US3429487A - Refractory floor construction - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1969 w N IC ET AL 3,429,487-

REFRACTORY FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 15, 1967 Sheet 4 of 2 F/GZ INVENTORS. W/LL/AM I TREDE/V/V/C/f JAMES RICHARD MILLER 4 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 25, 1969 w, TREDENNlCK ET AL 3,429,487

REFRACTORY FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 24 V: Ni 22 :22 :lii L- -Hx 30 L INVENTORS.

WILL /A M r. rms-onv/wc/r JA MES R/CHA RD MILL ER BY EM A TTORNE KS United States Patent Filed July 13, 1967, Ser. No. 653,196 US. Cl. 222566 Int. Cl. B6511 25/14 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A floor construction of special refractory brick is provided having concave and convex surfaces on major faces and on end faces so that the bricks interlock into a rigid floor without mortar.

The present invention is directed to a refractory floor construction for vessels used or supporting molten metal, such as ladles. The vessel has a floor constructed of refractory brick preferably of the bloating type. The bricks have a concave surface on one major face and mating convex surface on the opposite major face. The major face of the brick is the face of largest area. The bricks also have a concave surface on one end face and a mating convex surface on the other end face. The floor surface is defined by side faces of the brick as opposed to the major faces which lie in generally upright planes. The convex surfaces on the bricks mate with concave surfaces on adjacent bricks, whereby the bricks bloat when subjected to heat and interlock with one another without use of mortar. Hence, the ladle may be turned upside down for purposes of cleaning slag or the like without the floor falling out of position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel refractory floor construction for vessels adapted to support molten metal.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel refractory floor construction comprised of specially designed bricks which will rigidly interlock with one another when subjected to heat without use of mortar.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel refractory floor construction using specially designed bricks which may be of varying widths and used to make floors for ladles of varying diameters, with the floor having a tapping aperture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a partial sectional view of a ladle having a floor constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along the line 22 in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the line 33 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the line 44 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of a brick.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the brick shown in FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a top view of the brick shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a vessel adapted to contain molten metal such as a ladle designated generally as 10.

3,429,487 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 ice a floor 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The floor 20 is constructed of refractory bloating brick designated generally as 22. Each brick 22 has a major or top face. 24 which is concave and a major or bottom face 26 which is convex, planar side faces 28- and 30, a convex end face 32 and a concave end face 34. All of the bricks 22 utilized in forming the bottom wall 20 are identical and of the same dimensions. The width of the bricks may be varied as desired depending upon the size of the ladle.

In conjunction with a ladle having a 12 foot diameter, we prefer to use bricks 22 which are basically 6 inches by 3 inches. Thus, the height of the bricks between surfaces 24- and 26 is 3 inches, and the width of the bricks between surfaces 28 and 30 is 6 inches. The dimension 36 illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 7 is .325 inch, with the radius of curvature for the surfaces 24, 26, 32 and 34 being 14 inches. Also, the length of the bricks between surfaces 32 and 34 was 8.250 inches. These dimensions are exemplary of an embodiment of the present invention and may be modified as desired depending upon the size of the ladle as referred to above.

The ladle 10' may be of the type having a tapping aperture 38 in its bottom Wall 20. As shown more clearly in FIGURES 3 and 4, the aperture 38 is defined by end faces 32 or 34 on the bricks 22. The bottom 14 of shell 12 supports the floor 20 and is provided with an aperture 40 in line with the aperture 38. The plug or other structure utilized to close the aperture 30 is not shown. The shape of apertures 38 and 40' may be varied as desired.

For se, bloating brick is known. When the floor 20 formed of bloating brick is constructed in accordance with the present invention, and contacted with molten metal having a temperature such as 2300" F., the brick may permanently expand in volume as much as 35-50 percent with no shrinkage. Such expansion is accommodated by the fact that each face 28 is unrestrained. Such permanent expansion of the brick interlocks the various bricks wherein each concave surface mates with a convex surface on the major and end faces of the bricks. The side faces 28 of the bricks define the floor surface. Thus, the rigid interlocking of the bricks without use of mortar results in a floor 20 which will not fall apart when the ladle is turned upside down for purposes of cleaning, dispensing of molten metal, etc.

While a bloating brick is preferred for steel teeming ladles, volume stable brick can be used in some environments. In other environments, a brick having an aluminum content of about 50% with a bloat of about 10% can be used. Due to the above described construction of the bricks, it is possible to construct bottoms for furnaces, bottoms for vessels other than those adapted to contain molten metal, furnace arches or roofs, etc.

The radius of curvature for the concave and covex surface on each brick is the same. The amount of this radius varies with the Width of the brick. For bricks whose Width is 4 inches, the radius of curvature would be 8 inches. For bricks whose width is 8 inches, the radius of curvature would be 16 inches. Hence, the radius of curvature varies between 8 and 16 inches depending on the size of the brick which varies depending on the size of the ladle to be built.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a vessel adapted to support molten metal, the vessel having a floor constructed of refractory brick and supported by a shell, the floor being comprised of refractory bloating bricks having a concave surface on one major face and a mating convex surface on the opposite major face, said brick also having a concave surface on one end face and a convex surface on the other end face, the floor surface being defined by side faces 'of said bricks, the convex surfaces mating with a concave surface on adjacent bricks, whereby the bricks bloat when subjected to heat and interlock with one another without use of mortar.

2. In a vessel in accordance with claim 1 wherein the radius of curvature on said concave and convex faces is all identical.

3. In a vessel in accordance with claim 1 including a tapping aperture in said floor, said aperture being defined by end faces on said bricks, and said floor consisting -of one course of said bricks.

4. A refractory brick having a concave surface on References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1950 Smith 10667 X 12/1957 Kelsey 26643 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Refractory Practice: published by Harbison- Walker Refractories Co, 4th ed., copyright 1961, p. 439 only.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 266-43

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