US3458918A

US3458918A - Tuyere replacement apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3458918A
Application number: US664072A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daishu Kitajima; Masaaki Nagatomi
Original assignee: Toku Pneumatic Co Ltd; Yawata Seitetsu KK
Current assignee: Toku Pneumatic Co Ltd; Yawata Seitetsu KK
Priority date: 1966-09-06
Filing date: 1967-08-29
Publication date: 1969-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1986-08-05
Also published as: DE1583205B1; GB1199741A

Description

Aug. 5, 1969 DA|$HU KITAJIMA ET AL 3,458,918

TUYERE REPLACEMENT APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 FIG.

Til/5,90 mmJ/mn L4 mnsnnkl AlndmTom:

United States Patent ()fiice 3,458,913 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 11.5. Cl. 29-239 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention concerns a tuyere replacement apparatus comprising a mandrel equipped with a drawing jig at one end and securely fixed to the rod of an opening and closing cylinder of the other. Said mandrel is contained within a hollow drawing rod which has a push-in fixture at one end. The invention further comprises a reciprocating air hammer which is movably fitted to the intermediate portion of said drawing rod, and two pull and push cylinders which are disposed with said hammer interposed be tween them. The apparatus is constructed so as to effect the horizonal shifting of said mandrel and drawing rod, and also, so that said air hammer will exert an impact on the drawing rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to an apparatus for inserting and withdrawing a tuyere from a blast furnace. More particularly the invention relates to a tuyere replacement apparatus, so adapted as to apply an impact force to the tuyere, by means of an air hammer, when inserting or withdrawing the tuyere from the blast furnace.

Description of the prior art Previously, the replacement of a tuyere of a blast fur nace for manufacturing iron has been a difiicult operation. It has required a great deal of force and a considerable amount of time. Said difliculty, has resulted from the narrow working space, the high ambient temperature and the tuyere being heavy. The general method previously used for replacing the tuyere is as follows.

A hook having a striker weighin approximately 150 kilograms connected to it is engaged with tuyere and drawn by approximately six to eight workmen. During the drawing, impact it imparted to the tuyere by striking it with the striker. Besides requiring a long period of time, this operation can be dangerous.

Attempts to mechanize the operation of replacing the tuyere apparatus include: a method of drawing the tuyere gradually be applying a steady force by means of an oil pressure cylinder or the like; a method of drawing the tuyere while imparting impact and oscillation; etc. Such methods have been tested, but have not yet been put to practical use.

The general method, set forth above, requires a long period of time to replace the tuyere. Consequently, it is necessary that the hot blast of the furnace be suspended for a long period of time. To improve the operating efficiency of the blast furnace, it is, necessary to carry out the replacement of the tuyere in as short a period of time as possible.

Studies of said problem have led the present inventors to the discovery that it requires a large force of approximately 20 to tons to withdraw the tuyere quietly without exerting any impact in the tuyere replacement operation. This finding is attributed to the fact that the majority of troubles involving the tuyere have been caused by the melting loss thereof. In this case, slag, pig iron and the like are deposited on the tuyere and hence it requires a large force to separate them therefrom.

From the fact described above it is seen that it is not easy to withdraw the tyuere without applying some impact because the apparatus required for such withdrawing would be enormous. Accordingly, the simplest and most advantageous way to withdraw the tuyere is to separate the tuyere from the metal Wall cooling fittings of the furnace wall by imparting an impact to the tuyere. The tuyere replacement apparatus, according to the present invention has been constructed with this in mind. The troubles associated with the tuyere as described above usually occur only once or twice in a month. However, to

obviate said troubles, it has been necessary to secure from seven to eight workmen to provide for an emergency. This necessity results in a great loss in the working efficiency and creates a problem regarding the effective use of personnel. On the other hand, the present invention makes it possible for as few as one or two workers to accomplish the tuyere replacement. Accordingly, the drawback described above is solved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus, for replacing the tuyere in a blast furnace, which exerts impact while applying a pushing or pulling force in the replacement operation and which can be operated by as few as one or two workers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple apparatus which can be used for withdrawing or attaching the tuyere to the blast furnace in a safe and eflicient manner.

These objectives are accomplished by utilizing a tuyere replacement apparatus comprising a mandrel equipped with a drawing jig at one end and securely fixed to the rod of an opening and closing cylinder at the other. Said mandrel is contained within a hollow drawing rod which has a push-in fixture at one end. The invention further comprises a reciprocating air hammer which is movably fitted to the intermediate portion of said drawing rod, and two pull and push cylinders which are disposed with said hammer interposed between them. The apparatus is constructed so as to effect the horizontal shifting of said mandrel and drawing rod, and also, so that said air hammer will exert and impact on the drawing rod.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The apparatus of the present invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view, partly in section, showing the apparatus of the present invention mounted on a truck.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, which show the apparatus of the present invention, the main portion thereof comprises a cylindrical air hammer 1, a hollow cylindrical drawing rod 2 which extends through the bore of said air hammer, and is slidable therein an opening and closing piston cylinder means 7 secured to one end of said drawing rod 2, and a mandrel 3 which is directly connected to the rod (not shown) of said opening and closing piston cylinder means 7 and which extends through the bore of said drawing rod 2 and,is slidable therein. A drawing jig 13 is mounted on one end of said mandrel 3 and a pull-out and push-in air cylinder 8 is secured to both sides of said air hammer 1. In the present apparatus, thus constructed, the mandrel 3 is moved horizontally by the operation of the opening and closing cylinder 7. The drawing jig 13 is connected to the forward end of the mandrel 3, to open and close so as to engage with or disengage from the tuyere 5. On the other hand, by the operation of the pull-out and push-in cylinders 8, the air hammer '1 is caused to slide horizontally to impart impact forces to the drawing rod 2 by way of the impact receivers 17 mounted on rod 2.

Guide rollers 4 are mounted on plates 14 and guide the drawing rod 2, and a fixture 6 is in engagement with the tuyere 5. The fixture 6 can be a metal article, a link device or the like, and is positioned at the forward end of the drawing rod 2. Reference numeral 9 indicates the rods connected to the pistons (not shown) in air cylinders 8. Both ends of each rod 9 are secured to the supporting plate 14 by means of bolts. The pull and push air cylinders 8 slide horizontally on said rods 9 by means of the pistons in said cylinders 8. Reference numeral 10 indicates guide rods extending between plates 14 and on which the air hammer 1 is slidable. Guide rods 10 extend past one plate 14 toward the fixture 6 and have one set of guide rollers 4 mounted thereon. The pull and push cylinders 8 are bolted to the air hammer 1 and slide horizontally along the drawing rod 2 together with the hammer which, in turn, strikes the left or right impact receiver 17. Reference numeral 15 indicates a flange mounted on the drawing rod 2 and coupled to the fixture 6 by a compression spring 16. The present apparatus is mounted on a truck 12 having a handle 18 for adjusting the height through a conventional double screw crossed lever lifting device and wheels 19 on which the apparatus rolls as shown in FIGURE 3. 'In order to provide for a reaction force at the time of inserting or withdrawing the tuyere the truck 12 is connected to the furnace body by means of the fasteners '11 on said truck 12. However, the present apparatus may be, provided on any suitable transportation means other than the truck 12.

The action of said apparatus, constructed as mentioned above, is as follows. Considering first, the operation of withdrawing the tuyere 5, after said apparatus is adjusted for the proper horizontal position and height, the drawing jig 13 is inserted through the tuyere 5 and fixture 6 is engaged with the outside end of the tuyere 5, as shown in FIGURE 3. Compressed air is then supplied to the air cylinder 7 to move the piston of cylinder 7 toward the left. Then the mandrel 3, directly connected to the rod (now shown in the drawing) of said cylinder 7, is shifted to the left, causing the drawing jig 13, which is mounted 4 on the forward end of said mandrel 3 to open, as shown in FIGURE 1, so that the hook portions on the end are engaged with the forward end of the tuyere 5.

Compressed air is supplied to the pull and push air cylinders 8 to cause said cylinders 8 to move to the left along the rods 9. Said working force is transmitted to the shuttling air hammer 1 which is securely fastened to the pull and push cylinders 8 causing said hammer 1 to exert a steady force on the left impact receiver 17 while beating it. By said heating a working force plus an impact force is imparted to the drawing rod 2 which is securely connected to said impact receiver '17. Said motion draws the tuyere 5, engaged by the forward end of the drawing jig 13, strongly to the left. It is, of course, possible to impart the steady force to the tuyere without the impact force by simply not operating the hammer.

The operation of inserting the tuyere 5 into the blast furnace will be considered next. Said operation is performed by steps in the operation of withdrawing the tuyere. As shown in FIGURE 1, the tuyere 5 is held between the push-in fixture 6 and the drawing jig 13 and positioned in the proper position for being inserted in the blast furnace. The pull and push cylinders 8 are operated to move to the right causing the drawing rod 2 to push the flange 15 to the right. This motion compresses the spring 16 and brings the flange into direct contact with the pushin fixture 6. The pushing force of the pull and push cylinders 8 is thus transmitted to the tuyere 5. In this case, impact can be applied by the air hammer 1 while the pushing force is applied to the tuyere 5.

As described above, the operation of the present apparatus is simple thus making it possible for as few as one or two workmen to withdraw or insert the tuyere in a short period of time. Since it is possible to impart a pulling or pushing force as well as an impact by the use of compressed air, it is possible to construct the present apparatus so that it is small in size and so that it can perform the replacement of the tuyere in an extremely efiicient manner.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for inserting and removing a tuyere from a blast furnace, comprising a tuyere holding means having relatively movable portions to engage the opposite ends of the tuyere therebetween to hold the tuyere, means coupled to one of said portions for moving it relative to the other portion, an inserting and withdrawing rod on which said tuyere holding means is mounted, impact producing means slidably mounted on said rod, force receiving means on said rod against which said impact means is abuttable, force exerting means connected to said impact producing means for exerting a force on said impact producing means which is transmitted through the impact producing means to said rod, and frame means on which said force exerting means is mounted and adapted to be secured to produce a reaction force to the force of said force exerting means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said impact producing means comprises an impact hammer, and said force receiving means comprises two spaced impact receivers on said rod, said impact hammer being slidable along said rod between said impact receivers.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said force exerting means comprise a pair of fluid pressure piston cylinder members which can exert a force in either direction and which have a single rod extending therethrough and which are mounted on said frame means, the cylinders of said members being connected to said air hammer and being movable along the rods.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said one portion of said tuyere holding means comprises hook means for engaging the inner end of the tuyere and which extends through the tuyere, and said means for moving said one portion relative to the other portion comprise a rod coupled to said hook means, and a fluid pressure piston on said rod and a fluid pressure cylinder around said piston, said fluid pressure cylinder being mounted on References Cited said frame means.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said UNITED STATES PATENTS other portion of said tuyere engaging means comprises 2,561,577 7/1951 Knudsen 29-254 X a tuyere engaging fixture, a spring engaging said fixture, 5 3,067,502 12/1962 Whemkw 29255 and a flange on said rod engaging said spring. 3,156,038 11/1964 fl i 29-234 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said 3157O70 11/1964 Heldnch 173*112 frame means includes means for connecting said frame means to a blast furnace to hold the frame means While ROBERT RIORDON Primary Examiner said force exerting means is operating. 10 J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said frame means includes a platform and means to raise and U.S. Cl. X.R.

lower the platform. 29252, 255