US2824762A

US2824762A - Charging buckets

Info

Publication number: US2824762A
Application number: US557335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis T Kaiser
Original assignee: Modern Equipment Co
Current assignee: Modern Equipment Co
Priority date: 1956-01-04
Filing date: 1956-01-04
Publication date: 1958-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1975-02-25

Description

Feb. 25, 1958 F. T. KAISER 2,

CHARGING BUCKETS Filid Jan. 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1958 F. T. KAISER CHARGING BUCKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1956 gm Hm I IN V EN TOR. mm

A 7' TOR/Vi V5.

United States Patent CHARGING BUCKETS Francis T. Kaiser, Port Washington, Wis., assignor to Modern Equipment Company, Port Washington, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 4, 1956, Serial No. 557,335

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-69) This invention relates to improvements in charging buckets. In foundries it is common practice to utilize cylindrical buckets having vertically movable bell-shaped bottoms for the purpose of delivering a charge of pig iron, coke and lime into a cupola. These buckets are commonly moved into the door or receiving opening of the cupola by means of a skip-carriage or by an overhead carrier, there being mechanism in connection with each type of transporting device for moving the bucket into discharge position and for then discharging the contents by mechanically lowering the bell-shaped bottom. With the large bell type of bottom commonly used, all of the charge must fall outwardly of the periphery of the bucket with the result that the charge is thrown against the sides of the cupola, and then bounces back toward the center. Furthermore, due to this method of discharge there must be substantial clearance between the periphery of the bucket and the sides of the cupola lining, otherwise there is insufficient room for the charge to fall downwardly.

In melting iron in a cupola, coke is placed in the bottom to extend some distance'above the tuyeres and each succeeding layer of iron is accompanied by a layer of coke in order to maintain the bed at this proper melting height. In large cupolas where iron and coke are solidly packed in the center of the cupola and loose near the outside wall, the entering air will pass up the sides of the cupola because this is the path of least resistance due to the loose packing. This causes poor combustion at the center of the cupola and chilling of the falling slag. Such chilled slag eventually blocks up the tuyeres and may entirely stop the melting operation after a sufiicient period of time. It is thus apparent that it is desirable to'maintain a looseness near the center of the cupola and' bucket, and the cone is rigid. As a result, there is the' possibility of material catching around the cone and preventing the closing of the swingable segments.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved charging bucket having a novel bottom construction which provides for eificient distribution of the charge to maintain a loose condition in the center of the cupola, the bucket being substantially cylindrical, and there being means for preventing any large particles of the charge from jamming when the bucket is being dumped. i

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a charging bucket having bottom doors which are hinged in a position which is offset upwardly on the sides of the bucket, said doors being movable to closed position around the stem of a relatively small cone, and the latter being in a fixed vertical position below the doors when the latter are closed and being mounted for free swinging movement.

A further, more specific object is to provide a charging bucket as above described, wherein there is a pair of doors, one being adapted to overlap the other, and wherein there is novel means for releasably latching the doors in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved charging bucket having swinging doors which are capable of being automatically closed when the bucket enters the loading pit.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with a charging bucket as above described, means at the loading pit for supporting the bucket with its cone in depending position, said means also being constructed to automatically close the bucket doors.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved charging bucket, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. In the accompanying drawings, illustrating two embodiments of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same or similar parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the charging bucket looking principally at a side thereof with the doors opened;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lower portion of the bucket with the doors closed and viewing a different portion of the side from Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the bucket, parts being broken away and shown in section to illustrate the swinging mounting for the upper end of the stem of the cone;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through a loading pit showing the bucket and a portion of the bucket track in side elevation, the doors of the bucket being closed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a modification, the bucket being shown at the loading station just before closing of the doors; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the lower portion of the bucket of Fig. 6 after the doors have been closed at the loading station, and with the bucket in fully lowered position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the charging bucket, which bucket is generally cylindrical in shape, but preferably departs from the true cylindrical contour by having oppositely disposed fiatened side portions 11. Projecting from a side of the bucket above the bottom thereof are two sets of pivot cars 12, each set including spaced members. Arms 13 project upwardly from the rear edge of a door 14, the upper end of each arm being received between the cars 12 of each set, and being pivoted in position on a pin 15, as is clear from Fig. 2.

On the opposite side of the bucket, additional sets of ears 16 which are identical to the cars 12, project. Arms 17, like the arms 13, project from the outer edge of a complementary door member 18. The upper ends of the arms 17 are pivoted to the cars 16 as at 19.

The door members include

plates

20 and 21 having reinforcing ribs 22 and 23 on their upper sides. Welded to the undersides of the plates are reinforcing strips 24 for the

door

14, and 25 for the door 18. In addition to the above, the door 14 has a projecting lip 26 on its inner edge which is adapted to overlap. the edge 27 of the door 13 when the doors are closed. The plate portion 20-of the door 14 also has laterally projecting side extensions 28, one on each side of the door, which are adapted to be engaged by the lower ends of latches 29. The latter are pivoted as at 30 within the straps 31, there being one latch member on each side of the bucket. The upper ends of the pivoted latches 29 are connected bya semicircular yoke 32, there being tripping extension pieces 33 which extend upwardly and at an angle away from the bucket as shown in Fig. l, and which carry a roller 34 between their upper ends. Pressure on the roller 34 when the bucket contacts the lining of a cupola will cause pivoting of the latch members and release of the door 14. Inasmuch as the lip 26 on the door 14 is holding the door 18 in closed position, the latter will also be simultaneously released. When there is no pressure on the doors, they will hang by gravity in open position approximately as shown in Fig. 1. It is to be noted that the lip 26 is formed with a recess 35 intermediate its length and there is a similar recess in the edge 27 of the door 18.

Within the bucket a short distance below the top is a transverse hollow support 36, the ends of the support being welded or otherwise suitably secured to the inner surface of the bucket, and said support having a central bottom opening 36'. Pivoted within the support, on a transversely extending pin 37, is a pivot piece 38 having a lower portion which depends through the hole 36' and which has an eye 39. A loop 40 projecting upwardly from the upper end of a stem 41 interengages with the eye 39 so that the stem 41 may swing in one plane relative to the pivot member 38, and may swing in a plane at right angles thereto with the member 38 on the pin 37. The pivotal connection in effect provides a universal motion. Surrounding the margin of the opening 36 and projecting downwardly therefrom around the upper end of the stem 41 is a short tube 42. The tube is of substantially larger diameter than the stem 41, but is nevertheless of sufficiently small diameter so as to desirably limit the amount of possible free swinging movement of the stem.

On the lower end of the stem 41 is a relatively small cone 43. It is to be noted that the external diameter of the base of the cone is relatively small with respect to the diameter of the bottom of the bucket 10, so that there is ample room for material to fall from the bottom of the bucket around the cone. It is also to be noted that the stem 41 is of such length that it projects below the bottom of the bucket with the cone always below the bottom of the bucket and below the

doors

14 and 18 when the latter are closed, as in Fig. 2. When the doors are closed, the stem 41 for the cone is received in the recess 35 of the door 14 and in a corresponding recess of edge 27 of the door 18 and is held rigidly in centered condition.

As before mentioned, the

doors

14 and 18 are released when the bucket is in charging position within the cupola due to impingement of the roller 34 against the cupola lining. This, of course, releases the charge into the cupola. As the empty bucket is being returned to the loading pit on inclined tracks such as the tracks 44 shown in Fig. 5, the doors hang in open position as in Fig. l. The loading pit 45 may have a bottom depression 46 and projecting over the depression are spaced horizontal rails 47. The rails 47 are preferably supported from the underside of spaced supports 48. Depending from the supports 48 are U-shaped supports 49. The rails 47 are spaced apart a distance less than the width of the

doors

14 and 18, but a distance greater than the maximum diameter of the cone 43. Thus, as the hanging doors contact the spaced rails 47, they will be pressed into closed position as the bucket is riding down on the tracks 44. When the doors are fully closed, they will automatically snap into the latches 29. In addition, there may be suitably supported lateral guides 50 for guiding the cone to itsposition of Fig. 5, and spaced inclined guides 51 for starting to close the rear door before said door reaches the horizontal tracks 47.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a door closing arrangement in the loading pit for use in foundries where the bucket is lowered vertically into the loading pit, rather than on an inclined track. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, there are suitably supported spaced door closing members 52 a short distance above the bottom of the pit 45. When the bucket is being lowered straight downwardly, the hanging cone 43 will pass through the space 53 between i the door closing members 52. The doors will engage the members 52 and be urged to the closing position of Fig. 7. In this particular arrangement it is preferred to have the doors equipped with rollers 54 which are positioned for impingement against the upper surface of the door closing plates 52.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a cone 43 which is of modified form, and which has a depending portion 55 of decreasing diameter with a centering recess 56 for engagement with a centering pin 57, as shown in Fig. 7. Thus, as the bucket reaches its final position the cone will be held in centered position by the pin 57.

With the use of the improved charging bucket, when the charge is being dumped into the cupola, the relatively small cone in conjunction with the straight-sided bucket provides for efficient distribution of the charge, with a loose condition maintained in the center of the cupola. While the charge is falling, the doors will readily swing a wider-open position than that shown in Fig. 1 whenever they are thus urged by falling particles. In addition, the novel swinging mounting for the cone 43 permits the cone to swing in one direction or another to prevent any portions of the charge from getting stuck between the cone and a side of the bucket, or between the cone and one of the doors. Thus, relatively large pieces will fall from the bucket without causing trouble. Trouble is also obviated by having the cone suspended a substantial distance below the bottom of the bucket. Thus the doors may close completely without having to close around the cone, it being merely necessary to provide space for the stem of the cone.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottom opening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supporting means within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem is swingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stem being of such length that the cone is supported below the bottom opening, closure means for said bottom opening movably connected to the bucket, and means for releasably holding said closure means in closing position around said stem and above said cone.

2. A cupola chargin bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottom opening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supporting means within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem is swingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stern being of such length that the cone is supported below the bottom opening, complementary closure members for said bottom opening movably connected to the bucket and having edges which are adapted to meet centrally of the bottom when theclosure members are closed, said edges having complementary recesses at the center of the bottom opening when said closure members are closed, and means for releasably holding said closure members in closing position above said cone, with said stem between said closure members and within said complementary recesses.

tion having a bottom opening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supporting means within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem is swingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stem being of such length that the cone is supported below the bottom opening, complementary closure members for said bottom opening movably connected to the bucket, means for releasably holding said closure members in closing position above said cone with said stem between said closure members, said cone having a bottom central recess for engagement with a centering pin when the bucket is in a loading pit to hold the cone and stem against swinging movement.

4. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottom opening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supporting means within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem is swingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stem being of such length that the cone is supported below the bottom opening, a pair of closure members for said bottom opening hingedly connected to opposite portions of the bucket, each closure member having a side opposite its hinged portion which is swingable toward and away from said stem and which is provided with a recess midway of its length, and means for releasably holding said closure members in closing position above said cone with the stem between the pair of closure members in said recesses.

5. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottom dump opening, a charge distributing member of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom dump opening having an upwardly projecting stem, a transverse hollow support within an upper portion of said bucket having a bottom opening, means within said support and depending from said opening of the support to which the upper end of said stem is connected for universal swinging movement to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stern being of such length that the charge distributing member is supported below the bottom dump opening, closure means for said bottom dump opening connected to the bucket, and means for releasably holding said closure means in closing position around said stem and above said charge distributing member.

6. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottom dump opening, a charge distributing member of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameter of said bottom dump opening having an upwardly projecting stem, a transverse hollow support within an upper portion of said bucket having a bottom opening, means within said support and depending from said opening of the support to which the upper end of said stem is connected for universal swinging movement to be suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stem being of such length that the charge distributing member is supported below the bottom dump opening, means depending from said hollow support adjacent the margin of the bottom opening in said support and surrounding the upper portion of the stem for limiting the swinging movement thereof, closure means for said bottom dump opening connected to the bucket, and means for releasably holding said closure means in closing position around said stem and above said charge distributing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Oct. 31, 1932