Allegheny Ludlum Industries, Inc.

Allegheny Ludlum Corporation

Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation

William M Bloom

David L Burk

Terence L Havranek

Robert J Hall

John F Deringer

An insulating heat re-radiation - retention and infiltration air free system and method is provided for processing heated articles, including upper and lower heat shields to form, in combination with spaced apart rollers employed to support the articles, a substantial infiltration air-free enclosure, each of the heat shields are made-up of substantially high purity 100% ceramic fiber which is relatively non-porous and gap free and having fiber hot faces, the fiber of the heat shields being compressed and maintained in a high density condition, the fiber of the lower heat shield being formed to contact the circumferences of the rollers in a manner to prevent air from passing into the enclosure, the upper and lower heat shields being maintained in close proximity with the heated articles.

Insulating heat retention system and method

A high temperature fan plug for a jet heat recuperator includes inner and outer face plates spaced apart by tubular spacers extending between the plates to form a heat insulative cavity. A fastener bolt extends from one face plate through a tubular spacer and projects from the other face plate. A spring with washers at opposite ends thereof is compressed by nut members on the end of the bolt which projects from the face plate for clamping the outer and inner face plates against the spacers. A hub structure carried by the inner and outer face plates receives a seal. The face plate exposed to high temperatures in the recuperator extends between spaced apart rings that are secured to a rim that is in turn carried by the other of the face plates. The rings slidably engage the outer peripheral portion of the face plate exposed to the high temperature environment.

High temperature fan plug apparatus

Ladles and the like into which hot metal is teemed are refractory lined to withstand the high-temperature effects of the hot metal. Prior to teeming of the hot metal into the ladle, the ladle is heated by applying a flame to the interior thereof, which flame is provided by a burner that directs the flame through a ladle cover plate having a substantially flat surface covered with heat-insulating refractory material, which surface is brought into sealing engagement with the ladle. This seal minimizes the amount of heat energy that escapes from the ladle to render the preheating operation more efficient. The rim of the ladle, which contacts in sealing engagement the heat-insulating refractory material of the ladle cover plate, causes wear and damage to the heat-insulating refractory material. Deposits of slag and metal build up along the rim of the ladle and this further contributes to the wear and damage to the heat-insulating refractory material when the ladle cover plate is brought into sealing engagement with the rim of the ladle. The present invention provides a ladle cover plate having a ring of refractory modules that are individually, removably secured to the surface of the ladle cover plate which ring mates with the ladle rim when the ladle cover plate is brought into sealing engagement therewith. Consequently, when excessive wear or damage occurs the modules may be removed and replaced in an efficient and economical manner.

Replaceable seals for ladle heaters

A steel strip such as stainless steel is passed in uncoiled form through a jet recuperator, an intermediate furnace section, and a main fired furnace section in which a fuel such as natural gas is burned. The exit end of the main furnace section has an opening only slightly greater than the cross-section of the strip. The strip is preheated in the jet recuperator by forcing waste gases from top and bottom waste gas chambers through holes in the bottom and top, respectively, of the waste gas chambers against both sides of the strip. The strip is further heated by the waste gases in the unfired intermediate section and brought to final temperature in the main fired section.

Method and apparatus for heating a workpiece

A furnace work supporting roll and a spare work roll are mounted on a frame in diametrically opposed positions with the spare roll normally out of the furnace. The frame is mounted on an axis parallel to the roll axis and equal distance therefrom. A water cooled shield is mounted on the frame between the rolls to protect the spare roll from the heat of the furnace and has an outer surface with a diameter equal to that between the outside of the rolls. To inspect and/or remove the work roll from the furnace, the frame is rotated so that the position of the rolls are reversed. A water cooled heat shield is provided at the ends of the diameter perpendicular to the diameter through the roll axes at a distance equal to that between the outside of the rolls. A roll supporting table beneath the position of the spare roll is movable toward and away from the frame.

Apparatus for supporting and removing a work supporting roll

Pieces of steel scrap are charged into a ladle by a magnet on a crane so that the central part of the charge is substantially denser than the peripheral part. A cover having a plurality of natural gas-oxygen burners mounted around its periphery is then placed on top of the ladle to obtain a substantially gas tight container except for a flue opening and some small openings due to a non-tight fit between ladle and cover adjacent the top. The burners direct their flames downwardly parallel to the sidewall of the ladle and the combustion gases are discharged through the flue opening. The flames are reducing in nature and the container is under a positive pressure. The heating is continued until the scrap is at a temperature of at least approximately 1,500.degree.F and preferably approaching the melting point of the scrap. Molten iron in substantially greater weight that the scrap and having a substantially higher carbon content is then poured into the ladle so that the majority of the scrap is melted. The mixture is then easily poured from the ladle into the oxygen converter.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

William M Bloom