US3850305A

US3850305A - Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals

Info

Publication number: US3850305A
Application number: US00359692A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Messina
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-05-19
Filing date: 1973-05-14
Publication date: 1974-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-26
Also published as: IT960020B; DE2325107A1; AR198664A1; DE2325107C2; FR2186976A7; GB1415432A; BE799829A

Abstract

Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous metals and the like. The apparatus comprises a bridge crane for supporting and lifting an anode and a transducer responsive to the bridge crane movement and supplying pulses to a bidirectional counter, said pulses being representative of the anode lifting from the operating position in the electrolytic bath to a reference plane.

Description

i United State sP a-t en 1191 Messina [4 Nov. 26, 1974 [5 APPARATUS FOR-AUTOMATIC AND 2,131,868 10/1938 Bolton et al. 33/126.6 CONTROLLED POSITIONING 0F ANODES 3,402,851 9/1968 Ciotti et a1 222/26 X 3,523,882 8/1970 Duclaux 212/129 x IN ELECTROLYTIC CELLS FOR 3,612,297 10/1971 Lapostolet 212/128 x PRODUCING FERROUS -AND NONFERROUS METALS Inventor: Gianmario Messina, Via Don Luigi Palazzolo 7, Torre Boldone, Italy Filed: May 14, 1973 Appl. No.: 359,692

Foreign Application Priority Data May 19, 1972 Italy 2932/72 US. Cl. 212/21, 212/132 Int. Cl. B66C 17/00 Field of Search 212/11, 21, 39 R, 39 MS, 212/86, 128, 129, 131, 132; 33/l26.6, 126.7A

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1926 Brown 212/131 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Joseph J. Rolla [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous metals and the like. The apparatus comprises a bridge crane for supporting and lifting an anode and a transducer responsive to the bridge crane movement and supplying pulses to a bidirectional counter, said pulses being representative of the anode lifting from the operating position in the electrolytic bath to a reference plane.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND CONTROLLED POSITIONING OF ANODES IN ELECTROLYTIC CELLS FOR PRODUCING FERROUS AND NONFERROUS METALS This invention relates to an apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals.

In the prior art anode positioning and replacing systems a reference mark relative to a sight must be provided on the anode shank, so as to determine the distance to the bottom face of the anode to be replaced. The anode is then removed from the bath by a lifting means, such as a bridge crane, thus providing for hooking the new anode to be placed in position. By means of a metrical rod or caliper a reference mark has to be provided on this new anode, so that the distance between this mark and the bottom face of the carbon anode will correspond to the distance as measured on the replaced anode. This would involve labour and manual operations responsible of slowing down the replacement times. Moreover, the operator attached to such an operation has to operate under unpleasant conditions due to occasional high temperature of the anode to be replaced. In addition to this, the repositioning of the new anode may be not quite accurate, as a result of errors in observation by the operator.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages, which is fully reliable, simple and inexpensive construction and enabling automatic and controlled positioning of the anodes.

According to the invention, this is accomplished by an apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals, associated with an anode lifting and moving means, such as a bridge crane, characterized by comprising a device sensitive to the movement which, by responding to the movement of the lifting means moving along with the anode, will supply to a counting means a series of pulses that, in a convenient measurement unit, will represent the anode lifting from its position in the bath to a reference plane.

Another feature of the apparatus according to the present invention is the possibility of providing an automatically operating means, as a pull is exerted on the anode by the bridge crane, to energize said counting means counting the pulses supplied by said device responsive to the movement.

These and further objects, features, details and advantages of the apparatus according to the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following brief description, given by way of not limiting example, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic view showing the apparatus according to the invention, as associated with a bridge crane and when removing an anode from an electrolytic cell;

FIG. 2 shows the anode as removed from the electrolytic cell and placed on a reference plane; and

FIG. 3 shows a new anode which is also placed on the reference table and is then to be placed in the electrolytic bath.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, it will be assumed that anode 2 should be removed from bath 1 and replaced by a new anode designated by numeral 9 in FIG. 3. Anode 2 will then be lifted with the anode carrying structure 4 by means of a bridge crane, schematically designated by numeral 3. The apparatus according to the invention for indicating the difference in height between the lower limit of the electrode and the abutting plane 8 substantially comprises a transducer 5 responsive, for example, to the linear movement of the crane structure, or to the drum rotation, or to the movement of the rope or cable and the like, and capable of supplying electrical pulses to a counter 6, preferably a bidirectional type of electronic digital counter, counting the pulses being received by said transducer 5. By selecting a suitable calibration, so that the pulses would correspond to a movement as measured, for example, in mm. or cm., depending on the desired accuracy or precision, the number of pulses shown by the counter 6 will then correspond to the vertical movement of the anode, that is to the difference in height L between the reference plane 8 and the bath surface. The invention also provides a second transducer 7 responsive to the weight of the anode on structure 4, at the pull beginning this transducer 7 supplying a starting pulse to counter 6.

Thus, the operation of the apparatus according to the invention will be as follows.

The bridge crane provides for lifting the anode 2 from bath ll. As the pulling step begins, said weight sensitive transducer 7 supplies a counting start pulse to counter 6. In turn transducer 5 responsive, for example, to the drum rotation or to the linear movement of the crane structure, supplies the counter 6 with pulses representing said movement on the base of a predetermined measurement unit. The counter 6 will count these pulses until the replaced anode is placed on the reference plane 8. At this time, since the anode no longer exerts any weight on the anode carrying structure 4, the transducer 7 will supply a stop pulse to counter 6, and therefore the number of pulses as indicated by said counter 6 will correspond to the difference in height L. Provision is now made for lifting the new anode 9 from the reference plane 11 corresponding to the reference plane 8 for the former anode 2. As soon as the new anode 9 begins to lift, the transducer 5 will supply again a release pulse to counter 6, the latter under the control of transducer 5 starting to count in a reverse direction, because of being a bidirectional type of counter, as above stated. The new anode is then carried onto the bath and will be correctly positioned when the counter 6 is fully set to zero. The anode is then repositioned with extreme accuracy on the bath 1 in its cross member 10.

Instead of an automatic operation, the invention also provides a semi-automatic operation. To this end, provision will be made on the counter 6 for a counting start pushbutton and a counting stop pushbutton. In such a case, it would be unnecessary the use of transducer 7. In this case, when desiring to replace anode 2, and when the anode carrying structure with the bridge crane is positioned on said anode 2, and it is checked that the assembly is under pull condition, the counting start pushbutton is pressed, thereby energizing counter 6 which will start to count the pulses supplied by transducer 5 in the same manner as above described. Once the anode is positioned on the reference plane 8, the counter 6 is stopped by the counting stop pulse. A similar procedure is follwed for positioning the new anode. Where desiring to use this this manual control system,

while in the presence of said weight responsive transducer 7, provision will then be made for an automatic manual selector which, if necessary, would allow to dispense with said transducer 7 for starting and stopping the counting of counter 6 by means of said pushbuttons.

Although the invention has been herein described in connection with a particular embodiment thereof, the invention is not to be understood as limited to the details shown and described, but comprising all of the changes and equivalent forms thereof. Therefore, any additions and/or modifications as conceivable by those skilled in the art on the ground of the present inventive concept are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling the positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals, associated with anode lifting and moving means, comprising:

a bidirectional electronic counter;

a first transducer, responsive to the exertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said lifting means begins to lift said anode, for producing a count start pulse to said counter;

a body member movable with movement of said anode lifting means;

a second transducer, responsive to movement of said body member, for producing a series of pulses to said counter representative of the net movement of said anode lifting means in a predetermined direction; from an operating electrolytic bath position to a position on a reference plane;

said first transducer adapted to be responsive to the releasing of exertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said lifting means positions said anode on said reference plane for producing a count stop pulse to said counter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling the positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals, associated with anode lifting and moving means, comprising: a bidirectional electronic counter; a first transducer, responsive to the exertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said lifting means begins to lift said anode, for producing a count start pulse to said counter; a body member movable with movement of said anode lifting means; a second transducer, responsive to movement of said body member, for producing a series of pulses to said counter representative of the net movement of said anode lifting means in a predetermined direction; from an operating electrolytic bath position to a position on a reference plane; said first transducer adapted to be responsive to the releasing of exertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said lifting means positions said anode on said reference plane for producing a count stop pulse to said counter.