Slide gate nozzle for metallurgical vessels

A sliding gate valve for metallurgical vessels, such as pouring ladles, is disclosed. The sliding gate valve may include a slide gate housing fastenable to a melt-containing vessel. A heat-resistant closure plate may be held stationary by a movable slide plate pressing against the closure plate. The slide plate may be supported in a frame having two sets of rollers. The frame may be connected to a drive, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic drive. An aperture may be provided in the housing bottom for passage of the frame rollers therethrough. The distance corresponding to the axial spacing between the sets of rollers is equivalent to the distance corresponding to the axial spacing between side apertures of the bottom aperture. The axial spacing between the rollers corresponds to the axial spacing between the side apertures to allow for the simultaneous passage of both sets of rollers through the side apertures. The frame may be guided in the housing on a slide comprising side aperture closing portions which may be displaced to open and close the side apertures of the housing bottom. The frame and the slide may be provided with bores that may be temporarily and rigidly connected with each other by a connecting bolt. Each roller of one set of rollers may be equipped with a releasable connecting bolt cooperating with a housing receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a slide gate nozzle or valve for metallurgical 
vessels, in particular, a slide gate valve having a slide valve housing 
fastened to a melt-containing vessel, with a frame supported on two sets 
of rollers and having an opening provided in the housing bottom for 
passage of the rollers therethrough. 
2. Description of the Related Technology 
International Application WO88/01211 discloses a known slide gate valve in 
which the frame may be moved by a drive unit into a position outside the 
closed state, so the plate may be removed. According to the known slide 
gate valve, one of the two sets of rollers enters a depressed bearing 
trough, thus relieving the pressure applied to the slide in the operating 
position. The frame can then be released from the drive unit and after 
pivoting the frame, the used plate may be replaced. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a slide gate valve 
where it is possible to replace the plate or other mechanical parts of the 
slide gate valve in a simple manner. 
According to the invention, this object may be attained by providing a 
slide gate valve having a slide gate housing with a bottom aperture, a 
heat-resistant closure plate, a slide plate and a movable aperture-closing 
slide. 
A slide gate valve according to the invention makes it possible to replace 
the used slide plates in a simple manner, i.e., without disassembling the 
housing and without removing the assembly from the operating position, 
and, if necessary, also to replace the entire frame, without having to 
disassemble the slide valve housing. It is merely necessary to displace 
the slide carrying the frame until the openings or side apertures in the 
housing bottom are uncovered, and through which the frame may be removed 
from the housing and reinserted following the replacement of the damaged 
parts. 
Further embodiments and advantages will become apparent from the following 
description of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIGS. 1-4 show a slide gate valve according to the invention including a 
slide gate housing having a cover part 2 and a bottom part 3. The slide 
gate housing may be fastened to vessel 1. A closure plate 4, preferably 
made of ceramic material, is held stationary in the portion of cover part 
2 which is fastened to the bottom part 1 of the vessel. A frame 6 is 
disposed in bottom part 3 and may be connected to a drive unit (not shown) 
for example, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. Preferably, frame 6 
carries a slide plate 5. 
According to the invention, the frame or holder 6 is preferably equipped 
with two sets of rollers 8, 9. Housing bottom 3 includes a plurality of 
openings or side apertures 11, 12 which are spaced apart to correspond to 
the axial spacing of the roller sets 8, 9 so both roller sets 8, 9, may 
simultaneously pass through side apertures 11, 12. Frame 6 is supported by 
rollers 8, 9 and moves along slide 16. Slide 16 is provided with 
corresponding openings or open portions 13, 14 for opening or closing the 
passage openings or side aperture 11, 12 of the housing when displaced. 
According to an advantageous feature, the frame 6 and slide 16 may be 
provided with bores 17, 18 alignable in a plane (see FIG. 2) for the 
insertion of a connecting bolt or pin 50, although any other suitable 
mechanism, for example, a driver pin, a mechanical or magnetic clutch or 
the like, may also be used to produce a temporary fixed connection between 
frame 6 and slide 16. 
Finally, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, each of rollers 8 (left 
side of the drawings) are preferably equipped with a lateral connecting 
bolt 22, and in the area of the openings or side apertures 11 a 
bolt-receiving receptacle 23 is provided on either side of the housing for 
bolts 22. Openings or open portions 13, 14 located in the slide 16 are 
preferably sloping ramps. 
The slide gate valve according to the invention operates as follows: 
FIG. 1 shows the slide gate in its open position, in which slide 16 closes 
openings or side apertures 11, 12 and the frame is positioned so closure 
plate 4 and slide plate 5 permit the flow of the melt from vessel 1. In 
this position, frame 6 may be freely displaced between its terminal 
positions to provide either an open or closed passage for the melt. Frame 
6 moves on the rollers 8, 9 which are guided on slide 16 without risking 
deviation from the sealing plane. The slide is positively guided and 
requires no further safety measures. 
To carry out repairs on the slide gate valve, for example, to replace slide 
plate 5, frame 6 is moved by the hydraulic drive to a left hand position, 
corresponding to the closing of the passage bore (See FIG. 2) and 
subsequently fixedly attached to the slide 16 by the insertion of a 
connecting bolt 50, into the bores 17, 18 of the frame 6 and the slide 16, 
respectively, which are aligned with each other in this position. Moving 
frame 6 into its right hand terminal position corresponding to FIG. 1, the 
slide 16 may also be moved to its right hand terminal position, thereby 
uncovering the openings or side apertures 11, 12. Following the release of 
the connecting bolt, it is now again possible to move the frame 6 
independently of the slide 16. By moving frame 6 to its left hand terminal 
position, the frame may be taken from the housing, as the openings 11, 12 
are open. The frame may be replaced or reinserted into the housing after 
the replacement of slide plate 5. The insertion of the frame and the 
closing of housing bottom is carried out in the inverse order. 
In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the unintentional disengagement of 
the frame from the housing is prevented by plug-in bolts 22 in the rollers 
8 in cooperation with a corresponding bolt-receiving receptacle 23. The 
removal of the frame is effected in a controlled manner initially on the 
side of the roller or wheel set 9, while the distal end of the frame is 
held by bolts 22 in the receptacle on its left side as shown in FIG. 3. 
After attaining the position shown in FIG. 4, the frame may be removed 
altogether from the housing by removing the bolts 22 or lifting the 
assembly out of the bolt-receiving receptacle 23. Following replacement of 
the slide plate 5, the frame may be returned into its position in the 
reverse sequence. 
The illustrated embodiments are shown by way of example. The spirit and 
scope of the invention is not to be restricted by the preferred embodiment 
.