Abstract: A walking beam apparatus such as used in a reheat furnace for processing of steel slabs wherein a walking beam transfer structure includes a traversing beam assembly which is moveable both vertically and horizontally to contact, support, and laterally traverse a load through a given increment of distance, and a support beam assembly which supports such a load when not supported by the walking beam assembly, and which support is moveable at least vertically to move out of supporting engagement with the load upon attainment of supporting engagement thereof by the walking beam assembly, whereby the load is supported continuously in a predetermined, substantially horizontal plane throughout repeated operating cycles of the apparatus.

Abstract: A process for selective vaporization of oxides from recovered waste dust collected from a bag house. Pellets are formed from the waste dust and dried to permit charging in an oxidizing chamber wherein an oxidizing atmospheric is maintained. The chamber is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize lead oxide and, if present, also oxides of cadmium, potassium and sodium. The vapors are cooled and separated from furnace gas. The residual oxidized mass is cooled after removal from the oxidizing chamber and fed into a reduction chamber wherein a reducing atmosphere is maintained. The reduction chamber is heated to a temperature of between 1800 and 2000 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce zinc oxide and form zinc vapors which are cooled and separated from furnace gas. Lead oxide particles recovered from the oxidizing process are reduced to lead.

Abstract: Spaced-apart skid frames support workpieces in a reheat furnace. Each skid frame includes a plurality of spaced-apart rails arranged to extend along the path of travel of the workpieces in the furnace for engaging the underside faces of the workpieces. A tubular top cord member carries rail members. Two horizontally-spaced tubular lower cord members extend parallel and below the top cord member. Tubular web members extend angularly between joints which intersect with the top and lower cord members to form a lattice structure having triangular open spaces between the top cord member in each of the lower cord members for passage or radiation to heat the underside faces of workpieces along either side of the skid frames. Coolant is supplied to each of the top and lower cord members and the tubular web members to prevent overheating.

Abstract: A dual flow distribution header system in which the flow is divided into two paths before the distribution header but after a metering device. The flow is controlled by separate butterfly valves in each path, whereby the control function is magnified and becomes more precise in each path. The invention is particularly adapted for use with industrial heating furnaces employing dual burner systems.

Abstract: Skids used to support a workpiece in a reheat furnace are adjustably positioned and anchored to resist longitudinal movement of the skids while workpieces are moved therealong. The anchor apparatus includes a rectangular housing, one end of which is attached by an anchor rod to a foundation while the other end has an aperture to pass an anchor rod into the space between the side walls of the housing. An internal bearing wall subdivides the space in the housing into two cavities. A bearing plate on the movable anchor rod in one cavity is forced by a piston and cylinder assembly to move the rod into the housing to thereby adjust the position of a skid to which it is attached. Shim plates are placed in the second cavity within the housing between an internal wall and a bearing flange attached to the movable anchor rod. Other shim plates are inserted between the end wall of the housing and the actuator to maintain an effective range of adjustment by the actuator.

Abstract: Regenerator checkerbrick for a blast furnace stove system embody a hexagonal configuration. A central flow space for a heat exchange medium has six planar wall surfaces. An array of outer flow spaces each have six planar wall surfaces, one of which is parallel with a wall surface of the central flow space. All walls are uniformly thick and the external walls have a thickness about one-half the thickness of the internal walls.

Abstract: A system to supply high temperature blast air and a method for providing preheating of a cold air blast by gas-to-air heating in a tube-type heat exchanger with heat from waste products of combustion. Such combustion products are recovered in a header by the use of valves at different times to form a continuous supply from a plurality of horizontal regenerators. The regenerators are horizontal metal vessels wherein a mid-portion is filled with checkerbrick forming horizontal flow spaces. Each regenerator has a burner to generate hot products of combustion for heating the refractory of the checkerbrick and recovery by the header. The burner is turned OFF when the checkerbricks are highly heated and preheated air is directed by valves through a header and into the regenerator by the checkerbricks. The resulting hot air blast, which may be tempered with cold air, is fed by a main to a blast furnace.

Abstract: A vertically-fired blast furnace stove includes a mixing bed comprised of a multitude of spheres, cylinders or berl saddles supported by a carrier having openings therein located in the bottom portion of a vertically-extending combustion chamber. The bed extends within the walls of the combustion chamber above the floor to form a chamber coupled to pipes for delivering fuel and air to pass in the inner space openings in the bed where mixing and heating of the fuel and air supplies occurs for combustion above the bed. The hot products of combustion are directed by a dome into a heat-storage chamber having a filling of checkerbrick and then into a flue pipe.

Abstract: Walking beam assemblies used to advance workpieces in a reheat furnace include upper and lower runs of coolant pipes spaced and joined together by web plates to extend along each of the opposite lateral sides of a body of refractory that contacts the workpieces. The web plates support clip members that have a bent midportion to wrap around the upper run of the coolant pipe. A leg section of each clip member extends along the side of the refractory material to an elevation spaced below the workpiece-engaging face of the refractory. Support members including gusset plates are carried by the refractory support member to engage the lower run of the coolant pipe and extend along the web plates for support.

Abstract: The refractory lining of a high temperature chamber such as a coke oven chamber is inspected after a coke pushing operation and before coal is charged into the chamber by using a pusher ram to move a television camera located within an enclosure having water cooling pipes in the side walls thereof to provide a thermally-protective environment for the camera. The lens for the camera which projects from a side wall of the enclosure is air-cooled. The enclosure for the camera is rotatably positioned and vertically displaced relative to an L-shaped bracket used to support the enclsoure upon the coke engaging end of the pusher ram. In addition to displaying the video signal produced by the camera on a monitor, the video signal is also recorded to evaluate the surface condition of the refractory lining at a later period of time.

Abstract: A hearth cleaning apparatus includes a wheeled car movable along a floor at the side wall of a reheat furnace wherein metallic workpieces are heated while they are advanced along the furnace hearth. The car is latched to the side wall of the furnace at any one of the normally-closed openings therein. An inverted U-shaped spacer slab is passed through the furnace between two workpieces for access to the hearth. An elongated digging bar which may be cooled by the internal flow of water is supported by the car and advanced through an opening in the side wall of the furnace to engage and loosen slag or other materials adhered to the soaking hearth while exposed by the spacer slab. The car includes a vernier elevation adjustment for the digging bar at the point of support adjacent the furnace and a course elevation adjustment for the digging bar at the opposite end of the car. The digging bar is propelled along the furnace hearth by a pair of pinch rolls.