US700963A

US700963A - Blast-furnace top.

Info

Publication number: US700963A
Application number: US5550501A
Authority: US
Inventors: Patrick Meehan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-04-12
Filing date: 1901-04-12
Publication date: 1902-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1919-05-27

Description

No. 700,963. Patented May 27, I902.

P. MEEHAN. BLAST FURNACE TOP.-

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1901.)

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UNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK MEEHAN, OF LOWELLVILLE, OHIO.

BLAST-FURNACE TO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,963, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed April 12, 1901.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK MEEHAN, a resident of Lowellville, in the county of Na honing and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blast-Furnace Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. I 7

My invention relates to the construction of blast-furnace tops, and has for its object to improve the construction of furnace -t0ps whereby a free expansion and contraction of the masonry shaft is permitted without disturbing the furnace-top, whereby the life of the top of the stack is greatly increased, whereby the amount of fine ore carried out by the gases is reduced, and whereby damage due to explosions is greatly decreased, and in general to increase the strength and durability of furnace-tops.

Heretofore in blast-furnaces it has been the practice to place the gas-outlet ports to which the downcomer is connected, in the upper portion of the side wall of the furnace, and the topwas fiat and rested upon the top of the masonry shaft. This construction not only weakened the top of themasonry shaft, but as the gases'were taken out through said side walls they would carry with them a considerable amount of the fine ores, and the expansion of the masonry shaft was liable to lift ofi the top of the furnace resting thereupon. i

Furthermore, any slight excess of pressure in the furnace-chamber would also lift the top off the shaft, thereby necessitating frequent repairs,and whenever an explosion occurred the damage to the furn ace-top was very great, for.

the reason that the hopper projecting through the top of the furnace did not extend down i into the stack sufficiently far to prevent the Serial No. 55,505. (No model.)

into the stack to such a distance that the stock cannot be filled in close up to the top, thereby leaving at all times a considerable space in said globe-shaped top and above the stock-line, into which space the gases can expand upon explosion, the gas-ports connected to thedowncomers extendingthrough said globe-shaped top, so that the masonry wall of the shaft is not weakened thereby, and said ports thus being a considerable distance above the lower end of the hopper, whereby the amount of fine ores carried out by the gas is greatly reduced.

My invention also comprises certain improvements in the manner of supporting this globe-shaped top on the shell of the stack, so as to permit free expansion. of the masonry walls of the stack, and also certain details in construction of the top of the wall of the shaft which will permit this free expansion and greatly increase the life of said stack.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the top of the furnace. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the hopper. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a horizontal section through several of the hollow blocks on top of the masonry shaft, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail of a modification of the upper part of the stack.

The shaft of the furnace is constructed as usual and comprises the masonry shaft 1, the metallic shell 2 around the same, and the comparatively soft or porous compressible material 3, such as f urnace-cinder, placed between the masonry shaft 1 and the outer shell 2 in order to permit radial expansion and contraction of the masonry shaft. .of the shaft 1 is formed of one or more tiers The top of hollow blocks, (the drawings showing two such tiers or blocks;) but more or less than two may be used, if desired. These blocks are preferably formed of 'cast metal and will .not wear away easily by the ore falling on the circular shape ofthe stack. The blocks 5 of the upper tier are substantially triangular in vertical cross-section, thereby forming an inclined top 6 for the stack. The various blocks in the several tiers are provided with interlocking tongues and grooves, as shown at 7, and similar tongues and grooves are formed between the blocks of the several tiers, as shown at 8, for the purpose of holding them securely in place, and said blocks are provided with internal transverse webs or braces 9 to strengthen the same. The blocks 5 of the upper tier are provided at their upper ends with the downwardly-projecting lips 10, which take over the upper end of the shell 2 of the stack, whereby said blocks are held in place, but the connection being such that the blocks can ride up and down on said shell as the masonry shaftl expands and contracts.

The top 11 of the furnace is substantially globe-shaped, as shown, and springs from the outer Wall of the stack, so that an enlarged substantially globe-shaped chamber 12 is formed at the top of the stack. This top comprises the globe-shaped metal shell 13,which is secured to the shell 2 of the stack a short distance below the upper edge of the latter and is provided with the refractory lining 14:, which extends down into the space between the shell 2 and the shell 13, as shown at 15, a slight clearancespace 16 being left between the overhanging lips of the blocks 5and said lining, so that there is no friction between said parts in order that the stack 1 may expand and contract freely without affecting the top. Extending through the walls of this globe-shaped top are the gas-ports 17, to which are connected the downcomers 18, said ports being provided at their tops with the explosion-doors 19, as is common in blast-furnaces. The lower walls 20 of these gas-ports are substantially on a line with the inclined face 6 of the top of the stack, so that a straight and free passage of the gases out of the furnace-chamber to the downcomers and explosion-doors is provided.

Extending through the top of the furnace is the hopper 21, which is composed of a series of segments 22, which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprise a quadrant of a circle; but they may comprise any other segment either greater or less than a quadrant, if desired. These segments form the side walls of the hopper, and they are provided at their lower ends with the internal flanges 23, upon which rests the funnel-shaped bottom 24, said bottom having an opening which is closed by the usual bell and being held from rising under the pressure of the gases by the detachable rods 26. By this construction it is possible to raise the bell and bottom of the hopper out of the furnace by merely removing the rods 26. The segments 22 are each cored out or cast about suitable pipes, which extend down into the same, as at 27 and 28, and along the lower edge of said segment and through the flange 23 thereof, being connect- To the uped at their outer ends, as at 29.

per ends of these

pipes

27 and 28 suitable water connections are made, so that water will flow in, for instance, down through the pipe 27 and around through the flange 23 to .the end 29 and back and up through the pipe 28 to the outlet. This construction effectually water-cools the lower edges of the segments 22 and prevents the same from burning .out. These segments are also provided with the external vertical ribs 30 and the horizontal ribs 31, upon the latter of which vrest the lower ends of brackets 32, which are bolted to the ribs 30 of said segments and connected to the furnace-top 13 and embedded in refractory material 33. This construction provides a strong and well-braced top for the furnace.

The hopper 21 projects down into the furnace-chamber, so that its outlet-opening, as at 34, is somewhat below the top of the stack, and this prevents the feeding of so much stock into the furnace that it will come close to the top of the furnace, whereby an extensive open space or chamber is always insured. The globe-shaped top 11, furthermore, springs outwardly from the exterior of the stack and at a point which 'is but slightly below the outlet from the hopper, so that the largest diameter of the globe-shaped chamber in the top is above the outlet from the hopper, thereby increasing the space or chamber existing at the top of the furnace. Consequently when an explosion of gases occurs they will expand into this chamber or space, thereby greatly reducing the liability of damaging the top of the furnace. Furthermore, the gas-ports 17 are so located in the top as to be in a straight line with the inclined top face 6 of the stack, whereby a straight path is provided for such expanding gases to the explosion-doors 19, thereby further reducing the liability of damaging the top during explosion. These gasports 17 are located a considerable distance above the outlet of the hopper, so that any fine ores which may be carried upward by the gases will have ample opportunity to again settle and return to the furnace -chamber before reaching the downcomers 18. The straight faces 20 of the gas-ports and corresponding faces 6 on the top of the stack prevent the lodgment of these fine ores, and thus facilitate their return to the furnace-chamber. As a further aid to prevent the rise and escape of the fine ores the top of the stack may be provided with an internal annular projection, as shown at 35, Fig. 5, which is preferably formed by suitably shaping the blocks 4 and 5 when the latter are used; but in case no hollow blocks are used on the top of the furnace the masonry walls will be arched in the manner shown.

. What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A blast-furnace having ashaft, a globeshaped top on said shaft providing a substantially globe-shaped chamber having an unobstructed annular passage to the furnacechamber, and a hopper projecting through said top and extending down into the globeshaped chamber with its discharge end below the largest diameter of said globe shaped chamber, whereby an enlarged space is provided to allow for the expansion of gases in an explosion.

2. A blast-furnace having a shaft, a globeshaped top springing from said shaft providing a substantially globe-shaped chamber having an unobstructed annular passage to the f urnace-chamber,a hopper projecting through said top and extending downward into the globe-shaped chamber with its discharge end below the largest diameter of said globeshaped chamber, whereby an enlarged space is provided to allow for the expansion of gases in an explosion, a gas-port extending through said globe-shaped top, and a downcomer connected to said port.

3. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft, a metal shell around said shaft,a globe-shaped top springing from said shell and providing a substantially globe-shaped chamber having an unobstructed annular passage to the furnace -chamber, and a hopper projecting V through said top and extending down into the globe-shaped chamber with its discharge end below the largest diameter of said globe shaped chamber,whereby an enlarged space is provided to allow for the expansion of gases in an explosion.

4. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft, a metal shell around said shaft, a globe-shaped top springing from said shell and providing a substantially globe-shaped chamber having an unobstructed annular passage to the furnace-chamber, a hopper projecting through said top and extending downward into the globe-shaped chamber with its discharge end below the largest diameter of said globeshaped chamber,a gas-port extending through said globe-shaped top, and an explosion-door at the outer end of said gas-port.

5. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft, a metal shell around said shaft, aglobe-shaped metal top springing from the outside of said metal shell below the top thereof, and a refractory lining for said globe-shaped top, the lower edge of said lining projecting down between the globe-shaped metal top and the metal shell for the stack and lying outside the latter, whereby free expansion of the masonry shaft is permitted.

6. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft, a metal shell around said shaft, the top of said shaft being formed of blocks having lips which are hooked over said shell, a globeshaped metal top springing from the outside of said metal shell below the top thereof, and a refractory lining for said globe-shaped top, the lower edge of said lining projecting down between the globe-shaped top and metal shell for the stack and lying out of contact with the overhanging lips of the blocks on the top of the shaft.

7. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft provided with an inclined upper face, a metal shell around said shaft, a globe-shaped top springing from said shell and providing a substan tially globe-shaped chamber having an unobstructed annular passage to the furnacechamber, a hopper projecting through the top and extending downward in the globeshaped chamber with its discharge end below the largest diameter of said globe shaped chamber, a gas-port extending through said globe-shaped top and substantially in line with the inclined upper face of the masonry shaft, and an explosion-door at the outer end of said gas-port.

8. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft the top of which is formed by one or more tiers of hollow cast-metal blocks, said blocks being below the discharge end of the hopper and the gas-ports.

9. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft the top of which is formed by one or more tiers of interlocking hollow blocks.

10. A blast-furnace having a masonry shaft the top of which is formed of closed hollow cast-metal blocks provided with inclined upper faces, said blocks being below the discharge end of the hopper and the gas-ports.

11. Ablast-furnace havinga masonry shaft, and a metal shell around said shaft, the top of said shaft being formed of hollow blocks having lips which hook over said shell.

In testimony whereof I, the said PATRICK MEEHAN, have hereunto set my hand.

PATRICK MEEHAN. Witnesses:

G. KREMER, ROBERT C. TOTTEN.