Arrangement for preventing the escape of dust and gas during the filling of a furnace

In combination with a furnace having a normally closed furnace filling inlet, an arrangement for opening the filling inlet, then filling the interior of the furnace and then reclosing the inlet all in gas-tight and dust-tight manner in order to prevent the free escape of dust and gases during the filling of the furnace, the arrangement comprising a housing having an opening positioned in proximity to the normally closed furance filling inlet;

• sealing means activatable for establishing a gas-tight and dust-tight seal between the portion of said housing surrounding said opening and the portion of said furance surrounding said normally closed furance filling inlet in order to confine within the interior of said housing any dust and gas entering said filling inlet or escaping from said filling inlet during the filling of the interior of said furnace;
• means within said housing activatable for opening and reclosing said normally closed furnace filling inlet;
• and filling means operative for conveying a charge through the interior of said housing and into said furnace filling inlet, said filling means having a discharge end portion located within said housing gas-tightly and dust-tightly connected to said housing so that dust and gas leaving said discharge end portion but not entering said filling inlet are confined within said housing and are unable to freely escape into the ambient atmosphere, wherein said furnace filling inlet is provided with a removable cover, wherein said sealing means comprises a telescoped housing section movable into and out of engagement with the portion of said furnace surrounding said filling inlet, wherein said means for opening and reclosing said filling inlet comprises electromagnetic lifting means operative for descending to engage said cover and for then lifting said cover by electromagnetic force and for then descending again to replace said cover, and wherein said filling means comprises a telescopically retractable filling pipe arrangement the discharge end portion of which is located within the interior of said housing, wherein said telescopically retractable filling pipe arrangement is mounted for retracting movement in an inclined direction, wherein the discharge end portion of said filling pipe arrangement is of bent configuration having a terminal portion which extends in vertical direction, and wherein said housing is provided with a guide portion defining a guide opening through which said filling pipe arrangement is guided for movement and wherein the peripheral clearance between said filling pipe arrangement and said opening is gas-tightly and dust-tightly sealed.

In a combination with a furnace having a normally closed furnace filling inlet, an arrangement for opening the filling inlet, then filling the interior of the furnace and then reclosing the inlet all in gas-tight and dust-tight manner in order to prevent the free escape of dust and gases during the filling of the furnace, the arrangement comprising a housing having an opening positioned in proximity to the normally closed furnace filling inlet;

• sealing means activatable for establishing a gas-tight and dust-tight seal between the portion of said housing surrounding said opening and the portion of said furnace surrounding said normally closed furnace filling inlet in order to confine within the interior of said housing any dust and gas entering said filling inlet or escaping from said filling inlet during the filling of the interior of said furnace;
• means within said housing activatable for opening and reclosing said normally closed furnace filling inlet;
• and filling means operative for conveying a charge through the interior of said housing and into said furnace filling inlet, said filling means having a discharge end portion located within said housing gas-tightly and dust-tightly connected to said housing so that dust and gas leaving said discharge end portion but not entering said filling inlet are confined within said housing and are unable to freely escape into the ambient atmosphere, wherein said furnace filling inlet is provided with a removable cover, wherein said sealing means comprises a telescoped housing section movable into and out of engagement with the portion of said furnace surrounding said filling inlet, wherein said means for opening and reclosing said filling inlet comprises means operative for descending to engage said cover, lifting said cover and then descending again to replace said cover, and wherein said filling means comprises a telescopically retractable filling pipe arrangement the discharge end portion of which is located within the interior of said housing, wherein said telescopically retractable filling pipe arrangement is mounted for retracting movement in an inclined direction, wherein the discharge end portion of said filling pipe arrangement is of bent configuration having a terminal portion which extends in vertical direction, and wherein said housing is provided with a guide portion defining a guide opening through which said filling pipe arrangement is guided for movement and wherein the peripheral clearance between said filling pipe arrangement and said opening is gas-tightly and dust-tightly sealed.