Furnace Cover Lift Pivot Device with Articulated Cylinder
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lift and pivot devices for furnace covers, particularly in electric arc furnaces, require frequent servicing due to high material stress and risk of jamming, leading to increased maintenance costs and reduced system availability.
Innovation Solution
A lift and pivot device with a guide housing, rotatably mounted slide rollers, a lift pin, and a lift cylinder connected in an articulated fashion, which minimizes constraint forces and allows for quick replacement of components, along with a sealing device and adjustable slide rollers to reduce wear and contamination, enabling extended servicing intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional lift and pivot devices are used to move large masses, then the furnace cover can be lifted and pivoted, but high axial and vertical forces are generated on the rotation and guide bearings, resulting in high material stress levels and frequent servicing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The guide frame is divided into multiple guide elements (at least two guide elements arranged at different locations on the guide frame). This segmentation distributes the mechanical stresses and forces across multiple contact points between the guide frame and guide housing, reducing the material stress level on individual bearings and guide facilities while maintaining reliable support for the furnace cover during lifting and pivoting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical guide element in addition to horizontal guide elements, adding a vertical dimension to the guidance system. This multi-dimensional guidance arrangement distributes forces more effectively across different spatial directions, reducing the axial and vertical force concentration on single bearings and extending servicing intervals
2Ease of operation
If guide bearings are designed to maintain tight tolerances to prevent jamming, then correct lifting and lowering can be ensured, but the device requires strict controls and frequent servicing
Solution Approach 1:
The lift cylinder is mounted in an articulated fashion rather than being rigidly fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of the lifting force application point. This dynamic mounting enables the system to accommodate variations in guide element positions and wear without requiring strict tolerance control, simplifying operation while maintaining ease of lifting and lowering the furnace cover
3Stress or pressure
If multiple guide elements are used to distribute forces, then material stress is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements serve multiple functions: they provide guidance during lifting, support during pivoting, and distribute mechanical loads. By designing these guide elements to perform multiple functions simultaneously, the invention reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby distributing stress effectively without proportionally increasing device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces servicing requirements, extends maintenance cycles, and enhances the availability and performance of the furnace system by minimizing friction, wear, and contamination, while allowing for cost-effective and efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a lateral face of the at least one slide roller can roll on the at least one slide plate during the lifting and lowering of the lift cylinder
Implementation Method 2
a lift cylinder for lifting and lowering the lift pin, the lift cylinder being connected at one end in articulated fashion to the lift pin
Data Source
AI summary
A lift and pivot device for a cover of a furnace including a guide housing having a base plate, a rotatably mounted slide roller, and a vertical opening; a lift pin that can be lifted and lowered inside the vertical opening; a lift cylinder for lifting and lowering the lift pin, the lift cylinder being articulated to the lift pin at one end as well as articulated and rotatably connected to the base plate at the other end; and a guide frame for carrying the cover. The guide frame includes a support arm, wherein an upper end of the support arm is equipped for connection to the cover and includes a lift nose having a lift eye which is in engagement with an end of the lift pin facing away from the lift cylinder. The support arm at the other end thereof has a slide plate.