Charging apparatus for receptacle

Abstract

Disclosed is charging means for a shaft furnace such as an oil shale retort or blast furnace comprising a stationary outer distributor member having a donwardly converging inner wall and a movable member having upwardly converging upper wall, which latter member is adapted to move in an upright path between positions below and above the bottom of the distributor. A plurality of port means are fixed in the top wall of the furnace above the distributor members, each port means having a gas sealing valve and a material holding gate. Above the port means is a distribution hopper having a number of downwardly extending legs each connected to one of the port means, and adapted to distribute to each of the port means charge material that is supplied to the top of the distribution hopper through a material holding gate and a gas seal. The distribution hopper is supported by load cells which measure the weight of the charge material delivered to the distribution hopper. A plurality of stock rods in the furnace are adapted to be lowered to the height of the stockline in the furnace and then to be raised out of the way of charging material. These stock rods, valves, gates and load cells are connected to circuit means embodying a programmable logic unit that controls these ports to permit the charging to proceed automatically when the stock rods determine that the level of the stockline is sufficiently low to require the addition of charge material.