Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
-
One prior art vessel support is disclosed in
United States Patent No. 3,146,983 wherein a plurality of
links pivotally connect a convertor vessel to the upper
trunnion ring flange to support the vessel in a vertical
position and to allow differential expansion between the
vessel and the ring. However, these links are incapable
of supporting the vessel when it is tilted to a generally
horizontal position. Accordingly, in such prior art ves-
sel suspension systems, it was necessary to provide aplurality of brackets adjacent the trunnion pin for sup-
porting the vessel while the same was being turned up and
turned down.
This invention relates to metallurgical vessels
and more specifically, with a system for mounting said
vessels to a trunnion ring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a
new and improved supp~rt for pneumatic metallurgical
vessels.
A further object of the invention is to provide
a metallurgical vessel suspension system which supports
the vessel in its vertical and tilted positions and per-
mits differential expansion between the vessel and a sur-
rounding trunnion ring.
A further objbct of the invention is to provide aconvertor vessel suspension system wherein mechanical load
is relatively uniformly distributed around the trunnion
ring.
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Still another object of the invention is to pro-
vide a support for convertor vessels which does not restrict
axial vessel expansion.
These and further objects of the invention will
become more apparent from the deiailed description of the
invention taken with the accompanying drawings~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view with parts
broken away schematically illustrating a convertor vessel
having a suspension system according to the present inven-
tion;
FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the
suspension system of FIGURE 1 in greater detail;
FIGURE 3 is a view taken along lines 3 - 3 o
FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 4 is a view taken along lines 4 - 4 of
FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 5 illustrates one varia'ion of a portion
of the suspension assembly according to the invention; ana
FIGURE 6 shows an alternate variation of a por-
tion of the suspension assembly according to the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT5
FIGURE 1 shows a convertor vessel 10 which is
one example of a metallurgical vessel to which the suspen-
sion system according to the present invention is applic-
able. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, how-
ever, the suspension system is applicable to any metallur-
gical vessel which is supported within a so-called trunnion
ring. The vessel 10 is shown to include a metallic shell 12
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and a refractory lining 13. A top opening 14 permits
charging of the vessei with hot metal or scrap. The ves-
sel 10 may also have a pouring spout 15 which permits the
discharge of its contents into a ladle or other suitable
receptacle when the vessel is tipped.
As seen in FIGURE 1, the vessel 10 is surrounded
by a concentric trunnion ring 16. Extending from each of
the diametrically operative sides of trunnion ring 16 are
a pair of coaxial trunnion pins 17, only one of which is
seen in FIGURE 1. Pins 17 are usually journaled in suit-
able supports (not shown) and are coupled to a suitable
drive mechanism (not shown) which provides the requisite
torque for tilting the trunnion ring 16 and the vessel 10
which it supports. The trunnion pins 17 may also be hol-
low so as to allow the entry and exit of cooling water tothe interior of trunnion ring 16. In the illustrated ex-
amples, the interior of trunnion ring 16 is intended to be
water-cooled but the specific details of construction are
omitted since they are well-known in the art and form no
part of the present invention.
Trunnion ring 16 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to
include a rop ring-like flange 20 and a similar bottom
flange 21 which is spaced from top flange 20 and is arranged
in a generally concentric parallel relation with respect
thereto. The flanges 20 and 21 are joined at their edges
by an annular inner wrapper plate 22 and an annular outer
wrapper plate 23 which is concentric with wrapper plate 22
and spaced therefrom in a generally parallel relation.
The joints between flanges 20 and 21 and wrapper plates 22
and 23 may be secured in any suitable manner such as by
li~,
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welding. It will also be appreciated that trunnion ring 16
in the illustrated example is essentially a hollow, circular
box girder. While not shown in the drawings, trunnion ring
16 may also be reinforced internally by a series of circum-
fèrentially spaced radially disposed plates each of whichhas an aperture to permit the circulation of cooling water,
if desired. It will also be apparent that the uessel sus-
pension system according to the present invention is appli-
cable whether the trunnion ring 16 has a configuration
illustrated in FI~URES 1 and 2 or is in another form such
as an I-beam, channel or various other cross-sectional
shapes.
The vessel 10 is supported on the trunnion ring
16 by an upper suspension assembly 26 and a lower suspen-
sion assembly 28. The upper suspension assembly 26 in-
cludes a clamp ring 30 which engages the upper flange 20
and a plurality of generally triangular links 32 which are
pivotally connected at their lower ends to the ring 28
and at their upper ends to the vessel 12. Ring 28 is
generally co-radial with top flange 20 and may comprise a
single member or a plurality of arcuate segments. In
transverse cross-section, ring 28 is generally ~-shaped with
its large leg 34 disposed above and extending parallel to
top flange 20. Leg 34 of ring 28 may engage flange 20 dir-
ectly or a thin metallic shock absorber pad 36 may be dis-
posed therebetween. The shorter leg 38 of clamp ring 28
extends downwardly behind the inner edge of flange 20.
Each link 32 includes a relatively thick base
portion 40 which tapers down to a thin neck portion 42.
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The base portion 40 of each link 32 is pivotally mounted
between a pair of upstanding brackets 44 which are affixed
in spaced apart relation to the upper surface of clamp
ring 32. Specifically, a pivot bolt 46 extends through
aligned holes 48 in brackets 44 and a bore 30 extending
through base portion 40. The neck portion 42 of each link
32 is similarly pivotally mounted to vessel 10 by means of
a pivot bolt 52 extending through bores 54 in neck portion
42 and aligned apertures 56 in brackets 58 which are
affixed in parallel, spaced apart relation to a ring 60
secured to the shell 12 generally above trunnion ring 16.
The bores 50 and 52 through each link 32 are generally
parallel so that the links may pivot simultaneously at its
upper and lower ends relative to clamp ring 30 and ~essel
shell 12. Also, each of bolts 46 and 52 may be threaded
at one end so that they may be suitably retained in posi-
tion such as by means of nuts 62.
The lower suspension assembly 28 includes a sec-
ond clamp ring 64 which is configured similarly to the
upper clamp ring 30 and a plurality of links 65. The long
leg 66 of ring 64 is disposed in a generally parallel rela-
tion to the lower flange 21 and there are a plurality of
spaced apart disk springs 68 disposed therebetween. The
short leg 70 of ring 64 also hooks behind the lower inside
edge of flange 21.
Each of the links 65 includes a pair of eye-bolts
each of which includes a head portion 74 having a trans-
verse aperture 76 and a threaded shank 78. An internally
threaded sleeve 80 engages each of the shanks 78 so that .
the distance between the apertures 76 and hence, the length
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of each link 65 may be adjusted. The lower end of each
link 65 is pivotally mounted by means of a bolt 81 between
a pair of brackets 82 affixed in spaced apart parallel re-
lation to a second ring 84 affixed generally below trunnion
ring 16. Bolts 81 extend through apertures 76 and aligned
holes 86 in brackets 82. The upper end of each link 65 is
similarly pivotally mounted by means of bolts 88 between a
second pair of brackets 89-affixed to a lower surface of
clamp ring 64. Bolts 88 extend between holes 92 in brackets
88 and through apertures 76 in the upper ends of links 65.
The bolts 81 and 88 are arranged in a generally parallel
relation to permit simultaneous pivotal movement of links
65 at their opposite ends and each is threaded at one end
for being secured by means of bolts 94.
While brackets 58 and 82 are shown in FIGURE 2
to have substantially the same height as their respective
rings 16 and 84, they may, for added strength, be of in-
creased height and have portions (not shownj which engage
and are affixed to the surface of shell 12.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown
in FIGURE 5, all of the upper links 32 are arranged such
that their relatively larger base portions 40 are attached
to upper clamp ring 30 and their relatively smaller neck
portions 42 are pivotally connected to ring 60. In the al-
ternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 6, how-
ever, alternate links 32~ are inverted so that their base
portions 40 are pivotally connected to ring 60 while their
smaller neck portions 42 are pivotally connected to clamp
ring 30.
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It will be appreciated that there are a plurality
of l:Lnks 32 of the upper suspension assembly 26 and a plur-
ality of links 65 of the lower suspension assembly 28 which
are disposed in spaced apart relation around the vessel 10
and all are pivotally connected to the vessel shell 12 and
to the respective upper and lower clamp rings 30 and 64 in
the mannèr discussed with respect to FIGURES 2-4. This
permits differential radial expansion of the vessel 10 and
the trunnion ring 16 as the links 32 and 65 are free to
pivot at their opposite ends. For example, should the
vessel 10 expand radially to a greater degree than trunnion
ring 16, thereby moving the shell toward the right relative
to trunnion ring 16 as viewed in FIGURE 2, the link 32 will
tend to pivot clockwise about bolts 52 and 46 and the
link 65 will pivoc counterclockwise about bolts 81 and 88.
Similar pivotal movement in the links 32 and 65 will occur
should the vessel grow lengthwise as a result of the tem-
peratures and stresses inherent in its operation. In addi-
tion, the links 32 not only support the vessel when it is
in a vertical position, but the links 32 and 65 also fur-
nish support for the vessel when it is in its various inter-
mediate tilted positions and when it is turned up and
turned down.
The clamp rings 30 and 64 absorb radial loading
from the links 32 and 65 so as to minimize radial stress in
the trunnion ring flanges 20 and 21. In addition, the
clamp rings 30 and 64 distribute the compressive loads rel-
atively evenly to the trunnion ring when the vessel is ver-
tical. Further, the links 32 and 65 prevent lateral shift-
ing of the vessel during turn-up and turn-down. This is
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particularly enhanced by the upper links 32 which resist
sidewise deflection as a result of their generally triangu-
lar configuration. The spring washers 68 between the lower
clamp ring 64 and trunnion ring 16 permit relative movement
between the clamp ring 64 and the trunnion ring 16 so that
links may also be used below the trunnion ring for support
during tilting and when the vessel is inverted. As a result,
brackets employed in prior art systems to support the ves-
sel during turn-up and turn-down is not re~uired. Addition-
ally, the adjustability of links 65 allow changes in lengthnecessitated by changes in vessel dimensions during opera-
tion.
While only a few embodiments of the invention
have been illustrated and described, it is not intended to
1~ be limited thereby but only by the scope of the àppended
claims.
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