Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
LADLE 5TARTER SHAPES
Background of the Invention
In the manufacture of steel and steel alloys, it is
conventional to tap molten metal from a furnace into a ladle
5 in a pouring pit. The pouring pit is usually at a lower
elevation than the floor in which the metallurgical furnaces
reside, so that the molten metal may flow by gravity from
the urnace to the ladle. Spaced from the ladle are a plu-
rality of ingot molds, and the ladle of molten metal is
10 moved through the pouring pit into a position above these
ingot molds. Molten metal is poured from the ladle into the
ingot molds to form ingots. Usually the metal is poured
from the ladle through a nozzle which opens through the bot-
tom thereofO However, the metal is oten poured over the
15 lip of the ladle.
Ladles are lined with refractory brick, usually fire
clay or high alumina brick. Because the brick joints must
not be penetrated by molten metal, prior art ladle brick
were usually made from brick which tended to bloat; that is,
20 which have a volume e~pansion (on heat up) as great as 20~o
The bloating of prior art ladle bri.ck enabled the con-
struction of ladle linings without a great degree of care.
With the advent of the newer steel making process, however,
the hot metal temperature exceeds the refractory limit of
25 bloating fire clay brick. Therefore, it was necessary that
more highly refractory fire clay and high alumina brick
having only slight expansion on heat up be used for ladle
linings. As a result, new ladle lining construction tech-
38~73
.~.niques were required, which techniques required much
greater precision.
In an atternpt -to solve the problem, semi~universal type
shapes were bunched together in varying ~uxtaposition to at-
tain the proper starter course at the bottom of the vessel.
However, it was found that with the varying dimensions or
diameters of steel ladles, and lining wall thicknesses from
4" to 9", the concept required appro~imately 30 different
starter sets of varying size shape and thickness and
lQ number. Ladles may be circular, oval or elliptical in
conEiguration.
Accordingly, it is among the objects of the invention
to provide a set of starter shapes o$ substantially identi-
cal number for providing a starter course for spiral linings
in ladles of varying diameters and dimensions, and varying
wall thicknesses.
It is another object of the invention to provide novel,
specia]ly shaped, refractory lining starter brick for use in
metallurgical vessels with a spiral lining.
Briefly, according to the present invention, it is
provided a universal set of refractory starter shapes of
substantially identical number. They contain a combination
of completely universal shapes and semi-universal shapes
having ends with mating configurations. The shapes are made
such that a plurality thereof can be placed end to end to
form a starter course for ladles of varying diameters.
In the Drawings:
Fig. l is a side elevation in section of a brick lined
ladle;
Figs. 2A and 2B are a top view and side view, re-
spectively, of a completely universal s'nape used in the
present invention;
Figs. 3A and 3B are a top view and side view, re-
spectively, of one type of a semi~universal shape used in
the present invention;
FigsO 4A and 4B are a top view and side view, re
spectively, of another type of semi-universal shape used in
the present invention; and
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.3.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a universal set of
refractory starter shapes according to the present
invention.
Fig. 1 best shows ladle linings according to this
invention. The ladle has a flared outer metal shell 2 which
contains a refractory brick wall lining 4 and a tilt back
course 5. Metal is removed from the ladle sometimes by
pouring over lip at 6 or through a nozzle opening in the
bottom (not shown). The side walls of the ladle are lined
with a combination of arch and wedge brick, to provide for
the curvature of the ladle. For a discussion and
illustrations of s~andard wedge in arch shapes used
throughout the refractories industry, see page 478 of Modern
Refractory Practice, 4th Ed., published by Harbison-Walker
Refractories Company. For a discussion of the selection of
standard shapes to provide circular linings of various
diameters and handy tables, see pages 536 through 538 of
Modern Refractory Practice, 4th Ed. (above noted~. For a
discussion and illustration at semi-universal ladle brick
see pages 216-217 of Harbison-Walker ~andbook of Refractory
Practice. Illustrated is a commonly used 18 piece starter
set. Starter shapes 8 of the present invention are
positioned in the lowermost course of the refractory brick
in the side wall lining (laid on a top of the tilt back
course 5). The preferred brick shapes used in the starter
course of ladles constructed according to the teachings of
this invention are best understood by reference to Figs. 2
through 4~
Referring to Figs. 2A and 2B, the shape 9 is a com-
pletely universal shape having a forward semi-circular
surface 10 and a complementary semi-circular rearward
surface 12. The shape has substantially parallel side
surfaces 14 which -taper upwardly forwardly~
Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B, there is illustrated a
semi-universal shape wher~in the forward surface 16 is semi-
circular and the rear surface 18 is less than a semi-circle
and drawn from an arc of desired radius. The shape also has
substantially parallel side surfaces 20 w~ich also taper up-
wardly forwardly.
~8~ 73
Referring to Figs. 4A and 4B, there is shown another
semi-universal shape 21 having a forward surface 22 which i8
drawn from an arc less than a semi-circle and a raarward
surface 24 which is semi-circular in configuration. The
shape also has substantially parallel side surfaces 26 which
taper outwardly forwardly.
Referring to Fig. 5, there is shown the arrangements of
shapes 9, 15 and 21 in a starter set Eor a ladle. The only
diff2rence from these shapes twhich were not illustrated for
the sake of simplicity) is that they vary in thickness. All
of the shapes have opposed parallel top and bottom
suraces. Note that the starter set consists of eight
completely universal brick and four semi-universal brick.
The univ~rsal ends permit the bricX to turn and fit any
diameter or configuration, The other four semi-universal
brick have one end with a full univ~rsal design and the
other end with a semi-universal design to fit properly with
the main semi-universal shapes used in the spiral. I~e
reason for their difference in thickness and upwardly taper
is that the 12 pieces of the set, laid on proper sequence,
constructs an inclined ramp so that the second turn of the
(helical) spiral overlays the top of the first turn (course~
and the third overlays the second, etc. To speed the
installation of linings in large ladles, additional starter
sets are positioned also in the bottom turn (or course) to
construct multiple spirals (cork screws).
The special starter shapes have another function. The
brick linings at the bottom of ladles are usually head into
place such that th~y will not fall out when the ladle is
inverted. Ladles are usua]ly inverted for the purpose of
dumping slag or residual steel after teeming. The formation
of skulls (solidified metal) are undesirable and are avoided
because of the difficulty of removal. The edges of the
bottom are held in place by the walls of the ladle. The
special starter set comprised of special starter shapes,
according to this invention, provides a snug fit between the
bottom end walls of the ladle. This fit reduces the
tendency for brick to be pulled out when removing a skull.
The use of specially designed starter brick according
to the teachings oE this invention, provides a ladle lining
having an increased uniEormity, because it provides a solid
base for the first and, -therefore, subsequent courses of
brick.
It is intended -that the foregoing description be
construed as illustrative and not in limitation of the
invention.
Having thus described the invention in detail and with
sufficient particularity as to enable those skilled in the
art to practice it, what is desired to have protected by
Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.
