Abstract: A Material hopper, in particular for a blast furnace, includes a containing hollow shell for storing material, the shell having an upper shell part with an inlet portion and an asymmetric funnel-shaped lower shell part with an outlet portion, a wear plate arrangement covers at least part of an inner wall of the lower shell part, the wear plate arrangement having a plurality of wear plates arranged adjacent to one another in a plurality of rows stacked along the inner wall, the wear plates being arranged in rows that follow parallel mounting lines that are defined by the intersection of the lower shell part with planes perpendicular to the axis of a virtual right circular cone substantially matching the shape of the funnel-shaped lower shell part.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly for a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor includes a stationary casing housing a gear assembly. The casing includes a bottom section with a central opening. The assembly further includes a rotor mounted within the casing for rotation about a first axis, which defines an axial direction. The rotor includes a support for the gear assembly, wherein a lower section of the support is disposed within the central opening. To provide for a better protection of a gear assembly, the bottom section includes a first annular portion extending radially inwards to a first radius. The lower section has a second annular portion extending radially outwards to a second radius that is greater than the first radius. The second annular portion is disposed adjacent to the first annular portion. The first annular portion includes a ring element disposed for sliding contact with the second annular portion.

Abstract: A device is provided for charging a pressurized enclosure, particularly a blast furnace. The device comprises a closing off bell which is movable inside a hopper and is used to close off a discharge opening. A lower sealing member encompasses a closing off element set out below the bell and is capable of moving axially with respect to the latter, and a seat is mounted below the discharge opening. The closing off element is equipped with an inflatable seal, and its seat is equipped with a first peripheral sealing surface which is substantially vertical or points downwardly. The inflatable seal interacts with the first sealing surface in order to ensure sealing of the pressurized enclosure with respect to the hopper.

Abstract: In a loading system for containers, tank vehicles, or other containers that can be flange-mounted to the discharge hopper of a silo, with a tube slide, the inner casing of a double-walled dump pipe that is secured to the discharge hopper is used as a guide for this tube slide. The loading system is arranged beneath this discharge hopper. Apart from the closed position and the dump position, the tube slide can also be locked in a flushing position by means of an operating system. The lower end of the tube slide is configured as an opener for a closing plate of the filler opening of the container or the like that can be closed by the action of a spring.

Abstract: In a throat stopper for shaft furnaces, in particular blast furnaces with two hoppers of which an upper hopper is rotatable through a drive device, the upper hopper is designed, by a stationary hood equipped with charging flap valves, as a sluice chamber to be closed pressureproof. For sealing the stationary hood relative to the rotatable upper hopper, there is disposed, at the hood, a peripheral flexible inflatable bellows. The bellows can be pressed against the wall of the upper hopper pneumatically or hydraulically. While material is being charged in the upper hopper, one of the charging valves is open and the bellows is pressureless. During, or shortly after, the charging, the uppr hopper is rotated. For filling the lower hopper, the valves of the upper hopper are closed, bellows is inflated, and the upper sluice chamber is pressurized.

Abstract: The device for closing the charging opening of an autoclave (1) has a cover (2) which can be lowered into the interior of the autoclave by means of a drive means supported at the outer side of the autoclave (1). The charging opening overlaps with its annular rim (7) the sealing surface (17) of the cover (2).

Abstract: A feeding mechanism for a shaft furnace is presented wherein the feeding mechanism is mounted axially on the furnace and employs a vertically adjustable frustoconical dosing element for vertical flow of charging material to a distributing spout.

Abstract: A gate arrangement, especially for counterpressure blast furnaces, including a seal lid having an annular soft seal-insert and a steel seal-ring arranged at the lower end of the gate, which corresponds to the soft seal-insert. The arrangement also includes heating means operatively connectible to the steel seal-ring about its periphery.