Abstract: A casting apparatus is described for casting metal ingots of rectangular shape comprising a mould assembly mounted on a casting table. The mould assembly has a pair of opposed, outwardly curved long walls and a pair of opposed short walls defining a rectangular mould cavity. Both the opposed short walls and the opposed long walls are moveable to change the size of the cast ingot with the long walls being independently moveable from the short walls. Operative means are provided for simultaneously moving the opposed long walls symmetrically about the centre-line of the mould cavity in both inward and outward directions, and a vertically moveable bottom block is provided which is adapted to move downwardly and support a forming ingot.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for direct chill casting. The apparatus comprises an open ended mould cavity formed by a casting surface with an upper and lower end. A refractory sleeve is located at the upper end of this mould cavity and has an inner diameter less than the inner diameter of the mould, whereby the sleeve forms an overhang with the mould cavity. This sleeve is adapted to receive molten metal. Below the lower end of the mould, means are provided for supplying coolant to chill the descending hot metal body thereby forming an ingot. A permeable wall element is disposed in the peripheral wall of the mould cavity below the overhang and this element has an inner wall forming part of the cavity. Means are provided for feeding gas into and through the permeable wall element to discharge through its inner wall.