US2853290A

US2853290A - Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole

Info

Publication number: US2853290A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1958-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-23

Description

Sept. 23, 1958 s. T. MORGAN 2,853,290

APPARATUS FOR PLUGGI NG A FURNACE TAPPING HOLE Filed June 25. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o INVENTOR SIDNEY T. MORGAN Sept. 23, 1958 s. T. MORGAN 2,853,290 APPARATUS FOR PLUG GING A FURNACE TAPPING HOLE Filed June 25, 1957 FIG4 APPARATUS FOR PLUGGING A FURNACE TAPPING HOLE Sidney T. Morgan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Salem- Erosius, line, Carnegie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl= VEEEZI Application June 25, 1957, Serial No. 667,887

7 Claims. (Cl. 266-42) This invention relates -to apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole, the apparatus comprising what is commonly known in the art as a clay gun or mud gun having a nose or nozzle which is adapted to be introduced into the tapping hole of the furnace when it is desired to stop the flow of molten metal from the furnace through the tapping hole and means for forcing clay or similar material for plugging the tapping hole through the nose of the gun and into the tapping hole where the clay hardens due to the heated environment and serves as a stopper for the tapping hole until it is next desired to tap molten metal from the furnace, at which time the stopper or plug is punctured and ultimately removed by the outflow of molten metal. ployed to plug or stop the tapping holes of blast furnaces.

The environment in which apparatus of the type above referred to is employed is such that the apparatus is subjected to great heat since when the furnace is being tapped the molten metal flows past and in close proximity to the apparatus. The apparatus should be mechanically operable so as to reduce to a minimum the necessity for workmen working close to the tapping hole. The mechanism should he as simple as possible while accomplishing its function not only to maintain the cost of the apparatus at a minimum but also to withstand the heated environment and to facilitate maintenance. I

Apparatus of the type in question is mounted adjacent the furnace tapping hole so that the clay gun may move into and out of the tapping hole and when removed from the tapping hole be positioned where it may be loaded, i. e., where a new charge of clay may be introduced ready for the succeeding plugging operation. It is desirable for the gun to be in generally horizontal position for loading whereas it assumes a downwardly inclined position when plugging a tapping hole. Consequently, provision is made for tilting the gun between generally horizontal or loading position and inclined or operative position. Also the gun must be advanceable into and retractable from the tapping hole. Heretofore the mechanisms provided for accomplishing those functions have been complex and expensive and have required considerable maintenance.

I have provided apparatus of thetype in question which is relatively simple and rugged and hence not likely to become out of order, yet which is easy to service when necessary. I eliminate a number of points of wear as well as tilting cams, compensator rods and other mechanisms heretofore employed in similar mechanisms.

I provide apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a tiltable guide, a clay gun mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tiltedfrom a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole. While it is possible to provide for tilting of the guide through ovenbalancing as the clay gun moves therealong toward the furnace and hence to dispense with means for-positive- "ited States Patent G Apparatus of the type in question is em- 2,853,290 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 ly tilting the guide, I prefer to employ means for positively tilting the guide and also stop means for stopping the tilting of the guide when the inclination of the clay gun substantially conforms to that desired for plugging the tapping hole so that there will be no danger of undesired interference with the tilting movement of the gun by a coke mess in the runner immediately outside the tapping hole. When the guide is positively tilted the gun will be properly oriented and forced into operative position with its nose in the tapping hole. I preferably operate the clay gun by fluid pressure means forcing clay from the clay gun into the tapping hole to plug the tapping hole.

I preferably mount an arm on the tiltable guide for guided movement therealong and provide means for moving the arm along the guide generally toward thefurnace and mount the clay gun on the arm at a position offset from the guide. Preferably the arm and clay gun are rigidly connected together so as to constitute an operative unit so that when the arm is tilted the clay gun will tilt with it.

In my preferred structure I utilize a pedestal and mount the guide on the pedestal for generally horizontal turning movement and also for tilting movement, and I mount the clay gun on the guide for generally horizontal swinging movement when the guide is turned generally horizontally and for guided movement along the guide. I provide means for turning the guide and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace when the guide is pointed generally toward the furnace.

A carrier is preferably mounted on the pedestal for tilting movement about a generally horizontal axis generally transverse of the axis of the tapping hole and the guide may be mounted on the carrier for generally horizontal turning movement relative thereto. The carrier is preferably mounted to be tilted from a position in which the guide is generally horizontal to a position in which the guide is inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gunin its movement toward the tapping hole. A turnable member is preferably mounted on the carrier for turning movement generally about a vertical axis and the guide is preferably carried by the turnable member, and desirably mounted atop the turnable member, so as to be turnable therewith. The carrier desirably carries a motor with a connection between the motor and the turnable member whereby when the motor is operated the turnable member is turned relatively to the carrier, resulting in generally horizontally turning the guide.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of. a. present preferred embodiment thereof proceeeds.

In'the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which Figure l is a side elevational view of apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole, the clay gun being shown in solid lines in horizontal position and the nose portion of the clay gun being shown in dotted lines in inclined position and in chain lines in operative position enteringthe tapping hole of a blast furnace;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 as viewed from the left-hand end of Figure 1 but with a portion shown in vertical cross sec tion;

F'gure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 but with a portion shown in horizontal cross section;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line IV--IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectionalview taken on the line V-V of Figure 3.

Referring now more, particularly to the drawings, the

apparatus is mounted on a pedestal comprising two generally upright spaced apart sections 2, the two sections 2 together constituting the pedestal. The pedestal is permanently mounted close to the tapping hole of a blast furnace and to one side of a vertical plane containing the axis of the tapping hole. A vertical plane containing the axis of the tapping hole is designated by reference numeral 3 in Figure 3.

Trunnioned in the pedestal by trunnions 4 is a carrier 5 which rotatably carries a turnable member 6 of generally U-shape as shown in Figure 4. The member 6 has a downwardly projecting portion 6a which is mounted in the carrier 5 for rotation about a generally vertical axis 7. Turning of the carrier 5 in a generally vertical plane about the common axis of the trunnions 4 is accomplished by a fluid motor 8. Turning of the member 6 in a generally horizontal plane about the axis 7 is accomplished by a fluid motor 9. Thus the carrier 5 may be tilted and the member 6 may be turned about the axis 7 relatively to the carrier 5 on which it is mounted.

The member or rods 6 carries a guide comprising two parallel straight cylindrical guide members 10. Each of the guide members 10 is mounted at each end in one of the upstanding portions of the member 6 as clearly shown in Figure 4.

Mounted on the guide members 10 and adapted to be guided thereby in movement therealong is an arm 11. The arm 11 contains bushings 12 through which the guide members 10 pass so that the arm is at all times maintained in fixed orientation relatively to the guide but is movable therealong. Movement of the arm along the guide constituted by the guide members 10 iseffected by a piston in a cylinder 13 which is pivoted to one of the generally upright portions of the member 6 at 14 as shown in Figure 5. The piston rod 15 is connected with an upstanding portion 16 of the arm 11 at 17. When fluid under pressure is admitted to the left of the piston in the cylinder 13 viewing Figure 5 the arm 11 moves toward the right, and when fluid under pressure is admitted to the right of the piston in the cylinder 13 viewing Figure 5 the arm 11 moves toward the left, the arm 11 being at all times guided by the guide members 10 and its orientation being determined by the orientation of those guide members.

Rigidly connected to the arm 11 so as to constitute therewith an operative unit is a clay gun 18 which may be of conventional construction, wherefore the structural details of the clay gun are not shown in detail. It has the usual nose or nozzle 19 through which clay under pressure is adapted to be discharged into the tapping hole of a furnace to plug the tapping hole. The clay is contained in the body portion 20 of the clay gun 18 and is forced under pressure toward and through the nose 19 by a clay'piston operating in the body portion 20 and connected through a piston rod 21 with a piston 22 in a fluid pressure cylinder 23. When fluid is admitted behind the piston 22 viewing Figure 3 that piston and the clay piston are advanced to force clay under pressure out through the nose 19 of the clay gun.

Mounted atop the arm 11 is a fluid pump 24 for maintaining under pressure a fluid, preferably hydraulic, for operating the fluid motors 8 and 9 and the pistons in the

fluid pressure cylinders

13 and 23. Suitable connections and operating valves are provided as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The clay gun 18 may be filled with clay either through an openable door in the body portion 20 thereof or by removing the forward portion of the gun which includes the nose 19. Since as mentioned above the clay gun may be conventional the provision for filling it with clay is not shown in the drawings.

From the above description it will be understood that when the carrier 5 is tilted the member 6, the arm 11 and the clay gun 18 tilt with it. Tilting of the carrier 5 and member 6 in the clockwise direction about the axis of the trunnions 4 viewing Figure 4 is limited by a stop 25.

The stop 25 stops the tilting movement of the member 6 when the clay gun is disposed at the angle of inclination desired for plugging the tapping hole. The member 6 carries a lug 26 which when the member 6 is in its downtilted position as shown in chain lines in Figure 4 lies in between opposed positioning members 27 carried by the pedestal whereby to prevent turning of the member 6 about the axis 7 when in downwardly tilted position.

The operation of the apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole will now be described. When the clay gun is not being used to plug the tapping hole it is normally disposed with its axis substantially horizontal and turned clockwise from the position shown in Figure 3, i. e., at the opposite side of the pedestal from the vertical plane 3 containing the axis of the tapping hole, and pointing generally away from the furnace. It is while the clay gun is in that position that it is loaded.

When the time comes for plugging the tapping hole the fluid motor 9 is first operated to turn the member 6 in a counterclockwise direction through an angle of 180 viewing Figure 3, the guide members 10 and the clay gun remaining substantially horizontal. The clay gun is brought into the position shown in Figure 3 and shown in solid lines in Figure l with its axis in the vertical plane 3 containing the axis of the tapping hole. Then the fluid motor 8 is operated to tilt the carrier 5 to the position shown in chain lines in Figure 4, the angle of tilt being determined by the stop 25, that angle corresponding to the angle of tilt of the clay gun desired for plugging the tapping hole. At the same time the lug 26 lies between the opposed positioning members 27. Thus the gun is positively held in the desired alignment for introduction of its nose 19 into the tapping hole. The position of the nose of the gun after the gun has been tilted but before it has been advanced into the tapping hole is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

With the gun thus positioned at the proper angle of tilt it is advanced until the nose 19 enters the tapping hole, such advance being accomplished by the piston in the cylinder 13 which moves the arm 11 generally toward the furnace along the guide members 10. Since the clay gun 18 is rigidly connected to the arm 11 so that the arm and clay gun constitute an operative unit advance of the arm 11 along the guide members 10 insures that the clay gun will be properly advanced until its nose enters the tapping hole. The position of the nose of the clay gun as it enters the tapping hole is shown in chain lines in Figure 1.

After the nose of the clay gun has been inserted into the tapping hole as above described the piston 22 is operated as previously explained to force clay under pressure from the clay gun through the nose 19 and into the tapping hole to plug the tapping hole. The nose of the clay gun is left in the tapping hole until the clay plug in the tapping hole hardens, whereupon the piston in the cylinder 13 is operated to retract the clay gun to the position in which its nose is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, after which the fluid motor 8 is operated to return the clay gun to horizontal position, whereupon the fluid motor 9 is operated to turn the member 6 clockwise through an angle of 180 viewing Figure 3 to the position which it occupied at the beginning of the cycle when the gun may be serviced if required and loaded for the next tapping hole plugging operation.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a floor-mounted pedestal, a guide tiltably mounted on the pedestal, the pedestal and guide having cooperating means for limiting downward tilting of the guide relatively to the pedestal, a clay gun mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole and means for positively tilting the guide relatively to the pedestal, said means forcing the guide against resistance to a predetermined angle of tilt.

2. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a mounting structure, a tiltable guide mounted on the mounting structure, a clay gun mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole, and means for positively tilting the guide relatively to the mounting structure, said means forcing the guide against resistance to a predetermined angle of tilt.

3. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a mounting structure, a tiltable guide mounted on the mounting structure, a clay gun mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole, means for positively tilting the guide, said means forcing the guide against resistance to a predetermined angle of tilt, and stop means acting directly between the guide and the mounting structure for stopping the tilting of the guide when the inclination of the clay gun substantially conforms to that desired for plugging the tapping hole.

4. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a tiltable guide, a clay gun mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole, power actuated means for tilting the guide, said means forcing the guide against resistance to a predetermined angle of tilt, and fluid pressure means for operating the clay gun to force clay from the clay gun into the tapping hole to plug the tapping hole.

5. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a plurality of generally parallel tiltable guide rods, an arm mounted on the guide rods for guided movement therealong, means for moving the arm along the guide rods generally toward and away from the furnace and a clay gun carried by the arm at a position offset from the guide rods, the guide rods being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the arm to move the clay gun toward the tapping hole.

6. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a tiltable guide, a generally horizontal arm mounted on the guide for guided movement therealong, the arm projecting laterally to a side of the guide, means for moving the arm along the guide generally toward the furnace and a clay gun carried by the arm at a position offset from the guide, the arm and clay gun being rigidly connected together so as to constitute an operative unit, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the furnace and downwardly to guide the arm to move the clay gun toward the tapping hole.

7. Apparatus for plugging a furnace tapping hole comprising a floor-mounted pedestal, a guide mounted on the pedestal for generally horizontal turning movement and also for generally vertical tilting movement, a clay gun mounted on the guide for generally horizontal swinging movement when the guide is turned generally horizontally and for guided movement along the guide, means for turning the guide and means for moving the clay gun along the guide generally toward the furnace when the guide is pointed generally toward the furnace, the guide being mounted to be tilted from a generally horizontal position to a position inclined generally toward the fur nace and downwardly to guide the clay gun in its movement toward the tapping hole, and power actuated means for positively tilting the guide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,437,661 Kaiser et al. Dec. 5, 1922 2,364,513 Brown et a1. Dec. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,454 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1925 428,866 Germany May 11, 1926 388,900 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1933 861,976 France Feb. 22, 1941 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,853,290 September 23, 1958 Sidney T, Morgan Column 2, line 35, for "relative' r line 21, before "6" or rods 0 ead relatively column 3 strike out "or rods"; line 22, before "10 insert Signed and sealed this 23rd day of December 1958,,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H, AXLINE} ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents