Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus wherein permanent molds for casting metals and the like, supported by carriers, proceed along a closed track comprising a forward path and a return path, thereby maintaining their original order. The carriers with molds are advanced along the forward path step-by-step with most operations then being performed. At the end of the forward path they are shifted sidewards to the return path where they are driven by a continuous drive toward the end of the return path, to be at this place again shifted sidewards to the start of the forward path. By changing the number of carriers in the return path, the conditions for cooling the molds are altered and thus castings of different size may be produced without changing the fundamental cycle of the apparatus.