Apparatus for injecting granular material into a molten metal

Claim 2

Apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of a free flowing granular material into a body of molten metal or the like comprising: a supply hopper for receiving a supply of granular material, said supply hopper having discharge opening means therein, means for controlling the flow of granular material received within said supply hopper outwardly through said discharge opening means, means for receiving the granular material flowing outwardly from the discharge opening means of said supply hopper under the control of said control means and feeding the same to an incremental volume forming position, means defining a confined flow path for the flow of air under pressure into a granular material entraining position and for the flow of air under pressure with granular material entrained therein from said granular material entraining position to a discharge end, the discharge end of said flow path defining means comprising a lance for the body of molten metal, valve means in said confined flow path upstream of said granular material entraining position for controlling the flow of air under pressure through said confined flow path, power operated means for transferring successive incremental volumes of granular material from said incremental volume forming position to said granular material entraining position, and means for sensing a condition indicative of the flow of a predetermined amount of granular material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and for (1) operating said control means to prevent further flow of material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and (2) rendering said power driven means inoperable and closing said valve means after the operation of said control means so as to insure that all of the granular material received from the discharge opening means of the supply hopper prior to the operation of said control means is fed to said incremental volume forming position, transferred to said granular material entraining position, entrained within the air under pressure flowing in said confined path and discharged therewith through said lance into the body of molten metal.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said power driven means includes a rotor having a series of pockets formed therein in positions such that successive pockets are moved from said incremental volume forming position wherein they are filled with granular material to said material entraining position wherein they are emptied of the granular material filled therein in response to the rotation of said rotor, and variable speed power means drivingly connected with said rotor.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said sensing means comrises a counter for counting the number of successive filled pockets moved from said incremental volume forming position to said granular material entraining position, the condition indicative of the flow of a predetermined amount of granular material through said discharge opening means constituting the total number of successive pockets which when filled equals said predetermined amount less the number of successive pockets corresponding to an amount calibrated on the basis of the amount contained within said receiving means and pockets immediately following the operation of said control means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said supply hopper includes a discharge chute having its lower end open to define said discharge opening means, said control means comprising gate means pivotally mounted on said discharge chute for movement between a closed position blocking the flow of material from the open lower end of the chute and an open end position displaced from said opening and power operated means for moving said gate means between said closed and open positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiving and feeding means comprises a hopper having power driven rotatable stirring means therein.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means includes time delay means for insuring that said valve means is never closed until after said power driven means has been rendered inoperable a predetermined time.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said power driven means is provided with interlock control means for preventing the commencement of the operation thereof when said valve means is closed.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said confined flow path defining means includes at a position upstream of said valve means filter means for removing all moisture in the source of air under pressure.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said confined flow path defining means includes pressure regulator means between said filter means and said valve means and a second alternative flow path portion parallel with the portion containing said valve means and said pressure regulator means having second valve means therein and second pressure regulator means upstream thereof which operates at a pressure different from said first mentioned pressure regulator means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiving and feeding means and said power operated means are carried on a common base frame, a telescoping frame disposed above said base frame having hook means thereon for enabling an overhead crane to lift and lower the same into different positions of telescopic movement with respect to said base frame, means for supporting said telescoping frame in different positions of telescopic movement with respect to said base frame, said telescoping frame supporting said supply hopper and the control means associated therewith.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said lance has wheeled carriage means supporting the same, said wheeled carriage including a carriage frame, wheel means supporting said carriage frame for movement along a horizontal surface, floor lock means for selectively stabilizing the carriage frame against movement supported by said wheel means, and means carried by said carriage means for adjustably supporting said lance thereon.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said lance supporting means includes an upstanding tube fixed to said carriage frame, an inner tubular member telescopically mounted within said tube means for supporting said inner tubular member in different positions of telescopic movement within said tube, clamping means for releasably gripping the periphery of said lance, and a ball and socket joint between said clamping means and the upper end of said inner tubular member.

Claim 14

Apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of a selected free flowing granular material into a body of molten metal of the like comprising: a plurality of supply hoppers for receiving a plurality of supplies of different granular material to be selected for injection, each of said supply hoppers having discharge opening means therein, means for controlling the flow of granular material received within any selected one of said supply hoppers outwardly through the discharge opening means thereof, means for receiving the granular material flowing outwardly from the discharge opening means of the selected supply hopper under the control of the control means thereof and feeding the same to an incremental volume forming position, means defining a confined flow path for the flow of air under pressure into a granular material entraining position and for the flow of air under pressure with granular material entrained therein from said granular material entraining position to a discharge end, the discharge end of said flow path defining means comprising a lance for the body of molten metal, valve means in said confined flow path upstream of said granular material entraining position for controlling the flow of air under pressure through said confined flow path, power operated means for transferring successive incremental volumes of granular material from said incremental volume forming position to said granular material entraining position, and means for sensing a condition indicative of the flow of a predetermined amount of granular material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and for (1) operating said control means to prevent further flow of material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and (2) rendering said power driven means inoperable and closing said valve means after the operation of said control means so as to insure that all of the granular material received from the discharge opening means of the supply hopper prior to the operation of said control means is fed to said incremental volume forming position, transferred to said granular material entraining position, entrained within the air under pressure flowing in said confined path and discharged therewith through said lance into the body of molten metal.

Claim 15

Apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of a selected free flowing granular material into a body of molten metal of the like comprising: a plurality of supply hoppers for receiving a plurality of supplies of different granular material to be selected for injection, each of said supply hoppers having discharge opening means therein, means for controlling the flow of granular material received within any selected one of said supply hoppers outwardly through the discharge opening means thereof, means for receiving the granular material flowing outwardly from the discharge opening means of the selected supply hopper under the control of the control means thereof and feeding the same to an incremental volume forming position, means defining a confined flow path for the flow of air under pressure into a granular material entraining position and for the flow of air under pressure with granular material entrained therein from said granular material entraining position to a discharge end, the discharge end of said flow path defining means comprising a lance for the body of molten metal, valve means in said confined flow path upstream of said granular material entraining position for controlling the flow of air under pressure through said confined flow path, power operated means for transferring successive incremental volumes of granular material from said incremental volume forming position to said granular material entraining position, and means for sensing a condition indicative of the flow of a predetermined amount of granular material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and for (1) operating said control means to prevent further flow of material through the discharge opening means of said supply hopper and (2) rendering said power driven means inoperable and closing said valve means after the operation of said control means so as to insure that all of the granular material received from the discharge opening means of the supply hopper prior to the operation of said control means is fed to said incremental volume forming position, transferred to said granular material entraining position, entrained within the air under pressure flowing in said confined path and discharged therewith through said lance into the body of molten metal.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said last mentioned means includes time delay means for insuring that said valve means is never closed until after said power drived means has been rendered inoperable a predetermined time.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said power driven means is provided with interlock control means for preventing the commencement of the operation thereof when said valve means is closed.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said confined flow path defining means includes at a position upstream of said valve means filter means for removing all moisture in the source of air under pressure.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said confined flow path defining means includes pressure regulator means between said filter means and said valve means and a second alternative flow path portion parallel with the portion containing said valve means and said pressure regulator means having second valve means therein and second pressure regulator means upstream thereof which operates at a pressure different from said first mentioned pressure regulator means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said power driven means includes a rotor having a series of pockets formed therein in positions such that successive pockets are moved from said incremental volume forming position wherein they are filled with granular material to said material entraining position wherein they are emptied of the granular material filled therein in response to the rotation of said rotor, and variable speed power means drivingly connected with said rotor.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said sensing means comprises a counter for counting the number of successive filled pockets moved from said incremental volume forming position to said granular material entraining position, the condition indicative of the flow of a predetermined amount of granular material through said discharge opening means constituting the total number of successive pockets which when filled equals said predetermined amount less the number of successive pockets corresponding to an amount calibrated on the basis of the amount contained within said receiving means and pockets immediately following the operation of said control means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein each of said supply hoppers include a discharge chute having its lower end open to define said discharge opening means thereof the control means for each supply hopper comprising gate means pivotally mounted on said discharge chute thereof for movement between a closed position blocking the flow of material from the open lower end of the chute and an open position displaced from said open end and power operated means for moving said gate means between said closed and open positions.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said receiving and feeding means comprises a hopper having power driven rotatable stirring means therein.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said receiving and feeding means and said power operated means are carried on a common base frame, a telescoping frame disposed above said base frame having hook means thereon for enabling an overhead crane to lift and lower the same into different positions of telescopic movement with respect to said base frame, means for supporting said telescoping frame in different positions of telescopic movement with respect to said base frame, said telescoping frame supporting said supply hoppers and the control means associated therewith.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said lance has wheeled carriage means supporting the same, said wheeled carriage including a carriage frame, wheel means supporting said carriage frame for movement along a horizontal surface, floor lock means for selectively stabilizing the carriage frame against movement supported by said wheel means, and means carried by said carriage means for adjustably supporting said lance thereon.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said lance supporting means includes an upstanding tube fixed to said carriage frame, an inner tubular member telescopically mounted within said tube, means for supporting said inner tubular member in different positions of telescopic movement within said tube, clamping means for releasably gripping the periphery of said lance, and a ball and socket joint between said clamping means and the upper end of said inner tubular member.

Claim 27

A lance assembly for use in injecting a predetermined amount of a free flowing granular material into a body of molten metal or the like comprising: a lance in the form of an elongated pipe, wheeled carriage means for supporting said lance, said wheeled carriage including a carriage frame, wheel means supporting said carriage frame for movement along a horizontal surface, floor lock means for selectively stabilizing the carriage frame against movement supported by said wheel means, and means carried by said carriage means for adjustably supporting said lance thereon, said lance supporting means including upstanding tube fixed to said carriage frame, an inner tubular member telescopically mounted within said tube, means for supporting said inner tubular member in different positions of telescopic movement within said tube, clamping means for releasably gripping the periphery of said lance, and a ball and socket joint between said clamping means and the upper end of said inner tubular member.

Claim 28

A lance assembly for use in injecting a predetermined amount of a free flowing granular material into a body of molten metal or the like comprising: a lance in the form of an elongated pipe, wheeled carriage means for supporting said lance, said wheeled carriage including a carriage frame, wheel means supporting said carriage frame for movement along a horizontal surface, floor lock means for selectively stabilizing the carriage frame against movement supported by said wheel means, and means carried by said carriage means for adjustably supporting said lance thereon, said lance supporting means including upstanding tube fixed to said carriage frame, an inner tubular member telescopically mounted within said tube, means for supporting said inner tubular member in different positions of telescopic movement within said tube, clamping means for releasably gripping the periphery of said lance, and a ball and socket joint between said clamping means and the upper end of said inner tubular member.