Self sealing coke oven door of lightweight construction

Claim 2

A lightweight self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, with a sealing surface thereon, said door comprising: (A) a door inner assembly designed and constructued to extend into said oven; (B) a door outer assembly comprising: (1) a flexible plate having: (a) a inner face, (b) an outer face, (c) a first longitudinal edge, and (d) a second longitudinal edge; (2) support means extending between said door inner assembly and said door outer assembly flexible plate; (3) a first flexible self-adjusting pressure distributing means comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted; (a) distributIng links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed and constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (4) a second flexible self-adjusting pressure distributing means, comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed and constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (5) pressure application means designed and constructed to apply pressure upon said first and second pressure distributing means whereby said pressure distributing means transmit pressure along the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face of said flexible plate to cause at least a portion of said flexible plate to freely flex and urge the longitudinal edges of the inner face thereof to sealingly engage the sealing surface of said oven frame as said frame is caused to warp and distort by thermal cycling that occurs during periods of operation of the coke oven.

Claim 3

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 1 wherein the thin flexible plate of door outer assembly has a thickness of between about 2 to 8 millimeters.

Claim 4

The light weight self-sealing flexible door of claim 1 wherein the flexible plate of the door outer assembly is reinforced adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face thereof by door outer assembly frame means to impart strength and rigidity to said door outer assembly.

Claim 5

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 1 wherein each of the outer and inner faces of the flexible plate fo the door outer assembly has a peripheral portion, an intermediate portion, and a central portion, said central portions of the outer and inner faces thereof being reinforced by bracket means to impart strength and rigidity to said flexible plate while permitting the peripheral and intermediate portions of said flexible plate to freely flex in response to pressure applied by said first and second distributing means along the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer faces of said flexible plate.

Claim 6

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 4 wherein said reinforcing plate bracket means on the central portions of the outer and inner faces of the flexible plate of the door outer assembly contact no more than between about 10% to 25% of the total area of each of said faces of said plate.

Claim 7

A lightweight self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, with a sealing surface thereon and ajdacent door locking means, said door comprising: (A) a door inner plate assembly designed and constructed to extend into said oven; (B) a doot outer assembly comprising: (1) a flexible plate having (a) an inner face, (b) an outer face, (c) a first longitudinal edge, and (d) a second longitudinal edge; (2) support means extending between said door inner plate inner plate assembly and said inner face of said door outer assembly; (3) sealing means associated with the inner face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges thereof; (4) a first flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means comprising a plurality of interconnected and and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed and constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (5) a second flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted; (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed asnd constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (6) latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to: (a) engage said door locking means and hold said door in position against said oven frame, and (b) continuously apply pressure upon said first and second pressure distributing means and therethrough to a plurality of spaced locations adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face of said flexible plate, to cause at least a portion of said flexible plate to freely flex and to urge the sealing means adjacent the longitudinal edges of the inner face of said flexible plate to sealingly engage the sealing surface of said oven frame as said frame is caused to warp and distort by thermal cycling that occurs during periods of operation of the code oven.

Claim 8

A lightweight self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, with a sealing surface thereon and ajdacent door locking means, said door comprising: (A) a door inner plate assembly designed and constructed to extend into said oven; (B) a doot outer assembly comprising: (1) a flexible plate having (a) an inner face, (b) an outer face, (c) a first longitudinal edge, and (d) a second longitudinal edge; (2) support means extending between said door inner plate inner plate assembly and said inner face of said door outer assembly; (3) sealing means associated with the inner face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges thereof; (4) a first flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means comprising a plurality of interconnected and and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed and constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (5) a second flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted; (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, said means designed asnd constructed to exert pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (6) latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to: (a) engage said door locking means and hold said door in position against said oven frame, and (b) continuously apply pressure upon said first and second pressure distributing means and therethrough to a plurality of spaced locations adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face of said flexible plate, to cause at least a portion of said flexible plate to freely flex and to urge the sealing means adjacent the longitudinal edges of the inner face of said flexible plate to sealingly engage the sealing surface of said oven frame as said frame is caused to warp and distort by thermal cycling that occurs during periods of operation of the code oven.

Claim 9

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 6 wherein the flexible plate of said door outer assembly has a thickness of between about 2 to 8 millimeters.

Claim 10

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 7 wherein the door has a weight of about 250 to 300 kilograms per meter.

Claim 11

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 6 wherein the flexible plate of said door outer assembly is reinforced adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face thereof by door outer assembly frame means to impart strength and rigidity to said door outer assembly.

Claim 12

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 6 wherein each of the outer and inner faces of the flexible plate of said door outer assembly has a peripheral portion, an intermediate portion and a central portion, said central portions of the outer and inner faces thereof being reinforced by bracket means to impart strength and rigidity to the flexible plate while permitting the peripheral and intermediate portions thereof to freely flex in response to pressure applied by said first and second pressure distributing means adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges of the outer face of the flexible plate.

Claim 13

The lightweight self-sealing flexible door of claim 6 wherein said reinforcing bracket means on the central portion of the outer and inner faces of the flexible plate of said door outer assembly contact no more than between about 10% to 25% of the total area of each of said faces of said plate.

Claim 14

A lightweight self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, said door comprising: (A) a door outer assembly comprising: (1) a plate having: (a) an outer face, (b) a first longitudinal edge, and (c) sa second longitudinal edge; (2) first upper and first lower flexible, self-adjusting poressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (3) second upper and second lower flexible self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexigle plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (4) first bridge means connecting said first upper and second upper pressure distributing means; (5) second bridge means connecting said first lower and second lower pressure distributing means; (6) first latch mechanism and pressure application means engaging said first bridge means; and (7) second latch mechanism and pressure application means engaging said second bridge means.

Claim 15

A lightweight self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, said door comprising: (A) a door outer assembly comprising: (1) a plate having: (a) an outer face, (b) a first longitudinal edge, and (c) sa second longitudinal edge; (2) first upper and first lower flexible, self-adjusting poressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (3) second upper and second lower flexible self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexigle plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (4) first bridge means connecting said first upper and second upper pressure distributing means; (5) second bridge means connecting said first lower and second lower pressure distributing means; (6) first latch mechanism and pressure application means engaging said first bridge means; and (7) second latch mechanism and pressure application means engaging said second bridge means.

Claim 16

The lightweight self-addjusting, self-sealing flexible door of claim 12 wherein said door outer assembly plate has a thickness of between about 2 to 10 millimeters.

Claim 17

A lightwiehgt, self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, with a sealing surface thereon and a plurality of adjacent door locking means, said door comprising: (A) a door inner assembly; (B) a door outer assembly comprising: (1) a flexible plate having a thickness of between about 2 to 10 millimeters and (a) an inner face, (b) an outer face, (c) a first longitudinal edge, and (d) a second longitudinal edge; (2) means connecting said inner door assembly to said door outer assembly; (3) sealing means associated with the inner face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first and second longitudinal edge thereof; (4) first upper and first lower flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (5) second upper and second lower flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (6) first bridge means connecting said first upper and second upper pressure distributing means; (7) second bridge means connecting said first lower and second lower pressure distributing means; (8) first latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to engage a first pair of said door locking means and exert pressure on said first bridge means and therethrough to said first and second upper pressure distributing means; (9) second latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to engage a second pair of said door locking means and exert pressure on said second bridge means and therethrough to said first and second upper pressure distributing means; whereby the pressure exerted by said pressure distributing means cause the flexible plate of said door outer assembly to freely flex and to urge the sealing means adjacent the longitudinal edges of the inner face of the flexible plate to sealingly engage the sealing surface of said oven frame as said frame is caused to warp and distort by thermal cycling that occurs during periods of operation of the coke oven.

Claim 18

A lightwiehgt, self-adjusting, self-sealing flexible door for closing the end of a coke oven having an opening defined by an oven frame, with a sealing surface thereon and a plurality of adjacent door locking means, said door comprising: (A) a door inner assembly; (B) a door outer assembly comprising: (1) a flexible plate having a thickness of between about 2 to 10 millimeters and (a) an inner face, (b) an outer face, (c) a first longitudinal edge, and (d) a second longitudinal edge; (2) means connecting said inner door assembly to said door outer assembly; (3) sealing means associated with the inner face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first and second longitudinal edge thereof; (4) first upper and first lower flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the first longitudinal edge thereof; (5) second upper and second lower flexible, self-adjusting pressure distributing means, each comprising a plurality of interconnected and pivoted: (a) distributing links, (b) connecting levers, and (c) distributing arms, each said means exerting pressure at a plurality of spaced locations on the outer face of said flexible plate, adjacent the second longitudinal edge thereof; (6) first bridge means connecting said first upper and second upper pressure distributing means; (7) second bridge means connecting said first lower and second lower pressure distributing means; (8) first latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to engage a first pair of said door locking means and exert pressure on said first bridge means and therethrough to said first and second upper pressure distributing means; (9) second latch mechanism and pressure application means designed and constructed to engage a second pair of said door locking means and exert pressure on said second bridge means and therethrough to said first and second upper pressure distributing means; whereby the pressure exerted by said pressure distributing means cause the flexible plate of said door outer assembly to freely flex and to urge the sealing means adjacent the longitudinal edges of the inner face of the flexible plate to sealingly engage the sealing surface of said oven frame as said frame is caused to warp and distort by thermal cycling that occurs during periods of operation of the coke oven.