Search Patents
  • Furnace charger with discharge channel having approximate oval cross-section
    Patent number: 4074835
    Abstract: Apparatus including a channel defining member and a movable flow control device cooperating therewith for exercising variable control over the rate of delivery of charge material from a hopper to a furnace is disclosed. The channel defining member approximates an oval shape and the flow control device is a concave shaped member which rotates from a full open to a full closed position along the major axis of the oval and with respect to the discharge end of the channel defining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1973
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: S.A. des Anciens Etablissements Paul Wurth
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Rene N. Mahr
  • Apparatus for driving an oscillating spout
    Patent number: 4889008
    Abstract: A driving apparatus for an oscillating spout is presented which includes a control mechanism which directs a control arm to perform the movement required by the spout and a transmission device which acts to transmit the control arm movement and reproduce it as spout movement. The control mechanism consists of a driving rod pivotally connected to an intermediate lever arm and a novel universal joint connecting the lever arm to the control arm. The universal joint enables the spout to be moved in and out of a vertical orientation by prohibiting the components of the control mechanism from becoming axially locked in a 180.degree. angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Emile Lonardi
  • Treatment and handling of metallurgical slag
    Patent number: 4277273
    Abstract: Disclosed is an installation for the treatment and handling of metallurgical slag which includes means for the disintegration of a flow of pyroplastic slag by mechanical impacts and cooling means for the cooling of the particles of slag formed by the disintegration. The installation comprises at least one perforated endless band positioned in the path of fall of the particles of slag projected by the disintegration means and cooled by the said cooling means. The installation also comprises an insulating enclosure positioned immediately above the perforated band and which contains the disintegration and cooling means, and means for trapping the ascending gaseous and/or solid by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Carlo Heinz
  • Method and apparatus for cooling and cleaning the sealing surface of a valve
    Patent number: 3955693
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for cooling and cleaning the sealing surfaces of the sealing valves of a material storage hopper which are subjected to the high temperature and pressure within a shaft furnace. The method comprises introducing a cooling medium into the charging installation of the furnace and causing the coolant to continuously impinge upon the sealing valves. The apparatus includes a rotatable sealing flap having a sealing surface of resilient material and a cooling fluid supply conduit for directing a flow of cooling fluid towards the sealing surface of the flap when the flap is in its opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1976
    Assignee: S.A. des Anciens Etablissements Paul Wurth
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Rene N. Mahr
  • Infra-red profilometer
    Patent number: 4110617
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the three-dimensional surface profile of the charge or burden in a furnace. A pair of infra-red radiation measuring instruments receives infra-red rays from temperature-characterized points on the surface and generates temperature-position signals for the points. Signals generated by a first instrument are paired with the signals generated by the second instrument that correspond to identical temperature-characterized points. The position in space of each temperature-characterized point is determined from the known relative positions of the instruments and the two position components of the paired signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: S.A. des Anciens Establissements Paul Wurth
    Inventor: Edouard Legille
  • Charging device for shaft furnace
    Patent number: 4042130
    Abstract: A rotatable and angularly adjustable charging and distribution device for shaft furnaces, particularly blast furnaces, is presented. A cylindrical or frustoconical distribution spout is suspended at three points which define a plane. The three points of suspension are caused to move longitudinally (i.e. substantially vertically) and synchronously whereby the lateral surface of the distribution spout may be caused to move in a path which is virtually conical without rotating the suspension points about the vertical axis of the furnace. The suspension points may be moved either by delivering a driving force to them or by applying a traction force to them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Assignee: S.A. des Anciens Etablissements Paul Wurth
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Pierre Mailliet
  • Improved tuyere feed device
    Patent number: 4027605
    Abstract: A tuyere stock for use in the delivery of heated gas from a source to a furnace and characterized by the provision of a rigid connection between the injection nozzle portion of the stock and the blast tuyere which injects the heated gas to the furnace interior is disclosed. The injection nozzle portion of the tuyere stock is supported by guide means which maintains the blast tuyere in its proper operating position by preventing angular movement thereof while permitting motion thereof resulting from thermal expansion. The tuyere stock is further characterized by means which urges the blast tuyere against the furnace wall with a preselected minimum force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1973
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1977
    Assignee: S.A. des Anciens Etablissements Paul Wurth
    Inventor: Edouard Legille
  • Mechanism for operating a metering valve
    Patent number: 4821998
    Abstract: A metering valve comprised of two rotary registers are each provided with cutouts which are symmetrical in relation to the axis of the central opening defined by the movement of the registers. In accordance with the present invention, a mechanism for operating the registers synchronously and in opposite directions is composed of levers and connecting rods acting on the axis of suspension and rotation of the registers through the action of, for example, hydraulic jacks. In order to avoid the offsetting of the flow because of the difference between the radii of curvature of the registers, the entire mechanism is adapted to pivot as a whole about the pivot axis of the registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Emile Lonardi
  • Automated apparatus for lining the inner wall of a vessel with bricks
    Patent number: 4720226
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a work platform vertically movable within a vessel and capable of rotating about the vertical axis of the vessel. The work platform is provided with two storage areas for pallets of bricks, and an automatic device for manipulating and laying the bricks. The apparatus also includes a palletholder housing comprising at least two compartments for respectively receiving a full pallet and an empty pallet, a basket for carrying the housing, and lifting devices for raising and lowering the basket, together with the pallet-holder housing to the level of the platform and for releasing the pallet-holder housing from the basket. The apparatus is particularly well suited for repairing the refractory lining of a metallurigical convertor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Emile Lonardi, Victor Kremer
  • Method of and apparatus for controllably charging a furnace
    Patent number: 4525120
    Abstract: The position of the discharge end of a tubular member, supported from its first end so as to be rotatable about a first axis and pivotal about a second axis which intersects and is transverse to the first axis, is controlled from a remote location. The controllable tubular member may be the distribution spout of a shaft furnace charging installation which is mounted between the branches of a suspension fork which is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis. A motion transmission mechanism extends through the suspension fork and, in cooperation with the movements of the fork itself, transmits the movements imparted to a control device, which is caused to undergo precisely the same movements as it is desired to have the spout perform, to the spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1985
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Pierre Mailliet
  • Apparatus for controllably charging a furnace
    Patent number: 4547116
    Abstract: The position of the discharge end of a tubular member, supported from its first end so as to be rotatable about a first axis and pivotal about a second axis which intersects and is transverse to the first axis, is controlled from a remote location. The controllable tubular member may be the distribution spout of a shaft furnace charging installation which is mounted between the branches of a suspension fork which is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis. A motion transmission mechanism extends through the suspension fork and, in cooperation with the movements of the fork itself, transmits the movements imparted to a control device, which is caused to undergo precisely the same movements as it is desired to have the spout perform, to the spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Paul Wurth, S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Pierre Mailliet
  • Cooling apparatus for use in conjunction with a charging device for a shaft furnace
    Patent number: 4526536
    Abstract: A water cooling apparatus is presented for use in conjunction with a charging device of a shaft furnace, particularly a shaft furnace having a bell-less top charging apparatus. The cooling apparatus essentially comprises an annular feed vat which is attached to the upper portion of a rotary shell and is movable with the rotary shell. The vat is provided with at least one opening whereby water is gravity fed from the vat through plural cooling coils positioned about a rotary jacket. An annular collecting conduit receives the water flowing from the coils. The rotary jacket supports the suspension mechanism of a distribution spout and also acts as the separating structure between the furnace interior and the component parts of the charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Gilbert Bernard, Giovanni Cimenti, Guy Thillen
  • Apparatus for driving an oscillating spout
    Patent number: 4559839
    Abstract: A drive means for an oscillating spout is presented which includes a control mechanism which directs a control arm to perform the movement required by the spout and a transmission device which acts to transmit the control arm movement and reproduce it as spout movement. The control mechanism consists of a driving rod pivotally connected to an intermediate lever arm and a universal joint connecting the lever arm to the control arm. A novel movable torque means is associated with the universal joint and enables the spout to be moved in and out of a vertical orientation by overcoming the tendency of the components of the control mechanism to become axially locked in a 180.degree. angle. The movable torque means accomplishes this result by reducing the angle between the intermediate lever and control arm when that angle reaches 180.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Emile Lonardi
  • Rotary support for continuous casting ladles
    Patent number: 4436293
    Abstract: This invention presents a rotary support for continuous casting ladles, which comprises a vertical column, a drive mechanism for pivoting this column about its vertical axis, a cross arm structure carried by this column and having at least one of its ends in the form of a horizontal fork, each of the two branches of which comprises means for carrying between them a casting ladle, means for raising and lowering the ladle independently of the cross arm, means for weighing the ladle, and means for stabilizing the ladle without influencing the measurement of the weight, the means for carrying the ladle and the means for raising and lowering it being composed, in each of the branches of the fork, of a ladle carrier carriage sliding vertically between a pair of rails under the action of at least one hydraulic jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Paul Schmidt, Edouard Legille
  • Method of and apparatus for metallurgical treatment of a melt
    Patent number: 4421555
    Abstract: A system for treating, normally refining, a metallurgical melt has a melt-containing vessel having below the level of the melt an at least gas-pervious wall portion. A finely divided treatment solids is suspended in a treatment gas and this suspension is introduced through the pervious wall portion into the melt and reacting the melt with the gas and solids. The wall portion has openings oriented so that the gases and particles can pass into the vessel through them, but the molten metal therein cannot enter them. A plurality of such gas-and particle-pervious inserts are provided in the base of the crucible. They can be individually controlled relative to respective sensors provided above the melt. Thus exothermically reacting gases and/or particles are fed in under cold spots, or endothermically reacting gases and/or particles are fed in under hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Arbed S.A.
    Inventors: Paul Metz, Edouard Legille, Francois Schleimer, Antoine Weiner
  • Apparatus for the pneumatic injection of pulverulent materials into a pressurized vessel, and its application to the injection of powered coal into a shaft furnace
    Patent number: 4702288
    Abstract: An apparatus is presented for the pneumatic injection of pulverulent materials into a pressurized vessel, comprising a storage silo, a distribution silo, a series of metering devices for extracting the pulverulent materials from the distribution silo, pneumatic conveying pipes connecting each of the metering devices to the vessel, and also a device for the automatic transfer of the pulverulent material from the storage silo (which is under substantially atmospheric pressure) to the distribution silo in which a pressure higher than that in vessel prevails. An important feature of the present invention is the presence of two intermediate silos each connected via automatic valves, upstream to the storage silo and, downstream, to the distribution silo; and by a pressurizing circuit connecting a source of inert gas under pressure through automatic valves to each of the intermediate silos.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Leon Ulveling, Louis Schmit, Edouard Legille
  • Method of and apparatus for charging a furnace
    Patent number: 4243351
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for introducing and distributing a charge within a shaft furnace, the shaft furnace charging apparatus comprising an elongated charge distribution chute, the angle of which being adjustable in relation to the vertical axis of the furnace to allow for distribution of charge to desired areas within the furnace. The charge distribution chute includes a first end for accepting the charge and a second end for distributing the charge within the furnace. The first end of the chute is suspended from a supporting fork which is rotatable about its axis to provide for pivoting of the chute about a first axis when the support fork is rotated. The chute is suspended from the support fork to provide for pivoting of the chute about a second axis which is preferably perpendicular to the first axis. The direction of the chute within the furnace may be adjusted to provide for distribution of the charge to the desired area of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Rene Mahr, Pierre Mailliet
  • Apparatus for laying a refractory lining on the inner wall of a vessel
    Patent number: 4688773
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically laying the refractory lining along the inner wall of a vessel (i.e., a metallurgical converter) which permits automatic repair of the vessel lining. This refractory brick laying apparatus comprises an operational center capable of being lowered and raised inside the vessel and comprising a lower table, an upper table and a rotary cage arranged between the upper table and the lower table and connected to each of these by a runway block. The upper table or lower table has a sufficiently large orifice to allow a pallet of refractory bricks to pass inside the rotary cage. Arranged on the rotary cage is a robot which has at least three degrees of freedom, such that it can reach all points of the working range. The end of the robot is equipped with a gripping device for automatically picking up, handling and laying the bricks intended for forming the refractory lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Corneille Melan
  • Method of desulfurizing a ferrous melt
    Patent number: 4415358
    Abstract: A melt is contained in a vessel having below the level of the melt an at least gas-pervious wall portion. First the slag is removed, normally by pouring it off, from the melt. Then a finely divided treatment solids suspended in a gas is introduced through the wall portion into the melt. The melt reacts thoroughly with these solids. Immediately deslagging the melt substantially reduces its ability to pick up nitrogen or hydrogen. This can be enhanced by the further step, prior to introduction of the suspension, of adding pure lime to the melt to form a protective layer thereon. The vehicle gas for the powder of course is inert, normally argon. The vessel can also be sealed up with a tight cover after addition of pure lime to it and before introduction of the suspension. Otherwise in the subsequent desulfurizing nitrogen and hydrogen will enter into the metal matrix, especially if there is an appropriate slag present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Arbed S.A.
    Inventors: Paul Metz, Francois Schleimer, Edouard Legille, Jean Goedert, Antoine Weiner
  • Automatic grabbing device for handling articles and robot equipped with such a grabbing device
    Patent number: 4758036
    Abstract: A grabbing device intended to be mounted on the end of the arm of a robot and comprising a plate equipped with a pair of claws mounted in facing relation on the plate, with one claw being slidably mounted on the plate and the other claw being pivotably mounted thereon. The fastening between the robot arm and the plate comprises first and second mutually parallel pivot axes (Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2), the pivot axes being perpendicular to the surface of the plate. The grabbing device of the present invention also includes a mechanism for pivoting the plate about at least one of the axes, a mechanism for blocking or releasing the plate relative to the other of the axes, and a sensor for measuring the pivoting angle of the plate about each of the axes (Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2). The grabbing device is particularly well suited for handling refractory bricks in a robotized apparatus for repairing a metallurigical convertor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Edouard Legille, Emile Lonardi, Victor Kremer
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