Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Materials into Open-hearth Steel-melting Furnaces.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Materials into Open-hearth
Steel-melting Furnaces.
We, JAMES POWELL, of 56, Oakfield Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Steel Melter, DAVID COLVILLE, Junior, Dalzell Steel and Iron Works, Motherwell,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Steel Manufacturer, JOHN JARDINE, and
THOMAS BROWN MACKENZIE, Engineers at Dalzell Steel and Iron Works, afore-
said, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to
say:
The said invention has for its object to save labor and expense in charging
materials into open-hearth steel-melting furnaces.
In carrying out the invention according to one modification there is provided an
endless travelling band, by preference of metal, links covered with steel plates,
this band passing round a carrying roller or rollers held and made to rotate near
the doors or openings in the furnace and extending to and round a similar roller or
rollers which may be at any desired distance away from the furnace and convenient
to where the materials are brought into the melting shop. If the travelling band is of
considerable length it may be supported on rollers at one or more intermediate
points. The materials of a size which will pass through the opening or door in
the furnace front are placed on the outer upper end of an inclined guide down
which they pass to the travelling band and this band is made to travel at such a
speed that on reaching the roller at the furnace front the materials will be thrown
off the band and through the opening or door into the furnace. Adjustable guides
may be placed at furnace end of band to assist in spreading the materials over the
bed of the furnace by giving direction to the pieces. The band may be driven by
an electric or other suitable motor and is preferably mounted on a carriage which
can be moved along the melting shop to bring the band in succession opposite the
doors of the several furnaces.
According to a second modification the endless band is carried on rollers sup-
ported in bearings in a trough through which a current of water is passed to keep
the apparatus cool. This trough is mounted on a carriage which can be moved
along the melting shop to bring the trough in succession opposite the doors of the
several furnaces and when in operation the trough can also be turned and moved
more or less into the furnace through the door or opening and the materials are
distributed over the bed of the furnace accordingly as the trough with the
travelling band is moved more or less into the furnace
Dated this Fifteenth day of April 1898.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Materials into Open-hearth
Steel-melting Furnaces.
We, JAMES POWELL, of 56, Oakfield Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Steel Melter, DAVID COLVILLE, Junior, Dalzell Steel and Iron Works, Motherwell,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Steel Manufacturer, JOHN JARDINE, and
THOMAS BROWN MACKENZIE, Engineers at Dalzell Steel and Iron Works, afore-
said, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
The said invention has for its object to save labor and expense in charging
materials into steel-making or melting furnaces.
The improved apparatus consists essentially of an endless travelling band of
suitable width which may be of metal links, or of canvas covered with protecting
louvres of steel plates or other suitable material this band passing round carrying
rollers or drums held in a frame having an inclined guide at one end down which
the materials pass on to the band. The band is driven by a motor at such a speed
that on reaching the part of the band opposite the furnace front the materials
will be thrown off the band and through the opening or door into the furnace.
Adjustable guides on the frame may be used to assist in spreading the materials
over the bed of the furnace. The apparatus is mounted on a carriage which can
be moved along the melting shop.
The improved apparatus is shown on two accompanying sheets of explanatory
drawings Figure, 1, being a plan and Figure, 2, a side elevation.
As shown in the drawings there is provided an endless travelling band, A, by
preference of canvas covered with metal plates. This band passes round a roller
or drum, B, held in bearings in one end of a frame, C, this end of the frame being
opposite the doors or openings in the furnace (not shown). The band, A, extends
to and round a second roller or drum, D, held in bearings in the opposite end of
the frame, C, which may be of any desired length so that its outer end is con-
venient to where the materials are brought into the melting shop. The bearings
of the drum, D, are adjustable by screwed spindles, E, so that the position of the
drum, D, can be adjusted to put any desired tension on the band, A, and the band
when of considerable length may be supported at intermediate points on rollers, F, G,
(Figure, 2). The frame, C, is made with an inclined guide, H, and the materials
of a size which will pass through the opening or door in the furnace, are thrown
on the outer upper end of this guide down which they pass on to the travelling
band, A.
The band is driven by an electric motor, J. (shown in diagram in the
drawings) through a belt, K, passing round a pulley, L, on the motor to a pulley, M,
on the axle of the drum, B. the band being made to travel at such a speed that the
materials, on reaching the drum, B, will be thrown off the band and through the
opening or door into the furnace. Any other suitable motor or engine may be
substituted for the electric motor. A pair of guides, N, are hinged at the furnace
end of the frame, C, these guides may be connected together by a link, P, and
are capable of movement through the angles indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure, 1, by suitably adjusting the screwed spindle, Q, connected to one of the
guides, N, by a blade spring, R, the eye, S, through which the spindle, Q, screws
being itself capable of rotation. The adjustment of the guides, N, as described
assists in spreading the materials over the bed of the furnace by giving direction
to the pieces just as they pass off the band. The apparatus is mounted on a carriage
or truck, T, running on wheels, U, so that it can be moved along the melting shop

page_text: to bring the band, A, in succession opposite the doors or openings of the several
furnaces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for charging materials into open-hearth steel-melting furnaces,
having in combination an endless travelling band passing round drums carried in
a frame, an inclined guide at one end of the frame and adjustable guides at the
other end, a motor for driving the band, and a truck or carriage for carrying the
apparatus, substantially as herein before described.
2. Apparatus for charging materials into open-hearth steel-melting furnaces,
having in combination an endless travelling band passing round drums carried in a
frame, an inclined guide at one end of the frame, a motor for driving the band,
and a truck or carriage for carrying the apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. Apparatus for charging materials into open-hearth steel-melting furnaces,
having in combination an endless travelling band passing round drums carried in
a frame, a motor for driving the band; and a truck or carriage for carrying the
apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Sixteenth day of January 1899.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.