Patent Application
20080084909
Referring generally now to
The lifting apparatus 10 preferably includes a casing 18 having a top end 20 and a bottom end 22. The casing 18 defines an electrode aperture 24, which can also be described as an electrode opening 24, positioned in the bottom end 22 wherein the electrode aperture 24 is shaped to accept the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12. An attachment aperture 26 is positioned in the top end 20, which can also be described as a lifting end 20, and is shaped to accept an attachment element 28 positioned in the attachment aperture 26 wherein the attachment element 28 operatively engages the top end 20.
Preferably, the casing 18, which can also be described as a tapered boundary wall 18, is tapered from the bottom end 22 to the top end 20 such that the bottom end 22, which can also be described as an electrode end 22, has a larger diameter than the top end 20. This can alternately be described as the casing 18 being substantially bell shaped.
The casing 18 can further include a length 30 and a threaded internal surface 32 substantially spanning the length 30. The threaded internal surface 32 mates with the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12 to secure the electrode 12 to the lifting apparatus 10. Additionally, the threaded internal surface 32 is substantially conical in shape and includes a substantially circular cross-sectional shape when this cross-sectional shape is taken perpendicular to the length 30.
The attachment aperture 26, which can also be described as a lifting opening 26, further includes an aperture length 34 and attachment threads 36 substantially spanning the aperture length 34. The attachment element 28, which can also be described as a lifting element 28, further includes a clipping element 38 and casing threads 40 extending from the clipping element 38. The casing threads 40, which can also be described as a threaded extension 40, mate with the attachment threads 36, which can also be described as lifting threads 36, of the attachment aperture 36 to engage the attachment element 28 to the attachment aperture 26.
In this embodiment, the casing threads 40 are external to the attachment element 28 while the attachment threads 36 are internal to the attachment aperture 26. Alternately, the attachment element 28 could engage the external surface 50 of the casing 18 such that the attachment threads 36 are positioned external to the casing 18 while the casing threads 40 of the attachment element 28 are positioned internal to the attachment element 28.
In a preferred embodiment an indexing element 42 is positioned within the casing 18 proximate to the top end 20. The indexing element 42 is positioned to regulate movement of the electrode 12 and the casing 18 with respect to the attachment element 28. This is best exampled by
The casing 18 could further include a handle 48 attached to the external surface 50 of the casing 18. Preferably the handle 48 is positioned proximate to the bottom end 22 of the casing 18 and is spaced from the internal surface 50. The handle 48 can be a handle known in the art to allow proper manual gripping and manipulation of items corresponding to the lifting apparatus 10.
Also included is a lifting apparatus 10 for transporting a graphite electrode 12 having a threaded male end 14. The apparatus 10 comprises a tapered boundary wall 18 including a lifting end 20 and an electrode end 22. The tapered boundary wall 18 defines an electrode opening 24 in the electrode end 22 and a lifting opening 26 in the lifting end 20. The electrode opening 24 includes at least one electrode thread 32 shaped to securely engage the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12 in the electrode opening 24. The lifting opening 26 includes at least one lifting thread 36. A lifting element 28 is positioned in the lifting opening 26 and includes a threaded extension 40 operatively engaging the lifting threads 36 to securely engage the lifting element 28 in the lifting opening 26.
Preferably the threaded extension 40 extends within the tapered boundary wall 18 from the lifting end 20 towards the electrode end 22. Preferably the threaded extension 40 regulates movement of the electrode 12 and the tapered boundary wall 18 with respect to the lifting element 28. A connection protrusion 38 extends from the threaded extension 40 outwardly from the tapered boundary wall 18.
The lifting opening 26 further includes an opening length 34 wherein the lifting threads 36 substantially spans the opening length 34. Additionally, the tapered boundary wall 18 further includes a length 30 wherein the electrode threads 32 substantially span the length 30.
The lifting apparatus 10 is such that a user of the lifting apparatus 10 can position the lifting apparatus 10 on an electrode 12 without the use of additional tools or equipment. The user can slide the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12 into the electrode opening 24 and rotate the lifting apparatus 10 to engage the electrode threads 32 of the lifting apparatus 10 to the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12. This can be accomplished without the use of a crane or other equipment in order to maximize the use of the facilities and/or of equipment in the electric arc furnace industry.
The depth of entry of the threaded male end 14 of the electrode 12 into the lifting apparatus 10 can be controlled. For example, the threaded internal surface 32 can stop at a predetermined distance of the length 30 of the casing 18 such that the threaded male end 13 of the electrode 12 no longer has electrode threads 32 to engage.
Also included is a method of lifting a carbon based electrode having a threaded male end. The method comprises providing a lifting apparatus having internal threads and attaching the internal threads of the lifting device to the threads of the threaded male end of the electrode. The method further includes indexing the carbon based electrode a secure distance within the lifting apparatus and lifting the carbon based electrode by the lifting apparatus. Preferably the method includes allowing substantially unobstructed access to the carbon based electrode below the threaded male end. Additionally the method preferably includes manually attaching the lifting apparatus to the electrode and manually indexing the carbon based electrode within the lifting apparatus.
Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful Lifting Apparatus and Method of Lifting Carbon Based Electrodes, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.
