A tillable converter of this type is known, for instance, from DE-C-27 39 540 and from DE-A-29 31 67 1. With these known conveyers, the convertor vessel is supported on the carrying ring surrounding the same, by means of guide rods configured, at least partially, as so-called "triangular guide rods", wherein a triangular guide rod is meant to be a guide rod that is hinged either to the converter vessel or to the carrying ring at one end by means of two spaced-apart spherical bearing and to the carrying ring or the converter vessel, respectively, at its other end by means of a single spherical bearing.
Due to this type of configuration of the guide rods, in particular due to unavoidable deformations of the converter vessel, unforeseeable and uncalculatable forces are created stressing the guide rods not only by tension or pressure, but also by bending. The introduction of force both into the carrying ring and into the converter vessel is not precisely determined such that an excessively high stress may additionally be exerted on the guide rods.
Add to this that, due to the arrangement of the known guide rods both on the upper and on the lower sides of the carrying ring, the guide rods arranged on the upper side of the carrying ring, in addition, are subjected to a high thermal load. Further difficulties may arise due to ejections or overfoaming slag. Therefore, it is necessary with the known constructions to cover the guide rods arranged on the upper side of the carrying ring, which, in turn, involves difficulties in inspection and maintenance work. Moreover, the arrangement of the guide rods on the upper side of the carrying ring involves difficulties in the structural design of a slag protection means.