US2743893A - Portable cinder pot stand - Google Patents

Description

May 1, 1956 w. JOHNSTON, JR 2,743,893

PORTABLE CINDER POT STAND Filed June 14, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 1, 1956 w. JOHNSTON, JR

PORTABLE CINDER POT STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1948 fiYT EIYTOR t'iam fa/uw ton, g.

4.11. Hlil United States Patent 0 PORTABLE CINDER POT STAND William Johnston, Jr., Bedford, Pa.; Peter J. Spangler and H. Alan Floyd, executors of said William Johnston, Jr., deceased Application June 14, 1948, SerialNo. 32,757

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-146) This invention relates to the so-called cinder or slag pots for receiving cinder and slag during iron and steel making operations and relates particularly to stands for supporting such pots in receiving position adjacent a furnace.

There are certain problems involved in supporting a cinder pot in convenient position to receive slag from a ladle. In blast furnace practice it is usual to run a train'of pot-holding buggy cars into proximity to the furnace. In suchcases the cinder pots receive the slag while mounted on the cars and other structure for supporting the pots is unnecessary. In operating open-hearth furnaces, however, the cinder pots are mounted on stands near the furnace and usually between the furnace and the ingot molds into which molten steel from the furnace is teemed. Slag rising to the top of the teeming ladle thus is slopped oif into the cinder pot in transit of the ladle from the furnace to the ingot molds. After a cinder pot has been filled, it is removed from its stand for conveyance to the slag disposal yard where it is dumped. Alternatively; the filled pots may be transferred to a battery of stands in a convenient position removed from the furnace, and there held until their charges of slag have congealed.

Steel makers have found cinder pot stands permanently mounted adjacent open-hearth furnaces to be inconvenient. Such permanent stands for the cinder pots continuously occupy space within the building which houses the open-hearth furnace and are particularly objectionable in. obstructing other operations during the relatively long periods of time-which intervene between periods of'tapping. Also slag which slops over from the lip of the ladle when the ladle is not in position to deliver it accurately to the cinder pot and slag which froths over the cinder pot collects on and around the stand in such manner that removal of the congealed slag isdiflicult. For i this reason there is need for portable stands which may be arranged in convenient position with respect to openhearth furnaces to support a cinder pot during a tapping operation and which can be removed between tapping periods to leave the space adjacent the furnace unobstructed.

There are, however, certain other problems connected with the utilization of cinder pot stands and in some instances those problems are intensified when it is attempted to make the cinder pot stands portable. It thus is of primary importance that thecinder pot stand will hold a cinder pot placed in it in stable vertical position, so that the cinder pot is able to retain a full charge of molten slag without slopping. Cinder pots themselves are of great weight and, this weight is more than doubled when the cinder pot is filled, so that a filled cinder pot exerts a downwardly and outwardly directed force on elements of a stand in which it is mounted. There is thus a marked tendency for the weight of a filled cinder pot and the thermal expansion of the cinder. pot wall from the heat of its contents to wedge the pot so firmly into the stan'd i'n -which-it is mounted that the pot cannot be lifted by "ice a crane without also lifting the stand in dependent relation to the cinder pot. That fact and the eifect of thermal expansion of the cinder pot wall against the elements of the stand with which it is in contact tend to deform or strain the cinder pot.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a portable stand for cinder pots which is so constructed and arranged that it acts yieldingly to grasp and closely to engage a cinder pot supported by it to hold the cinder pot in stabilized vertical position and which readily releases a cinder pot for removal in a vertical direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cinder pot stand presenting the above-noted advantages which is of sectional construction so that elements of the stand may be readily removed individually from the location in which the stand assembly functions to support a cinder pot, and in which those parts may be readily reassembled.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cinder. pot stand of the above-indicated sort in which the elements are massive and in which the relation between'the elements of the cinder pot is such that the desired functions of the stand are not destroyed or susceptible to serious impairment by the congealing of overflow slag from the cinder pot.

In the accompanying drawings exemplary of one embodiment of my invention:

Fig. I is a view of the stand partly in elevation and partly in section in the plane of the section line I-I of Fig. II, said view indicating in broken lines the outline of a cinder pot of unspecialized form mounted in the stand and the movement of the pot-engaging arms of the stand under the weight of the cinder pot.

Fig. II is a plan view of the cinder pot stand indicating in broken lines the outline of a cinder pot in the stand at the horizontal plane in which the pot-engaging arms of the stand contact the outer surface of the cinder pot wall.

invention, the portable stand consists of a plurality of pot-engaging arms pivotally mounted to extend upwardly and grouped with a spacing and arrangement suitable to receive a cinder pot between them. The structural form and mounting of the pivoted potengaging arms is such that the weight of the cinder pot exerted on one region of each of the arms brings another region of the arm into engaging contact with the outer surface of the cinder pot wall. In open, pot-receiving, position the upper ends of the pivoted arms swing away from each other to a limited extent to a rest position in which a spread structure is presented for reception of the cinder pot. When a cinder pot is inserted into such spread structure the upper ends of the arms swing convergently inward toward the cinder pot wall until the lower and inner structures of the arms come to rest on or against a weight-supporting surface or fixed stop, which limits the contractile movement of the structure. As the words inward and outward and convergent" and divergent are used with respect to the swinging movement of the arms, they are used with respect to the upper ends of the arms the linear movement of which naturally is greater. Each of the. pot-engaging arms of the stand acts independently in its swinging movement both inwardly toward the cinder pot wall and outwardly to release the cinder pot so that the weight of the cinder pot acting on the pot-engaging arms Patented May 1, 1956 J independently of each other tends of itself to maintain the cinder pot in an axially vertical position.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that each of the arms 1 has a center of pivoting about which it swings. The main body portion 1a of the arm extends upwardly and outwardly of the pivot point to an upper region, or portion 115 which functions as a pot-contacting member and desirably has a contact face 2 shaped to the outer wall contour of a cinder pot. Adjacent the lower end of each of the arms there is means for the pivotal mounting of the arms, which will be later described. Here it will be noted that the pivot structure is so formed and arranged that when the arm is free of imposed weight or other force, the arm tends to swing outwardly until the lower rearward region, or heel, 1c of its body portion 1a meets anobstruction such as a floor, or base, on which the pivot structure for the arm is mounted. At the inner end of body portion 1a, there is a vertically extended member, or foot, 1d which desirably has an upper face 3 shaped to the bottom contour of a cinder pot. Inner region, or foot, 1d acts to limit inward swinging movement of the arm under forces tending to cause such movement, such as the weight of a cinder pot on the upper face 3 of that portion of the arm. In order that the lower end 4-o'f the part 1d will more strictly limit inward swinging movement of the arm, it is shown as extended below the bottom surface of body portion 1a of the arm. Such arrangement is useful when the pivot on which the arm turns is spaced vertically a substantial distance from the surface which serves as a stop to limit inward swinging of the arm.

Preferred means for mounting pot-engaging arms pivotally are shown in the drawings. As shown, such pivoting means comprise a plurality of upwardly extended armsupporting bolsters 5. Each of the bolsters 5 has throughout its length a transversely curved upper surface which provides pivotal mounting of an arm cooperatively with the structure of the arm itself. The pot-engaging arms 1 of the stand each has in its laterally extended body portion a channel, or socket, member 6 adapted to rest on and embrace one of the bolsters 5. As shown,

four pot-engaging arms are provided to rock each on one of four bolsters, but it is to be understood that a greater or lesser number of pivots may be included in the assembly and arranged appropriately for swinging, or rocking movement of a greater or lesser number of arms mounted on them.

In its detail construction the transversely curved inner surface 6a of socket member 6 rests rockingly upon the curved surface 5a of the bolster. As shown, the structure of each of the pot-engaging arms 1 is extended downwardly at the ends of socket member 6 in the form of walls or webs 6b which lie beyond the ends of a bolster on which the arm is mounted and enclose it within the socket of the member. A directly equivalent pivotal mounting of the pot-engaging arms is obtainable by forming a bolster, or half-trunnion having a transversely curved surface at the under side of body portion 1a of the arm to cooperate with a transversely curved socket in which the arm can rock between inward and outward positions of rest.

Whatever be the means providing horizontal pivots about which the arms have limited swinging movement, the potengaging arms are arranged in a group, with their pivot points arranged to swing toward and away from the wall of a cinder pot positioned within the group. The swinging movement of the arms thus is divergently outward into pot-receiving position and convergently inward into pot-engaging position.

Now to consider the assembly and use of the cinder pot stand as shown in Figs. I and II of the drawings, four of the pot-engaging arms 1 are shown as mounted in a group on four bolsters 5, to have rocking movement thereon inwardly toward the vertical axis of the group and outwardly therefrom. The balance of arms 1 is such that in broken lines in Fig. -I of the drawings.

4 they normally swing outward to the rest position indicated When a cinder pot A is introduced between the arms to bear upon the upper surfaces 3 of the inner portions, or feet, 1d of the arms, the weight of the cinder pot forces feet 1d downwardly until their downward extensions 4 bear against an opposed limiting surface, and this action swings the arms inwardly so that the pot-contacting faces 2 of the arms bear against the outer surface of the cinder pot. in this action the weight of the cinder pot itself and its contents, if any, serves yieldingly to engage the cinder pot between the arms, to maintain the cinder pot in an axially upright position. Also any initial tilting of the pot toward one of the arms 1 causes that arm initially to exert on the cinder pot at the point of contact therewith a force tending to bring the cinder pot into upright position in contact with the pot-contacting faces on upwardly extended portions 1b of the other arms. As a cinder pot filled with hot slag is held in upright position, thermal expansion of the cinder pot wall tends to swing the pot-engaging arms 1 outwardly, and this outward movement is resisted solely by the downward force exerted on the inner regions of the arms by the weight of the cinder pot and its contents.

The yielding engagement of .the cinder pot in its stand is able to .hold the cinder pot in upright position while avoiding the undesirable and frequently destructive di ect of the wedging which takes place when a hot cinder pot is rigidly restrained by a massive structure. Also, if it is desired to hold the cinder pot tilted slightly away from the open-hearth, it is possible to do so by a slightly tilted mounting of the arms. As shown in Fig. l, cinder pot A is of common, unspeciah'zed structure and conical .form. It is to be understood, however, "that it requires no more than adaptation .in the shape of the pot-contacting faces 2 of the arms in order fully .to adapt the stand of the mounting of cinder pots of specialized form, such as those disclosed for example in my prior Patents Nos. 2,057,528; 2,181,331 and 2,406,380. Also, if the cinder 'pot has a bounding wall which departs fundamentally from the Cll" cular, such as a cinder pot of generally elliptical or bathtub contour, the group of arms may be arranged to swing toward and away from the outer wall surface to a cinder pot of that contour.

When .the cinder pot is lifted from its stand, there is no engagement of the cinder pot by the structure of the stand which tends to prevent the cinder pot being freed from engagement in the stand. Relief from the weight of the cinder pot, or .the .cinder pot and its contents, on the inner regions of those arms releases the 'pot'frorn engagement by the arms, which then are free to swing outwardly on their horizontal pivots.

It is possible and practical to mount the horizontal pivot structures for the pot-engaging arms as independent elements grouped to swing into and out of engagement with the wall of a cinder-pot introduced into the group, and in the case of .a cinder pot of conical form spaced equidistantly from the vertical axis of a group of arms mounted on them and arranged in planes normal to radii intersecting that vertical axis. Thus, pivot bolsters or other suitable pivot structure may be formed of onepiece with or mounted on, independent blocks or brackets placed directly on or buried in the floor adjacent the open-hearth furnace. As shown, the bolsters 5 which cooperatively provide horizontal pivots tor potengag'ing arms 1 are carried by a base structure 7 formed as a onepiece casting which is primarily of circular outline 'but is cut away regionally and cored centrally for economy in the weight of its included metal. The bolsters 5 Ire cast integrally with the main structure of the base in appropriate arrangement thereon, and holes 8 through the bolsters provide for the insertion of lifting bars to facilitate engagement .of the base by the chainsof a crane. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the upper surface 9 of base 7 provides fixed structure which the lower and outer edges, or heels, 1c of the arms come into contact as a limiting stop to define the rest position of each arm in divergent, pot-receiving, relation of the group; and upper surface 9 of the base also provides a limiting stop against which the dependent portions 4 of feet 1d of the arms bear in convergent, pot-supporting, relation of the group.

If it be desired to remove the stand from the position of its use in mounting the cinder pot, arms 1 can be removed and transported individually without the performance of any other operation to disengage them from the base. The base 7 itself then can be lifted and carried as an individual element, that operation being facilitated by the insertion of bars in two or more of the holes 8 extended through bolsters 5.

The provision of pivotal mounting for the pot-engaging arms by the cooperatively curved surfaces of a socket element and a bolster of trunnion element provided as unconnected elements, presents the specific advantage of part by part disassembly of the cinder pot stand without the performance of a special disengaging operation between the arms and the structure on which they are pivotally mounted. It also presents advantages of massive structure which requires no accurate machining in order to provide swinging movement of the arms yieldingly to engage and release the cinder pot and a structure which does not readily become bound or frozen by congealed slag.

As shown in the drawings, the arms of the cinder pot stand are four in number and are grouped to swing toward and away from a common vertical axis of the group. It has been explained above that a lesser number of arms may be used, a group of these arms having proven satisfactory in practice, or that a greater number of arms may be included in the group when a group comprising more than four arms may be found desirable. It also has been explained that if the stand is intended for use with a cinder pot which is not circular in horizontal section, the arms while swinging in generally convergent and divergent direction will not swing toward and away from a common vertical center. If such nonconical cinder pot be of the generally elliptical, or bathtub form, more than four arms preferably are included in the group.

Having illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that various modifications is the form and arrangement of parts may be made therein, and that limitation upon the invention is to be imposed only by the terms of the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sectional cinder pot stand of massive structure comprising a base and a cooperative group of pot-engaging arms mounted on horizontal pivots on said base, the mounting of said arms being a free pivotal bolster and socket mounting between each of the said arms adjacent the lower end thereof and the said base for simple removal of lifting of each said arm individually from said base, the said pot-engaging arms being extended upwardly from their said pivot points to swing convergently and divergently between pot-receiving and potsupporting positions, said arms each including a contact member extended outwardly beyond the pivot point of the arm and the weight distribution of the arms being such as to cause the upper ends thereof to swing outwardly under gravity bringing the said contact members into rest position on the base to define the divergent potreceiving position of the arms as a group, and said arms also each including a pot-carrying member extended inwardly of the pivot point of each of the said arms that moves downwardly into rest position on the said base under the weight of a cinder pot thereon, with swinging movement of the arms as a group into convergent position of the upper ends thereof to engage the wall of the cinder pot and with elevation of the said outwardly extended contact members of the arms.

2. A sectional cinder pot stand of massive structure comprising a base and a cooperative group of pot-engaging arms mounted on horizontal pivots on said base, the mounting of said arms being a free unsecured pivotal mounting between each of the said arms adjacent the lower end thereof and the said base for simple removal by lifting of each said arm individually from said base, the said pot-engaging arms being extended upwardly from their said pivot points to swing convergently and divergently between pot-receiving and pot-supporting positions, said arms each including a contact member extended outwardly beyond the pivot point of the arm and the weight distribution of the arms being such as to cause the upper ends thereof to swing outwardly under gravity bringing the said contact members into rest position on the base to define the divergent pot-receiving position of the arms as a group, and said arms also each including a pot-carrying member extended inwardly of the pivot point of each of the said arms that moves downwardly into rest position on the said base under the weight of a cinder pot thereon, with swinging movement of the arms as a group into convergent position of the upper ends thereof to engage the wall of the cinder pot and with elevation of the said outwardly extended contact members of the arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,193 McLean Apr. 9, 1889 529,953 Presnell Nov. 27, 1894 574,424 Hoffman Ian. 5, 1897 1,021,328 Noll Mar. 26, 1912 1,530,024 Washbum Mar. 17, 1925 2,028,129 Allerton Jan. 21, 1936 2,455,025 Schroeder Nov. 30, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,051 Germany of 1892

Images