Melting furnace electrode handling devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021329752-A1
Application number	US-201917273171-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Oct 21, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatuses for interfacing with an electrode provided with a melting furnace including a vessel and an electrode. In some embodiments, a support assembly (50) supports the electrode outside of the vessel, and includes a cart (102) or similar apparatus that permits or facilitates selective vertical movement of the electrode and selective transverse movement of the electrode. In some embodiments, a push assembly (52) interfaces with a rear face of the electrode outside of the vessel, and is operable to apply a pushing force onto the rear face. The push assembly can include one or more tracks (e.g., threaded screw) that supports a body between opposing arms of a fixed frame. The body can translate along the tracks to apply a pushing force onto the electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for melting batch materials, the system comprising:
a vessel comprising at least one side wall and defining a melting chamber; an electrode disposed within the side wall and comprising a front face facing the melting chamber and a rear face opposite the front face; and a push assembly comprising:
a fixed frame affixed to the vessel,
a body connected to the rear face,
a first track connected to the fixed frame and the body,
wherein the body is movable along a length of the first track relative to the fixed frame to apply a pushing force onto the rear face of the electrode.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed frame comprises a side framework comprising a leading arm proximate the vessel and a trailing arm opposite the leading arm, and further wherein the first track extends between and is connected to the leading arm and the trailing arm.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the body is disposed between the leading arm and the trailing arm.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second track connected to the fixed frame and the body, and wherein:
the electrode comprises a first side opposite a second side and a width between the first and second sides; the first track is located adjacent to and spaced from the first side; the second track is located adjacent to and spaced from the second side; and a distance between the first and second tracks is greater than the width.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first track comprises a threaded screw.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the body is threadably connected to the threaded screw such that the body translates along the threaded screw with rotation of the threaded screw relative to the fixed frame.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a contact mechanism connecting the body to the rear face.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the contact mechanism comprises a pressure bolt.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is arranged in an array of electrodes comprising an electrode bank, and further wherein the push assembly is operable to move the electrode bank relative to the side wall.

10 . A system for melting batch materials, the system comprising:
a vessel comprising at least one side wall and defining a melting chamber; an electrode disposed within the side wall and comprising a front face facing the melting chamber and a rear face opposite the front face; and a support assembly comprising:
a first support unit comprising a top support block and a bottom plate, wherein the electrode is supported by the top support block,
a second support unit comprising an upper body and a lower body, wherein the first support unit is supported by the upper body,
wherein the first support unit is configured to permit selective movement of the top support block relative to the bottom plate in a first plane,
and further wherein the second support unit is configured to permit selective movement of the upper body relative to the lower body in a second plane, the second plane differing from the first plane.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first plane is substantially horizontal and the second plane is substantially vertical.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the support assembly is operable to alter a lateral position of the electrode relative to the side wall via manipulation of the first support unit, and to alter a vertical position of the electrode relative to the side wall via manipulation of the second support unit.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first support unit comprises a plurality of wheels interposed between the top support block and the bottom plate.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first support unit comprises a locking device for selectively locking the top support block relative to the bottom plate.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the second support unit comprises a wedge body disposed between the upper body and the lower body.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the second support unit comprises an actuator mechanism for altering a position of the wedge body relative to the upper body and the lower body.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the second support unit comprises base and a plurality of wheels rotatably connected to the base, the base supporting the lower body.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the support assembly comprises a track aligned with the electrode and slidably connected to the base.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrode is arranged in an array of electrodes comprising an electrode bank, and further wherein the support assembly is operable to move the electrode bank relative to the side wall.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Cook Mark Alan
• Fraley Raymond Eugene
• Palmer Brian Michael
• Riegel Kevin Scott
• Zimmerman Tytus Lee

Classifications

• C03B5/027 Primary

  by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed in the glass bath, i.e. by direct resistance heating · CPC title

• F27D11/10

  Disposition of electrodes · CPC title

• C03B5/03

  Tank furnaces · CPC title

• F27B3/20

  Arrangements of heating devices · CPC title

• C03B5/185

  Electric means · CPC title