Abstract: At the underside of a substantially U-shaped support or carrier formed of steel there is affixed an intermediate element or part formed of an electrically conductive material, for instance copper or a copper alloy. This intermediate element carries at its bottom face or surface two contact supports or members formed of a suitable material, for instance AgCdO. At the ends or end faces of the U-shaped support there are attached arc conducting elements formed of a ferromagnetic material, for instance steel. The arc conducting elements protrude away from the base portion of the U-shaped support in the direction of the contact supports and extend laterally thereof up to the region of their contact surfaces. The arcs arising during contact opening directly transfer or shift from the contact surfaces to the arc conducting elements, without the arc base points migrating laterally from the contact supports to their connection locations.

Abstract: With low-pressure or die-casting methods there frequently occur leaks during the transfer of the molten metal from the metal containing basin or vessel to the mold. These leaks often lead to serious accidents and related operating interruptions. According to the invention these problems are solved by a casting method, wherein all movements of the mold occur in a vertical plane. With a preferred embodiment of apparatus for the performance of the method the mold is placed in a positive or form-locking manner with its casting or pour opening upon the casting hole of the metal containing vessel or basin and pressed against the latter in a fluidtight fashion by means of a pneumatic lifting cylinder. This affords the advantage of a simple connection of the mold with the basin and without requiring a coupling mechanism, and, additionally, the heating of the riser or up tube and/or immersion tube can be omitted, which otherwise conventionally was performed by gas heating.