US3305109A

US3305109A - Furnace discharging apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3305109A
Application number: US224749A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cecil L Kerr
Original assignee: Amsler Morton Co
Current assignee: Amsler Morton Co
Priority date: 1962-09-19
Filing date: 1962-09-19
Publication date: 1967-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-21

Description

Feb. 21, 1967 c. 1.. KERR FURNACE DI SCHARGING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l H mm INVENTOR.

CECIL L. KERR his ATTORNEY Feb. 21, 1967 Filed Sept. 19, 1962 FURNACE C. L. KERR DI SCHARGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet I:

INVENTOR. CECIL L. KERR I BY his ATTORNEY Feb. 21, 1967 c, KERR 3,305,109

FURNACE DISCHARGING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet d INVENTOR. CECIL L. KERR his ATTORNEY slides downwardly on the skids.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,305,109 FURNACE DISCHARGING APPARATUS Cecil L. Kerr, Bethel Park, Pa., assignor to Amsler Morton Company, a division of Textron Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Sept. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 224,749 1 Claim. ((31. 214-26) This invention relates to furnace apparatus and more particularly to equipment for handling slabs or other heated materials in conjunction with a furnace or the like.

Prior to rolling operation, it is the usual practice to pass the slabs through a heating furnace where they are heated to a temperature suitable for rolling operation. At the time the slabs are ready for discharge from the furnace they are pushed onto inclined drop-out skids where they slide under force of gravity through a discharge opening of the furnace. A fixed abutment is located at the base of the skids in position to stop the slabs at whatever location is desired for subsequent conveyancing. Since the slabs have considerable velocity at the time they impact with the stop there is a high incidence of damage which occurs to the slabs at the bottom of the inclined skids. While the slab i in a heated condition it is quite susceptible to such damage and certain compositions of metal in heated condition in particular are likely to be damaged when they impact against the stop at the bottom of the inclined skids.

Another shortcoming of the inclined drop-out skid method for removing slabs, is that the heating furnace should be enclosed as completely as possible to prevent heat losses and for that purpose there are provided swinging doors which are opened on impact with a slab as it The door should have substantial strength to provide adequate insulation but when constructed in this manner, said doors also develop substantial resistance to the slabs which are thereby damaged in much the same way as occurs when the slabs impact against stops at the end of the skids. Therefore, this described method of removing heated slabs has proved generally unsatisfactory.

One of the foremost objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of handling heated slabs wherein the heated slabs are removed from a heating chamber without producing damage to the slabs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slabhandling apparatus in conjunction with a heating furnace in which impact forces of various kinds are eliminated together with the consequent damage which is produced on the slab.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a slab-handling means which effectively reduces heat losses by substantially filling the outlet through which the slabs are withdrawn after being heated. The only time during which the outlet or discharge is open, is during the brief period in which the heated slabs are transported from the interior of the furnace to a subsequent transporting v means.

the center of a heating apparatus for slabs which heats them to a suitable temperature before rolling, said ap- 3365,19 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 paratus having slab-handling equipment in accordance with the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a enlarged detail view of the slab-handling apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the handling apparatus looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the actuator system for operating the slab-holding apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the slabholding apparatus indicated in FIG. 2 wherein the support surfaces are movable to provide for slab movement through a narrower exit opening of a heating apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a further embodiment of a slab-handling apparatus in which the exit opening of the heater can be located at a lower vertical level than the line of movement of the slabs within the heating apparatus; and,

FIG. 7 is a yet further embodiment of the'invention in which the slab-handling apparatus moves the slab stepwise for removal from the heating apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, the heating apparatus indicated generally by reference numeral 10 includes a furnace chamber 12 having an inlet 14 through which are passed a plurality of slabs 15 which extend crosswise in the chamber 12 and are stacked one beside the other in one continuous series extending through the chamber 12. The slabs are caused to slide on water-cooled rails 16 which are supported on vertical members 18 and the product of combustion from the top and bottom fired

burners

20, 22 at the input end and the top and bottom fired

burners

24, 26 at the output end, are passed through

vertical fiues

28 and 30.

After the slab pass through the furnace chamber 12 and are brought to temperature they then enter a soak chamber 32 which is heated by a top fired burner 34 which maintains a preferred temperature of the soak chamber 32 so that heat will uniformly permeate the crosssection of the slab before it is discharged, bringing all portions of the slab to a suitable temperature. At the end of the soak chamber 32 is an exit opening 36 in which there is received a number of slab-handling devices designated generally by reference numeral 38 and spaced at intervals along the width of the exit opening 36 to provide generally horizontally disposed support surfaces 40 which are located in alignment with the advancing slabs 15 within the heating apparatus 19 to receive tereon a slab which is transferred directly from the rails 16. The surfaces 40 are located at spaced intervals along the length of the slab to carry the entire weight of the slab which is held balanced. Each of the slab-handling devices 38 is movable along an inclined ramp 42 on roller bearings 44 and on additional bearings 46 (FIG. 2). Movement of the apparatus 38 is constrained to its reciprocable inclined plane movement by

journal bearings

48 and 50 which are located on oppositesides of the stem portion 52 of the device 38. Once a slab 15 is received on the spaced slabhandling devices 38 it is transferred without occurrence of shock load to the slab, down the including ramp 42 and is deposited on a course of rollers 52 which are journaled at opposite ends on I-beam 54 and journal box 56, respectively. The slab is deposited on the roller bearings by movement of the support surfaces 40 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 which is just below the surface of the course of roller bearings 52. The slab 15 is then caused to move longitudinally to a subsequent operation such as rolling or the like.

The slab 15 is moved from the chamber 32 onto the bearings 52 without occurrence of any shock loads which occur from impacts such as previously experienced where the slabs were caused to slide down inclined skids and them impacted against a stop at the base of the skids. Instead, the device 38 translates the slab 15 without any relative movement occurring between the device 38 and slab until the slab is deposited by gradually lowering the surface 48 below the surface of the bearings 52. The device 38 is operated by 'ahydrau'lic or pneumatic motor 58 (FIG. 3) comprising a double acting piston 60 received within a cylinder 62 and having a piston rod 64 operatively connected with the device 38 to effect movement in each of opposite directions to produce lowering and raising of the support surface 48 either to lower a slab onto the bearings 52 or raise the surfaces 48 in position to receive a successive slab 15.

The motor 58 is operated by means of a spool valve 66 which is biased by

opposed springs

68 and 70 to a central position wherein the

lands

71, 72 interrupt communication of a pressure source 73 through line 74 with either of the lines 76, '78 connecting to opposite sides of the piston 60. In the center position of the spool valve 66 line 78 communicates chamber 58 of the motor to exhaust and chamber 62 is severed from communication with either the pressure source or with exhaust thereby fixing the position of the motor at the raised position of the device 38 which has a servo feed back contact 79 biasing the spool to a center position when the surface 46 reaches a height in position to receive a successive slab. The device 38 is therefore locked at such height by movement of the spool to its centered position wherein the fluid is prevented from leaving the motor chamber 62.

When a slab 15 is deposited on surface 40 it closes a limit switch 90 producing a circuit from the positive terminal of a power source such as a battery 92 through conductor 94 to a time delay relay 96 and conductor 98 through closed switch 90 and conductor 1% to the negative terminal by power source 92. The time delay relay remains engaged for a period of time effective to translate the slab downwardly and deposit it on the course of rollers 52.

The time delay relay 96 closes the switch 182, opens switch 184 and closes switch 106 through a connection 108 which is effective only for closing but not for opening the switch 166. While the time delay relay 96 is energized, a circuit is made from the positive terminal of energy source 188, conductor 110, closed switch 112, conductor 114 to coil 116 of solenoid 118, conductor 120 to the other terminal of power source 108 to effect rightward movement of the spool valve 66 and biasing of the piston 68 leftwardly to lower the slab.

When the slab carrier surface reachs its lowermost position and the slab 15 is deposited on rollers 52 the switch 90 opens and the time delay relay 90 reverses opening switch 102 and switch 104 closes making a circuit from one terminal of the energy source 108 through conductor 122, switch 104, conductor 124, close switch 106, conductor 126, solenoid coil 128 and conductor 100 to the negative terminal of 108.

The energized coil 128 displaces the spool 66 leftwardly communicating the pressure source 73 with chamber 62 to displace the piston 60 to the right and raise the device 38-. If the slab deposited on 52 is not moved out of the way of the upcoming surfaces 40 it closes switch 98 and actuates the relay 96 in a movement closing switch 102 and opening switch 104 to energize the solenoid coil 116 such that spool 66 causes a lowering of the device 38 for a further period during which the slab on 52 is displaced. Then the device 38 is prevented from raising a slab 15 once it is deposited on 52.

If the switch 90 is not closed during return or raising stroke of the device 38, the coil 116 will remain energized until switch 106 is opened by the one way switch arm 12% which is engaged by and is operated to open position by upward movement only of the device 38 of the prepared vertical level of the support surface 48. The switches 182 and 186 now being both opened deenergize both coils of the solenoid and the spool 66 is in neutral position. The weight of the unit is supported by fluid trapped in chamber 62 and blocked by the load 70 of spool 66, the portion being used by engaging a follow up i or servo abutment by engagement with a complementary portion (not shown) of the device 38 which positions the spool so that fiuid in 62 cannot pass out of passage 76 and therefore supports the vertical load of the device 38.

The action of the motor is quite moderate so that the slab is not subjected to sudden starts and steps which could shake the slab off its support or produce any sharp imports thereon.

I have found it also useful to enlay in conjunction with the device 38 a switch 117 which precludes charging an additional slab into the furnace until the device 38 is in raised position to receive an outcoming slab. In this way there is no possibility of discharging a slab without the device 38 being in position to receive such a slab.

Referring next to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the surface 40 can be supported on a pivot 162 so that when a slab 15 is received it will overbalance the surface '48 on pivot 162 turning it counterclockwise so that bearings 164 will engage the inclined surface 42. In this position, the slab 15 is still retained by virtue of the finger 166 and as the device 38 is lowered by a mechanism of the same description as stated in the previous embodiment (FIG. 3). The principal advantage of the arrangement as shown in FIG. 4 is that by making the support 48' pivotal it is possible to reduce accordingly the size of the exit passage 36 and thereby reduce heat loss.

In all other respects, the embodiment works the same as described in the prior embodiment.

Referring next to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 6, there is provided an articulated linkage 38' having a trunnion 170 upon which the linkage turns to first lower the support surface 40" causing the slab 15 to move vertically downwardly within drop-out chamber 172 and then moves laterally through a doorway 174 having a normally closed door 176 for retaining heat within the chamber. The slab 15 moves successively from position 15' to 15" and onto the rollers 52 where they are then displaced to the next succeeding operation, as for example, rolling or the like. T his arrangement discloses the possibility of locating the exit in vertically offset relation and providing composite arcuate and laternal withdrawal movement to the slab as distinguished from the inclined travel of the device 38 in the previous embodiments. In all other respects, the mechanism is the same.

Referring next to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the slab withdrawing apparatus is provided in the form of a support surface 41 which first moves vertically downwardly to the position shown in 40, 40' having a slab 15 thereon and then moves leftwardly to bring the slab 15 over the bearings 52 where the surface 40 then moves vertically downwardly a further increment and deposits the slab 15 on the bearings 52. This composite movement in the form of successive vertically downward, lateral, and then additional downward movement can be provided either hydraulically or pneumatically, however preferred. The arrangement illustrates the disposal of exit opening 36 both downwardly and laterally offset from the line of travel of the slabs 15 as they move into position for withdrawal from the chamber 32.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in connection with a few selected example embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that these are illustrative and are by no means restrictive of the invention. It is reasonably to be expected that those skilled in this art can make numerous revisions and adaptations of the invention to suit individual design requirements. It is intended that revisions and adaptations by those skilled in the art which incorporate the herein disclosed principles will be included within the scope of the following claim as equivalents of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A slab-handling apparatus in combination with a slabheating apparatus having a discharge opening at the end thereof, comprising:

(a) support means having support surfaces disposed 6 at a vertical level filling the major portion of said ment and subsequent return movement of said supdischarge opening and disposed to receive in turn port means to a vertical location Within the disthe horizontally movable slabs moving through said apparatus to become transferred onto the support surfaces of said support means as an extension of the 5 charge opening and in position to receive a subsequent slab.

support surfaces provided by the heating apparatus; References Cited by the Examiner (b) means forming an inclined bearing for said sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS port means and providing a guideway for rectilinearly reciprocable movement thereon whereby heated slabs 2 024 949 12 1935 S h f 1443 are transferred both laterally and vertically out of 10 2,061,358 11/1936 Hunter a va1 214 18 the heating apparatus through sa1d discharge open- 2,761,507 9 /1956 Clarke et ing without aflecting the angularity of said support 3,243,059 3/1966 Kalberkamp 214-26 surfaces;

(c) a course of antifriction rollers for receiving said GERALD FORLENZA, Primary Examine!- slabs Which are deposited thereon and Without in- 1 HUGO O. SCHULZ Examineh ertial displacement from said support means;

(d) and means for effecting said reciprocable move- R A Assistant Examiner.