Abstract: The device comprises a filling assembly (6) with a storage hopper (3) for molding material (2), an outlet member (4) for discharging the molding material (2) into the shooting head (1), and a gate (5) for closing the outlet member (4), the filling assembly (6) being mounted for vertical movement on a machine frame (7) for purposes of immersing the outlet member (4) into the shooting head (1) that is to be filled. To ensure that, on the one hand, the filling assembly (6) is filled with the molding material (2) in an accurately predeterminable and reproducible manner and that, on the other hand, the filling level of the filling assembly (6) is accurately determined, the device is designed and constructed such that a weighing device (8) for determining the weight of the filling assembly (6) is arranged between the filling assembly (6) and the machine frame (7).

Abstract: In the continuous casting of steel, gas is prevented or inhibited from contacting molten steel through the valve slide plate by feeding inert gas through channels in the slide plate and adjacent parts; the channels contain porous refractory inserts and can be connected to outside sources through juxtaposed side channels.

Abstract: A composite metallurgical product includes a roll cast aluminum alloy core and a filler material bonded on the core. Assemblies joined by filler material are formed from this product by heating to flow the filler material into joints and subsequent solidification of the filler material in the joints. The composite product is made in several ways, including lamination at roll caster rolls, and lamination or thermal spraying at the exit side of a roll caster. The invention additionally provides for an angulation rolling method for varying percent of cladding on the composite, and a high-manganese aluminum alloy useful as core material in brazing sheet clad with aluminum-silicon brazing alloy.

Abstract: A sow lifter includes a vacuum hood with a gasket which establishes a seal between the hood and a sow to be lifted from a mold. Preferably, the gasket is of a circular cross section before use and includes a core of a first material surrounded by a high temperature resistant fabric. The gasket is detachably mounted to the vacuum hood. A sow gripper may be provided and may take the form of fluid cylinder actuated arms with sow gripping elements. The gripping elements are shiftable from a first position in which the elements are not positioned beneath a lifted sow to a second position in which the gripping elements are at least partially positioned beneath the sow. The sow lifter is preferably utilized in combination with a sow train to facilitate the cyclical removal of at least partially solidified sows from cars or molds in the train as such molds pass a sow removal location.

Abstract: A pouring basin (1) or funnel made of a mold material, such as sand is molded, and then positioned on a sand casting mold (2). In order to increase the usable casting time in the casting of a workpiece in the casting mold and at the same time avoid any increase in station time, the apparatus includes a mechanism designed to mold and consolidate the pouring basin (1) and then to place the consolidated pouring basin (1) directly on the casting mold (2) in alignment with the pouring hole thereof.

Abstract: Molding sand (S) is put in a mold space defined by a pattern plate (2), having a pattern (2A) on it, and a flask (3). The apparatus includes a thin-plate body (9) and/or a rod (11) to be inserted into the molding sand. It is pre-compacted at a part of it near the inner and outer surfaces of the pattern (2A) and the inner surfaces of the flask (3) by the thin-plate body and rod. The apparatus also has a pressing plate (8) to press all the molding sand after it is pre-compacted.

Abstract: A vertical frame supports a rotary indexing table which carries a pair of vertical shot sleeves each having a shot piston with a depending shot piston rod. The shot sleeves are alternately indexed between a metal receiving station and a metal transfer station where a mold is supported above the table by a gate plate mounted on the frame. A hydraulic ejection cylinder and a substantially larger hydraulic shot cylinder are supported by the frame under the metal receiving and transfer stations, respectively, and laterally sliding couplings alternately connect the shot piston rods to the hydraulic cylinders when the table is indexed 180.degree.. Each shot piston and the gate plate form a biscuit which is retracted into the shot sleeve at the transfer station by the shot cylinder and is ejected at the receiving station by the ejection cylinder after the table and shot sleeves are indexed.

Abstract: The system has a pivoting frame (1) attached to a core-making machine, including a support (2) fitted with two symmetrically arranged trays (4) having centering elements (6) and clamps (7) to receive and hold two blowing plates, namely a clean plate (19) and a plate to be cleaned (18). The pivoting frame pivots the frame (1), turns the support (2) and travels a blowing head (17) in sequence such that the plate to be cleaned is collected by the support (2) and the clean plate is collected by the blowing head (17).

Abstract: Compression and distortion on a wax pattern during curing are eliminated by employing a thermochromatic dye which changes color when investment material sets. By monitoring the dye, the set investment material can be removed from the assembly before curing, eliminating compression forces on the wax pattern from the exothermic curing process expanding the investment material against the constraints of the assembly.

Abstract: The apparatus is formed by confronting wide side mold walls and confronting narrow side mold walls, The narrow side mold walls are composed of an electrically conductive refractory material and are directly heated. Each of the narrow side mold walls include an upper squeezed portion and a lower parallel portion, The upper squeezed portion has a surface in contact with the molten metal which converges in width along a casting direction. The lower parallel portion has surface in contact with the molten metal which is substantially uniform in width.

Abstract: A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (24) has a tundish (12) for containing a melt (14) and a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled casting rolls (22). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouring basin (18) for receiving the melt through a teeming tube (16) thereby establishing a meniscus (20) between the rolls for forming a strip (24). The melt is protected from the outside air by a non-oxidizing gas passed through a supply line (28) to a sealing chamber (26). Devices (29) for conditioning the outer peripheral chill surfaces of the casting rolls includes grit blasting nozzles (30A, 30B, 30C, 30D), a collection trough (32) for gathering the grit, a line (34) for recycling the grit to a bag house (36), a feeder (38) and a pressurized distributor (40) for delivering the grit to the nozzles. The conditioning nozzles remove dirt, metal oxides and surface imperfections providing a clean surface readily wetted by the melt.

Abstract: A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (24) includes a tundish (12) for containing a melt (14), a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled casting rolls (22) and devices (29) for electrostatically coating the outer peripheral chill surfaces (44) of the casting rolls with a powder flux material (56). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouting basin (18) for receiving the melt through a teeming tube (16) thereby establishing a meniscus (20) between the rolls for forming the strip. The melt is protected from the outside air by a non-oxidizing gas passed through a supply line (28) to a sealing chamber (26). A preferred flux is boron oxide having a melting point of about 550.degree. C. The flux coating enhances wetting of the steel melt to the casting roll and dissolves any metal oxide formed on the roll.

Abstract: The roll comprises a rotatable arbor (1) with an annular sleeve (7) shrunk onto it. There are internal passages (25) in the sleeve for the flow of liquid coolant there along. The internal passages are in communication with ducts (19, 21) in the arbor and the liquid coolant passed along the passages from the ducts forms a thermal barrier in the sleeve between the outer periphery and the interface.

Abstract: At least one preliminary pattern body, which is then used as part of a pattern or the pattern itself, is produced with fibers and a pattern material. A ceramic mold is formed around the pattern with a portion of the fibers having ends embedded into the mold. The pattern material is removed and finally, metal in liquid, liquid-solid or powdery form is introduced into the mold, wherein the metal is at least partially liquefied in the mold when it is introduced in powdery form. This process allows investment castings having an increased resistance to be produced with relatively simple casting equipment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of forming a plurality of moulds in a string system is provided by squeeze plates which compress the particulate mould material. One of the squeeze plates is pivotable so that when a pair of squeeze plates are compressed by particulate mould material, the pivotable squeeze plate may be pivoted out of the way to provide a string mould system. In another embodiment of the invention the pivotable squeeze plate is movable laterally to provide bilateral pressing of both of the squeeze plates.

Abstract: A block assembly is disposed in close relation to a support beam in a continuous block caster. The block assembly is secured to the support beam by simultaneously actuating a plurality of discreet fixing devices by applying a force to a single point.

Abstract: The parting agent spray system is used with a roll casting machine to reduce the parting problems associated with releasing the casting-strip from the rolls. The parting system comprises a bank of self-cleaning spray nozzles for each of the upper roll and the lower roll of the caster. Each bank of nozzles is enclosed in its own individual housing which terminates proximal to the surface of the roll, and is movably located on a track. The housing is utilized to contain any excess graphite spray and prevent it from escaping from the area around the roll caster and contaminating the surrounding environment. The nozzles are grouped into zones, each zone connected to a parting agent solution source via an influent parting agent solution line, and connected to an air source via an air supply line for controlling the flow of the parting agent solution through each of the nozzles and atomizing the same, thus allowing the nozzles in each zone to be independently manipulated.

Abstract: A retaining rod is provided for forcing a tight interfit between adjacent segments of a liner of a casting shake-out unit, sand reclaimer, rotary media drum, or a tumbling unit. The adjacent edges of the liner segments have triangular grooves which combine to create diamond shaped channels between adjacent segments of the liner. The rod is generally diamond shaped in cross-section and tapered from front to back, giving the rod an overall trapezoidal appearance. The cross-sectional height of the rod is greater than the cross-sectional width of the rod. Thus, the rod can be placed in the channel in one of two positions and the same rod may be used if the clearance between adjacent segments is large or small simply by rotating the rod 90.degree..

Abstract: A strip is continuously cast between rolls that includes a pair of rolls driven in rotation, two side dams urged against the ends of the rolls, and a jack for pressing the side dams against the rolls. The thrust force on the side dams is measured and the friction force exerted on the side dams by the rolls as a result of the rolls rotating is measured. From these measurements of thrust and friction forces, a coefficient representative of friction conditions between each of the surfaces of contact between the side dams and rolls is deduced and casting parameters are adjusted in response to the contact state between the surfaces.

Abstract: A layer of liquid parting agent, and any solid detritus contained therein, is completely removed from a casting surface of a rotating belt after contact with molten metal. A new layer of liquid parting agent is applied to the casting surface thereafter and prior to renewed contact with the molten metal. The removal of used parting agent and the application of fresh helps to prevent the formation of surface blemishes and defects on the cast metal strip product. Such blemishes and defects can also be minimized by using an injector having a flexible tip used to inject the molten metal onto the casting surface and preferably one or more spacers to create a gap between the tip and the casting surface itself. The spacer is preferably a screen of wire strands orientated to minimize disruption of the new layer of liquid parting agent applied to the casting surface. By avoiding disruption of the new layer of liquid parting agent, surface blemishes on the cast product are minimized.