Abstract: In a slide valve closure for the casting of a metal melt a slider plate and a stationary closure part are braced against each other by means of spring units or by other means. There is provided a casing framework attachable to a mould or the like, in which is fixed a detachable casing part on which the spring units are held and in which the stationary closure part and the slider plate can be accommodated. This allows safe operation and simple and rapid mounting and dismounting of the slide valve closure.

Abstract: A refractory plate for a sliding gate valve at the outlet of a vessel containing molten metal has a polygonal external shape and has a longitudinal axis, on both sides of which at least two side surfaces, disposed at an obtuse angel (.gamma.) to one another, extend and serve as clamping surfaces of the plate in a metallic frame (11) or the like. The shorter side surfaces are arranged to extend at an angle (.alpha.) of between 20.degree. and 50.degree. to the longitudinal axis while the longer side surfaces are arranged to extend at an angle (.beta.) of between 10.degree. and 30.degree. to the longitudinal axis. The refractory plate can thus be optimally clamped and an increased service life is thus consequently achieved.

Abstract: A coupling is used to couple a linear actuator with a slider valve unit in a sliding gate valve for a molten metal vessel. The slider valve unit is slidably mounted in a slider housing for movement in a longitudinal direction, and has a push rod for this purpose. A linear actuator mounting is provided on the slider housing, and the linear actuator is mounted in the linear actuator mounting. The linear actuator has a drive rod movable in a longitudinal direction when the linear actuator is mounted in the linear actuator mounting. The coupling has a structure such that when the linear actuator is mounted in the linear actuator mounting, and the drive rod is moved toward the slider valve unit, the coupling automatically couples the drive rod with the push rod. Furthermore, when the linear actuator is removed from the linear actuator mounting, the coupling automatically uncouples the drive rod from the push rod.

Abstract: A sliding gate valve arrangement is provided with a molten metal vessel having an outlet and guide tracks secured to the vessel extending transverse to the outlet. The housing frame is slidably mountable on the guide tracks. The housing frame has a refractory base plate and a slider unit therein and a plurality of spring elements. The slider unit includes a refractory sliding plate that can be sealingly pressed into engagement with the refractory base plate with the spring elements. A drive element is connectable with the slider unit for moving the slider unit back and forth. The guide tracks are of a predetermined length such that the housing frame, when disposed on the guide tracks, is slidable over a predetermined distance between a first position in which the housing frame positions the refractory base plate and the slider unit below the outlet of the molten metal vessel and a second position in which the housing frame is released from the guide tracks and the molten metal vessel.

Abstract: A metallurgical vessel has a refractory head piece and a vessel outlet at the refractory head piece. A sliding gate valve for this metallurgical vessel includes a housing frame that is mounted to the vessel at the outlet so as to be removable therefrom. A slider unit is mounted in the housing frame having a sliding plate therein. A refractory base plate is also mounted in the housing frame, and has an upper side with a plane sliding surface that is engaged with the refractory head piece and a lower side having a lower sliding surface that is parallel to the plane sliding surface. The sliding plate is pressed against the lower sliding surface of the refractory base plate. The refractory base plate is fixed in the housing frame in a direction parallel to the sliding surfaces of the refractory base plate, but is movable in the housing frame in a direction perpendicular to the sliding surface of the refractory base plate.

Abstract: A refractory plate unit for use as a sliding plate or as a stationary plate in a sliding closure unit at an opening of a metallurgical vessel includes a refractory plate having therethrough a discharge opening. A metal member is rigidly attached to the refractory plate and has a circular annular surface centered radially outwardly of the discharge opening and mating with substantially no free play with a complementary surface of a metal frame supporting the refractory plate unit.

Abstract: A unit for controlling the discharge of molten metal from a metallurgical vessel includes a valve having a refractory stator fixed to refractory material of the unit constituting lining of the vessel and a refractory rotor disposed in the stator and movable relative to the stator between open and closed positions of the valve. The stator and the rotor have flow control passageways extending therein which can place the interior of the metallurgical vessel in communication with a discharge opening of the valve. A seal is established between the stator and the rotor over a portion thereof that surrounds the flow control passageways such that molten metal may not pass from the flow control passageways into an area between the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: A rotary nozzle system for metallurgical vessels, especially steel ladles, whose stationary closure portion or part contains a refractory bottom plate and whose rotatable closure portion or part contains a rotatable toothed rim mounted at the stationary closure portion and a refractory slide plate which bears against the bottom plate. There is solved the problem of enabling a rapid, uncomplicated exchange, especially of the bottom plate and the slide plate with the particular task of automatically reestablishing each time a condition which ensures for operational reliability of the rotary nozzle system. This is obtained by constructing the rotatable closure portion or part as a housing having a rigid cover member which is detachably connected at the rotatable toothed rim. Internally of the housing there is located a pressure plate which receives the slide plate.