Production of refractory materials

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 including maintaining the material in said kiln at a predetermined level.

Claim 6

Apparatus for dead-burning refractory material in a vertical shaft kiln having preheating, burning and cooling zones therein comprising: means for feeding material to be dead-burned into the upper end of the kiln shaft to a predetermined level therein, an upper opening in said kiln for communicating said feeding means with said kiln shaft to admit material to be dead-burned thereinto for downward passage therethrough through successive preheating, burning and cooling zones, a collection chamber at the lower end of said kiln shaft for the accumulation of dead-burned material, a lower opening in said kiln shaft for communication between said kiln shaft and said collection chamber, a discharge table positioned adjacent the lower opening in said kiln shaft for receiving dead-burned material exiting from the lower end of said kiln shaft after passage therethrough, means for removing dead-burned material from said discharge table into said collection chamber, a plurality of burners extending into said kiln shaft at the burning zone for supplying combustion fuel to said kiln shaft to effect dead-burning of material in said kiln shaft, means mounting said burners in spaced relationship about the periphery of said kiln shaft, means for supplying combustion fuel to said burners, means for introducing air into the lower end of said kiln shaft at the cooling zone, means for supplying air to the lower end of said kiln shaft for upward travel therethrough, and control means for said combustion fuel supply means and said air supply means, said control means including valve means for selectively communicating said air supply means to atmosphere or to said kiln shaft, means for periodically actuating said valve means to interconnect said air supply means to atmosphere and for deactuating said valve means after a predetermined short interval to reestablish communication of said air supply means and said kiln shaft, whereby the upward travel of air in said kiln shaft is regularly and momentarily interrupted to effect substantially continuous movement of material through the preheating, burning and cooling zones of said kiln.

Claim 7

Apparatus for dead-burning refractory material in a vertical shaft kiln having preheating, burning and cooling zones therein comprising: means for feeding material to be dead-burned into the upper end of the kiln shaft to a predetermined level therein, an upper opening in said kiln for communicating said feeding means with said kiln shaft to admit material to be dead-burned thereinto for downward passage therethrough through successive preheating, burning and cooling zones, a collection chamber at the lower end of said kiln shaft for the accumulation of dead-burned material, a lower opening in said kiln shaft for communication between said kiln shaft and said collection chamber, a discharge table positioned adjacent the lower opening in said kiln shaft for receiving dead-burned material exiting from the lower end of said kiln shaft after passage therethrough, means for removing dead-burned material from said discharge table into said collection chamber, a plurality of burners extending into said kiln shaft at the burning zone for supplying combustion fuel to said kiln shaft to effect dead-burning of material in said kiln shaft, means mounting said burners in spaced relationship about the periphery of said kiln shaft, means for supplying combustion fuel to said burners, means for introducing air into the lower end of said kiln shaft at the cooling zone, means for supplying air to the lower end of said kiln shaft for upward travel therethrough, and control means for said combustion fuel supply means and said air supply means, said control means including valve means for selectively communicating said air supply means to atmosphere or to said kiln shaft, means for periodically actuating said valve means to interconnect said air supply means to atmosphere and for deactuating said valve means after a predetermined short interval to reestablish communication of said air supply means and said kiln shaft, whereby the upward travel of air in said kiln shaft is regularly and momentarily interrupted to effect substantially continuous movement of material through the preheating, burning and cooling zones of said kiln.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 including valve means for said combustion fuel supply means, actuating means for said combustion fuel supply valve, and means interconnecting said combustion fuel supply valve actuating means with said air valve actuating means whereby said combustion fuel supply valve is actuated to nonoperative position, interrupting the supply of combustion fuel to said burners when said air valve is venting said air supply means to atmosphere.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said air supply valve actuating and deactivating means includes an electrically responsive device for controlling actuation and deactuation of said valve means, a timing device for interrupting an electric circuit at preselected intervals and reestablishing said circuit after a predetermined period, a source of electric potential, means for establishing an electric circuit which includes said source of electric potential, said timing device and said electrically responsive device whereby said timing device is operative to effect activation of said air supply valve at preselected intervals for a predetermined period and then to effect deactivation of said air supply valve whereby said air supply means is alternately in communication with the atmosphere and then with said shaft kiln.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 including valve means for said combustion fuel supply meaNs, an electrically responsive device for controlling actuation and deactuation of said combustion fuel supply valve, means mounting said electrically responsive control device for said combustion fuel supply valve in said circuit whereby said timing device is operative to effect actuation and deactuation of said combustion fuel supply valve simultaneously with the actuation and deactuation of said air supply valve whereby said combustion fuel supply to said burners is interrupted when said air supply means is vented to atmosphere and is reestablished when said air supply means is in communication with said shaft kiln.