Mechanical Appliances for Opening and Closing Heavy Lids or Covers, such as for Vertical Heating Furnaces or Soaking" Pits, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
66
Mechanical Appliances for Opening and Closing Heavy Lids or
Covers, such as for Vertical Heating Furnaces or Soaking"
Pits, and the like.
1, FRANK WESLEY DICK, Steel and Iron Works Department Messrs. Palmers
Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, Jarrow on Tyne, in the County of
Durham, Engineer and Manager of Steel and Iron Works, 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 :-
66
The object of this invention is to save time, heat, and labour in removing and
replacing the heavy lids or doors (especially those) of vertical heating furnaces or
soaking" pits to enable the ingot or "bloom" to be put into or lifted therefrom
by a crane, already in position over the mouth of the furnace and in replacing
them after the ingot or bloom has been dealt with instead of as is usual by two
operations of one crane or of separate cranes.
The motive power may be hydraulic, steam, compressed air, or other power, and
in the following description of one method of carrying out the invention hydraulic
power is adopted whilst in the alternative methods the power may be steam, gas,
compressed air, or hydraulic power applied so as. to give revolving motion. The
heating furnaces are supposed to be in a line, forming a series of groups, over the
entire range of which a crane travels on a railway.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the appliances operating a group of
four heating furnaces of a range, other groups being supposed on the right and left
hard and Figure 2 is a plan of same.
On Sheet 2, the mechanism for opening and closing the doors is shewn by
Figure 3 to a larger scale applied to two furnaces one of which, on the left hand,
is open and the other closed.
On Sheet 3, an alternative mechanism is shewn Figure 4 being an elevation and
Figure 5 a plan.
On Sheet 4 another arrangement of mechanism is shewn Figure 6 being a side
elevation, Figure 7 a plan and Figure 8 an end elevation.
The same letters refer to similar or equivalent parts on all the sheets.
Referring to Sheets 1 and 2 the operating mechanism from the hydraulic
cylinders is shewn applied only to one side of the furnaces, but it may in some cases
be applied to both sides as will be readily understood in which case the hydraulic
cylinders may be more conveniently connected direct to the sliding channels
without the intervention of a lever.
The hydraulic cylinders A A' are placed in a cavity in the brickwork of the
range of furnaces the rams taking hold of one end of a lever B the other end of
which is connected to the moveable horizontal troughs or channels C C¹ which
traverse the range of furnaces sliding in guides G fixed at intervals in the
brickwork and contain the loose toothed racks D1 D2 D3 D4 and the hinged
stoppers E' E2 E3 E' one part of each stopper being rivetted to the bottoms of the
channels C C' as shown.
On Sheet 1 all the furnace doors are closed, the stoppers being all raised out of
the channel C and the lever B with the toothed racks are in the position shewn on
Figures 1 and 2 on the left hand of the drawing the lid or cover L' being shewn
by dotted line in the position it will occupy when raised and swung back; but on
Sheet 2 one of the furnace mouths is open, the lid or cover having been lifted into

page_text: the position shewn, over the adjacent furnace. This has been effected by turning
down the stopper E' in the channel C into contact with the end of the toothed
rack D2 and, by the hydraulic cylinders having moved the lever B into the position
shewn by the dotted centre line (Sheet 1, Figure 2) and with it moved the
channel C and the stopper E2 to the left, when the rack, also being pushed to the
left, has rotated the toothed pinion F2 fixed on the shaft J2 to the right; and
the arms K2 on each end of said shaft, the outer ends of which are attached to the
lid or cover L2 at points vertically over its centre of gravity, have rotated radially
in the direction of the arrow to the position shewn and the lid or cover now remains
suspended by the rack being in contact with the fixed portion of the stopper E¹.
The return movement of the channel C, by the hydraulic cylinders through the
lever B, causes the rack D2 to rotate the pinion F2 to the left and the lid or
cover is replaced in the furnace mouth. Thus the lid or cover of
any furnace
in the range can be opened or closed, by turning down the stopper which will
actuate the proper rack, or any two or more lids or covers may be opened and
closed together, if required, by putting their respective "stoppers" into gear with
the toothed racks.
When all the hinged parts of the stoppers are out of gear with the racks the
channel C merely slides backward and forward but the channel C to the right
(see Sheet 1) may be operating any one or more of the doors of that series with
the rack or racks of which the stopper or stoppers may be in gear.
A "clutch"
arrangement is provided for disconnecting the channels C or C' from the end of the
lever B when required.
Referring to Sheet 3, the main driving shaft C runs parallel to the line of
the heating furnaces or pits the spindles J' &c. carrying the levers K' &c. being
at right angles as on Sheets 1 and 2. The main shaft C is carried in bearings G
at suitable points and has keyed upon it clutches M &c. operated by hand
levers N¹ &c. so as to slide into or out of gear with the bevel wheels D¹ &c.
which are loose on the shaft C and in gear with bevel wheels E¹ &c. keyed on
the ends of the spindles J¹ &c. Thus any one, or more, door, of the series may
be opened or closed by putting the clutch which operates each into gear with its
corresponding bevel wheel as on the drawing Figure 4, the lid or cover L³ is shewn
as having been lifted out of the furnace mouth (which is now open) and swung
back, in the direction of the arrow, over the lid or cover L the clutch M³ only
being in gear with the bevel wheel D³ all the other clutches being out of gear with
their respective bevel wheels. The door is replaced and the furnace mouth
closed by the shaft C being reversed by the engine or other appliance which
drives it.
"
Referring to Sheet 4, it will be seen that the levers K' &c. which open and
close the doors L' &c. are connected by a
"sleeve or hollow shaft (equivalent
to the spindles J1 &c. in the previous arrangement) carried in bearings G the
main driving shaft. C running free through them and having keyed upon it the
sliding clutches M' &c. which by the lever handles N¹ &c. can be engaged with
clutch recesses formed in the ends of the levers K¹ &c. as shewn on Figures 7
and 8 where the lid or cover L has been raised out of the furnace mouth and
swung back clear of it, the clutch M having been put into gear with the lever
arm K by the handle N all the other clutches being out of gear in mid-position.
Although not shewn it will be understood that another clutch to the right hand
of the lid or cover L' may be in gear with the lever K on that side if desirable
and this applies to all the other furnaces but involves moving two handles for each
door.
Although the hydraulic mechanism shewn on Sheets 1 and 2 is that which I prefer,
as being simplest in construction less liable to get out of order and most direct in
action, also giving more control over the raising and lowering of the lids or covers;
the alternative methods shewn on Sheets 3 and 4 may equally be adopted, the
essential objects to be attained being the suspending of the lids or covers, between
lever arms so that they swing, in opening or closing, in a constantly vertical

page_text: position with their heated surface downward and by being confined in a definite
path they are quickly and accurately replaced ir the furnace mouths without waste
of heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, whilst not restricting
myself to details of construction of the mechanism 1 declare that whai I
claim is:-
First Opening and closing heavy lids or covers of vertical heating furnaces, or
the like, by mechanism, operated by hydraulic or other power, by means of levers
between which the lids or covers are suspended in such a way that they swing, in
opening or closing in a vertical position in a definite radial path with the heated
surface downward (so as to avoid undue radiation of heat) so that any one (or more)
lid or cover of a series can be opened or closed at will (the others remaining closed)
by power communicated from a prime mover substantially as described.
Second: The mechanical appliances for effecting the herein before described
operations consisting of the various working parts in combination, constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as described and shewn on Sheets 1 and 2 of
the drawings herewith or the alternative combination, construction and arrangement,
of equivalent mechanical appliances substantially as described and shewn on
Sheets 3 and 4 of said drawings.
נים
DOL 1
CL 1002
T. J. DANSON, F. Inst. P.A.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Agent for Applicant.