US2753606A

US2753606A - Tap raising and lowering mechanism for a foundry ladle

Info

Publication number: US2753606A
Application number: US393614A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fogt Willard Vance
Original assignee: IND EQUIPMENT Co
Current assignee: IND EQUIPMENT Co; INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT Co
Priority date: 1953-11-23
Filing date: 1953-11-23
Publication date: 1956-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-10

Description

W. V. FOGT July 10, 1956 2,753,606 TAP RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR A FOUNDRY LADLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1953 ENTOR. CE FOGT 7W; "7%

WILLARD VAN ATTORNEYS July 10, 1956 W. v -r 2,753,606

TAP RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR A FOUNDRY LADLE Filed Nov. 25, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I WILLARD VANCE FOGT BY fin/ZN) 5 YJJM ATTORNEYS TAP RAISWG AND LUWERTNG MECHANISM FOR A FOUNDRY LADLE Willard Vance Fogt, Minster, Ohio, assignor to The Industrial Equipment Company, Minster, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 23, 1953, Serial No. 393,614 13 Claims. (Cl. 22--85) The present invention relates to foundry ladies and more particularly to the mechanism for raising and lowering the tap rod which controls the size of the opening at the bottom of the ladle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved tap rod raising and lowering mechanism, controllabl from the exterior of the ladle by a manually operable device.

Another object is to provide an improved tap rod raising and lowering mechanism, controllable from the ex terior of the ladle, and employing a pair of vertically disposed rods connected together and one of which is connected to the tap rod and the other is employed for providing the lift.

Still another object is to provide a tap rod lowering and raising mechanism having a pair of vertically movable shafts secured to the tap rod, one of the movable shafts being provided with a device for raising and lowering both shafts and in which the device is movable angularly around the axis of one of the shafts.

A further object is to provide a tap rod raising and lowering mechanism, controllable from the exterior of the ladle, and positioned within an enclosure containing a lubricant.

A still further object is to provide a tap rod raising and lowering mechanism, manually controllable from the exterior of the ladle and including driving and driven shafts arranged parallel to one another and in which the manually operated portion of the mechanism is constituted of the driving shaft.

Another object is to provide a tap rod raising and lowering mechanism, manually controllable from the exterior of the ladle, and including driving and driven shafts arranged parallel to one another, and in which the manually operated portion of the mechanism is adapted to move laterally around the axis of one of the shafts.

Other objects and features will be apparent as the specification is perused in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a ladle provided with the tap raising and lowering mechanism, improved in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, but showing the hand lever moved laterally from the position shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a part of the ladle and the manual tap raising and lowering mechanism including the swingable lover. The section part of this figure is taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 2; and

Figure 5 shows a structural detail of the operating handle.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 1 designates a ladle of standard size and shape, used in foundries for pouring molten metal into molds in connection With the fabrication of castings. A bail 2, pivoted at States Patent 0 2,753,606 Patented July 10, 1956 each side of the ladle as indicated at 3, is employed for lifting the ladle and its heavy contents from one mold position to another. A spout 4 may be provided along the edge of the ladle.

Instead of tilting the ladle to pour out the melted metal contents, there may be provided a tap hole (not shown) at the bottom for releasing the molten metal from the bottom of the ladle directly over the mold. It will be understood that the interior of the ladle is lined with heat insulating refractory material, the latter also covering the bottom and having an opening in line with the opening in the ladle.

In order to control the opening and closing of the tap hole, a centrally positioned tap rod 5 is normally employed and this tap rod is surrounded by a tubular member of refractory material 6.

It is desirable to be able to move the tap rod 5 vertically upward or downward from a number of different positions located at the exterior of the ladle. The present invention relates to an improved means by which this can be accomplished.

The tap rod 5 extends through the flattened end of a connecting bar '7 and this flattened end rests on the refractory tubular member 6. A nut 8 engages threads on the end of the tap rod 5 so that the bar 7 is rigidly held to the tap rod. The outer end of the bar terminates in a conically shaped collar 9 having the smaller diameter upward and provided with a conically shaped opening. This opening fits tightly over a conical extension 10 of a shaft 11.

There is an opening at the upper or conical end of the shaft to receive a metal wedge 12 which upon being driven will cause the collar 9 to be tightly received by the conical surface lil. The shaft 11 is slidably received within a bore 13 of a cylinder 14, the cylinder being provided at the top with a rectangular lug 15 having a rounded end 16 and a laterally extending opening 17 passing through the lug.

There is a plate 18 welded to the ladle, this plate be ing provided with a pair of round-ended wings 19 having an opening in alignment with the opening in the lug 15. A pin 20 passes through the aligned openings and thereby rigidly spaces the upper end of the cylinder 14 from the ladle but permits the cylinder to swivel about the pin.

The upper end of the cylinder 14 is provided with a plate 21 and the lower end of the cylinder is similarly provided with a plate 22, both integral with the cylinder, and which plates comprise upper and lower bearings for a rotatable cylinder 23. These cylinders are spaced apart, as indicated by the spacing 24, but are arranged in vertical parallel alignment.

The cylinder 14 and its upper and lower plates are preferably made integral as by a casting. The rotary cylinder 23 abuts the inner surfaces of the two plates. A shaft 25 is contained within the cylinder 23, passing through the upper plate 21 but stopping short of the lower plate 22. Both the shafts 11 and 25 are snugly but slidably received by their

respective cylinders

14, 23, but the shaft 25 is adapted to rotate with its cylinder 23, whereas the shaft 11 is fixed in position from the rotational standpoint and is adapted merely to slide in the vertical direction.

The upper plate 21 is provided with a pair of openings 26, of which the outer one receives the shaft 25 and the other opening receives the shaft 11. In order to prevent foreign matter from reaching the interior of the

cylinders

14 and 23 as the shafts 11, 25 are moved up and down through the openings 26, a top plate 27 may be secured to the plate 21, having countersunk openings 28 concentrically surrounding the respective shafts.

ice

Rubber, plastic or soft metal washers are contained within the countersunk openings, these washers serving to wipe the shafts as they reciprocate. None of the molten metal can reach the washers on account of the protection afforded the latter by the edge and upper surfaces .of the top plate 27.

If desired, an O-ring insert 29 can be applied to the joint where the rotatable cylinder 28 slidingly abuts the under-side of the plate 21. This provision is not necessary in the case of the shaft 11 and cylinder 14- because the plate 21 is integral with the cylinder and there is no bearing joint between these elements.

At the upper end of the shaft 11 below the tapered portion, there is an integral lug 30 extending laterally therefrom and having a strengthening web 31. This ing has an opening 32 which is somewhat larger than a shouldered portion 33 of the shaft 25. A sleeve 34 interposed between the shouldered diameter of the shaft and the opening 32, this sleeve setting against the shoulder 35 of'the shaft and having a length a little longer than the thickness of the lug 30. Thus the sleeve extends a short distance above the upper surface of the lug.

The shoulder portion 33 of the shaft is threaded at the top, as indicated at 36, to receive a nut 37 which on being tightened presses against the upper edge of the sleeve 34. Thus the shaft 25 is adapted to rotate in a limited sense within the lug 39. The purpose of the rotation of the shaft will appear as the description proceeds.

The plate 22 at the lower end of the cylinder 14 is provided with an auxiliary plate 3%. It will be understood that the lower end of the cylinder 23 slidably abuts the upper surface of the plate 22 in order to rotate with respect to the plate and, if desired, an O-ring 39 similar to the ring 29 may be provided at this abutting surface.

The plate 22 is provided with a pair of

circular openings

40, 41 which correspond in size to the internal diameters of the cylinders '14, 23 respectively. A plug 32 tightly fits into the bottom of the bore 43 of the cylinder 23. This plug has a centrally located opening 4'4. There is a lateral passageway 45 drilled through the plate 22 and extending from the interior of the cylinder 14 to the interior 4-3 of the cylinder 23 through the opening 44.

Thus when lubricating oil 46 is admitted to the bottom of either one of the

cylinders

14, 23 this oil seeks its own level through the

passageways

45, 44. The purpose of the oil is to lubricate the shafts 11, 25 as they move upwardly or downwardly through their respective cylinders. In order to facilitate the lubricating action, I may provide on the shaft 11 a series of oil grooves 47, both longitudinal and lateral, which permit the oil to travel over a large portion of the shaft. Such grooves can be provided, if desired, on the shaft 25.

In order to support the two cylinders from the lower part of the ladle, a double-winged bracket 48 is welded to the ladle near the bottom and has a pin 49 extending through the wing portions of the bracket. A sleeve 50 surrounds the pin between the wing elements and to this sleeve there is attached a heavy rod 51 threaded at the end as indicated at 52. This threaded end extends through an opening in a triangular lug 53 which is welded or otherwise secured to the bottom plate 33.

Nuts 54 are threaded on the rod 51 at each side of the lug 53 so that by loosening the nut on the left and tightening the nut on the right, the double cylinder mechanism can be adjusted in its vertical position because, as pointed out hereinbefore, this mechanism is swingable about the pin 20. This is an important adjustment as it accommodates any change in length of the rod 7 and there-- by assures that the position of the tap rod shall remain directly in line with the opening in the bottom of the ladle 1.

In order to lock the sleeve 23 from further rotation, I may provide a small threaded rod 55 with a handle 56 projecting upwardly through the

plates

38, 22 and striking the lower surface of the sleeve 23 at the position where it abuts the plate v22. As the handle is rotated ,upward,

4 pressure is exerted against the lower edge of the cylinder 23.

In accordance with one of the features of my invention, one of the shafts, specifically 11, is designed more especially to carry the weight of the tap rod, its heavy insulating covering, and also the horizontal rod 7, while the shaft 25 is intended mainly for the purpose of temporarily elevating the main shaft 11. Thus the latter is usually of greater diameter than the lifting shaft 25.

In order to hold the main shaft .11 in its elevated position to which it was lifted by the shaft 25, I may provide a tapped hole through the cylinder 14 to receive a roundheaded set screw 57 which carries a handle 58. Thus, by tightening this handle, the shaft 11 will be caused to remain in its last elevated position and thereby to carry the weight of the tap rod and the bar or connecting rod 7.

In order to provide the lifting shaft 25 with mechanism for elevating this shaft, and thereby elevating the weightholding shaft 11 through the lug 30, I provide the shaft 25 at its lower end with an array or series of teeth 59 which form a rack. In vertical alignment with this teeth array there is a slot (not shown) formed in the rotatable cylinder 23. A gear 60 extends through the slot and is adapted to mesh with the teeth or rack 59.

For holding this gear in position a gear casing 61 is provided integral with the rotatable cylinder 23, the gear being adapted to rotate on a shaft 52 mounted on a bearing 63 at one side of the casing. The shaft is extended through the bearing to receive a circular plate 64 riveted or screwed to the bearing plate and terminating in a handle 65.

Thus, by swinging the handle either downwardly Ol upwardly, the gear 6% is rotated and the shaft 25 is caused to elevate or deress. A cover plate 650' is screwed or riveted to the gear casing so as to provide a liquid-proof compartment about the gear 66.

The position of the operator when observing the flow of molten metal through the bottom tap hole of the ladle is always at the handle 65 because by operating the latter, he can change the vertical positions of the shafts 2.5, 13, and thus control the vertical position of the tap rod 5 with respect to the tap hole in the ladle.

On certain occasions it may be desirable for the operator to shift his position with respect to the ladle, for better observation of the molten metal leaving the tap hole, or perhaps to clear an obsrnction to his line of sight. It is simply necessary for him to pull or push the handle 65 in the lateral direction, at which time the gear casing and the sleeve 23 will be caused to rotate about the axis of the shaft 25.

But since'the shaft is also adapted to rotate at the sleeve bearing 34, the pressure of the gear wheel 6t acting side wise on the teeth of the rack 59 will cause the shaft 25 also to rotate through the same angular distance that the handle 65 has been swung. The position of the gear, the gear wheel, the cylinder 23 and the shaft 25 under these circumstances, and assuming that the handle 65 and casing 61 have been swung away from the observer, has been illustrated in Fig. 3.

In addition to changing the normal position of the handle 65 in the lateral direction in the manner described, I may, as a further feature of the invention, adjust the normal position of the handle in the vertical direction. This is of-advantage as when the thickness of the lining 6 varies it may be desirable to bring the handle to a normal position as will allow it to move with equal facility either downwardly or upwardly.

Thus, in Fig. 5 the plate 64 may be formed of two

parts

66, 67, one of which has an even number (four as shown) of openings on the bolt line, and the other has an uneven number of openings 69 (five as shown), also on the bolt line of its respective part. The latter has screw threads for receiving a cap screw '70 which passes fairly loosely through any one of the openings 68.

The plate 66 has a central opening 71 and the shaft 62 has a threaded opening 72 in line therewith. A cap screw 73 snugly passes through the opening 71 to engage the threads of the opening 72. Thus, by loosening the cap screw 73 and by matching different holes in the plate 66 with different holes in the plate 67 by means of the cap screw 70, it is possible to obtain twenty different positions of the operating handle. When the proper position of the handle has been obtained, the cap screws 70, 73 are tightened to clamp the

plates

66, 67 together. The normal position of the handle 65 can therefore be shifted upwardly or downwardly and one of such positions has been indicated by the dot-dash lines 74.

In order to replenish the body of oil 46 in the bottom of the two cylinders lid, 23, an oil opening may be provided in the gear casing er, this opening being closed by a set screw 66a. Thus, as the oil is poured into the gear casing and reaches a level sufficiently high to run over the lower edge s7 of the slot in the cylinder 23, the oil will first collect at the lower end of the cylinder and will then travel through the communicating

openings

44, 45 into the lower end of the cylinder 14.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have disclosed a new and useful tap raising and lowering mechanism in which the heavy weight of the tap rod and the connecting bar is borne by a shaft of considerable size and can be held in any position by a clamping device, while the function by which the weight-sustaining shaft is elevated to its upper position is performed by a second shaft through the medium of a rack and gear wheel. This gear and its operating handle is adapted to be rotated in the lateral direction with respect to the weight-sustaining shaft and with respect to the ladle so that the operator can stand in his most advantageous position when raising and lowering the tap rod.

There is also provided a unique lubricating system by which the friction caused by the elevating movement of the weight-sustaining and the lifting shafts is minimized. in addition to the clamping device by which the weightsustaining shaft is caused to remain in its last position and thereby relieve the lifting shaft of any weight-carrying function, there is provided mechanism for temporarily locking the lifting shaft and its cylinder from further rotary movement.

It will be understood that various modification and arrangements in structure could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and, accordingly, I desire to comprehend such modifications and substitutions of equivalents as may be considered to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over the bottom opening of a foundry ladle, a plurality of cylinders arranged parallel with respect to one another and with respect to the ladle, said cylinders being secured to the ladle, shafts slidably disposed within said cylinders, one of said cylinders being rotatable on its axis and having a longitudinal slot, the shaft contained in the rotatable cylinder having a rack thereon in line with said slot, and a gear adapted to be driven by hand or power extending through said slot and engaging said rack.

2. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over the bottom opening of a foundry ladle, a pair of shafts arranged in vertical parallel relation and spaced apart, one of said shafts being of larger diameter than the other, a connecting bar between the upper end of said tap rod and the shaft of larger diameter, a lug connected between the upper ends of the two shafts, cylindrical members surrounding said shafts to permit the shafts to slide therein, said members being sup ported from the side of the ladle with one member positioned between the other member and the ladle, the member farther removed from the ladle being rotatable with respect to the other member and having a vertical slot,

the shaft contained therein being provided with a rack in line with said slot, and a hand-operated gear external of said last mentioned cylinder engaging said rack through said slot.

3. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which. sets over an opening in a foundry ladle, a pair of vertical shafts, both of which are movable in the vertical direction and one of which is driven by the other, a com necting bar between the driven shaft and one end of the tap rod, and means for raising and lowering said driving shaft in order to raise the tap rod from said opening, said means including a rack on the last mentioned shaft, and a hand-operated gear meshing with the rack, said rack and gear being adapted to rotate about the axis of the last mentioned shaft, whereby the position of the handoperated gear can be changed with respect to the position of the ladle.

4. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening in the bottom of a foundry ladle, a pair of vertical shafts, both of which are movable in the vertical direction and one of which is driven by the other, a connecting bar between the driven shaft and one end of the tap rod, said shafts being contained in cylinders in vertical parallel alignment, the cylinder containing the driving shaft being adapted to rotate about its axis, and means exterior of said last mentioned cylinder and shaft for lifting the driving shaft, said means being attached to said rotary cylinder and movable therein.

5. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening in the bottom of a foundry ladle of circular configuration, a pair of vertical shafts arranged in the vertical direction, the axes of which are radially disposed with respect to the center line of the ladle, the shaft nearer the ladle being of greater diameter than the shaft farther removed, a connecting bar between the tap rod and the shaft of greater diameter, and a connecting lug between the two shafts, said shafts being contained in cylinders, the cylinder containing the shaft of larger diameter being rigidly fixed with respect to the ladle and the cylinder containing the shaft of smaller diameter being adapted to rotate with respect to the ladle while maintaining its vertical position, and means extending through the rotatable cylinder for hand-lifting the shaft contained therein, whereby the companion shaft and the tap rod are accordingly raised, and means for clamping the shaft of larger diameter within its cylinder in order that the tap rod shall be maintained rigidly in the position to which it was lifted when the shaft of smaller diameter was hand-lifted.

6. Mechanism, for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening in the bottom of a foundry ladle of circular configuration, a pair of vertical shafts rranged in the vertical direction, the axes of which are radially disposed with respect to the center line of the ladle, the shaft nearer the ladle being of greater diameter than the shaft farther removed, a connecting bar between the tap rod and the shaft of greater diameter, and a connecting lug between the two shafts, said shafts being contained in cylinders, the cylinder containing the shaft of larger diameter being rigidly fixed with respect to the ladle and the cylinder containing the shaft of smaller diameter being adapted to rotate with respect to the ladle while maintaining its vertical position, means extending through the rotatable cylinder for hand-lifting the shaft contained therein, whereby the companion shaft and the tap rod are accordingly raised, means for clamping the shaft of larger diameter within its cylinder in order that the tap rod shall be maintained rigidly in the position to which it was lifted when the shaft of smaller diameter was hand-lifted, and means for rigidly holding the rotatable cylinder in its last adjusted position.

7. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening in the bottom of a foundry ladle, a pair of vertical shafts both of which are movable in the vertical direction and one of which is driven by the other, a connecting bar between the driven shaft and one end of the. tap rod, and a lugbetween the ends of said shafts, cylinders surrounding each of said shafts, the cylinder surrounding the driven shaft being fixedly mounted on the ladle and the cylinder containing the driving shaft being rotatably mounted with respect to the ladle, means for elevating and lowering the driving shaft, and means whereby the. driven. shaft and the tap rod are elevated or lowered, and means including a clamping screw passing through the cylinder which contains the driven shaft for clamping the lastmentioned shaft, and therefore the tap rod, in position.

8. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening; in the bottom of a foundry ladle, a pair of vertical shafts both of which are movable in the vertical direction and one of which is driven by the other, a connecting bar between the driven shaft and one end of; the tap rod, and a. lug between the ends of said shafts, cylinders surrounding each of said shafts, the cylinder surrounding the driven shaft being fixedly mounted on the ladle and the cylinder containing the driving shaft being rotatably mounted with respect to the ladle, means for elevating and lowering the driving shaft, and means whereby the driven shaft and the tap rod are elevated or lowered, means including a clamping screw passing through the cylinder which contains the driven shaft for clamping the last mentioned shaft, and therefore the tap rod, in position, and means for clamping the rotating cylinder in its last position to which it was rotated.

9. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over an opening in the bottom of a circular foundry ladle, a plurality of cylinders. arranged parallel with respect to one another and in radial relation with respect to the ladle, said cylinders being joined together to prevent any relative movement in the longitudinal direction but permitting one of the. cylinders to rotate on its axis, means for adjustably securing the cylinder unit to the sides of the ladle, shafts in the respective cylinders, a bar connecting the tap rod to the shaft which is nearer the ladle, both of said shafts being adapted to move in unison in the direction of their axes, and means for raising and lowering the shaft farther removed from the ladle to cause the other of said shafts to be raised or lowered in the. same amounts, whereby the tap rod is raised and lowered with respect to the opening in the foundry ladle.

10. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over the bottom opening of a ladle, a plurality of'cylinders arranged in parallel relation, brackets for supporting said cylinders from the ladle, one of said cylinders being rotatably mounted on said brackets and the other being stationaril'y mounted, shafts in said cylin- 50 ders adapted to move. up and down therein, the shaft in the stationarily mounted cylinder being. connected to the tap rod and the shaft in the rotatably mounted cylinder being connected to the other of said shafts, and means for elevating or lowering the shaft. contained in the r0.- tatable cylinder, said' means including a gear which is mounted on the. rotatable cylinder, whereby said gear means, is rotated with the attached cylinder'and the shaft in the rotatable cylinder is caused to rotate'in synchronism withthe movable cylinder and the gear means.

11. Mechanismfor raising and lowering a tap rod. which sets over the bottom opening of a foundry ladle, a plurality of cylinders. arranged parallel with respect to one another and with respect to the ladle, said cylinders be ing secured to the ladle, shafts slidably disposed Within: said cylinders, one of said cylinders being rotatable on its axis. and having a longitudinal slot, the shaft con.- tained. in the rotatable cylinder having a rack thereon in line with said slot, a gear extending through said slot.

and engaging said rack and a hand-operated lever se cured to said gear.

12. Mechanism for raising and lowering a tap rod which sets over the bottom opening of a foundry ladle, a plurality of cylinders arranged parallel with respect to one another and with respect to the ladle, said cylinders being secured to the ladle, shafts slidably disposed within said cylinders, one of said cylinders being rotatable onits axis and having a longitudinal slot, theshaftcontained in the rotatable cylinder havingarack thereon in line with said slot, a gear extending through said slotand engaging said rack and a hand-operated lever secured to said gear, said lever being carried by aplate, and means for adjusting the position of said plate its axis andhaving a longitudinal slot, the shaft contained in the rotatable cylinder having a rack thereon in line with said slot, a gear extending through said slotand engaging said rack and a hand-operated lever secured to said gear, said lever being carried on a pair of circular plates, one of which is secured to the gear and the other is shiftable circumferentially with respect to the plate that is secured to the gear, said lever being secured to the shiftabl'e plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coffey Oct. 5,. 1937 Reed Jan. 3, 1950