Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Pig Iron and Scrap Metal into Open-hearth Furnaces.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Pig Iron
and Scrap Metal into Open-hearth Furnaces.
I, JAMES FRANCIS SPENCER, of Hartington Road, Stockton-on-Tees, in the
County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus for charging pig-iron and scrap
metal into open-hearth furnaces as a substitute for the practice of charging such
furnaces by hand and peel which is a slow and laborious operation and involves much
difficulty in distributing the charge evenly over the furnace bed.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the delivery of pig-iron and scrap metal
into this type of furnace by a machine or apparatus in which the essential features
are the use of a hollow beam which serves as the charging peel and is specially con-
structed to receive currents of water or air to keep it cool in combination with endless
chains forming tracks along the upper surface or back of the said beam and over the
charging end thereof, which beam with endless chains can be mounted on and operated
from a bogie truck or be slung from an overhead traveller so that when the charging
end of the peel is inserted into the furnace and the endless chains are brought into
operation in the manner hereinafter described, pig-iron and scrap metal may be placed
thereon and conveyed along the back of the peel and tipped into the furnace, the
delivery being practically continuous when the machine is in full operation. To cool
the endless chains as they are withdrawn from the furnace, a tank or water bosh is
provided for the chains to drop into.
It will be seen from the following description that the arrangement or combination
of mechanical appliances by which 1 operate my charging peel may be varied con-
siderably without departing from the essential features of my invention, providing
that the peel can be readily inserted into and withdrawn from the furnace that the
charging end of the peel can be made to swing to the right or left and be tilted up or
down to apply it to any required part of the furnace bed, and that the water supplie i
to the peel to keep it cool be forced in at a proper pressure. By way of illustration I
will describe how my invention may be operated from a bogie truck with the operating
mechanism applied from below the charging peel, in which case the tank or water
bosh is placed on the bogie platform and is utilized both as an intermediate moving
part between the bogie truck and the charging peel and as a frame on which to
support the operating mechanism for which purpose the bottom of the tank affords a
broad bearing surface capable of extension in any direction for engine bed plates or
for other purposes. The tank is secured to the platform of the bogie truck by means
of a centre pin or other equivalent means to enable it to take a swivelling motion to
turn the head of the charging peel to the right or left, such a motion being imparted
to it for instance by a screw shaft worked from the bogie platform in a female screw
or nut cast onto the tank end plate. The charging peel swings upon trunnions
working in jaws or cheeks which are carried up fron one end of the tank, the width
of the tank being adjusted for structural compactness to correspond with the required
width between the said jaws or cheeks which are then vertical extensions of the tank
sides. The charging peel is supported in the horizontal position or is slightly tilted
when required by any suitable mechanism such as a screw and lever which can be
mounted on and worked from the opposite end of the tank, the upper end of the screw
being secured to the underside of the charging peel in a manner which leaves the said
screw free to revolve.
In order to keep the charging end of the peel from reaching too high a temperature
when exposed to the best of the furnace ↑ construct the neal hollow with internal

page_text: longitudinal compartments formed by webs and angle bars, H or Z irons; for
instance where water is used the charging peel is kept full of water which is forced in
at any suitable pressure into a longitudinal compartment along which it flows to the
hot end of the peel, the water returning by another longitudinal compartment, the
current being strong enough to prevent steam from being generated to a dangerous
extent. It is of course obvious that when water is employed to keep the peel cool,
the peel must be a closed vessel with a suitable inlet and outlet for the inflow and
outflow of the water. In some cases I construct the peel with open ends and rely on
the high temperature of the furnace to draw currents of air through the peel to keep
the peel cool in this mode of cooling the peel although longitudinal compartments
are not required for the purpose of obtaining a return current, I prefer to provide the
longitudinal division plates as before described to afford a reserve of strength to the
beam when the shell gets hot and weak.
The endless chains which consist of plate links held together by rivets passing
through the overlaps are laid out on the back of the peel in two parallel tracks which
are led over the ends of the peel and drawn along the underside by wheels furnished
with spikes or fingers which engage with the links; these wheels are pivotally secured
to the tank sides under the trunnions which carry the peel. The endless chains which
are provided with extra length for the purpose then sag down in loops into the tank
to cool and are taken up again to the underside of the tail end of the peel by pulleys
and pass along round the tail end of the pecl to the upper or loading side.
To enable the chains to travel freely over the upper surface of the peel I provide
rollers at suitable distances apart, the spindles of which are secured to and rotate in
the links of each chain, each spindle taking the place of a rivet. Any suitable means
may be employed to keep the endless chains in track such as providing the rollers
with flanges or by any suitable means. The spiked wheel which pulls the chains
along may be operated by any available means such as steam power applied from
steam engines placed on either side of the tank.
In the place of mounting the peel on a bogie with its operating mechanism applied
from below as herein before described, the peel may be slung from an overhead
traveller and the operating mechanism applied from above.
Dated this 31st day of January 1890.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Pig Iron
and Scrap Metal into Open-hearth Furnaces.
I, JAMES FRANCIS SPENCER, of Hartington Road, Stockton on Tees, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, 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:—
My invention relates to machinery or apparatus for charging pig iron and scrap
metal into open hearth furnaces as a substitute for the practice of charging such
furnaces by hand and peel wh ch is a slow and laborious operation and involves much
difficulty in distributing the charge evenly over the furnace bed.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the delivery of pig iron and scrap metal
into this type of furnace by a machine or apparatus in which the essential features are
the use of a hollow bean which serves as the charging peel and is specially constructed
to receive currents of water or air to keep it cool in combination with endless chains
forming tracks along the upper surface or back of the said beam and over the charging
end thereof which beam with endless chains can be mounted on and operated from a
bogie truck or be slung from an overhead traveller so that when the charging end of
the peel is inserted into the furnace and the endless chains are brought into operation
in the manner hereinafter described pig iron and scrap metal may be placed thereon

page_text: and conveyed along the back of the peel and tipped into the furnace the delivery being
practically continuous when the machine is in full operation.
So that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect I
accompany this Specification with Drawings No. 1, and No. 2 and final, which shew
the overhead application of my invention, which I prefer, and which sufficiently
explains the floor arrangement already described in my provisional specification so as
to make drawings of it unecessary.
Sheet No. 1. Figure 1. is a general side elevation of the whole apparatus in oper-
ation the furnace being in section on line A. B. (Sheet No. 2 & final).
Figure 2, is a cross section of the hollow peel at line C. D. shewing the trunnions 2.2
and their bearings 3. 3.
Figure 3. is a partial cross section of the hollow peel shewing the arrangement of
the endless chain 9. 9 and guide plates 11. 11.
Figure 4. is a side elevation of the endless chain 9. 9. and
Figure 5. is a plan of the same.
Sheet No. 2 and final. Figure 6 is a general front elevation shewing the whole
apparatus in operation.
I will now explain the details.
1 is the hollow peel supported upon trunnions 2. 2 attached to each of its sides at
the centre of its length in bearings 3. 3. attached to the inner sides of the rectangular
frame 4 immediately opposite the height of the furnace doors. The rectangular
frame 4 is free to rotate vertically upon the trunnions 2. 2. The hollow peel 1 has a
plate or girder 5 running along its centre longitudinally on the inside to within a
short distance of each end. At convenient points suitable apertures are made in the
hollow peel 1 for the admission under pressure of water air or anything capable of
assisting it to withstand the heat whilst in the furnace 6. Both ends of the hollow
peel 1 may be used for charging by reversing the water tank 7 and adjusting bridle &
between shifts. The hollow peel 1 may also be made with open ends not having water
air, or anything else introduced under pressure, but simply depending upon the
draught of the furnace for drawing cold air through it to assist in keeping it cool.
9. 9 are endless chains actuated by finger wheels 27. 27 by means of which they
are drawn forward into the furnace 6 over the end of the hollow peel 1 and back
underneath. It will be observed that the centres of the endless chains 9. 9. are
higher than those of the rollers 10. 10 this is to cause the upper sides of the endless
chains 9. 9 to project clear above the upper sides of the rollers 10. 10 so that the pig
iron or scrap carried on the endless chains 9. 9 may pass forward clear and without
touching the rollers 1. 10. 10. 10 are the rollers which roll along the upper side of
the hollow peel 1 guided by the guide plates 11. 11. carrying the endless chains 9. 9 by
means of the spindles 12. 12 which pass through both the rollers 10. 10 and endless
chains 9. 9 the rollers 10. 10 running free on the spindles 12. 12 the spindles 12, 12
being secured to the endless chaius 9. 9 by cotter pins 13. 13.-14. 14 are washers
running loosely on the spindles 12. 12 between the rollers 10. 10 and the endless
chains 9. 9 to facilitate the easy rotation of the rollers 10. 10.-11. 11 are the guide
plates secured to the upper side of the hollow peel 1 for guiding the rollers 10. 10 and
endless chains 9. 9 along the upper side of the hollow peel 1.-7 is the water tank
suspended by the links 15. 15 attached to the underside of the hollow peel 1 for
cooling the endless chains 9. 9.-8 is the adjusting bridle secured at the upper
ends 16. 16 to to the rectangular frame 4 and at the lower ends to bracket pins 18. 18
secured to the sides of the hollow peel 1. This adjusting bridle 8 holds the hollow
peel 1 in any desired position and also raises or lowers either end as wished.
19 is a hand wheel tapped with right and left hand threads, by turning which the
brible 8 is lengthened or shortened thus raising or lowering the ends of the hollow
peel 1.-4 is a rectangular frame suspended by a hanging bolt 20 and steadied by the
cone 21 which fitting in the box 22 rotates horizontally along with the rectangular
frame 4. Upon this rectangular frame 4 are carried the hollow peel 1 the upper
ends 16. 16 of the adjusting bridle 8 the driving engines 23. 23 the gearing 24. 24, 25. 25,
and 26. 26 also the finger wheels 27. 27. 23. 23 are the driving engines working the

page_text: pinions 24. 24 which make the loose spur wheels 25. 25 revolve and give motion to
the spur wheels 26. 26 on the shaft 28 of which e two finger wheels 27. 27 which
give motion to the endless chains 9. 9.-30 is a gie or truck carried on flanged
wheels 31. 31 rails 32. 32 and a girder framo 33 this truck 30 is made to move
towards or from the furnace 6 by a chain wheel 34 and hand chain 35.-36. 36 are
flanged wheels attached to the girder frame 33 at right angles to the wheels 31. 31 on
the bogie or truck 30 by means of shafts 37. 37 in suitable bearings. These flanged
wheels 36. 36 run on rails 38. 38 lying upon longitudinal girders 39. 39 carried on
columns 391 39' secured to the working floor. On giving motion to the flanged
wheels 36. 36 by means of the hand chain 40 and chain wheel 41 the bogie or truck 30
the girder frame 33 the rectangular frame 4 and the hollow peel 1 are moved from
one furnace door to any other or clear of any of the doors when the apparatus is not
required to be used.
Steam may be conveyed to the engines 23. 23 by means of a flexible pipe to allow
of the apparatus being moved about as described. Water may be conveyed to the
hollow peel 1 by means of flexible pipes also.-I will now explain the manner of
working my invention.-The furnace door being raised the hollow peel 1 is worked
forward into the furnace 6 by means of the hand chain 35 after being loaded or
covered with pig iron or scrap metal. The engines 23. 23 are put in motion causing
the pinions 24. 24 to actuate the loose spur wheels 25. 25 and cause them to drive the
spur wheels 26. 26. The spur wheels 26. 26 give motion to the finger wheels 27. 27
the spur wheels 26. 26 and finger wheels 27. 27 being secured to the same shaft 28.
The finger wheels 27. 27 fitting into the endless chains 9. 9 draw them forward into
the furnace 6 over the end of the hollow peel 1 and back on the underside to the
finger wheels 27. 27 passing over them and as soon as free they fall into the water
tank 7 are drawn through it, being cooled thereby, they are then drawn to the after
end and upon to the upper side of the hollow peel 1 and so the operation proceeds
continuously, at will. Thus, any material placed upon the endless chains 9. 9 when
they are in motion is carried forward and dropped over the end of the hollow peel 1
which is in the furnace 6. The vertical rectangular frame 4 being suspended from
the truck 30 by the hanging bolt 20 can be made to rotate horizontally so as to
enable the hollow peel 1 to reach any side, corner or other part of the furnace. To
elevate or lower the end of the hollow peel 1 which is in the furnace this can be done
by working the hand wheel 19 on the adjusting bridle 8. After charging one furnace
the hollow peel 1 is withdrawn and the door lowered. The hand chain 40 is then put
in operation whereby the whole apparatus is brought in front of any other furnace
door desired, or simply clear of any of the doors when not required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
1. The construction and use of a hollow peel carried or suspended substantially as
described.
2. The construction and use of an adjusting bridle, substantially as described.
3. The use and construction of endless chains, rollers, washers, spindles, guide plates
and water tank, substantially as described.
4. The use in combination of the whole of the parts referred to in these claims,
substantially as described.
T1
A A
1 1000
JOHN HART,
Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, Agent for the Applicant.