Flo-con Systems, Inc.

Uss Engineers and Consultants, Inc.

Other

Earl P Shapland

Patrick D King

An injection block of an injection valve is disclosed which is normally intended for installation in a metallurgical vessel or holding vessel containing ferrous metal. Other metals can be similarly treated by injection metallurgy, but the maximum utility is believed to be involved in the processing and metallurgical finishing of ferrous metals. The injection block is provided with orifice passages terminating in orifices through which the injections are gas driven, wire fed or in pellet form inserted into the molten metal in the vessel. The orifice passages are angled in one of two directions or a combination of the two directions, radially relative to the axis of the injection block and/or tangentially away from an element that is parallel to the axis of the injection block so as to circumvolve the axis of the injection block. The method of the present invention is directed to a method of injecting material into a liquid metal held within a vessel in such a fashion that they will initially be impelled on an axis which is not along or parallel to the vertical axis of the vessel regardless of the mounting position of the injection mechanism to thereby promote bubble break-up and maximum dispersion of the injection.

Injection block and method

Disclosed is a valve and refractory construction in which the stationary plate and the sliding gate are of a bandless refractory. Similarly the lower nozzle, and collector nozzle are also bandless, along with the optional collector tip. Various refractory shapes are contemplated, but primarily a shape with a tapered face on the edge of the refractories, and which are engaged by clamps having a mating tapered face. The refractory can also be made in a single form for both the stationary plate and the sliding gate. All of the refractories are clamped in place by clamping members having tapered faces which engage the tapered faces or edges of the refractory. The nozzles are similarly engaged, but by an encircling support and clamp.

Valve, clamp, refractory and method

Refractory plate valves are shown for controlling flow of molten material with structure providing a uniform controllable variable sealing pressure over the entire area of the sliding plate surface which surrounds the depending nozzle sufficient to deflect the refractory plates into a sealing relationship to prevent the intrusion of the molten material between the plates. The uniform pressure is applied to the sliding plate by pressurizing a fluid within a chamber in the sliding gate carrier that is immediately below a flexible diaphragm supporting the sliding plate. This pressure is applied from an external or internal source and may be controlled during the tapping and teeming phases of the use cycle and additionally may be completely relieved for ease of opening and closing of the device during the service phase of the cycle.

Pressure fluid teeming valve and method

A sliding gate valve of the type in which refractory gates are sequentially disposed in operative position beneath the pour opening from a teeming vessel, such as a tundish, is effective to controllably throttle the metal flow stream from the vessel. Operator means for positioning the gates in order to control the degree of throttling of the flow stream are independent from the operator means for disposing the gates in their working position within the valve mechanism whereby the flow stream can be terminated without adjusting the throttling configuration of the valve. Means are provided, when the valve employs a pour tube attachment, for selectively changing gates and pour tubes in unison, or independently from one another. The valve mechanism and its replaceable refractory components are designed for the supply of fluids for cooling these members and for the injection of fluid reactants into the metal pouring process.

Full throttle valve and method of tube and gate change

A sliding gate valve of the type in which refractory gates are sequentially disposed in operative position beneath the pour opening from a teeming vessel, such as a tundish, is effective to controllably throttle the metal flow stream from the vessel. Separate drives are employed for disposing the gates in their operative position within the valve mechanism and for positioning the gates to control the degree of throttling of the flow stream from the vessel whereby the gates can be changed without altering the throttling configuration of the valve. Additionally the valve is adapted to accommodate pour tube attachments which may be changed either in conjunction with changes of the slide gates or independently thereof. The valve mechanism and its replaceable refractory components are designed for the supply of fluids for cooling these members and for the injection of fluid reactants into the metal pouring process.

A rotary valve for teeming fluid metal is disclosed having a frame for securing the same beneath a metal vessel which has a working nozzle at its lower portion. A rotary gate carrier is provided within the frame, and a rotary gate is secured thereatop with one or more depending nozzles. The top plate is substantially coplanar with the rotary gate. The metallic case holding the rotary gate has one or more depending nozzle cases with inwardly extending locks. Nozzle extensions with recessed portions proportioned to permit insertion in concert with the locks in a bayonet fastener type relationship are provided whereby the lower nozzle extensions can be replaced. Desirably the nozzles in the rotary gate have different diameter bores thereby permitting different flow rates in accordance with erosion and clogging. The method of the invention is directed to the supplying of a top plate and bottom rotary gate for a rotary valve in which the top plate is assembled by securing two or more identical pieces together and providing a teeming opening or openings. Similarly the rotary plate is formed from the same identical pieces as the top plate, but securing therein nozzles preferably having different diameter teeming openings. The nozzle portion of the rotary gate is completed by providing for removable securing of nozzle extensions at the lower portion of the nozzles.

Rotary valve

A sailboat roll furling system in which sails can be roll-furled inside of an extruded housing which is pivotally mounted on existing masts, headstays or under yardarms of square rigged vessels. The housing encloses a luff wire mounted for rotation within the housing by a pulley system. An arrangement including a boom car with line and pulley system is used to control the shape of the leech of the mainsail.

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Sarasota, FL, United States of America

Earl P Shapland