Robotized system for changing a sliding gate valve plate

A robotized system for fixing or removing a sliding gate valve plate to or from a sliding gate valve, comprising:

• (a) a sliding gate valve plate comprising a sliding surface separated from a second surface by a thickness of the sliding gate valve plate and joined to one another by a peripheral edge, and comprising a through bore extending normal to the sliding surface, wherein the sliding gate valve plate is selected from the group consisting of:
• a top sliding gate valve plate,
• a bottom sliding gate valve plate, and
• a mid-sliding gate valve plate wherein the second surface is a second sliding surface,
• (b) a metallurgic vessel provided with a sliding gate valve comprising a support structure comprising a plate support frame comprising a receiving cradle configured for receiving and locking the sliding gate valve plate, including,
• a fixed top plate support frame configured for receiving and locking the top sliding gate valve plate,
• a bottom plate support frame configured for receiving and locking the bottom sliding gate valve plate, and
• a mid-plate support frame configured for receiving and locking the mid-sliding gate valve plate, sandwiched between the top and bottom sliding gate valve plates,
• wherein
• the bottom plate support frame is a movable carriage configured for sliding the sliding surface of the bottom sliding gate valve plate against and relative to the sliding surface of the top sliding gate valve plate, thus forming a two-plate sliding gate, or
• the mid-plate support frame is a movable carriage configured for sliding the sliding surface and the second sliding surface of the mid-sliding gate valve plate against and relative to the sliding surfaces of the top and bottom sliding gate valve plates,
• respectively, thus forming a three-plate sliding gate, for bringing into and out of registry the through bores of the top and bottom sliding gate valve plates, or the through bores of the top, mid, and bottom sliding gate valve plates,
• (c) a robot comprising a handling interface provided with gripping clamps-configured for gripping the sliding gate valve plate, and configured for performing at least one of the functions of,
• collecting a new unit of the sliding gate valve plate and coupling and locking it to the corresponding plate support frame, and
• unlocking and removing a spent unit of the sliding gate valve plate from the corresponding plate support frame,
• wherein,
• (d) the gripping clamps movably mounted to the handling interface and configured to be moved from an open position in which free ends of the gripping clamps surround the peripheral edge of the sliding gate valve plate to a gripping position in which the free ends of the gripping clamps couple to gripping holds located at the peripheral edge and/or at the second surface, adjacent to the peripheral edge, of the sliding gate valve plate, configured so that the robot can securely hold and handle the sliding gate valve plate, and wherein
• (e) the receiving cradle of the plate support frame comprises clearings accommodating access of the gripping clamps to the gripping holds when the sliding gate valve plate is locked in the receiving cradle of the plate support frame.