The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

374 THE MECHANICAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL crank d, screw spindles e, and hand wheel f. This device admits the regulation of the supply of coke to the conveyor and protects the coke from breakage. This plant has been in operation for over a year, without any stoppage or repairs being needed. The system of handling coke by tray conveyors bas undoubted advantages, and the only reason why they do not receive universal adoption in the coking industry may be type of conveyor, as well as in the great wear and tear caused by the cutting nature and often considerable temperature of the coke. A breakdown of the conveyor means practically the suspension of the workings, even if spare parts are kept and repairs can be quickly undertaken. To make this type of conveyor more immune from breakdowns by dispensing with the numerous joints, in the presence of which lies the greatest source of trouble, sought in the want of confidence in this Fig. 525. Jointless Band Conveyor Introduced Wangeman, of Berlin, has introduced a conveyor by Wangeman, of Berlin. which resembles in principle the well-known band conveyor running over terminal drums and idlers b at frequent intervals (Fig. 525). The band proper consists of a number of parallel wire cables c, each with a core of longitudinal non-conducting material, such as asbestos; these cables are connected by stout lateral wires into a band of great substance and resistance. The coke is allowed to slide down the plates a, so as to lie in the central part of the band, and thus protect the idlers with their bearings from dust. As an example of equipment for horizontal coke platforms, the Burnett quenching and loading device may be mentioned (Fig. 526). It consists of a quencher a closed at the top and ends, and extending the full width of the platform ; it is made of deeply corrugated boiler plate, the corrugations being horizontal, and, like the Darby quencher, provided with a system of outside pipes spraying water over the coke block through nozzles pointing inwards, which are protected from frictional contact with the coke by the corrugations. The quencher has no bottom plate, but is closed at the outer end by a plate, and at the inner end by a slide. The steam liberated in quenching escapes through holes in the top. It is supported on rollers b, and lateral girders c, at a height of about half an inch above the platform, and can be run along the battery of ovens by means of wheels d. The quencher is moved to and from the ovens by means of the drum e and the wire rope f Under the carriage is a sunk conveyor to transport the coke to the screen. Winch g is for the purpose of raising the oven Fig. 526. The Burnett Quenching and Loading Device. door after the quencher has been placed in position. The charge is now pressed into the quencher, which is moved a little to one side so that the doors of both the oven and quencher may be closed, when the coke block is quenched in its enclosure. As soon as no more steam rises from the above-mentioned openings, the quenching process is com- plete. To enable screened coke to be loaded direct, independently of a conveyor, the apparatus may be modified so that sufficient space is left between it and the railway track for a screen, adapted to be raised and lowered by ropes running over pulleys, and