Walking beam furnace

Claim 2

A top and bottom-fired walking beam furnace having a hearth, a roof, and inlet and discharge ends wherein: a. there are a plurality of spaced parallel walking beam assemblies spaced above the hearth and below the roof extending from one end to the other, each assembly comprising a unitary girder-like structure having 1. two parallel spaced water-cooled side beam sections of vertically-elongated generally rectangular section, 2. a traversing beam between the upper portions of the side beams movable longitudinally and vertically, 3. means rigidly connecting and integrating the lower portions of the side beam sections into a unitary structure, 4. reciprocable means between the side beams below the traversing beams and above the bottom of the girder for raising and lowering the traversing beam, 5. means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating said last-named means of several assemblies in unison, 6. means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating the traversing beams of the several assemblies in unison when the traversing beams are raised, b. burners above said walking beam assemblies arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units, and c. burners below said walking beam assemblies also arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units.

Claim 3

a traversing beam between the upper portions of the side beams movable longitudinally and vertically,

Claim 4

a traversing beam between the upper portions of the side beams movable longitudinally and vertically,

Claim 5

A top and bottom walking beam furnace as defined in claim 1 in which the traversing beam section and the reciprocable means below it have water-cooling passages therethrough.

Claim 6

A top and bottom walking beam furnace as defined in claim 1 in which there is at least one row of burners in close side-by-side relation in the roof extending crosswise of the length of the girders across the full width of the furnace and at least one row of burners in the hearth in close side-by-side relation extending across the full width of the furnace crosswise of the length of the girder.

Claim 7

means rigidly connecting and integrating the lower portions of the side beam sections into a unitary structure,

Claim 8

means rigidly connecting and integrating the lower portions of the side beam sections into a unitary structure,

Claim 9

reciprocable means between the side beams below the traversing beams and above the bottom of the girder for raising and lowering the traversing beam,

Claim 10

reciprocable means between the side beams below the traversing beams and above the bottom of the girder for raising and lowering the traversing beam,

Claim 11

A top and bottom-fired walking beam furnace as defined in claim 1 in which the said reciprocable means below the traversing beam for raising and lowering the traversing comprises an idler beam, the means for reciprocating the respective beams comprising a fluid pressure means for reciprocating the traversing beam and other fluid preSsure means for reciprocating the idler beam, the said fluid pressure means for the idler beam being arranged to pull the idler beam when it is reciprocated to raise the traversing beam and push when it is lowering said beam and its means for reciprocating the traversing beam being arranged to pull said beam when it is raised and to push said beam when it is lowered.

Claim 12

means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating said last-named means of several assemblies in unison,

Claim 13

means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating said last-named means of several assemblies in unison,

Claim 14

A top and bottom-fired walking beam furnace as defined in claim 1 in which the girder-like structures are supported at each end outside the furnace structure adjacent the inlet and discharge openings and are supported in part above the hearth intermediate their ends on fixed water-cooled beams positioned above the hearth and extending traverse to the lengths of the girder-like structures.

Claim 15

A walking beam assembly for use in a top and bottom-fired furnace comprising a composite girder structure having: a. two spaced parallel water-cooled side beam sections of vertically-elongated rectangular section each having a work-supporting means along the top edge, b. a fixed lower beam section extending lengthwise between but spaced from the lower portions of the side beam sections, with means connecting and rigidly integrating all three sections, c. a traversing beam section extending longitudinally between the upper portions of the side beam sections but spaced from each of them, the traversing beam having work-supporting means along the upper surface thereof, d. means between the traversing beam and said fixed lower section for raising and lowering the traversing beam between a normal low position where the work-supporting means on the top edge thereof is below the work-supporting means of the side beam sections to a raised position where its work-supporting means is above the work-supporting means of the side beam sections, and e. means for effecting a work-traversing longitudinal movement of the traversing beam when it is raised and returning it to its original position when it is lowered.

Claim 16

A walking beam assembly for use in a top and bottom-fired furnace comprising a composite girder structure having: a. two spaced parallel water-cooled side beam sections of vertically-elongated rectangular section each having a work-supporting means along the top edge, b. a fixed lower beam section extending lengthwise between but spaced from the lower portions of the side beam sections, with means connecting and rigidly integrating all three sections, c. a traversing beam section extending longitudinally between the upper portions of the side beam sections but spaced from each of them, the traversing beam having work-supporting means along the upper surface thereof, d. means between the traversing beam and said fixed lower section for raising and lowering the traversing beam between a normal low position where the work-supporting means on the top edge thereof is below the work-supporting means of the side beam sections to a raised position where its work-supporting means is above the work-supporting means of the side beam sections, and e. means for effecting a work-traversing longitudinal movement of the traversing beam when it is raised and returning it to its original position when it is lowered.

Claim 17

means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating the traversing beams of the several assemblies in unison when the traversing beams are raised, b. burners above said walking beam assemblies arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units, and c. burners below said walking beam assemblies also arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units.

Claim 18

means outside the furnace at one end thereof for reciprocating the traversing beams of the several assemblies in unison when the traversing beams are raised, b. burners above said walking beam assemblies arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units, and c. burners below said walking beam assemblies also arranged to direct their flames toward the charging end of the furnace generally in the direction of the length of said girder-like units.

Claim 19

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the work-supporting means on the side beam sections and the traversing beam section are rails carried on and extending above the tops of the respective sections on which they are carried.

Claim 20

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said rails, at least for a porion of their length, are of a ceramic material.

Claim 21

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 7 in which the rails are received in the top of an H-section which is set astraddle and extends lengthwise of the tops of the respective beam sections on which rails are provided.

Claim 22

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for raising and lowering the traversing beam section comprising an idler beam section extending longitudinally between the side beam sections below the traversing beam section and above the fixed lower beam section arranged to reciprocate relative to both the traversing beam section and the fixed lower beam section, and wherein there are means effective between the lower fixed beam section and the idler beam section arranged to raise the latter when it is moved in one direction and lower it from a raised position when moved in the opposite direction, and means effective between the idler beam section and the traversing beam section for supporting the traversing beam section on the idlerbeam section to raise and lower therewith but which is ineffective to transmit the reciprocable travel of either of said beam section to the other.

Claim 23

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for raising and lowering said idler beam section when it is reciprocated relative to the fixed beam section comprises inclined ramps on one of said two sections at intervals therealong and a roller on each ramp between the two sections arranged to roll on said ramps to translate longitudinal motion of the idler beam section into vertical movement thereof.

Claim 24

The walking beam assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the ramps aRe on the fixed lower section.

Claim 25

The walking beam assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the surfaces of the ramp and of the idler beam section which engage said rollers have gear racks therealong and the rollers have gear teeth engaged in said racks.

Claim 26

The walking beam assemby defined in claim 1 wherein the top surface of the idler beam section and the lower surface of the traverse beam section have tracks therealong and there are rollers at intervals along the assembly between said two sections that roll on said tracks.

Claim 27

The walking beam assembly as defined in claim 14 in which said tracks include a gear rack and each roller has a gear thereon meshing with the gear racks on the said two beam sections.

Claim 28

The walking beam assembly defined in claim 15 in which the traverse beam section has a fluid pressure means for reciprocating it and the idler beam section has other fluid pressure means for reciprocating it, each of the said fluid pressure means being effective to restrain its respective beam sections against longitudinal movement when the other beam section is moving longitudinally.

Claim 29

A walking beam assembly for use in top and bottom-fired billet and slab-heating furnaces comprising: a. a composite girder having two spaced parallel water-cooled side beams of the full height of the girder, b. a lower intermediate beam section extending lengthwise between but spaced from the lower portions of said side beams but rigidly fixed to the side beams and integrating the structure through transverse struts at intervals therealong, c. a reciprocable idler beam section between the side beams above said lower fixed intermediate beam section, d. means between said idler beam section and the said lower intermediate fixed beam section arranged to raise said idler beam section when it is reciprocated in one direction and to lower it when it is moved in the other direction from a raised position, e. a reciprocable traversing beam section extending longitudinally between the top portions of the two side beams, f. means for transmitting only the raising and lowering motion of the idler beam to the traversing beam while the traversing beam is held against longitudinal travel of the idler beam, g. means for selectively reciprocating the idler beam or restraining it against reciprocation, h. means for selectively reciprocating the traversing beam or restraining it against reciprocation, i. the side beams and the traversing beam section each having a work piece-supporting rail along the top edge thereof, the rail on the traversing rail being positioned to lift above the rails of the side beam when the traversing rail is fully raised but is below the rails of the side beams when the traversing beam is lowered, j. the fixed lower inermediate beam, the idler beam and the traversing beam each being hollow for the circulation of cooling water therethrough.

Claim 30

A walking beam assembly for use in top and bottom-fired billet and slab-heating furnaces comprising: a. a composite girder having two spaced parallel water-cooled side beams of the full height of the girder, b. a lower intermediate beam section extending lengthwise between but spaced from the lower portions of said side beams but rigidly fixed to the side beams and integrating the structure through transverse struts at intervals therealong, c. a reciprocable idler beam section between the side beams above said lower fixed intermediate beam section, d. means between said idler beam section and the said lower intermediate fixed beam section arranged to raise said idler beam section when it is reciprocated in one direction and to lower it when it is moved in the other direction from a raised position, e. a reciprocable traversing beam section extending longitudinally between the top portions of the two side beams, f. means for transmitting only the raising and lowering motion of the idler beam to the traversing beam while the traversing beam is held against longitudinal travel of the idler beam, g. means for selectively reciprocating the idler beam or restraining it against reciprocation, h. means for selectively reciprocating the traversing beam or restraining it against reciprocation, i. the side beams and the traversing beam section each having a work piece-supporting rail along the top edge thereof, the rail on the traversing rail being positioned to lift above the rails of the side beam when the traversing rail is fully raised but is below the rails of the side beams when the traversing beam is lowered, j. the fixed lower inermediate beam, the idler beam and the traversing beam each being hollow for the circulation of cooling water therethrough.

Claim 31

A walking beam assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein there are means extending at intervals along the length of the girder at a level between the idler beam and the traverse beam connecting the upper portions of the two side beams and holding them in parallel spaced relation.