Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10~
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning the
door or door-frame of a coke oven. A tool frame carrying cleaning tools is
mounted upon a coke-pushing machine or a coke-cake guiding car, and is
moved towards the door or door-frame. After the door or door-frame and the
tool frame have been placed in position, the cleaning tools act upon the
surfaces to be cleaned.
The cleaning of coke-oven doors is necessary due to the fact that
while the coke oven is in operation, incrustations are formed which have a
detrimental effect and may ultimately lead to leaks. It is therefore custom-
ary to clean coke-oven doors each time the coking chambers are emptied and
before they are used again. The main difficulty encountered in mechanical
cleaning is that satisfactory cleaning is obtained only if small tolerances
are allowed between the surfaces to be cleaned and the cleaning tools. How-
ever, the open position ofthe door and the movement of the frame carrying
the cleaning tools require large tolerances. Another problem is the great
height of the oven doors. Also, in order to remove the incrustations, the
cleaning~tools must be moved along the surfaces to be cleancd under relative-
ly heavy pressure, but such pressure must not be heavy enough at any point
to produce any deformation or da~age.
German Public Inspection Text 1 147 914 describes a device for
cleaning the sealing edges of a coke-oven door, the tool frame being sus-
pended so that it oscillates about a horizontal axis of rotation. Compres-
sion springs act in the direction of the axis of rotation, providing a flex-
ible mounting for the frame, and resilient application of the frame to the
door stops. This improves the co-ordination between the tool frame and the
door, as compared with a rigidly mounted tool frame. However, the difficulty
still remains that the height of the axis of rotation in relation to the door
must be pre-determined exactly, otherwise the top and bottom sealing edges
of the toor will not be properly cleaned, Moreover, it is also possible that ~ ~
the compression springs might remain in action even when a rigit relationship -
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between the door and the frame is required, creating an unsatisfactory
situation.
German Disclosure Text 1 671 332 describes a device for cleaning
a coke-oven door, in which the frame carrying the cleaning tools is mounted
upon a universal joint. This allows the frame to swing slightly and thus
to adapt to possible obliquity in the position of the coke oven door to be
cleaned. Here again, however, the location of the axis of pivot of the
universal joint must be pre-determined in exact relation to the door. This
is difficult to accomplish, as it is difficult to determine the tolerances
between the position of the door and the means for driving the frame.
One disadvantage of all known methods and devices for cleaning coke-
oven doors is that although the tool frame is usually moved towards the door,
the tool frame drive has no direct connection with the raised door.
It is an object of this invention to propose a method and apparatus
which will ensure that, regardless of the position of the door, the frame
carrying the cleaning tools is brought to the correct position in relation to
the door and remains in this position throughout the cleaning process.
The present invention provides a method for cleaning the door or
door-frame of a coke-oven utilizing a tool frame mounted upon a coke-pushing
machine or a coke-cake guiding car and carrying cleaning tools, said method --
comprising: moving said tool frame towards the said~door or door-frame in
freely suspended condition; subsequently centering and stopping said tool
frame in relation to said door or door-frame by means of at least one drive
engaging with said door or door-frame and said tool frame; securing said ~ -
tool frame to said door or door-frame; and actuating said cleaning tools to
engage the surfaces to be cleaned.
Sinceith~ tool frame is moved towards thedoor or door-frame in a
freely suspended condition, it can adapt itself to the door even if there
are large tolerances between the frame carrier and the device for lifting
out the door. The centering and stopping means ensure that the tool frame
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bears against the door in the desired position. The drive between the door
and the tool frame ensures that the tool frame moves towards the door and is
held thereto. This automatic drawing of the tool frame towards the door not
only reduces the cost of control mechanisms, but also prevents any displace-
ment of the door after the tool frame has been moved up to it and from caus-
ing any misalignment between the cleaning tools and the door surfaces to be
cleaned. The method is suitable for automation.
In one preferred and special configuration of the method, drives
located at the top and bottom of the tool frame engage behind the door, each
drive preferably executing a pivoting movement for the purpose of bringing
the tool frame up to the door.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for cleaning a
door or door-frame of a coke oven, said apparatus comprising: a tool frame
having thereon cleaning instrument means for cleaning surfaces of a door or
door-frame; means for freely suspending said tool frame so that it is freely
movable in all directions, said suspending means comprising a carriage mov-
ably mounted on guide rails, a flexible cable suspended from said carriage
and attached to said tool frame, and spring means position between said -
carriage and said cable for urging said cable and said tool frame upwardly;
means including at least one drive mechanism mounted on said tool frame and
having a gripper which is movable by said drive mechanism into a position
gripping said door, for moving said tool frame from a position spaced from a -~
door or door-frame to be cleaned toward said door or door-frame through a
first approaching phase whereat said tool frame is maintained freely suspended
and movable in all directions, and then through a second approaching phase
while centering said tool frame with respect to said door or door-frame, and
to a final cleaning position whereat said tool frame and said door or door-
frame are rigidly connected and whereat said cleaning instrument means are
aligned with and contact with equal pressure respective surfaces to be
cleaned; and means, mounted on said tool frame, for moving said cleaning
instrument means along said respective surfaces to clean said surfaces.
Suspending the tool frame by a cable has the advantage of allowing
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the frame to adapt easily to any position of the door, utilizing the drive
means to draw the frame to the door by means of the system of levers.
It is preferable for the cable to be attached to the frame carrier
by means of springs, since this makes it possible to adjust the tool frame
in relation to the door without using much force.
In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention,
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108~121
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cleaning device for a coke-
oven door;
Figure 2 is a view of the device along the line II-II in Figure l;
Figure 3 shows a guide carriage as in Figure 1, but to an enlarged
scale; and -
Figure 4 is a side elevation, in cross section, of a cleaning tool
bearing against a coke-oven door, also to an enlarged scale.
A coke-cake guiting car, or a coke^pushing machine, is provided with
rails 1 supporting a carriage 2 from which is suspended, by means of a cable 3,
a tool frame 4 carrying cleaning tools 5 to 14.
Tool frame 4 hangs in front of a door 15 comprising a door element
16, a door-stop 17, and sealing edges 18.
Tool frame 4 has a frame 19 to which are attached brackets 20, 21,
22 and bearings 23 to 30. Each of bearings 23, 24 and 27, 28 carries a
threaded vertical shaft 31, 32, whereas each of bearings 25, 26 and 29, 30
carries a threaded horizontal shaft 33,34. Arranged upon bracket 20 is an
electric motor 35 which drives threaded shafts 31 to 34. The said threaded
shafts engage with each other through bevel gears. Seated upon threaded shaft
31 are guide nuts 36 to 39 carrying cleaning tools 5 to 8. Seated upon thread- -
ed shaft 33 is a guide nut 40 to which cleaning tool 9 is attached. Seated
upon threaded shaft 32 are guide nuts 41 to 44 carrying tools 10 to 13. Threadedshaft 34 carried a guide nut 45 which is attached to cleaning tool 14. The
said guide nuts slide in a guide 46 running along frame 19, so that when the
shaft is rotated, the tools move longitutinally. In order to make them easily -
adjustable on the shafts, the guide nuts are made in two pieces.
Brackets 21 and 22 each carry an electric motor 47, 48. While motor
47 actuates an upper drive 49, motor 48 actuates a lower drive 50. Each of thesedrives comprises a threaded shaft 51, one end of which is connected to the
relevant motor by means of a universal joint 52. The other end of each threadet
shaft carries a threaded part 53 to which pivotable links 54 are connected,the
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said threaded part being secured against rotation in relation to the threaded
shaft by means of a carrier guide 55 rigidly attached to the coke-pushing ma-
chine or coke-cake guiding car, and comprising a curved guide track 56 in
which a gripper 57 is mounted pivotably by means of a threaded bolt 59 and a
pin 58. Secured to bolt 59 is a link 54. Thus rotation of shaft 51 causes
gripper 57 to pivot.
Centering parts 60 to 65 are secured to frame 19 of tool frame 4,
centering parts 60, 61 and 63, 64 being used to centre the longitudinal sides
of the door, whereas vertical centering between the frame and the door is car-
ried out by centering parts 62 and 65 which have arcuate centering surfaces
66.
Also arranged upon tool frame 4, or upon frame 19 thereof, are spa-
cers (not shown) by means of which the minimal distance between the door and
the frame can be adjusted. The spacers are provided at top and bottom and are
equipped with electrical means for switching on electric motors 47 and 48.
Frame 19 of tool frame 4 is equipped with brackets 67 and 68 which
are connected, with a certain amount of play, to a carrier 69 which, in turn
is secured to carriage 2, the amount of play being such that the frame may be
adapted to all foreseeable positions of coke-oven toor 15.
Cable 3, carried by tool frame 4, is looped at each end, the said
frame being susponded from the looped end by means of eyes 72, 73 (Figure 2).
The attachment of cable 3 to carriage 2 is shown in detail in Figure 3. The
portion of the cable between ends 70, 71 rests upon a supporting part 74 mounted
in carriage 2, the said supporting part being adjustable in height between guide
jaws 75. The distance between supporting part 74 and a plate 76 may be adjusted
by means of screws 77 screwed into the said supporting part and bearing upon the
said plate. This plate rests upon compression springs 78, one of which may be
seen in Figure 3, The ends of the said compression springs remote from carrier
plate 76 bear against carriage 2, the said springs taking the weight of tool
frame 4 through cable 3, supporting part 74, screws 77 and plate 76. The
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average height of the frame may be adjusted by means of screws 77,
Figure 4 shows a special design of one of cleaning tools 5 to 14,
in which the cleaning tool has a shaving edge 79 engaging in the space between ~ -
body 16 of the door, sealing edge 18, and retaining element 80 of door-stop
17. Shaving edge 79 is bolted to a holder 81 and is easily replaceable.
.: . .
Holder 81 is mounted upon a carrier pin 83 with a compression spring 82, the ~ -
said pin being welded to the relevant guide nut 26 to 45. Carrier pin 83 and
holder 81 run at an angle of about 60 from the plane of frame 19 of tool
frame 4 to body 16 of the door.
The door-cleaning operation is as follows, utilizing the apparatus
herein described: after the door 15 has been lifted off its frame by means
of a conventional hoisting device, and rotated through 90 about its longitud-
inal axis, it assumes the position shown in Figure 1.
In order to clean the door, cleaning tools 5 to 14 must be moved
towards the door, to which end electric motors 47,48 are switched on. Starting
from the position shown in Figure 1, the drive for threaded shafts 51 causes
grippers 57 to pivot towards the upper and lower edges of the door, thus `~
engaging behint~ the said door. As soon as grippers 57 come to a stop against
the door, tool frame 4 is moved towards the said door as a result of the
rotation of threaded shafts 51. This movement is also executed by carriage 2,
through brackets 67,68 and carrier 69.
~ uring the approach movement, the edges of the door come into
contact with centering surfaces 66 of centering parts 60 to 65, tool frame 4
being aligned by these parts in accordance with the position of the door. The
design of the connection between brackets 67,68, and that of universal joints
52, is such that they provide adequate play in each individual case. If large
deviations in the angular setting or height of the door are to be expected,
this play must be increased accordingly.
The suspension of tool frame 4 by cable 3 ensures that the said
frame can move freely towards door 15 in all directions of m~ement, since this
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suspension compensates for angular displacements of the door about both the
longitudinal and the transverse axis. At the same time, the mounting of
cable 3 upon compression springs 78 means that little force is required to
adapt tool frame 4 to variations in the vertical position of door 15.
As soon as top and bottom grippers 57 have brought tool frame 4
to the correct distance from door 15, as determined by the top and bottom
spacers, the top or bottom motor is switched off. The other motor is switch-
ed off as soon as the gripper associated therewith has established the correct
distance between the door and the tool frame. Threaded shafts 31 to 34,
carrying the cleaning tools, thereafter lie parallel with the door surfaces
to be cleaned. All of cleaning tools 5 to 14 bear with the same pressure
upon the door surfaces to be cleaned, this being ensured by the fact that
tool frame 4 is clamped firmly to the door by grippers 57 and centering parts
60 to 65.
Motor 35 is now switched on, thus causing threaded shaft 31 to
rotate and to drive threaded shaft 32 through threaded shaft 33. Since -
threaded shaft 32 is in engagement with threaded shaft 34, cleaning tools 5
to 8 move upwardly, cleaning tool 9 moves to the left, cleaning tools 10 to
13 move downwardly, and cleaning tool 14 moves to the right (figure 2).
Compression springs 82, by means of which the said cleaning tools are mounted
on the relevant guide nuts, ensure that even local distortions of the surf-
aces to be cleaned are equalizable. The pitch of the threaded shafts, and
the ratios of the bevel gears, are such that all of the cleaning tools arrive
simultaneously at the ends of the surfaces which they are cleaning.
If additional surfaces are to be processed by the cleaning tools,
designing the said tools accordingly presents no problems.
At the conclusion of the cleaning process, motor 35 is switched
off automatically. Motors 47,48 then have their directions of rotation
reversed. In practice, the force required to overcome the resistance of
grippers 57 in their guides is less than that required to release centering
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parts 60 to 65 from door lS. Grippers 57 therefore leave the door first and
move to their stops. Further rotation of shafts 51 then moves tool frame 4
and carriage 2 away from door 15 and back to ~heir starting positions. Now
that its right-hand, left-hand, top and bottom sealing edges have been cleaned,
door frame 15 may be returned to the door-frame by means of the lifting
device.
The great advantage of the device described above is that the
cable, mounted upon the compression springs, allows complete freedom of move-
ment of the tool frame, allowing the said frame to be moved in all directions
without the use of large forces. Thus even when the door has been consider-
ably displaced, the cleaning tools move parallel with the edges of the door
and are applied thereto with ~niform pressure.
Hydraulic drives, instead of electric motors, may also be used for
the cleaning tools.
The method and device described above may also be used for clean-
ing the frame of a coke-oven door. The cleaning of a door frame is simpler,
since there is no need to allow for tolerances produced by the device for
lifting out the door.
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