US3160296A - Furnace-charging device - Google Patents

Description

D 1964 F. TOCHER ETAL FURNACE-CHARGING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS:

ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 F. L. TOCHER ETAL 3,150,296

FURNACE-CHARGING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Z -iII J Ir. .7 I

United States Patent Ofilice amazes Patented Dec. 8, 1964 York Filed June 14, 1962, Ser. No. 202,621 8 Claims. (Cl. 214-18) This invention relates to a device which is useful, for example, in efficiently and economically handling scrap metal and other solid material and in charging such materials into a furnace or converter in which metal is to undergo refining. It relates, more particularly, to such a device which is suitable for charging such materials into a furnace or converter having an upwardly opening charging mouth for receiving material from elongate containers having an endwisely discharging chute or opening, the terms furnace and converter being interchangeably used herein. Such converters have come into use in connection with oxygen processing of molten iron into steel. One type of such converter is disclosed, for example, in United States Patent No. 3,013,789, dated December 19, 1961.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a device which may handle scrap or other solid materials more efliciently and may charge such materials into a converter more rapidly than means heretofore provided for similar purposes. Such rapid charging is important, not merely in consideration of charging alone, but reduction of the duration of a charging operation minimizes heat losses from the converter during charging of the latter.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a solid-materials handling device of such character that it operates very efficiently and economically with related plant equipment presently in use, thereby acquiring increased production from such present equipment.

Another important object of this invention is the provisionv of a solid-materials charging device which may be shifted readily from place to place within a steel plant by existing crane equipment and which has plural material containers and means for dumping them sequentially into a converter very rapidly to achieve much faster converter charging than hither-to.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of an improved solid-materials handling device which may coact with a crane beam to be held stable while being moved from place to place by the crane in a plant.

This invention is described herein, for convenience, as utilized in the processing of molten iron into steel, without, however, limiting the invention to such use. Also, such solid-materials containers are hereinafter referred to, for convenience, merely as boxes or scrap boxes.

The mentioned and other more or less obvious objects are achieved by a device, according to this invention, which, referring only to the broader features thereof, comprises a frame which may rest on a floor or othergenerally horizontal surface and has a stud or equivalent means engageable by a crane hook or the like by which the frame may be lifted from the door. The base is pro vided with an upright column having means at its upper end engageable with a horizontal surface, usually an UH: dersurface of a crane beam, to stabilize the device when it is being moved by the crane. Also, pivoted on the base areplural boxes, and means associated with the column for tilting said boxes separately to dump their contents into a converter. The crane or equivalent means may serve to shift the frame as needed to bring the several boxes sequentially into charging position in relation to the converter.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the furnace-charging device, as fully lifted by a related crane, looking at the discharging ends of three similar scrap boxes in the device, and showing the latter as used without doors on said boxes.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1, but showing a door such as may be used on the boxes.

FIG. 3' is a detail view shown in vertical section sub stantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

This invention may best be understood by reference to FIG. 2 wherein is shown a rigid frame comprising a horizontal base lit, upright columns 12, a motor platform 14-, supported on the base by one or more upright support members 16 (only one being shown) reinforced by rigid struts 18 and 2t and upright tackle-engaging brackets 22. All the mentioned parts of the frame are suitably interconnected, as illustrated, as by riveting and/ or welding.

As shown in FIG. 1, the base 10 is of such substantial width asto accommodate three scrap boxes 24 thereon in side-by-side spaced relationship and may rest in a very stable condition upon a floor surface or the like. columns 12, each advantageously comprising a pair of uprights 12a and 12b, are rigidly interconnected at their top ends by a cross-beam 26, and toward each end of the latter is provided an inverted trolley consisting of a pair of rollers 28 working on axles 30 extending between bracket plates 32 fixed to the beam 26. These rollers, as hereinafter explained, are in rolling engagement with the underside of crane beams 34, when the device is fully elevated, to stabilize the frame during certain movements and operations thereof.

The scrap boxes 2.4, as illustrated, are alike and of generally semi-cylindrical shape. Each of these boxes has upright bracket plates 36 welded or otherwise suitably fixed thereto toward opposite sides and toward the front or mouth ends thereof and these plates, at lower extremities thereof, are pivoted at 38 to longitudinal beams 43 which constitute parts of the base 10. This pivotal mount-' ing enables the boxes 24 to be pivoted between a normal horizontal position and a tilted discharging position as shown in full and broken lines respectively in FIG. 2.

At its rear end, each box 24 is provided with an integral rigid bracket 42 serving as a foot for supporting the box in a horizontal position upon the base 10. V

The back end of each box is closed by a fixed back wall 44, and the front end of each box may be open or, if desired, may be provided with a door 46 hinged to the top of the box at 48 and may be held closed against the bottom of the box by a suitable latch 55).

Means for tilting each box forwardly to discharge its contents by gravity are associated with related column 12, and comprise a draft member in the form of a pair of sprocket chains 52, 52:: working on sprockets 54, 54a, 56 and 56a. The sprockets 54, 54a are keyed upon a common shaft 53, suitably borne in the upper ends of uprights 12a and 12b and driven through trans-. mission means illustrated as comprising a sprocket type, drive chain 59 working on a driven sprocket oil keyed to shaft 58 and a driving sprocket d2 keyed upon the out: put shaft 64 of a speed reducer 65 which is driven by a suitable, reversible motor 655 through a drive-shaft con- (not shown) may be provided for shifting the shaft '72 The success vertically to enable the tension of the chains 52, 52a to be tightened to the proper extent.

The two chains 52 5241 are unified by a box-like link;

74 (best shown in FIG. 3) within which two rollers '76 are mounted for freev rotation upon stub shafts 73; these rollers being so spaced as to accommodate between them, preferably with an accurate lit, a lug in the form of an arcua'te. tongue 89 which is rigid with the bracket 42 forming the foot at the rear of the box 24. When the motor 6% is operated to cause the link '74 to rise, the tongue 89 is drawn upwardly while sliding within said link, causing thebox 24 to be tilted as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2.

of the device either in its loaded or unloaded condition.

As iswell understood by those familiar with this art, an overhead, traveling crane, of a character'commonly used in steel and other plants, comprises a pair of spaced beam members, such as indicated at 34, arranged at their ends to ride along elevated crane-way track members (not shown). These beam members provide tracks for a tackle-trolley (also not shown) which may move along said beam members, transversely of the crane-way. The tackle-trolley carries means for uniformly taking up and paying out separate cables $3 in unison. These cables work in separate sheave blocks 9%? each of which carries a pivotally suspended hook 92. I

Suitable shield plates 98 may be provided on the columns 12, between the latter and the boxes 24- to protect said columns and the chains 52, 52:: from damage during use of the device; these plates having vertical slots 1% to accommodate the vertically movable tongues 80.

By reason of the uniform operation of the cables in unison, the hooks $2 remain in substantially unchanging interrelationship. The hooks are applied tothe two studs 34 which are spaced substantially similarly to thespacing between the two cables so that, when the crane lifts the device, the latter is effectively held against material oscillation about a vertical axis.

The device normally rests in a substantially horizontal position upon a floor or equivalent surface (not shown), to receive scrap and/or other solid materials in the plural boxes 2 to fill the latter, the doors (if-such doors are provided), meanwhile, being latched closed.

An overhead crane then moves into position above the device and the cranes hooks b2 are lowered and positioned in lifting relation to the studs 84. Then, the

crane lifts-the device to bring and hold the rollers 28" firmly against the -iiat undersurfaces of the cranes two beams 34, thereby stabilizing the device against material swinging.

While thus held stable, the device is moved by the crane to a position above and toward one side of a converter into which the contents of the several boxes 24 are to be charged. Then, the crane lowers the deviceto approximately its relationship indicated in FIG. 2, to the mouth 94 of a fragmen'tarily shown converter 96, the crane and the device carried thereby being shifted to the extent necessary to bring one of the boxes 24, preferably an end box, into proper charging juxtaposition to the converters mouth. 1

Then, after release'of latch 58, the motor 63, related V The tongue 8% is formed with a stop lug 82 at its free end to assure contents to gravitate through the mouth 94 into the converter )6. Then, the motor 68 is reversely operated to restore the empty box to horizontal position, its door again held closed by thelatch 59.

The other boxes,: seriatim, are shifted by the crane into charging relation to the converter, are discharged thercinto and restored tojtheir horizontalattitudes in the manner described. After all boxes have been emptied, the device is preferably again lifted to stabilized engagement with the crane beams 34 and carried back to a station at which the device is again employed for charging purposes in the manner described. It will be understood that convertercharging, as just described, is much more rapid than if boxes of the greatest practical size are separately carried to a converter for charging scrap "into the latter.

It preferably has two in FIG. 2, the charging device is illustrated, for convienience, as being in stabilized engagement with crane beam 34 and also in charging position in relation to the converter 96. Some plantsmay be so arranged that said two relationships are coexistent; however, the described converter charging canbe satisfactorily performed by the disclosed apparatus even after thedevice has been lowered to some extent by the crane, as hereinbefore explained.

The provision of separate motors, 68 for tilting the boxes 24 is a convenient arrangement, but it will be realized that an alternative arrangement could employ a single motor and separately operable clutches drivin gly connecting the motor selectively to the chains or 6(1111Y' alent means of the several boxes.

It should be obvious that the concepts disclosed herein may be employed in various other ways Without, however, departing'from the invention as set forth in the following claims. I V We claim:

1. A furnace-charging device comprising a liftable frame adapted to rest on a generally horizontal surface and having lifting-lug means adapted for engagement by independent lifting means to enable the frame tobe lifted from said surface, plural boxes separately pivoted to said a frame for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, and sepasaid tongue having a lug on its free end adapted to abut V to that one box, is operated to cause the chain 52 to rate tilting means for each of said boxes, carried by said frame and coacting. separately with said boxes to pivot and thereby tilt the latter, said tilting means comprising, for each of said boxes, an upright column constituting a part of said frame, a movable endless chain carried by said column, and plural wheels, mounted for rotation on said frame, coacting with said chain to guide the latter in a fixed course of linear movement, one of said wheels,

being located at an upper portion of said column and a lifting portion of saidch'ain extending substantially vertically to said one wheel and having a lifting -link;'the tiling means further comprising a lifting, tongue rigidly integral with a related box and extending rearwardly thereof into lifting engagement with said link, and a motor opera-' tively connected to said chain to linearly move the latter. 2. A furnace-charging device \according to claim 1, said lifting link having an opening through which said lifting tongue extends and in which said tongue is movable during linear movement of said chain.

3.A furnace-charging device according to claim 2,

said lifting link to oppose disassociation of said tongue from said link.

' 4. A furnace-charging device comprising a liftable frame adapted to rest on a generally horizontal surface by tilt the latter, and a motor carried by said frame, and

said tilting means, for each of said boxes, comprising a lifting tongue, rigid with said box and projecting rearwardly therefrom, upright column means rigid with said frame, a draft member guided within said column means in sliding, tilting engagement with said tongue, and extending upwardly therefrom into moving engagement with an upper portion of said column means, and transmission means operatively-arranged between said motor, on the one hand, and upper portions of said column means and said draft member, on the other hand, and adapted to move said draft member upwardly to tilt the related box.

'5. A furnace-charging device comprising a liftable frame adapted to rest on a generally horizontal surface and having lifting-lug means adapted for engagement by independent lifting means to enable the frame to be lifted from said surface, plural boxes separately pivoted to said frame for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, separate tilting means for each of said boxes, carried by said frame and coacting separately with said boxes to pivot and thereby tilt the latter, and a motor carried by said frame, and said tilting means, for each of said boxes, comprising a lifting tongue, rigid with said box and projecting rearwardly therefrom, upright column means rigid with said frame, a draft member guided said column means in sliding, tilting engagement with said tongue and extending upwardly therefrom into moving engagement with an upper portion of said column means, and transmission means operatively arranged between said motor, on the one hand, and upper portions of said column means and said draft member, on the other hand, and adapted to move said draft member upwardly to tilt the related box, said device further com-prising steadying means, toward further comprising, in combination, a crane beam having 0 a fiat horizontal undersurface, the latter constituting the the upper end of said column and wider than the latter,

7. A furnace-charging device according to claim 5,

mentioned non-vertically mlovable surface, and vertically movable crane-hook means; said hook means being engageable with the device above the latters center of gravity to lift the device sufiiciently to establish and maintain said firm steadying contact of said steadying means with said undersurface.

8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein said boxes are in side-by-side relationship, said lifting-lug means comprise a pair of spaced lifting lugs on said frame toward one end of the latter and at a firstline normal to said boxes, said column means are disposed rearwardly of said boxes toward the opposite end of the frame and, at upper end portions, ex-tendtransversely of said boxes, said-steadying means being provided on said column means at two spaced points at a second line substantially parallel to said first line, the combination including a spaced pair of said crane beams separately contactable with said steadying means at said two spaced points, and a spaced pair of said crane hooks separately engageable with said lifting lugs, whereby to lift and steady said device without material turning of the device about a vertical axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,218,029 3/17 Williams. 2,622,924 12/52 Helz.

7 2,836,309 5/58 McFeaters 214--18 3,107,797 10/63 McFeaters et a1. 214l8 3,115,336 12/63 Longcnecker 21418 X FOREIGN PATENTS 340,274 9/21 Germany.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. ERNEST A. FALLER, JR., Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A FURNACE-CHARGING DEVICE COMPRISING A LIFTABLE FRAME ADAPTED TO REST ON A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SURFACE AND HAVING LIFTING-LUG MEANS ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY INDEPENDENT LIFTING MEANS TO ENABLE THE FRAME TO BE LIFTED FROM SAID SURFACE, PLURAL BOXES SEPARATELY PIVOTED TO SAID FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE, AND SEPARATE TILTING MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID BOXES, CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND COACTING SEPARATELY WITH SAID BOXES TO PIVOT AND THEREBY TILT THE LATTER, SAID TILTING MEANS COMPRISING, FOR EACH OF SAID BOXES, AN UPRIGHT COLUMN CONSTITUTING A PART OF SAID FRAME, A MOVABLE ENDLESS CHAIN CARRIED BY SAID COLUMN, AND PLURAL WHEELS, MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID FRAME, COACTING WITH SAID CHAIN TO GUIDE THE LATTER IN A FIXED COURSE OF LINEAR MOVEMENT, ONE OF SAID WHEELS BEING LOCATED AT AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID COLUMN AND A LIFTING PORTION OF SAID CHAIN EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY TO SAID ONE WHEEL AND HAVING A LIFTING LINK; THE TILTING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING A LIFTING TONGUE RIGIDLY INTEGRAL WITH A RELATED BOX AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREOF

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