Method of bottom-casting ingots

• US 3,865,177 A
• Filed: 06/07/1972
• Issued: 02/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kozma Ahacic, Lars-Einar Ljungstromer
• Original Assignee: Kozma Ahacic, Lars-Einar Ljungstromer
• Inventors: Ahacic, Kozma, Ljungstromer, Lars-Einar
• Primary Examiner(s): Juhasz, Andrew R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roethel, John E.
• Application Number:
  US05/260,375
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 249/109 164/363,49,133,337
• US Class Current: 164/133
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 9/006 for bottom casting

Abstract

A method and system for bottom-casting ingots, slabs and the like, in which the moulds are positioned above the discharge orifices of runners extending vertically from communicating mould supply channels extending horizontally within a casting platform. The mould supply channels communicates with a teeming gate arrangement provided with means for selectively cutting off the supply of molten casting metal to the mould supply channels. Further selectively operable closure means are also arranged to co-act with the discharge orifices of the runners, to prevent molten casting metal from rising above the level of said orifices when not covered by a mould.

Claims

1. In a method of bottom-casting ingots, slabs and the like in molds located on a casting platform with mold gates in register with and communicating with outlet openings discharging in the casting platform, said casting platform including a chamber communicating through runners and distributing channels with a vertically extending teeming gate arrangement from which the molds are gravitationally filled with molten metal to the desired level, comprising the steps of:

filling said molds with said molten metal to a desired level;

concurrently introducing a quantity of a pressurized inert gas into said chamber above the molten metal conveyed therethrough so as to form an inert gas cushion above the molten metal in said chamber during casting thereof;

closing said teeming gate arrangement;

closing the gates of respective of said filled molds so as to isolate said distributing channels, said runners and said chamber from the surrounding atmosphere; and

upon closing of said teeming and mold gates reducing the pressure of said inert gas above the molten metal in said chamber to effect a return flow of molten metal from said runners and distributing channels into said chamber for preventing the level of molten metal remaining in said chamber, runners and distributing channels from reaching a point above the level of the outlet openings prior to removing the filled molds and replacement thereof with empty molds.