EP2275764B1 - Device for positioning a material basket - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a guide rail system arranged in a charging opening. Two horizontally oriented guide rails (2, 3) act as a lateral guiding for a material basket. Stop parts (4a, 4b) are guided to the material basket along the guide rails. Deflection of the material basket opposite to the charging opening is prevented by locking devices (5a, 5b). The locking devices include two vertically arranged sleeve-like zones in which pins are arranged perpendicular to the material basket. A funnel receives the material basket that is arranged between the guide rail system and the charging opening. An independent claim is also included for a method for positioning a deflectable material basket in a charging opening of a furnace.

Description

The invention relates to a device for positioning a deflectable material basket at a feed opening of a melting furnace, a melting furnace having a shaft with a feed opening and a shaft slide for opening and closing the feed opening, a method for positioning a deflectable material basket and another method for feeding a melting furnace.

Various methods are known for filling a melting furnace with charge material to be melted. Often material baskets are used as transport facilities for the charging material, which are conveyed by means of a crane to a feed opening of the melting furnace. The charging material, which comprises, for example, in the case of a metal melting furnace predominantly scrap, but also additives and the like, is emptied into the feed opening and melted in the furnace.

When transporting a material basket from a loading station, in which an empty material basket is filled with charging material to the melting furnace, the material basket usually hangs freely on a crane rope. Due to the sideways movement and deceleration in the region of the feed opening, a deflection of the material basket occurs, which leads to a swinging or oscillation of the material basket. This makes it difficult to position the material basket correctly and quickly over the feed opening.

The German patent no. 560,041 already discloses a charging device for melting furnaces, which reduces a deflection, and consequently a swinging or a pendulum movement of a moving through a crane feed container or material basket. This is the raised hopper supported against the vehicle of the crane and virtually rigidly connected to this, so that a swing or commuting during transport can not occur. The thus fixed feed container is transported to emptying in this position. A change in the distance between the crane vehicle and the feed container is no longer so that the rails of the crane and / or the feed opening must be arranged in order to approach the feed container directly to the feed opening and to fill the batch can.

In practice, such a procedure is usually not possible. So it is usually necessary due to the local conditions to lift the basket of material by means of the crane to transport over a certain distance and then lower again. At least when lowering the basket of material hanging freely on the crane rope or on chains and it comes to a deflection that causes a swing or a pendulum motion. An uneven loading also leads to a skewed hanging of the material basket. A quick and at the same time exact positioning of the material basket is therefore still difficult. Finally, the emptying of the material basket leads to a deflection of the material basket, whereby enormous damage in the region of the feed opening and its periphery can be caused.

It is therefore an object of the invention to enable improved positioning of a deflectable material basket at a feed opening of a melting furnace.

• mindestens zwei horizontal ausgerichtete Leitplanken aufweist, welche als Seitenführung für den Materialkorb fungieren,
• mindestens einen Anschlag aufweist, bis zu dem der Materialkorb entlang der mindestens zwei Leitplanken führbar ist, und
• mindestens eine Arretiereinrichtung aufweist, mittels welcher eine Auslenkung des Materialkorbs an der Beschickungsöffnung verhinderbar ist.

The object is achieved by a device for positioning a deflectable material basket at a feed opening of a melting furnace, which comprises a arranged at the feed opening guard rail system, the

• has at least two horizontally oriented crash barriers, which act as a lateral guide for the material basket,
• has at least one stop, to which the material basket along the at least two guardrails is feasible, and
• Has at least one locking device by means of which a deflection of the material basket at the loading opening can be prevented.

The term "deflectable material basket" here describes that the material basket has a suspension that allows a horizontal deflection in at least two directions, preferably all directions. This includes, for example, a cable suspension, chain suspension, pendulum suspension and the like.

The guardrail system of the device according to the invention allows a particularly fast and uncomplicated start-up of a deflectable material basket to a relative to the crane arbitrarily arranged feed opening. The oscillation or oscillation of the material basket occurring when the material basket starts up is absorbed and stopped by the guard rail system. As a result, the downtime of the furnace is reduced, with up to about one minute of time per Chargiervorgang can be saved. This corresponds approximately to an increase in production of 3 to 5%.

In addition, the at least one locking device of the guard rail system reliably prevents a deflection of the material basket during the emptying of the charging material, so that damage to the loading opening or arranged in the region of the feed opening components through the material basket is omitted. In this case, the stop may be part of such a locking device or be arranged separately therefrom.

Positioning of the material basket is not only in the case in which the material basket is fixed horizontally in all directions immovably in the device, but also when the material basket remains horizontally movable in the locked position with a small clearance. In this case, a small clearance is understood to mean that the material basket can move horizontally in each direction by a maximum of up to 50 mm, in particular by a maximum of up to 30 mm, in the locked state in the device.

It has proven useful if the at least two crash barriers are arranged at a distance and at least partially parallel to one another in such a way that the material basket can be guided along the guard rails between them to the at least one stop. The at least two crash barriers bound the material basket in this embodiment on both sides, so that a lateral deflection is prevented.

The at least two guardrails may alternatively or in combination therewith be arranged at a distance from one another and at least in regions such that the material basket can be guided along the guardrails between the latter and at least one stop, wherein the distance between the guardrails is in the direction of the at least one stop reduced. This is particularly advantageous if a swing or pendulum movement of the material basket between the crash barriers to be slowed down.

It is particularly preferred in this case if, in a first section of the guard rail system, which first comes into contact with the material basket, the distance between the guard rails decreases in the direction of the at least one stop and in a - viewed in the direction of movement of the material basket - subsequent second gate of the guard rail system the crash barriers are arranged parallel or substantially parallel to one another.

The at least one stop of the guard rail system prevents further forward movement of the material basket, so that it is preferably restricted on two sides by crash barriers and on a third side by the stop in his freedom of movement.

The at least one locking device is advantageously designed such that components of the at least one locking device and the material basket are interlocking and / or intermeshing. The at least one locking device fixes the material basket on the crash barrier system such that its freedom of movement is also limited in the direction of a fourth side. A horizontal deflection of the material basket at the loading opening is no longer possible by snapping or meshing of the material basket in the at least one locking device.

Preferably, the at least one locking device comprises at least two vertically arranged sleeve-like zones, in which pins arranged perpendicular to the material basket can be introduced. For example, pins on the guard rail system and sleeve-like zones can also be located on the material basket, etc. Alternatively, however, other interlocking or interlocking systems, which are arranged on the material basket and on the device and operate according to a key-lock principle, can be used without problems ,

It has proven useful if the device further comprises a hopper for receiving the material basket, which is arranged between the guard rail system and the feed opening. In particular, the hopper should complete the load slow down the fall of the charging material and steer the case in the desired direction.

In particular, the funnel has a funnel flap on one side. This is preferably located on the side of the funnel, from which the material basket is approached. The hopper flap is preferably mechanically or hydraulically actuated. When approaching the material basket to the guard rail system, the funnel flap is opened and lowered at the same time, the material basket is inserted into the funnel and the funnel flap is closed again. This allows an arrangement of the bottom portion of the material basket within the hopper. This prevents parts of the load from being emptied next to them instead of into the melting furnace when the material basket is emptied.

If the funnel is carried out without a funnel flap, the funnel is preferably arranged or suspended between the loading opening and the guard rail system such that the material basket can be easily moved over the funnel, at least during the start-up procedure. Here, a height-adjustable funnel has proven itself.

A smelting furnace having a hopper with a feed opening and a shaft shifter for opening and closing the feed opening and equipped with the device according to the invention has proved to be particularly advantageous. In a preferred embodiment, the melting furnace is a metal melting furnace, in particular an electric arc furnace. The charging material used for a metal smelting furnace is predominantly scrap.

The device is preferably arranged on the melting furnace above the feed opening. In this case, the feed opening are vertically below the device so that the load can fall directly into it. Alternatively, however, the device can also be laterally offset above the feed opening, wherein the charging material is guided via a chute into the feed opening.

1. a) Anfahren des Materialkorbes mittels eines Krans an die mindestens zwei Leitplanken der Vorrichtung;
2. b) Verfahren des Materialkorbes mittels eines Krans entlang der mindestens zwei Leitplanken in Richtung des mindestens einen Anschlags bis zum Erreichen des mindestens einen Anschlags; und
3. c) Absenken des Materialkorbs mittels des Krans, wobei der Materialkorb mittels der mindestens einen Arretiereinrichtung gegenüber der Beschickungsöffnung arretiert wird.

Furthermore, a method for positioning a deflectable material basket has proven at a feed opening of a melting furnace, which is equipped with a device according to the invention, the method comprising the following steps:

1. a) starting the material basket by means of a crane to the at least two crash barriers of the device;
2. b) moving the material basket by means of a crane along the at least two crash barriers in the direction of the at least one stop until reaching the at least one stop; and
3. c) lowering the material basket by means of the crane, wherein the material basket is locked by means of the at least one locking device relative to the loading opening.

It is thereby made possible a particularly fast and precise positioning of the material basket with respect to the feed opening.

Preferably, in step a), the material basket is moved between the at least two crash barriers in the direction of the at least one stop. Alternatively, the guardrails could be arranged such that they support the material basket only on one side and lead. In this case, the material basket would not move between, but only along the crash barriers and lean against them.

Preferably, the material basket after step c) is still fully supported by the crane. This reliably prevents the material basket from detaching itself from the crane suspension and consequently can not be removed quickly after emptying.

1. a) Anfahren eines auslenkbaren Materialkorbes enthaltend Chargiergut mittels eines Krans an die mindestens zwei Leitplanken der Vorrichtung;
2. b) Verfahren des Materialkorbes mittels des Krans entlang der mindestens zwei Leitplanken in Richtung des mindestens einen Anschlags bis zum Erreichen des mindestens einen Anschlags;
3. c) Absenken des Materialkorbs mittels des Krans, wobei der Materialkorb mittels der mindestens einen Arretiereinrichtung gegenüber der Beschickungsöffnung arretiert wird;
4. d) Öffnen des Schachtschiebers; und
5. e) Öffnen mindestens einer Bodenklappe am Materialkorb unter Entleerung des Chargierguts in den Schacht.

Furthermore, a method for charging a furnace with charging material has proven, which has a shaft with a feed opening and a shaft slide for opening and closing the charging opening, and which is equipped with the device according to the invention, comprising the following steps:

1. a) starting a deflectable material basket containing charging by means of a crane to the at least two crash barriers of the device;
2. b) moving the material basket by means of the crane along the at least two crash barriers in the direction of the at least one stop until reaching the at least one stop;
3. c) lowering the material basket by means of the crane, wherein the material basket is locked by means of the at least one locking device relative to the loading opening;
4. d) opening the shaft slide; and
5. e) Opening at least one bottom flap on the material basket while emptying the load in the shaft.

The procedure of positioning the material basket opposite the feed opening before opening the shaft pusher saves time for the charging process and increases the production efficiency of the melting furnace.

Then the shaft slide is closed again and the empty material basket removed by means of the crane.

If necessary, the charging process can be repeated until the capacity of the melting furnace for the melt produced from the charge material is reached.

In the case that the melting furnace is a metal melting furnace in the form of an arc furnace, the energy input into the electric arc furnace is interrupted before opening the shaft slide.

The at least one bottom flap on the material basket is preferably actuated mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically. In this case, a bottom flap can be formed not only in the form of a continuous plate, but also with openings and / or subdivisions. Preferably, the material basket on a curved bottom portion which is formed by two laterally swing away bottom flaps.

FIG 1

eine Vorrichtung in dreidimensionaler Ansicht;

FIG 2

die Vorrichtung gemäß FIG 1 über einem Schacht- schieber in einer Explosionsdarstellung; und

FIG 3 bis 5

den Ablauf eines Verfahren zum Positionieren ei- nes Materialkorbs bzw. Beschicken eines Schmelz- ofens.

The FIGS. 1 to 5 should illustrate an embodiment of the invention by way of example. To show

FIG. 1

a device in three-dimensional view;

FIG. 2

the device according to FIG. 1 above a shaft slide in an exploded view; and

3 to 5

the sequence of a method for positioning a material basket or feeding a melting furnace.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1, which serves for positioning a deflectable material basket 100 over a feed opening 203 of a melting furnace 200 (see here Figures 2 and 3 ). The device 1 comprises a guard rail system, which here has two horizontally oriented guard rails 2, 3, which act as a lateral guide for the material basket 100, two stops 4a, 4b, to which the material basket 100 along the two guard rails 2, 3 can be performed and two locking means 5a, 5b, by means of which the material basket 100 can be locked relative to the loading opening 203. The device 1 here also has a funnel 6, which however is only optionally available. The hopper 6 has on one side a hopper flap 6a, which is movable by means of hydraulic lifting cylinders 7a, 7b and in the opened state allows the retraction into or extension of the material basket 100 from the device 1.

In the area of the funnel flap 6a, the crash barriers 2, 3 have sections 2b, 3b whose spacing decreases in the direction of the stops 4a, 4b. This facilitates the threading of the material basket 100 between the crash barriers 2, 3. Subsequently, the crash barriers 2, 3 further sections 2a, 3a, which run parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

FIG. 2 shows the device 1 according to FIG. 1 above a shaft pusher 202 in an exploded view. The shaft slide 202 covers a feed opening 203, which belongs to a melting furnace 200, not shown here for the sake of clarity (compare FIG FIG. 3 ). The shaft slide 202 may be hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically operable to open and close the feed opening 203.

The FIGS. 3 to 5 show in a side view the sequence of a method for positioning a deflectable material basket 100 over a feed opening 203 of a melting furnace 200 or for feeding the furnace 200, with a device 1 according to FIG. 1 Is provided. The device 1 is here above the feed opening 203, so that the material basket 100 retracted into the device 1 is located vertically above the feed opening 203.

The material basket 100 is transported by means of a crane 50 in the form of a overhead crane, which has a gantry crane 50a on a running rail system 60 with a trolley 50b, in the direction of the melting furnace 200 (see arrow). In this case, the material basket 100 hangs on a hook cross member 52, which is fastened to crane cables 51 and can be deflected horizontally in all directions, so that during transportation and emptying of the material basket 100, oscillation or pendulum movement of the material basket 100 can occur.

The material basket 100 has two bottom flaps 102a, 102b, which can be hydraulically opened and closed. In addition, two pins 101a, 101b are respectively arranged on each side of the material basket 100. The pins 101b, which first reach the device 1, are locked in the locking devices 5a, 5b of the device 1. The other two pins 101a are used, for example, when the material basket 100 is rotated by 180 degrees into the device 1.

The melting furnace 200 shown only schematically is located on a furnace platform 300 and has a shaft 201 with the charging opening 203 (see FIG. 2 ), which is closed with the shaft slide 202.

The material basket 100 is according to FIG. 3 moved by means of the crane 50 with open hopper flap 6a to the crash barriers 2, 3 of the device 1 and along the crash barriers 2, 3 between them in the direction of the stops 4a, 4b moves until the stops 4a, 4b reaches the device 1 and the movement of the Material basket 100 is stopped by this.

FIG. 4 shows the material basket 100 and the shaft pusher 202 according to FIG. 3 after retracting the material basket 100 in the Device 1. On the representation of the rest in FIG. 3 shown components has been omitted here for a better overview. These should still be available. The material basket 100 is retracted into the device 1 up to the stops 4a, 4b. The funnel flap 6a was closed behind the material basket 100 again. In the enlarged view, the area can be seen, in which the locking device 5b is located. The pin 101b of the material basket 100 is located above a sleeve-like zone of the locking device 5b, which is bounded on one side by the stopper 4b and on the other side by a stopper element 8. In the region of the locking device 5a, not visible here, another pin of the material basket is in the same position.

According to FIG. 5 The material basket 100 is then lowered by means of the crane 50 (see arrow above material basket 100). In this case, the material basket 100 is locked by means of the locking devices 5a, 5b above the charging opening 203 of the melting furnace 200. The pins 101b on the material basket 100 engage in the sleeve-like zones of the locking devices 5a, 5b, so that movement of the material basket 100 against the direction of retraction into the device 1 is prevented by the stopper element 8 of each locking device 5a, 5b.

The material basket 100 is now fixed by the guardrails 2, 3 and the locking devices 5a, 5b, in detail the stops 4a, 4b and the respective stopper element 8, in the horizontal direction against a deflection. The material basket 100 still depends completely on the crane 50, so that the crane ropes 51 remain taut and can not detach from the material basket 100.

Only then is the shaft slide 202 opened, which releases the charging opening 203 of the melting furnace 200. By opening the bottom flaps 102a, 102b (see arrows) falls the charging material, with which the material basket 100 has been loaded, through the funnel 6 of the device 1 into the charging opening 203 and through the shaft 201 into the melting furnace 200, where it is melted after closing the shaft slide 202.

During emptying, the material basket 100 is fixed and can not cause damage by swinging or hunting in the region of the feed opening 203 or other adjacent components of the melting furnace.

The emptied basket of material 100 can be removed with open or closed bottom flaps 102a, 102b by means of the crane either upwards out of the device 1 or alternatively after lifting into the position according to FIG FIG. 4 be extended by means of the crane 50 and opening the hopper flap 6a again from the device 1 until again the position according to FIG. 3 is reached.

The emptied material basket 100 can now be loaded again with charging material and the positioning process can be repeated.

It goes without saying that the in the FIGS. 3 to 5 represented material basket is only one possible example of such a basket. The shape, operation and suspension of the material basket can therefore be carried out differently, without departing from the basic idea of the invention. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art is readily able to adapt the arrangement and configuration of the device 1 to the respective melting furnace to be charged.

Claims (16)

1. Device (1) for positioning a deflectable material basket (100) at a charging opening (203) of a furnace (200), characterised in that the device (1) comprises a guide rail system disposed at the charging opening, which

   - comprises at least two horizontally oriented guide rails (2, 3) which act as a lateral guide for the material basket (100),

   - comprises at least one stop (4a, 4b), up to which the material basket (100) can be guided along the at least two guide rails (2, 3), and

   - comprises at least one locking facility (5a, 5b), by means of which a deflection of the material basket (100) in relation to the charging opening can be prevented.
2. Device according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the at least two guide rails (2, 3) are disposed spaced apart from one another and parallel to one another at least in sections in such a manner that the material basket (100) can be guided along and between the guide rails (2, 3) up to the at least one stop (4a, 4b).
3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that the at least two guide rails (2, 3) are disposed spaced apart from one another and at least in sections in such a manner that the material basket (100) can be guided along and between the guide rails (2, 3) up to the at least one stop (4a, 4b), whereby the spacing between the guide rails (2, 3) reduces in the direction of the stop (4a, 4b).
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that the at least one locking facility (5a, 5b) is designed in such a manner that components of the at least one locking facility (5a, 5b) and of the material basket (100) are interlocked and/or are intermeshed with one another.
5. Device according to claim 4,
   characterised in that the at least one locking facility (5a, 5b) comprises at least two perpendicularly disposed sleeve-like zones, into which can be introduced pins (101) disposed perpendicularly on the material basket (100).
6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in that the device (1) furthermore comprises a hopper (6) for receiving the material basket (100), which is disposed between the guide rail system and the charging opening (203).
7. Device according to claim 6,
   characterised in that the hopper (6) comprises a hopper flap (6a) on one side.
8. Device according to claim 7,
   characterised in that the hopper flap (6a) can be actuated mechanically or hydraulically.
9. Furnace (200) which comprises a shaft (201) having a charging opening (203) and a shaft gate (202) for opening and closing the charging opening (202), characterised in that the furnace (200) is equipped with a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8.
10. Furnace according to claim 9,
    characterised in that the furnace (200) is a metal smelting furnace, in particular an electric arc furnace.
11. Furnace according to claim 9 or claim 10,
    characterised in that the device (1) is fixed above the charging opening (203) on the furnace (200).
12. Method for positioning a deflectable material basket (100) at a charging opening of a furnace (200) which is equipped with a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the following steps:

    a) transporting the material basket (100) by means of a crane to the at least two guide rails (2, 3) of the device (1);

    b) transporting the material basket (100) by means of the crane along the at least two guide rails (2, 3) in the direction of the at least one stop (4a, 4b) until the at least one stop (4a, 4b) is reached; and

    c) lowering the material basket (100) by means of the crane, whereby the material basket (100) is locked in relation to the charging opening (203) by means of at least one locking facility (5a, 5b).
13. Method according to claim 12,
    characterised in that in step a) the material basket (100) is transported between the at least two guide rails (2, 3) in the direction of the at least one stop (4a, 4b).
14. Method according to claim 12 or claim 13,
    characterised in that after step c) the material basket (100) is still supported completely by the crane.
15. Method for charging a furnace according to one of claims 9 to 11 with charging material, comprising the following steps:

    a) transporting a deflectable material basket (100) containing charging material by means of a crane (50) to the at least two guide rails (2, 3) of the device (1);

    b) transporting the material basket (100) by means of the crane (50) along the at least two guide rails (2, 3) in the direction of the at least one stop (4a, 4b) until the at least one stop (4a, 4b) is reached;

    c) lowering the material basket (100) by means of the crane (50), whereby the material basket (100) is locked in relation to the charging opening (203) by means of the at least one locking facility (5a, 5b);

    d) opening the shaft gate (202); and

    e) opening at least one base flap (102a, 102b) on the material basket (100), thereby emptying the charging material into the shaft (201).
16. Method according to claim 15, characterised in that the at least one base flap (102a, 102b) on the material basket (100) is actuated mechanically or hydraulically.

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