The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

COKE FROM COKE OVENS 379 travels on three pairs of wheels, the screen being about 15 ft. long by 6 ft. 6 in. wide. In the foregoing installations the relative positions of the hearth and the siding are such that the coke is moved by gravity all the way to the truck, whilst in the following examples it has to be mechanically raised on account of the higher position of the coke truck siding. The Brunck coke loader is a kind of scraper elevator which drags the coke up an inclined path into the truck (see Figs. 532 and 533). The machine is mounted on a travelling carriage on the standard rail track, and is used in connection with a short steep hearth which ascends again slightly to form a pocket for the accumulation of the coke ready for the loader. The diagram explains itself. Being mounted on a standard gauge the machine has the advantage that, in case of a breakdown of the loading device, the coke trucks may be loaded by hand on the track of the machine. The larger detail Figs. 534 and 535. Fabry Coke Loader. a. Scraper-belt.- b. The structure, c. Three pairs of travelling wheels, e. Inclined portion of scraper conveyor, f. Bunker for small coke, covered with bar screen for the elimination of the same. g. Loading shoot. h. Return strand of scraper conveyor. i. Countershaft. k. Chain drive for conveyor. I. Electro-motor. represents one of the buckets. Such a system is successfully at work in a French cokery. The plant illustrated in Figs. 534 and 535 is the design of Mr Fabry, director of the Simplex Coke Oven Co., of Sheffield. The two chains of the scraper conveyor are connected together at regular intervals by short lengths of chain. One of these machines can serve a battery of 100 coke ovens. One of the coke loaders of the Coppée Company is shown in Fig. 536. Here the siding is practically on the same level as the lower end of the hearth, so that an excavated channel becomes necessary for the receiving end of the loading device. On the other hand a great amount of initial expense is saved by keeping the battery of ovens close to the ground, as no substructure is required. At the Belgian coke ovens where this installation is at work, 100 tons of coke are loaded per hour, and only one man attends the machine. The motor for the conveyor is of 10 H.P., whilst that for the travelling gear is 20 H.P. The speed of travel is about 140 ft. per minüte. The same firm have modified the design to suit local con- ditions, and where the space is confined an elevator with a single bucket has been used in a vertical position, manipulated by steel ropes.