Self-supported ladle shroud for reversible coupling to a connector nozzle

• US 10,464,129 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vesuvius Group SA (Vesuvius Plc)
• Original Assignee: Vesuvius Group SA (Vesuvius Plc)
• Inventors: Collura, Mariano
• Primary Examiner(s): Roe, Jessee R
• Assistant Examiner(s): A., M.
• Application Number:
  US16/011,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20180297111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 266236, 222600, 222607, 222591, 222594, 222597, 164474, 164475, 164418, 164437, 164335, 164227
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 41/502 Connection arrangements; Sealing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 41/56 Means for supporting, manipulating or changing a pouring-nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/14 Charging or discharging liquid or molten material

Abstract

A ladle shroud is fixed to a coupling device for reversibly coupling an inlet orifice of said ladle shroud to a collector nozzle fixed to the outside of a bottom floor of a ladle in a metal casting installation, by means of at least a first and second elongated latch pivotally mounted on a hinge, such that the latch can pivot from a fixing position to an idle position. The idle position of the latches allows the engagement of the ladle shroud into its casting configuration about the collector nozzle, and the fixing position of the latches engages catches provided on said latches into matching fasteners located on the gate frame holding the collector nozzle.

Claims

1. Ladle shroud configured for use with a coupling device for reversibly coupling an inlet orifice of a ladle shroud to a collector nozzle fixed to an outside of a bottom floor of a ladle in a metal casting installation, said outside of the bottom floor of the ladle comprising a gate frame, said coupling device comprising:

a) a hinge frame having a central opening normal to a longitudinal axis, X1, passing through a centroid of said opening, and which is configured to receive a ladle shroud;

b) coupling device to shroud connector configured to connect said hinge frame to a ladle shroud inserted in said central opening;

c) at least a first and second elongated latch comprising a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein each corresponding latch of the at least first and second latches;

is pivotally mounted on a corresponding hinge at a level closer to the distal end than to the proximal end of the corresponding latch, said corresponding hinge being located on the hinge frame, such that the corresponding latch can pivot from a fixing position, wherein the coupling device is fixed to the ladle gate frame, to an idle position, wherein the coupling device is not fixed to the ladle gate frame,

is coupled to a latch driver developing a force to drive said corresponding latch to its fixing position,

is provided with a catch located closer to the proximal end than to the distal end of the corresponding latch, such that the pivoting of any one of the at least first and second latches about its corresponding hinge from its respective idle position to its respective fixing position reduces a distance separating the catch thereof from the centroid of the central opening;

said ladle shroud comprising;

a) an inlet portion located at an upstream end of the nozzle and comprising;

i) an upstream surface normal to a longitudinal axis, X1, and defining an upstream perimeter, said upstream surface being provided with an inlet orifice configured to snugly fit a collector nozzle coupled to a ladle; and

ii) a peripheral wall surrounding said upstream perimeter and extending along said longitudinal axis, X1, said peripheral wall being at least partially lined with a metal can,

b) a tubular portion extending along said longitudinal axis, X1, from said inlet portion to a downstream end, opposite the upstream end, and where an outlet orifice is located,

c) a bore extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, X1, from said inlet orifice to said outlet orifice,

wherein the ladle shroud further comprises a shroud-to-coupling-device connector for connecting with the coupling-device-to-shroud connector, said shroud-to-coupling-device connector being in a form of at least a first and a second discrete protrusions, which are part of the metal can and are evenly distributed around the perimeter of the peripheral wall,

wherein each of said at least first and second protrusions has a width, W, in a direction tangential to the peripheral wall and normal to the longitudinal axis, X1, and a depth, d, in a radial direction normal to the width, W, and to the longitudinal axis, X1, such that d/W<

1, and defines an upstream ledge, facing a direction of the upstream end of the ladle shroud, and a downstream ledge, facing a direction of the downstream end of the ladle shroud, wherein the downstream ledge is convex with an apex facing towards the downstream end of the ladle shroud and is located substantially in a middle of the protrusion'"'"'s width;

wherein the downstream ledge is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a chevron and a circular arc.