Metallurgical apparatus – Ambulant vessel
Patent
1986-07-21
1988-05-10
Rutledge, L. Dewayne
Metallurgical apparatus
Ambulant vessel
266276, 414459, C21B 310
Patent
active
047429941
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a powered vehicle adapted for total operation, including filling, of ladles and the like, in particular of those utilised in tapping molten aluminium and metal alloys in general, in safe conditions and in a quick and economical way.
BACKGROUND ART
As is known, tapping molten metal from the electrolysis potlines or furnaces of primary aluminium, or from the smelting furnaces of special metal alloys, involves highly critical operations especially in respect of safety and operating economy. In fact, particularly for tapping aluminium from electrolysis furnaces, steel crucibles are used which are lined internally with refractory and provided with a sealing lid, and commonly referred to as ladles. Disposed on the ladle lid is a shaped tube which is dipped into the molten metal contained in the electrolysis cells, thereby on applying a vacuum to the ladle by means of compressed air evacuator, or some other arrangement, connected to an opening in the lid, the molten aluminium is caused to flow up into the ladle through said shaped tube. It follows that, when tapping is required, the ladle must be moved close to the furnace, and after filling, be moved away and transported to the collecting furnaces grouped in the foundry area. Since the smelting furnaces are usually laid, in the potline room, in parallel lines, either as rows or arrays of furnaces, leaving between rows or arrays access passages which are allowed to be fairly narrow for space saving reasons, the ladle handling operations become complicated, unpractical, and even hazardous for the operators.
To move a ladle close to the casting furnace and take it to the foundry, it is current practice to use bridge cranes running parallel to the cell rows, or alternatively, self-propelled fork, crane, or the like trucks.
In actual practice, both the use of bridge cranes and self-propelled crane or fork trucks involves serious problems and limitations to their operation, additionally to the fact that at least two operators are required in such cases.
In fact, a bridge crane only allows for transportation of the ladles along a straight path over the potline, and consequently, all the movements of the ladles to and from the molten metal collecting furnace at the foundry must be effected using fork or crane vehicles. Transportation with fork or crane vehicles is a difficult and hazardous operation on account of the movements which take place in the molten mass within the ladle during transportation and of the location of the ladle which, being usually placed in front of the vehicle operator, is apt to restrict his visibility and hinder the moving operations.
Lastly, both the bridge cranes and the fork or crane trucks, additionally to being unwieldy and generally inconvenient to use in the passages between rows of smelting furnaces, involves the availability of complex and expensive permanent installations.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a powered vehicle for total operation of ladles and the like, that is for taking ladles to the tapping location close to smelting furnaces, picking them up on the vehicle, removing and then transporting them to the foundry, which vehicles can replace the bridge cranes and self-propelled fork and crane vehicles currently in use, while providing safe, convenient, and fast operation features.
Another object of the invention is to provide a powered vehicle, particularly but not solely suitable for the handling of ladles having a tight sealing lid and a shaped tapping tube, as employing for tapping molten aluminium, which enables all of the tapping and ladle transferrment operations to be performed with the use of a single operator and in conditions of utmost stability of the ladle and full visibility for the driver.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a powered vehicle as indicated, which is so structured as to be compact, and hence suitable for operation in the passages provided in the usual potlines, highly practical t
REFERENCES:
patent: 2638995 (1953-05-01), Gottlieb
patent: 3567204 (1971-03-01), Ando et al.
patent: 3567206 (1971-03-01), Heggstad et al.
patent: 3623562 (1970-01-01), Pitra
patent: 3718265 (1973-02-01), Trost
patent: 3897881 (1975-08-01), Brock
patent: 3994481 (1976-11-01), Torvund et al.
patent: 4170434 (1979-10-01), Kress et al.
patent: 4195822 (1980-04-01), Grochowski
patent: 4500248 (1985-02-01), Kramer
Nalesso Pierandrea
Zannini Gianfranco
Kastler S.
Rutledge L. Dewayne
Techmo Car S.p.A.
LandOfFree
Powered vehicle for operation of ladles, in particular for tappi does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Powered vehicle for operation of ladles, in particular for tappi, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Powered vehicle for operation of ladles, in particular for tappi will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1315453