Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C3/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts
  • C25C3/06—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of aluminium
  • C25C3/08—Cell construction, e.g. bottoms, walls, cathodes
  • C25C3/10—External supporting frames or structures
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
  • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
  • B66C1/10—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
  • B66C1/22—Rigid members, e.g. L-shaped members, with parts engaging the under surface of the loads; Crane hooks
  • B66C1/28—Duplicate, e.g. pivoted, members engaging the loads from two sides
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
  • B66C17/00—Overhead travelling cranes comprising one or more substantially horizontal girders the ends of which are directly supported by wheels or rollers running on tracks carried by spaced supports
  • B66C17/06—Overhead travelling cranes comprising one or more substantially horizontal girders the ends of which are directly supported by wheels or rollers running on tracks carried by spaced supports specially adapted for particular purposes, e.g. in foundries, forges; combined with auxiliary apparatus serving particular purposes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C3/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts
  • C25C3/06—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of aluminium
  • C25C3/08—Cell construction, e.g. bottoms, walls, cathodes
  • C25C3/12—Anodes
  • C25C3/125—Anodes based on carbon
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C3/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts
  • C25C3/06—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of aluminium
  • C25C3/16—Electric current supply devices, e.g. bus bars

Definitions

• the invention relates to aluminum production plants by igneous electrolysis according to the Hall-Héroult process. It relates more particularly to the handling equipment used in said factories for handling the anodes during their replacement in the electrolysis cells.
• Aluminum metal is produced industrially by igneous electrolysis, namely by electrolysis of alumina in solution in a bath of molten cryolite, called electrolyte bath, according to the well-known Hall-Héroult process.
• the electrolyte bath is contained in tanks, called “electrolysis cells", comprising a steel box, which is coated internally with refractory and / or insulating materials, and a cathode assembly located at the bottom of the tank, anodes typically carbonaceous material, are partially immersed in the electrolyte bath.
• the assembly formed by an electrolytic cell, its anodes and the electrolyte bath is called an electrolysis cell.
• the plants contain a large number of electrolysis cells arranged in line, in buildings called halls or electrolysis rooms, and connected electrically in series using connecting conductors, so as to optimize the ground occupation of the cells. factories.
• the cells are generally arranged to form two or more parallel lines that are electrically bonded together by end conductors.
• the electrolysis current thus cascades from one cell to the next.
• the cells comprise series of anodes each in the form of an anode block connected to a metal rod, called the anode rod.
• the rod generally has a rectangular section so that one of its faces can be held firmly in contact with an anode frame which extends over the entire length of the cell and brings the electrolysis current.
• an electrolysis plant requires interventions on the electrolysis cells, including, in particular, the replacement of spent anodes with new anodes, the removal of liquid metal from the cells and the removal or addition of electrolyte.
• lifting and handling units comprising an overhead traveling crane, which can be translated over and along the electrolysis cells and a trolley on which is fixed a service module comprising a suitable chassis to be fixed on said carriage and a handling unit and intervention comprising several tools, such as shovels, clamps and hoists.
• the tool for handling and moving loads such as anodes includes a gripper able to grip the load, called “handling gripper” or “anode gripper”.
• this clamp is placed close to the anode rod intended to be gripped, then closed on the rod so that the anode can be lifted, moved, then positioned or deposited at the anode. desired place.
• anodic drop As low as possible: an anode drop of 15 mV is translated by a significant loss of productivity of the tank, on the one hand by the reduction of the share of the electric power supplied which is actually devoted to the electrolysis, on the other hand by the lengthening of the duration of the revving of the anode.
• a first object according to the invention is a service module of a series of electrolysis cells for the manufacture of aluminum by igneous electrolysis, each cell comprising a series of anodes provided with a metal rod intended for fixing. and the electrical connection of the anodes to a metal anode frame, said service module comprising a frame adapted to be fixed on a mobile element, typically a carriage traveling on a mobile bridge, and at least one anode handling unit connected to said frame, characterized in that it also comprises, integral with said anode handling unit, an activator capable of exerting at least one force or impact on the anode rod, with an intensity such that, although the rod is firmly maintained in contact with the anode frame, the respective contact surfaces of the rod and the anode frame are displaced - AT -
• activator capable of exerting at least one force or shock means any means (fixed on the handling unit or integral thereof) provided for
• the intensity of the force or impact must therefore preferably be defined or verified - essentially by the observation of a low anodic drop, typically less than a value between 13 and 15 mV - on a case-by-case basis, by tests. prerequisites, on
• the anode frame is in the form of a section of rectangular section.
• the anode rod generally has a prismatic shape with a planar face intended to come into contact with the planar surface of the anode frame.
• said activator exerts at least one force, or emits at least one shock oriented (e) in a plane parallel to the plane of contact between the rod and the anode frame.
• said activator is driven by at least one actuator able to move it from a position where said activator is not in contact with the anode rod to a position where said activator is in contact, direct or indirect (that is to say, through intermediate parts), the anode rod, and / or able to make an opposite displacement. It may be more efficient to perform
• the actuator is arranged in such a way that the force applied on the rod, preferably oriented in a plane parallel to the contact plane, is not directed vertically, but horizontally. or obliquely, not pointing towards said contact surface.
• the service module preferably comprises a frame and a turret mounted on the frame so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis and equipped with said anode handling unit.
• the anode handling unit advantageously comprises at least one anode clamp mounted on an actuator, typically an articulated arm or a telescopic arm.
• said activator is integral with said anode clamp.
• the actuator of the clamp is used to also animate the activator. In other modalities, a different actuator is used.
• the force - or the shock or the series of shocks - makes it possible to generate one or more micro-displacements parallel to the surface of the contact between the rod and the anode frame so that the contact surface is stressed in shear.
• Such a relatively low energy is sufficient to generate, in particular when acting in shear, micro-displacements which level, locally crush some micro-roughness of the surfaces in contact and / or tear the low conductive oxide layers.
• the Applicant has found with surprise that this phenomenon occurs although the rod is also maintained strongly pressed against the anode frame by means of a connector such as that described in French patent FR 2884 833. This provides a better conformation surfaces and better electrical contact between the anode rod and the anode frame. D ⁇ s the case where, to improve the electrical contact, one chooses to exert a force of traction or thrust, the actuator is advantageously a hydraulic cylinder.
• a service module which also comprises, integral with said anode handling unit, a counter-support means which, with the aid of another actuator, is suitable to come into contact with the anode frame in the vicinity of the corresponding anode and to exert a reaction force opposing the force of said activator, so as to maintain the anode frame in place
• the actuator cylinder of the gripper is used which exerts a substantially vertical force upward and a vertical displacement cylinder is attached to the gripper body, the end of the rod of which comes into contact with the upper edge of the anode frame, to help it withstand the local stress associated with the rise of the clamp and transmitted through the stem through the contact rod / anode frame held tightly tight.
• said actuator different from the actuator of the anode clamp, comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder mounted integral with the handling unit of the anodes, preferably mounted integral with the turret, typically attached to the clamp body, so that the end of the jack rod can contact a neighboring anode, a protrusion attached to the anode frame, such as a hook for collecting the rod of a connector, or a positive rise located in the vicinity of the anode concerned,
• Said activator according to the invention may, instead of exerting a force, emit one or more shocks. It will be called striker in the first case and shock generator in the second case.
• said activator comprises at least one striker which follows a path in a plane parallel to the plane of contact between the anode rod and the anode frame.
• the firing pin is associated with an actuator which is preferably a jack, typically a pneumatic cylinder, raising said firing pin from a low position where the firing pin is in contact with the rod to a high position, the potential gravitational energy thus stored being used to realize the shock, or to contribute strongly to it (case of a striker launched).
• Said activator may be either a mass that would be dropped from a certain height, or a mass attached to the end of an articulated lever pivoting in a plane parallel to the plane of contact between the anode rod and the frame Anodic, the firing pin can simply fall under its own weight or be launched under the impulse of a second actuator, typically a pneumatic cylinder.
• the first and second actuators can be combined into a double-acting actuator, with equal impact energy, the launched striker advantageously has a reduced weight and bulk compared to an un-launched striker.
• the service module comprises a shock generator carried by the anode clamp and driven by the actuator of the anode clamp.
• Another object according to the invention is a handling gripper, intended to grip a rod attached to a load, typically the rod of a pre-baked anode for the manufacture of aluminum by igneous electrolysis, comprising: at least one movable grip, typically a jaw, having an open position adapted to form an opening, typically downwardly in use, into which the rod can be inserted, and a closed position adapted to retain the rod, - an actuating system, typically a jack associated with a set of rods, for moving the or each movable gripping member between the open and closed positions.
• c ⁇ r ⁇ ctérisé ⁇ in that it also comprises a shock generating device capable of producing shocks on said rod when said clamp is in contact with said rod.
• the clamp according to the invention thus comprises a shock generating device which generates shocks which are transmitted, directly or through other elements of the clamp, on the anode rod through a contact surface.
• Each of these shocks is oriented such that it causes a relative displacement between the anode rod and the anode frame.
• the shock generator Preferably, the shock generator generates shocks oriented in a direction parallel to a straight line in a vertical plane. passing through the electrical contact surface of the anode frame.
• Each impact is generated with a neighboring energy or slightly greater than a hammer "manual", typically between 100 and 250 joules.
• the anode rod which has a substantially square section, is presented vertically. In manual intervention, it makes a hammer stroke, in a more or less horizontal direction, on a face of the rod perpendicular to the face coming into contact with the anode frame.
• the shock generating device can be placed on the clamp so that it also generates shocks on one of the lateral faces of the rod. But, preferably, the device generates shocks in a direction substantially parallel to the axial direction of the rod.
• the device In a more specific embodiment for clamps which, like the anode clamp, grip the rod near its upper end, the device generates shocks on the rod in the vertical direction, downwards, on the upper face of the upper end of the stem.
• the anode rod has a substantially horizontal upper face and is provided with at least one connecting means, typically a bore
• the clamp is provided with a support piece intended to serve as limiting abutment the relative axial displacement of the rod in the opening of the clamp. It is also provided with at least one connecting means, typically a protruding finger, on at least one movable gripping member, typically a "jaw", adapted to cooperate with the corresponding connecting means of the rod.
• the gripping of the rod by the clamp is done in a succession of steps: a) positioning of the clamp, open position, above the anode rod; b) vertical descent of the clamp until the support piece comes into contact with the upper face of the rod; c) closing the clamp; d) mounting the clamp in the closed position: the connecting means of the gripping member comes into contact with the rod and drives it in the upward movement.
• the support piece and the connecting means of the movable gripping member could be designed such that they block any axial displacement of the rod in the clamp when the clamp is in the closed position.
• the movable gripping member, provided with its connecting means is designed such that it is not in contact with the rod when the upper face of the rod is in contact with the rod. support piece.
• each shock generated by the shock generator can be transmitted in full by the rod to the anodic rod-frame contact, without there being a dissipation of the energy of said shock in the gripping member.
• the support piece is provided with a bore so as to allow the passage of the movable part of an impactor, the latter being either the shock generator itself, or an intermediate piece transmitting said shocks.
• the shock generator can generate and transmit shocks directly on the rod.
• the clamp consists of two jaws and the location, located above the upper face of the rod and reserved for said shock generator corresponds to an area near the pivot axis or axes confined between the jaws when they are in the closed position.
• the clamp comprises, besides two jaws which open downwards by pivoting about a common axis (or two parallel parallel axes), an actuating system comprising two rods and an actuator, typically a jack, each connecting rod being connected by the first of its ends to a jaw and by the second end to a common actuating axis (or two parallel actuating axes integral),
• the shock generator is placed in the area below the pivot axis or axes, confined between the jaws of the clamp when in the closed position.
• this confined space is reserved for the implementation of a locking system, such as that described in French Patent FR 2 851 762, which makes it possible to block the clamp in the closed position when the stem is closed. found in low position.
• the shock generator is therefore placed outside the opening zone of the clamp confined between the jaws, above the axis (or axes) of pivoting of the jaws and above the rods of the actuating system. jaws.
• the shock generator can not be in direct contact with the rod and is made to act on one of the rods.
• Said rod is designed so that it comes into contact, directly or through a room intermediate, with the upper face of the rod when the upper face of the rod is in contact with the support piece,
• Said intermediate piece may be part of a locking system, such as that described in patent FR 2 851 762, which makes it possible to lock the jaws of the clamp in the closed position.
• a locking system such as that described in patent FR 2 851 762, which makes it possible to lock the jaws of the clamp in the closed position.
• the push member of the lock referenced 124 in the patent FR 2 851 762, whose lower face is in constant contact with the upper face of the rod and extend it upwards so that when said gripper comes into abutment on the rod, typically via the support piece, the upper face of the rod is brought into contact with the rod which undergoes and transmits the shocks.
• the actuator actuating the jaws of the clamp instead of being aligned with the vertical axis and acting on the common axis, as in FR 2 851 762, is shifted to make room for the shock generator and acts on the rod that is not in contact with the shock generator.
• the shock generator acts in a direction slightly inclined relative to the vertical and the upper edge of the rod subjected to shocks is advantageously oriented perpendicularly to this direction.
• the shock generator which will be called later “impact generator” or “impactor”, can be in the form of a piece of revolution, which we will call thereafter “active part”, capable to move in a cylindrical cavity.
• the active part has a dimension such that its mass is compatible with the energy of the shock that is to be dissipated (typically, for the anodes of aluminum production by igneous electrolysis, this energy must be between 100 and 250 J).
• the shock generator may be equipped with a spring capable of providing the force required for the acceleration of the active part (mechanical impactor).
• the return of the active part can be ensured by a pressure exerted for example by means of compressed air, able to oppose the spring force.
• the shock generator is a kind of pneumatic cylinder with double effect.
• the active part is a piston comprising a flat cylindrical body of large diameter, called shutter and, attached to the center of a face of the shutter, a movable cylindrical axial protrusion, called “striker", of smaller diameter to that of the shutter but high enough to give the end of the striker a certain impact resistance that it transmits.
• the diameter of the shutter is substantially close to that of the cylindrical cavity.
• the shutter is equipped on its periphery with seals and divides the cylindrical cavity into two distinct chambers.
• the chamber located on the shutter side is connected to an air tank.
• the volume of the tank is large compared to that of the chamber, typically more than 10 times greater, so that the air in the chamber and the tank is under a substantially constant pressure Pl.
• the chamber located on the side of the firing pin is connected to a source of compressed air at a pressure P2 greater than P1.
• the source of compressed air is the network of the compressed air plant and the reservoir is a receptacle which contains a gas under a pressure lower than the pressure of the network.
• the chamber located on the side of the striker is provided with a fast-exhaust valve, of large section, so that the air present in the chamber of the rod can pass suddenly from pressure P2 to atmospheric pressure.
• the pressure Pl greater than the atmospheric pressure, is adjusted so that the product of this pressure by the surface of the shutter is less than the product of the pressure P2 by the annular surface resulting from the difference between the surface of the shutter and the firing pin section.
• the active part is pushed back, the air of the chamber located on the shutter side being discharged into the reservoir.
• the quick-exhaust valve By opening the quick-exhaust valve, air is released from the chamber located on the side of the striker, which suddenly passes pressure P2 at atmospheric pressure and the air of the chamber located on the shutter side, under a PI pressure, exerts an accelerating force on the face of the shutter so that the active part acquires a kinetic energy that can be exploited to create an impact.
• the pressurized air reservoir P 1 and the quick exhaust valve can be moved away from the shock generating device, which can therefore be implanted in a confined space, which makes it possible to design a compact clamp,
• the stroke of the active part of the shock generator is defined in such a way that said active part has acquired the desired kinetic energy when the end of the striker comes into contact with the target (upper face of the rod, slice of the link) ,
• Another object of the invention is a lifting and handling unit comprising a traveling crane, which can for example be translated over and along the electrolysis cells, and a trolley equipped with several transmission members.
• handling and intervention such as shovels and hoists characterized in that it also comprises at least one load-handling member provided with a handling clamp as described above and intended for example to handle anodes for aluminum production by igneous electrolysis.
• FIG. 1 illustrates, front view and in section, a typical electrolysis room for the production of aluminum.
• FIG. 2 illustrates, in perspective, an anode clamp representative of the prior art, here provided with a locking system for the jaws as in French patent FR 2851 762,
• FIG. 3 schematically illustrates, seen from the side, the lower part of a first service module according to the invention, acting in the vicinity of the anode frame by exerting a vertical force upwards.
• FIG. 4 schematically illustrates, in front view, the lower part of a second service module according to the invention, acting in the vicinity of the anode frame by exerting on the middle rod an oblique force towards the left then an oblique force towards the right (or vice versa).
• FIG. 5 schematically illustrates, in front view, the lower part of a third service module according to the invention, acting in the vicinity of the anode frame by emitting a lateral impact on the rod.
• Figure 6 illustrates, in front view, a shock generating device.
• FIG. 7 is a front view of a gripper of a fourth service module according to the invention, provided with a shock generator device intended to be applied directly to the upper face of the anode rod.
• FIGS 8 and 9 illustrate, in front view, a clamp of a fifth service module according to the invention, provided with a shock generator device and a locking system of the jaws.
• Electrolysis plants for aluminum production include a liquid aluminum production zone that includes one or more electrolysis rooms (1).
• each electrolysis room (1 ) comprises electrolysis cells (2) and at least one lifting and handling unit, or "service machine", (6, 7, 8, 9, 10).
• the electrolysis cells (2) are normally arranged in rows or rows (typically side-by-side or head-to-head), each row or line typically having one or more hundreds of cells.
• the cells (2) comprise a series of anodes (3) provided with a metal rod (4) for fixing and electrically connecting the anodes to a metal anode frame (30).
• the anode rod (4) is typically of substantially rectangular or square section.
• the lifting and handling unit (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) is used to perform operations on the cells such as anode change or filling of the ground bath supply hoppers and AIF3 electrolysis cells. It can also be used to handle various loads, such as tank elements, pockets of liquid metal or anodes.
• Said unit (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) typically comprises a traveling crane (6), a carriage (7) adapted to move on the crane (6), and handling and intervention members (often so-called "tools") (8, 9, 10), such as a cab (8) for the operator, a scoop or crust (not shown), a breaker (not shown) or a handling member (9). ) equipped with a gripper or handling gripper (10). The latter is particularly intended for handling anodes (3), although it can also be used for handling other loads.
• the crane (6) rests and circulates on raceways (11, 12) arranged parallel to each other and to the main axis - and typically longitudinal - the hall (and the queue of cells). The crane (6) can thus be moved along the electrolysis room (1).
• the handling gripper of the prior art is intended to grip a rod (4) attached to a load (3) - typically a carbon block called “anode assembly" - which is provided with a bore (5).
• the clamp comprises, in addition to two jaws (100a, 100b) which open downwards by pivoting about a common axis (105), an actuating system comprising two links (114a, 114b) and a jack (112) each connecting rod being connected at one end to a jaw and at the second end to a common actuating shaft (113).
• the gripper further comprises a gripper body (109) and a fastening means (108). .
• the latter allows in particular to fix the clamp to the handling member (9). It also comprises a support piece (123) serving as an abutment limiting the relative axial displacement of the rod in the opening of the clamp.
• FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a service module, located in the vicinity of the anode frame (30), of a clamp (10) mounted on a vertical arm (15).
• the illustration, like that of Figures 4 and 5 is schematic in that at the time of replacement of the anode, the upper end of the stem of the new anode is much further from the anode frame than is drawn here.
• the clip (10) grips the rod (4), which is firmly pressed against the anode frame (30) with a connector (40).
• the activator (70) is the clamp itself which is actuated vertically upwards by the arm (15) and drives the rod (4), via the pawls (101a, 101b).
• a hydraulic cylinder (60) is mounted on the clamp body (109), so that its rod (61) ) can move vertically down.
• the end of the cylinder rod (61) has a tip (62) which comes into contact with the upper edge (31) of the anode frame, to help it to resist the local force generated by the arm and transmitted through the rod through the contact between the anode rod and the anode frame.
• FIG. 4 is a front view, in the lower part of a second service module according to the invention, of an anode clamp (10) acting in the vicinity of the anode frame (30) exerting an oblique force to the left then an oblique force to the right (or vice versa, according to the order of actuation of the actuators).
• the activator (80) is here again the clamp itself, or more precisely one of its jaws (100a) or (100b), which is actuated by the action of a hydraulic cylinder (230a, 230b) mounted secured to the clamp body
• the end of the rod (231a, 231b) of the hydraulic cylinder is illustrated schematically here. It is provided with a tip intended to bear on the hook (35a, 35b) integral with the anode frame (30) and intended to collect the rods (41a, 41b) of the connector (40a, 40b) of an anode neighbor (rods 4a, 4b).
• the relative displacement between the contact surfaces of the anode rod and the anode frame substantially results in rotation around a point in the middle of the contact surface. Only one jack could suffice, but the symmetrical configuration illustrated in this example makes it possible to minimize the magnitude of the displacements and to return easily to the initial position.
• FIG. 3o shows schematically, front view, the lower part of a third service module according to the invention acting in the vicinity of the anode frame by emitting a lateral shock on the rod.
• the activator is a striker (245) falling under its own weight, its trajectory being located in a plane parallel to the plane of contact between the anode rod and the anode frame (not shown).
• the actuator is a pneumatic cylinder (240) which, by raising the cylinder rod (242), raises the lever (244) on which is mounted said striker (245) of a low position where the striker is in contact with the rod to a high position, the gravitational potential energy thus stored being used to achieve the shock.
• the arm (244) is articulated around the fixed point (241) integral with the clamp body (109). suddenly lowering the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder (240), the striker (245), subjected to gravity, pivots the lever (244) and strikes one side of the rod (4).
• the pneumatic cylinder (240) is designed so that it can blow air through the cylinder rod, which accelerates the mass of the firing pin (245) at startup: it results in a contribution of energy that allows for a more intense impact. It is also possible to design a striker less heavy and less bulky, capable of transmitting a shock as intense as the firing pin (245) not launched. In this mode, the cylinder (240) has a dual effect, acting as a first actuator to raise the firing pin and as a second actuator to launch it to the rod.
• the service modules of the following examples are provided with an anode clamp (10, 10 ') equipped with a shock generator device (20, 20'), built on the principle of the double acting pneumatic jack, as illustrated. in Figure 6.
• the active part (21) is a piece of revolution, capable of moving in the cylindrical cavity (27) of a housing (22). It is a piston comprising a flat cylindrical body (210) of large diameter, called shutter and, attached to the center of a face of the shutter, a movable cylindrical axial protrusion (211), which we will call “striker”, of diameter less than that of the shutter but high enough to give the end of the striker a certain impact resistance that it transmits.
• the diameter of the shutter is substantially close to that of the cylindrical cavity of the housing.
• the shutter is equipped on its periphery with seals and divides the tube into two separate chambers.
• the chamber (23) located on the shutter side is connected via the opening (25) to an air reservoir (not shown).
• the volume of the reservoir is large relative to that of the chamber, typically more 10 times higher, so that the air in the chamber and the reservoir is under a substantially constant pressure Pl.
• the chamber (24) located on the side of the striker (211) is connected to the compressed air network of the plant via the conduit 26.
• the latter of large section, is provided with a quick exhaust valve (external to the device, not shown), which allows to cut the junction with the source of compressed air and to connect the interior of the chamber 24 with the outside, so that the air present in the chamber of the
• the side of the firing pin (211) can suddenly pass from the pressure of the compressed air network to the atmospheric pressure.
• the pressure P1 greater than the atmospheric pressure but lower than the pressure of the network, is adjusted so that the product of this pressure 0 by the surface of the shutter (210) is smaller than the product of the pressure P2 by the surface annular resulting from the difference between the surface of the shutter (210) and the firing pin section (211).
• the striker side chamber (24) is connected to the pressure source of the network, the active part (21) is pushed back, the air of the chamber (23) located on the shutter side being removed. in the tank.
• the clamp (10) of this example is intended to grip an anode rod (4) provided with a bore (5).
• the clamp comprises, in addition to two jaws (100a, TOOb) which open downwards by pivoting about a common axis (105), an actuating system (110) comprising two links (114a, 114b) and a jack (112), each rod being connected by the first of its ends to a jaw and the second end to a common actuating shaft (113), connected to the actuating rod (111) of the cylinder (112).
• the jaws have an open position which forms an opening into which the anode rod (4) can be inserted until its upper face (41) abuts against the support piece (123), and a closed position in which the latches (101a, 101b) of the jaws (100a, 100b) retain the rod,
• the actuating system (110) moves the jaws (100a, 100b) between the open and closed positions.
• the gripping of the rod (4) by the clamp (10) is done in a succession of steps: a) positioning of the clamp, open position, above the anode rod; b) vertical descent of the clamp until the support piece (123) comes into contact with the upper face (41) of the rod (4); c) closure of the clamp: the pawls (101a and 101b) are inserted inside the bore (5) of the rod. They have a length such that they do not touch said bore when the support piece (123) is in contact with the upper face (41) of the rod. d) mounting the clamp in closed position: the latches (101 a and 101b) come into contact with the wall of the bore (5) and drive the rod in the upward movement of the clamp.
• the clamp (10) also includes a device (20) which generates shocks when the bearing face (123) is in contact with the upper face (41) of the rod.
• the device (20) generates shocks in a direction substantially parallel to the axial direction (49) of the shank (4), downwardly on the upper face (41) of the upper end (40) of the shank.
• the bearing piece (123) is provided with a bore (1230) which allows the movable part (211) of the impactor (20) to move to reach the upper face (41) of the rod. anode.
• the impactor (20) is placed in the area below the pivot axis (105) of the jaws (100a 100b). The dimensions of the shock generator must be adapted to those of this zone, which is confined between the jaws of the clamp.
• the clamp (10 ') of Example 2 is also intended to grip an anode rod (4) provided with a bore (5).
• the clamp comprises, in addition to two jaws 0 (100'a, 100'b) which open downwards by pivoting about a common axis (105 '), an actuating system (HO') having two links (114'a, 114'b) and a cylinder (112 '), each connecting rod being connected by the first of its ends to a jaw and the second end to a common actuating shaft (113 '), connected to the actuating rod (HT) of the cylinder 5 (112 ").
• the jaws have an open position which forms an opening in which the rod (4) of the anode can be inserted until its upper face (41) abuts against the piece of support 30 (123 '), and a closed position in which the latches (10Ta, 10Tb) of the jaws (100'a, 100'b) hold the rod.
• the actuating system (110 ') allows to move the jaws (100'a 1 OO'b) between the open and closed positions.
• the latches (101 'a and 101' b) fit inside the bore (5) of the rod. They have a length such that they do not touch said bore when the support piece (123 ') is in contact with the upper face (41) of the rod.
• the clamp (10 ') also comprises a device (20') which generates shocks when the support piece (123 ') is in contact with the upper face (41) of the rod (4).
• the device (20 ') generates shocks in the vertical downward direction on the upper face (41) of the upper end (40) of the rod (4). It is placed here outside the opening zone of the clamp confined between the jaws, above the axis (105 ') of pivoting of the jaws and above the rods (114'a, 114'b) of the actuating system (1 10 ') of the jaws.
• the shock generator can not be in direct contact with the rod and is made to act, by means of the striker (211 '), on the rod (1 14'b) which is designed so that it comes into contact via an intermediate piece (124), with the upper face (41) of the rod when the clamp is in the closed position.
• Said intermediate piece is here the push member (124) of the lock described in patent FR 2851 762, which makes it possible to lock the jaws of the clamp in the closed position.
• the clamp When the clamp reaches the vicinity of the anode rod to grasp it, it is the lower face (1242) of this thrust member which comes into contact with the upper face (41) of the rod.
• the pushing member is here extended upwards so that its upper face (1241) is brought into contact, when the clamp is in the closed position, with a protuberance (1142) formed on the lower edge of the link (114 ' (b) who suffers and transmits shocks.
• the cylinder (112 ') is not aligned on the vertical axis but shifted, so that the shock generator (20') can be placed next to it, approximately at the same h ⁇ uteur, It acts on the rod (114'a) which is not subject to the impact of the firing pin (211 ').
• the shock generator acts in a direction slightly inclined relative to the vertical and the upper edge (1141) of the rod (1 14'b) subjected to shocks is advantageously oriented perpendicularly to this direction.

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• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
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• Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
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• 2007
  • 2007-03-23 FR FR0702143A patent/FR2913985B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-03-19 EP EP08787817A patent/EP2132363A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-03-19 CN CN2008800068308A patent/CN101627149B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-03-19 ZA ZA200905129A patent/ZA200905129B/xx unknown
  • 2008-03-19 US US12/522,553 patent/US8066856B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-03-19 CA CA002674261A patent/CA2674261A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-03-19 WO PCT/FR2008/000364 patent/WO2008135653A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2008-03-19 RU RU2009125237/02A patent/RU2009125237A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2008-03-19 AU AU2008248533A patent/AU2008248533A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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