Sliding closure for a container containing molten metal

Abstract

A slide closure for a vessel containing molten metal has a slider housing ( 12 ), a slide unit guided longitudinally therein, with a slide rod ( 13 ), a holder ( 15 ) on the slider housing ( 12 ) as well as a linear actuator ( 20 ) which can be fastened in this holder ( 15 ) with a drive rod ( 20 ′) which can be coupled to the slide rod ( 13 ). The linear actuator ( 20 ) can be slid into the holder ( 15 ) on the slider housing ( 12 ), preferably transverse to its direction of adjustment, and can be removed from same and can be locked in the holder ( 15 ). At least one locking means ( 25, 30 ) is fastened to each of the linear actuator ( 20 ) and the holder ( 15 ), which locking means are developed to interact such that the linear actuator ( 20 ) locks automatically after or during being pushed into the holder ( 15 ). A permanently secure fastening of the linear actuator in the holder thus results.

1 . A slide closure for a vessel containing molten metal, wherein the slide closure has a slider housing ( 12 ), a slide unit guided longitudinally therein, with a slide rod ( 13 ), a holder ( 15 ) on the slider housing ( 12 ) as well as a linear actuator ( 20 ) which can be fastened in this holder ( 15 ) with a drive rod ( 20 ′) which can be coupled to the slide rod ( 13 ), wherein the linear actuator ( 20 ) can be slid into the holder ( 15 ) on the slider housing ( 12 ), preferably transverse to its direction of adjustment, and can be removed from same and can be locked in the holder ( 15 ), characterized in that at least one locking means ( 25 ,  30 ) is present, preferably fastened, to each of the linear actuator ( 20 ) and the holder ( 15 ), which locking means are developed to interact such that the linear actuator ( 20 ) locks automatically after or during being pushed into the holder ( 15 ), preferably at the end of the pushing-in process. 
     
     
         2 . The slide closure according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the linear actuator ( 20 ) locked in the holder ( 15 ) can be unlocked, wherein for this unlocking an adjusting member ( 26 ), which can be actuated manually or by a manipulator, is provided in the at least one locking means ( 25 ,  30 ). 
     
     
         3 . The slide closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the one locking means has a shiftable locking element with a front part which engages in a recess of the other locking means during locking, wherein the locking element is adjustably housed transverse to a pushing-in direction of the linear actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The slide closure according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the locking means ( 25 ) of the linear actuator ( 20 ) has a guide housing ( 28 ), this locking element ( 27 ) shiftable therein, and a spring member ( 29 ), wherein the locking element ( 27 ) can be shifted with its front part ( 27 ′) into a position projecting above the guide housing ( 28 ) by the spring member ( 29 ), while the locking means ( 30 ) of the holder ( 15 ) has a sliding shoe ( 31 ) provided with the recess ( 33 ), which sliding shoe is in sliding contact with the front part ( 27 ′) of the locking element ( 27 ) when pushing the linear actuator ( 20 ) when being pushed in or pushed out. 
     
     
         5 . The slide closure according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the sliding shoe ( 31 ) has a ramp-shaped sliding guide ( 32 ) running at least approximately in pushing-in direction of the linear actuator for sliding contact with the front part ( 27 ′) and then this recess ( 33 ) for receiving the front part ( 27 ′) of the locking element ( 27 ). 
     
     
         6 . The slide closure according to  claim 4 , wherein the recess is positioned in the sliding shoe in the pushing-in direction such that the front part clicks into the recess when the linear actuator is against a stop in the holder at the end of the pushing-in process. 
     
     
         7 . The slide closure according to  claim 4 , wherein when locked, the sliding shoe is in contact with one contact surface each in the recess and the front part reciprocally, wherein these contact surfaces run at least perpendicular to the pushing-in direction of the linear actuator, with the result that the front part is locked in place in the sliding shoe. 
     
     
         8 . The slide closure according to  claim 4 , wherein the linear actuator has, on its front side, the drive rod and a projecting transverse flange and the holder has, on its rear side, a C-shaped guide groove for receiving the transverse flange and thus the linear actuator, wherein the guide housing of the locking means is arranged laterally at the transverse flange, while the sliding shoe is arranged adjacent to this C-shaped guide groove on the rear of the holder or vice versa, and that the guide housing is arranged adjacent to the guide groove and the sliding shoe laterally at the transverse flange. 
     
     
         9 . The slide closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuatable adjusting member is fastened transverse to the locking element of the locking means at the linear actuator and pushes out of the guide housing, away from the linear actuator, through a longitudinal opening. 
     
     
         10 . The slide closure according to  claim 9 , characterized in that for removing the transverse flange ( 22 ) of the linear actuator ( 20 ) out of the guide groove ( 18 ) of the holder ( 15 ), this adjusting member ( 26 ) can be actuated upwards at the guide housing ( 28 ), manually or by a manipulator, and thus this locking element ( 27 ) with the front part ( 27 ′) can be disengaged out of the recess ( 33 ) in the sliding shoe ( 31 ) and the linear actuator ( 20 ) can be pulled out. 
     
     
         11 . The slide closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator and the holder are each associated with, in pairs, at least one electric plug element, for an electric connection line and/or at least one plug element for at least one connection line for a gaseous medium, which are placed such that these are inserted automatically after being pushed in or during being pushed in, at the end of the pushing-in process of the linear actuator into the holder, and that the locking means are locked quasi-automatically. 
     
     
         12 . The slide closure according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the coupling head ( 11 ) of the drive rod ( 20 ′) of the linear actuator ( 12 ) can be coupled automatically to the slide rod ( 13 ) of the slide unit after being pushed in or during being pushed in, preferably at the end of the pushing-in process of the linear actuator ( 20 ) into the holder ( 15 ) by an axial adjustment. 
     
     
         13 . The slide closure according to  claim 11 , wherein when removing the linear actuator from the holder, the locking means can be unlocked from one another by this actuatable adjusting member with a locking means and the plug elements associated in pairs with the linear actuator and the holder can be loosened automatically. 
     
     
         14 . The slide closure according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the coupling head ( 11 ) of the drive rod ( 20 ′) can be loosened automatically from the slide rod ( 13 ) when removing the linear actuator ( 20 ) from the holder ( 15 ) after unlocking the locking means ( 25 ,  30 ) by a lateral movement away.