Sliding closure for a metallurgical container

#The invention relates to a sliding closure for a metallurgical container including at least two fireproof closing plates, one of which is arranged in a metallic slide unit and used to open and close a spout opening and the other of which is arranged in a metallic housing fastenable to the container, the housing and/or the slide unit additionally accommodating an upper fireproof inlet sleeve on the container side and/or a lower fireproof spout sleeve.

#Sliding closures of this type are known in various configurations. Publication EP 1 119 428 discloses, for example, a sliding closure comprising two fireproof closing plates with a metallic housing that can be fastened to the container and which accommodates the upper closing plate and a fireproof inlet sleeve on the container side. The lower closing or slide plate serving to open and close a spout opening is arranged in a metallic slide unit which additionally accommodates a fireproof spout sleeve adjoining the slide plate.

#It is well known that the fireproof parts of the sliding closure, in particular the two closing plates, but also the inlet sleeve on the container side and the spout sleeve adjoining the slide plate such as to form a seal are subjected to a high degree of wear and tear, and so have to be changed regularly.

#In the following the invention is described in more detail by means of the drawings. These show as follows:

#FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of an exemplary embodiment of the sliding closure according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of part of the sliding closure according to FIG. 1, and

#FIG. 1 shows a sliding closure 1 for a metallurgical container which can be, for example, a ladle for molten steel used in a continuous casting plant. The container itself can not be seen from the drawing. The sliding closure 1 has a metallic housing 2 that can be fastened to a container in which an upper closing plate 3 made of a fireproof material is held, pressed against an inlet sleeve 4 on the container side that is also fireproof, which is introduced into a perforated brick of the container (not shown).

#A further lower closing plate 5—a so-called slide plate—is held in a longitudinally moveable metallic slide unit 6 of the latter and in a way known in its own right, for example from EP 1 119 428, and so not described in any more detail, is pressed against the upper closing plate 3. Furthermore, a fireproof spout sleeve 8 adjoining the slide plate 5 is arranged in the slide unit 6 and is pressed against the slide plate 5 by means of a bracing component 9. By displacing the slide unit 6 and the slide plate 5 inserted into the latter from the open position shown in FIG. 1 into a restricting or closed position, the spout opening 10 defined by the inlet sleeve 4 and the upper closing plate 3 with its through hole 3a can be partially or totally closed. In FIG. 1 the connection 11 of the slide unit 6 to a linear drive bringing about the displacement is indicated.

#The two closing plates 3, 5 are centered in the respective housing by means of centering components 13 in a way known in its own right and not described in any further detail.