Single-spot quench car
This application is a continuation-in-part of a U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 664,774, filed Mar. 8, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,394, and having common ownership. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The parent application discloses a slatted top closure for a quench car. It had been common practice in cokemaking to transport incandescent coke from a coke oven to a quench tower in an open top quench car. This practice is subject to criticism because between the pushed oven and the quench tower, the combustion of coke in the car causes considerable pollution of the air. The slatted top quench car maintains the car in a covered state except when access to the car is required as when coke enters and when coke is quenched. The slatted top quench car has a plurality of normally closed slats transversing the top of the quench car. These slats are adapted to be opened to admit coke and quenching water into the car. 
     SUMMARY 
     Though the prior invention is not limited to the use of a slatted top on a traveling-type quench car, an object of the present invention is to present an arrangement adapting the slatted top principle to a single-spot quench car. 
     Quench cars in general are of two basic types: the traveling type and the single-spot type. The traveling quench car receives a push of coke from a coke oven as the car passes the oven. The single-spot quench car, on the other hand, remains stationary in front of the oven to receive the coke as it is pushed from the oven. For this reason, the single-spot quench car is deeper than, but not as long as the traveling quench car. In the case of both cars, the coke received in the car is transported to a quench tower, quenched in the car, then dumped from the car. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a single-spot coke quench car for receiving incandescent coke from a coke oven and transporting it to a quenching site for quenching, the quench car having a top closure which comprises a plurality of slats transversing the top of the quench car and means for opening the slats in pre-selected groups to permit access to the interior of the car from above. 
     This invention also can be used in conjunction with a canopy or shroud at the coke oven or with a companion scrubber car or with both. 
    
    
     The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a quench car constructed in accordance with the invention in position under a coke guide in front of a coke oven and followed by a gas evacuation and scrubber car; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the quench car and gas scrubbing car showing a group of slats of the quench car open in front of the coke guide; 
     FIG. 3 is a detailed side view showing operation of the cylinder and linkage to open a group of slats to receive the coke; 
     FIG. 4 depicts the quench car from one end and shows the relative positions of a slat, its linkage and cylinder, and a coke guide car; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view showing the position of the slats when the quench car is in a quench tower; and 
     FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned end view of the quench car in the quench tower. 
    
    
     Referring now to FIG. 1, quench car 1 is shown in position on rails 2 passing in front of coke guide 3. The function of the coke guide 3, as is known in the art, is to guide the hot, incandescent coke in its path from the coke oven from which it is pushed into the quench car. Along the side of quench car 1 may be placed a duct 4 having occasional access through openings 5 to the interior of the quench car 1. The duct 4 is connected to an integral gas evacuation and scrubbing car 6 which carries a suction fan 7 and a gas scrubbing vessel 8 which contains means (not shown) for spraying the gas and air in a conventional manner to remove contaminants. A pump 9 is placed on scrubbing car 6 to circulate the required water or other liquid through the scrubbing vessel 8. 
     Cylinders 10 and 11 are mounted on the near side of quench car 1. Linkages 12 comprising connecting arms 13 and lever arms 14 connect cylinders 10 and 11 to slats 15. In the preferred embodiment, the slats are linked together to form three separate groups. The slats in any group open and close together in response to movement of the air cylinder connected to that group. The center group of slats 15A is depicted in FIGS. l-4 in the open position. In those same figures, the two end groups 15B are depicted in the closed position. In FIGS. 5 and 6 all three groups are in the open position. Slats 15 are attached along one edge to bars 16 and preferably overlap with the free edge resting on the adjacent bar as shown. The slats may also abut, but overlapping is preferred. In any event, slats 15 are sufficient in width and number to cooperate to form a top closure for quench car 1. Slats 15 may also be counterweighted as in the prior invention, but this is not necessary as the cylinders alone may be capable of moving the slats. Cylinders 10 and 11 may be hydraulic or air operated. Air operation is preferred, as the cushion effect associated with air cylinders helps eliminate impact between the slats and bars. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the overhead view shows quench car 1 and scrubbing car 6 on rails 2, with quench car 1 passing by the coke guide 3. The slats 15A in front of coke guide 3 are in the open (vertical) position; all other slats 15B are in the closed (horizontal) position to retain the fumes and products of combustion within the quench car 1. 
     In FIG. 3, the group of slats 15A is seen in its open position as the quench car 1 is positioned at the coke guide 3. Incandescent coke passes through the opening or slot in the coke guide directly downward between open or vertical slats 15A and into the interior of quench car 1. Positioned on the quench car is the actuating means in the form of air cylinder 10 for opening the slats 15A. The other groups of slats 15B remain closed when coke is received in the car. In the depicted configuration, all slats 15 are rotatable on or with bars 16, which transverse the top of the quench car 1. Lever arms 14 are moved about 80° to 90° so that the slats 15 move into a vertical position as at 15A, thus permitting the incandescent coke in the opening in the coke guide to fall between slats 15A and into the quench car 1. Since, in the preferred configuration, the slats 15 contact the adjacent bars 16 when in the closed position and thus are about 5° off the horizontal, the slats 15 need to rotate only about 85°. 
     In FIG. 4, quench car 1 is seen from an end view showing the typically sloping floor 17, and dumping element 18, which may be opened in a conventional manner to release the quenched coke. Also seen from a different perspective are rails 2, duct 4, slat 15A, bar 16, and coke guide 3. Coke guide 3 is typically mounted on a coke guide car 19 and may be positioned relative to the coke oven door (not shown) by wheels 20 and ways 21. 
     In FIG. 5, all three groups of slats 15A and 15B are shown in their opened position in a quench tower 22. Cylinder 10 opens the center group 15A, cylinders 11 open the end groups 15B. The slats are held open during the quench operation as in the coke pushing step, except that in the quench tower all three groups may be open while quench water emanates from nozzles or pipes 23. As soon as quench car 1 is removed from the quench tower, all the slats are moved to their normally closed position. The end view in FIG. 6 of the quenching operation again shows quenching tower 22, quench pipes 23, bars 16, and duct 4. 
     Through the above described arrangement of the slats in groups with one group of slats opened at once to receive coke and all groups opened together to quench the coke, the principle of the slatted top is adapted to the single-spot quench car. With this arrangement, the opening in the top of the single-spot quench car may be partially opened for receiving coke and completely opened for quenching coke in the car. 
     The illustrated embodiment may be varied in several respects, as for example the cylinders may be actuated by automatic controls such as electrical or penumatic signals or actuators. However, because of the severe conditions created by the handling of incandescent coke, mechanical controls are preferred. The number of slats may vary, but will be limited by the desirability of avoiding striking the coke guide or parts of the quench car when opening or closing. The preferred number of three groups of slats may also be varied. 
     Other aspects may be varied and still fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.