US2583073A - High-pressure steam kiln - Google Patents

Description

Jap. 22, 1952 c. E. AHLBORN 2,583,073

HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Nov. 29, 1947 3 ShGGtFr-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1952 c, QL 2,583,073

HIGHFRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Ndv. 29, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY I JNVEN R.

Jan. 22, 1952 c. E. AHLBORN 2,583,073

HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENZ'OR.

M ME? A rog/wa Patented Jan. 22, 1952 Clarence E. Ahlborn, Sa Jackson & Church ginaw, Mich, assignor to mpany, Saginaw, Mich.

I Application November 29, 1947, Serial No. 788,809

. 3 Claims. v1

This invention relates to high pressure steam kilns and the like for curing molded cement products, and more particularly to the closure door and the means for operation thereof.

One of the prime objects of the invention is .to design a high pressure kiln, by ,means of which blocks and similar products may be cured and ready for use within twenty-four hours after they have been molded.

Another object is to design a high pressure kiln provided with a quick opening, hinge-type door which is rotatably and revolvably mounted, which can be easily and quickly swung to open and/or closed position, and which can be readily and tightly locked in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to design a door closing mechanism including a hinge bracket on which the door is hung, and on which said door is freely revolvable and universal in its adaptability to fit evenly at all points in its closed position. I

Still a further object is to provide hydraulically actuated means for rotating the door to locked and /or unlocked position, and provide stops for limiting the rotative movement of the door when it is being rotated to locked position.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of my high pressure kiln showing the door in locked position. 1

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, end-elevational view of the door showing it in locked position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, end-elevational view of the door showing it shifted to unlocked position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view illustrating the door bracket and associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a transverse-sectional view through the kiln showing the car tracks.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view showing the door swung to open position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the sealing gasket.

The high pressure steam kiln herein illustrated is so designed that high pressure steam is circulated therethrough to materially reduce the curing period of the cement blocks placed therein,

so that much quicker deliveries may be made, stock piles reduced, space conserved, and insure the; delivery of shrink-proof, uniformly cured concrete products within twenty-four hours after they have been molded.

The kiln I0 is preferably cylindrical in shape; it can be mounted on piers or supports I I, and is of considerable length to accommodate a number of cars or trucks (not shown), and on which the green molded blocks or other products are loaded, so that they may be readily rolled into and out of kiln structure, and tracks I2 are provided in the kiln to accommodate said cars or trucks in the conventional manner.

One end of this kiln I0 is open as shown; and a door frame I 3 is welded or otherwise secured to and forms an extension of said open end, spacedapart lugs I4. being cast integral with the frame, and terminate in bearings l5, and a door I6 is pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement upon a shaft or hinge pin I! supported in the bearings I5.

A hinge bracket I 8 is mounted on the hinge pin I1, and a bearing I9 is secured to the free end thereof by means of bolts 28, said bearing accommodating a head pin 2I provided on the face of the door, and a cotter pin 22 serves to secure the bearing in position, this assembly permitting the door to rotate about the head pin 2| as it is moved tolocked or unlocked position.

The outer edge of the door I6 is provided with a series of radially extending and circumferentially spaced lugs 23 that are shown in the drawings as lying behind complementarily formed lugs 24 provided on the outer periphery of the door frame I3 when in locked position, and a raised stop 25 is provided on the face of the lug 23 and engages the edge of the lugs 24 to limit rotative movement of said door.

The door is locked by alimited rotative movement about the head pin 2 I and is likewise disengaged by a rotative movement in the opposite direction to bring the lugs 23 in horizontal alignment with the spaces 26 between the lugs 24 so that it is free to swing outwardly on the hinge pin [1, and as clearly shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings.

A circumferential groove 21 is provided in the flange 28 of the door frame, and a suitable gasket G is seated in said groove to form a leak-proof seal when the door is locked. Diametrically opposed bosses 29 are provided on the outer face of the door frame I3 and brackets 30 are secured thereto by means of bolts 3|.

A fulcrum lever 32 is pivotally connected to the brackets 30 by means of the bolts 33, and a roller 34 is journaled on the inner end thereof, the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to a piston rod 35 provided with a piston (not shown) and which is reciprocatingly mounted .in a hydraulic cylinder 36, said cylinder being hingedly connected to a bracket 31 which is in turn secured to the outer face of the door frame, said cylinder being connected to any suitable source of power.

Lock doors 38 are secured to the face of the door It in any approved manner, and an open socket 39 is provided in each door and into which the roller 34 projects, the face of the roller hearing against one of the side walls of the socket as the piston is actuated to rockthe lever: 32" to rotate the door about the head pin 21 and force the door to locked or unlocked position.

It is necessary that the door l6 be made quite heavy in order to withstand the pressure of the kiln, and its mounting or removal usually requires the use of a hoist or other power device (not shown), and I therefore weld U-bolts to the face of the door to facilitate the handling thereof.

Raised lugs M are also provided on the face of the door in opposed relation, and threaded bolts 42. are provided in the legs of the bracket for engagement with the opposite sides of the lugs 4| when the door is locked, thus holding the door against rotation with relation to the frame, and

any minor adjustments can be made by tightening one bolt while loosening the other;

Steam in introduced into the kiln through the intake 44 andan. outlet nipple 45 is provided on the opposite end to facilitate discharge when desired.

In practice, and with the door in open position, I

loads of freshly molded blocks or articles are rolled into the kiln; the door I 6 is then swung to closed position, after which it is revolved on the head pin 2| to bring the lugs 23 into register with the spaces or passages 26. It is then forced inwardly against the gasket G, and when a pressure medium is admitted to one of the cylinders 36, it will rock the fulcrum lever 32 about its pivot point 33, so that the roller 34 will engage a side wall of the socket 39-and rotate the door to bring the lugs 23 back of the lugs 24 provided on the flange of the door frame, thus tightly lockin and sealing it against any steam leakage.

When the doors are locked, steam at a temperature of approximately 350 degrees F. is then admitted to the kiln, and after a predetermined length of time the steam is out off, the product gradually cooledand pressure cut oif, so that the cured product can be removed.

The door'is then opened by admitting a hydraulic agent against the piston in the opposite cylinder 36, thus rotating thedoor lugs into register with the passages 26 and permitting it to be swung to open position.

From the'foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical and eflicient steam kiln and door sealing means which can be automatically actuated so that maximum. production is assured with a minimum of expense and labor.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a kiln body having a door frame, a door forming a closure for said frame, a main bracket hingedly connected to said frame with the free end overhanging said door and provided with a bracket on which the door is revolvably mounted, diametrically opposed brackets mounted on the outer edge of the door frame and projecting beyond the outer periphery thereof, a fulcrum lever pivotally mounted on each of said brackets at a point intermediate their length, radially projecting lock brackets on said door and projecting beyond the outer edge thereof, each lock bracket being formed with an open socket, a roller journaled on the inner ends of said fucrum levers and engageable in said sockets, radially extending circumferential lugs provided on the outer edge of the door, and complementary, inwardly extending lugs provided on the inner edge of the door frame, the lugs on the door being disposed behind the lugs on the door frame when the cover is in locked position, and hydraulically actuated means connected to the outer end of the fulcrum levers and to said door frame for rotating said cover to force it to locked position.v

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the main bracket is forked, outwardly projecting lugs on the face of the door, and manually adjustable means mounted on the individual forks of the bracket and engageable with the opposite faces of one of the lugs for circumferentially adjusting said door.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which raised stops are provided on the radially extending door lugs for engagement with the lugs on the door frame to limit circumferential movement of said dooron said frame.

CLARENCE E. AHLBORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Johnson Sept. 6, 1949

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