Patent GB-881432-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to heating of furnaces
IPC: F27D99/00
Filed: 1957-12-11
Abstract: 881,432. Automatic position control systems. ETABLISSEMENT BRULEN ETUDE ET EXPLOITATION POUR CHAUFFAGE DES FOURS. Dec. 11, 1957 [Dec. 12, 1956], No. 38452/57. Class 38 (4). [Also in Group XII] The distance between the nozzle of a burner 2 and the charge in a reverberating furnace is controlled by a winch 17b winding or unwinding a cable attached to a carriage 11b running on a guide and carrying the burner 2 and a distance detector 54, Fig. 9, which may be ultrasonic or electromagnetic. Signals from the detector 54 operate a device 52 to energize a contactor 51 to drive the winch motor 18b in the appropriate direction to correct the spacing of the burner from the charge. A time switch 56 renders the control discontinuous to prevent hunting. In another embodiment, Fig. 10, the burner carriage guide 12d carries an auxiliary guide 61 along which runs a carriage with a feeler 63 extending into the furnace. A winch 64, driven by a motor 65, controls the movement of the feeler 63, through a cable attached to the feeler carriage. At the start of the furnace operation, the burner and burner carriage 11d, the feeler 63 and feeler carriage are at their fully retracted positions, and the distance between the feeler head and the burner nozzle is equal to the desired distance of the burner nozzle from the charge. A push button 104, Fig. 11, causes a contact-101 and lock-on contact 105 to close, and the closing of a contact 71 controlled by a timer 72 energizes the starting contactor 69, 67 to drive the feeler motor 65 to extend the feeler 63. A lock-on contact 76 holds the relay on after the timed contact 71 has opened. The feeler 63 drives the slider of a potentiometer 98 connected in a bridge 96 with a potentiometer 97 with its slider connected to the burner. The resulting inbalance energizes a coil 91, operating a change-over contact 90 to close a contact 87 and operates contactor 78 to drive the burner motor 18d to extend the burner. The movement of the feeler 63 allows the end of travel contacts 75 to close, but the action of contact 87 opens contact 94 to prevent the retraction of the feeler, and change-over switch 90a closes contact 94a to complete the lock-on circuit of the forward feeler drive contactor 69. The feeler 63 continues to move until it meets the charge, when a slipping clutch allows the motor 65 to continue running. The burner continues moving inwards until the bridge 96 is rebalanced, when contact 94 closes and contact 87 opens, stopping the burner motor and reversing the feeler motor. The closing contact 94 carries with it the cylinder of a dashpot switch 109, opening the lock-on circuit of the forward feeler drive. In its backward travel, the feeler 63 does not move the slider on the potentiometer 98. When the feeler reaches the end of its travel, switch 75 is opened, change-over switch 90a is operated and contact 94a opens the lock on feeler motor circuit. During this time, switch 109 slowly closes, but the time lag is such that contact 94a is open before switch 109 is closed. A further closure of the timed contact 71 repeats the sequence of operations, except that the feeler 63 travels to its former extended position before the balance of the bridge 96 is changed. When the burner reaches its extreme forward position, end of travel switch 107 opens the lock-on circuit of contacts 101, 105, to put the arrangement out of action until the push button 104 is again depressed. A push button 81 retracts the burner to the position where rearward end of travel switch 82 opens the circuit. A switch 108 prevents the feeler being moved too far into the furnace. The intervals at which the timer contact 71 closes are greater than the time taken by the feeler in moving through its full travel in both directions and the time between the opening of the switch 94a and the return of the dashpot switch 109.