LU83917A1 - DEVICE FOR COUPLING A DRILLING ROD FROM THE CASTING HOLE OF A TANK OVEN TO THE WORKING TOOL OF A DRILLING MACHINE - Google Patents

Description

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The present invention relates to a device for coupling a drilling rod of the boring furnace to the working tool of a drilling machine. taphole from a shaft furnace to the working tool of a drilling machine for carrying out a method in which the closing and opening of the taphole respectively comprise a setting operation place and an operation for extracting the piercing rod, which is abandoned in the mass of the taphole between two successive castings and which consists of a block designed to be made integral with the working tool and which comprises a front receiving bore to receive the end of the piercing rod, as well as at least one jack for wedging the rod in this bore.

This relatively recent method of opening the taphole by means of a drill rod which is left in the taphole between two successive castings has aroused increasing interest at the expense of the conventional method of drilling tapholes using '' a drill bit. For more details concerning this process, and its advantages, as well as for the necessary equipment, reference may be made to Luxembourg patent No 82.943.

There are different systems for achieving the coupling between the piercing rod and the working tool. Most of these systems, however, involve manual operator intervention. Now such an intervention; Manual can only be done at the expense of personnel safety, since it constitutes an accident risk given the location in which it takes place.

To eliminate this drawback, European patent application No. 0018347 A1 proposes a coupling device of the type described in the preamble, which has the particularity of being automatic and able to be produced remotely, from a control station, i.e. without manual intervention.

fl This coupling device certainly presents “Ar? an advantage over the manual system, but it has been found that it still has two significant drawbacks. The first of these is the fact that this known device can only be used with drilling rods specially designed for this device. In fact, for this device to function, the piercing rod must have at the end which must enter the device, at a well-determined location, a notch into which a wedge of the coupling device penetrates under the actuator action. The second drawback is that the necessary presence of this notch increases the cost price of the drilling rods. This drawback is all the more serious as the consumption of drilling rods is relatively high, since they can only be used once.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate this drawback, in other words, to provide a device which is not reserved for. drilling rods specially designed for this and which allows a reduction in the cost price of the drilling rods.

To achieve this objective, the invention provides a coupling device of the type defined in the preamble which is essentially characterized by at least two movable jaws arranged, symmetrically around the axis of the receiving bore, in a fitted chamber. around said bore, made of a material harder than that of the drilling and displaceable rods, under the action of the jack (s) between a withdrawal position, in which the central space between the jaws is greater than diameter of the piercing rod and an advanced position in which the central spacing between the jaws is less than the diameter of the piercing rod.

According to a first embodiment, the jacks are inclined relative to the central axis of the device, so that their piston rods converge in the direction of the receiving bore, while the jaws are mounted directly on the ends of the piston rods.

The opposite walls of the chamber are, preferably, oblique, of the same inclination as the piston rods, γ> so that they serve as an apmii and guide to the jaws. .

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According to a first version of the first embodiment, each of the jaws is constituted by a block forming a body with the corresponding piston rod and comprising a transverse edge for biting into the piercing rod.

According to a second version, each jaw consists of a roller which can rotate in the end of the piston rod.

According to a second embodiment, each of the jaws 10 is constituted by a part which can pivot i under the action of the associated jack, on the rod of which it is articulated by means of a link. In this second embodiment, the jacks can be parallel or inclined relative to the axis of the receiving bore.

The cylinders are preferably pneumatic cylinders connected to the pressurized air of the percussion tool. The pneumatic action tends to move the jaws from their retracted position to an advanced position, while the pistons of the jacks are subjected to the action of springs, preferably helical, tending to cause the jaws to move in the opposite direction, that is to say towards their withdrawal position.

Other particularities and characteristics of some embodiments will emerge from the detailed description presented below, by way of illustration, with reference to the appended figures in which:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 schematically show a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention, these three figures being distinguished by different positions of the jaws;

FIG. 4 represents a view partially from behind and partially in vertical section at the level of the jaws of the embodiment illustrated by the figures: previous;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show different forms of execution of the jaws;

FIG. 8 shows a variant of the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 3, and

Figure 9 shows a vertical section of a second embodiment of a coupling device according to the invention.

5 In the various figures, the same reference numerals have been used to designate identical elements.

The first embodiment will first be described while referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 to 3. The device illustrated in these figures essentially comprises a block consisting of a compartment 10 reserved for the jack and a compartment 12 intended for the reception of 'a piercing rod whose end is shown in the figures and represented by the reference 14. This compartment 12 has 15 an axial opening or bore 16 arranged coaxially around the longitudinal axis O of the device and ensuring the penetration of the rod drilling 14 inside the compartment 12. To facilitate penetration of the drilling rod 14 through the bore 16, the front face of this compartment 12 is funnel-shaped, the wall of which is shown. by 18.

Inside the compartment 12 is a chamber 20 which, in fact, when the piercing rod 14 is fully inserted in the compartment 12 as shown in FIG. 1, is composed of two cavities arranged on either side of the rod 14 and in which evolve jaws 22 and 24 intended to grip the rod 14 (see also Figures 4 to 7).

As the figures show, the two outer walls 26 and 28 of the chamber 20 converge in the direction of the bore 16 and serve as a guide and support for the two jaws 22 and 24.

The compartment 10 is intended to be made integral with the working tool, not shown, of a machine 35 for drilling the tap hole. In the example shown, a central opening is shown by way of illustration | 30 to ensure this attachment which can be achieved by means known per se, such as, for example, a fastening • 'Tjg with key or bayonet, or even as shown - 5 - in the aforementioned European patent application 18.347.

This compartment 10 essentially comprises two jacks 32, 34 in which two pistons 36, 38 slide and whose rods 44, 46 are respectively secured, in a non-ri-gide manner, of the jaws 22, 24 in the compartment 12. The sealing around the pistons is provided by seals / known per se, represented by the references 40 and 42. The cylinders 32 and 34 are preferably pneumatic cylinders connected by pressurized air lines not shown, to the pneumatic circuit 10 of the percussion tool not shown. The pressurization of the jacks 32 and 34 causes the pistons 36 and 38 to move from the left to the right in the figures, that is to say that the jaws 22 and 24 move from the withdrawal position illustrated in the Figure 1 towards the 'attack position · illustrated in Figure 3 passing through the position according to Figure 2. To ensure the return - of the jaws 22 and 24 from the position of Figure 3, to the position of withdrawal from FIG. 1, helical-coil springs 48, 50 have been provided around the piston rods 44 and 46 in order to push the pistons 36 and 38 back to the position in FIG. 1 when the jacks 32 and 34 are ventilated.

It is essential that, in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the jacks 32 and 34 are arranged obliquely to the axis O, that is to say in the prolongation of the movement of the jaws 22 , 24 parallel to the walls 26 and 28 of the chamber 20. On the other hand, it is possible to provide for other modifications such as the replacement of the two jacks illustrated in the figures there. , 3, by a single jack which would then have a circular, annular and frustoconical shape.

We will now describe the operation of the device with reference to Figures 1 to 3, comprising a phase of extraction of the piercing rod 14. The device is first brought to the end of the piercing rod 14 35 that it abuts against the bottom wall of the chamber 20, as shown in the position of FIG. 1.

! In this position, the jaws 22 and 24 are not in contact with the rod 14. From this moment, the two JK jacks 32 and 34 are pressurized, which brings the jaws against the action of the springs 48, 50, up to

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an intermediate position according to Figure 2, in which they are in contact with the surface of the rod 14. From this moment, and while maintaining the pressure on the 5 cylinders 32 and 34, one can exert a traction on the rod 14 by moving the device to the left in the figures.

This displacement is in fact carried out using the percussion tool. Under the simultaneous action of pneumatic pressure on the jacks, and of the striker action associated with the traction exerted by the rod 1 ^ on the jaws 22 and 24, these move from FIG. 2 towards the position of FIG. 3, while slightly fitting into the peripheral layer of the rod 14.

There is therefore a self-tightening of the rod 14 between the jaws 22 and 24, self-tightening due to the oblique slide-15 of the jaws. This self-tightening ensures very reliable operation and prevents any sliding of the rod 14 outside the coupling device. For the device to function properly, it is necessary that the material of the two jaws 22 and 24 be harder than that of the rod 14 so that the phenomenon illustrated in FIG. 3 occurs and not the opposite.

To extract the piercing rod 14 after having disengaged it from the taphole, it suffices to ventilate the two jacks 32 and 34 to cause the jaws 22 and 24 to return to the position according to FIG. action of the springs 48, 50. If the action of the springs 48, 50 was not sufficient to cause the jaws 22 and 24 to return, it is possible to manually push the rod 14 inwardly to cause disengagement of the jaws or 'actuate the striker forwards' so that its vibrations release the rod.

- "30 To allow access to the jaws 22 and 24, in particular with a view to their replacement in the event of wear, the" a. " two compartments 10 and 12 must be able to be separated from each other. For this purpose, they are fixed together using bolts as shown at 52 in FIG. 4. -35 The internal edges 22a and 24a of the two jaws 22 and 24 must be sharp enough to be able to bite. in the piercing rod 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3. These edges 22a and 24a can, however, in the simplest embodiment, be straight as il-; - 7 - glossy in Figures 4and 7. However, it is preferable

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that these edges 22a and 24a have a shape allowing greater contact with the piercing rod 14. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate two examples of such variants. In FIG. 5, the edges 22a and 24a have a concave shape substantially complementary to the section of the rod 14.

FIG. 6 illustrates another variant according to which "the two edges 22a and 24a are in two convex parts, so that, for each edge, the contact between the jaws and the rod in the position according to FIG. 2 is established in two different places on either side of a 1 vertical axis of symmetry thus promoting self-centering.

In the variant of the embodiment described above and represented by FIG. 8, the two jaws 22 15 and 24 have been replaced by rollers 54 and 56 mounted rotatably at the end of the rods 44 and 46, those being designed in the form of a fork to facilitate the mounting of these rollers 54 and 56. The presence of these rollers 54 and 56 instead of the jaws 22 and 24 leaves greater freedom as regards the choice of the inclination walls 26 and 28. For the rest, the device is identical to that described above and also works in the same way.

In the second embodiment illustrated by FIG. 9, the essential elements are two pivoting jaws 66 and 68 mounted on pivots 70 and 72 in a chamber 64 arranged in the compartment 60 around the longitudinal axis O of the bore receiving rod 14.

In the compartment 62 which, as in the previous embodiment, is designed to be fixed on the working tool of the drilling machine, two cylinders 74 and 76 are provided. The pistons 78 and 80 of these cylinders are actuated from left to right in FIG. 9 by the action of compressed air and from right to left by the action of helical springs 82, 84 mounted around the piston rods 86, 88. The rods 86 and 88 enter the chamber 64 of the compartment 60 and the end of each J of the rods 86, 88 is articulated by means of a

Ch connecting rod 90, 92 on the corresponding pivoting jaw *.-8- 66, 68. It should be noted that in the dancing embodiment, the jacks 74 and 76 may be parallel to the axis 0.

The sliding of the pistons 78, 80 causes the jaws 66, 68 to pivot about their pivot 70, 72.

5 When the cylinders 74 and 76 are ventilated, that is to say that their springs 82 and 84 are completely relaxed and the pistons 78 and 80 are in the left corner in FIG. 9, the jaws 66 and 68 are separated and the difference between them is maximum. This is the position corresponding to that of Figure 1. /

When the jacks 74 and 76 are put under pressure, the jaws 66 and 68 pivot inwardly to come into contact with the rod 14 and the simultaneous action of; cylinders and traction on the rod 14 brings the jaws 4 15 and 66 into the position illustrated in FIG. 9 where these jaws bite into the rod 14. This is the position * which corresponds to that of FIG. 3 and which occurs upon removal of the piercing rod 14 from the tap hole. ‘

In this embodiment, t 20 also occurs a self-tightening of the piercing rod 14. The more * the traction on it will be strong, the more the jaws 66! and 68 penetrate into the peripheral surface of the rod 14. ·

In other words, there is no risk that the rod 14 will slip between the jaws 66 and 68 during the removal operation.

The release of the rod 14 after the extraction of the] taphole is carried out in the same way as in the i (previous embodiment. To prevent the jaws, ·, res 66, 68 pivoting into a perpendicular position 30 to the axis of the rod 14, in which it would be more difficult to disengage the rod 14, it is possible to design the front wall of the chamber 64 slightly inclined so that the extreme position of the jaws 66, 68 is limited approximately to a position corresponding to that of FIG. 9. The advantage of the two embodiments described: above compared with the state of the art is that the end of the rod 14 which is input by the ac-A— '' coupling device can be smooth and there is no need to do so.

- 9 - provide notches or grooves ^ to maintain the rod 14 in the coupling device. Another advantage is the possibility of using a rod 14 whose diameters can be variable. These variations in diameter can range up to fifteen millimeters.

It remains to be noted that the jaws 66 and 68 of the embodiment according to FIG. 9 can also have different shapes, in particular as described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 or even other shapes and that each jaw can be provided with two or more transverse edges.

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Claims (9)

1. Device for coupling a piercing rod (14) from the tap hole of a shaft furnace to the working tool 5 of a piercing machine for implementing a method according to which the closing and opening the taphole involves a positioning operation and an extraction operation of the piercing rod (14), which i is abandoned in the mass of the taphole between two successive castings and which is consisting of a block designed to be secured to the working tool and which comprises a front bore (16) for receiving to receive the end of the piercing rod (14), as well as at least one jack for wedging the rod (14) in this bore (16), 15 characterized by at least two movable jaws (22, 24), (54, 56), (66, 68) "arranged symmetrically around the axis ( 0) of the receiving bore (16), in a chamber. '(20, 64), arranged around said bore (16), made of a material harder than that of the drilling rods (14) and 20 displaceable ^ under the action of the jack (s) (32, 32) (74, 76) i enters a withdrawal position, in which the spacing; central between the jaws is greater than the diameter of the piercing rod (14) and an advanced position in which the central spacing between the jaws is less than; 25 diameter of the drill rod (14). 2. Device according to claim 1, charac-terized in that the jacks (32, 34) are inclined relative to the central axis (0) of the device so that their piston rods (44, 46) converge in direction of the receiving bore (16), while the jaws (22, 24), (54, 56) are mounted directly but not rigidly on the ends of the piston rods (44, 46). 3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the chamber (20) has oblique walls 35 of the same inclination as the piston rods (44, 46), so that its converging walls (26, 28) serve as ap-. . well and guide to the jaws (22, 24), (54, 56). 4. Device according to any one of re- II vendications 1 to 3, characterized in that each jaw '. · 4 "-liest constituted by a block (22, 24) carried by one end of the corresponding piston rod (44, 46) and comprising at least one transverse edge (22a, 24a) for biting the piercing rod (14). 5 5. - Device according to claim 4, charac terized in that the edges (22a, 24a) of the jaws (22, 24) are straight and orthogonal to the axis (0) of the bore (16). * 6. Device according to claim 4, charac-10 terized in that the edges (22a, 24a) of the jaws (22, 24) * are concave, with a curvature corresponding approximately to that of the piercing rod (14) or slightly larger. 7. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the edges (22a, 24a) of the jaws 15 (22, 24) has a fooae in "circumflex accent" with the two convex sides. "8. - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each jaw consists of a roller (54, 56) which can rotate in the end of the piston rod. corresponding (44, 46). 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the jaws is constituted by a part (66, 68) mounted on a pivot (70, 72) in said chamber (64) and able to pivot under the action of the jack 25 associated (74, 76), on the rod (86, 88) from which it is articulated by means of a link (90, 92). 10. Device according to claim 9, charac-. terized in that the jacks (74, 76) are parallel to the axis (0) of the receiving bore (16). 11. - Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the jacks (32, 34), (74, 76) are pneumatic jacks connected to pressurized air. 12. Device according to claim 11, carac-35 terized by helical springs (48, 50), (82, 84), mounted around the piston rods (44, 46), (86, 88), and whose action is opposite to the pneumatic action of air; under pressure. f] _____.