DISPOSITIF ELEVATEUR POUR LA MISE EN PLACE D'UNE RETENUE DE LAITIER AU PERCEMENT DES CONVERTISSEURS

ELEVATED DEVICE FOR PLACING SLAG RETENTION MEANS IN TAPPING CONVERTERS

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Apparatus for placing a slag retaining device in a
tap hole in a converter comprising a two part boom extensible
into said converter, a stationary vertical support depending
from an overhead structure, a lift and lower device mounted
on said vertical support engaging one part of said boom
at a first location, a tilt device engaging said lift and
lower device and said one part of said boom at a second
location for supporting and tilting said two part boom,
a mechanism engaging said lift and lower device and said
vertical support for moving said vertical support in a rotary
motion, a carriage movably mounted on said one part of said
boom, the other part of said boom affixed at one of its
ends to said carriage for movement by said carriage toward
and away from said converter and the tap hole therein.
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Revendications

The embodiments of the present invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:
1. Apparatus for placing a slag retaining device in a
tap hole in a converter comprising a two part boom extensible
into said converter, said two part boom including a first
part which is movable longitudinally of said second part so
that said two part boom is collapsible upon itself, a stationary
vertical support member depending from an overhead structure,
a lift and lower device mounted on said vertical support
member and pivotally engaging said second part of said boom
at a first location, a tilt device engaging said lift and
lower device and said second part of said boom at a second
location which is spaced from said first location for supporting
said two part boom and tilting said two part boom with respect
to said lift and lower device whereby said two part boom is
supported at at least two spaced apart positions, means engaging
said lift and lower device and said vertical support member
for moving said vertical support member on its longitudinal
axis in a rotary motion, a carriage movably mounted on said
second part of said boom and means for moving said carriage
longitudinally along said boom second part, said first part
of said boom affixed at one of its ends to said carriage for
movement in a path parallel with said second part of said
boom for extending and retracting said boom first part with
respect to said boom second part toward and away from said
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converter and the tap hole therein and means on the other
end of said second part of said boom detachably mounting said
elongated slag retaining device.
2. The apparatus for placing a slag retaining device
in a tap hole in a converter set forth in claim 1 and wherein
pivot devices on said vertical support member pivotally engage
said lift and lower device so that the same can be moved in
a horizontal plane on an arcuate path relative to said vertical
support member.
3. The apparatus for placing a slag retaining device
in a tap hole in a converter set forth in claim 1 and wherein
said first part of said two part boom extensible into said
converter consists of an elongated member, guide rails on said
elongated member and wherein rollers on said carriage engage
said guide rails on said elongated member.
4. The apparatus for placing a slag retaining device
in a tap hole in a converter set forth in claim 1 and wherein
said means for moving said carriage along said first part of
said boom comprise pulleys on the ends of said first part of
said boom, a continuous flexible member trained over said
pulleys and means for imparting motion to said continuous
flexible member and means on said carriage engaging said
flexible member.
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Description

1~0146
ELEVATED DEVIOE FOR PLACING SLAG RETENTION
MEANS IN TAPPING CONVERTERS
Background oE the Invention
Technical Field:
This invention relates -to an elevated device for
accurately and forcefully positioning a slag retaining
closure or dart in a tapping converter during the tapping of
steel therefrom.
Description of the Prior Art:
Prior structures of this type are best represented by
the disclosuresofU.S. Patent No. 3,459,209 of Aug. 5, 1969
to H. Kobusch, et al. and U.S. Patent No. 2,810,169 of
Oct. 22, 1957 to 0. Hofer, in which closures are positioned
in converters by arms adjustably and movably mounted adjacent
the converters and which releaseably hold the closures.
Summary o-E the Invention
The present invention utilizes a -two part extensible boom
similar to the arms of the prior art patents and provides an
overhead ajustable support for holding the boom, means for
moving the boom vertically and in tilting relation to the
overhead support and for imparting limited side to side motion
thereto. A carriage is movable along on part of the boom and

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carries an extension of the boom which in turn has jaws for
releaseably holding a slag retention device or dart to be
positioned in -the tap hole of the converter.
Descriptionofthe Drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the elevated device,
a portion of an operating floor therebelow, and a portion
of a converter with par-ts broken away and parts in cross
section; and
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the elevated device seen
in Figure 1 of the drawings.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
The elevated device for positioning slag retaining devices,
such as darts, in tapping converters as used in the steel
industry to prevent the flow of slag from the tap hole of
the converter is illustrated in its simplest form in Figures
1 and ~ of the drawings and by referring to Figure 1, it will
be seen that the device comprises a vertically positioned
support member 10 secured at its upper end to a suitable overhead
structure 11 such as a portion of an enclosure in which a
converter 12 and its usual operating floor 13 are located.

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A lift and lower piston and cylinder device 14 is pivotally
attached by pivot brackets 15 to the vertical support 10 so
that the same is movable on an arcua-te path relative thereto.
A piston rod 16 of the lift and lower piston and cylinder
device 14 extends downwardly from the piston and cylinder 14
and is pivotally attached to a bracket 17 midway between
the ends of an elongated boom 18. The elongated boom 18
has longitudinally extending guide rails 19 on its opposite
sides along which a carriage 20 is movable by reason of
rollers 21 on the carriage 20 engaging the longitudinally
extending rails 19.
An electric gear motor 22 is positioned on one end of
the elongated boom 18 and arranged to drive a flexible member
trained over pulleys 23 positioned on each end of the
elongated boom 18. The flexible member is attached to the
carriage 20 so that energi~ation of the electric gear motor
22 will move the carriage 20 in a desired direction along
the elongated boom 18.
Still referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be
seen that a boom extension 24 is carried by the carriage 20

1~0146
and ex-tends outwardly of one end thereof and through a U-
shaped guide 25 on one end of the elongated boom 18. Jaws
26 in the outermost end of the boom extension 24 are adapted
to releaseably engage a slag retaining device or dart 27. The
elongated boom 18 and the boom extension 24 form the two part
extensible boom of the invention.
The jaws 26 may be actuated by a device for imparting
movement thereto, which device is mounted in the carriage 20
and remotely controlled. In order that the elongated boom 18
may be tilted on its pivotal mounting on the end of the piston
rod 16, a tilt piston and cylinder device 28 is pivotally
mounted to a collar 29 on the lift and lower piston and
cylinder device 14 and to a secondary bracket 30 on one part of
the elongated boom 18 adjacent one end thereof. Means for
supplying compressed air to the lift and lower piston and
cylinder devise 14 and the tilt piston and cylinder device 28
are provided and arranged with ~emote controls so that the
elevated device of the invention can be operated from a remote
location.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, broken lines illustrate an
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~24~1~6
alternate portion of the elongated boom 11 and the boom
extension 24 as occasioned by lowering the middle portion of
the elongated boom 18 and elevating the end thereo-E pivotally
attached to the tilt piston and cylinder device 28.
In broken lines in Figure 1 of the drawings, the boom
extension 24 is shown extended into the open throat of the
converter 12 which has been tilted into a pouring position
with respect to a tap hole T therein.
By referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, a top plan
view of the elevated device just described will.be seen to
include a pivot piston and cylinder 31, one end oi which is
pivoted to a third bracket 32 on the collar 29 and the other
end of which is pivoted to a horizontal portion of the vertical
support member 10 heretofore referred to. Actuation moves
the elevated device in an arcuate path on brackets 15.
By referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will
be seen that the vertical support member 10 has horizontal
sections on its upper and lower ends so that in eEfect it
becomes a structural member capable of easily supporting the
elevated device of the invention from any suitable overhead

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structure in a mill building or enclosure as indicated by the
numeral 11 herein.
Still referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be
observed that the operating floor 13 is freed of any apparatus
or mechanism by positioning the elevated device of the invention
in spaced relation thereabove and thus provides free and easy
access on the operating floor with respect to the converter
by the operators of the same. The overhead arrangement of the
device of the invention permits the slag retaining devices
or darts as they are commonly referred to in the art, to be
easily positioned in the jaw assemblies carried in the outer end
of the boom extension 24 b~ workmen on the operating floor 13
as the elevated device of the invention can be pivoted around
to position the jaw end of the boom extension 24 in any desired
position above the operating floor.
Those skilIed in the art will observe that the device
is thus easily manipulated so as to be aligned with the
throat of the converter 12 and tilted to direct the elongated
boom 13 toward the throat whereupon the carriage 20 and the
boom extension 24 are easily and directl.y movable into the

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converter whereupon appropriate manipulation by the operator
easily and quickly positions the slag retaining closure or dart
27 in the tap hole where it prevents slag on the top of the
molten steel from entering the tap hole when the steel has
substantially drained therethrough.
Having thus described our invention, wha-t we claim is:
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