US3322417A

US3322417A - Damper system

Info

Publication number: US3322417A
Application number: US458210A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mitchell John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-05-24
Filing date: 1965-05-24
Publication date: 1967-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-30

Description

y 0, 1967 J. MITCHEILL 3,322,417

DAMPER SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN MITCHELL ATTORNEY y 30, 1957 J. MIR-SHELL 3,322,417

DAMPER SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR.

\3 JOHN MITCHELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,322,417 DAMPER SYSTEM John Mitchell, 3639 Emily St, San Pedro, Calif. 90731 Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,210 9 Claims. (Cl. 263-46) This invention relates in general to dampers for kilns, and more particularly to an improved damper system for intermittent ovens or kilns.

Damper systems have heretofore consisted of individually movable plates or tiles situated along and resting on the upper portion or roof of a kiln or oven. As is well-known in the art, said upper portion or roof is generally composed of firebrick or other suitable refractory materials usually disposed to form an arch or suspended roof which has the inherent ability to swell, rise or sink as the tempert ure or pressure within the oven increases or decreases, as the case may be. When the damper tiles are placed in position to regulate the draft in the oven, covering or partially covering the flue openings in the roof of said oven, they become practically inaccessible for adjustment. Even when access is possible, they must be adjusted individually if there is more than one flue opening.

Another problem with the conventional damper system is that the damper tiles usually rest directly upon the firebrick comprising the flue opening, and, when any adjustment of position is required to be made' to them, due to the composition and physical characteristic-s of the damper tile itself, the possibility exists of a precipitant or tile fragment falling through the flue opening and contaminating any wares being fired or baked in the kiln. This is especially true and objectionable during the glazing process because of the adhesive composition of the glaze used for ceramic or clay wares at the point of fusion.

An additional problem inherent in the prior art pertains to the adjustment of the damper tile in that a very awkward and unsafe condition prevails due to the inaccessibility of the tiles themselves from the ground. This necessitates personnel climbing upon the oven roof, or attempting to poke or manually move the tiles without the ability to perform same with any degree of precision or uniformity.

With the foregoing in mind, it is therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an easily adjustable damper system in which all of the above noted problems associated with the prior art are either overcome or substantially diminished.

More particularly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a damper system in which a damper tile or plate or a multiplicity of same are easily adjusted longitudinally without the necessity of climbing to the top of a kiln.

Another object of the present invent-ion is to provide an improved method of suspending a damper tile above its associated flue opening, but avoiding direct contact with said opening and thereby obviating friction caused by the necessary adjustment of said tile, which, in turn, prevents any flakes, chips or fragments of the damper tile from falling through the flue opening and on wares being fired in the kiln.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method of suspending damper tiles so that a floating action coincident with the expansion, rising, contraction or sinking of the oven roof due to aforementioned temperature or pressure variations within the oven can be achieved.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for minutely adjusting damper tiles and doing same in a precise manner, either individually or in gangs or groups, so that the flue openings will be evenly gapped to permit a more consistent passage of air or gases through said openings, or to direct said air or as required.

Further and additional objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by providing a damper system comprising coplanar metal angles which form a horizontal framework that is suspended above but in close relation with a oven roof. Said framework is permitted to rise and fall with the expansion and contraction of said oven roof while maintaining its previously established relative position above said roof, .and such objects, advantages and capabilities will be readily apparent and better understood from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a typical ceramic oven or kiln in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a greatly reduced schematic view showing another type means of moving the damper frame in a longitudinal direction along the oven roof.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the longigases within the kiln,

tudinal adjustment of the aforementioned damper framework is accomplished by a manual means, hereinafter referred to, but the invention is not limited to such means. As may be appreciated, the damper actuating means comprising said framework may be controlled by electrical or mechanical means of motivation, one embodiment of which is hereinafter referred to.

With reference to the drawing in detail, there is shown kiln, indicated by the arrowed numeral 10, comprised of framework 11 consisting of vertically disposed

beam members

12 and 13 and connected at the top thereof by a horizontally disposed member 14, all of which are generally steel or iron I-beams. Depending on the length of said kiln 10, there may be a multiplicity of such frames 11, some of which are indicated by the numerals 11a and 11b. Rotatable wheels 15 and 16 are mounted by suitable means at the bottom of

beam members

12 and 13 which permit the kiln 10 to ride and envelop upon tracks 17 and 18. A ware table or platform 19, upon which several wares or ceramic objects 20 are to be fired, is shown in the drawing.

Constructed and disposed within said framework 11 is a firebrick or refractory firing chamber 21 having an arched roof 22 at a distance below said member 14. Said roof 22 is provided with a multiplicity of flue openings 23 longitudinally disposed therein. Disposed and constructed between each flue opening 23 is a pier or piers 24 upon which parallel frame members 25 and 25a rest in contact thereon. Vertically disposed ateach end of said members 25 and 25a are

hollow cylinders

26 and 27. Said

cylinders

26 and 27 actually surround and receive

solid rods

28, 28a, 29 and 29a, which are weldably suspended from

bars

30 and 31 that are rigidly mounted to frame member 14.

Angle members

32 and 33 are perpendicularly and rigidly mounted in a longitudinal plane to members 25 and 25a, respectively.

Frame members 25 and 25a, and

angle members

32 and 33 comprise a rigid rectangular shaped framework which is able to move upwardly or downwardly on

rods

28 and 29 and 28a and 29a when said roof 22 expands or contracts as a result of temperature or gas variations within said firing chamber 21. As may be appreciated, movement of the framework will be achieved through the contact with

piers

24 and 24a and its frictional engagement with members 25 and 25a. Disposed within and parallel with said

angle members

32 and 33 are

angle members

34 and 35. Rigidly connected to the ends of said

angle members

34 and 35 are members 36a and other members (not shown) to comprise a rigid rectangularly shaped framework indicated by arrowed numeral 36. Although frictionally engaging

angle members

32 and 33, framework 36 will move in a longitudinal manner as herein described. Actuation plate 37 is rigidly and perpendicularly affixed to

angle members

34 and 35 in a horizontal plane, and at each end thereof are

rectangular openings

38 and 39 which are adapted to receive in turn actuating

levers

40 and 41 respectively. Said levers 40 and 41 are connected to rod 42, at the end of which is a lever 43 for operation. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, if lever 43 is moved in the direction of arrow 44, movement of framework 36 will be achieved, as indicated by arrow 45. The

damper tiles

46 and 47, which are loosely placed upon and disposed within framework 36, will now move and be carried by framework 36 when lever 43 is actuated.

Said

damper tiles

46 and 47 are kept at a finite distance, indicated by numeral 48, from the top surface of flue openings 23 at all times even during their longitudinal adjustment. At no time will said

tiles

46 and 47 come in contact or engagement with the said flue openings 23 or the material comprising same. At such time as the oven roof 22 heaves upwardly, due to a change in the pressure of gases or temperature within the oven chamber 21, framework 36 will maintain its relative position to the flue openings 23 as a result of being carried by

members

32, 33, 25 and 25a, and by said piers 24 pushing upwardly along the roof 22. As may be seen, the entire damper system is free to float, although it rests on roof 22. This enables said system to maintain its position relative to the flue openings 23.

Lever members

40 and 41 are free to protrude through actuation plate 37 and form no barrier to the floating action of the said damper system.

With reference to FIGURE 5, it may be seen that lever 43 at the end of rod 42 may be replaced by a worm gear 49 coacting with a worm 50 mounted on shaft 51 which in turn can be rotatably driven by a motor 52 or by other suitable means.

Briefly, in operation, the oven and wares are prepared for firing, and a door or closing means (not shown) is put in place. Heating means are then engaged and the oven 10 receives said heat. By referring to a suitable device indicating and/ or controlling same, the operator will adjust the damping system by actuating lever 43, which in turn rotates rod 42, and by swinging

levers

40 and 41 in an arcuate manner, said

levers

40 and 41 will bear against

slots

38 and 39 in plate 37 and therefore move framework 36 supporting

damper tiles

46 and 47 in a longitudinal manner over the flue openings 23. As will be easily seen, the damper adjusting sequence can be achieved by relatively safe and economical means and no longer necessitates awkward or inaccessible operation.

The present invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or arrangement of parts, or application of any such construction or arrangement of parts, or any specific method of operation or use, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the embodiments are intended only for illustration and for disclosure of an operative embodiment, and not to show all of the various for-ms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

What I claim is:

1. In a kiln or oven having a damper system, said kiln comprising a movable framework having a firing chamber with a roof portion therein, flue openings disposed along said roof, two or more pier members formed on top of said roof adjacent said flue openings, first frame means are disposed to rest on said pier members, rod members vertically suspended from said framework, hollow guide means connected vertically to said first frame means and adapted to slidingly receive said rod members so that whenever said roof vertically expands or contracts, said frame means may move upwardly or downwardly in the same spatial relationship thereto, second frame means disposed to lie within and be guided by said first frame means are adapted to move in a longitudinal direction above said roof, damper plates which are adapted to firmly rest on said second frame means, and actuating means adapted to move said second frame means longitudinally and thereby also the said damper plates.

2. In a kiln or oven having a damper system, said kiln comprising a movable rigid framework having a firing chamber with a roof portion therein, flue openings disposed along said roof, pier members formed with and constructed on top of said roof and disposed adjacent said flue openings, first frame means are disposed to rest on said pier members in a plane parallel to the plane of the roof, rod members vertically suspended from said frame member means, hollow guide means adapted to slidingly receive said rod members so that whenever said piers move vertically due to the expansion or contraction of said roof, said frame means may move upwardly or downwardly in the same spatial relationship thereto, second frame means disposed to lie within and be slidingly guided by said first frame means are adapted to move in a longitudinal direction above said roof, damper plates which are adapted to rest on said second frame means, and actuating means adapted to move said second frame means and thereby also the said damper plates over and away from said fl'ue openings.

3. In an intermittent kiln or oven having an associated damper system, said kiln comprising a movable framework having a firing chamber with a roof portion therein, flue openings disposed lengthwise along said roof, two or more pier members constructed on top of said roof adjacent said flue openings, first frame means are disposed to rest on said pier members, means attached to said first frame means and adapted to guide said first frame means so that whenever said piers move vertically due to the expansion or contraction of said roof, said means may move upwardly or downwardly in the same spatial relationship thereto, second frame means lie on said first frame means and are adapted to move above said roof, damper plates which are adapted to rest on second frame means, and actuating means adapted to move said second frame means above said roof and thereby also the said damper plates over and away from said flue openings.

4. In a kiln or oven having a damper system, said kiln comprising framework means having a firebrick or refractory chamber with a roof portion therein, said roof having a multiplicity of flue openings longitudinally disposed therein, pier members disposed and constructed on said roof between said flue openings, a rigid framework resting on said pier members so that its plane is substantially parallel to the plane of said roof, vertically disposed guide means attached to said rigid framework and adapted to maintain said framework in the same spatial relationship to said roof, movable framework means set within said rigid framework, damper plates in engagement with said movable framework, and actuating means adapted to move said movable framework means and damper plates in a horizontal plane slightly above the top portion of said flue openings so that said damper plates may cover or move away from said flue openings.

5. In a kiln or oven having a damper system, said kiln comprising framework means having a firebrick or refractory chamber with a roof portion therein, said roof having a multiplicity of flue openings disposed therein, pier members disposed and constructed on said roof between said flue openings, a rigid framework resting on said pier members, vertically disposed guide means attached to said rigid framework and adapted to maintain said framework in the same spatial relationship to said roof, movable framework means set on said rigid framework, damper plates in engagement with said movable framework, and actuating means adapted to move said movable framework means and damper plates either individually or jointly in a plane slightly above the top portion of said fiue openings.

6. A damper system for intermittent kilns having flue openings and a roof portion thereof, said system comprising pier members placed on top of said roof adjacent said flue openings, first framework means suspended on said pier members a specified distance above said kiln roof, vertically disposed rod members adapted to coact with said first framework means, means for guiding said framework means in a substantially vertical direction on said rods so that whenever said roof expands or contracts thereby causing similar motion of said pier members said framework means will also correspondingly rise or descend, second framework means adapted to slidingly move in a lengthwise direction along said first framework means, damper plates set on said second framework means, and actuating means for moving said second framework means and thereby said damper tiles longitudinally over and away from said flue openings.

7. A damper system for kilns or ovens having flue openings and a roof, said damper system comprising pier members constructed on said roof, rigid framework means suspended on said pier members above said kiln roof,

means adapted to guide said framework means so that its plane remains parallel to the plane of the said roof even though said roof expands or contracts causing similar movement in said pier members and thereby causing said framework means to correspondingly rise or descend, damper means adapted to move along said rigid framework means, and actuating means for moving said damper means individually or collectively over or away from said flue openings.

8. In a kiln or oven having a damper system as described in claim 2, whereby said damper plates are individually movable over or away from said flue openings.

9. A damper system for intermittent kilns as described in claim 6, whereby said damper plates are individually movable over or away from said flue openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 662,661 11/ 1900 Witcher 1 26-289 ,674,446 4/ 1954 Arutunolf 263-46 3,211,443 10/ 1965 Starner et al 26346 X FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. J. J. CAMBY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

7. A DAMPER SYSTEM FOR KILNS OR OVENS HAVING FLUE OPENINGS AND A ROOF, SAID DAMPER SYSTEM COMPRISING PIER MEMBERS CONSTRUCTED ON SAID ROOF, RIGID FRAMEWORK MEANS SUSPENDED ON SAID PIER MEMBERS ABOVE SAID KILN ROOF, MEANS ADAPTED TO GUIDE SAID FRAMEWORK MEANS SO THAT ITS PLANE REMAINS PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE SAID ROOF EVEN THOUGH SAID ROOF EXPANDS OR CONTRACTS CAUSING SIMILAR MOVEMENT IN SAID PIER MEMBERS AND THEREBY CAUSING SAID