The present invention relates to a high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism, which belongs to the technical field of metal casting.
Background of the Invention:
Ladle slide gate is an important system for controlling the flow of liquid steel in the ladle. If a breakout accident occurs, it will cause some malignant production accidents like breakdown of casting machine and burnout of the continuous casting machine, which restrict the stability of production and pose a serious threat to the safety of people and equipment. With the further acceleration of the steel making rhythm, higher requirements are put forward for speeding up the turnover of ladles and reducing production accidents while ensuring the safe operation of the slide gate. Generally, breakout occurs more frequently in the small ladle's slide gate. As a result, it is of great importance for those steel plants with increasingly faster production speed to reduce or eliminate the breakout accident of the slide gate.
Since the ladle slide gate mechanism works in a high-temperature environment, every component is easily to get deformed or damaged due to high temperature and needs to be replaced frequently. Due to complicated structure and high energy consumption of the existing ladle slide gate mechanism, components replacement is both time-consuming and labour-intensive with a long downtime, which cuts down the production efficiency and increases the enterprise's cost.
Reference is made to the Patent application number SU1087057A3, by Paige Shapland Earl and Dana King Patrick, dated 15/10/1976, titled "Sliding gate valve for casting ladle". This invention discloses a ladle slide gate comprising a fixed and a movable plate with the casting apertures, a support frame, plate and clamping mechanism are two moving drive them located on different sides of the shutter, characterized in that in order to permit throttling the flow of the cast metal, one of the actuators is connected with a movable plate, and the other - to the support frame. 2.Zatvor pop.l, featuring and with the fact that the drives are located on opposite sides of the shutter. 3.Zatvor POP.l, featuring and with the fact that the drives are located on adjacent sides of the shutter. 4.Zatvor POP.l, characterized in that the drive movement of the movable plate is designed as a CS) of the

hydraulic cylinder connected to porno- schyu a crank to a crankshaft, with crank which by means of another clip associated with the jacks.
Another reference is made to the application no. CN203972850U, by Xu Yuegang, Valley valley, Zuo Xiaodong, Li Wei, Ji Tianliang and Song Zhipeng, dated 22/06/2014, titled "Positioning installation tool for transmission crank of steel ladle lateral-drive slide gate mechanism." It discloses a positioning installation tool for a transmission crank of a steel ladle lateral-drive slide gate mechanism. According to the technical scheme, the positioning installation tool for the transmission crank of the steel ladle lateral-drive slide gate mechanism comprises a base and an adjusting screw; the adjusting screw is arranged on the base; the adjusting screw is perpendicular to the base plane; one side of the adjusting screw is provided with a scale; the scale is perpendicular to the base plane; a locking nut is assembled to the adjusting screw; the locking nut is fixedly connected with an installation positioning hole through a connecting rod.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 850/MUM/2010, by JSW Steel Limited dated 25/03/2010, titled "A Method of Controlled Ramping of Tundish Weight For Reduced Emulsification And A System Thereof". The invention relates to a method for weight-based auto ramping of liquid steel in tundish during ladle change over adapted to reduce emulsification by controlled slow rate of steel filling and a system to implement the method. The method involves low filling rate of steel as a function of the ladle through put and result in ladle filling to desired level in 12-15 minutes time avoiding turbulence in liquid steel and minimizing silica inclusion or slag entrapment, ensuring improved cleanliness and quality of cast steel. The system of the invention is having PLC based control of pneumatically operating/opening slide gate for steel filling in tundish favoring automatic weight-based filling up to a safe level. The auto ramping of tundish is thus capable of wide industrial application in steel industry with less defects and rejections of change over slabs in continuous casting, with improved productivity at less cost in a safe and reliable manner.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 201617028237, by Postech Academy Industry Foundation and Chosun Refractories Co. Ltd. dated 06/02/2014, titled "Slide Gate and Valve Plate for Slide Gate". The present invention discloses that a valve plate for a slide gate that is located between a

ladle and a turndish to control the flow rate of molten steel. The valve plate for a slide gate has a heptangular shape including: first and second long sides facing and parallel to each other; first and second inclined short sides making contact with the first and second long sides, respectively, at one end thereof; a third short side connecting the first and second short sides; and fourth and fifth inclined short sides making contact with the first and second long sides, respectively, at the other end thereof. The valve plate for a slide gate is symmetrical with respect to the center line thereof that is spaced the same distance apart from the first and second long sides and parallel thereto, and has an orifice formed on the center line.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 2543/MUMNP/2014, by Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. dated 29/06/2012, titled "Control Method and Apparatus for Continuous Casting Steel Pouring". A control method for continuous casting steel pouring. The method comprises: 1. measuring and reading a ladle casting location signal by using a ladle location sensor mounted on a ladle rotary table; 2. determining in a steel pouring optimization control computer whether the steel pouring of the ladle starts; 3. feeding steel slag measurement data back to an inference controller by using a steel slag measurement sensor mounted above a ladle slide gate nozzle; 4. in the inference controller comparing the read steel slag measurement data with a manually set steel slag value; if the steel slag measurement data is smaller than the manually set steel slag value returning to a previous step; and if the steel slag measurement data is greater than the manually set steel slag value outputting and feeding a cylinder control variable to a PI controller; and 5. in the PI controller comparing a fed in cylinder location signal with an actually measured cylinder location signal and performing calculation and outputting to control a cylinder driving unit to push a cylinder to move so as to make the opening degree of the ladle slide gate nozzle smaller. An apparatus for continuous casting steel pouring using the above control method is further provided. By means of the above method and apparatus the amount of the molten steel flow of the ladle is controlled thereby improving the yield of the molten steel and decreasing the production cost.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 201814013720, by HAZELETT STRIP-CASTING CORPORATION dated 11/04/2017, titled "System and Method For Continuous Casting". A continuous casting apparatus includes a first

belt carried by a first upstream pulley and a first downstream pulley, a second belt carried by a second upstream pulley and a second downstream pulley, and a mold region defined by a first mold support section arranged behind the first belt and a second mold support section arranged behind the second belt. The first mold support section supports the first belt and defines a shape of the first belt in the mold region and the second mold support section supports the second belt and defines a shape of the second belt in the mold region. At least one of the first mold support section and the second mold support section includes a transition portion and a generally planar portion downstream from the transition portion. The transition portion has a variable radius configured to receive molten metal from a metal feeding device.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 201737000384, by Foseco International Limited dated 02/09/2014, titled "Feeder System". The present invention relates to a feeder system for metal casting. The feeder system comprises a feeder sleeve mounted on a tubular body. The feeder sleeve has a longitudinal axis and comprises a continuous sidewall that defines a cavity for receiving liquid metal during casting. The sidewall extends generally around the longitudinal axis and has a base adjacent the tubular body. The tubular body defines an open bore therethrough for connecting the cavity to the casting. A groove extends into the sidewall from the base to a first depth and the tubular body projects into the groove to a second depth and is held in position by retaining means. The second depth being less than the first depth so that upon application of a force in use the retaining means are overcome and the tubular body is pushed further into the groove.
Another reference is made to the Patent application number 201617025949, by Vesuvius Group SA dated 19/02/2014, titled "Ladle Shroud for Casting Metal Kit of Parts for Coupling Assembly for Coupling Said Ladle Shroud to a Ladle Metal Casting Installation and Coupling Process". The present invention concerns a metal casting installation comprising a ladle comprising an inner nozzle in fluid communication with the through opening of a top gate plate and equipped with a ladle shroud coupling assembly comprising: (a) a support frame comprising a bottom gate plate and a passage said support frame being sliding coupled to a planar bottom surface of the top gate plate such that the opening of the bottom gate plate can be brought in or out of registry with the through opening of the top

gate plate (b) a drawer frame inserted in the passage of the support frame such that the drawer frame can be moved back and forth through said passage (c) first and second latches resiliently mounted such that they can move from a coupling position to a loading position (d) a specifically designed ladle shroud comprising a bore and gripping means suitable for being reversibly coupled to the first and second latches wherein the drawer frame by moving through the passage of the support frame can bring the bore of the ladle shroud alternatively in and out of registry with the opening of the bottom gate plate.
Another reference is made to the application no. CN2283533Y, by Yao Shushan, Shao Guowei and Chen Feixiong, dated 15/11/1996, titled “Slide gate nozzle driving device.” The invention relates to a driving device for slide gate nozzles, which is used for a slide gate nozzle mechanism in a metallurgy industry; when the utility model is operated, the driving device composed of a hydraulic cylinder, an upper connecting hand and a lower connecting hand can be suspended on a supporting seat at the side part of a ladle, and the hook-shaped lower connecting hand which is matched with the dimension of a shaft pin is made to automatically and tightly fix a crank and easily put down through an opening and closing oil pipe with high pressure which is fixed on a joint of a hydraulic cylinder; the accidents that the oil leaks, a slide plate is automatically opened, the hydraulic oil cylinder is blocked, etc., are avoided, and the accidents are caused by the frequent contact of the primary hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic cylinder joint along the running of the cylinder and the oil pipe with high pressure.
Another reference is made to the application no. SU797842A1, by Yuri Alekseevich Makhov and Valery Gennadievich Torokhov, dated 03/04/1979, titled “Slide gate actuator.” The invention relates to a black IU tallurgii, namely the constructs for slide casting ladle for metal. Known drive slide gate ladle comprising a drive mechanism case may conductive, and the hydraulic cylinder, the rod of which is coupled to the upper end of a vertically fixed toothed rack, the lower end of which is connected to the idler intermediate gear mounted on the bottom of the ladle and the associated toothing with a horizontal rail pbdvizhnoy connected to the plate of how conductive gate. The hydraulic cylinder is mounted at a bracket fixed to the ladle. These drawbacks reduce the reliability of the drive slide gate and make time-consuming maintenance. The closest to the invention by the technical essence and achieved result is a sliding gate drive, which comprises gidrotsilizdr,
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lever draft type, binding cylinder with a movable shutter plate. The hydraulic cylinder by means of the sleeve and Crohn Thane mounted on the side wall of the bucket and through a telescopic tube is pivotally linked to the lever crank mechanism is pivotally connected to the housing of the sliding gate, and the other arm of the crank mechanism through the thrust pivotably coupled to movable plate PJ shutter.
Another reference is made to the application no. US2227872A, by Alfred R Willard, dated 25/03/1938, titled “Casting machine.” This invention relates to an automatic casting machine adapted particularly for casting grids employed in the manufacture of positive and negative plates for batteries of the lead-acid type. The machine comprises a suitable frame on which all the mechanism of the casting machine proper is supported and at the front of which is a mold to be referred to presently. Adjacent the casting machine is a melting pot. This machine has been designed for casting from lead or lead antimony double storage battery grids of common form, in which event the lead and antimony will be melted in the pot. Supported above the pot is a motor which drives a suitable pump in the pot, the pump delivering the molten metal through a pipe to an automatically controlled valve.
Another reference is made to the application no. US3228073A, by Alfred R Willard, dated 01/09/1961, titled “Method and means for making metal forgings.” This invention discloses a method which comprises flowing liquid metal into a closed mold from the bottom thereof without turbulence from a source of liquid metal which is under pressure that is greater than the pressure in the mold, and controlling the rate of movement of air out of the mold to control the rate of flow of metal into the mold, upon filling of the mold increasing the difference between the pressure in the mold and the pressure on said source of liquid, allowing the metal to solidify in the mold, and while the solidified metal is still hot in the mold applying pressure thereto to cause the solid metal thereof to flow and change the shape of the solified metal.
Another reference is made to the application no. US4632172A, by Bernard Etienne, Michel Francois and Michel Pierrel, dated 06/03/1984, titled “Centrifugal pipe casting with progressively inclined and raised pour channel.” This invention discloses that in the centrifugal casting of iron pipes, molten metal from a tilt ladle
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is supplied to an inclined pour trough or channel whose outlet nose is relatively axially movable within a rotating mold. To compensate for the reduction in the hydrostatic thrust of the molten metal in the pour channel when the metal supply is terminated near the end of the casting operation, the inclination of the channel is gradually increased to thereby maintain a constant flow rate at the nose. Further, to compensate for the reduction of the height of fall due to the tilting of the pour channel and the attendant lowering of the downwardly sloping nose, the point of articulation of the channel within the mold is also raised in synchronism with the increased tilting of the channel.
Another reference is made to the application no. FR2462952A1, by Earl P Shapland and James T Shapland, dated 07/06/1971, titled “sliding gate ladle.” This invention discloses shutter slide mechanism for controlling the flow rate of a molten metal, comprising a refractory plate silent slidable along a sealing zone surrounding the pouring orifice of a receptacle containing the molten metal, to define a control position in which a hole or a solid portion of the plate, placed in coincidence with 'pouring orifice of the container, allows or prevents, respectively, the molten metal flow, and fixed to releasably vessel, a frame in which is mounted a support, the tray being received and supported in the holder and being subjected solidarily with the support, to move back and forth, the integral interior of the frame, characterized in that the plate is contained in a metal casing which leaves liber the tray surface on which establishes a contact sliding, which allows the tray to be received removably in the holder.
Another reference is made to the application no. US3581948A, by Pol Detalle, dated 11/08/1969, titled “Sliding gate of a casting ladle for pouring liquid metals.” The invention states that a sliding gate for a casting ladle provided with a bottom lip, for pouring liquid metals, particularly steel, composed of a fireproof plate provided with an aperture to be firmly set under the bottom of the ladle by means of a metal frame piece, and a further refractory shutter plate provided with an outlet, set on a metal sliding piece which slides on the first plate and is slidably set in the rigid frame piece. A sliding shutter is provided with an installation which will allow the prevention and/or the elimination of the solidification of the melt in the discharge canal of the casting ladle, particularly in the aperture of the firmly set plate of the sliding shutter.
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Another reference is made to the application no. CA1201271A, by Takumi Nishio and Kazuo Ito, dated 16/02/1983, titled “Slide gate of a casting ladle or similar container.” The invention discloses that the gate of a casting ladle or similar container having an outlet aperture for discharging a molten metal accommodated therein, in which the slide gate comprises a slide plate horizontally, slidably disposed at a lower end of the outlet aperture between a first position to block the discharge of the molten metal from the outlet aperture and a second position to allow the discharge of the molten metal from the outlet aperture, the slide plate having a recess extending into the upper face thereof in an area of the upper face which is in alignment with the lower end of the outlet aperture when the slide plate is set at the first position; a gas-permeable refractory member disposed in the recess; and a gas passage element opening into the recess so as to introduce a gas into the outlet aperture through the gas permeable refractory member, can ensure introduction of the gas at a predetermined flow rate into the outlet aperture of the casting ladle or similar container.
Another reference is made to the application no. CN86101776A, by Robert Frick, dated 10/04/1985, titled “Gate valve of casting ladle.” The invention discloses that metal ladle a sliding shutter, should be quick and easy replacement of the shutter plate and next to its upper casting tube. The moving assembly of the closure plate section raised by moving the assembly rail extends along the moving direction, and, indirectly, the rocker arm by bumps or pressed directly by a rib the pressing mechanism, thus the pressing mechanism is pressed or of the shutter sliding shutter unloaded.
Another reference is made to the application no. 8196/DELNP/2014, by Arcelormittal Investigacion Y Desarrollo SL, dated 30/09/2014, titled “Continuous Casting Equipment.” The present invention relates to a continuous casting equipment for a flow of liquid metal from a tundishinto a mould said equipment comprising: a vertical duct disposed upstream of the mould with respect to the direction of travel of the liquid metal; said duct comprising from upstream to downstream a refractory ring a copper tube with an internal diameter D and a submerged entry nozzle a dome disposed inside the refractory ring and comprising a sloped upper part said upper part being defined so as to deflect the liquid metal coming from the tundish towards the inner walls of the vertical duct; characterized in that the diameter D of the copper tube ranges between a minimum diameter
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equals to Q/3.75 and a maximum diameter equals to Q/1.25 where Q is the nominal liquid metal flow rate of the equipment and is comprised between 200 and 800 kg/min and D the diameter expressed in mm.
Another reference is made to the application no. 8195/DELNP/2014, by Arcelormittal Investigacion Y Desarrollo SL, dated 30/09/2014, titled “Continuous Casting Process of Metal.” The present invention relates to a continuous casting process of a steel semi product comprising: a step of casting using a hollow jet nozzle located between a tundish and a continuous casting mould said nozzle comprising in its upper part a dome for deflecting the liquid metal arriving at the inlet of said nozzle towards the internal wall of the nozzle thus defining an internal volume with no liquid metal a simultaneous step of injection of powder through a hole of the dome said powder having a particle size inferior to 200 µm and said dome comprising first means to inject said powder without any contact with said dome and second means to avoid sticking or sintering of said powder onto said first means.
Another reference is made to the application no. 1168/KOL/2014, by Jong Yeon Hwang, dated 14/11/2013, titled “System for Controlling Flow Rate of Cooling Water in Continuous Casting.” This invention discloses a system for controlling a flow rate of cooling water in continuous casting. The system includes a main pipe having a main valve installed thereto, a sub-pipe branching from the main pipe and having a sub-valve installed thereto, and a controller serving to compare a minimum flow rate of the cooling water set by the main valve with a target flow rate of the cooling water to be sprayed towards a metal section and, when the target flow rate is determined to be smaller than the minimum flow rate, to transmit an opening signal to the sub-valve to allow a portion of cooling water to bypass through the sub- pipe.
Another reference is made to the application no. 350/DELNP/2015, by Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, dated 18/09/2012, titled “Up Drawing Continuous Casting Apparatus and Up Drawing Continuous Casting Method.” It states that an up drawing continuous casting apparatus includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal; a shape determining member that is arranged near a molten metal surface of a casting held in the holding furnace and that determines a sectional shape of the molten metal by the molten metal passing through the shape
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determining member; a cooling portion that cools and solidifies the molten metal that has passed through the shape determining member; and a molten metal cooling portion that lowers a temperature of the molten metal held in the holding furnace.
However, none of the above discussed inventions disclose a high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism with such characteristics as: it comprises the ladle, hydraulic cylinder, inequilateral crank, connecting rod and sliding plate mechanism, wherein the hydraulic cylinder and the inequilateral crank are set on the top of the ladle, and the connecting rod and the sliding plate mechanism are installed on the ladle’s external wall from top to bottom; the piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to the longer arm of the inequilateral crank, the middle of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the ladle, the shorter arm of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod, and the lower end of the connecting rod is connected to the sliding plate mechanism.
Objects of the invention:
The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved ladle slide gate mechanism with a high-efficiency and low cost.
Another objective of the present invention is to control the flow of metal casting.
Another objective of the present invention is to minimize a risk of breakout accident during operation.
Another objective of the present invention is to minimize the risk of steel re-oxidation.
Another objective of the present invention is to reduce energy consumption as well as business costs.
Another objective of the present invention is to cut down the labour hour of replacing the crank, reduced the cost and improved productivity.
Summary of the invention:
The present invention discloses an improved ladle slide gate mechanism with a high-efficiency and low cost. This mechanism includes a ladle, a hydraulic cylinder,
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an inequilateral crank, a connecting rod and a sliding plate mechanism. The hydraulic cylinder and the inequilateral crank are set on the top of the ladle, and the connecting rod and the sliding plate mechanism are installed on the ladle’s external wall from top to bottom. The piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to the longer arm of the inequilateral crank, the middle of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the ladle, the shorter arm of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod, and the lower end of the connecting rod is connected to the sliding plate mechanism. Since the application of the inequilateral crank and piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to the longer arm of the inequilateral crank, when the cylinder is making output, its arm of force is larger than that at the connecting rod so that a leverage effect is generated. Therefore, the cylinder can drive the connecting rod to move up and down with relatively low energy consumption, which will reduce energy consumption as well as business costs.
Statement of the invention:
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low-cost, said mechanism comprises a ladle, a hydraulic cylinder, a piston rod, an inequilateral crank, a connecting rod and a sliding plate mechanism, said mechanism characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder and the inequilateral crank are set on the top of the ladle, and the connecting rod and the sliding plate mechanism are installed on the ladle’s external wall from top to bottom.
Detailed description of Figures:
Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the inequilateral crank of the high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism.
Detailed description of the invention:
It should be noted that the particular description with features, designs, components, construction, working and embodiments set forth in the specification below are merely exemplary of the wide variety and arrangement of instructions which can be employed with the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential
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characteristics thereof. All the features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by similar other or alternative features performing similar or same or equivalent purposes. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, they all are within the scope of present invention. Various modifications or substitutions are also possible without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that this specification has been described by way of the most preferred embodiments and for the purposes of illustration and not limitation.
The present invention provides a high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism. It includes a ladle, a hydraulic cylinder, an inequilateral crank, a connecting rod and a sliding plate mechanism. The hydraulic cylinder and the inequilateral crank are set on the top of the ladle, and the connecting rod and the sliding plate mechanism are installed on the ladle’s external wall from top to bottom. The piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to the longer arm of the inequilateral crank, the middle of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the ladle, the shorter arm of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod, and the lower end of the connecting rod is connected to the sliding plate mechanism.
The section of the inequilateral crank is in the inequilateral triangle, and the longer arm of the inequilateral crank is provided with at least one through-hole No.1 in even intervals for hinging to piston rod the along the direction to its hinge joint with the ladle.
The top of the ladle is provided with a hinge mount matched with the inequilateral crank, the middle of the inequilateral crank is provided with No.2 through-hole, and the inequilateral crank is hinged to the hinge mount by a hinge shaft extending through No.2 through-hole.
The external wall of the ladle near the connecting rod is provided with a slideway for the up-and-down sliding of the connecting rod.
The intersection angle between the piston rod’s axis and the top surface of the ladle is more than 0°.
This high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism includes, as shown in the Figure 1 and Figure 2, a ladle (1), a hydraulic cylinder (2), an inequilateral
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crank (4), a connecting rod (5) and a sliding plate mechanism (6). A Section of the inequilateral crank (4) is in the inequilateral triangle. There is No.2 through-hole (4c) in the middle of the inequilateral crank (4). The longer arm of the inequilateral crank (4) toward No.2 through-hole (4c) is provided with three No.1 through-holes (4a) in even intervals which is hinged to the connecting rod (3) of the hydraulic cylinder (2). The shorter arm of the inequilateral crank (4) is provided with No.3 through-hole (4b), and the distance between the three respective No.1 through-holes (4a) and No.2 through-hole (4c) is larger than that between No.3 through-hole (4b) and No.2 through-hole (4c).
In said mechanism, the hydraulic cylinder (2) and the inequilateral crank (4) are set on the top of the ladle (1), the hydraulic cylinder (2) and the hydraulic cylinder (2) is jointed solidly with the ladle (1) at the top. Axis of the hydraulic cylinder (2)’s piston rod (3) has a 30°angle with the ladle 1 top.
The inequilateral crank (4) is hinged to the hinge mount, which is set on the top of the ladle (1) and matched to the inequilateral crank (4), by means of No.2 through-hole (4c)’s hinge shaft. The connecting rod (5) and the sliding plate mechanism (6) are installed on the ladle (1)’s external wall from top to bottom, and the external wall of the ladle (1) near the connecting rod (5) is provided with a slideway for the up-and-down sliding of the connecting rod (5).
The Piston rod (3) of the cylinder (2) is hinged to the corresponding No.1 through-hole (4a) on the inequilateral crank (4), and the No.3 through-hole (4b) on the inequilateral crank (4) is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod (5). The lower end of the connecting rod (5) is connected to the sliding plate mechanism (6).
When this embodiment of high-efficiency and low-cost ladle slide gate mechanism works, then the piston rod (3) of the hydraulic cylinder (2) does shuttling motion along the axis, and such shuttling motion is translated to a vertical one via the inequilateral crank (4) so as to drive the connecting rod (5) to move up and down, and it leads to the opening and closing of the ladle’s slide gate by means of sliding mechanism (6). When the hydraulic cylinder (2) makes output, its arm of force is larger than the arm of force at the connecting rod (5), which creates a leverage effect.
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Thus, the hydraulic cylinder (2) drives the connecting rod (5) with lower energy consumption, which reduces energy consumption as well as business costs. Meanwhile, as the longer arm of the inequilateral crank (4) is provided with three No.1 through-holes (4a) in even intervals for hinging to piston rod along with the direction to its hinge joint with the ladle (1), in replacement of hydraulic cylinder in different models, hinging at the corresponding No.1 through-role (4a) could be made as required without replacing the crank. This has greatly cut down the labour hour of replacing the crank, reduced the cost and improved productivity.
So, accordingly in the preferred embodiment, the present invention discloses an improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low-cost, said mechanism comprises a ladle (1), a hydraulic cylinder (2), a piston rod (3), an inequilateral crank (4), a connecting rod (5) and a sliding plate mechanism (6), said mechanism characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (2) and the inequilateral crank (4) are set on the top of the ladle (1), and the connecting rod (5) and the sliding plate mechanism (6) are installed on the ladle’s (1) external wall from top to bottom.
In another embodiment, said inequilateral crank is in the inequilateral triangle and a No.2 through-hole is fixed in the middle of the inequilateral crank.
In yet another embodiment, said a longer arm of the said inequilateral crank toward No.2 through-hole is provided with three No.1 through-holes in even intervals which is hinged to the connecting rod of the hydraulic cylinder and a shorter arm of the inequilateral crank is provided with No.3 through-hole.
In yet another embodiment, said inequilateral crank, a distance between the three respective No.1 through-holes and No.2 through-hole is larger than between the distance of No.3 through-hole and No.2 through-hole.
In another embodiment, said piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to a longer arm of the inequilateral crank, the middle of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the ladle and the shorter arm of the inequilateral crank is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod and the lower end of the connecting rod is connected to the sliding plate mechanism.
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In yet another embodiment, hydraulic cylinder is jointed solidly with the ladle at the top and an external wall of the ladle near the connecting rod is provided with a slideway for the up-and-down sliding of the connecting rod.
In another embodiment, said mechanism an intersection angle between the piston rod’s axis and the top surface of the ladle is more than 0°.
In another embodiment, said piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder does shuttling motion along the axis, and the inequilateral crank translates shuttling motion to a vertical one to drive the connecting rod to move up and down, and leading to the opening and closing of the ladle’s slide gate by means of sliding mechanism.
In yet another embodiment, the said hydraulic cylinder makes an arm of force, which is larger than the arm of force at the connecting rod and creates a leverage effect.
In another embodiment, said hydraulic cylinder drives the connecting rod with lower energy consumption, which reduces energy consumption as well as business costs.
In another embodiment, said mechanism the longer arm of the inequilateral crank provides a direction to its hinge joint with the ladle, in replacement of hydraulic cylinder in different models without replacing the crank.
Advantages:
• Since the inequilateral crank is adopted and the piston rod of the cylinder is hinged to the longer arm of the inequilateral crank, when the cylinder is making output, its arm of force is larger than that at the connecting rod so that a leverage effect is generated. Therefore, the cylinder can drive the connecting rod to move up and down with relatively low energy consumption, which will reduce energy consumption as well as business costs.
• As the longer arm of the inequilateral crank is provided with at least one through-hole No.1 in even intervals for hinging to piston rod along with the direction to its hinge joint with the ladle, in replacement of hydraulic cylinder in different models, hinging at the No.1 through-role could be made
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as required without replacing the crank. This has greatly cut down the labour hour of replacing the crank, reduced the cost and improved productivity.

We Claim:

An improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low-cost, said mechanism comprises a ladle (1), a hydraulic cylinder (2), a piston rod (3), an inequilateral crank (4), a connecting rod (5) and a sliding plate mechanism (6), said mechanism characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (2) and the inequilateral crank (4) are set on the top of the ladle (1), and the connecting rod (5) and the sliding plate mechanism (6) are installed on the ladle's (1) external wall from top to bottom.
The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said inequilateral crank (4) is in the inequilateral triangle and a No.2 through-hole (4c) is fixed in the middle of the inequilateral crank (4). The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said mechanism a longer arm of the said inequilateral crank (4) toward No.2 through-hole (4c) is provided with three No.l through-holes (4a) in even intervals which is hinged to the connecting rod (3) of the hydraulic cylinder (2) and a shorter arm of the inequilateral crank (4) is provided with No.3 through-hole (4b).
The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said inequilateral crank (4), a distance between the three respective No.l through-holes (4a) and No.2 through-hole (4c) is larger than between the distance of No.3 through-hole (4b) and No.2 through-hole (4c).
The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low-cost, wherein said piston rod (3) of the cylinder (2) is hinged to a longer arm of the inequilateral crank (4a), the middle of the inequilateral crank (4c) is hinged to the ladle (1) and the shorter arm of the inequilateral crank (4b) is hinged to the upper end of the connecting rod (5) and the lower end of the connecting rod (5) is connected to the sliding plate mechanism (6). The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said hydraulic cylinder (2) is jointed solidly with the ladle (1) at the top and an external wall of the ladle (1) near the connecting rod (5) is provided with a slideway for the up-and-down sliding of the connecting rod (5).

The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said mechanism an intersection angle between the piston rod (3)'s axis and the top surface of the ladle (1) is more than 0°. The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said piston rod (3) of the hydraulic cylinder (2) does shuttling motion along the axis, and the inequilateral crank (4) translates shuttling motion to a vertical one to drive the connecting rod (5) to move up and down, and leading to the opening and closing of the ladle's slide gate (1) by means of sliding mechanism (6).
The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein the said hydraulic cylinder (2) makes an arm of force, which is larger than the arm of force at the connecting rod (5) and creates a leverage effect.
I.The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein the said hydraulic cylinder (2) drives the connecting rod (5) with lower energy consumption, which reduces energy consumption as well as business costs.
..The improved ladle slide gate mechanism with high-efficiency and low cost, wherein said mechanism the longer arm of the inequilateral crank (4) provides a direction to its hinge joint with the ladle (1), in replacement of hydraulic cylinder (2) in different models without replacing the crank.