U.S. patent number 3,743,260 [Application Number 05/201,083] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-03 for anti-polluting waste collector for a burn table.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Caterpillar Tractor Co.. Invention is credited to Mark M. Alleman, Rodger L. Marx.
United States Patent |
3,743,260 |
Alleman , et al. |
July 3, 1973 |
**Please see images for:
( Reexamination Certificate ) ** |
ANTI-POLLUTING WASTE COLLECTOR FOR A BURN TABLE
Abstract
An anti-polluting waste collector for a burn table, adapted for
supporting a workpiece beneath a flame cutting machine, includes an
open tank containing a liquid maintained at a predetermined level
therein and a grating disposed across the tank opening. An air
chamber is selectively pressurized to provide a pressure head for
normally maintaining the predetermined liquid level above the
grating and to lower such level below the grating for convenient
removal of waste material trapped thereon.
Inventors: |
Alleman; Mark M. (Aurora,
IL), Marx; Rodger L. (Oswego, IL) |
Assignee: |
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
(Peoria, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22744427 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/201,083 |
Filed: |
November 22, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
266/49;
266/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23K
7/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23K
7/00 (20060101); B23K 7/00 (20060101); B23K
7/10 (20060101); B23K 7/10 (20060101); F23j
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;164/263
;266/23R,23F,23H,23HH,23M ;148/9R,9C,9.5,9.6 ;72/203 ;134/9 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dost; Gerald A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A waste collector adapted for supporting a workpiece beneath a
flame cutting machine and to receive waste material therefrom
comprising;
a tank having an open top and containing a liquid normally
maintained at a predetermined upper level;
liquid level control means connected to said tank for normally
maintaining said liquid at said upper level and for selectively
lowering and maintaining the liquid level at a predetermined lower
level disposed vertically below said upper level; and
a horizontally disposed grating means attached to said tank to
extend across the open top thereof and disposed vertically below
said upper level and vertically above said lower level.
2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising support means
mounted vertically above and closely adjacent to said grating means
for supporting a workpiece thereon and a flame cutting machine
mounted vertically above said support means.
3. The waste collector of claim 1 wherein said liquid level control
means includes means forming at least one expansible chamber
normally containing a pressurized gas therein, said chamber
communicating with said tank to normally provide a pressure head
sufficient to support and maintain said liquid at said
predetermined upper level until the gas pressure in said chamber is
reduced to permit a portion of the liquid to drain from the tank
and into the chamber to lower the liquid to said lower level.
4. The waste collector of claim 3 wherein said liquid level control
means further comprises a source of gas under pressure and control
valve means for selectively communicating said gas to said
chamber.
5. The waste collector of claim 3 wherein said chamber is
integrally formed within said tank.
6. The waste collector of claim 1 wherein said grating means
comprises a grate having a plurality of openings formed
therethrough, said openings being sized to allow the passage of
fine waste material therethrough while retaining larger salvageable
material thereon.
7. A waste collector for use with a flame cutting machine to
receive and retain waste material therefrom comprising,
a tank having an open top portion and a lower portion containing a
substantially constant volume of liquid, means forming a burn table
across said top of the tank for supporting a workpiece beneath the
flame cutting machine,
grating means in predetermined spaced relation below the burn table
for collecting and retaining a portion of such waste material
thereon,
a downwardly directed baffle plate disposed within said tank
forming an air-liquid chamber having a bottom opening into the
tank, and means to selectively provide a pressure head within the
chamber sufficient to elevate and support said liquid within the
tank at a predetermined upper level until the pressure in the
chamber is reduced to enable a portion of said constant volume of
liquid to drain from the tank into the chamber in order to lower
the liquid level in the tank from said upper level to a
predetermined lower level below the grating.
8. The waste collector of claim 7 wherein said tank includes
downwardly sloping sidewalls converging toward said lower portion
of the tank, and a pair of said baffles individually disposed in
spaced and substantially parallel relation to said sidewalls to
form a pair of said chambers within the tank with said baffles
terminating in lower ends spaced from said lower portion of the
tank to permit the transfer of said liquid between the chambers and
the tank.
9. The waste collector of claim 8 wherein said tank includes a pair
of end walls and an opening at said lower portion thereof, a trough
adjacent to one end wall forming a settling pit below said opening,
a conveyor disposed in said trough and extending below said
opening, and the end wall opposite to said one end wall having an
extension extending below the opening to afford a waste material
guide means to direct the waste material gravitating through said
opening onto the conveyor to elevate the waste material from said
settling pit.
10. A waste collector adapted for supporting a workpiece beneath a
flame cutting machine and to receive waste material therefrom
comprising:
a tank having an open top and containing a liquid normally
maintained at a predetermined upper level; and
liquid level control means connected to said tank for normally
maintaining said liquid at said upper level and for selectively
lowering and maintaining the liquid level at a predetermined lower
level disposed vertically below said upper level, said liquid level
control means including
means forming at least one expansible chamber normally containing a
pressurized gas therein, said chamber communicating with said tank
to normally provide a pressure head sufficient to support and
maintain said liquid at said predetermined upper level until the
gas pressure in said chamber is reduced to permit a portion of the
liquid to drain from the tank and into the chamber to lower the
liquid to said lower level.
11. The waste collector of claim 10 wherein said liquid level
control means further comprises a source of gas under pressure and
control valve means for selectively communicating said gas to said
chamber.
12. The waste collector of claim 10 wherein said chamber is
integrally formed within said tank.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional flame cutting machines have multiple torches for
cutting steel plates into desired shapes. The torches are mounted
to transverse the steel plates and the cutting operation results in
a considerable amount of cutting waste in the form of relatively
small iron oxide particles and solidified molten metal. The small
oxide particles are in the form of sparks, some of which tend to
become air borne causing air pollution which is irritating to the
operators and other persons working in the area. The molten metal
drops to the floor where it cools and forms slag with the oxides,
which when hardened, frequently must be broken up with air hammers
or chisels in order to effect its removal. Also, a plurality of
smaller scrap pieces are usually cut from the steel plates and fall
to the floor to become part of the slag accumulation and cannot be
reclaimed economically for subsequent use. Reclamation of the slag
reduces its value to about one-half the value of the salvagable
scrap pieces cut from the steel plates due to the presence of
oxides therein.
Various methods have been employed for reducing the air pollution
created by such flame cutting machines. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
3,486,744, assigned to the assignee of the present application,
provides a continuous stream of water over an inclined trough
disposed beneath the cutting torches. A pump is employed to
recirculate the water which is contaminated by entrapped oxide
particles. The abrasive nature of the oxide particles causes undue
wear to the pump which necessitates its frequent replacement.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an
improved, anti-polluting waste collector for a burn table of a
flame cutting machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved waste
collector for a burn table having a tank containing a liquid which
entraps oxide particles and molten metal waste to reduce the air
pollution caused by the oxide particles and to reduce the
maintenance cost incurred from removing the slag formed by the
molten metal waste.
Another object of this invention is to provide a waste collector
for a burn table having a grating mounted directly below cutting
torches for separating salvageable waste material from the oxide
particles and slag.
Another object of this invention is to provide a waste collector
for a burn table having a gas-pressurized chamber communicating
with the liquid containing tank to provide a pressure head for
normally maintaining a predetermined liquid level above the grating
during operation of the burn table and for selectively lowering
such level below the grating to enable salvageable waste material
to be conveniently removed therefrom.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
more readily apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings
and the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a transverse vertical section taken through a waste
collector embodying the principles of the present invention,
associated with a flame cutting machine shown in an operating
condition, containing a predetermined level of liquid therein;
FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section similar to FIG. 1, but
showing the flame cutting machine in a non-operating condition with
the liquid level of the waste collector disposed below the level
shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken centrally through
the waste collector in the condition shown in FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, a waste collector 10 embodying the
present invention is positioned beneath a conventional flame
cutting machine 11. The cutting machine comprises a plurality of
downwardly directed cutting torches 12 mounted on a beam 13
extending over the waste collector. The cutting machine is
supported by a plurality of rollers, one of which is shown at 14,
riding on a support structure 15 disposed on a support pad 16
adjacent to the waste collector for traversement of the torches
along the burn table.
The waste collector includes a tank 17 having an upper portion 18,
a lower portion 19 and a settling pit 21. The upper portion is
disposed above support pad 16 and includes a pair of spaced side
plates 22 and a pair of spaced end plates 23 individually secured
to the ends of the side plates. The side plates and end plates are
L-shaped and have a horizontal leg 24 directed inwardly to form a
ledge which rests on the support pad.
A grating 26 has its outer edges 27 secured to legs 24 of the side
plates and end plates. The grating is of conventional construction
having a plurality of openings 28 therein of a size sufficient to
retain the waste material of a size worth salvaging. Upper portion
18 of the tank includes a burn table 29 formed from a plurality of
spaced support members 31, disposed above grating 26 to extend
transversely between and in secured relationship with side plates
22. A plurality of adapters 32 are carried by each support member
31 to provide support means along with a non-ferrous rod 33 which
supports a workpiece 34 to be cut, such as a steel plate or the
like.
Referring to FIG. 1, lower portion 19 of the tank includes a pair
of spaced vertical sidewalls 36, each having its upper edge joined,
as by welding or the like, to a leg 24 of a respective side plate
22 (FIG. 1). Each sidewall 36 has a slanted section 37 sloping
inwardly toward the opposite sidewall and a lower edge 38.
Referring to FIG. 3, a pair of end walls 39 and 41 are disposed
between sidewalls 36 and each has its upper edge secured to a leg
24 of a respective end plate 23. The end walls slope downwardly and
inwardly from the legs in converging relationship. A lower edge 42
of end wall 39 and a lower portion 43 of end wall 41 cooperate with
edges 38 of sidewalls (FIG. 1) to define an opening 44 at the
bottom of the tank. Lower portion 43 extends below opening 44 and
into settling pit 21.
Lower portion 19 of the tank includes a pair of oppositely spaced
panels 46 secured between end walls 39 and 41. Each of the panels
has an upper edge secured to the upper edge of its associated
sidewall. The panels slope downwardly and inwardly in parallel
relation to sections 37 of sidewalls 36 to form a pair of spaced
air-over-liquid chambers 47, comprising liquid level control means,
between the panels and the sidewalls. The panels each have a lower
vertical section 48 spaced from the sidewalls to afford an opening
49 therebetween for communicating chambers 47 with the lower
portion of the tank.
The liquid level control means further comprises a source of gas
pressure, such as in air compressor 51, connected to chambers 47 by
way of a conduit 52 having a conventional manual control valve 53
disposed therein. The control valve has a first position whereby
pressurized air from the compressor is directed to the chambers, a
second position for trapping the air within the chambers and a
third position for which exhausting the air from the chambers is
achieved.
Settling pit 21 is disposed below lower portion 19 of the tank and
is in communication therewith through opening 44. The settling pit
is formed at one end of the tank and includes a trough 54 secured
to the outside of end wall 39 and end plate 23. An inclined endless
conveyor 56 is disposed in the trough with the lower end thereof
extending below opening 44 and lower portion 43 of end wall 41.
As fully explained below, tank 17 will contain a constant or fixed
volume of liquid, such as water, maintained at a predetermined
lower level 57, below grating 26, when the flame cutting machine is
not operating (FIGS. 2 and 3). During operation of the flame
cutting machine, the liquid is raised and maintained at a
predetermined upper level 58, above the grating (FIG. 1).
OPERATION
While the operation of the present invention is believed clearly
apparent from the foregoing description, further amplification will
subsequently be made in the following brief summary of such
operation. During the cutting operation (FIG. 1), the liquid is
maintained at its predetermined upper level 58, above grating 26,
by a pressure head of air trapped within chambers 47. Oxide
particles produced by the flame cutting operation are propelled
downwardly by the flame and into the liquid where they are
entrapped and are permitted gradually to settle to the bottom of
the tank. Molten metal produced by the cutting operation also falls
downwardly from workpiece 34 and into the liquid where it
solidifies and is permitted to sink along with the oxide particles.
Small salvageable waste pieces cut from the workpiece drop into the
liquid and are retained on the grating.
Sloping panels 46 and end walls 39 and 41 direct the oxide
particles and solidified waste toward opening 44 at the bottom of
the tank where they are directed by lower portion 43 of end wall 41
onto conveyor 56 which carries them out of the tank and deposits
them into a suitable container, not shown. To retrieve the
salvageable waste pieces from grating 26, control valve 53 is
selectively adjusted to exhaust the air from chambers 47 to allow
liquid in the tank to enter the chambers. Lowering of the water
level to lower level 57, below the grating, permits the operator to
walk on the grating to retrieve the salvageable pieces.
In order to pre-condition waste collector 10 for subsequent
operation of flame cutting machine 11, control valve 53 is
selectively adjusted to direct pressurized air from compressor 51
to chambers 47. The resulting air pressure head therein forces the
water from the chambers, causing the water level in the tank 17 to
rise to its upper level 58, above the grating. The valve is then
selectively adjusted to trap the air in the chamber to maintain the
water level in the tank at such predetermined, upper level.
In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure
of the present invention provides an improved waste collector which
substantially reduces air pollution normally caused by the oxide
particles resulting from the cutting operation. The waste collector
further reduces maintenance costs normally incurred when slag is
removed from cutting machines of this type. It is also significant
that the waste collector successfully separates salvageable waste
pieces from the slag to permit their reclamation as a higher grade
of scrap in comparison to when they are combined with the slag. The
tank contains a constant and substantially static volume of liquid,
the level of which can be expeditiously adjusted by the selectively
air-pressurizing chambers 47 to thereby eliminate the need for
expensive pumps and attendant moving parts. The only additional
liquid required during operation constitutes periodic replacement
of minimal amounts lost by evaporation.
While the invention has been described and shown with particular
reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that
variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of
the present invention which is not intended to be limited, except
as defined in the following claims. For example, it should be noted
that chambers 47 could be placed exteriorly of tank 17. However,
the illustrated embodiment constitutes the preferred one primarily
due to its compactness and economical make-up.
* * * * *