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 slide gate nozzle for controlling the discharge of molten metal from a spout of a converter vessel includes a refractory bottom plate to be positioned stationarily with a discharge opening thereof aligned with an opening of the spout. A refractory slide valve plate is mounted for sliding movement relative to the bottom plate such that a discharge opening of the slide valve plate is brought into and out of alignment with the discharge opening of the bottom plate. A plurality of refractory shut-off plates are positioned sealingly between the bottom plate and the slide valve plate. A coupling mechanism is operably mounted to the shut-off plates to sequentially connect the shut-off plates rigidly either to the bottom plate or to the slide valve plate. As a result, the shut-off plates may be used sequentially to replace the slide valve plate.

Abstract: A manipulator is disclosed for manipulating a pouring pipe from a remote position wherein it is oriented substantially horizontally, to a position beneath a metallurgical vessel wherein the pouring pipe is oriented substantially vertically. The manipulator includes a supporting frame which can be transferred on laterally extending track and longitudinally extending tracks from a remote location to a location adjacent the metallurgical vessel. The manipulator is adapted to detachably engage the pouring pipe such that the pouring pipe can be guided along a guide path which preferably includes curved portions. With this arrangement, the manipulator is operable to manipulate the pouring pipe in an accurate manner and without danger to operating personnel into position beneath the metallurgical vessel and into a continuous casting mold, even when space for such manipulation is narrow.