Suspension Device for a Converter

Abstract

A converter includes a container and a supporting ring. A suspension device for the converter has a central structure fixed to the container. A first lateral structure is arranged at a first side of the central structure and fixed to a surface of the supporting ring. A second lateral structure is oppositely arranged. First and second sliding blocks are respectively connected with the first and second lateral structure. A first contact body is connected with the central structure by a first threaded bolt which engages a threaded hole in the central structure and a threaded hole in the first contact body. A second contact body is connected with the central structure by a second threaded bolt which engages a threaded hole in the central structure and a threaded hole in the second contact body. A distance element is arranged between the central structure and the first and/or second contact body.

Claims

1. A suspension device for a converter, wherein the converter comprises a container and a supporting ring, wherein the suspension device comprises: a central structure which is fixed to the container; a first lateral structure arranged at a first side of the central structure and fixed to a surface of the supporting ring; a second lateral structure arranged at a second side of the central structure and fixed to the surface of the supporting ring; a first sliding block connected with the first lateral structure and facing the central structure; a second sliding block connected with the second lateral structure and facing the central structure; a first contact body which is connected with the central structure and faces the first sliding block, wherein the first contact body is connected with the central structure by a first threaded bolt which engages with a threaded hole which is machined into the central structure and a threaded hole which is machined into the first contact body; a second contact body which is connected with the central structure and faces the second sliding block, wherein the second contact body is connected with the central structure by a second threaded bolt which engages with a threaded hole which is machined into the central structure and a threaded hole which is machined into the second contact body; and at least one distance element arranged between the central structure and the first contact body and/or between the central structure and the second contact body.

2. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the first threaded bolt and the second threaded bolt are each rounded in a respective axial end region.

3. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact body and the second contact body each have a polygonal outer circumference.

4. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact body and the second contact body each have a hexagonal outer circumference.

5. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the first threaded bolt and the second threaded bolt are arranged coaxially.

6. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one distance element is disc-shaped.

7. The suspension device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one distance element has a radially extending slit.

8. The suspension device according to claim 6, wherein a thickness of the distance element is between 1 mm and 50 mm.

9. The suspension device according to claim 6, wherein a thickness of the distance element is between 5 mm and 15 mm.

10. The suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the first sliding block and the first contact body which faces the first sliding block each have a non-flat surface, and wherein the second sliding block and the second contact body which faces the second sliding block each have a non-flat surface, wherein the surfaces of the first sliding block and the first contact body are designed complementary and wherein the surfaces of the second sliding block and the second contact body are designed complementary.

11. The suspension device according to claim 10, wherein the first sliding block has a convex surface and the first contact body has a concave surface.

12. The suspension device according to claim 10, wherein the first sliding block has a concave surface and the first contact body has a convex surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a converter with a container and a supporting ring as well as a suspension device for carrying the container by the supporting ring.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows the detail “X” according to FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows the detail “Y” according to FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the suspension device.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of one end of the suspension device.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a perspective sectional view of the suspension device, cut in a first plane.

[0027] FIG. 7 shows another perspective sectional view of the suspension device, cut in a plane perpendicular to the first plane.

[0028] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a sliding block and a contact body together with a distance element.

[0029] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of three distance elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a converter 2 which consists substantially of a container 3 and a supporting ring 4 which holds the container 3. With regard to the technological background of such a converter reference is made to EP 1 211 328 A2 filed by the patent applicant which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.

[0031] The container 3 is supported relatively to the supporting ring 4 by a suspension device 1. More specifically, two of such suspension devices 1 are arranged at two opposing locations of the container 3 and supporting ring 4 respectively.

[0032] The specific design of the suspension device 1 can be seen from FIGS. 2 to 9 where details of the same are depicted.

[0033] The suspension device 1 has a central structure 5 which is firmly connected with the container 3. The supporting ring 4 has two lateral structures 6 and 7, namely a first lateral structure 6 and a second lateral structure 7.

[0034] For a safe operation of the converter 2 it is important that the extension of the central structure 5 fits precisely with the distance which is defined between the two lateral structures 6 and 7.

[0035] For doing so the following design is provided.

[0036] A first sliding block 8 is connected with the first lateral structure 6; the sliding block 8 faces the central structure 5. Also, a second sliding block 9 is connected with the second lateral structure 7; the sliding block 9 faces also the central structure 5. The mentioned connection can be a screw connection.

[0037] The central structure 5 comprises two contact bodies 10 and 14.

[0038] More specifically, the first contact body 10 is connected with the central structure 5 and is facing the first sliding block 8. Thereby, the first contact body 10 is connected with the central structure 5 by a first threaded bolt 11 which engages with a threaded hole 12 which is machined into the central structure 5 and a threaded hole 13 which is machined into the first contact body 10.

[0039] Analogously, the second contact body 14 is also connected with the central structure 5 and is facing the second sliding block 9. The second contact body 14 is connected with the central structure 5 by a second threaded bolt 15 which engages with a threaded hole 16 which is machined into the central structure 5 and a threaded hole 17 which is machined into the second contact body 14.

[0040] Furthermore, distance elements 18, 19 and 20 are provided. At least one of those distance elements 18, 19, 20 is arranged between the central structure 5 and the first contact body 10 and between the central structure 5 and the second contact body 14.

[0041] The distance elements 18, 19, 20 can be disk-shaped as depicted. A preferred embodiment provides that the distance element—see distance element 19 in FIG. 9—has a radial extending slit 22. This allows that the distance element is mounted or disassembled without total disassembly of the contact body 10, 14 by radial insertion or radial extraction of the distance element after loosening the screw connection between the contact body 10, 14 and the central structure 5.

[0042] The thickness T of the distance elements 18, 19 20 is adequately sized to allow an effective adjustment of the effective width of the central structure plus contact bodies 10, 14 to match with minimal clearance with the width between the two lateral structures 6 and 7. A thickness between 2 mm and 10 mm is preferred.

[0043] For an easy fastening or loosening of the contact body 10, 14 at the central structure 5 the outer circumference 21 of the contact body 10, 14 is hexagonal for the engagement of a screw wrench.

[0044] The surface of the contact bodies 10, 14 is convex at the side facing the respective sliding blocks 8 and 9. The counter-surface of the sliding blocks 8 and 9 can be flat or concave.

[0045] During assembly, at first the first and second threaded bolts 11 and 15 are mounted into the threaded holes 12 and 16 of the central structure 5. On the shaft of the threaded bolts 11, 15 the distance elements 18, 19, 20 can be pushed, before the first and second contact bodies 10 and 14 are mounted by the threaded holes 12 and 16 in the contact bodies 10, 14. This arrangement can then be pushed into the space which is defined between the first and second lateral structures 6 and 7.

[0046] By using different distance elements 18, 19, 20 the effective extension of the central structure plus contact bodies 10, 14 can be adjusted to fit with the distance between the first and second lateral structures 6 and 7. Specifically, the clearance of the central structure plus contact bodies 10, 14 and the lateral structures 6 and 7 can be eliminated by choosing distance elements 18, 19, 20 of adequate thickness T. By using distance elements 19 with a slit 22 the operation can be carried out in the assembled state of the suspension device 1.

[0047] To adjust the connection after setting effects, the pressure bodies 10, 14 can be loosened and pressed against the sliding blocks 8 and 9 once more to replace the distance element by another one with a different thickness T, before retightening the components.

[0048] To replace components after wear effects, the sliding blocks 8, 9 can be removed. Afterwards, the contact bodies 10, 14 can be detached with or without the threaded bolts and the distance elements. After the assembly the system needs to be adjusted.

[0049] The distance elements protect the contact bodies 10, 14 and the central structure against imprints of the distance elements gaps and create a better force transmission through the components.

[0050] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed or illustrated embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover numerous other modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements that are included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0051] 1 Suspension device [0052] 2 Converter [0053] 3 Container [0054] 4 Supporting ring [0055] 5 Central structure [0056] 6 First lateral structure [0057] 7 Second lateral structure [0058] 8 First sliding block [0059] 9 Second sliding block [0060] 10 First contact body [0061] 11 First threaded bolt [0062] 12 Threaded hole [0063] 13 Threaded hole [0064] 14 Second contact body [0065] 15 Second threaded bolt [0066] 16 Threaded hole [0067] 17 Threaded hole [0068] 18 Distance element [0069] 19 Distance element [0070] 20 Distance element [0071] 21 Circumference of the contact body [0072] 22 Slit [0073] T Thickness