An Improved Method of or Mechanism for Charging Furnaces.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of or Mechanism for Charging Furnaces.
1 HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Samuel Thomas
Wellman of Cleveland, State of Ohio, United States of America, Manufacturer and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved method of and mechanism for charging
furnaces and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts
hereinafter described and also in the steps hereinafter set forth and claimed. The
improved method and mechanism are adapted for charging for instance a Siemens-
Marten or open hearth furnace for manufacturing steel or for charging any melting
furnace that is charged through doors or openings in the sides of the furnace in con-
tradistinction to blast furnaces or such as are charged from the top.
Heretofore in charging for instance, open hearth steel furnaces, the practice has
been to pile, by hand the coarser material such as broken pig iron etc. onto the forward
flat end of a long charging bar usually known as a peel such charging bar resting on
a roller located at the front of the furnace door, this bar having a handle at the rear
end thereof for the operator in manipulating the charging bar. Other and similar
charging bars are provided having a large spoon at the forward end thereof for
receiving the finer material. By such primitive means, the material, in comparative
small quantities, was run into the furnace and dumped. This method of charging was
slow, whereby the operations of the furnace where greatly delayed and on account of
the manual labour required, the charging was expensive. For instance with from
three to four men, the one for operating the charging bar and the others for placing
the material upon the charging bar, a ton of material was charged usually in about
from six to ten minutes and at such rate it would require about from two and a half
to three hours to charge a furnace of thirty tons capacity..
With this improved method the charging bar aforesaid and the men for operating
the same are dispensed with and in place thereof dumping boxes are employed. The
furnaces in case there are more than one are set in line with track rails extending in
front of the furnace and leading from thence to the yard or place where the material
is stored or received and with cars operating on the track rails for bringing the
material alongside of the furnace.
The dumping boxes may be of any desired size, the capacity of those, that I have
thus far used being about one and a half tons of material each. These dumping boxes
are placed upon the cars and are filled with material it requiring no more labour to
fill these boxes thus placed than it would require to load the same amount of material
directly onto the cars without the boxes. Enough dumping boxes and cars should be
provided for carrying the material necessary for charging at least one furnace and
assorting of material in the way of selecting the proportions of different ingredients,
is done in filling the dumping boxes so that the latter contain in the aggregate the
desired charge for a furnace and may therefore be dumped indiscriminately into the
furnace. Suitable mechanism operated by power is provided for lifting successively
the loaded dumping boxes from the cars, conveying the same into the furnace
dumping the load, and withdrawing the empty boxes and returning them to
the car.
It requires usually but a fraction of a minute to thus handle each dumping box
and a thirty ton furnace may be charged in from twelve to fifteen minutes.
The mechanism for thus handling the dumping boxes in charging may be varied
indefinitely according to circumstances. Suitable mechanism for carrying out my

page_text: method more especially where a series of furnaces are set in a line is shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the car for operating the lifting and dumping bar.
Fig. 4 is an elevation in transverse section on line a Fig. 2. showing more especially
the mechanism for reversing the lifting and dumping bar known as the charging bar.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation in detail showing the manner of supporting a flexible tube or
hose for supplying water under pressure to car A'.
A A are widely separated track rails on which operates a traction car A¹ the latter
having mounted thereon reversing engine B for propelling the car along the tracks, a
steam pump B for supplying water under pressure to the different rams hereinafter
mentioned and a steam boiler B for supplying the motive power to the aforesaid
engine and pumps. The engine shaft has a pinion engaging a gear A² on one of
the car axles, and as the pump, boiler and engine may be of the ordinary construction
no further description of these is considered necessary.
a a are parallel eye beams extending crosswise of the car and constituting a part of
the framework of the car, these eye beams also serving as ways on which the frame
next above reciprocates. This upper frame consists in the main of side pieces usually
eye beams or channel bars, C. rigidly connected, and this part of the device is
hereinafter mentioned in the specification as frame C.
The rear end of this frame has lateral axles C¹ on which are mounted flanged
wheels these wheels travelling on ways a a aforesaid. Plates or yokes c depond
from the rear end of frame C and support wheels C₁ the latter engaging the under-
side of ways a a to hold the rear end of frame C from lifting in case the frame should
be overbalanced by the load.
D is an upright water cylinder or ram located at or near the front side of the car
and between the line of ways a a, the plunger D¹ thereof having attached a lateral
axle D² on which axle are mounted flanged wheels d.
Wheels d support the forward end of frame C and by operating this ram frame C
is tilted the forward end of the frame being raised or lowered as required.
E is a horizontal water cylinder located between ways a a as shown. The piston
rod E of this cylinder being connected by a lateral pivoted pin with yoke cof
frame C. By operating this ram, frame C is reciprocated end wise. Meantime the
frame may be tilted to the position required.
F is the charging bar for lifting the load conveying the same into the furnace and
dumping it, this bar comprising a shaft extending lengthwise of frame C journalled
in suitable boxes c² connected with this frame. This shaft at the forward end thereof
is provided with a broad lateral head f adapted to fit in corresponding recesses of the
different dumping boxes H¹.
For reversing the dumping bar, that is for rotating it on its axis this bar or
shaft F is provided with a spur gear or pinion F¹ rigidly mounted thereon, this pinion
engaging rack J¹ of cylinder J.
This cylinder reciprocates on a stationary hollow piston rod; this rod extending out
at either end of the cylinder and being supported at the extremes thereof by brackets c
of frame C.
'
Piston rod jis in fact a tube and has attached at the longitudinal centre thereof a
-piston adapted to fit this cylinder, this tube having ports and holes on either side of
and close to the piston, the bore of the tube being plugged between the ports of two
series of holes. The water for operating cylinder J is alternately admitted and
exhausted through the respective ends of the hollow piston rod or tube j. By operating
cylinder J, the dumping bar F is rotated as required in dumping the load and in
righting the dumping boxes. The pipes leading from the pumps to cylinders D and E
and the pipes leading from these cylinders to the exhaust tank of the car (not shown)
may be stationary. The pipes leading to cylinder J are jointed as shown at m m' m³
the swinging legs M M thereof of these pipes being of sufficient length to accom-
modate the end movement of frame C by collapsing and distending these legs. The
different valve handles N of the respective pipe lines and also hand lever n connected

page_text: with the reversing lever of the engine are all arranged as shown in convenient
proximity to the operator, occupying seat K. When the car is opposite the door of a
furnace a lever i is within easy reach of the operator this latter lever operating the
air cylinders L that open and close the respective doors. A tank not shown, may be
attached underneath the car or elsewhere for receiving the water discharged from the
different rams aforesaid and for supplying pump B', for supplying the feed water for
the boiler. Such tank may be replenished from time to time at some convenient
point along the route of the car or a flexible tube may be employed for the purpose
the one end thereof being permanently attached to the car.
In Fig. 5 flexible pipe or hose P is adapted to such purpose the one end of this
hose being supposed to be attached to car A¹ and the other end of the hose to lead to
the pumps or other source of water supply. This hose is shown looped on carriers P¹ P
these carriers travelling on suspended tracks p whereby the loops of the hose may
distend or collapse to accommodate the movement of car A¹ along the tracks. If
preferred the water under sufficient pressure may be supplied through this hose for
operating the different rams on car A' in which case, steam pump shown on this car
should be dispensed with.
GG are melting furnaces of the open hearth variety and H H are tracks extending
along in front of and close to the furnaces, leading from thence to the yard or wherever
the material for supplying the furnaces is stored or received and H are cars adapted
to travel on these tracks in transporting the material alongside the furnaces. H'H' are
the dumping boxes shown resting on the cars these dumping boxes being laden with
material ready for dumping. The body of each dumping box is in the main usually
of heavy plate metal with cast iron head H2 the latter having vertical recesses adapted
to receive head of the charging bar F. There is a lateral hole h for receiving a
lateral pin above head to hold the latter in place. Each furnace door G' has
attached a cable G³ the latter passing over idle sheaves G³ and from thence the cable
leads to and connects with cross head L₁ of the air cylinder L. From the cross head
is suspended a poise L³ the latter being of sufficient gravity to almost balance the
furnace door. By admitting compressed air to the upper end of this cylinder the
furnace door is elevated or opened and by exhausting the air from the cylinder,
the door closes by gravity.
Pipe I connects with the air cylinder and with the air supply pipe I' the latter being
located lengthwise of the plant. Each pipe I is provided with a valve and lever i
within reach of the operator when charging the furnace opposite such door.
Many of the minor details of the apparatus are omitted so as not to obscure the
more important member but the general working of the apparatus it is believed will
be readily understood.
To recapitulate. The cars carrying the dumping boxes laden with material having
been brought in front of the furnace that it is desired to charge by operating the
engine car is propelled along the tracks the car being stopped opposite the door of the
furnace that is to be charged. By operating ram D, frame C bearing the charging
bar F is tilted as required to lower the charging bar so that the head f thereof will
enter a recess in one of the dumping boxes after which pin h' is placed in position to
secure the parts. By further operating ram D the load is raised and by operating
ram E the load is run into the furnace, whereupon by operating cylinder J, the
dumping box is turned bottom upwards to discharge the load. By reversing cylinder J
the dumping box is righted, by reversing ram E the dumping box is drawn back out
of the furnace and by reversing ram D the box is lowered upon its car thus bringing
the parts to the place of beginning ready for another operation in charging the next
box.
The different hydraulic rams are not necessarily operated by water although a liquid
is preferable for heavy work. For light work and especially where quick movements
are required any or all of these rams may be operated for instance with steam or
compressed air and in some instances these agents are preferable to a liquid.

page_text: 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 means herein described for charging a furnace from the side thereof con-
sisting essentially of dumping boxes for holding the material with which the furnace
is to be charged, a lifting bar operated by power and adapted to engage the dumping
boxes one at a time conveying them into the furnace and discharging the load and
returning the boxes to the outside of the furnace substantially as set forth.
2. The means herein described for charging a furnace from the side thereof con-
sisting essentially of dumping boxes, cars for conveying the dumping boxes to a
point opposite the charging door and a lifting bar adapted to engage the dumping
boxes one at a time conveying them into the furnace and dumping the load and
returning the boxes to the outside of the furnace substantially as set forth.
3. The means herein described of charging a furnace from the side thereof con-
sisting essentially in dumping boxes for carrying material cars for transporting the
loaded dumping boxes to a position adjacent the furnace and the power actuated
lifting bar for conveying the loaded boxes into the furnace, dumping the load, and
returning the boxes to the car substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with melting furnace of the variety indicated, dumping boxes
and cars for transporting the loaded dumping boxes to a position adjacent the furnace
of lifting bars adapted to convey such loaded dumping boxes into the furnace, dump
the loads, and return the empty boxes from thence to the cars, such lifting bar being
mounted on a suitable car with mechanism substantially as indicated for tilting,
reciprocating endwise and turning the bar on its axis substantially as set forth.
D
101
1
་ ་
1000
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.