Locking device for an oven door

• US 4,952,284 A
• Filed: 07/28/1988
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ruhrkohle AG (Rag-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Ruhrkohle AG (Rag-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Becker, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): KRATZ, PETER F
• Application Number:
  US07/225,682
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 202/242, 202/247, 202/248, 202/269, 110/173 R
• US Class Current: 202/248
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 25/06 for ovens with horizontal chambers

Abstract

A locking device is for an oven door of an oven which extends horizontally and includes an interior defined by interior walls and a door opening which is surrounded by a door frame. The door frame includes an external sealing surface. The oven door includes a sealing unit having peripheral edge portions for overlying and making sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame. The locking device includes a support frame which generally surrounds the sealing unit to overlie the peripheral edge portions thereof. There are included devices for anchoring the support frame to the door frame with the peripheral edge portions disposed therebetween. Contact pressure elements are disposed about the support frame in alignment with the peripheral edge portions. Apparatus is included for causing the contact pressure elements to produce a sealing force on the peripheral edge portions to produce the sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame.

Claims

1. A locking device for an oven door, wherein the oven extends horizontally and includes an interior defined by interior walls and a door opening which is surrounded by door frame means, the door frame means includes an external sealing surface, and the oven door includes a sealing unit having peripheral edge portions for overlying and making sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame means, said locking device comprising:

support frame means for generally surrounding the sealing unit to overlie the peripheral edge portions thereof;

means for anchoring said support frame means to the door frame means with the peripheral edge portions disposed therebetween;

a plurality of contact pressure elements disposed about said support frame means for being in alignment with the peripheral edge portions;

means for causing said contact pressure elements to produce a sealing force on the peripheral edge portions to produce the sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame means;

said support frame means including a pair of vertical support frame elements which are for being respectively located at opposite sides of the sealing unit and a pair of horizontal support frame elements which are for being respectively located at the top and at the bottom of the sealing unit;

said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements having adjacent corresponding ends which are joined;

said plurality of contact pressure elements being evenly disbursed about said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements;

each of said contact pressure elements including an outer end, an intermediate portion and an inner end;

each of said contact pressure elements being threadably mounted at said intermediate portion thereof to its corresponding one of said vertical support frame element and said horizontal support frame element so that rotation of said outer end of said contact pressure element produces axial movement of said inner end of said contact pressure element;

said outer end of said contact pressure element including a sprocket wheel; and

chain drive means connecting said sprocket wheels of said contact pressure elements for corresponding relative rotation thereof.

2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said chain drive means includes one chain which is connected to each of said sprocket wheels for said corresponding relative rotation thereof.

3. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said inner end of said contact pressure elements includes adjustable bolt means.

4. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said inner end of said contact pressure elements includes spring means.

5. The locking device according to claim 1, further including shield means mounted on said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements for protection of said plurality of said contact pressure elements mounted therein.

6. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said means for anchoring includes at least two anchoring bolts mounted to each of said vertical support frame elements and at least two outwardly extending anchor elements mounted to the door frame at each side thereof, wherein each of said anchoring bolts engages a corresponding said outwardly extending anchor element.

7. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said support frame means is loosely secured to the sealing unit for disposing the sealing unit across the door opening for said alignment of said plurality of said contact pressure elements to produce the sealing contact.

8. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said support frame means is elongated and extends vertically.

9. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein said support frame means has a height-to-width ratio of about four.

10. A locking device in combination with an oven door and an oven comprising:

said oven extending horizontally and including an interior;

said interior being defined by interior walls and a door opening which is surrounded by door frame means;

said door frame means including an external sealing surface;

said oven door including a sealing unit;

said sealing unit having peripheral edge portions for overlying and making sealing contact with said sealing surface of said door frame means;

said locking device including support frame means which generally surrounds said sealing unit to overlie said peripheral edge portions thereof;

means for anchoring said support frame means to said door frame means with said peripheral edge portions disposed therebetween;

said sealing unit including an outer wall element having at least a central region thereof;

said central region extending outwardly of said sealing surface of said door frame means in a direction away from said interior of said oven to be located centrally of said support frame means;

a plurality of contact pressure elements disposed about said support frame means for being in alignment with said peripheral edge portions;

means for causing said contact pressure elements to produce a sealing force on said peripheral edge portions to produce the sealing contact with said sealing surface of said door frame means;

said support frame means including a pair of vertical support frame elements which are for being respectively located at opposite sides of said sealing unit and a pair of horizontal support frame elements which are for being respectively located at a top and at a bottom of said sealing unit;

said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements having adjacent corresponding ends which are joined;

said plurality of contact pressure elements being evenly disbursed about said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements;

each of said contact pressure elements including an outer end, an intermediate portion and an inner end;

each of said contact pressure elements being threadably mounted at said intermediate portion thereof to its corresponding one of said vertical support frame element and said horizontal support frame element so that rotation of said outer end of said contact pressure element produces axial movement of said inner end of said contact pressure element;

said outer end of said contact pressure element including a sprocket wheel; and

chain drive means connecting said sprocket wheels of said contact pressure elements for corresponding relative rotation thereof.

11. The locking device according to claim 10, wherein said sealing unit includes an inner wall element for being disposed within said interior inwardly of said sealing surface and said inner wall element is joined to said outer wall element only at said peripheral edge portions to define a hollow interior of said sealing unit.

12. An oven door for a coke oven, wherein the oven extends horizontally and includes an interior defined by interior walls and a door opening, the door opening is surrounded by door frame means, and the door frame means includes an external sealing surface, said oven door comprising:

a sealing unit having peripheral edge portions for overlying and making sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame means;

support frame means for generally surrounding said sealing unit to overlie said peripheral edge portions thereof;

said support frame means including a pair of vertical support frame elements which are respectively located at opposite sides of said sealing unit and a pair of horizontal support frame units which are respectively located at the top and at the bottom of said sealing unit;

said vertical support frame elements being substantially longer than said horizontal support frame elements;

said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements having adjacent corresponding ends which are joined;

means for loosely coupling said support frame means to said sealing unit to generally maintain said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements in overlying relationship with said peripheral edge portions of said sealing unit;

means for anchoring said vertical support frame elements to the door frame means with said peripheral edge portions of said sealing unit being disposed between the door frame means and said vertical and said horizontal support frame elements;

a plurality of contact pressure elements generally evenly disbursed along said vertical support frame elements and said horizontal support frame elements in alignment with said peripheral edge portions;

means for causing said contact pressure elements to produce a sealing force on said peripheral edge portions to produce said sealing contact with the sealing surface of the door frame means;

each of said contact pressure elements being mounted within its corresponding one of said vertical support frame element and said horizontal support frame element for movement toward said peripheral edge portions; and

means for simultaneously producing movement of said each of said contact pressure elements toward said peripheral edge portions.

13. The oven door according to claim 12, wherein said vertical support frame elements are about four times as long as said horizontal support frame elements.