An automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine and its working method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic unloading device and working method for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine. The device includes an oil inlet hydraulic main pipe, a cylinder, and an oil return hydraulic main pipe that are connected in sequence. A quick-action system is connected between the cylinder and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe as well as the oil return hydraulic main pipe. An oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and an oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively led out between the cylinder and the quick-action system. The oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively connected to the oil return hydraulic main pipe through unloading oil return branch pipes. Two-position four-way valves are provided on the two unloading oil return branch pipes. The two-position four-way valves respectively intercept a short-circuit branch at the upper and lower ends corresponding to the two unloading oil return branch pipes, and manual stop valves are provided on the short-circuit branches. The quick-action system and the two-position four-way valves are both connected to the control system for signal transmission. The present invention can achieve the active unloading of the cylinder, and has an emergency function to avoid the interruption of casting in the continuous casting machine. Combining with the usage method of the device, it can effectively reduce the labor intensity of workers and improve the service life of the robot equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic unloading of oil cylinders, and more specifically, to an automatic unloading device and working method for an oil cylinder of a ladle slide plate mechanism of a continuous casting machine. Background Art

[0002] During the continuous steel casting process of a continuous casting machine, after a ladle has poured out molten steel, the empty ladle needs to be transferred to the lifting area by a ladle turntable and waited to be lifted away by a traveling crane. At this time, the hydraulic cylinder installed on the slide plate mechanism of the ladle needs to be disassembled and left for reuse after the next new ladle filled with molten steel is lifted onto the ladle turntable and the hydraulic cylinder is installed on the slide plate mechanism. The ladle slide plate mechanism is fixedly installed on the side of the ladle nozzle. There is an oil cylinder mounting base inside the mechanism for installing the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder of the ladle slide plate mechanism can be installed in the oil cylinder mounting base of the slide plate mechanism and is detachable. The ladle slide plate mechanism controls the opening and closing of the slide plate mechanism through the telescopic movement of the hydraulic cylinder piston rod to control the flow rate of the molten steel flowing out of the ladle. The traditional installation method of the hydraulic cylinder is to manually and precisely fit the hydraulic cylinder with the oil cylinder mounting base and the hydraulic cylinder piston rod with the slide T-shaped connecting rod, and then use a manual bolt to fix the oil cylinder. Usually, the temperature of the molten steel in the ladle is about 1500 °C, and the surface temperature of the slide plate mechanism is above 100 °C. During the manual installation and disassembly process, workers need to endure long-term high-temperature baking and there is a safety hazard of scalding. Therefore, robots are used to replace manual operations. Using a robot to automatically install and remove the oil cylinder of the slide plate mechanism requires manual automatic control of the oil cylinder pressure unloading to reduce the friction force between the oil cylinder claw and the mechanism to an extremely low level. In the original system, at 18 MPa, the friction force is extremely large, exceeding the force that the robot can withstand, and the robot cannot automatically remove the oil cylinder. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Aiming at the deficiencies of the existing technology, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic unloading device and working method for an oil cylinder of a ladle slide plate mechanism of a continuous casting machine. The device of the present invention can achieve active unloading of the oil cylinder, facilitate the robot to automatically remove the oil cylinder, and has an emergency function to avoid continuous casting machine interruption, and is suitable for the working occasions of metallurgical continuous casting machines. The method of the present invention effectively reduces the labor intensity of workers and improves the service life of robot equipment.

[0004] The above technical object of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: An automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine, including an oil inlet hydraulic main pipe, a cylinder, and an oil return hydraulic main pipe that are connected in sequence. A quick-action system is connected between the cylinder and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe and the oil return hydraulic main pipe. An oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and an oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively led out between the cylinder and the quick-action system. The oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively connected to the oil return hydraulic main pipe through unloading oil return branch pipes. Two two-position four-way valves are provided on the two unloading oil return branch pipes. The two-position four-way valve intercepts a short-circuit branch at both the upper and lower ends corresponding to the two unloading oil return branch pipes, and manual stop valves are provided on the short-circuit branches; both the quick-action system and the two-position four-way valve are signal-connected to the control system.

[0005] Furthermore, a manual control action system parallel to the quick-action system is also provided between the oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe and the oil return hydraulic main pipe. The number of quick-action systems is two and they are connected in parallel with each other.

[0006] Furthermore, both the quick-action system and the manual control action system respectively include a three-position four-way valve, a hydraulic check valve, and a speed control valve that are connected in sequence.

[0007] Furthermore, the two-position four-way valve and the three-position four-way valve in the quick-action system are both electromagnetic directional control valves.

[0008] The present invention also includes a working method for the automatic unloading device of the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine, including the following steps:

[0009] S1. After the ladle is filled with molten steel, the empty ladle is transferred to the lifting area by the ladle turntable and waiting for the crane to lift it away. At this time, the operator issues a disassembly instruction through the control system;

[0010] S2. The control system sends an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve to get energized, so that the oil pressure in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the cylinder is unloaded into the oil return hydraulic main pipe, and then de-energized;

[0011] S3. The control system then transmits a disassembly signal to the robot system, removes the cylinder and grabs the cylinder back to the standby position to wait for the installation of the next ladle;

[0012] S4. The ladle filled with molten steel is lifted to the ladle turntable of the continuous casting machine. At this time, the operator issues an installation instruction through the control system;

[0013] S5. The control system transmits an installation signal to the robot system, and the robot grabs the cylinder and installs it on the ladle base;

[0014] S6. The operator issues a working instruction through the control system, and the quick-action system controls the molten steel to flow out to the tundish for casting;

[0015] S7. After casting is completed, repeat step S1.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes the steps for accident emergency: After the operator discovers a fault in the two-position four-way valve, open the manual stop valve to perform manual unloading work. After completion, close the manual stop valve to find the fault and resume normal operation.

[0017] Furthermore, in step S4, after the control system issues an installation instruction, first send an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve to energize it, then de-energize it, and then enter step S5.

[0018] Furthermore, the energization time of the two-position four-way valve is 8 - 12 seconds, and the operator controls the control system by means of a remote control console and its buttons.

[0019] Furthermore, in step S6, the control method of the quick-action system is to control the three-position four-way valve, hydraulic check valve, and speed control valve in the quick-action system, so that the hydraulic pressure of the inlet hydraulic main pipe is mutually conducted through the inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the return hydraulic branch pipe, and the piston rod of the oil cylinder drives the connecting ball head to push the slide mechanism to reciprocate; when the casting reaches the set flow rate, de-energize the three-position four-way valve and keep it until the casting is completed.

[0020] Furthermore, when the quick-action system fails, manually control the hand-controlled action system connected in parallel with the quick-action system to complete this step, and find the fault and resume normal operation.

[0021] In summary, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. The present invention can achieve the active unloading of the oil cylinder, which is convenient for the robot to automatically remove the oil cylinder, and has an emergency function to avoid the interruption of continuous casting. It is suitable for the working occasions of metallurgical continuous casting machines. Combining with the usage method of this device can effectively reduce the labor intensity of workers and improve the service life of robot equipment.

[0023] 2. The device structure of the present invention is simple in operation, stable in operation, and convenient in installation. A new set of two-position four-way valves for automatic unloading is added to the oil cylinder hydraulic control system. By remotely controlling the action of the two-position four-way valve, the rod chamber and the rodless chamber of the slide oil cylinder are communicated with the oil return port, so that the pressure in both chambers of the oil cylinder becomes 0, that is, the automatic unloading of the oil cylinder is realized, reducing the operation difficulty, improving the safety of the operation process, and being compatible with manual control. The pressure in both chambers of the oil cylinder can be unloaded manually in case of abnormal fixture.

[0024] 3. The method of the present invention ensures that before and after the robot loads and unloads the oil cylinder, the pressures in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the oil cylinder are zero. At this time, the friction force between the piston rod and the connecting ball head is reduced to zero, facilitating the robot to automatically load and unload the oil cylinder of the slide plate mechanism. This method replaces manual operation with a robot, completely eliminating personnel safety accidents, and has a simple and reliable structure and is easy to maintain.

[0025] 4. Before and after the robot loads and unloads the oil cylinder, the two-position four-way valve is energized and then de-energized to ensure that the robot can complete the operation, which can effectively reduce the equipment failure rate. At the same time, corresponding emergency measures are preset in each main working step to prevent failures such as circuit or remote control signals from affecting the continuous use of the continuous casting machine and avoid the possibility of the continuous casting machine stopping pouring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic unloading device for the oil cylinder of the ladle slide plate mechanism of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between the oil cylinder and the ladle of the present invention.

[0028] In the figure: 1. Quick action system; 2. Three-position four-way valve; 3. Hydraulic check valve; 4. Flow control valve; 5. Oil cylinder; 6. Inlet hydraulic branch pipe; 7. Return hydraulic branch pipe; 11. Manual action system; 12. Unloading return oil branch pipe; 13. Two-position four-way valve; 14. Manual stop valve; 15. Return hydraulic main pipe; 16. Inlet hydraulic main pipe; 17. Base; 18. Piston rod; 19. Connecting ball head; 20. Slide plate mechanism; 21. Ladle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and embodiments.

[0030] It should be noted that the orientation terms such as "upper" and "lower" involved in this article are relative to the perspective of the drawings and are only for the convenience of description and cannot be construed as a limitation to the technical solution.

[0031] Such as Figure 1As shown in the figure, an automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide plate mechanism of a continuous casting machine includes an oil inlet hydraulic main pipe 16, a cylinder 5, and an oil return hydraulic main pipe 15 that are connected in sequence. A quick action system 1 is connected between the cylinder 5, the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe 16, and the oil return hydraulic main pipe 15. An oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe 6 and an oil return hydraulic branch pipe 7 are respectively led out between the cylinder 5 and the quick action system 1. The oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe 6 and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe 7 are respectively connected to the oil return hydraulic main pipe 15 through unloading oil return branch pipes 12. Two-position four-way valves 13 are provided on the two unloading oil return branch pipes 12. The two-position four-way valve 13 intercepts a short connection branch at both the upper and lower ends corresponding to the two unloading oil return branch pipes 12, and manual stop valves 14 are provided on the short connection branches. Both the quick action system 1 and the two-position four-way valve 13 are signal-connected to the control system. The present invention can achieve the active unloading of the cylinder, facilitate the robot to automatically remove the cylinder 5, and has an emergency function to avoid the interruption of casting in the continuous casting machine. It is applicable to the working occasion of the metallurgical continuous casting machine, effectively reducing the labor intensity of workers and improving the service life of the robot equipment.

[0032] The device structure of the present invention is simple to operate, stable in operation, and convenient to install. A new set of two-position four-way valves 13 for automatic unloading is added to the hydraulic control system of the cylinder 5. By remotely controlling the energization and de-energization actions of the two-position four-way valve 13, the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the cylinder 5 on the slide plate mechanism 20 are communicated with the oil return hydraulic main pipe 15, so that the pressures in the two chambers of the cylinder 5 become 0, that is, the automatic unloading of the cylinder 5 is realized, reducing the operation difficulty of loading and unloading the cylinder 5, improving the safety of the operation process, being compatible with manual control and emergency protection measures. In case of abnormal clamping, the manual stop valve 14 can be controlled manually to unload the pressures in the two chambers of the cylinder, avoiding the possibility of continuous casting machine interruption in case of emergency failure.

[0033] In this embodiment, a manual control action system 11 parallel to the quick action system 1 is also provided between the oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe 6 and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe 7 and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe 16 and the oil return hydraulic main pipe 15. The number of quick action systems 1 is two and they are connected in parallel. Both the quick action system 1 and the manual control action system 11 respectively include a three-position four-way valve 2, a hydraulic check valve 3, and a speed control valve 4 that are connected in sequence. The two-position four-way valve and the three-position four-way valve in the quick action system are both electromagnetic reversing valves.

[0034] The operating system controls the combined actions of the three-position four-way valve 2, the hydraulic check valve 3, and the speed control valve 4 of the quick action system 1 through signals, such as Figure 2As shown in the figure, the piston rod 18 of the oil cylinder 5 drives the connecting ball head 19 to push the slide plate mechanism 20 to reciprocate back and forth, so as to control the outflow of molten steel in the ladle 21. Compared with only using one quick-action system 1, the function of setting two in this embodiment is to provide guarantee for the mainly used quick-action system 1. Especially when sudden failures and the like require repair and maintenance, in order to avoid the interruption of continuous casting and its continuous operation, the standby quick-action system 1 can be used to avoid affecting the quality and efficiency of the casting work. In addition, in order to prevent failures such as signal reception of the operating system from occurring, the operator can also use the manual control action system 11 to complete this part of the operation. The principle of the manual control action system 11 is the same as that of the quick-action system 1, but the difference is that the manual control action system 11 requires the operator to perform on-site control, and it can also be used as manual unloading of the oil cylinder 5. After the manual control action system 11 is used for operation when a failure is found, it is necessary to unload the oil circuit of the system through the stop valve short-circuited at the upper and lower ends of the manual control action system 11 to ensure that the reuse of the quick-action system 1 is not affected.

[0035] The present invention also provides a working method for an automatic unloading device of an oil cylinder of a ladle slide plate mechanism of a continuous casting machine, including the following steps:

[0036] S1. After the ladle 21 is filled with molten steel, the empty ladle 21 is transferred to the lifting area by the ladle turntable and waits to be lifted away by the overhead crane. At this time, the operator issues a disassembly instruction through the control system;

[0037] S2. The control system sends an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve 13 to be energized, so that the oil pressure in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the oil cylinder 5 is unloaded into the return oil hydraulic main pipe 15, and then de-energized;

[0038] S3. The control system then transmits a disassembly signal to the robot system, removes the oil cylinder 5 and grabs the oil cylinder 5 back to the standby position to wait for the installation of the next ladle 21;

[0039] S4. The ladle 21 filled with molten steel is lifted to the ladle turntable of the continuous casting machine. At this time, the operator issues an installation instruction through the control system;

[0040] S5. The control system transmits an installation signal to the robot system, and the robot grabs the oil cylinder 5 and installs it on the ladle base 17;

[0041] S6. The operator issues a working instruction through the control system, and the quick-action system 1 controls the molten steel to flow out to the tundish for casting;

[0042] S7. After casting is completed, repeat step S1.

[0043] This method uses a remote control console and its buttons to achieve remote control. The control system adopts a PLC system, which can realize the automatic continuous operation of the continuous casting machine and is applicable to the working occasions of metallurgical continuous casting machines. The method of the present invention ensures that before and after the robot loads and unloads the oil cylinder 5, the pressures in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the oil cylinder 5 are zero. At this time, the friction force between the piston rod and the connecting ball head is reduced to zero, facilitating the robot to automatically load and unload the oil cylinder 5 of the slide plate mechanism 20. This method replaces manual operation with a robot, completely eliminating personnel safety accidents, and has a simple and reliable structure and is easy to maintain.

[0044] The working method of the present invention further includes steps for accident emergency: after the operator discovers a failure of the two-position four-way valve 13, open the manual stop valve 14 to perform manual unloading work. After completion, close the manual stop valve 14 to find the fault and resume normal operation. During use and operation, debris may block the spool of the two-position four-way valve 13, causing the hydraulic oil circuit to be blocked, resulting in the inability to complete the normal unloading of the oil cylinder 5 of the slide plate mechanism 20; or an open circuit in the electrical wiring may cause the two-position four-way valve 13 to be unable to be energized and work properly. After the operator discovers the fault, manually turn and open the two manual stop valves 14 on the valve platform to connect the unloading oil circuit through the short-circuit branch for manual unloading work.

[0045] In step S4, after the control system issues an installation instruction, first send an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve 13 to be energized, then de-energized, and then enter step S5. The energization time of the two-position four-way valve 13 is 10 seconds to ensure the completion of oil circuit unloading. The purpose of opening the unloading circuit again is to ensure that the pressures in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the oil cylinder 5 of the slide plate mechanism 20 are zero at this time, facilitating the robot to reinstall the oil cylinder 5.

[0046] In step S6, the control mode of the fast-acting system 1 is to control the three-position four-way valve 2, the hydraulic check valve 3, and the throttle valve 4 in the fast-acting system 1, so that the hydraulic pressure of the inlet hydraulic main pipe 16 is mutually conducted through the inlet hydraulic branch pipe 6 and the return hydraulic branch pipe 7, and the piston rod 18 of the oil cylinder 5 drives the connecting ball head 1 to drive the slide plate mechanism 20 to reciprocate; when the casting reaches the set flow rate, the three-position four-way valve 2 is de-energized and maintained until the casting is completed. The de-energization of the three-position four-way valve 2 will produce a locking effect, which can close the return hydraulic main pipe 15 and the inlet hydraulic main pipe 16 circuits, and always maintain the hydraulic pressure to hold the slide plate mechanism 20, thereby realizing the maintenance of a fixed molten steel outflow rate until the casting is completed.

[0047] When the fast-acting system 1 fails, manually control the manual control system 11 connected in parallel with the fast-acting system 1 to complete this step, and find the fault and resume normal operation. In this method, corresponding to the working process of casting, emergency measures are also preset. The oil cylinder 5 can also be driven through the manual control system 11. Moreover, stop valves are short-circuited at the upper and lower ends of the manual control system 11 to protect the system and can be used to unload the oil circuit in the system when the system is not used during normal operation.

[0048] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the concept of the present invention belong to the protection scope of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, several improvements and refinements made without departing from the principle of the present invention should also be regarded as within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine, comprising an oil inlet hydraulic main pipe, a cylinder, and an oil return hydraulic main pipe that are connected in sequence. Characterized in that, A quick-action system is connected between the cylinder and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe and the oil return hydraulic main pipe. An oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and an oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively led out between the cylinder and the quick-action system. The oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe are respectively connected to the oil return hydraulic main pipe through unloading oil return branch pipes. Two two-position four-way valves are provided on the two unloading oil return branch pipes. The two-position four-way valve intercepts a short-circuit branch at both the upper and lower ends corresponding to the two unloading oil return branch pipes, and manual stop valves are provided on the short-circuit branches; the quick-action system and the two-position four-way valve are both connected to the control system by signals; A manual control action system parallel to the quick-action system is further provided between the oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe and the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe and the oil return hydraulic main pipe. The number of quick-action systems is two and they are connected in parallel; The two-position four-way valve and the three-position four-way valve in the quick-action system are both electromagnetic directional control valves.

2. The automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine according to claim 1, Characterized in that, The quick-action system and the manual control action system respectively include a three-position four-way valve, a hydraulic check valve, and a speed control valve that are connected in sequence.

3. A working method using the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine according to any one of claims 1-2, Characterized in that, It includes the following steps: S1. After the ladle is filled with molten steel, the empty ladle is transferred to the lifting area by the ladle turntable and waiting for the crane to lift it away. At this time, the operator issues a disassembly command through the control system; S2. The control system sends an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve to get energized, so that the oil pressure in the rod chamber and the non-rod chamber of the cylinder is unloaded into the oil return hydraulic main pipe, and then de-energized; S3. The control system then transmits a disassembly signal to the robot system, removes the cylinder and grabs the cylinder back to the standby position to wait for the installation of the next ladle; S4. The ladle filled with molten steel is lifted to the ladle turntable of the continuous casting machine. At this time, the operator issues an installation command through the control system; S5. The control system transmits an installation signal to the robot system, and the robot grabs the cylinder and installs it on the ladle base; S6. The operator issues a working command through the control system, and the quick-action system controls the molten steel to flow out into the tundish for casting; S7. After casting is completed, repeat step S1.

4. The working method of the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine according to claim 3, Characterized in that, It further includes the steps of accident emergency: after the operator discovers a fault in the two-position four-way valve, open the manual stop valve for manual unloading work, close the manual stop valve after completion to find the fault, and resume normal work.

5. The working method of the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine according to claim 3, Characterized in that, In step S4, after the control system issues an installation command, first send an electrical signal to the two-position four-way valve to get energized, then de-energized, and then enter step S5.

6. The working method of the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of a continuous casting machine according to claim 5, It is characterized in that the power-on time of the two-position four-way valve is 8 - 12 seconds, and the operator controls the control system through a remote control console and its buttons.

7. The working method of the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of the continuous casting machine as described in claim 3 It is characterized in that in the step S6, the control mode of the fast-acting system is to control the three-position four-way valve, the hydraulic check valve and the speed control valve in the fast-acting system, so that the hydraulic pressure of the oil inlet hydraulic main pipe is conducted to each other through the oil inlet hydraulic branch pipe and the oil return hydraulic branch pipe, and the piston rod of the cylinder drives the connecting ball head to push the slide mechanism to reciprocate; when the casting reaches the set flow rate, the three-position four-way valve is powered off and maintained until the casting is completed.

8. The working method of the automatic unloading device for the cylinder of the ladle slide mechanism of the continuous casting machine as described in claim 7 It is characterized in that when the fast-acting system fails, the manual control system parallel to the fast-acting system is manually controlled to complete this step, and the fault is found and the normal operation is restored.

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