Sleeve installation device and sleeve installation method

Abstract

To provide a sleeve installation device and a sleeve installation method for a furnace body that reduce damage when inserting a sleeve made of a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical pre-formed material into a furnace body, by aligning the center position of the furnace body with the center position of the sleeve. [Solution] The sleeve installation device 1 includes a fixing part 2 that can be attached to and detached from the sleeve 30, a hook attachment part 3 to which the hook 45 of the crane 50 can be attached, and a connecting part 4 that connects the fixing part 2 and the hook attachment part 3. Furthermore, it includes a protruding part 11 that protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. There are three or more protruding parts 11 and fixing parts 2, and they are arranged separately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve's central axis C.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for installing a sleeve made of a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical shaped standard material on a furnace body, and a method for installing a sleeve on a furnace body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when melting and / or refining metal, an apparatus for installing a sleeve made of a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical shaped standard material on a furnace body has been proposed. For example, the detachable crucible type induction melting furnace described in Patent Document 1 places a crucible formed of a shaped refractory material on the furnace bottom refractory material, supports the upper part of this crucible with an upper holding refractory material block arranged in a ring shape, and is characterized in that ceramic fiber is filled between the outer periphery of the crucible and a coil cement wound with a heating coil.

[0003] When setting the crucible on the furnace bottom refractory material, another crucible previously made of a shaped refractory material such as castable cement is carried in with a lifting tool and set on the furnace bottom refractory material. After that, the upper holding refractory material blocks are arranged in a ring shape on the upper part of the crucible to fix the crucible, thereby completing the replacement work. Therefore, since unfired powder refractory materials are not used as in the prior art, dust generation associated with the work does not occur, and the crucible can be replaced in about 2 hours, so it is described that the operation rate can be improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, conventional methods have the following problems. Referring to Figure 2 of Patent Document 1, the crucible is lifted by a crane or the like via a crucible lifting device and set on the furnace bottom refractory material. The part where the crucible is set is formed of ceramic fibers in a shape that follows the outer circumference of the crucible. When the crucible is inserted by the lifting device, if the radial center of the crucible and the radial center of the ceramic fibers do not coincide, it is conceivable that the outer circumference of the crucible and the ceramic fibers will come into contact and insertion will not be possible, or that one or both will be damaged.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to precisely match the position of the lifting device with the position of the crucible-type induction melting furnace, which presents the challenge of increased work time. Furthermore, even if the radial center of the crucible and the radial center of the ceramic fiber coincide, the frequency or duration of contact between the outer circumference of the crucible and the ceramic fiber during the insertion process may increase, potentially causing damage over a wide area. In any case, there is a challenge in that the crucible and / or ceramic fiber may be damaged during the operation.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a sleeve installation device and a sleeve installation method for a furnace body that reduce damage when inserting a sleeve made of a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical pre-formed material into the furnace body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A sleeve construction apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for constructing a sleeve made of a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical pre-formed material into a furnace body for melting and / or refining metal using a crane, wherein the sleeve central axis is defined as the axis extending from the cylindrical center of the sleeve, the direction perpendicular to the sleeve central axis is defined as the radial direction, and the apparatus comprises a fixing part that can be attached to the sleeve, a hook attachment part to which the hook of the crane can be attached, a connecting part that connects the fixing part and the hook attachment part, and a protruding part that protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the sleeve, and there are three or more of the protruding part and the fixing part, and they are arranged separately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve central axis.

[0009] According to this, the sleeve installation device has three or more protrusions and fixing parts separated in the circumferential direction, so that it is fixed to the sleeve in a state where unevenness is suppressed, and when the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, the protrusions which are dispersed in the circumferential direction are guided to the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body. Therefore, when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body, direct contact between the sleeve and the furnace body and damage to the sleeve or the furnace body is suppressed. The sleeve can be inserted into the furnace body with the radial center of the furnace body and the radial center of the sleeve in close proximity. Furthermore, when the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, a radial gap can be formed between the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body and the outer circumferential wall of the sleeve.

[0010] Furthermore, in the sleeve installation device, when the fixing part is attached to the sleeve, the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, and the sleeve's central axis and the furnace body's central axis are coaxial, if the radial distance between the outermost part of the protruding portion that protrudes the most in the radial direction and the sleeve's central axis is defined as the protrusion radius, the radius of the sleeve's outer circumference is defined as the sleeve's outer radius, and the radius of the furnace body's inner circumference is defined as the furnace body radius, then the first gap resulting from the difference between the furnace body radius and the protrusion radius may be smaller than the protrusion amount, which is the distance between the outermost part of the protruding portion and the outer circumference of the sleeve.

[0011] In this case, the first gap resulting from the difference between the furnace body radius and the protruding radius is smaller than the protrusion amount, which is the distance between the outermost part of the protrusion and the outer circumference of the sleeve. Therefore, by making the gap between the inner circumference of the furnace body and the outer circumference of the sleeve smaller than the protrusion amount, the misalignment between the central axis of the furnace body and the central axis of the sleeve can be reduced. Furthermore, the radial gap between the furnace body and the sleeve can be formed to be approximately uniform.

[0012] Furthermore, in the sleeve installation device, when the maximum protrusion of the largest protrusion is at its maximum and the minimum protrusion of the smallest protrusion is at its minimum, the difference between the maximum protrusion and the minimum protrusion may be less than or equal to the minimum first gap, which is the difference between the maximum protrusion radius of the largest protrusion and the furnace body radius.

[0013] In this case, the difference in the amount of protrusion between each protrusion is less than or equal to the difference between the maximum protrusion radius and the furnace body radius, so the sleeve central axis and the furnace body central axis can be brought closer together. Furthermore, the protrusions allow for a more uniform radial gap between the furnace body and the sleeve.

[0014] Furthermore, the sleeve installation device includes a clamp portion which is the fixing portion, and at least a part of the protruding portion is formed on the clamp portion. The clamp portion comprises a clamp body, an operating plate guided by the clamp body and sandwiching the end of the sleeve between itself and the protruding portion, and a pressing member that presses and holds the operating plate from the clamp body. When the clamp portion is attached to the sleeve, the clamp portion is fixed by the pressing member, with the protruding portion and the operating plate sandwiching the end of the sleeve. The protruding portion may directly or indirectly contact the outer circumference of the sleeve, forming a protrusion amount which is the distance between the outermost part and the outer circumference of the sleeve.

[0015] In this case, since a protrusion is formed on the clamp portion, which is the fixing portion, the protrusion is held more securely against the sleeve. Therefore, when it is attached to the sleeve and inserted into the furnace body, displacement of the protrusion when it comes into contact with the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body is suppressed, and it can be guided stably. Furthermore, since the protrusion on the clamp portion is attached by directly or indirectly contacting the outer circumference of the sleeve, the amount of protrusion of the protrusion is stably formed.

[0016] Furthermore, the sleeve installation device may include a holding portion in which the clamp portion holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve, the fixing portion also serves as the holding portion, and the holding portion holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve by the operating plate pressing the inner circumferential wall of the sleeve with the pressing member.

[0017] In this case, the clamp portion is equipped with a holding portion, and the holding portion holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve, so that problems such as the protruding portion curling up when the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body can be suppressed.

[0018] Furthermore, the sleeve installation device includes a clamp portion which is the fixing portion, the direction of the sleeve's central axis is vertical, and when the clamp portion and the connecting portion are attached to the sleeve, the connecting portion has a connecting portion bottom that is recessed below the upper end of the clamp portion, and the hook attachment portion may be formed at the bottom of the connecting portion.

[0019] In this case, the sleeve installation device allows the hook to be positioned below the upper end of the clamp when lifting the sleeve, thus reducing the height between the furnace body installation surface and the crane. Therefore, the crane height can be reduced when installing the sleeve, making installation work possible in places with low ceilings.

[0020] Furthermore, the connecting portion of the sleeve installation device may be integrally formed radially with respect to the hook mounting portion, and the fixing portions may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the hook mounting portion.

[0021] In this case, since the sleeve construction device can arrange the fixing parts at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve, when the hook attachment part is lifted by the hook, the inclination of the sleeve can be suppressed.

[0022] Further, in the sleeve construction device, the connecting part and the fixing part can change their connection positions with respect to each other, and the distance in the radial direction between the position where the fixing part is fixed to the sleeve and the hook attachment part may be changeable. In this case, since the position where the fixing part is fixed to the sleeve can be changed, it can be applied to the construction of a plurality of types of sleeves having different outer diameters.

[0023] Further, the sleeve construction device includes a clamp part as the fixing part, the clamp part and the connecting part are detachable from each other, and when the clamp part and the connecting part are attached to the sleeve, the radial end part of the connecting part may be located radially inside the outermost peripheral part that protrudes most in the radial direction of the protruding part.

[0024] In this case, since the radial end part of the connecting part is located radially inside the outermost peripheral part that protrudes most in the radial direction of the protruding part, interference between the connecting part and the furnace body when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body can be suppressed. Further, since the connecting part is detachable from the clamp part, the workability when attaching the clamp part to the sleeve is improved. Since the clamp part and the connecting part can be separated, it becomes compact during transportation.

[0025] Further, in the sleeve construction device, with the direction of the sleeve central axis being the vertical direction, when the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, a part of the connecting part that is radially outside the outermost peripheral part that protrudes most in the radial direction of the protruding part may be located above the upper end part of the furnace body.

[0026] In this case, among the connecting parts, the portion radially outside the outermost peripheral part that protrudes most in the radial direction of the protruding part is located above the upper end part of the furnace body when the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, so it is possible to suppress the connecting part from interfering with the furnace body.

[0027] Further, in the sleeve construction device, the direction in which the sleeve central axis extends is defined as the vertical direction, and the protruding part is formed in a vertical rib shape extending in the vertical direction from above the upper end part of the sleeve toward the lower end part of the sleeve. When attached to the sleeve, it may have a length that is at least 1 / 2 of the vertical dimension of the sleeve and extends to the lower end part of the sleeve.

[0028] In this case, since the protruding part has a length that is at least 1 / 2 of the vertical dimension of the sleeve and extends to the lower end part of the sleeve, when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body, the protruding part can be guided along the inner peripheral wall of the furnace body from an earlier stage.

[0029] Further, the sleeve construction device includes a holding part that holds the protruding part toward the outer periphery of the sleeve, and the holding part may be a belt-shaped or annular support belt that covers the protruding part from the outside in the radial direction. In this case, since the support belt as the holding part covers the protruding part from the outside in the radial direction, it is possible to suppress displacement when the protruding part contacts the inner peripheral wall of the furnace body.

[0030] Further, a support belt groove is formed on the outside in the radial direction of the protruding part of the sleeve construction device in a state where the protruding part is attached to the sleeve, and the support belt may be in a state where it has the same protruding amount as the protruding part in the radial direction or is recessed more than the protruding part when attached to the support belt groove.

[0031] In this case, when the support band is fitted into the support band groove, displacement is suppressed when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body. Furthermore, when the support band is fitted into the support band groove, it has the same amount of protrusion as the protrusion in the radial direction, or is recessed compared to the protrusion, so the support band does not come into contact with the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body and cause resistance during insertion when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body.

[0032] Furthermore, the sleeve installation device includes a clamp portion which is the fixing portion, and the protruding portion and the clamp portion may be formed separately and be able to be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction relative to the sleeve. In this case, since the fixing positions of the protruding portion and the clamp portion can be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction, they can be arranged in a state where bias is suppressed, and radial bias can be suppressed when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body.

[0033] A sleeve installation method according to a second aspect of the present invention is a method for installing a sleeve into a furnace body for melting and / or refining metal using the sleeve installation device, comprising the steps of: attaching the fixing portion, the protruding portion, and the connecting portion to the sleeve; attaching the hook of the crane to the hook attachment portion; lifting the sleeve with the crane, guiding the protruding portion along the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body, and inserting the sleeve into the furnace body; and removing the sleeve installation device from the sleeve installed in the furnace body, thereby forming a second gap between the outer circumferential wall of the sleeve and the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body.

[0034] According to this design, the sleeve can be inserted into the furnace body with the central axis of the sleeve and the central axis of the furnace body in close proximity. Therefore, after installation, a uniform radial gap can be formed between the furnace body and the sleeve, allowing the furnace to heat evenly from the outer circumference of the sleeve when melting and / or refining metal. Furthermore, when inserting the sleeve into the furnace body, the protruding portion guides the sleeve between the sleeve and the furnace body, thus suppressing damage to the sleeve and / or the furnace body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing a sleeve installation device 1a according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view from above, showing the case where there are four clamp portions 7a. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a plan view from above, showing the case where there are three clamp portions 7a. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a plan view from above, showing the case where there are five clamp portions 7a. [Figure 5] This is a detailed view of part A in Figure 1, showing the relationship between the clamp part 7a and the connecting part 4a, and steps (a) to (e) show the process of attaching the connecting part 4a to the clamp part 7a. [Figure 6] (a) is a view of B in Figure 5(d), a detailed view showing the relationship between the clamp portion 7a and the connecting portion 4a, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the section S1-S1 in Figure 5(d). [Figure 7] The first embodiment of the present invention shows a sleeve installation apparatus 1a, in which the mounting position of the connecting portion 4a to the clamp portion 7a is adjusted according to the outer radius R2 of the cylindrical sleeve 30a, and the sleeve 30a is inserted into the furnace body 34a of the induction furnace. (a) shows the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30a is radius R21, and (b) shows the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30a is radius R22. [Figure 8] The first embodiment of the present invention shows a sleeve installation apparatus 1a, in which the mounting position of the connecting portion 41 to the clamp portion 7a is adjusted according to the outer radius R2 of the cylindrical sleeve 30a, and the sleeve 30a is inserted into the furnace body 34a of the induction furnace. (a) shows the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30a is radius R23, and (b) shows the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30a is radius R24. [Figure 9] This diagram corresponds to Figure 7(a) and illustrates the predetermined range of the protrusion amount 21 of the protruding portion 11. [Figure 10]The procedure for installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a is shown, where (a) shows the process of lifting the sleeve 30a with the sleeve installation device 1a and moving it to the position of the furnace body 34a, and (b) shows the process of inserting the sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a. [Figure 11] The procedure for installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a is shown, where (a) shows the sleeve 30a inserted into the furnace body 34a, and (b) shows the process of removing the sleeve installation device 1a from the sleeve 30a and inserting backing material 48 for installation. [Figure 12] The procedure for installing a crucible-shaped sleeve 30b into the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a is shown, where (a) shows the process of lifting the sleeve 30a with the sleeve installation device 1a and moving it to the position of the furnace body 34b, and (b) shows the process of inserting the sleeve 30b into the furnace body 34b. [Figure 13] The procedure for installing a crucible-shaped sleeve 30b into the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a is shown, where (a) shows the sleeve 30b inserted into the furnace body 34b, and (b) shows the process of removing the sleeve installation device 1a from the sleeve 30b and installing the heating burner 53. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view showing sleeve installation apparatus 1b according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] Figure 14 is a plan view from above, showing the case where there are four clamp portions 7b. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view showing a sleeve installation device 1c according to a third embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the sleeve installation device 1c attached to the sleeve 30a, and (b) shows the sleeve 30a inserted into the furnace body 34. [Figure 17] Figure 16(a) is a plan view seen from above, showing the case where there are four clamp portions 7c. [Figure 18]The procedure for installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using a sleeve installation device 1c is shown, where (a) shows the process of lifting the sleeve 30a and moving it to the position of the furnace body 34a, and (b) shows the process of inserting the sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view showing a sleeve installation device 1d according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and shows the sleeve installation device 1d attached to the sleeve 30. [Figure 20] Figure 19 is a plan view seen from above. [Figure 21] This is a cross-sectional view showing the section S2-S2 in Figure 20. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view showing the procedure for attaching and detaching the sleeve installation device 1d to the sleeve 30. (a) shows the procedure for attaching the clamp part 7d to the sleeve 30, (b) shows the procedure for attaching the support band 62b, (c) shows the state in which the sleeve installation device 1d is attached to the sleeve 30, and (d) shows the procedure for removing the sleeve installation device 1d together with the support band 62b from the sleeve 30. [Figure 23] This is a perspective view showing a sleeve installation device 1e according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, showing the sleeve installation device 1e attached to the sleeve 30. [Figure 24] Figure 23 is a plan view seen from above. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view showing the section S3-S3 in Figure 24. [Figure 26] This is a perspective view showing the procedure for attaching and detaching the sleeve installation device 1e to the sleeve 30, where (a) shows the procedure for attaching the sleeve guide member 60 to the sleeve 30, (b) shows the procedure for attaching the clamp part 7e, (c) shows the state in which the sleeve installation device 1e is attached to the sleeve 30, (d) shows the procedure for removing the clamp part 7e from the sleeve 30, and (e) shows the procedure for removing the sleeve guide member 60 by the wire 66. [Figure 27] This is a plan view showing a sleeve installation device 1f according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] This is a cross-sectional view showing the section S4-S4 in Figure 27. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] The sleeve installation apparatus 1 and sleeve installation method embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments for carrying out the invention and the referenced drawings are used to explain the technical features that the present invention may adopt. The present invention is not limited to these. The configurations shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the invention to these configurations, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0037] <<Common configuration and effects of each embodiment>> <Overall Structure> A sleeve installation apparatus 1 according to a first aspect of the present invention will be described. First, a configuration common to each embodiment of the sleeve installation apparatus 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, etc., the sleeve installation apparatus 1 is an apparatus that uses a crane 50 to install a sleeve 30 made of a bottomed crucible-type or cylindrical pre-formed material into a furnace for melting and / or refining metal. In particular, the sleeve installation apparatus 1 is applied when there is a radial gap between the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30 during the process of inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the axis extending from the cylindrical center of the sleeve 30 is defined as the sleeve central axis C, and the direction perpendicular to the sleeve central axis C is defined as the radial direction. The sleeve installation device 1 includes a fixing part 2 that can be attached to the sleeve 30, a hook attachment part 3 to which the hook 45 of the crane 50 can be attached, and a connecting part 4 that connects the fixing part 2 and the hook attachment part 3. Furthermore, it includes a protruding part 11 that protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. There are three or more protruding parts 11 and fixing parts 2, and they are arranged separately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve central axis C. Examples of furnaces include induction furnaces and crucible furnaces. The sleeve installation device 1 can be used with any of these furnaces.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 13 and Figures 16 to 28, the clamp portion 7 and the connecting portion 4 may be separate components, or they may be a single integrated component as shown in Figures 14 and 15.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, and Figures 15, 17, 20, 24, and 27, the protruding portion 11 and the fixing portion 2 are provided in groups of three or more and are arranged separately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve central axis C. When the fixing portion 2 is attached to the sleeve 30, the hook attachment portion 3 is positioned close to the sleeve central axis C.

[0041] The example shown in Figure 2 has four protrusions 11 and four fixing parts 2, formed at the vertices of a quadrilateral with the sleeve's central axis C as the center. The example shown in Figure 3 has three protrusions 11 and three fixing parts 2, formed at the vertices of a triangle with the sleeve's central axis C as the center. The example shown in Figure 4 has five protrusions 11 and five fixing parts 2, formed at the vertices of a pentagon with the sleeve's central axis C as the center.

[0042] As will be explained in more detail later, the fixing part 2 may be a clamp part 7 that can be attached to and detached from the end of the sleeve 30, as shown in Figure 5, etc., or a fixing part 2f that can be attached to and detached from the inner peripheral wall 32 of the sleeve 30, as shown in Figures 27 and 28. In addition, the holding part 5 may be a clamp part 7 that also functions to hold the protruding part 11, as shown in Figure 5, etc., or a support band 62 that covers the protruding part 11 from the radial outside and holds it toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30, as shown in Figures 19 to 28.

[0043] <Effects of the overall structure> As described above, the overall configuration of the sleeve installation device 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention provides the following effects. As shown in Figure 11 and the like, the sleeve installation device 1 is equipped with a protrusion 11, so when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, the protrusion 11 is guided by the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34. Therefore, the sleeve installation device 1 can insert the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34 with the sleeve's central axis C and the furnace body's central axis in close proximity. In addition, damage to the sleeve 30 due to mutual interference when inserting it into the furnace body 34 can be suppressed. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7, 8, 11, and 13, when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, a second radial gap Δ2 can be formed between the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30.

[0044] <Dimensional relationship between the protruding portion 11, the sleeve 30, and the furnace body 34> Next, the dimensional relationship between the protrusion 11, the sleeve 30, and the furnace body 34 will be explained. Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the radial dimensional relationship between the protrusion 11, the outer peripheral wall 31 of the sleeve 30, and the inner peripheral wall 44 of the furnace body 34 will be explained when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34. The explanation will be given as an example when a cylindrical sleeve 30a is installed on the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using the sleeve installation device 1a. The same applies when using sleeve installation devices 1b to 1f, and when installing a crucible-shaped sleeve 30b in a crucible furnace. Also, Figures 7 and 8 show an example where the protrusion 11 is formed on the clamp portion 7a, but the same applies when the protrusion 11 is formed separately from the clamp portion 7, as shown in Figures 23 to 28.

[0045] Figures 7 and 8 show the state in which the clamp portion 7a is attached to the sleeve 30 by the sleeve installation device 1a, the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, and the sleeve central axis C and the furnace body central axis of the furnace body 34 are coaxial. In the protruding portion 11, the radial distance between the outermost outermost part 20 that protrudes the most in the radial direction and the sleeve central axis C is defined as the protrusion radius R1, the radius of the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 is defined as the sleeve outer radius R2, and the radius of the inner circumference of the furnace body 34 is defined as the furnace body radius R3. The first gap Δ1, which is the difference between the furnace body radius R3 and the protrusion radius R1, is smaller than the protrusion amount 21, which is the distance between the outermost outermost part 20 of the protruding portion 11 and the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. The first gap Δ1 is the gap between the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and the outermost outermost part 20 of the protruding portion 11. Note that the difference Δ3 between the protrusion radius R1 and the sleeve outer radius R2 corresponds to the protrusion amount 21.

[0046] The gap between the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30 and the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 is the second gap Δ2, which is the difference between the internal furnace radius R3 and the outer sleeve radius R2, and is the sum of the first gap Δ1 and the protrusion amount 21. In order to align the sleeve's central axis C with the furnace body's central axis in the post-construction state, the first gap Δ1 should be as small as possible. However, if the first gap Δ1 approaches zero, there is a high possibility that the protrusion 11 will interfere with the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, so it is desirable to make it small enough so as not to reduce work efficiency.

[0047] The radial protrusion amount 21 of the protruding portion 11 is set according to the required gap between the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30. Since the required gap differs depending on the type of furnace used, the radial protrusion amount 21 of the protruding portion 11 is set appropriately.

[0048] <Effects due to the dimensional relationship between the protruding portion 11, the sleeve 30, and the furnace body 34> As explained above, the dimensional relationship between the protruding portion 11 of the sleeve installation device 1, the sleeve 30, and the furnace body 34 provides the following effects. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the sleeve installation device 1 has a first gap Δ1, which is the difference between the furnace body radius R3 and the protruding radius R1, that is smaller than the protrusion amount 21, which is the distance between the outermost part 20 of the protruding portion 11 and the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. Therefore, by making the first gap Δ1 between the furnace body radius R3 and the protruding radius R1 smaller than the protrusion amount 21, the misalignment between the sleeve central axis C and the furnace body central axis of the furnace body 34 can be reduced. Furthermore, a constant radial gap can be secured between the sleeve 30 and the furnace body 34, and it can be formed almost uniformly.

[0049] It is extremely important to form a nearly uniform radial gap between the sleeve 30 and the furnace body 34. In the induction furnace shown in Figures 10 and 11, the furnace body 34a is used with an amorphous backing material 48 inserted and solidified between it and the sleeve 30a, as will be described later. As shown in Figure 11, in the induction furnace, the furnace body 34 is heated by the induction coil 36, and heat is transferred to the sleeve 30a via the backing material 48. At this time, if the second radial gap Δ2 between the sleeve 30a and the furnace body 34a is formed uniformly, the backing material 48 will be formed with a uniform thickness in the radial direction, and heat will be transferred to the sleeve 30a without unevenness. As a result, the metal or other material introduced into the sleeve 30a will be uniformly melted or refined.

[0050] As will be described later, in the crucible furnace shown in Figures 12 and 13, the heating medium emitted from the heating burner 53 circulates through the second gap Δ2 between the outer peripheral wall 31 of the crucible-shaped sleeve 30b and the inner peripheral wall 44 of the furnace body 34b. At this time, if the second gap Δ2 in the radial direction between the sleeve 30b and the furnace body 34b is formed uniformly, the heat from the heating medium is transferred to the sleeve 30b without unevenness. As a result, the metal or the like that introduced into the sleeve 30a is melted or refined uniformly.

[0051] <Range of the amount of protrusion 21 in the protruding portion 11> Next, with reference to Figure 9, the range of the protrusion amount 21 in the protrusion portion 11 will be explained. Note that Figure 9 is an example where the protrusion portion 11 is formed on the clamp portion 7a, which is the fixing portion 2, but the same applies when the protrusion portion 11 is formed separately from the clamp portion 7, as shown in Figures 23 to 28. In Figure 9, with the sleeve central axis C shown, the left side of the figure shows the maximum protrusion amount 21 of the maximum protrusion portion 11max, which is 21max, and the right side of the figure shows the minimum protrusion amount 21 of the minimum protrusion portion 11min, which is 21min. In the left side of the figure, it is shown that the gap between the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and the outermost periphery 20 of the maximum protrusion portion 11max is the minimum first gap Δ1min.

[0052] In the sleeve installation device 1, when the maximum protrusion amount 21max of the largest protrusion 11max and the minimum protrusion amount 21min of the smallest protrusion 11min are at their maximum, the difference between the maximum protrusion amount 21max and the minimum protrusion amount 21min is less than or equal to the minimum first gap Δ1min, which is the difference between the maximum protrusion radius R1max of the largest protrusion 11max and the furnace body radius R3. That is, the relationship Δ1min ≥ (21max - 21min) is satisfied.

[0053] In the examples shown in Figures 2 to 4, the outermost periphery 20 of each protrusion 11 is drawn to lie on the circumference of a circle with a protrusion radius R1. However, if manufacturing variations in the protrusion 11, or / or assembly variations when the clamp portion 7a is attached to the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30, the outermost periphery 20 of the protrusion 11 may not lie on the circumference of a circle with a protrusion radius R1. Therefore, the protrusions 11 are formed so that their respective protrusion amounts 21 fall within a predetermined range, taking into account various variations.

[0054] <Effects of the range of protrusion amount 21 in the protruding portion 11> As explained above, the following effects are achieved depending on the range of the protrusion amount 21 of the protruding portion 11 of the sleeve installation device 1. As shown in Figure 9, the sleeve installation device 1 has a minimum first gap Δ1min, which is the difference between the maximum protrusion amount 21 (21max-21min) between each protruding portion 11, which is the difference between the maximum protrusion radius R1max of the largest protruding portion 11max and the furnace body radius R3. Therefore, the sleeve central axis C and the furnace body central axis can be brought closer together. Furthermore, the protruding portion 11 makes it possible to form a more uniform radial gap between the furnace body 34 and the sleeve 30.

[0055] <<Common configuration and effects from the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment>> <Configuration of clamp section 7> Next, with the exception of the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment, we will describe the configuration common to the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment through to the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment. We will describe the configuration of the clamp part 7, which is the fixing part 2. The following explanation will use the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment as an example, but the configuration is common to the other embodiments as well.

[0056] As shown in Figure 5, the sleeve installation device 1a to the sleeve installation device 1e is equipped with a clamp portion 7, which is a fixing portion 2, and at least a part of the protrusion 11 is formed on the clamp portion 7. Specifically, when the clamp portion 7 is attached to the sleeve 30, the radial outer circumference corresponds to the protrusion 11. The clamp portion 7 comprises a clamp body 8, an operating plate 15 guided by the clamp body 8 and sandwiching the end of the sleeve 30 between itself and the protrusion 11, and a pressing member 13 that presses and holds the operating plate 15 from the clamp body 8. As a function of the fixing portion 2, the clamp portion 7 fixes the end of the sleeve 30 by sandwiching the protrusion 11 and the operating plate 15 with the pressing member 13. The protrusion 11 directly or indirectly contacts the outer circumference of the sleeve 30, forming a protrusion amount 21, which is the distance between the outermost outer circumference 20 and the outer circumference of the sleeve 30.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the clamp portion 7 includes a holding portion 5 that holds the protruding portion 11 toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. The fixing portion 2 also serves as the holding portion 5. The holding portion 5 holds the protruding portion 11 toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 by the operating plate 15 of the clamp portion 7 pressing against the inner circumferential wall 32 of the sleeve 30 with the pressing member 13.

[0058] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the configuration in which the clamp portion 7 is attached to the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 5(a), the clamp portion 7 comprises a clamp body 8 with a protruding portion 11, a support bridge portion 18, and an inner vertical portion 10. The inner vertical portion 10 has a guide hole 17, two bolts which are pressing members 13 that press and hold the operating plate 15, and a female screw portion 14 into which the pressing members 13 are screwed. A guide pin 16 is formed on the operating plate 15 and is guided by the guide hole 17 of the inner vertical portion 10 so that it can move radially. A rubber sheet which is an elastic material 12 is attached to the inside of the protruding portion 11 and the outside of the operating plate 15.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5(a), when attaching the clamp portion 7 to the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30, the end of the sleeve 30 is clamped between the protruding portion 11 and the operating plate 15, and the mounting portion 26 of the clamp body 8 is placed on the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30. Next, when the bolt, which is the pressing member 13, is rotated in the tightening direction, the operating plate 15 moves radially outward, and the protruding portion 11 and the operating plate 15 are fixed to the end of the sleeve 30 via the elastic material 12.

[0060] As shown in Figure 5(a), the connecting portion 4a is inserted between the support bridge portion 18 and the installation portion 26 of the clamp body 8, and as shown in Figure 5(b) or Figure 5(c), when it moves upward, the engaging portion 19 of the connecting portion 4a engages with the support bridge portion 18. Alternatively, as part of the work procedure, the clamp portion 7a may be attached to the end of the sleeve 30 with the connecting portion 4a temporarily inserted between the support bridge portion 18 and the installation portion 26 of the clamp body 8.

[0061] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the connecting portion 4a is inserted into a groove 25 formed in the clamp body 8. The connecting portion support portion 24 of the connecting portion 4a is formed with a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the groove 25. That is, the connecting portion 4a is guided by the groove 25 and can move in the vertical direction.

[0062] <Effects of the configuration of the clamp section 7> As explained above, the configuration of the clamp portion 7 of the sleeve installation device 1 provides the following effects. As shown in Figure 5, in the sleeve installation device 1, the protruding portion 11 of the clamp portion 7 is inserted into the sleeve 30 by directly or indirectly contacting the outer circumference of the sleeve. The clamp portion 7 is configured to clamp the sleeve 30 by fixing the protruding portion 11 to the end of the sleeve 30 and operating the operating plate 15 radially. Unlike the operating plate 15, whose position changes due to pressure from the pressing member 13, the protruding portion 11 is fixed to the outer circumference wall 31 of the sleeve 30, so there is little variation in the amount of protrusion 21. Therefore, the amount of protrusion 21 of the protruding portion 11 is stably formed.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the clamp portion 7 is equipped with a holding portion 5. The holding portion 5 holds the protruding portion 11 toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30, thereby suppressing problems such as the protruding portion 11 curling up when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34.

[0064] <Configuration of hook attachment section 3> Next, the hook attachment portion 3 will be described. The sleeve installation device 1 includes a clamp portion 7, which is a fixing portion 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 14, the hook attachment portion 3 is formed at the bottom 22 of the connecting portion, which is recessed below the upper end 9 of the clamp portion 7, when the connecting portion 4 is attached to the upper end 33 of the sleeve 30 via the clamp portion 7. Here, the direction in which the sleeve central axis C extends is defined as the vertical direction. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 14, the hook attachment portion 3 is formed at a distance F below the upper end 9 of the clamp portion 7.

[0065] As shown in Figures 10 and 12, when using the sleeve installation device 1, the distance F is set by the height H1 of the crane 50, the height L from the installation position of the crane 50 to the hook attachment part 3, the height h1 of the sleeve 30 to which the sleeve installation device 1 is attached, and the height h2 of the furnace body 34. That is, the distance F is set such that the relationship H1 > h1 + h2 + (LF) holds. If this relationship holds, it prevents interference with the furnace body 34 when using the sleeve installation device 1 to lift the sleeve 30 with the crane 50 and move it to the insertion position into the furnace body 34. As a result, the height H1 of the crane 50 can be lowered by distance F compared to the case where there is no recessed bottom of the connecting part 22 on the lower side and the hook attachment part 3 is formed at the height of the upper end 9 of the clamp part 7.

[0066] <Effects of the configuration of the hook attachment part 3> The configuration of the hook attachment part 3 described above provides the following effects. As shown in Figure 1, etc., the sleeve installation device 1 can position the vertical position of the hook 45 below the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30 when lifting the sleeve 30, thus reducing the height between the installation surface of the furnace body 34 and the crane 50. Therefore, the height H1 of the crane 50 when installing the sleeve 30 can be reduced, making it possible to perform installation work in places with low ceilings. Furthermore, since work at high places is reduced, safety during work is improved. As will be described later, the sleeve installation devices 1a, 1b, 1d, and 1e have more pronounced effects compared to the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment.

[0067] <<Common configuration and effects of the connecting part 4 from the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment, and from the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment>> Next, with the exception of the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment, the configuration of the connecting portion 4 common to the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment will be described. Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the configuration of the connecting portion 4 will be described using the sleeve installation device 1a as an example. The connecting portion 4 is integrally formed radially with the hook attachment portion 3 as the center. When the fixing portion 2 is attached to the connecting portion 4, the fixing portion 2 is arranged at equal intervals θ in the circumferential direction with the hook attachment portion 3 as the center. Note that integrally formed includes both those that are molded or processed as a single unit and those that are integrated by combining separate members.

[0068] Next, we will describe various examples of the configuration of the connecting portion 4. In the example shown in Figure 2, the connecting portion 4 is formed in a cross shape with the position where the hook attachment portion 3 is formed as the center, and a total of four clamp portions 7 are attached to the tip of the connecting portion 4. The clamp portions 7 are arranged at equal intervals of θ1 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, θ1 is an angle of 90°.

[0069] The connecting portion 4 in the example shown in Figure 2 is formed symmetrically with respect to the sleeve central axis C, as shown in Figure 1. That is, it is formed symmetrically on either side of the hook attachment portion 3 and extends continuously in the radial direction, as shown in Figure 2. The examples shown in Figures 15, 20, 24, and 27 are similar to those in Figure 2.

[0070] In the example shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 4 is formed in a Y-shape with the position where the hook attachment portion 3 is formed as the center, and a total of three clamp portions 7 are attached to the tip of the connecting portion 4. The clamp portions 7 are arranged at equal intervals of θ2 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, θ2 is an angle of 120°. In the example shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 4 is formed to bend and connect at the hook attachment portion 3.

[0071] In the example shown in Figure 4, the connecting section 4 is formed to extend in five directions from the position where the hook attachment section 3 is formed, and a total of five clamp sections 7 are attached to the tip of the connecting section 4. The clamp sections 7 are arranged at equal intervals of θ3 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, θ3 is an angle of 72°. Although the number of clamp sections 7 is shown as three, four, and five in the examples, any number of three or more can be arranged. In the example shown in Figure 4, the connecting section 4 is formed to bend and connect at the boundary of the hook attachment section 3. In the examples shown in Figures 2 to 4, the clamp sections 7 are shown to be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction from the position where the hook attachment section 3 is formed, but it is not necessarily required to be perfectly even. For example, it is sufficient to have at least one clamp section 7 in a 120° range obtained by dividing the circumferential direction into three equal parts.

[0072] <Effects of the configuration of the connecting section 4> The configuration of the connecting portion 4 described above provides the following effects. As shown in Figure 2, the sleeve installation device 1 can arrange the fixing portion 2 at equal intervals θ in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve 30, so that when the hook attachment portion 3 is lifted by the hook 45, the tilting of the sleeve 30 can be suppressed. Furthermore, when the protrusion portion 11 is formed on the clamp portion 7, the protrusion portion 11 is arranged at equal intervals θ in the circumferential direction, so that the radial gap between the furnace body 34 and the sleeve 30 can be made uniform in the circumferential direction.

[0073] <<Common configurations for sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment and sleeve installation devices 1d of the fourth embodiment through sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment>> Next, a common configuration will be described for the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment and the sleeve installation devices 1d of the fourth embodiment to 1f of the sixth embodiment. Referring to Figures 5, 7, and 8, a case will be described that corresponds to multiple types of sleeves 30 with different outer radii R2. The connecting parts 4a, 4d to 4f, and 41 and the fixing part 2 can change their connection positions to each other, and the radial distance between the position where the fixing part 2 is fixed to the sleeve 30 and the hook attachment part 3 can be changed.

[0074] First, the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment will be explained as an example. Figures 5 and 7 show the cases where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30 is radius R21 and radius R22. Specifically, Figures 5(b), 5(d), and 7(a) show the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve is radius R21, the protruding radius R1 is radius R11, and the internal radius R3 is radius R31. Figures 5(c), 5(e), and 7(b) show the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve is radius R22, the protruding radius R1 is radius R12, and the internal radius R3 is radius R32. There is a relationship where radius R22 > radius R21, and the engagement position between the support bridge portion 18 and the engagement portion 19 is adjusted according to the outer radius R2 of the sleeve for installation.

[0075] As shown in Figures 5(b) and 7(a), the connecting support portion 24 of the connecting portion 4a is inserted into the clamp portion 7a at a position where the radially outer support bridge portion 18 and the radially outer engaging portion 19 engage. As shown in Figure 5(d), when the hook 45 is lifted by the crane 50, the support bridge portion 18 and the engaging portion 19 engage and the sleeve 30 is lifted.

[0076] As shown in Figures 5(c) and 7(b), when the outer radius R2 of the sleeve is radius R22, the connecting support portion 24 of the connecting portion 4a is inserted into the clamp portion 7a at a position where the radially inner support bridge portion 18 and the radially outer engaging portion 19 engage. This increases the distance between the hook mounting portion 3 and the clamp portion 7a. As shown in Figure 5(e), when the hook 45 is lifted by the crane 50, the support bridge portion 18 and the engaging portion 19 engage and the sleeve 30 is lifted. The configuration described above is the same for the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment and the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment.

[0077] Next, the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 27 and 28. As shown in Figure 27, the connecting portion 4f has a connecting portion arm 23 integrally formed in a cross shape. The auxiliary plate 67 is radially movable relative to the connecting portion arm 23 and is fixed to the inner circumferential wall 32 of the sleeve 30 via an elastic material 12 by a fastening member 68. The fastening member 68 consists of a bolt and nut and a spring washer. The auxiliary plate 67 is radially adjustable according to the inner diameter of the sleeve 30. The fixing portion 2f is composed of the connecting portion arm 23, the auxiliary plate 67, the fastening member 68, and the elastic material 12.

[0078] Next, the positional relationship between the protruding portion 11 and the radial end portion 28 of the connecting portion 4 when the sleeve installation device 1 is in a state where it can lift the sleeve 30 will be explained. Figures 5(d) and 5(e) show the state where the connecting portion 4 is attached to the clamp portion 7 and the sleeve installation device 1 is in a state where it can lift the sleeve 30 by the crane 50. When the clamp portion 7 and the connecting portion 4 are attached to the sleeve 30, the radial end portion 28 of the connecting portion 4 is located radially inward from the outermost outermost portion 20 of the protruding portion 11. In the examples shown in Figures 5(b), 5(d), and 7(a), the end portion 28 of the connecting portion 4a is radially inward by g1 from the outermost outermost portion 20 of the protruding portion 11. Also, in the examples shown in Figures 5(c), 5(e), and 7(b), the end portion 28 of the connecting portion 4 is radially inward by g2 from the outermost outermost portion 20 of the protruding portion 11. In other words, in the examples shown in Figures 5 and 7, regardless of the engagement position between the support bridge portion 18 and the engaging portion 19 of the connecting portion support 24, the end portion 28 of the connecting portion 4 is located inside the outermost periphery 20 of the protruding portion 11.

[0079] Next, referring to Figure 8, we will explain the case where the outer radius R2 of the sleeve is R23 and R24. This is the case where the difference between radius R23 and radius R24 is greater than the difference between radius R21 and radius R22. As shown in Figure 8, this can be applied by extending the connecting portion 41, which is the connecting portion 4, in the radial direction and increasing the number of engaging portions 19.

[0080] The connecting portion 41 shown in Figure 8 has a connecting portion support portion 24 that is longer in the radial direction compared to the connecting portion 4 in the example shown in Figures 5 and 7, in order to accommodate various sleeve outer radii R2 of the sleeve 30, and has four engaging portions 19. The engagement position of the engaging portions 19 of the connecting portion 41 with respect to the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7 is selected according to the sleeve outer radius R2. As shown in Figure 8(a), when the sleeve outer radius R2 is radius R23, the protruding radius R1 is radius R13, and the furnace body radius R3 is radius R33, the two innermost engaging portions 19 of the connecting portion 41 engage with the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7. As shown in Figure 8(b), when the sleeve outer radius R2 is radius R24, the protruding radius R1 is radius R14, and the furnace body radius R3 is radius R34, the two outermost engaging portions 19 of the connecting portion 41 engage with the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7. Although not shown in the diagram, when the outer radius R2 of the sleeve is midway between radii R23 and R24, the two central engagement portions 19 engage with the support bridge portion 18.

[0081] As shown in Figures 27 and 28, in the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment, the connecting portion 4f is located on the inner circumference of the sleeve 30, so the radial end of the connecting portion 4f is located radially inward from the outermost outermost portion 20 that protrudes the radially most from the protruding portion 11.

[0082] As shown in Figure 8(a), when the connecting portion 41 is attached to the clamp portion 7, the radial end portion 28 centered on the hook attachment portion 3 may extend outward beyond the circumference of the protrusion radius R1. In this case, when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, the portion of the connecting portion 41 that is radially outside the protrusion radius R1 with respect to the sleeve central axis C is located above the upper end portion 46 of the furnace body 34.

[0083] In the example shown in Figure 8, there is a vertical gap g3 between the lower end of the connecting support portion 24 and the upper end 46 of the furnace body 34. The lower end of the connecting support portion 24 is placed on the connecting portion mounting portion 29 of the clamp portion 7. The connecting portion mounting portion 29 is formed above the mounting portion 26 on which the clamp portion 7 is placed on the upper end 33 of the sleeve 30. As a result, the connecting portion 41 is positioned at least above the upper end 33 of the sleeve 30 to which it is attached.

[0084] In the examples shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the configuration is adjusted in stages by the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7a and the engaging portions 19 of the connecting portions 4 and 41, but a configuration that allows for stepless adjustment is also possible. Alternatively, the connecting portion arm portion 23 of the connecting portion 4 and a part of the connecting portion support portion 24 may be made interchangeable.

[0085] <<Effects of the common configuration from the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment through to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment>> The sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment and the sleeve installation devices 1d of the fourth embodiment to 1f of the sixth embodiment, which share a common configuration, provide the following effects in addition to the effects of the common configuration already described. As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the connecting parts 4a, 41, and 4d to 4f and the fixing part 2 are adjustable in their connection positions, and the position where the fixing part 2 is fixed to the sleeve 30 and the radial distance from the hook attachment part 3 can be changed. Therefore, the sleeve installation device 1 can be applied to the installation of multiple types of sleeves 30 with different outer radii R2.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the radial end 28 of the connecting portion 4 is located radially inward from the outermost outermost portion 20 of the protruding portion 11, which protrudes the most radially. This prevents the connecting portion 4 from interfering with the furnace body 34 when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34. In addition, since the connecting portion 4 is detachable from the fixing portion 2, the workability when inserting the fixing portion 2 into the sleeve 30 is improved. The fixing portion 2 and the connecting portion 4 can be separated, making them more compact during transport.

[0087] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the end 28 of the connecting portion 41 may be located outside the end 28 of the clamp portion 7. In this case, when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, the portion of the connecting portion 41 that is radially outside the protrusion radius R1 is located above the upper end 46 of the furnace body 34, thus preventing interference between the connecting portion 41 and the furnace body 34. Note that the connecting portion 41 in the example shown in Figure 8 has a long radially extending connecting portion support portion 24 so that it can be used when the sleeve outer radius R2 is radius R24, as shown in Figure 8(b).

[0088] <Configuration and effects of the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment> Next, the specific configuration and effects of the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment according to the first aspect of the present invention will be described. Common configurations with other embodiments already described will be omitted. As shown in Figures 1, 5, and 6, the sleeve installation device 1a has a clamp portion 7a that also serves as a fixing portion 2 and a holding portion 5. Furthermore, a protruding portion 11 is formed on the clamp portion 7a. As shown in Figure 1, the protruding portion 11 formed on the clamp portion 7a is formed in the vicinity of the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30 when the clamp portion 7a is attached to the sleeve 30. The hook attachment portion 3 is formed integrally with the connecting portion 4a. For example, both the clamp portion 7a and the connecting portion 4a are members formed from steel.

[0089] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the connecting portion 4a comprises a connecting portion support portion 24 extending horizontally and supporting the clamp portion 7a, a connecting portion arm portion 23 connected to the connecting portion support portion 24 and extending diagonally downward, and a connecting portion bottom portion 22 connected to the connecting portion arm portion 23 and extending horizontally. The hook attachment portion 3 is formed on the connecting portion bottom portion 22. The position where the hook 45 and the hook attachment portion 3 engage is located below the upper end portion 9 of the clamp portion 7a when the connecting portion 4a is supporting the clamp portion 7a. As already described, the hook attachment portion 3 is formed at a distance F below the upper end portion 9 of the clamp portion 7a.

[0090] The connecting portion 4a in the example shown in Figure 2 is formed symmetrically with respect to the sleeve central axis C, as shown in Figure 1. That is, it is formed symmetrically on either side of the hook attachment portion 3 and extends continuously in the radial direction as shown in Figure 2. The connecting portions 4a in the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4 are formed to bend and connect at the hook attachment portion 3, as shown in their respective figures.

[0091] The effects of the configuration of the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment described above are as shown in the common effects already described.

[0092] <Configuration of the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment> Next, the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The sleeve installation device 1b differs from the sleeve installation device 1a in that the clamp portion 7b and the connecting portion 4b are integrally formed. Here, integral includes cases where the clamp portion 7b and the connecting portion 4b are integrally molded or processed, and cases where they are integrally assembled. For example, the clamp portion 7b and the connecting portion 4b are formed from steel. The clamp portion 7b is similar to the configuration described with reference to Figures 5 and 6, as shown in Figure 14, except that it is integrally formed with the connecting portion 4b. Also, similar to the sleeve installation device 1a, the hook mounting portion 3 is integrally formed with the connecting portion 4b.

[0093] In the example shown in Figure 15, there are four clamp portions 7b, arranged at equal intervals θ1 in the circumferential direction. Similarly, the outermost periphery 20 of the protruding portion 11 has a protruding radius R1. As explained in Figures 3 and 4 for the sleeve installation device 1a, three or more clamp portions 7b are also acceptable. The sleeve installation device 1b can be used for both the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace and the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace, similar to the sleeve installation device 1a.

[0094] <Effects of the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment> The configuration of the sleeve installation device 1b described above provides the following effects in addition to the effects of the common configuration already described. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the clamp portion 7b and the connecting portion 4b of the sleeve installation device 1b are integrally formed. Therefore, the amount of work required at the construction site can be reduced.

[0095] <Configuration of the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment> Next, the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 18. The sleeve installation device 1c differs from the other embodiments in the configuration of the connecting portion 4c. As shown in Figure 16, the connecting portion 4c is formed of a wire or rope, and the connecting portion 4c is passed through the support hole 27 of the clamp portion 7c. The hook attachment portion 3 fastens the connecting portion 4c of the wire, etc., at a position corresponding to the sleeve's central axis C, and a hook 45 is attached to it. The configuration in which the clamp portion 7c is attached to the end of the sleeve 30 is the same as that of the clamp portion 7a, etc., as shown in Figure 16.

[0096] The example shown in Figure 17 illustrates the case where there are four clamping sections 7c, and they can be attached to the sleeve 30 at equal intervals θ1 in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve's central axis C. Since the connecting section 4c is flexible, the clamping sections 7c can be clamped at any position in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the clamping sections 7c can clamp even if the outer radius R2 of the sleeve 30 is different. Similar to the sleeve installation device 1a, three or more clamping sections 7c are sufficient. Figures 16 and 18 show an example of using the sleeve installation device 1c on the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace, but like the sleeve installation device 1a, it can also be used on the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace.

[0097] Unlike sleeve installation devices 1a and others, the sleeve installation device 1c has a hook attachment portion 3 that is above the upper end portion 9 of the clamp portion 7c. As shown in Figure 18, the distance F between the hook attachment portion 3 and the upper end portion 9 of the clamp portion 7 is set by the height H2 of the crane 50, the height L from the installation position of the crane 50 to the hook attachment portion 3, the height h1 of the sleeve 30 to which the sleeve installation device 1c is attached, and the height h2 of the furnace body 34. That is, the distance F is set such that the relationship H2 > h1 + h2 + (L + F) holds. If this relationship holds, it prevents interference with the furnace body 34 when the sleeve installation device 1c is used to lift the sleeve 30 with the crane 50 and move it to the insertion position into the furnace body 34.

[0098] This section compares the case when using sleeve installation device 1c with the case when using sleeve installation device 1a, etc. In sleeve installation device 1a, etc., the height H1 of the crane 50 is H1 > h1 + h2 + (LF). In sleeve installation device 1a, etc. and sleeve installation device 1c, there is a difference between H1 and H2, (LF) and (L + F), so height H2 > height H1. In other words, the sleeve installation device 1a of the first embodiment and the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment can lower the height of the crane 50 compared to the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment. Similarly, the sleeve installation devices 1d of the fourth embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment, which will be described later, can also lower the height of the crane 50 compared to the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment.

[0099] <Effects of the sleeve installation device 1c of the third embodiment> The configuration of the sleeve installation device 1c described above provides the following advantages in addition to the effects of the common configuration already explained. As shown in Figures 16 to 18, the configuration is simple because it is formed by a wire or rope, which is the connecting part 4c. Therefore, the sleeve installation device 1c can be compactly assembled for transport. It can also be manufactured at low cost.

[0100] <<Common configuration from sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment to sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment>> Next, referring to Figures 19 to 28, a common configuration will be described for the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment. The direction in which the sleeve central axis C extends is defined as the vertical direction. The protrusion 11 is formed as a vertical strip extending vertically from above the upper end 33 of the sleeve 30 toward the lower end of the sleeve 30. When the protrusion 11 is attached to the sleeve 30, its length is at least half of the vertical dimension of the sleeve 30 and extends to the lower end of the sleeve 30.

[0101] Furthermore, the sleeve installation device 1 includes a holding part 5 that holds the protruding portion 11 toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30. As shown in Figure 19, the holding part 5 is a band-shaped or annular support band 62 that covers the protruding portion 11 from the radially outer side. The support band 62 is preferably made of an elastic material. The support band 62 may be formed in an annular shape, or it may be formed in a band shape and held in place by hook-and-loop fasteners or other fasteners that cover the protruding portion 11. An inclined portion 64 is formed at the lower end of the protruding portion 11. It is preferable that the protruding portion 11 extends to a position adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve 30.

[0102] Furthermore, when the protruding portion 11 is mounted on the sleeve 30, a support band groove 63 is formed on its radially outer side, and when the support band 62 is mounted in the support band groove 63, it has the same amount of protrusion 21 as the protruding portion 11 in the radial direction, or it is recessed compared to the protruding portion 11.

[0103] <<Effects of the common configuration from the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment>> The following effects are achieved by the common configuration from the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment to the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment described above. As shown in Figure 19, the protrusion 11 is at least half the length of the vertical dimension of the sleeve 30 and is the length up to the lower end of the sleeve 30. Therefore, when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, the protrusion 11 can be guided to the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 from an earlier stage.

[0104] Furthermore, since the support band 62, which is the holding portion 5, covers the protrusion 11 from the radial outside, displacement when the protrusion 11 comes into contact with the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 can be suppressed. Moreover, if the protrusion 11 extends to a position adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve 30, the protrusion 11 can be guided to the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 from an even earlier stage.

[0105] Furthermore, when the support band 62 is fitted into the support band groove 63, displacement is suppressed when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34. In addition, as shown in Figure 21, when the support band 62 is fitted into the support band groove 63, it has the same protrusion amount 21 as the protrusion 11 in the radial direction, or is recessed compared to the protrusion 11, so that when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, the support band 62 does not come into contact with the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and cause resistance during insertion. Furthermore, when removing the sleeve installation device 1 from the sleeve 30 and lifting it, the support band 62 is lifted together with the protrusion 11 while engaged with the support band groove 63.

[0106] <Configuration of the sleeve installation device 1d in the fourth embodiment> Next, the configuration of the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 19 to 22. Content already described will be omitted. Similar to the clamp portion 7a of the sleeve installation device 1a, the sleeve installation device 1d has a vertical reinforcement portion 61a, which is a protruding portion 11, formed on the clamp portion 7d, which is the fixing portion 2. When attached to the sleeve 30, the lower end of the vertical reinforcement portion 61a extends to a position adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve 30. The clamp portion 7d has the same configuration as the clamp portion 7a, as shown in Figure 21, except that the protruding portion 11 is formed on and extends from the vertical reinforcement portion 61a. The clamp portion 7d also functions as the holding portion 5. Furthermore, the connecting portion 4d is the same as the connecting portion 4a of the sleeve installation device 1a.

[0107] As shown in Figure 21, support band grooves 63a are formed in two locations on the vertical reinforcement section 61a, and the support band 62a is attached so as to fit into the support band grooves 63a. An elastic material 12 is attached to the vertical reinforcement section 61a at a position corresponding to the support band grooves 63a between it and the outer peripheral wall 31 of the sleeve 30. The support band grooves 63a are formed near the lower end of the vertical reinforcement section 61a and approximately midway in the vertical direction of the sleeve 30. Referring to Figure 22, the procedure for attaching the sleeve installation device 1d to the sleeve 30 will be described. As shown in Figure 22(a), first, the clamp section 7d is attached to the sleeve 30. Next, as shown in Figure 22(b), the support band 62a is attached to the support band grooves 63a. The support band 62a is preferably made of an elastic material and functions as a holding section 5 that holds the vertical reinforcement section 61a toward the outer peripheral side of the sleeve 30 when attached to the vertical reinforcement section 61a.

[0108] Figure 22(c) shows the sleeve installation device 1d attached to the sleeve 30. In this state, the sleeve 30 is lifted by the crane 50 and inserted into the furnace body 34. After the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, the clamp portion 7d is removed from the sleeve 30 as shown in Figure 22(d), and the sleeve installation device 1d is lifted by the crane 50. At this time, the support band 62a holds the vertical reinforcement portion 61a toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 and also engages with the support band groove 63a, so it is lifted together with the vertical reinforcement portion 61a.

[0109] <Effects of the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment> The configuration of the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment described above provides the following effects. In the sleeve installation device 1d, the vertical reinforcement portion 61a is at least half the length of the vertical dimension of the sleeve 30, and preferably extends to a position adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve 30. Therefore, when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, the sleeve 30 is guided to the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 by the vertical reinforcement portion 61a from the initial stage. This prevents the lower end of the sleeve 30 from directly contacting and damaging the furnace body 34.

[0110] Furthermore, since the vertical reinforcement portion 61a is integrally formed with the clamp portion 7d, the time required for attaching and detaching the sleeve 30 is reduced. In addition, since the support band groove 63a is formed near the lower end of the vertical reinforcement portion 61a and approximately midway between the vertical position of the sleeve 30, the vertical reinforcement portion 61a is stably held on the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 by the support band 62a. Therefore, problems such as the vertical reinforcement portion 61a shifting or curling up during the process of inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34 can be suppressed. Moreover, the sleeve installation device 1d can be easily removed from the sleeve 30 after it has been inserted into the furnace body 34.

[0111] <Configuration of the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment> Next, the configuration of the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 23 to 26. The sleeve installation device 1e includes a clamp portion 7e which is a fixing portion 2, and the protruding portion 11 and the clamp portion 7e are formed separately and can be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve 30. It differs from the sleeve installation device 1d in that the protruding portion 11 and the clamp portion 7e are separate, and the sleeve guide member 60 includes the vertical reinforcement portion 61b which is the protruding portion 11. As shown in Figure 25, the clamp portion 7e and the connecting portion 4e have the same configuration as the clamp portion 7a and connecting portion 4a of the sleeve installation device 1a, etc. The material of the vertical reinforcement portion 61b which is the protruding portion 11 may be the same as or different from that of the clamp portion 7a. For example, the vertical reinforcement portion 61b may be an elastic material, polystyrene, or other material.

[0112] In the example shown in Figure 23, the sleeve guide member 60 comprises four longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b and three support strips 62b that serve as holding sections 5. In the circumferential direction, the clamp sections 7e and longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b can be arranged alternately. As shown in the example in Figure 24, if there are four clamp sections 7e, there are also four longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b. Similarly, if there are three clamp sections 7e, there are also three longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b, and if there are five clamp sections 7e, there are also five longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b. Note that the number of clamp sections 7e and longitudinal reinforcement sections 61b do not necessarily have to be the same.

[0113] As shown in Figure 23, the vertical reinforcement portion 61b protrudes above the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30 when attached to the sleeve 30, forming a wire hole 65. In the example shown in Figure 23, the vertical reinforcement portion 61b, which is the protruding portion 11, extends to a position adjacent to the lower end portion of the sleeve 30, but it may also be formed in the vicinity of the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30, as in the sleeve installation device 1a shown in Figure 1.

[0114] Next, referring to Figure 26, the procedure for attaching and detaching the sleeve installation device 1e to the sleeve 30 will be described. As shown in Figure 26(a), the sleeve guide member 60 is attached to the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 and held in place by the support band 62b. The support band 62b is attached by fitting it into the support band groove 63b formed in the vertical reinforcement portion 61b. As shown in Figure 26(b), the clamp portion 7e and the connecting portion 4e are attached to the end of the sleeve 30, resulting in the state shown in Figure 26(c). In this state, the sleeve 30 is lifted by the crane 50 and inserted into the furnace body 34. As shown in Figure 26(d), after inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, the clamp portion 7e and the connecting portion 4e are removed from the sleeve 30. Finally, as shown in Figure 26(e), a wire for lifting with the crane 50 is passed through the wire hole 65 and the sleeve guide member 60 is lifted. At this time, the support band 62b holds the vertical reinforcement portion 61b toward the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 and also engages with the support band groove 63b, so that both the vertical reinforcement portion 61b and the support band 62b are lifted.

[0115] <Effects of the configuration of the sleeve installation device 1e in the fifth embodiment> The configuration of the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment described above provides the following effects. Since the protruding portion 11 and the fixed position of the clamp portion 7e can be arranged alternately, the arrangement is such that bias in the circumferential direction is suppressed, and when inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34, radial bias can be suppressed.

[0116] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 26, the sleeve installation device 1e comprises a clamp section 7e, a connecting section 4e, a hook attachment section 3, and a sleeve guide member 60. The clamp section 7e and the connecting section 4e, which forms the hook attachment section 3, are separate components. In addition, the longitudinal reinforcement section 61b and the support band 62b, which are the long protruding sections 11 of the sleeve guide member 60, are separate components. Therefore, the components can be made compact when transporting the sleeve installation device 1e to the construction site. Furthermore, since each component is formed separately, it is easy to attach to the sleeve 30. Also, the sleeve installation device 1e can be easily removed from the sleeve 30 after it has been inserted into the furnace body 34.

[0117] <Configuration and effects of the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment> Next, the configuration of the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 27 and 28. The sleeve installation device 1f comprises a fixing part 2f, a connecting part 4f on which a hook attachment part 3 is formed, and a sleeve guide member 60. The sleeve guide member 60 has the same configuration as the sleeve installation device 1e. The difference from the other embodiments is that the fixing part 2f can be fixed to the inner circumferential wall 32 of the sleeve 30. As already described, the configuration allows the connecting part 4f and the fixing part 2f to adjust their connection positions. The procedure for attaching the sleeve guide member 60 to the sleeve 30 is the same as that of the sleeve installation device 1e. As shown in Figure 28, the fixing part 2f is fixed below the upper end part 33 of the sleeve 30. The hook attachment part 3 is formed at a distance F below the upper end part 9 of the sleeve guide member 60. In the example shown in Figure 28, the vertical reinforcement portion 61b, which is the protruding portion 11, extends to a position adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve 30. However, it may also be formed in the vicinity of the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30, as in the sleeve installation device 1a shown in Figure 1, etc.

[0118] The configuration of the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment described above provides the following advantages. Similar to the sleeve installation device 1e, the fixing part 2f and the sleeve guide member 60 are constructed separately, so the sleeve installation device 1f can be easily attached to and detached from the sleeve 30. Furthermore, since the fixing part 2f can be fixed to any position in the vertical direction relative to the inner peripheral wall 32 of the sleeve 30, the height dimension between the installation surface of the furnace body 34 and the crane 50 can be reduced, similar to the sleeve installation device 1a, etc. Therefore, the height H1 of the crane 50 when installing the sleeve 30 can be reduced, making it possible to perform installation work in places with low ceilings.

[0119] <<Explanation of Sleeve Installation Method>> Next, a sleeve installation method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This will be explained with reference to Figures 10 to 13 and Figure 18. Figures 10 and 11 show a method for installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a on the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a. Figures 12 and 13 show a method for installing a crucible-type sleeve 30b on the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace using a sleeve installation device 1a. Figure 18 shows a method for installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a on the furnace body 34a of an induction furnace using a sleeve installation device 1c. Although not shown, the sleeve installation device 1b of the second embodiment, the sleeve installation device 1d of the fourth embodiment, the sleeve installation device 1e of the fifth embodiment, and the sleeve installation device 1f of the sixth embodiment can all perform the installation methods shown in Figures 10 to 13.

[0120] <<Processes common to all furnaces>> A method for installing a sleeve 30 into a furnace body 34 for melting and / or refining metal using a sleeve installation device 1 will be described. Referring to Figures 5, 10 to 13, and 18, the installation procedure common to each figure will be described, and then the differences will be described individually. The sleeve installation method includes the step of attaching the connecting part 4 and the clamp part 7 to the upper end portion 33 of the sleeve 30, as shown in Figure 5. Next, it includes the step of attaching the hook 45 of the crane 50 to the hook attachment part 3. Next, as shown in Figure 10, etc., after lifting the sleeve 30 with the crane 50, it includes the step of guiding the protruding part 11 against the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 and inserting the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, etc., it includes the step of removing the sleeve installation device 1 from the sleeve 30 and forming a second gap Δ2 between the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30 and the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34. The steps described above are common regardless of whether any of the sleeve installation devices 1a to 1f are used.

[0121] <When using sleeve installation device 1a, sleeve installation device 1d, sleeve installation device 1e, and sleeve installation device 1f> Next, we will explain the specific steps involved when using sleeve installation devices 1a, 1d, and 1e. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the connecting portion 4a is aligned with the outer peripheral wall 31 of the sleeve outer radius R2, and the position of the engaging portion 19 is aligned with the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7a for engagement. This adjustment step is not necessary when using sleeve installation device 1b or sleeve installation device 1c. When using sleeve installation device 1f, the auxiliary plate 67 is adjusted radially according to the inner diameter of the sleeve 30 and fixed to the connecting portion arm portion 23 by the fastening member 68.

[0122] <When installing a cylindrical sleeve 30a into the furnace body 34a of an induction reactor> Next, we will describe the case in which a cylindrical sleeve 30a is installed on the furnace body 34a of the induction furnace using one of the sleeve installation devices 1a to 1f. Referring to Figures 10, 11, and 18, we will explain using the case in which sleeve installation device 1a is used as an example. As shown in Figure 11, the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34 of the induction furnace is formed by coil blocks 35. The coil blocks 35 are formed around the induction coils 36. A yoke 37 is formed on the outer circumference of the coil blocks 35, and the outer circumference of the yoke 37 is further covered with a metal shell 38. A bottom plate brick 42 is formed at the bottom of the furnace body 34.

[0123] As shown in Figures 10(a) and 18(a), before inserting the sleeve 30a, a base material 47, which is an amorphous material, is placed at the base of the furnace body 34a. Next, as shown in Figures 10(b) and 18(b), the lower end of the sleeve 30a is inserted up to the base material 47 while aligning the protruding part 11 of the clamp part 7a with the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34a, resulting in the state shown in Figure 11(a). Next, as shown in Figure 11(b), the clamp part 7a and the connecting part 4a are removed from the sleeve 30a. Furthermore, a back material 48, which is an amorphous material, is placed in the gap between the outer circumferential wall 31 of the sleeve 30a and the inner circumferential wall 44 of the furnace body 34a and solidified. The inner bottom of the sleeve 30a forms an inner bottom material 43 made of amorphous material. After the back material 48 is installed, a sealing material 39 is formed, and then a retaining plate 40 is attached. Although not shown in the diagram, after removing the sleeve installation device 1a from the sleeve 30a, the hot water outlet is installed.

[0124] <When installing the crucible-shaped sleeve 30b for the crucible furnace body 34b> Next, we will describe the case in which a crucible-shaped sleeve 30b is installed on the furnace body 34b of a crucible furnace using one of the sleeve installation devices 1a to 1f. We will explain using the case where sleeve installation device 1a is used as an example. As shown in Figure 12(a), before inserting the sleeve 30b, the crucible stand 51 is placed on the base of the furnace body 34b. Next, as shown in Figure 12(b), the lower end of the sleeve 30b is inserted so that it rests on the crucible stand 51 while aligning the protruding part 11 of the clamp part 7a with the inner peripheral wall 44 of the furnace body 34b, resulting in the state shown in Figure 13(a). Next, as shown in Figure 13(b), the clamp part 7a and the connecting part 4a are removed from the sleeve 30b, and the heating burner 53 is installed on the burner tile 52. When melting metal in the crucible furnace, the heating medium heated by the heating burner 53 circulates around the crucible-shaped sleeve 30b.

[0125] <<Effects of the sleeve installation method>> The sleeve installation method described above provides the following effects. As shown in Figure 10, the sleeve installation device 1 can insert the sleeve 30 into the furnace body 34 such that the sleeve central axis C and the furnace body central axis are close together. Therefore, after the sleeve 30 is installed, a second radial gap Δ2 between the furnace body 34 and the sleeve 30 can be formed uniformly, so that when the furnace is melted and / or refined, the outer circumference of the sleeve 30 can be heated evenly. In addition, when the sleeve 30 is inserted into the furnace body 34, the protruding portion 11 guides the space between the sleeve 30 and the furnace body 34, thereby suppressing damage to the sleeve 30 and / or the furnace body 34.

[0126] Furthermore, by using the sleeve installation device 1a, etc., the position of the engaging portion 19 of the connecting portion 4a can be aligned with the support bridge portion 18 of the clamp portion 7a and engaged with the sleeve 30 in accordance with the sleeve outer radius R2. Therefore, according to the sleeve installation method using the sleeve installation device 1a, sleeves 30 with different sleeve outer radii R2 can be installed on the furnace body 34. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f Sleeve installation device 2, 2f fixed part 3. Hook attachment part 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f connection part 5 Holding part 7, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e Clamp section 8. Clamp body 9 Upper end 11 Protrusion 11max Maximum protrusion 11min Minimum protrusion 13 Pressing member 15 Operating plate 20 Outermost part 21 Overhang amount 22 Bottom of connection part 28 End 30, 30a, 30b sleeves 31 Outer wall 32 Inner wall 33 Upper end 34, 34a, 34b Furnace body 41 Connecting part 44 Inner wall 45 hooks 46 Upper end 50 Cranes 62, 62a, 62b support band Support grooves 63, 63a, 63b C Sleeve Central Axis F distance R1 protrusion radius R11, R12, R13, R14 radius R1max Maximum protrusion radius R2 Sleeve outer radius R21, R22, R23, R24 radius R3 Furnace body radius R31, R32, R33, R34 radius g3 gap Δ1 First gap Δ1min Minimum first gap Δ2 Second gap θ, θ1, θ2, θ3 Equal intervals

Claims

1. A device for installing a bottomed crucible-shaped or cylindrical pre-formed sleeve into a furnace body for melting and / or refining metals using a crane, The axis extending from the cylindrical center of the sleeve is defined as the sleeve central axis, and the direction perpendicular to the sleeve central axis is defined as the radial direction. The aforementioned sleeve includes a detachable fixing part, A hook mounting section to which the hook of the aforementioned crane can be attached, A connecting portion that connects the fixing portion and the hook attachment portion, The sleeve is provided with a protruding portion that extends radially outward from the outer circumference of the sleeve, A sleeve installation device comprising three or more of the aforementioned protruding parts and fixing parts, which are arranged separately in the circumferential direction with respect to the central axis of the sleeve.

2. When the fixing portion is attached to the sleeve, the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, and the central axis of the sleeve and the central axis of the furnace body are coaxial, In the aforementioned protruding portion, the distance in the radial direction between the outermost outermost portion that protrudes the most in the radial direction and the central axis of the sleeve is defined as the protrusion radius. If the radius of the outer circumference of the sleeve is defined as the outer radius of the sleeve, and the radius of the inner circumference of the furnace body is defined as the internal radius of the furnace body, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the first gap resulting from the difference between the furnace body radius and the protruding radius is smaller than the protrusion amount, which is the distance between the outermost part of the protruding portion and the outer circumference of the sleeve.

3. Of the respective protrusions, When the maximum protrusion of the largest protrusion is at its maximum, and the minimum protrusion of the smallest protrusion is at its minimum, The difference between the maximum protrusion and the minimum protrusion is, The sleeve construction device according to claim 2, wherein the minimum first gap is less than or equal to the difference between the maximum protrusion radius of the maximum protrusion and the furnace body radius.

4. The aforementioned fixing part is a clamp part, At least a portion of the aforementioned protrusion is formed on the clamp portion, The clamp portion is The clamp body and An operating plate guided by the clamp body and sandwiching the end of the sleeve between itself and the protruding portion, The clamp body is equipped with a pressing member that presses against and holds the operating plate, When the clamp portion is attached to the sleeve, The clamp portion is fixed by the pressing member between the protruding portion and the operating plate, which clamps the end of the sleeve. The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion directly or indirectly contacts the outer circumference of the sleeve, and a protrusion amount is formed which is the distance between the outermost outer circumference and the outer circumference of the sleeve.

5. The clamp portion includes a holding portion that holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve, The fixing portion also serves as the holding portion. The sleeve installation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the holding portion holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve by the operating plate pressing the inner circumferential wall of the sleeve with the pressing member.

6. The aforementioned fixing part is a clamp part, The direction of the sleeve's central axis is defined as the vertical direction. In the state in which the clamp portion and the connecting portion are attached to the sleeve, The connecting portion has a connecting portion bottom that is recessed below the upper end of the clamp portion. The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the hook attachment portion is formed at the bottom of the connecting portion.

7. The connecting portion is integrally formed radially with respect to the hook attachment portion, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portions are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction centered on the hook attachment portion.

8. The connecting portion and the fixing portion are such that their connection positions can be changed. The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the position in which the fixing portion is fixed to the sleeve and the radial distance between the fixing portion and the hook attachment portion can be changed.

9. The aforementioned fixing part is a clamp part, The clamp portion and the connecting portion are detachable from each other. When the clamp portion and the connecting portion are attached to the sleeve, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the radial end of the connecting portion is located radially inward from the outermost outermost portion of the protruding portion that protrudes the most in the radial direction.

10. The direction of the sleeve's central axis is defined as the vertical direction. When the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body, The sleeve construction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the connecting portion that is radially outside the outermost outermost portion of the protruding portion that protrudes the most in the radial direction is located above the upper end of the furnace body.

11. The direction in which the central axis of the sleeve extends is defined as the vertical direction. The aforementioned protrusion is Formed in a vertical stripe shape extending in the vertical direction from above the upper end of the sleeve toward the lower end of the sleeve, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein when attached to the sleeve, the length is at least half of the vertical dimension of the sleeve and extends to the lower end of the sleeve.

12. The sleeve is equipped with a retaining portion that holds the protruding portion toward the outer circumference of the sleeve, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is a strip-shaped or annular support strip that covers the protruding portion from the radially outer side.

13. The aforementioned protruding portion has a support groove formed on its radially outer side when mounted on the sleeve. The sleeve installation device according to claim 12, wherein the support band, when mounted in the support band groove, has the same amount of protrusion as the protrusion in the radial direction, or is recessed compared to the protrusion.

14. The aforementioned fixing part is a clamp part, The sleeve installation device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion and the clamp portion are formed separately and can be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction with respect to the sleeve.

15. A method for installing a sleeve into a furnace body for melting and / or refining metal, using a sleeve installation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, The steps include attaching the fixing portion, the protruding portion, and the connecting portion to the sleeve, The process of attaching the crane hook to the hook mounting portion, After the sleeve is lifted by the crane, the protruding portion is guided along the inner circumferential wall of the furnace body, and the sleeve is inserted into the furnace body. A sleeve installation method comprising the steps of removing the sleeve installation device from the sleeve attached to the furnace body, and forming a second gap between the outer peripheral wall of the sleeve and the inner peripheral wall of the furnace body.

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