler to an excavator stick or grapple bracket, making it portable across demolition sites. Working jaws span 200–300 mm wide and can close with 200–400 tonnes of force, sufficient to fracture 30–40 cm diameter reinforced concrete members.

How it works

The attachment's core is the Jaw Set & Cutting Edges. Two jaws, a Fixed Jaw bolted immovably to the Mounting Frame, and a Moving Jaw pivoted on a Jaw Articulation Pin, meet to crush concrete. Each jaw face has a row of tungsten-carbide Fixed Tooth Row and Moving Tooth Row teeth that bite into the concrete surface. When the excavator hydraulic system commands closure, a Hydraulic Closure System delivers oil to a Jaw Closure Cylinder, pushing the moving jaw closed. The jaw teeth penetrate the concrete and force apart the grain, fracturing it.

Embedded within the jaw cavity is the Embedded Rebar Cutter. Two hardened steel blades, the Upper Rebar Blade fixed to the moving jaw and the Lower Rebar Blade on the fixed jaw, form scissor-action shears with Rebar Cutting Edge interfaces. As the jaw closes, if a Upper Rebar Blade encounters a reinforcing bar or mesh, the blades slide past and shear the steel. The Blade Spring returns the upper blade upward when the jaw reopens.

Pilot flow control is managed by a Directional Control Valve receiving the operator joystick signal. The excavator pump pushes flow through the valve into the Jaw Closure Cylinder rod end. A Pressure Relief Valve cartridge limits peak pressure to 200–300 bar, protecting the jaw mechanism from shock loads and the excavator pump from stalling. The Cushion Unit metering valve slows jaw closure in the final 50–100 mm of stroke, preventing impact.

The 360° Rotator Gearbox is a separate hydraulic loop. A low-speed high-torque Rotator Motor powered by excavator pump pressure drives Rotator Gearing, reducing motor speed to 10–20 rpm at the output shaft. This allows the operator to rotate the entire attachment 360 degrees continuously without repositioning the excavator, enabling efficient grasping and crushing from various angles. The Rotator Bearing units support radial load as the attachment pivots, and Rotator Shaft Seal prevents hydraulic leakage.

Connection to the excavator is achieved through a Hydraulic Interface & Hoses pair. Two colour-coded hose paths enter the attachment: one supplying jaw control flow through a Jaw Hose Assembly, the other supplying rotation through a Rotator Hose Assembly. Both use flat-face ISO 7241 quick-disconnects, allowing the operator to couple or uncouple the attachment in seconds. A Pressure Test Gauge mounted on the jaw circuit lets the operator monitor load and prevent jaw stalling.

The Mounting Frame is the structural spine. Welded from ductile iron or ductile steel, the Base Plate and Side Rail form a rigid box, and Grapple Attachment Lug bosses bolt to the excavator coupler. All pins and bushings are high-tensile to withstand the shock loads of crushing, and the entire assembly is designed to tolerate repetitive impact without fatigue failure.

Wear is managed through replaceable tooth rows. The Fixed Tooth Row and Moving Tooth Row are bolted to the jaw faces and easily swapped in the field when tungsten carbide tips dull or break. Similarly, Rebar Cutting Edge inserts can be honed or replaced without unbolting the main jaw assembly.