Hot scrap charging

Claim 2

In a method of handling metal scrap material for charging it into an open mouth of a melting and refining furnace vessel, introducing the scrap material into a container having a closedoff bottom end portion and an open top end portion, positioning the material on a backwardly downwardly declining plane within the container while preheating the material within the container by passing hot gases upwardly through the material from adjacent the bottom end portion of the container and out of the open top end portion thereof, moving the preheated material within the container to a charging position with respect to the open mouth of the furnace vessel, and tilting the container with the preheated material therein through an arc into a forwardly downwardly declining plane and charging it into the open mouth of the furnace vessel.

Claim 3

In a method as defined in claim 1, also positioning the material on the backwardly declining plane while introducing the scrap material into the container.

Claim 4

In a method as defined in claim 1, moving the container with scrap material therein on the backwardly-downwardly declining plane to a supported position on a charging machine in which the container is substantially retained on said plane, passing the hot gases through the scrap material in the container while it is positioned on the charging material, moving the charging machine to an aligned position with the furnace vessel, and then tilting the container on the charging machine through the reverse plane.

Claim 5

In a method as defined in claim 1, repeating the defined steps to the preheating of the scrap material, thereafter moving the container with the preheated material therein into alignment with the open mouth of a second similar furnace vessel, and then charging preheated scrap from the container into the second vessel by tilting the container through a reverse plane to a forwardly-downwardly declining position.

Claim 6

In a method as defined in claim 1, weighing the scrap material in the container after the material has been introduced and therein and before passing hot gases upwardly through the material.

Claim 7

In a method as defined in claim 1, providing the hot gases by introducing air and combustion gas in tangential positive flow paths into a combustion chamber, burning the gases within the combustion chamber and passing them under positive pressure out of a bottom end of the combustion chamber into the container.

Claim 8

In a method as defined in claim 1, introducing the scrap material into the container in a graduated manner such that heavier weight portions thereof extend upwardly from the bottom end portion and lighter weight portions extend upwardly adjacent the open end portion thereof, whereby hot gases entering container will first pass through and heat the heavier weight portions of the scrap material and finally heat lighter weight portions thereof.

Claim 9

In the processing of metal scrap from a scrap pile into a line of melting and refining furnace vessels each having an open mouth; providing a loading and weighing station, a scrap material preheating station providing a loading stand having a downwardly-backwardly declining frame, placing a pair of substantially cylindrical scrap containers having closed bottom end portions and open upper end portions on the frame in a side-by-side relation with their open end portions extending upwardly, picking-up scrap material from the pile and charging it into and filling each of the containers while they are on the frame in their backwardly declining positions, weighing the scrap material as charged into the containers, lifting the filled containers off the frame and moving them to side-by-side downwardly-backwardly declining positions on a charging machine, moving the filled containers on the charging machine to the preheating station, actively moving hot gas under positive fluid pressure at the preheating station into a bottom portion of each of the contaIners on the charging machine and upwardly through interstices of scrap material within the containers and out of the open end portions thereof into a discharge hood to thereby preheat the scrap material within the containers, moving the preheated scrap material within the containers on the charging machine into alignment with the open mouth of a furnace vessel at one of the furnace vessel charging stations, and progressively aligning each of the scrap containers with the open mouth of the vessel and tilting them on an arc into forwardly-downwardly declining positions to charge the vessel.

Claim 10

In the processing of metal scrap from a scrap pile into a line of melting and refining furnace vessels each having an open mouth; providing a loading and weighing station, a scrap material preheating station providing a loading stand having a downwardly-backwardly declining frame, placing a pair of substantially cylindrical scrap containers having closed bottom end portions and open upper end portions on the frame in a side-by-side relation with their open end portions extending upwardly, picking-up scrap material from the pile and charging it into and filling each of the containers while they are on the frame in their backwardly declining positions, weighing the scrap material as charged into the containers, lifting the filled containers off the frame and moving them to side-by-side downwardly-backwardly declining positions on a charging machine, moving the filled containers on the charging machine to the preheating station, actively moving hot gas under positive fluid pressure at the preheating station into a bottom portion of each of the contaIners on the charging machine and upwardly through interstices of scrap material within the containers and out of the open end portions thereof into a discharge hood to thereby preheat the scrap material within the containers, moving the preheated scrap material within the containers on the charging machine into alignment with the open mouth of a furnace vessel at one of the furnace vessel charging stations, and progressively aligning each of the scrap containers with the open mouth of the vessel and tilting them on an arc into forwardly-downwardly declining positions to charge the vessel.

Claim 11

In a method as defined in claim 8, repeating the step by step procedure up through the preheating of the scrap material, then moving the preheated scrap material within the containers on the charging machine to a second furnace vessel charging station then progressively aligning each of the containers with the open mouth of a furnace vessel thereat and when aligned, selectively tilting each container through an arc into a forwardly-downwardly declining position to charge the vessel.

Claim 12

In a method as defined in claim 9, introducing the scrap material into each container in a graduated manner, and providing a substantially half depth of heavier weight portions thereof from the bottom end portion of each container upwardly therealong and providing lighter weight portions thereof from the upper end of the heavier weight portions to the open end portion of the container, whereby hot gases entering the container will first heat the heavier weight portions of the scrap material and finally the light weight portions thereof.

Claim 13

In an improved container for receiving and charging metal scrap into a melting and refining furnace vessel having an open mouth portion, a longitudinally extending hollow body having a closed bottom end wall and sidewall and an open top end, a hot gas inlet fitting on said sidewall of the container adjacent its bottom end wall for introducing preheating gases into the discharging a concentric inner shell wall spaced from said sidewall and extending along a length portion thereof from said back end wall, said inner shell wall defining a main chamber for receiving heavier weight scrap material therein, said inner shell wall also defining a cooling spacing about and with respect to said sidewall, air inlet and outlet portions in said sidewall for introducing cooling air into and exhausting heated air from the spacing, an upper extension portion of outwardly diverging shape closing-off the upper end of the spacing and defining a scrap receiving extension chamber of said container for receiving relatively light weight scrap material, and said upper extension portion having an upwardly divergent open end for dischargin cooled gases from the container.

Claim 14

In an improved container for receiving and charging metal scrap into a melting and refining furnace vessel having an open mouth portion, a longitudinally extending hollow body having a closed bottom end wall and sidewall and an open top end, a hot gas inlet fitting on said sidewall of the container adjacent its bottom end wall for introducing preheating gases into the discharging a concentric inner shell wall spaced from said sidewall and extending along a length portion thereof from said back end wall, said inner shell wall defining a main chamber for receiving heavier weight scrap material therein, said inner shell wall also defining a cooling spacing about and with respect to said sidewall, air inlet and outlet portions in said sidewall for introducing cooling air into and exhausting heated air from the spacing, an upper extension portion of outwardly diverging shape closing-off the upper end of the spacing and defining a scrap receiving extension chamber of said container for receiving relatively light weight scrap material, and said upper extension portion having an upwardly divergent open end for dischargin cooled gases from the container.

Claim 15

In a scrap container as defined in claim 11, a pair of reinforced pins extending outwardly from opposite sides of said sidewall adjacent said bottom end wall, a pair of forwardly positioned pins extending from opposite sides of said sidewall towards and along said upper extension portion, and a backwardly projecting eyelet on said bottom end wall.

Claim 16

In a charging machines for receiving at least one metal scrap container having an upper open end portion and for moving the container from a scrap preheating backwardly downwardly declining position to a furnace charging position and at the furnace charging position for tilting the container through a reverse plane to a forwardly-downwardly declining position to deliver scrap material through its open end portion into a furnace, a wheeled vehicle for movement along a plant area between scrap container receiving and furnace charging positions, means carried by said vehicle for actuating it to move it between said positions, said vehicle having upper and lower frames, at least one swing carriage for carrying the container in a supported position thereon, said carriage extending transversely between opposite sides of said vehicle and having a front end portion pivOtally mounted on said upper frame adjacent a delivery side of said vehicle, a fluid motor means pivotally mounted on said lower frame and projecting upwardly towards said upper frame, said motor having a group of pistons that are telescopically operably mounted with respect to each other, an inner piston having an eyelet extending upwardly therefrom and operatively pivotally connected to said swing carriage behind its pivot mounting, said carriage having an initial backwardly declining position adjacent the opposite side of and on said vehicle when said motor means is in a collapsed position, and said carriage being swingable on its pivot mounting upwardly through an arc into a forwardly-downwardly declining furnace charging position adjacent the delivery side of said vehicle by expansion-actuation of said motor.

Claim 17

In a charging machines for receiving at least one metal scrap container having an upper open end portion and for moving the container from a scrap preheating backwardly downwardly declining position to a furnace charging position and at the furnace charging position for tilting the container through a reverse plane to a forwardly-downwardly declining position to deliver scrap material through its open end portion into a furnace, a wheeled vehicle for movement along a plant area between scrap container receiving and furnace charging positions, means carried by said vehicle for actuating it to move it between said positions, said vehicle having upper and lower frames, at least one swing carriage for carrying the container in a supported position thereon, said carriage extending transversely between opposite sides of said vehicle and having a front end portion pivOtally mounted on said upper frame adjacent a delivery side of said vehicle, a fluid motor means pivotally mounted on said lower frame and projecting upwardly towards said upper frame, said motor having a group of pistons that are telescopically operably mounted with respect to each other, an inner piston having an eyelet extending upwardly therefrom and operatively pivotally connected to said swing carriage behind its pivot mounting, said carriage having an initial backwardly declining position adjacent the opposite side of and on said vehicle when said motor means is in a collapsed position, and said carriage being swingable on its pivot mounting upwardly through an arc into a forwardly-downwardly declining furnace charging position adjacent the delivery side of said vehicle by expansion-actuation of said motor.