US2179608A - Coke-oven door operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1939. R. BERG ET AL 2.179508 COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM I Filed May 6, 1937 4 Sheetsheet l INVENTORS. P/qG/YAE BERG, and ROSE/QT LV. CR/SZ' ATTORNEY.

Nov. 14, 1939. R. BERG ET AL OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM COKE Filed May 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTORS. RAG/VAR 55x26, and ROBERT M CIR/$7.-

; 3 462/ a ent/1) may X ATTORNEY.

Nov. M, 1939. R. BERG ET AL 2,179,608

COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. RAG/VAR BERG-,and ROBERT W CRIST.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 14, 1939. .R. BEKQG ET AL 2,179.608

COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. RAG/Y/JR BERQ ROBERT W CRIST.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 2,179,608 COKE-OVEN noon OPERATING MECHANISM Ragnar Berg, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Robert W.,

Grist, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Koppel-a Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 5, 1937, Serial No. 140,980

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to the latching devices that are employed to support and hold coke oven doors in sealed position in the mouths of coking retort chambers and is more specifically concerned with an improved means for actuating such latching devices from a source of mechanical power.

The invention includes among its objects the provision of a practical apparatus, for the stated purpose, that is adapted for incorporation in the structure of the oven door machine so that both the door-hook and the latch-operating apparatus can be placed in operating position in front of the oven door simultaneously, thereby reducing the time from that which would otherwise be required to remove and replace the doors in closed and sealed position were the latchoperating device and the door-hook mounted on individual supporting structures. Another object of the present invention is to I provide an apparatus for operating coke oven door latches, that has as an important feature thereof means whereby it can automatically make compensatory adjustments within itself that will enable it to give satisfactory operating results even though the oven door latches are not in perfect alignment with the source of power. An apparatus or device having such a feature will be an important contribution to the coking art since, as is appreciated by those experienced therein, all members of a corresponding series of door latches at the same face of an oven battery do not lie in precisely the same position relative to an object positioned on the door machine, in consequence of such variable-circumstances as, un-; evenness in the tracks on which the door machine is propelled along the battery face, play of the door-hook andthe bumper-pin in their respective co-acting parts on the door, small inequalities resulting from uneven. expansion of the brickwork of the battery, and the like.

The present invention is more specifically adapted to be employed in combination vwith latching devices that are arranged to be tightened and loosened by. the rotation of some integral part thereof about its axis. said part being adapted for engagement by a driven member.

According to the present invention, a powerdriven rotatable shaft, or its equivalent, is mounted on the mechanism employed tohandle the oven doors, and is so disposed thereon that said shaft is in approximate alignment with the corresponding latches of a series thereof along the face of the battery. The driven shaft may be adapted for rotation bywpy appropriate means, as for example by electric Fixedly mounted on said shaft and adapt "*to rotate therewith is a device provided by the invention and which will be hereinafter referred to as an 5 adapter. The adapter of the invention comprises essentially, a universal joint mechanism,

a shaft means attached thereto, a plurality of springs disposed to support said shaft in a preferred position when it is not-operating, and 10 means at the door-side of said shaft means for engaging such rotatable member of the door latching device as is adapted to tighten and loosen it. The adapter mechanism has been especially developed to provide a means for con- 15 necting a drive shaft, that is positioned on the door machine, with a rotatable member of a door-latch assembly and in such manner that the former may be used to actuate the latter and whether or not said parts are in accurate alignment. By means of the present improvement, it is assured that the oven door latch will be engaged by the adapter in a manner to permit free transmission of motion from the driven shaft to the door latch in spite of the fact that the relative positions of the latch-engaging end of the adapter" and the rotatable latch part, may vary from door to door along thebattery face, for reasons'hereinbefore indicated. The invention has for further objects such other improvements andsuch other operative advantages or results as may be found to obtain in the processes or apparatus hereinafter described. or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and showing for purposes of 'exemplification a preferred apparatus and method in which the invention may be embodied and practised but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

- 40 Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational section taken longitudinally of a coking chamber equipped with an oven door of the so-called selfsealing type andshowing a portion of a combination pusher and door machine which is provided with the latch tightening device or adapterw constructed in accordance with the present invention; is

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 5 and showing in detail. the interior construction of the adapter of invention;

Figure '3 is apartial horizontal section take L along the-line 111 -111 0! Fight-e2;

Figure 4 is'an enlarged plan view takenlsub stantially along the line IV-IV of Figure 1, parts being in section;

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially along the lines VV of Figure 2;

Figures 6 and 7 are respectivelyplan and elevational views showing the constructional defitils of the hub-plate of the adapter of inven- Figure 8 is a section taken substantially along the line VIIIVIII of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a section taken substantially along the line IX-IX of Figure 2; and

Figure 10 is a section through the trumpetshaped end of slideable member of the adapter showing its internal configuration.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in each of the views of the drawings.

In its present embodiment, the invention is shown for the purposes of exposition in combination with a coke oven battery of the by-product type having horizontally extending coking cham-' bers with vertically disposed heating flues and doors, for closing and sealing said chambers, that are of the so-called self-sealing type, but it is understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to such application for it is obvious that the improvement is useful with all types of coking retort ovens and doors therefor that have latch-screws which are adapted for substantially direct engagement and actuation by a rotatable shaft or its equivalent.

In Figure 1 the coking chamber I 8 is closed and sealed at the end by door II which is supported in the chamber by means of latching devices positioned adjacent the upper and lower part of the door, each such latching device comprising essentially, bracket I2, threaded pin [3,

latch-hooks l4 that are afiixed to ribs l5 of the jamb face-plates l6, and'the substantially rigid latch-bar H which is rotatably mounted on threaded pin i3 and is adapted both to span the oven door transversely and to engage the latchhooks that are located adjacent either side of the oven door but independently thereof. Bracket [2 is provided with a bore l8 having threads that are arranged to co-act with those of the threaded section of pin [3. These co-acting threads serve not only as means for mounting the latch-bar on the door but also as a means of providing the same with movement in a plane perpendicular of the door, so that its position in respect thereof can be adjusted as desired to bring said latch-bar into or out of contact with the latch-hooks; that is, as is obvious, proper rotation of the threaded pin will advance the latch-bar away from the face of the door and into contact with the latch-hooks, if said latchbar has been previously so rotated on pin l3 as to assume a substantially horizontal position between latch-hooks l4 adjacent each end thereof, and the pressure resulting from such contact will support the door in the mouth of the oven and cause the adjustable sealing-edge 28, which extends around the entire periphery of the door,.

pusher side of the ovenflis mounted on the same supporting structure (not shown) as the pusherram employed to push the coke from the oven, and is provided with bumper-pin 26, that is adapted to engage bumper-plate 21 on the face of the door,'and with door-hook 28 that is disposed to engage the hook-plate 29 by vertical movement around the shaft 38, said door-hook being adapted to support the door and withdraw it from the mouth of the oven when ram 25 is backed away from the face of the battery and after the latch-bars have been removed from engagement with their latch-hooks;

The improved a paratus, for actuating coke oven door latching devices, is shown in Figure I mounted on the door ram; there are two such apparatus for each door, the one being arranged to operate the upper series of latches and the other the lower series of latches at one face of the battery of ovens. The upper and the lower mechanisms, are attached to the head of the door-ram respectively by stand 33- and bracket 34.

Electric motor 35 and speed-reducer 36 serve to rotate the adapter assembly 31 of the invention, which is shown in constructional detail in Fig. 2. Assembly 31 is aflixed to and supported by the low-speed shaft of the speedreducer and is adapted to transfer energy therefrom in the form of rotary motion to threaded pin l3 of the latching means to turn it by engagement therewith, and whether or not the shafts of the speed-reducer and the pin are-in accurate alignment.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4-, low-speed shaft 38 of speed-reducer 36 supports adapter" assembly 31, which is fixedly mounted thereon by key 39. The hub-plate 48 and the bellshaped-part 4| are joined together by bolts 42 andform a housing for a coupling of the uni versal joint type through which the shaft-like member 43 can be rotated freely by the speedreducer shaft 38 even at such times as said two members are in relative misalignment. plate 40 is shown in detail in Figures 6, 7. It is provided with aperture 44 whereby it is mounted on shaft 38 and also with drilled yoke-forming arms 45 provided preferably with bearings of the oilless type which serve to support the trunnion-ring 46 by means of pins 41. Shaftlike member 43, at that end-positioned in said housing, is provided with two diametrically opposed arms 48 whereby it is also rotatably mounted on trunnion-ring 46 at points intermediate those at which said ring is mounted on the hubplate. The trunnion-ring therefore serves as a coupling between shaft 38 and member 43 and permits of angular motion in every direction when rotary motion of shaft 38 is being transmitted to said member 43.

To the end that shaft-like member43 will return to a position in alignment with reducershaft 38, after an operating interval, and will not drop in consequence of its own weight to assume an angular'position in respect of the latch-pins or the speed-reducer shaft 38, helical springs 49 are positioned in the housing, formed by parts 48, 4!, and are disposed in alternation with the trunnions of trunnion-ring 48 in such manner ;that they exert sufllcient pressure against'the Hubuniversal joint assembly, so as to avoid needless vibration when the supporting apparatus is moved along the battery front. Removable lugs 58 are furnished with a threaded section at one end for mounting them on both hub-plate 40 and member 43, where they serve to retain springs 49 in their preferred positions by protruding into the coils thereof-as shown.

Shaft-like member 43 is hollow with a smooth inner surface and slideable member is adapted to move backward and forward over this surface. These two members are keyed together by means of the key 62, as shown in Figure 9, which is held in a groove of said slideable member 5| by screws 53, said key being also adapted to slidingly fit in the keyway 64 of the hollow member. This construction permits member 5| to move freely lengthwise of 43 but prevents its rotating therein. Helical spring 52 is arranged co-axially inside said members, as shown, and is designed'to be kept under pressure so that after the application and release of an external force sumcient to compress said spring, member 5!! will be forced outward thereby and returned to pressure-contact against perforated plate 53 which serves to close the interior of the shaftlike member and to retain the slideable member therein. 'Yieldable sealing material 53 extends around the periphery of the perforation of plate 53 to render the interior of 33 fluid-tight so that lubrication media can be retained therein for facilitating the movement of the part 5i. Openings 55, 5t, and plug 571 are provided for the introduction of the lubrication medium. Pipe 58 serves as a means for equalizing pressure between the atmosphere and the space enclosed by the members 43 and 5|, and ducts 58 allow lubricant'to flow outward from said closed space to lubricate all portions of the sliding surface.

' The outer end 58 of member 5i is trumpetshaped; that portion thereof having the greatest diameter being toward the oven side. The finial of latch-pin i3, is formed as a cone. The special configurations of the latch-pin and of section tt promote facility of engagement therebetween; the trumpet-shaped section is provided, around its inner surface at M, with flat areas that are disposed to slide over the beveled surfaces 22 of the latch-pin, as shown in Figure 5, these surfaces co-acting to turnthe latch-pin when the adapter assembly is rotated by shaft 38.

The section W of member 5| may be of any desired diameter but it should preferably be adequate to allow the termini of all the latchpins of a corresponding series of latching devices to enter therein irrespective of the amount of misalignment that they may exist between speed-reducer shaft 38 and the various latchpins. The misalignment of these two parts is subject to a certain amount of regulation; for explay allotted to the door-hook 28 in hook-plate 28, and to bumper-pin 26 in the bumper-plate 31!, assists in reducing the variation in horizontal misalignment. In those oven batteries where the latch-pins have a diameter of 1%", it has been determined that if the inside diameter of the trumpet-shaped element at its outer edge is approximately 3%" there is no difliculty in engaging all the latch-pins of a corresponding series along the face of a battery that is given proper maintenance. It is of'course obvious that the proportions of this element may be changed or enlarged to meet a specific application thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention and in such instances it may be necessary to provide a trunnion-ring that can be operated at greater angularity to the shaft 38.

In the operation of the invention, the ram 25 of the door machine is moved toward the oven door about to be removed from its coking chamber, and it carries with it the latch-operating assemblies of which each'is provided with an "adapter 3'! constructed according to the invention. The adapters 31 and the bumper-pin 28 are preferably so disposed in respect of each other that as the bumper-pin is engaging with bumper-plate 21, the pointed end of latch-pin i3 is entering the trumpet-shaped section 88 of the adapter. If the beveled surfaces 22 of the latch-pin and the similar co-acting surfaces 6! of the trumpet-shaped section are in proper alignment for immediate engagement, in which disposition they are shown in Figures 2, 8, said latch-pin will slide into engagement with said slideable member directly to assume the position shown in said figures, and without causing any movement of 5| in member 33 or effecting movement of the trunnions of the universal joint. Door-hook 28 is then raised to engage hook-plate 28 by rotating it around shaft 30. Thereafter motors 35 of the latch-actuating assemblies may be set into rotation in a direction that will cause the associated speed-reducer shafts 38 and the thereon mounted adapters to turn latch-pins it as required for moving the latch-bars i'i out of contact with door-hooks it, after which operation the latch-bars are free to be rotated around pin i3 in the plane of the door thereby disengaging them from the latch-hooks: the then unlatched door may be lifted upwards slightly by main-the case, the many advantages offered by 'will tend to slide over each other easily. After the'latch-pin' and section 68 of the adapter have thus come into contact in such relative misalignment and the .door machine is thereafter moved closer to the door, the member 5| and shaftlike member 43 will be forced to move either vertically or horizontally or both by corresponding movement of the latter around the trunnions of the trunnion-ring, thereby moving section 88 and pin l3 into such alignment that they may engage. In the event that the bevels 22 of pin |3 are not so disposed in respect of bevels 6| that they will immediately slide over each other and assume substantially the same relative be forced to slide within member 43 backwards from the face of the door while at the same time compressing spring 52. Subsequent rotation of speed-reducer shaft 38 and the thereon mounted positions shown in Figure 2, said member 5| will adapter will bring said bevels 22, 8|, into positions for engagement and registration whereupon the pressure exerted by spring 52 will force the adapter onto the latch-pin.

The latch-actuating assembly and the adapter of the invention are so disposed, according to the improvement, that the adapter is adapted to remain in engagement with the latch-pin during the time the oven door is removed from the coking chamber and while supported by the doorhook of the door machine, thus advantageously facilitating speedy re-latching of the door following its return to the oven. The oven door is heavy and during the operations of removing and restoring it to the oven, small movements thereof may be occasioned by the flexibility of the springs of the door-hook and the bumper, and which may prevent the door being rigidly supported by said members. Such movements would normally cause a strain on a rigid adapter, but withthe adapter of the present improvement, its special construction automatically 'compensates for a shifting of the door; that is, horizontal and vertical motion will be taken up both by the universal joint member and by appropriate movement of slideable member 5| in member 43. The motors 35 are adapted to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions so that one direction of rotation may be employed to loosen the latches and the other direction used to tighten them. The motors may also be included. if preferred, in such electrical circuits as are adapted to stall the motors when a preferred torque on the latch-pin has been established or a preferred pressure has been set up between the oven door and its co-acting door-frame. Such an electrical system has been disclosed in the co-pending application of one of us filed in the U. S. Patent Office on May 1, 1936, and assigned S/N 77,311, now Patent No. 2,123,521 granted July 12, 1938.

In the above given description, the present improvement has been described for employment in combination with an electrical motor, but it is not intended to limit the use of the invention to such actuating means since other sources of power such as steam, or hydraulic or air pressure can also be utilized.

In the following claims it will be understood that any device or assembly of parts adapted to couple two shafts together in such manner as to permit angular rotation in all directions and through which coupling device or assembly rotary motion may be transmitted from the one shaft to the other, are intended to come within the intent and scope of the expression universal joint.'

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied *in particular form and manner but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for mechanically actuating a coke oven door latch having a rotatable part for operating said latch to tighten and loosen it, the combination comprising: a driving shaft in at least approximate alignment with'the 'ro-- tatable part of the door latch; means for rotating said driving shaft; and an adapter device for effectively transmitting rotary motion from said driving shaft to the rotatable part of the latch even though misalignment may exist therebetween, said adapter device comprising: universal joint means adapted for connection with the driving shaft; a hollow shaft-like member supported by said universal joint means; and within 7 and said clutching means into suitable alignment the engagement-directing means comprising a portion of said element having inclined walls that flare outwardly from the clutching means towards the door latch and which walls are adapted for the sliding therealong of the door-latch rotatable I part, so that its pressure thereagainst will move the shaft-like member on its universal joint.

means to align said rotatable part and the clutching means therefor during the moving of the latch-actuating apparatus into operating station.

3. In apparatus for mechanically actuating a coke oven door latch having a rotatable part for operating said latch to tighten and loosen it the combination of a driven rotatable shaft positionable in front of the rotatable part of the door latch in approximate alignment therewith, of an adapter for compensating misalignments adapted to connect the driven shaft with the rotatable door-latch part, said adapter comprising a shaftlike member engageable with the rotatable doorlatch part to operate the same and joint means universally joining the shaft like member and the driven rotatable shaft, said joint means comprising a trunnion-ring and a pair .of yokes each that is adapted to move longitudinally thereof under the influence of a resilient part, the outer end of the slidable member' having engagementdlrecting means and clutching means for engaging the rotatable door-latch part, said engagement-directing means comprising an element having inclined walls that flare outwardly from the clutching means towards the door latch, said inclined walls being adapted to permit the sliding therealong of the rotatable door-latch part so' that the pressure thus. established therebetween will serve to move the shaft-like member about the trunnion ring and align the clutching means and said door-latch part for engagement during the moving of the door-latch actuating device into operating station.

5. A device as in claim Band in which means are provided for restricting and modifying the movements of the yoke members and the trunnion ring in respect of each other so that said parts are returned to a predetermined neutral position subsequent to an interval of operation, said means comprising: resilient means adapted to exert pressure on the shaft-like member at such times as the arms of the yoke members are rotated about the trlmnion ring in excess of a predetermined amount.

6. A device as in claim 3 arm in which means are provided for restricting and modifying the movements of the yoke members and the trunnion ring in respect of each other so that said parts are returned to a predetermined neutral position subsequent an interval of operation, said means comprising: spring means that are disposed in alternation with the trunnions of the trunnion ring and are arranged to exert pressure on the shaft-like member at such times as the arms of the yoke members are rotated about the trunnion ring in excess of a predetermined amount.

7. In apparatus for actuating coke oven door latches, in combination: a driving element positioned on a door handling mechanism adapted to be periodically stationed in front of the oven door; a: door latch assembly having nut means; a driven member that .is provided with means for clutching that portion of the door latch assembly which is adapted to operate the door latch and also with a cup-like part, positioned between the clutching means and the door, that is resiliently slidable along the driven member and is disposed to receive said operating-portion of the latch assembly and directionally guide it into engagement with the clutching means; and coupling means for universally jointing the driving element with the driven member in such manner that they are capable'of mutual rotation and whether or not they are in angular displacement.

8. 29 apparatus for actuating coke oven door latches, in combination: a rotatable housing positioned on a-mechanism adapted to be periodically stationed in front of the oven door, said housing having oppositely disposed trunnions and a trunnion-ring therefor connected by radially extending pins, a hollowshaft extending outwardly of the housing and having oppositely disposed trunnions connected with the trunnion-ring by radially extending pins intermediate the trunnion connections for the housing; spring means interposed between the housing and the hollow shaft for maintaining the hollow shaft in operative position, an operating element for rotatively tightening and untightening a coke oven doorlatch part, said operating element being reciprocally mounted relative to the hollow shaft and having an outer engaging portion for operatively engaging the door-latch part to be operated and an inner tubular supporting portion, the inner tubular supporting portion being slidably keyed to the hollow shaft on the interior of the same and forming therewith a closed lubricant chamber, spring means insaid chamber urging the hollowehaft and inner tubular portion apart, a pressure equalizer tube connecting the closed chamber with the atmosphere, and ducts in the, inner tubular portion connecting the closed chamber with the space between the forward end of the inner tubular portion and the forward end of the hollow shaft.

9. In apparatus for actuating coke oven door latches. in combination: a rotatable housing positioned on a mechanism adapted to be periodically stationed in front of the oven door, said housing having oppositely disposed trunnions and a trunnion-ring therefor connected by radially extending pins, a hollow shaft extending outwardly of the housing and having oppositely disposed trunnions connected with the trunnion-ring by radially extending pins intermediate the trunnion connections for the housing, spring means interposed between the housing and the hollow shaft for maintaining the hollow shaft in operative position, an operating element for rotatively tightening and untightening a coke oven doora latch part, said operating element being reciprocally mounted relative to the hollow shaft and having an outer engaging portion for operatively engaging the door-latch part to be operated and an inner tubular supporting portion, the inner tubular supporting portion being slidably keyed to the hollow shaft on the interior of the same and forming therewith a closed lubricant chamber, spring means in said chamber urging the hollow shaft and inner tubular portion apart. and a pressure equalizer tube connecting the closed chamber with the atmosphere.

1!). In apparatus for actuating coke oven door latches, in combination: a rotatable housing positioned on a mechanism adapted to be periodically stationed in front of the oven door, said housing having oppositely disposed trunnions and a trunnion-ring therefor connected by radially extending pins, a hollow shaft extending outwardly of the housing and having oppositely disposed trunnions connected with the trunnion-ring by radially extending pins intermediate the trunnion connections for the housing, spring means interposed between the housing and the hollow shaft for maintaining the hollow shaft in operative position, an operating element for rotatively rocally mounted relative to the hollow shaft and having an outes engaging portion for operatively engaging the door-latch part to be operated and an inner tubular supporting portion, the inner tubular supporting portion being slidably keyed to the hollow shaft on the interior of the same and forming therewith a closed lubricant chamwith the trunnion-ring by radially extending pins; the trunnion connections for the hollow shaft being angularly disposed with respect to the trunnion connections for the rotatable housing; a piston for rotatively engaging a' coke oven door-latch part to be operated thereby, said piston being retractably mounted in the hollow shaft; andflexiblemeans for maintaining the hollow shaft in normally elevated relation relaigt'iva tdfthe axis of rotation of the rotatable housmg. r I

' 12. In apparatus for actuating coke ovendoor latches, in combination: a rotatable element positioned on a mechanism adapted to be periodically stationed in front of the oven door, said housing having oppositely disposed trunnions; a trunnion-ring therefor connected therewith by radially extending pins and freely encircling the axis of rotation of the rotatable element; a shaft extending outwardly from. said rotatable element having means atits outer portion for operatively engaging a coke oven door-latch part to be rotated by the rotatable element, and having at its inner portion oppositely disposed trunnions connected with the trunnion-ring by radially extending pins; the trunnion connections for the shaft being angularly disposed with respect to the trunnion connections for the rotatable element; and means for normally maintaining the shaft in enter clutching engagement'therewith, and joint,

means for universally jointing the driven rotatable shaft with the shaft-like member for reciprocal rotation under relative angular displacement when the shaft-like member is'misaligned with respect to the tightening device during cooperation of the'lifting means with the lift on the respective doors.

14. In a coke oven door handling machine adapted to lift, remove and replace bodily the doors of a battery of horizontal coke ovens, each door being provided with a door latch, a rotatable tightening device therefor, and a lift for a door lifting means on the machine; an actuating means for said door latch comprising a driven rotatable shaft and a shaft-like member in approximate alignment with the rotatable tightening devices of the several ovens and adapted to enter clutching engagement therewith,- and joint means comprising a trunnion-ring and a pair of yokes having spaced arms adapted to be journaled to the trunnion-ring, and of which yokes the one is adapted to be fixedly connected with the driven rotatable shaft of the door machine and the other disposed to support the shaft-like member provided with the clutching means for universally jointing the driven rotatable shaft with the shaft-like member for reciprocal rotation under relative angular displacement when the shaft-like member is misaligned with respect to vvthe tightening device during cooperation of the lifting means with the lift on the respective doors.

15. In a coke oven door handling machine adapted to lift, remove-and replace bodily the doors of a battery of horizontal coke ovens, each door being provided with a door latch, a rotatable tightening device therefor, and a lift for a door lifting means on the machine; an actuating means for said door latch comprising a driven rotatable shaft and a shaft-like member in approximate alignment with the rotatable tightening devices of the several ovens and adapted with relative angular displacementwhen the shaftlike member is misaligned with respect to the tightening device during cooperation of the lifting means with the lift on the respective doors.

, 16. In a coke-oven door-handling carriage for actuating the door latches of a batteryof horizontal coke ovens, each door latch being provided with a rotatable device for operating the door latch to tighten and loosen it, a power driven reversible motor and a driven shaft therefor, a wrench in axial alignment with the driven shaft for rotatively engaging the rotatable devices of the respective doors, said elements being so mounted on the carriage that when positioned in front of the respective doors the wrench may be advanced relative to the carriage into position for cooperative rotary engagement oithe wrench with the tightening devices of the latch upon actuation of the motor, and said wrench being connected with the driven shaft for rotation thereby by means of a universal joint to accommodate varied irregularities in alignment of tightening devices of the respective doors of the battery'of ovens with respect to the position of the wrench in its normal axial alignment with the driven shaft therefor.

17. In a coke oven door handling machine adapted to remove and replace'bodily the doors of a battery of horizontal coke ovens, each door being provided with a latch constituted of nutmeans and a-locking bar and attaching means for a door lifting hook, an actuator for said latch comprising a power-driven universal joint mounted socket wrench adapted to rotatably engage said nut means to tighten and to release said nut and latch.

RAGNAR BERG. ROBERT W. CRIS'I.

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