US1697259A - Metallurgical furnace - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1, 1929 R. J. BRIGGS METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet BY N Q. mm.

ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,259

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURGI CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTQR' ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929.

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURG I CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 1, 1929.

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURGI CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l ENTOR 3; %/M z fifl ya BY MW ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,259

A. J. BRIGGS METALLURG I CAL FURNACE Filed April 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wm ATTORNEY forth in the appended claims.

I Patented Jamjl,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. BRIGGS, 01 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, .A SSIGNOR TQ- ONONDAGA STEEL COM- PANY, ING, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.IETALLURGICAL FURNACE.

Application-filed April 21, 1928. Serial 110. 103,629.

This invention relates to metallurgical furnaces and more particularly to furnaces for the production of wrought iron. The invention aims to provide an improved metallurgical furnace and particularly an The electrical heating means, pre erably an electric arc, is relatively stationary andis so associated with the, heating or working chamber of the furnace as to permit free and unhampered rotationor oscillation of the furnace. The heating or working chamber of the furnace is substantially closed, while at the same time free movement of the electrodes into and out of this chamber is permitted without interfering with the rotation or oscillation of the chamber and without disturbin its substantially closed state.

The novel eatures of the invention which I believe to be patentable are definitely set The construction and mode of operation of an electric furnace embodying the invention, and particularly adapted for the productlon of wrought iron, will be understood from the following description .taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the furnace;

Fig. 2 is a section on the hne 22 of Fig.1; Y I

Figs. 3 and 4 are rear and front end elevations, respectively I Fig.' 5 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation, and I I F1 g. 6 is a detail of the electrode clamplng device.

The furnace illustrated in the accompanying drawings is generally of cylindrical configuration and is mounted on an appropriate foundation such as the columns 1 and .2: The furnace proper comprises a cylindrical steel drum 3 lined with magnesite or other suitable brick 4.

Each end of the drum 3 is surrounded by an annular track 5. The track 5, at the rear end of the furnace rests on double-flanged rollers 7, while the track :5, at the front end of the furnace, rests on plain rollers 6. The furnace maybe rotated or oscillated by any suitable motive power operatively connected to one or more of the rollers. In the furnace shown in the accompanying drawings, the rollers 7 are secured to shafts 22 and 23. An electric motor 19, mounted on the column 2, is operatively connected to the shafts 22 and 23 through appropriate speed reducing means, such as enclosed worm- gear drives 20 and 21. vThe electric controller (not shown in the drawings) for the motor 19 is preferably positioned at the front or control end ofthe furnace.

The cylindrical wall of the furnace has an opening 8 adapted to be closed by a mechanically operated door 9 lined with magnesite or other suitable brick 10. The door is adapted to be opened and closed by two bell crank levers 11. These levers are pivoted at 12 and are attached at one end to the door 9 and at the other end (14) are pivotally secured to racks 13. The racks 13 are operatively associated with pinions 15 mounted on a shaft 16. Theshaft 16 is adapted'to be driven by an electric motor 17 through appropriate reduction gearing. The motor 17 is mounted on the drum 3 and is electrically connected'to a suitable source of electric power through slip rings 18 carried on the rear end of the furnace structure. An appropriate controller (not shown in the drawings but preferably located at the control end of the furnace) is electrically associated with the motor 17 and by its proper mani ulation the motor may be operated in eit er direction, whereby the door 9 ma be opened or closed whether the fur nace e rotating or stationary.

An'arched I-beam support 24 is mounted on the column 1 at the front or control end of the furnace, and a similar support 24' is mounted on the column 2 at the rear end of the furnace.

The front end of the furnace has a circular opening 28 which is substantially closed by a brick-lined door or closure member 25. The door is provided with lugs 26 that rest on brackets 27 secured to the support 24. The door 25 is mounted in close proximity to the opening 28 in the end of the furnace and onl sufficient clearance is allowed betweent e door and the end of the furnace to permit free rotation of the furnace The door 25 has an opening that may be closed by a small door 48 attached to the support 24 by hinges 49.

The door 25 has 'a water-jacketed opening jects. The electrode 30 is suspended from a carriage 31 having rollers 32-travelling between the flanges of an I-beam 29.- The -tion of the furnace.

I-beam 29 is secured to the top or arch of the support 24. A pinion 39 is mounted on the carriage 31 and meshes -with a rack 40 on the lower side of the beam 29. A hand-wheel 38 is connected to the pinion 39 and by turning thehand-wheel one way or the other, the electrode 30 can be advanced into or withdrawn from the working chamber of the furnace.

The clamping device for suspending the electrode 30 from the carriage 31 is best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. A yoke 33 is attached to the carriage 31 and the electrode 30 rests in this yoke. The arms of the yoke 33 carry two inwardly projecting studs 34. The studs have tapered channels 35 in which a wedge 36 is operatively mounted. A clamp 37 is mounted on the wedge 36 between the inner ends of the studs 34. The clamp 37 engages the upper side of the electrode 30, and the further the wedge 36 is driven in the more' firmly is the electrode held between the yoke 33 and the clamp 37 The rear end of the furnace has a circular opening 28 closed by a brick-lined door "43 similar'in construction and arrangement to'the door 25. The door 43 is hung from the inner end of theI-beam 43 mounted at.

the top or arch of the support 24. A carbon electrode 41 extends through a waterjacketed opening in the door 43. The electrode 41 is carried in a yoke-45 suspended mounted on the support 24 and is opera-' tively connected through appropriate speed reduction gearing to a pinion 47 mounted on the carriage 44 and meshing with a rack 46 on the lower side of the beam 43. It will, of course, be understood that the handwheel arrangement may be used to manipulate the electrode 41 as well as the electrode 40. It is usually desirable, however, that all of the controls of the furnace be located within reach of a single operator, and to this end I provide the electric motor 42 and arrange the electric controller therefor at thefront or control end of the furnace.

The longitudinal axis of the electrodes 30 and 41 is positioned above the axis of rota- This relative relationship is made possible by the fact that the electrodes enter the heating or working chamber of the furnace through the stationary doors 25 and 43 and may therefore the furnace. Indeed, the axis of theelectrodes may be arranged an where 'within the area ofthe doors 25 an 43. This arrangement has the advantage of a source of heat located at a position more remote from tates, its highly heated walls distribute their heat more uniformly through the bath.

The furnace illustrated in the accompanying drawings is particularly adapted for the production of wrought iron by the improvements described and claimed in my companion application, Serial No. 103,630 filed April 21, 1926.

In general, the operation of the furnace is as follows. After the furnace has been brought to the desired temperature, it is turned so that the door 9 is on top. The door is then opened by the motor 17, preferably by a remote control at the front or control end of the furnace, and the charge of metal to be treated is introduced into the heating or working chamber, whereupon the door is closed by the motor 17. The furnace may then be rotated or oscillated by the motor 19, as the particular operation may require. The electrodes 30 and 41 may be manipulated as desired to vary and adjust the intensity of the electric arc and hence the degree of heating, and to interrupt or resume heating b stances require. Con itions within the furnace may be observed by opening the door 48, and, if desired, reagents may be introduced into the furnace through this door. Since the electric arc ,is produced near the upper wall or lining of the fu'rnace, this section of the furnace wall is intensely heated and this highly heated section of the wall may be rotated to a position beneath the bath where its heat is distributed throughout the charge. The furnace can be rotated or oscillated without interfering with the electrical heating, and similarly the electrical heating can be regulated in dethe are as circumthe charging or discharging operations. All I of the controls for "the proper operation of the furnace are preferably located at a common control station, such as at the frontend of the furnace; where all oper'ations of the furnace may then be conveniently efv .fected by a single operator. be positioned off the. center of rotation of The rotation or oscillation of the furnace keeps the molten char e in constant motion, and in my improved rnace this is effected without interfering with the desired heating of the furnace by the electric are. If desired, the interior of theheating chamber, may be provided Witha dividing wall or partitionover which the molten charge alternately flows from one side thereof to the other as the furnace oscillates. This re sults in a splash agitation of the molten bath and is a very effective method of mixin I l'claim: 1.A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted working chamber, co-opcrating electrodes projecting into said chamber from opposite sides thereof, the aligning axis of said electrodes being further removed from the. surface of the charge in the chamber than is the axis of rotation of the chamber, and means for rotating said chamber while the electrodes project therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto.

2. A metallurgical-furnace comprising a rotatably mounted working chamber having openings in the ends thereof, a relatively stationar door mounted in proximitylto each end 0 the chamber and adapted to substantially close said openings, each of, said doors having an opening through which an electrodeis adapted to be advanced into or withdrawn from said chamber, the aligning axis of said electrodes being further removed from the surface of the charge in the chamber'than is the axis of rotation-of the chamber, and means for rotating said chamber.

3. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted working chamber having openings in the ends thereof, a relatively stationary door mounted in' proximity to each end of the chamber and adapted to substantially close said openings, each of said doors having an opening through which an electrode is adapted" to be advanced into or withdrawn from said chamber, the aligning axis of said electrode being displaced with respect to the .axis of rotation of said chamber, means for rotating said chamber while the electrodes project therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto, and means for advancin the electrodes into and withdrawing t em from the chamber irrespective of whether the chamber *is rotating or stationary.v

4. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted heating chamber having ends provided with openings ofsubstantial area, stationary closure members positioned to close said openings and at the same time permit free rotation of the furnace, electrodes projecting through said stationary closure members into the interior of said heating chamber, the aligning axis of said electrodes being above the axis of rotation chamber rotatably mounted thereon and provided at its ends with substantially concentric openings of substantial area, stationary closure members mounted on supports on said base and positioned to close said openings while at'the same time permitting free rotation of the heating chamber, a pair of adjustably mounted electrodes projectingv one through-each of said closure members to produce an arc in the interior of the heating chamber, the axis of said electrodes being'positioned above the axis of rotation of the heating chamber, and means for rotating said chamber.

6. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted cylindrical heating cham ber provided with a door in its cylindrical surface and having ends provided with concentric openings of substantial area, stationar closure members positioned to close said openings while, at the same time permitting free rotation of the heating chamber, a pair of carbon electrodes projecting one through each of said closure members and adapted to produce an are within the heating chamber, the aligning axis of the electrodes being above the axis of rotation of'the heating chamber, travel ling carriages on which the electrodes are mounted, and means for moving said carriages for advancing the electrodes into and gvithdrawing them from the heating cham- 7. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted heating chamber, electrodes projecting into said chamber, from opposite sides thereof, travelling carriages on which the electrodes are mounted, means for moving said carriages for advancin the electrodes into and withdrawing them oin the heating chamber, and means for rotating said chamber while the electrodes project therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto.

8. A metallurgical furnace comprising a rotatably mounted heating chamber, cooperating electrodes projecting into said chamber, from oppoiste sides thereof, the aligning axis of said electrodes being displaced with respect to the axis of rotation of said chamber, travelling carriages on which the electrodes are mounted, means for moving said carriages for advancing the electrodes into and withdrawing them from the heating chamber irrespective of whether the chamber is rotating or stationary, and means for rotating said chamber while the elec trodes project therein ,and remain relatively oup of electrodes in electrical series pro-.-

]ecting into saidchamber, allof said electrodes being further removed from the surface of thecharge in the chamber than is the axis of rotation of the chamber, and means for'rotating said chamber while the electrodesproject therein and remain stationary with respect thereto.

11. A metallurgical furnace comprising a her, so that a substantially specification.

rotatably mounted heating chamber, a group'- of electrodes projecting into said chamber, said electrodes'being arranged in series electrically, -means for moving said grou of electrodes into and withdrawing them rom the heating chamber, means for rotating said chamber while the electrodes project therein and remain relatively stationary with respect thereto, all the 'members of said group of electrodes being positioned more remotely from the charge level of the furnace thanis the axis of rotation of the cham- I reater portion of the heat radiated from t e are between said electrodes is radiated to the upper regions of the furnace than is radiated directly to the charge.

In witness whereof I have signed this ARTHUR .J. BRIGGS.

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