U.S. patent application number 12/517612 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-17 for sliding closure for a metallurgical vessel.
Invention is credited to Werner Keller.
Application Number | 20100147905 12/517612 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38983248 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100147905 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Keller; Werner |
June 17, 2010 |
Sliding Closure for a Metallurgical Vessel
Abstract
A sliding closure for a metallurgical vessel comprises an
elongated refractory slide plate (2), which is exchangeably
arranged in a metal frame (1) and the longitudinal direction (L) of
which corresponds to the direction of displacement of the sliding
closure. Also provided are means (3) for bracing the slide plate
(2) in the metal frame (1), which comprise a wedge shoe (10) that
is loaded by a spring (9) and can be adjusted transversely in
relation to the direction of displacement of the sliding closure.
This wedge shoe (10) is operatively connected to a counterpart
(11), which can be brought into connection with the slide plate (2)
and acts on the slide plate (2) in its longitudinal direction (L).
The oscillating movements of the movable slide plate taking place
during operation are absorbed and the bracing device ensures
satisfactory bracing of this slide plate at any time.
Inventors: |
Keller; Werner;
(Steinhausen, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRIAN ROFFE, ESQ
540-B WILLOW AVENUE
CEDARHURST
NY
11516-2211
US
|
Family ID: |
38983248 |
Appl. No.: |
12/517612 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
December 5, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2007/010553 |
371 Date: |
January 20, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/600 ;
222/597 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22D 41/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/600 ;
222/597 |
International
Class: |
B22D 41/34 20060101
B22D041/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 11, 2006 |
CH |
02007/06 |
Claims
1. A sliding closure for a metallurgical vessel comprising an
elongated refractory slide plate (2), which is exchangeably
arranged in a metal frame (1) and the longitudinal length (L) of
which corresponds to the direction of displacement of the sliding
closure, with means (3) for bracing the slide plate (2) in the
metal frame (1), characterised in that the means (3) for bracing
the slide plate (2) comprise a wedge shoe (10) that is loaded by a
spring (9) and can be adjusted transversely in relation to the
direction of displacement of the sliding closure, which is
operatively connected to a counterpart (11), which can be brought
into connection with the slide plate (2) and acts on the slide
plate (20) in its longitudinal direction (L).
2. The sliding closure according to claim 1, characterised in that
the counterpart (11) is displaceably moved in the metal frame (1)
in the longitudinal direction of the slide plate (2), the wedge
shoe (10) acing on the counterpart (11) via the wedge surface (18)
and via guide surfaces (32) being supported on a transverse wall
(21) of the metal frame (1) arranged transversely to the
longitudinal direction of the slide plate (2).
3. The sliding closure according to claim 2, characterised in that
the counterpart (11) is moved displaceably in side walls (16, 17)
of a substantially U-shaped recess (20) of the metal frame (1), and
the wedge shoe (10) is supported on the transverse wall (21)
connecting the side walls (16, 17) of the recess (20).
4. The sliding closure according to claim 2, characterised in that
the wedge shoe (10) is in screw connection with an adjustable screw
(26) moved transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) of the
slide plate (2) in an opening (25) of the metal frame (1) and by
means of which it can be adjusted against the force of the spring
(9) and the counterpart (11) can thus be brought into a position
releasing the slide plate (2).
5. The sliding closure according to claim 4, characterised in that
in order to adjust the wedge shoe (10) against the force of the
spring (9) the adjustable screw (26) screwed into the wedge shoe
(10) can be manipulated in a direction of rotation until a screw
head (29) comes to rest on a ledge surface (30) of the opening
(25), and that upon manipulating the adjustable screw (26) in the
other direction of rotation the wedge shoe (10) is adjustable in
the direction of force of the spring (9), upon laying the
counterpart (1) on the slide plate (2) the latter being braceable
by the spring force while lifting the screw head (29) from the
ledge surface (30).
6. The sliding closure according to claim 4, characterised in that
the adjustable screw (26) is screwed into a threaded hole (27) of a
pin (28) inserted into the wedge shoe (10) and arranged at right
angles to the adjustable screw (26).
7. The sliding closure according to claim 4, characterised in that
the spring (9) acting on the wedge shoe is arranged co-axially to
the adjustable screw (26) and is supported between the wedge shoe
(10) and one of the side walls (16, 17) of the substantially
U-shaped recess (20) of the metal frame (1).
8. The sliding closure according to claim 1, characterised in that
the set angle of the wedge shoe is between 3 and 15.degree..
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a sliding closure for a
metallurgical vessel according to the preamble to Claim 1.
[0002] With sliding closures it is known for their refractory,
exchangeable closure plates to be braced in corresponding metal
frames or in the housing by means of adjustable screws which engage
directly around the periphery of the respective plate. Here, in
particular with the moveable slide plate, which is constantly set
in oscillating motion by its drive during operation, there is a
danger that the adjustable screw or the adjustable screws will be
undesirably loosened and that the bracing, and so the whole
operation, will be negatively effected.
[0003] The object which forms the basis of the present invention is
to provide a sliding closure of the type specified at the start
wherein the danger of the plate bracing being negatively effected
during operation will be largely eliminated.
[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a
sliding closure with the features of Claim 1.
[0005] Further preferred embodiments of the sliding closure
according to the invention form the subject matter of the dependent
claims.
[0006] With the sliding closure according to the invention the
oscillation movements of the moveable slide plate which take place
during operation are absorbed and the bracing device guarantees
efficient bracing of this slide plate at all times.
[0007] In the following the invention is described in greater
detail by means of the drawings. These show as follows:
[0008] FIG. 1 a top view of a metal frame with a slide plate braced
therein by means of a bracing device as part of a sliding closure
according to the invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 the metal frame with the slide plate according to
FIG. 1 and with the bracing device in an ineffectual position.
[0010] In FIGS. 1 and 2 part of a sliding closure usable on the
spout of a metallurgical vessel is shown which comprises a metal
frame 1 and a refractory elongated slide plate 2 exchangeably
arranged in the metal frame 1. The slide plate 2 provided with an
aperture 5 is braced in the metal frame 1 by means of a bracing
device 3. Whereas FIG. 1 shows the bracing device 3 in its
effectual position, in FIG. 2 the ineffectual position of the
bracing device 3 is illustrated in which, for example, a plate
exchange can be implemented. The metal frame 1 can also be a
housing part of the sliding closure with which the slide plate is
not moveable itself, but is also subjected to an oscillatory force
by the oscillating slide plate adjacent to the latter.
[0011] The slide plate 2 is the moveable slide plate of the sliding
closure, which by being displaced in its longitudinal direction L
in relation to at least one fixed slide plate enables the spout of
the container, e.g. of a steel foundry ladle or of an intermediate
distributor to be closed, restricted or opened in a way known in
its own right. For this purpose the metal frame 1 accommodating the
slide plate 2 can be coupled with its end part 4 to a drive
likewise in a way known in its own right and so not described in
any greater detail.
[0012] The bracing device 3 comprises a wedge shoe 10 adjustable
transversely to the direction of displacement of the sliding
closure, loaded with a spring 9, and which is operatively connected
to a counterpart 11 which can be brought into form lock and
friction lock connection with the slide plate 2 and acts on the
slide plate 2 in its longitudinal direction L. The counterpart 11,
which has contact surfaces 12, 13 corresponding to the peripheral
shape of the slide plate 2 is displaceably moved within the metal
frame 1 in the longitudinal direction L of the slide plate 2. With
the exemplary embodiment shown corresponding guide surfaces 14, 15
are produced in side walls 16, 17 of a substantially U-shaped
recess 20 in the metal frame 1. The wedge shoe 10 lying with its
wedge surface 18 on a counter wedge surface 19 is supported here on
a transverse wall 21 connecting the side walls 16, 17 of the recess
20. The spring 9 loading the wedge shoe 10 is supported between the
wedge shoe and the one side wall 16.
[0013] The wedge shoe 10 is screw-connected to an adjustable screw
26 passed loosely through an opening 25 of the metal frame 1
transversely to the longitudinal direction L of the slide plate 2,
and said adjustable screw is screwed into a pin 28 inserted into
the wedge shoe 10 and provided with a threaded hole 27. The
adjustable screw 26 and the pin 38 are arranged at right angles in
relation to one another. The adjustable screw 26 has a screw head
29 which, when the adjustable screw 26 is manipulated in a
direction of rotation comes to rest on a ledge surface 30 (FIG. 2)
of the opening 25. In order to restrict the movement of the
adjustable screw upon manipulation in the other direction of
rotation, a banking pin 33 is inserted into the metal frame 1 which
engages in an elongated recess 34 in the adjustable screw 26 and
interacts with a stop surface 35 of the latter.
[0014] The spring 9 acting on the wedge shoe 10 is arranged
co-axially to the adjustable screw 26.
[0015] The wedge shoe 10 and the counterpart 11 are operatively
connected to one another, not only by means of their wedge surfaces
18, 19, but also by means of guide surfaces 32 so that the
adjustment of the wedge shoe 10 transversely to the direction of
displacement of the closure in both directions results in a
corresponding adjustment of the counterpart 11 in longitudinal
direction L.
[0016] If the slide plate 2 braced in the metal frame 1 according
to FIG. 1 by means of the bracing device 3 and pressed by the
counterpart 11 onto contact surfaces 40, 41, 42, 43 is, for
example, to be exchanged, by manipulating the adjustable screw 26
in the one direction of rotation the screw head 29 is adjusted
until it lies on the ledge surface 30 of the opening 25.
Consequently, upon turning the adjustable screw further the wedge
shoe 10 is adjusted against the force of the spring 9 in the recess
until the spring 9 is compressed (see FIG. 2). This wedge shoe
adjustment also brings about, by means of the guide surfaces 30,
the adjustment of the counterpart 11 away from the slide plate 2
which can now be taken out of the metal frame 1.
[0017] In order to brace a slide plate 2 newly inserted in the
metal frame 1, the adjustable screw 26 is manipulated in the other
direction of rotation, by means of which the wedge shoe 10 is moved
in the direction of force of the spring 9 and the counterpart 11 is
moved back to the slide plate 2. As soon as the contact surfaces
12, 13 of the counterpart 11 come to rest on the peripheral surface
of the slide plate 2, the slide plate 2 is braced by the force of
the spring 9, the adjustable screw 26 moving away from the ledge
surface 30 when the screw head 29 is manipulated further until the
positioning movement is stopped by the banking pin 33 which comes
to rest on the stop surface 35. The banking pin 33 prevents the
adjustable screw 26 from being able to be unscrewed right out of
the wedge screw and its pin 28. The presence of the pin 28 is not
absolutely necessary. The adjustable screw 26 could also be screwed
directly into the wedge shoe 10. However, the pin 28 advantageously
allows a certain amount of freedom from play for individual parts
of the pre-tensioning device 3.
[0018] With the sliding closure according to the invention the
oscillation movements of the moveable slide plate 2 that take place
during operation are absorbed by the spring 9 and the bracing
device 3 guarantees efficient bracing of this slide plate at all
times.
[0019] In the present exemplary embodiment the set angle of the
wedge shoe 10 or of the counterpart 11 is approx. 10.degree.. Care
should be taken here to ensure that this chosen angle is not too
small so that there is no self-locking so that the wedge shoe would
become clamped too strongly. This set angle is preferably between 3
and 15.degree..
* * * * *