Bulk loader

An apparatus for precisely delivering bulk material into an open roof area of an electric arc furnace, comprising:

• a base having a front end proximate to the electric arc furnace and a rear end opposite said front end;
• a swing arm having a lower region pivotally mounted to said front end of said base and an upper region opposite said lower region, said swing arm having a base portion extending below the connection of said swing arm to said base for acting as a counterweight to stabilize said swing arm and for assisting in the return movement of said swing arm to the standby position after bulk material has been emptied from said hopper;
• a swing cradle pivotally mounted to said upper region of said swing arm;
• a hopper positionable in said swing cradle;
• means for swinging said swing arm between a standby position and at least one charging position such that when said swing arm is moved to the at least one charging position said swing cradle and said hopper are moved bodily over the open roof area of the electric arc furnace;
• and
• means for tilting said swing cradle and said hopper between a loading position and an emptying position;
• wherein said swinging means and said tilting means operate jointly to precisely deliver bulk material from the hopper through the open roof area of the electric arc furnace.

An apparatus for precisely delivering bulk material into an open roof area of an electric arc furnace, comprising:

• a base having a front end proximate to the electric arc furnace and a rear end opposite said front end;
• said base having a turret mounted to said front end of said base and a support frame mounted to said rear end of said base;
• a swing arm having a lower region pivotally mounted to said turret and an upper region opposite said lower region;
• a pair of spaced support beams extending generally perpendicularly from said upper region of said swing arm;
• a swing cradle pivotally mounted to said support beams;
• a hopper positionable in said swing cradle;
• and
• a main hydraulic cylinder mounted on distal ends of said support frame for rotating said swing arm around a first axis point between a standby position and at least one charging position such that when said swing arm is moved to the at least one charging position said swing cradle and said hopper are moved bodily over the open roof area of the electric arc furnace;
• and
• a wire and pulley assembly for tilting said hopper and said swing cradle about a second axis between a loading position and an emptying position, said wire and pulley assembly comprising;
• a yoke formed on a bottom of said swing cradle and a pair of spaced supports positioned on said base;
• a first pulley extending from a distal end of said first support beam;
• a second pulley extending from a distal end of said second support beam;
• a first static wire extending from said yoke to said first support and engaging said first pulley;
• a second static wire extending from said yoke to said second support and engaging said second pulley;
• wherein rotating said swing arm to the at least one charging position causes said pulleys to move further away from said supports on said base thereby causing said bottom of said swing cradle to move toward said pulleys and causing said swing cradle and said hopper to rotate sufficiently to precisely deliver bulk material from said hopper through the open roof area of the electric arc furnace;
• wherein said main hydraulic cylinder and said wire and pulley assembly operate jointly to precisely deliver bulk material from said hopper through the open roof area of the electric arc furnace.

A method of charging an electric arc furnace comprising the steps of:

• providing a bulk loader having a base, a swing arm secured to said base, a swing cradle mounted on said swing arm opposite said base, a hopper positionable in said swing cradle, a wire and pulley assembly, and a main hydraulic cylinder mounted on said base and connected to said swing arm;
• positioning said swing arm in a standby position;
• positioning a hopper filled with bulk material on said swing cradle;
• securing said hopper to said swing cradle with a front tie beam and a rear tie beam;
• activating said main hydraulic cylinder;
• rotating said swing arm about a first axis point from a standby position to a charging position where said hopper and said swing cradle are positioned over an open roof area of the electric arc furnace;
• simultaneously rotating said swing cradle about a second axis point with said wire and pulley assembly;
• precisely delivering bulk material from said hopper through the open roof area of the electric arc furnace;
• and
• using a base portion of said swing arm located below said first axis as a counterweight for returning said swing arm from the charging position to the standby position.