Dynamic control apparatus for electric arc furnaces and the like

Claim 1

A DYNAMIC CONTROL APPARATUS FOR INFINITELY VARIABLE POSITIONING OF AN ELECTRODE IN AN ELECTRICAL FURNACE AND THE LIKE AND RESPONSIVE TO ELECTRICAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ELECTRODE, AND INCLUDING, A CONDITION SENSING MEANS COMPRISING A DETECTION CIRCUIT FOR GENERATING A SIGNAL PROPORTIONATE TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VOLTAGE AND AMPERAGE CONDITION AT SAID ELECTRODE, AND AN ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATOR COMPRISING MEANS FOR GENERATING A MAGNETIC FIELD AND AN ARMATURE WITH A SINGLE WINDING AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FIELD AND COUPLED DIRECTLY TO AN ELEMENT CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF SAID ELECTRODE, MEANS NORMALLY CENTERING THE ARMATURE AT A NULL POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE SAID FIELD, SAID ARMATURE WINDING BEING SUPPLIED WITH A SIGNAL FROM SAID SENSING MEANS TO SHIFT THE ARMATURE PROPORTIONALLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM THE NULL POSITION AS A FUNCTION OF SAID SINGNAL TO VARIABLY MOVE AND CONTROLLABLY POSITION THE SAID ELEMENT FOR VARIABLY POSITIONING THE ELECTRODE.