Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Furnaces or for Analogous Operations.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Furnaces or for Analogous
Operations.
We, LEWIS JOHNSON of Stockton-on-Tees in the County of Durham, Engineer and
JAMES POWELL of Wilfred Villa Wilfred Street, Stockton-on-Tees aforesaid, Steel
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of this Invention is to provide a machine or apparatus for charging
furnaces with pig or scrap iron or for analogous operations, whereby the laborious
work of charging by hand is dispensed with and time and expense are saved and
damage to the furnaces or the like by exposure to the sudden changes of temperature
to which they are subjected in hand charging is avoided.
We employ compressed air or other fluid or gas under pressure to actuate the
machine in the manner hereinafter described. We provide a main framework
preferably mounted on wheels running on rails or flat plates in the front of each
furnace or the like or in other suitable position to effect the charging.
On this main frame-work there is a slowing frame on which is carried a lifting
cylinder. In this lifting cylinder there is a piston with a hollow rod which lifts the
main cylinder (containing the piston and piston rods carrying the tray for receiving
the charge) to any convenient height to place the charge into the furnace or the like.
After the tray has received its charge and power is applied to the piston of the main
cylinder the said tray and its charge aro moved into the furnace with or without tilting
the tray to the left or right by means of an oscillating cylinder operating a toothed
quadrant engaging with a circular rack on the main cylinder. The piston is then
brought back again for the tray to be charged afresh, and when the charge is heaped
up inside the furnace, if the power be applied to the lifting cylinder the main cylinder
carrying the piston, piston rods, tray and charge can be lifted above the level of the
contents of the furnace so that the entering material does not come into contact with
the materials already in the furnace.
The following is a more detailed description but we do not limit ourselves to the
precise details which we shall describe.
The main or underframe is supported by wheels running upon rails and upon this
main frame is placed the slewing frame provided with conical runners, running on a
circular path on the main frame. The slewing frame is operated by means of a
pinion engaging with a circular rack on the main frame. The main cylinder for the
forward and backward movement of the piston, piston rods and charging tray is
mounted above the vertical lifting cylinder which is formed in or carried by the
slewing frame and contains a piston which on power being applied to its underside
lifts the main cylinder and its piston, piston rods charging tray and its charge. The
top of the piston rod of the lifting cylinder is attached to the main cylinder by means
of a strap which may be hollow for the passage of the motive fluid and which allows
the cylinder to be turned round to any degree, the said piston rod being hollow to
allow the piston to move vertically the main motive agent supply pipe entering the
said hollow piston rod and remaining stationary. In order to prevent any escape of
air to the cylinder the top of the said pipe is provided with a packed piston.
The
piston rods of the main cylinder are duplex and are connected to the piston at the
outward ends and to each other at the other ends (which protrude from the cylinder)
by means of a connecting pipe. The said piston rods are hollow and a pipe enters
each of them for the purpose of allowing a free circulation of water or fluid through
them in order to prevent the piston rods being overheated. These pipes are kept air-
tight at the piston end by means of a stuffing box and gland. At the outward end of
the machine there is a counterweight for counterbalancing the weight of the valves

page_text: and appendages on the top of the main cylinder and for compensating for the forward
movement of the piston rods, tray and charge on the other end which weight is
actuated by means of a cord attached to the weight and passing over sheaves and
forward over a drum attached to the spindle of friction rollers at the front end of the
machine for the piston rods of the main cylinder to travel on as they move outwards.
Guides connected to the main cylinder by circular straps work in vertical guide boxes
on the slewing frame and allow the main cylinder to be turned or tilted through any
angle. The tilting appliance consists of an oscillating cylinder attached to one of the
aforesaid guides provided with a valve and containing a piston whose connecting rod
is attached to a lever which is fixed to a quadrant weigh bar engaging with a circular
rack on the main cylinder so that by operating the valve so as to apply power to the
piston of the oscillating cylinder. The main cylinder is made to move through any
part of a rotation so that the tray can be tilted and the charge be slid off in any
direction as desired. All the valves connected with the machine are preferably piston
or balanced valvos so arranged that motive fluid can be admitted by each as desired
either to move the charge forward to lift the charge or to tilt it. All the cylinders
are by flexible pipes or the like connected to a main central pipe by which the motive
fluid is admitted to either of the cylinders as required.
Dated this 13th day of November 1888
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Machinery or Apparatus for Charging Furnaces or for Analogous
Operations.
We LEWIS JOHNSON_ of Balaclava Cottage Stockton on Tees in the County of
Durham Engineer and JAMES POWELL of Wilfred Villa Wilfred Street Stockton on
Tees aforesaid Steel Manufacturer 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to provide a machine or apparatus for charging
furnaces with pig or scrap iron or for analogous operations whereby the laborious
work of charging by hand is dispensed with and time and expense are saved and
damage to the furnaces or the like by exposure to the sudden changes of temperature
to which they are subjected in hand charging is avoided.
In carrying out our Invention we may employ compressed air or other fluid under
prossure to actuate the machine. The main support or carriage of the machine is
preferably mounted on wheels running on rails or flat plates arranged in front of the
furnace or furnaces or the like to be charged with material.
On this carriage there is mounted a frame capable of being turned in a horizontal
plane so as to present the charging scoop or tray in the proper direction for charging
the furnace. This frame carries two columns provided at their upper ends with straps
or bearings in which the main cylinder carrying the charging scoop is mounted so as
to be capable of turning therein either to the left or to the right as required to
discharge the contents of the scoop into the furnace or the like the turning being
effected by a rack and pinion or by means of an oscillating cylinder the piston rod
of which is connected to an arm or lever projecting on one side of the main cylinder.
Means may also be provided for raising and lowering the cylinder and scoop or tray
to suit furnaces of different heights. The main cylinder is provided with a piston
having two hollow piston rods which pass through stuffing boxes in one end of the
cylinder outside which end the two hollow rods are connected together so as to form a
continuous passage through both rods. The charging tray or scoop is fast on these
ends of the piston rods whilst the opposite ends of the said rods which are connected
to the piston are provided with stuffing boxes through which pass tubes for conveying
cold water to the interior of the piston rods for the purpose of keeping them cool.

page_text: And in order that our invention may be clearly understood we will further
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which
is a sectional side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan, and Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a back and a front
elevation of the same. Figure 5 is a front elevation of the main cylinder piston
to a larger scale and Figure 6 is a section illustrating a slight modification in the
apparatus.
The main frame or carriage A is supported on wheels B running upon rails C
and upon this carriage is placed the slewing frame or turn table D which is
provided on its underside with a boss d fitting a socket a in the main frame or
carriage A in which socket it is maintained by a ring 6 secured by screws c to
the lower end of the boss. On the underside of the turn table D are brackets e
carrying conical runners or rollers travelling on a circular path 9 on the main
frame or carriage A. The turn table D is operated by means of a hand wheel E
fast on the upper end of a shaft or spindle F mounted in bearings on the
table D and carrying at its lower end a pinion E engaging with a wheel or
circular rack G on the main frame or carriage A so that by turning the wheel E
in one direction or the other the turn table may be turned to the right or to the
left as desired.
On the top or face of the turn table D are fixed two hollow columns H provided
at their upper ends with straps or bearings H2 in which the main cylinder 1 is
mounted so as to be capable of turning therein.
The piston K of the main cylinder is attached to two hollow or tubular rods L L'
passing through stuffing boxes 12 in the end of the cylinder the ends of the said
rods being joined together outside the cylinder as shewn in Figure 2 or otherwise
so as to form a continuous passage through both rods. The charging tray or scoop M
is fixed on the joined ends of the rods L L² so as to move therewith as the piston K
travels to and fro in the cylinder I. The ends of the rods L L to which the
piston K is attached are provided with stuffing boxes through which pass
tubes mm² by which water is admitted to, and passes from the interior of the
tubes L L. The tubes m m³ are fixed on the end of the cylinder by nuts o.
Compressed air or other motive fluid for operating the piston K is admitted to the
cylinder I by a valve N (preferably a balance piston valve as shewn) pp² being the
ports leading from the valve box to the opposite ends of the cylinder I.
2
The rotation of the cylinder I in the bearings H³ may be effected by means of a
rack and pinion but we prefer the means illustrated in the drawing which consists
of an oscillating engine P attached to the turn table D on one side of the axis of
the cylinder the piston rod Q of the said engine P being connected to the outer
end of an arm R fast on the cylinder I. Motive fluid is admitted to either side of
the piston P² in the cylinder of the engine P by a valve S so that the cylinder I may
be turned in its bearings H2 in either direction required.
U is a spring bolt engaging in a recess in the cylinder I or in a piece U³
attached thereto for maintaining the tray M. in a horizontal position when being
loaded with material the said bolt being withdrawn from the recess by depressing
the treadle V when the cylinder is required to be turned in its bearings.
The mode of using the apparatus is as follows:-It is driven along the rails C
into position opposite the furnace to be charged and the turn table D is rotated by
means of the hand wheel E so as to bring the tray or scoop M opposite the door
of the furnace which tray may be supplied with material either before or after it is
brought into this position. The compressed air or other motive fluid supply pipe is
then connected at P³ to the pipe or passage N2 leading to the valve N. and a cold
water supply pipe from an overhead cistern is connected to the tube m leading to the
interior of the hollow piston rod L whilst another pipe is connected to the tube m²
leading from the piston rod L³ to a cistern below or to a drain pipe.
Connection is also made at P' with the valve box of the oscillating engine P and
the motive fluid reservoir.
These several connections having been made the passage for the motive fluid to the

page_text: valve box of the main cylinder I is opened and the valve N is moved by means of the
lever T so as to uncover the port p leading to the back of the piston K whereupon
the motive fluid will cause the piston to move towards the end of the cylinder
thereby projecting the tray or scoop M. mounted on the connected ends of the piston
rods forward into the furnace-and in order to prevent the piston rods becoming unduly
heated cold water is caused to flow through the pipe m into the hollow piston rods L L
and out therefrom through the pipe m³. When the tray has been projected into the
furnace to the required distance the spring bolt U is withdrawn from the recess in the
cylinder I by depressing the treadle V and the lever T is then moved so as to cause
the valve N. to cover both ports p and p² in the cylinder I. The valve S of the
oscillating engine P is then moved by means of the lever W so as to uncover one or
other of the ports according to the direction in which the cylinder I is to be turned,
the piston P² being caused by the motive fluid thus admitted to the cylinder, to move
either towards the upper or lower end of the cylinder P as the case may be thereby
imparting through the piston rod Q and the lever R a partial rotation to the cylinder I
in its bearings so as to discharge the material from the tray M. into the furnace.
The valve S is then moved in the reverse direction by the handle W so as to cause
the motive fluid to act on the opposite side of the piston O to return the cylinder I
and the tray M. to their normal horizontal position in which position they are
retained by the spring bolt U the valve S being then moved so as to cover both
ports of the engine P. The material having been discharged from the tray M.
into the furnace and the tray returned to its horizontal position the valve N. of the
main cylinder I is moved by means of the handle T so as to admit motive fluid by
the port p to the front of the piston K and thus drive the said piston to the back
end of the cylinder and thereby withdraw the tray M. from the furnace. ✗ is a
bracket bolted to the cylinder I and carrying at its outer end pulleys & serving to
support the piston rods L L' in their longitudinal movements into and out from
the furnace.
If desired the apparatus may be provided with means whereby the cylinder I
(in addition to the motions herein before described) may be raised and lowered as
required according to the height of the mouth of the furnace or the like to be
charged. An arrangement for this purpose is illustrated in Figure 6.
On the turn table D there is provided beneath the cylinder I a vertical cylinder-Y
and piston Z. The piston rod is hollow and is connected at its upper end to a
hollow bearing or strap in which the cylinder I is free to turn.
w is the motive
fluid pipe which passes through a stuffing box into the hollow piston rod and is
provided at its upper end with a piston y suitably packed to prevent the passage
of the motive fluid between the pipe w and the interior of the piston rod.
When the cylinder is required to be raised the motive fluid is admitted through
the pipe wo into the hollow bearing and thence by a suitable passage (not shown in
the drawing) to the valve chest of the cylinder Y. The valve of this cylinder is
then moved into position to admit the motive fluid beneath the piston Z and thereby
force the piston upwards and raise the cylinder I. When the cylinder I has been
raised to the required height, the valve of the cylinder Y is moved so as to cover
the ports therein, to prevent the fluid from escaping and so retain the cylinder
in its elevated position while the charging operation is taking place as hereinbefore
described.
To lower the cylinder I the valve of the cylinder Y is moved so as to allow the motive
fluid to escape therefrom. The cylinder I may be guided in its vertical motions by
stems on the straps or bearings H sliding in the hollow columns H or otherwise.
In order to counterbalance the weight of the valves and other fittings on the top
of the cylinder I and to compensate for variations in the leverage when the piston
rods are projected out from the cylinder, we provide beneath the rear end of
the cylinder an adjustable weight z fitted to slide on an inclined rod 1 carried in
brackets 2 and connected by wire rope or chain 3 to a sheave or pulley 4 fast on the
axis 6 of the pulleys which support the piston rods L L outside the cylinder I.
The rope or chain 3 passes round pulleys 5 mounted in the brackets 2 so that when

page_text: the piston rods L L-are being projected from the cylinder I their frictional contact
with the pulleys will rotate the shaft 6 and pulley 4 so as to wind the rope or
chain thereon and thereby draw the weight up the inclined rod 1 to an extent
sufficient to counteract the effect of the additional leverage occasioned by the
extension of the rods L L'. When the rods are retracted the weight 2 will descend,
by gravity, the inclined rod 1 and thereby effectually counterbalance the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1st. In apparatus for charging furnaces or for analogous purposes, a cylinder and
piston for imparting to the charging scoop or tray movements in a longitudinal
direction the said cylinder being mounted in bearings on a turn table so as to be
capable of being turned in a horizontal plane and also of receiving an axial motion
in its bearings substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2nd. In apparatus for charging furnaces or for analogous purposes, a horizontal
cylinder and reciprocating piston having a duplex piston rod or two piston rods to
which the charging scoop or tray is attached in combination with means for imparting
to the cylinder and piston an axial motion substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
3rd. In apparatus for charging furnaces or for analogous operations a horizontal
cylinder and reciprocating piston with hollow piston rod or hollow piston rods to
which the charging scoop or tray is fixed and through which water is caused to. flow
for the purpose of preventing the said rod or rods from becoming unduly heated
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4th. In apparatus for charging furnaces or for analogous operations an automati-
cally adjustable weight for counterbalancing the apparatus and compensating for the
varying loverage by the extension and retraction of the piston rod or piston rods
carrying the charging scoop or tray, substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
5th. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting a machine or
apparatus for charging furnaces or for analogous operations, whether the mechanism
for raising the main cylinder, and the counterbalancing mechanism be combined
therewith or not substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of Anorust 1889