Device for inserting a refractory block into a taphole structure of a metallurgical vessel, in particular a basic oxygen furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10400294-B2
Application number	US-201515527747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

Device for inserting a refractory block into a taphole structure of a metallurgical vessel, in particular a basic oxygen furnace wherein the refractory block is carried by a mounting unit and has a proximate end introducable into the taphole. A distal end with locking elements, which can be coupled to a locking plate of the vessel, is disposed at the outside of the taphole of the vessel. The refractory block can be introduced into the taphole structure until the locking elements of the mounting unit can be attached to and coupled with the coupling head with a manipulator. This mounting unit can be uncoupled with the manipulator, when the refractory block is mortared and fixed in the lining, whereby the mounting unit can be decoupled and removed solely out of the taphole to enable refractory block replacement and gunning of refractory material from the inside of the furnace more easily.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An arrangement for inserting a refractory block into a taphole of a metallurgical vessel, comprising:
a coupling head,
said coupling head including a locking plate arranged outside of the taphole and an arrangement of a plurality of hooks on said locking plate; and

a mounting unit that carries the refractory block into the taphole to position the refractory block inside a lining of the taphole,
said mounting unit including a flange disc at a distal end and locking elements arranged on said flange disc,
said locking elements comprising a plurality of bars in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of said plurality of hooks to enable coupling of said plurality of bars and said plurality of hooks together to thereby couple said mounting unit and said coupling head together and fix the refractory block in a position inside the lining.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of said plurality of hooks is a circular arrangement around said locking plate, and the arrangement of said plurality of bars is a corresponding circular arrangement around said flange disc.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said mounting unit is configured to enable the refractory block to be introduced into the taphole until said locking elements of said mounting unit are attached to and coupled with said coupling head, and separate from the refractory block after the refractory block is mortared and fixed in the lining to be removed out of the taphole without the refractory block.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said mounting unit is configured to enable the refractory block to be introduced into the taphole until said locking elements of said mounting unit are attached to and coupled with said coupling head in the position in which the refractory block is inside the lining and an annular gap is formed between an outer surface of the refractory block and the lining, whereby a filling material is insertable into the annular gap from inside the vessel.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of hooks and said plurality of bars are arranged to enable each of said plurality of bars to be fastened to a respective one of said plurality of hooks.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of hooks and said plurality of bars are arranged to enable each of said plurality of bars to engage and come into contact with a respective one of said plurality of hooks.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said mounting unit is configured relative to said coupling head to cause said flange disc to be positioned against said locking plate in order to enable said plurality of bars to engage with said plurality of hooks.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein said mounting unit is rotatable relative to said coupling head, said mounting unit being rotatable from a position in which said flange disc is against said locking plate with said plurality of bars not in engagement with said plurality of hooks to a position in which said flange disc is against said locking plate and said plurality of bars are engaged with said plurality of hooks to thereby fix said mounting unit to said coupling head.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said coupling head further comprises centering structure for centering said flange disc.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said coupling head further comprises coupling elements that form a circle for centering said flange disc.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of hooks has an L-shape forming a recess between a ramp and a surface of said locking plate, said plurality of hooks being oriented to enable said plurality of bars to enter into said recesses upon rotation of said flange disc relative to said locking plate.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 , wherein said recess are dimensioned to receive a respective one of said plurality of bars, whereby said mounting unit is attachable to and couplable with said coupling head in a bayonet fit.

13. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said locking plate includes an opening and said plurality of hooks comprise two hooks arranged on opposite sides of said opening of said locking plate and opposite one another.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of bars comprise two bars arranged on opposite sides of said flange disc and opposite one another.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 , wherein said two bars extend outward from a periphery of said flange disc.

16. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of bars extend outward from a periphery of said flange disc.

17. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said mounting unit further comprises a clamping mechanism having a tube extending along a length of said mounting unit and a disc at one end of said tube opposite an end at which said flange disc is situated, said clamping mechanism connecting the refractory block to said mounting unit between said flange disc and said disc.

18. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of hooks are equidistantly arranged from each other so that each angle formed between two neighboring hooks is equal, said plurality of bars also being equidistantly arranged from each other so that each angle formed between two neighboring bars is equal.

19. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of hooks has an L-shape having a free end and is tapered toward said free end such that a space between said locking plate and said hook gradually increases toward said free end.

20. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said mounting unit is configured and said plurality of hooks are oriented to enable a manipulator or robot to engage with said mounting unit and rotate said mounting unit to cause engagement of said plurality of bars to said plurality of hooks.

Assignees

• Refractory Intellectual Property Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Cartmill Colin

Classifications

• C21B7/12

  Opening or sealing the tap holes · CPC title

• C21C5/445 Primary

  Lining or repairing the taphole · CPC title

• F27D3/1536

  Devices for plugging tap holes, e.g. plugs stoppers · CPC title