US3539168A - Equipment for flue gas extraction in cutting devices,particularly for continuous casting installations - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Alfred Pfeulfer [5 6] References Cited Neu-Isenburg, Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] Appl. No. 675,846 Filed Oct 17 1967 2,361,861 10/1944 Masowich 98/115 3,291,470 12/1966 Cotz 266/23 [45] Patented Nov. 10, 1970 3,375,862 4/1968 Boitchenko et al. 164/263X [73] Asslgnee Messer Griesheim GmbH,

Frankfunam Main Germany 1 3,428,112 2/1969 Cuscmo 164/263X a corporation of Germany FOREIGN PATENTS [32] Priority Oct. 26, 1966 821,836 11/1951 Germany 98/115 E 31 33 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant ExaminerR. Spencer Annear AttorneyConnolly and Hutz ABSTRACT: Fume gas extraction equipment in cutting EQUIPMENT FOR FLUE GAS EXTRACTION IN devices utilized in continuous casting installations for cutting CUTTING DEVICES PARTICULARLY FOR the continuously cast workpiece into segments wherein the CONTINUOUS CASTEING INSTALLATIONS workpiece 1S movably supported on spaced support elements 9 claims 5 Drawing g while the cutting device moves synchronously above it with the cutting operation taking place between a pair of the sup- [52] U.S. Cl 266/23, port elements, is characterized by shielding the space beneath 164/263 the cutting operation --to collect the cutting slag both [51] lnt.Cl B23k 7/10, laterally and at the frontal surfaces and providing an upper B22d 11/12 covering connected to the support device between the pair of [50] Field 01' Search 266/15, support elements with a fixed exhaust passage or canal ar- 23K; 164/69, 263; 98/1 15 ranged at the collecting chamber.

o T 17 q 10 17 i2 1 12 16 13 E: 13 18 11 F 22 2Q 20 1 22 19 j 19 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 3,539,168

Sheet I of 3 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Sheet 2 of3 ZL 11w I Patent-ed Nov. 1 0, 1970 Sheet EQUIPMENT FOR FLUE GAS EXTRACTION IN'CU'I'IING DEVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING INSTALLATIONS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The invention relates to equipment for flue gas extraction in cutting devices, particularly for continuous casting installations, for the separation of a continuously moving workpiece, where the cutting torch is moved in the direction of movement of the workpiece synchronously with the same and the workpiece is supported during the cutting process by a supporting device, preferably also moving synchronously with the same, the supporting device consisting of a plurality of spaced supporting elements and whereby the movement range of the cutting torch relative to the workpiece extends between two of these supporting elements.

In employing the thermochemicalprocess for the separation of continuous casting on steel or steel alloys fumes-result under the effect of the oxygen cutting stream. These fumes are characterized by a brown coloration and are particularly intense in cutting alloyed steel. For reasons of purification of the working atmosphere and of protection of the mechanical equipment prior to welding, the fumes must be captivated and drawn off. One solution to this problem has resulted in drawing off the less infiltrated air with the fumes.

The bent continuous workpiece, which moves horizontally in modern continuous casting installations, is supported in the area of the separation cutting equipment usually by a roll table or roller chain. The latter solution is especially preferred for billets, ingots and small iron slabs.

According to the width of the cast workpiece, the roller chain is more or less covered. For catching the fumes forming directly in the vicinity of the cutting torch, the following solutions have been known until now:

Suction funnels, for example, were arranged above the cutting machine. The coconduction of movable hoses encounters considerable constructive difficulties in this area and is very expensive.

As a further solution it is known to suspend a funnel in the roller chain in such a manner that the cutting torches beam their exhaust gases into the funnel orifice. At the same time this funnel serves for the drawing off of the resulting cutting slag. The funnel was provided with a lateral exhaust pipe and a hose or a slot guide was also arranged in anexhaust canal. Even this solution has proved to be very expensive.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The object of this invention is to eliminate the above disadvantages.

To solve this problem, the space for the collection of the cutting slag situated underneath the support device is screened laterally in the base area and at the frontal surfaces and the upper covering devices connected with'the supporting device are arranged between the neighboring supporting elements of the supporting device-exclusive of the movement range of the cutting torch-with a fixed exhaust canal being arranged at the collecting chamber.

By the lateral screening of the collecting chamber'which extends underneath the supporting device, for example by retracting corresponding walls, a collecting chamberfor slag and fumes is formed underneath the passagewayof the cutting machine and extending over its entire length from which the slag can be removed by lateral openings or by suitable conveying means. By the inventive covering devices, the intake cross section for infiltrated air is considerably decreased and thus the concentration of the fume particles is intensely increased in the drawn off exhaust gas.

The attached plates extend suitably over the entire movement range of the cutting machine or the support device, so that in each position of the latter, an almost completecovering of the top side is achieved against the fume collection chamber under the support device. The fumes are drawn off from the collection chamber at a suitable point bythe novel, rigidly arranged canal.

under each workpiece. Furthermore, a single shielding enclos- I ing the entire'installation suffices advantageously.

In order to afford an easy access of the'laterally shielded collecting chamber, it is proposed in an advantageousfurther development of the invention, that the covering devices be detachably connected with the supporting device.

In view of the arrangement and construction of the covering device, which can take place basically at random in the scope of the above inventive idea, it is proposed for reasons of a simple operation as well as easy and cheap fabrication, that at the covering'device, there be a plate which is provided with forklike ends directed downwards which overlap the pins of the like connected with the supporting device.

The stabilization of the plates in the movement direction of the workpiece takes place by means of the forklike plate ends or bifurcations, while the plates are held in a vertical direction by their 'own weight. Basically it is sufficient if only one plate end is constructed in a forklike manner.

The lateral stabilization of the upper covering device is feasible in varied ways. In the case where a chain with rollers as supporting elements serves as the supporting device with the rollers being connected by two parallel shackles or links, it is suitable that the covering device be arranged between the parallel shackles. If a movable support carriage serves as the supporting device, a corresponding solution is possible. If the supporting device consists of a stationary roller, lowerable in the cutting range, it is recommended to construct the covering device to be also lowerable or to be laterally swingable out of the way.

The plates serving as the covering device can basically be constructed as desired, for example to be level. Preferably it is proposed, however, that the plates be tilted upwards in rooffashion. Thereby their stiffness is increased. Furthermore, the slants advantageously serve for the conveying off the cinders falling from the workpiece. In addition, during heating, for example by the red-hot workpiece, no downward buckling of the plates is possible.

In case the spacing of both of the workpiece support rollers arranged at both sides of the cutting area exceeds considerably the extent of the cutting area, it is suitable that the movement range of the cutting torch is limited by a plate on both sides and that the two plates form an angle opening downwards.

Advantageously the eventual possibility of drawing in infiltrated air is thereby limited to a minimum even for the movement range of the cutting torch open upwards per se.

THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION As seen fromthe drawing, rollers 11 which represent component parts of a roller chain serve for the support of the workpiece 10 in the cutting area. Rollers 11 have wheels 12 at the sides which are conveyable on guiding rails 13. The individual rollers 11 are connected by shackles or links M, 14a as is particularly obvious from FIGS. 2--5. Links I4 can be made continuous from one piece or they can be composed of two parts. The latter version is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As shown in FIG. I, on the shackles or links 14 of the roller chain a cutting device 16 is attached having a swingable cutting torch 15. The cutting installation and thus also the roller chain are clampable to the workpiece by means of a pressure medium activated clamping device 17, so that the movement of the cutting installation in the direction of the workpiece takes place synchronously with the workpiece and thus its separation during its continuous longitudinal movement is possible.

As is further shown in FIG. 1, guiding rails 13 for wheels 12 of rollers 11 of the roller chain are supported on plates 18 which in turn are arranged on carriers 19. Carriers 19 are firmly anchored in the foundation 29 of the installation by vertical supports 20. The space 21 extending between carriers 19 and supports 20 below rollers 11 is shielded laterally and at the frontal surfaces by walls 22.

The shielding of space 21 from'above occurs by means of roof-shaped plates 23, according to FIGS. 2 and 3, which are arranged between two adjacent rollers 11. One of these plates 23 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Roof-shaped plate 23 is swingably supported by its one end on a pin 24. The other end of plate 23 is bifurcated and has two fork arms 25, 26, directed downwards, which are engaged with pin 27. Pins 24, 27 are attached to the shackles or links 14, 14a ofthe roller chain.

A complete covering of the space between two rollers lla, llb of the roller chain may not take place in the operating range of the cutting torch I5, since on the one hand the flue.

gases resulting during cutting must reach into the abovedescribed, shielded space 21, and on the other hand a continuous covering plate in the operating range of the cutting torch would become damaged immediately by the cutting flame. According to the invention, for this reason two single'plates 28, 28a arranged between the particular rollers 11a, llb (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the roller chain. The plates 28, 28a thus expose the operating range of the cutting torch designated with a. Where the roller distance in the operating range of the cutting torch is sufficiently small, such plates can be omitted. The drawing off of the fume gases, advantageously concentrated by the all-round shielding of space 21, from space 21 can take place at any desired spot of same, and suitably laterally. FIG. 1, for example schematically illustrates the fume gases being drawn through pipes 32 into exhaustor 33.

The embodiment disclosed in the text of the application and illustrated in the drawing serves for clarifying the invention, which need not be limited to this example. Furthermore, various modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim: 1. In equipment for fume gas extraction in cutting devices of continuous casting installations wherein thecontinuously cast workpiece is movably supported on a moving supporting device having spaced supporting elements and cutting means mounted for moving synchronously with and above the workpiece during the cutting operation to cut the workpiece into segments with the cutting operation taking place between a particular pair .of the supporting elements, characterized in that a fume collecting space is disposed under said supporting device, said space being defined by shielding means at the sides and the ends and bottom thereof, said space commitnicating with said supporting device, to collect the slag under means is detachably connected to said sup orting device.

3. In equipment as set forth in claim 2 w erein said covering means is a platehaving a downwardly directed forklike end, pin means being on said supporting device, and said forklike end straddling said pin means.

4. In equipment as set forth in claim 3 wherein pivot pin means is secured to said supporting device, and the other end of said plate being pivotally connectedto said pivot pin means.

5. In equipment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting device is a roller chain with the rollers connected to each other by parallel links, and said covering means being disposed between said parallel links.

6. In equipment as set forth in claim 5 wherein said covering means includes upwardly tilted roof-shaped plate means.

7. In equipment as set forth in claim 1 including further covering means disposed between said particular pair of supporting elements in said movement range.

8. In equipment as set forth in claim 7 wherein said further covering means includes a pair of angularly directed plates spaced from each other at their upper ends a distance equal to the range of movement of the cutting device to limit the movement of the cutting device.

9. In equipment as set forth in claim 7 wherein said covering means includes a plate having a forklike end, pin means being on said supporting device, said forklike end straddling said pin means, pivot pin means being on said supporting device, and the other end of said plate being pivotally connected to said pivot pin means.

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