US3604603A - Supporting mechanism for slidable gate closures used on bottom-pour vessels - Google Patents

Abstract

A supporting mechanism for a slidable gate used as a closure for the nozzle of a bottom-pour vessel, such as a ladle or tundish. The mechanism includes a pair of flexible tubes of oval cross section mounted along opposite sides of the nozzle, and pillowshaped blocks placed on the tubes between the tubes and gate. Internal pressure is applied to the tubes to bulge them and thus force the gate against the bottom of the vessel. The tubes yield to permit nonuniform thermal expansion and contraction.

Description

United States ate John A. Grosko West Mifflin Borough;

James T. Shapland, Wilkins Township, Allegheny County, both of, Pa. 860,693

Sept. 24, 1969 Sept. 14, 1971 United States Steel Corporation Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR SLIDABLE GATE CLOSURES USED ON BOTTOM-POUR VESSELS 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl ZZZ/561,

266/38 Int. Cl B65d 47/14 Field ofSearch 222/561,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,382 12/1965 Floehr 222/512 3,352,465 11/1967 Shapland.. 222/561 3,480,186 11/1969 Grosko 222/512 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-T. E. Kocovsky Attorney-Walter P. Wood ABSTRACT: A supporting mechanism for a slidable gate used as a closure for the nozzle of a bottom-pour vessel, such as a ladle or tundish. The mechanism includes a pair of flexible tubes of oval cross section mounted along opposite sides of the nozzle, and pillow-shaped blocks placed on the tubes between the tubes and gate. Internal pressure is applied to the tubes to bulge them and thus force the gate against the bottom of the vessel. The tubes yield to permit nonuniform thermal expansion and contraction.

PATENTEU sEP1 412m 3.604.603

rill/111 mvmrons JOHN A. seas/r0 a JAMES r. SHAPLA/VD Attorney SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR SLlDABLE GATE CLOSURES USED ON BOTTOM-POUR VESSELS This invention relates to an improved supporting mechanism for a slidable gate used as a closure on a bottompour vessel.

Although our invention is not thus limited, our gate-supporting mechanism is particularly useful as applied to vessels for pouring molten metal, for example a ladle or tundish. Such vessels have an outlet in the bottom wall through which molten metal is poured into a receiving vessel. It is known to equip the pouring vessel with a slidable gate mounted on the underside of the bottom wall for controlling flow of metal through the outlet, one example of which is shown in Shapland US. Pat. No. 3,352,465. The vessel carries a hydraulic operating mechanism for positioning the gate. One practice is to use a reciprocable gate which has both a blank area and a nozzle, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the patent. The gate is slidable back and forth between positions in which the blank area underlies the outlet to close it, or the nozzle is aligned with the outlet to permit pouring. Another and usually preferred practice is to use gates of the slide-through" type, wherein each gate is either a blank or provides a nozzle, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the patent. As the operating mechanism shoves each gate into alignment with the outlet, the new gate shoves the preceding gate on past and eventually off the vessel.

The supporting mechanism for the gate must press the gate firmly against the vessel bottom to prevent leakage, yet it must allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the gate. The gate does not always expand or contract uniformly, but the dimensions of some portions may change more than others. Previous supporting mechanisms have included levers mounted on the bottom of the vessel and engaging the side edges of the gate, and springs or hydraulic means actuating the levers, as shown for example in the aforementioned patent. While these arrangements operate satisfactorily, they require a large number of moving parts and they occupy an undesirably large area on the bottom of the vessel.

An object of our invention is to provide a gate-supporting mechanism which is simpler mechanically and more compact than mechanisms used heretofore, yet allows for uneven dimensional changes in the gate.

A more specific object is to provide a gate-supporting mechanism which embodies inflatable tubes for pressing the gate against a vessel bottom and series of heat-resistant blocks interposed between the tubes and gate.

in the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on line l-I of FIG. 2 of a portion of a bottom-pour vessel which has a gate and a supporting mechanism for the gate constructed in accordance with our invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on line IlII of FIG. 1.

The drawing shows a portion of a bottom-pour vessel which has a metal shell 12 and a refractory lining 13. The bottom wall of vessel 10 has an outlet opening within which a nozzle 14 is mounted. An orifice plate 15 is fixed to the vessel bottom beneath the nozzle. The vessel is equipped with a slidable gate closure, which is illustrated as of the slide-through type, although it could be of the reciprocable type. The operating mechanism for the closure is supported on a pair of opposed angles irons 16 which are fixed to the bottom of the vessel and extend beyond the confines thereof. The confronting faces of the angle irons carry respective rails 17 which have horizontal flanges adapted to receive and support gates 18 in readiness to be shoved into alignment with nozzle 14.

The angle irons also carry a chute 19 for loading the gates onto the rails, and a hydraulic cylinder 20 which has a reciprocable ram 21 for shoving gates along the rails.

Rails 17 terminate short of the orifice plate 15. The confronting faces of the angle irons l6 carry respective upward open troughs 25 beneath opposite side edges of the orifice plate 15. We place inflatable flexible tubes 26, preferably of thin-wall stainless steel, in the bottoms of the respective troughs. The tubes are of oval shape in cross section, and we place them with their longest diameters horizontal. Both ends of the tubes flare to a circular cross section and carry caps 27. We connect fluid inlet lines 28 to the caps 27 at one end, and relief valves 29 to the caps at the other end. We place series of pillow-shaped blocks 30 of low-friction material, preferably graphite, within troughs 25 where they rest on the tubes 26. Stops 31 at opposite ends of the troughs confine the blocks. The upper faces of the blocks are horizontally aligned with the horizontal flanges of rails 17, and with similar flanges of exit rails 32, which extend from the other ends of the troughs. Preferably we mount a heat shield 33 of stainless steel or the like on the angle irons beneath the troughs.

In operation, we load blank gates and nozzle gates 18 onto rails 17 from chute 19. We operate cylinder 20 to shove gates along the rails and blocks 30 as needed. We apply internal pressure to tubes 26 with fluid admitted through the inlet lines 28. Examples of suitable fluids are air and water. The fluid bulges the tubes and thus acts through blocks 30 to force the gate against the orifice plate 15. The tubes are sufficiently resilient that they yield as necessary to permit nonuniform thermal expansion and contraction of the gates. If desired, we can maintain a steady flow of fluid through the tubes to cool the parts.

The rails, cylinder, etc. which we have illustrated are only one example of suitable means for operating the gates. Our supporting mechanism can be used with many different structures for moving the gates into position.

We claim:

1. In a combination which includes:

a vessel having a nozzle in its bottom wall;

a slidable gate operable to close said nozzle or to permit pouring therethrough;

a pair of upward facing troughs fixed to the bottom of said vessel and extending horizontally along opposite sides of said nozzle;

yieldable means mounted within said troughs; and

series of blocks of low-friction material resting on said yieldable means and bearing against the underside of said gate;

the improvement which comprises:

said yieldable means being in the form of respective thinwall flexible metal tubes of oval cross section positioned in said troughs with their longest diameters horizontal;

inlet lines leading to one end of the respective tubes for admitting fluid under pressure to the tubes; and

relief valves in the opposite ends of the tubes for discharging fluid therefrom;

said tubes bulging under internal pressure of fluid admitted thereto and forcing said gate against the bottom of said vessel.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said tubes flare at their ends to a circular cross section, and further comprising caps over the flared ends, said lines and said valves being connected to said caps.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said blocks are pillow shaped and formed of graphite.

Claims (3)

1. In a combination which includes: a vessel having a nozzle in its bottom wall; a slidable gate operable to close said nozzle or to permit pouring therethrough; a pair of upward facing troughs fixed to the bottom of said vessel and extending horizontally along opposite sides of said nozzle; yieldable means mounted within said troughs; and series of blocks of low-friction material resting on said yieldable means and bearing against the underside of said gate; the improvement which comprises: said yieldable means being in the form of respective thin-wall flexible metal tubes of oval cross section positioned in said troughs with their longest diameters horizontal; inlet lines leading to one end of the respective tubes for admitting fluid under pressure to the tubes; and relief valves in the opposite ends of the tubes for discharging fluid therefrom; said tubes bulging under internal pressure of fluid admitted thereto and forcing said gate against the bottom of said vessel.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said tubes flare at their ends to a circular cross section, and fuRther comprising caps over the flared ends, said lines and said valves being connected to said caps.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said blocks are pillow shaped and formed of graphite.

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