A shaft furnace charging device and cooling system includes a suspension rotor with a charge distributor and stationary housing. The cooling system includes an annular swivel joint arranged coaxially on an axis, connecting stationary and rotary circuit portions. The swivel joint includes forward connections for receiving cooling fluid from the stationary circuit portion and supplying cooling fluid to the rotary circuit portion; return connections for receiving cooling fluid from the rotary circuit portion; and returning cooling fluid to the stationary circuit portion. The swivel joint includes a partition dividing the annular volume into cavities wherein an internal cavity is partially surrounded by an external cavity, and the forward connections are coupled via one of the cavities and the return connections are coupled via the other of the cavities. The swivel joint includes leakage-permitting communication between the external and internal cavities through annular clearances. Annular flow restrictors are provided in clearances.

A shaft furnace charging device and cooling system includes a suspension rotor with a charge distributor and stationary housing. The cooling system includes an annular swivel joint arranged coaxially on an axis, connecting stationary and rotary circuit portions. The swivel joint includes forward connections for receiving cooling fluid from the stationary circuit portion and supplying cooling fluid to the rotary circuit portion; return connections for receiving cooling fluid from the rotary circuit portion; and returning cooling fluid to the stationary circuit portion. The swivel joint includes a partition dividing the annular volume into cavities wherein an internal cavity is partially surrounded by an external cavity, and the forward connections are coupled via one of the cavities and the return connections are coupled via the other of the cavities. The swivel joint includes leakage-permitting communication between the external and internal cavities through annular clearances. Annular flow restrictors are provided in clearances.

The invention relates to a gearbox assembly (2) for a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, the assembly (2) comprising: a stationary casing (3) for housing a gear assembly, the casing (3) comprising a bottom section (3.3) with a central opening (9), and a rotor (4) mounted within the casing (3) for rotation about a first axis (A), which defines an axial direction, the rotor comprising a support (4) for the gear assembly, a lower section (4.1) of the support (4) being disposed within the central opening (9). In order to provide for a better protection of a gear assembly, the bottom section (3.3) comprises a first annular portion (7, 8) extending radially inwards to a first radius, and the lower section (4.1) has a second annular portion (10.1) extending radially outwards to a second radius that is greater than the first radius, said second annular portion (10.1) being disposed adjacent to said first annular portion (7, 8), wherein the first annular portion (7, 8) comprises a ring element (8) disposed for sliding contact with the second annular portion (10.1).

A device for immobilising the spout on the ends of the trunnions, in a charging installation for a shaft furnace comprising a pivoting material distribution spout (1), the spout being connected to the supporting trunnions (2) by lugs (11) which engage in receptacles (21) formed in the trunnions and which are immobilised therein by pins (3) comprising at their end an eccentric nipple (31) engaging with a lug of the spout to hold the lug immobilised at the bottom of its receptacle, and locking means (4) for rotationally locking the pin. Each pin comprises, at the outer, opposite end thereof from the nipple, means (32) for rotational adjustment and tightening, so as to be able to press the nipple onto the lug of the spout with sufficient force by rotation of the pin, and the locking means comprise an indexing plate (41) connected for rotation to the end of the pin (3), the plate (41) further comprising teeth (416) arranged to cooperate with the corresponding teeth (421) of a lock (42) secured to the trunnion, in such a way that said lock can rotationally immobilise the pin in a plurality of circumferential positions of said pin.

A device for immobilising the spout on the ends of the trunnions, in a charging installation for a shaft furnace comprising a pivoting material distribution spout (1), the spout being connected to the supporting trunnions (2) by lugs (11) which engage in receptacles (21) formed in the trunnions and which are immobilised therein by pins (3) comprising at their end an eccentric nipple (31) engaging with a lug of the spout to hold the lug immobilised at the bottom of its receptacle, and locking means (4) for rotationally locking the pin. Each pin comprises, at the outer, opposite end thereof from the nipple, means (32) for rotational adjustment and tightening, so as to be able to press the nipple onto the lug of the spout with sufficient force by rotation of the pin, and the locking means comprise an indexing plate (41) connected for rotation to the end of the pin (3), the plate (41) further comprising teeth (416) arranged to cooperate with the corresponding teeth (421) of a lock (42) secured to the trunnion, in such a way that said lock can rotationally immobilise the pin in a plurality of circumferential positions of said pin.

A rotary charging device for a shaft furnace comprises a stationary housing (16) for mounting on the throat (12) of the shaft furnace and a suspension rotor (22) supported therein so that it can rotate about a substantially vertical axis (A), said suspension rotor (22) and stationary housing (16) cooperating to delimit an annular chamber forming the main casing (36) of said rotary charging device. A charge distributor (28) is pivotally suspended to the suspension rotor (22). The device further comprises: rotary drive means for rotating the suspension rotor (22) about its axis; independent tilting drive means for pivoting the charge distributor (28) about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis (B) that include: a tilting motor (M.sub.B) with horizontal output shaft (52) fixedly mounted relative to the stationary housing (16); a tilting drive shaft (58) in the main housing (36) that is mounted onto the suspension rotor (22), an outward end (60) of the tilting drive shaft (58) being coupled to the tilting motor (M.sub.B) by motion transfer means (64) while the opposite inward end (62) of the tilting drive shaft is coupled to the charge distributor (28) to selectively operate its pivoting, the motion transfer means (64) being configured in such a way as to allow transmitting power from the tilting motor (M.sub.B) to the tilting drive shaft (58) at any angular position of the suspension rotor (22).

A rotary charging device for a shaft furnace comprises a stationary housing (16) for mounting on the throat (12) of the shaft furnace and a suspension rotor (22) supported therein so that it can rotate about a substantially vertical axis (A), said suspension rotor (22) and stationary housing (16) cooperating to delimit an annular chamber forming the main casing (36) of said rotary charging device. A charge distributor (28) is pivotally suspended to the suspension rotor (22). The device further comprises: rotary drive means for rotating the suspension rotor (22) about its axis; independent tilting drive means for pivoting the charge distributor (28) about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis (B) that include: a tilting motor (M.sub.B) with horizontal output shaft (52) fixedly mounted relative to the stationary housing (16); a tilting drive shaft (58) in the main housing (36) that is mounted onto the suspension rotor (22), an outward end (60) of the tilting drive shaft (58) being coupled to the tilting motor (M.sub.B) by motion transfer means (64) while the opposite inward end (62) of the tilting drive shaft is coupled to the charge distributor (28) to selectively operate its pivoting, the motion transfer means (64) being configured in such a way as to allow transmitting power from the tilting motor (M.sub.B) to the tilting drive shaft (58) at any angular position of the suspension rotor (22).