SYSTEM FOR THE EXPULSION OF BARS OR METAL INGOTS FROM MOLDS, PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BARS OR INGOTS INCLUDING SUCH SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR THE EXPULSION OF BARS OR METAL INGOTS FROM MOLDS

Abstract

A system for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from the molds in which they are formed and a plant for the production of bars or ingots including such system and to a process for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from molds are detailed herein. The expulsion system of metal bars or ingots from molds includes a load-bearing structure to which a rotation cradle is rotatably associated adapted to support and hold back at least a mold having at least a body or ingot mold having at least one cavity for the formation of at least one ingot or bar. The rotation cradle is adapted to rotate to cause the expulsion by fall of the bar or ingot contained within the ingot mold. An impact plane or impact surface is arranged below the rotation cradle and adapted to receive the bar or ingot falling from the body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure refers to a system for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from the molds in which they are formed. The present disclosure also refers to a plant for the production of bars or ingots including such system and to a process for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from molds.

BACKGROUND

As is known, bars or metal ingots are often produced by melting processes of powders, particles, granules or fragments of various sizes and subsequent solidification inside special molds, this in particular applies in the case in which the bars or ingots have a certain dimension.

These processes are divided into two types, those by “melting and pouring”, in which the metal charge is poured in the molten state into molds in which it will cool down, and those in which the charge is melted directly in the molds, where it will then be solidified and cooled. In both mentioned cases, the metal is brought to melting at temperatures above its own melting temperature in order to ensure homogeneity in the bar or ingot obtained. Generally these temperatures reach the order of 1000° C. depending on the type of metal treated.

Once melted, the metal will take on the shape of the molds in which it will solidify to form the desired bars or ingots.

Then, once a total melting has been achieved, the metal is solidified and cooled inside the mold before being removed from the latter.

As already mentioned, metals melt at quite high temperatures and before reaching them they maintain their solid state. Consequently, also in the process for cooling the metal in the molds, the latter reaches a solid state long before reaching so-called “cold” temperatures, i.e. ambient temperatures, at which the bars or ingots can be handled. Usually the temperature at which the solid state is reached, after melting, is still quite high, for example above about 800° C., depending on the type of metal. Therefore, in known processes it is necessary to wait for the metal to reach a temperature at which the bars or ingots can be extracted from the molds manually or by means of suitable systems, such as suction cup systems.

This creates a considerable dead time between the moment the bar or ingot reaches the solid state and the moment it is cooled until a temperature is reached at which it can be manipulated in order to be extracted from the mold. This dead time represents, in addition to a lengthening of the times of the process, a considerable waste in terms of energy expenditure, as at each cycle the bar or ingot, and therewith the mold, must be cooled until temperatures close to the ambient temperature are reached before being able to remove the bar or the ingot from the mold and the latter be filled with new solid material to be melted bringing it back to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the treated metal, starting from a temperature close to the ambient one.

The need to cool the molds down to temperatures close to ambient temperature before being able to remove the bars or ingots formed therefrom also entails space problems due to the need to store the molds in a suitable cooling space, as well as to the need to have a considerable number of molds to be able to ensure a certain process continuity.

In processes in which the melting and solidification of the metal take place directly in the molds, the wait for cooling causes a certain standstill of the process and of the plant as these are often procedures with various stations following one another, in which the standstill phase prevents from continuing with the next phase and therefore from being able to start a new cycle.

These plants are cumbersome and energetically expensive and need to increase their production capacity as much as possible to remain affordable.

Furthermore, the molds or ingot molds, since they must withstand very high temperatures, have particular thermal characteristics, which makes it difficult to accelerate the cooling process through external cooling systems before extracting the bar or metal ingot therefrom.

The problem of the bar extraction in the sector for obtaining copper ingots is faced by rotating the ingot mold. The operation is facilitated by the fact that the ingot mold is made of cast iron and does not have a lid.

Furthermore, in the processing of copper, the problem of energy saving does not arise as the copper is poured already melted into the ingot mold, which can be easily cooled.

Examples of ingot expulsion systems are described in documents CN 203 830 675, KR 101 795 988 and JP S51 49722; however these solutions involve the friction of the ingot on its upper surface or in any case provide for the ingot to impact with its sides against surfaces of the expulsion systems themselves. Therefore these solutions are not applicable to all types of metals, especially when they are still at high temperatures as they risk to compromise the ingots and their quality.

In fact, with regard to some metals, such as pure gold and silver, it is important that the ingots, above all, but not only, when they are still at high temperatures, are not handled in such a way as to cause frictions and collisions in order to avoid damaging them and to keep them compliant with the rules that apply to the production of ingots.

In fact, since gold and silver are metals with low hardness, they can be therefore easily scratched and nicked, the ingots of these metals have surfaces that can be easily damaged (scratched, nicked) as a result of impacts and friction contacts with surfaces and therefore can be scraped and damaged very easily, even if they are cold.

For example, we refer to the LBMA Good Delivery Rules, but also to the rules of the SGE Shangai Gold Exchange, of the COMEX for the USA, of the GOST for the Russian Federation and of the DMMCC for the United Arab Emirates.

It is in fact very important that the ingots maintain a very high quality, not only for aesthetic reasons that allow the prices of ingots to be kept high but also for technical reasons (such as for example for weighing, etc. . . . ).

In particular, it is important that the upper surface maintains an impeccable finish, and therefore remains untouched until it is completely cooled. Edges and side surfaces must also be kept flat and smooth, and in any case be free of irregularities. Furthermore, the impact on the side edges could cause nicks which, by removing the material, cause a weight loss and therefore an economic loss of the value of the ingot or bar up until a bar can result as non-compliant, since it is below the weight required by the cited standards.

SUMMARY

The object of the present disclosure is to obviate the aforementioned drawbacks and in particular to devise a system, an apparatus and a process for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from the molds capable of expelling the bar or ingot from the mold even when the bar or the ingot itself has high temperatures.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots capable of increasing the efficiency of the processes for forming bars or metal ingots, both in terms of energy and in terms of time.

A further object of the present disclosure is to realise an extremely safe system for the expulsion of bars or ingots.

Another object of the present disclosure is to realise a system for the expulsion of bars or ingots which does not compromise the quality of the ingot or bar.

These and other objects according to the present disclosure are achieved by realising an expulsion system as set forth in claim 1.

The object of the present disclosure is also a plant for forming metal bars or ingots comprising this system, as set out in claim 11.

A further object of the present disclosure is a process for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from molds as set out in claim 12.

Further characteristics of the device are the object of the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics and advantages of a system for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from molds, of a plant for the production of bars or ingots including such system and of an expulsion process according to the present disclosure will become more evident from the following, exemplary and non-limiting description, referring to the attached schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a system for the expulsion of an ingot from a mold according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the system of FIG. 1 along the line III-III;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively axonometric side and sectional views of the system of FIG. 1 in a first position;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a second position;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a third position;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a fourth position;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a fifth position;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a sixth position; and

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views like those of FIGS. 4A and 4B which show the system of FIG. 1 in a seventh position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the figures, a system for the expulsion of bars or metal ingots from molds is shown, indicated as a whole with 10. In the following description, reference will be made for simplicity's sake to at least one mold for forming at least one ingot, the present disclosure in any case also refers to molds for the production of at least one bar or a plurality of ingots or bars.

Basically, it is possible to use the expulsion system 10 on one or more molds/ingot molds, each provided with one or more cavities, to produce one or more ingots/bars per cycle, such as for example on a single ingot mold with two (or more) cavities or on two (or more) ingot molds side by side, each with two (or more) cavities.

In particular, a system 10 for the expulsion of at least one ingot 2 or bar from at least one mold comprising a body or ingot mold 20 closed by a removable lid 21 is shown. The ingot mold 20 comprises at least one cavity for the formation of a corresponding ingot 2, which cavity is closed at the top by the removable lid 21. As mentioned above, in the following description reference will be made to a system 10 for the expulsion of ingots 2 from a mold, it being understood that a similar description applies in the case of metal bars.

For simplification purposes, the Cartesian plane is defined, visible in FIG. 2, in which the axis y is the axis of development in height, the axis x is the axis of development in depth and the axis z is the axis of development in width of the expulsion system 10.

According to the present disclosure, the expulsion system 10 comprises a load-bearing structure 3, adapted to support, even indirectly, a mold containing metal being solidified or already solidified for the formation of an ingot 2. The expulsion system 10 further comprises a rotation cradle 4 adapted to rotate on itself carrying along the ingot mold 20 so as to make the ingot 2 fall.

Preferably, the expulsion system 10 comprises at least one arm 5 associated to this rotation cradle 4 and adapted to control the fall of the ingot 2.

The expulsion system 10 further comprises an impact plane or a surface 6 arranged below the rotation cradle 4 and on which the ingot 2 impacts after being expelled by fall from the ingot mold 20.

In particular, the support structure 3 comprises a fixed frame to which the rotation cradle 4 is rotatably associated which in turn comprises a resting surface 40 on which the mold is placed. The resting surface 40 is fixed to the rotation cradle 4, thus rotating therewith. Advantageously, the rotation cradle 4 comprises retaining elements 13 of the ingot mold 20 which are associated to the resting surface 40 and which make the ingot mold 20 integral in rotation with the rotation cradle 4, in particular with the resting surface 40. In the embodiment shown, these retaining elements 13 are associated to the resting surface 40 by means of side plates 91. The side plates 91 are fixed to the rotation cradle 4 thus rotating therewith.

In the preferred and shown embodiment, the resting surface 40 and the side plates 91 are associated with or constituted by cooling plates, respectively base and side ones, between which the ingot mold 20 is housed.

Therefore, advantageously, the resting surface 40 and the side plates 91 also act as cooling elements of the ingot mold 20 and therefore of the ingot 2 inside it, being provided with suitable cooling water passages inside them, in order to produce in the ingot 2 a homogeneous solidification in the three dimensions obtaining regular and uniform isothermal crystallization lines, so that the post-solidification upper surface is regular and smooth.

In particular, as visible for example in FIG. 3, the retaining elements 13 are formed by protrusions projecting from the opposite faces of the side plates 91 and which abut on the upper edge of the ingot mold 20 in a portion thereof not covered by the lid 21.

Preferably, the side plates 91 are arranged spaced apart from each other and parallel to a plane orthogonal to the resting plane 40 and parallel or containing the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4; these side plates 91 act as a guide for the sliding of the ingot mold 20 between them along a sliding direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4 so that the ingot mold 20 or rather the mold can be shifted between a position in which it is housed resting on the resting surface 40 between the two side plates 91 and a position in which it is moved away from the resting surface 40, for example in order to be introduced into a heating station for melting the metal.

Preferably, the arm 5 comprises a first end and a second end and is coupled to the rotation cradle 4 so as to be movable between a first position, in which it is disposed totally outside the ingot mold 20, and a second position, in which it is partially inserted in the ingot mold 20 with a second end thereof abutting on the ingot 2. Preferably, the arm 5 is hinged at its first end to the rotation cradle 4 in a rotatable manner along an axis which, in a possible embodiment, is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4.

When the arm 5 is in its second position, the lid 21 has been previously removed from the ingot mold 20. When the arm 5 is in its first position, it does not hinder the removal of the lid 21 of the ingot mold 20. Preferably, the arm 5, when it is in its second position, has its second end in abutment against the upper surface of the ingot 2 preferably in a perimeter area thereof and still more preferably at a side of this upper surface which extends parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4. In particular, the second end of the arm 5, when the latter is in its second position, abuts on a perimeter portion of the upper surface of the ingot 2 at the side of the ingot 2 which extends parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4 and which, with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotation cradle 4 (indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 2), is located in the first rotation quadrant (i.e. the quadrant corresponding to the rotation of the rotation cradle 4 from 0° to 90°). This side is advantageously one of the two shorter sides of the ingot 2. The arm 5, when it is in its second position, also leaves the upper opening of the ingot mold 20 free so as to leave sufficient space for the expulsion of the ingot 2, without hindering the fall thereof.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the expulsion system 10 could provide the ingot mold 20 positioned in such a way that its long side is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4. In this case, the second end of the arm 5, when the latter is in its second position, abuts on a perimeter portion of the upper surface of the ingot 2 at the long side of the ingot 2 and which, with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotation cradle 4, is located in the first rotation quadrant.

In the shown embodiment, the arm 5 has an arched shape and has, at its end, a foot or stop 51, for example constituted by an elongated body or a bar, which abuts on the ingot 2.

The arm 5 is adapted to control the expulsion of the ingot 2 from the ingot mold 20 by fall and to cause a certain rotation thereof. In particular, the arm 5, acting on the side of the ingot 2 parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4 which is located in the first rotation quadrant of the rotation cradle itself, acts as a fulcrum for the ingot 2 which, when falling, performs a 360° rotation, or a “somersault”, landing on the impact plane or surface 6 with the lower surface, that is the one which, inside the mold, is in contact with the bottom of the ingot mold 20.

As visible in particular in FIG. 7B, the arm 5 abuts against the ingot 2 at one of its short sides, preferably the short side closest to it, thus to the point at which it is hinged.

Alternative embodiments of the arm 5 are not excluded which, for example, could be hinged to the rotation cradle 4 around an axis not necessarily parallel to the rotation axis of the cradle itself or which could be constituted by the stem or by an extension of the stem of a cylinder-piston unit, in which the end of said stem or of said extension is adapted to rest on a portion of the upper surface of the ingot 2.

In a possible alternative embodiment, the expulsion system 10 does not comprise the arm 5 and the bar or ingot 2 is allowed to fall by the rotation of the rotation cradle 4. In this case the bar or ingot performs a rotation not exceeding 180°, thus it lands on the impact plane or surface 6 with its upper surface.

The impact plane or surface 6 is arranged below the rotation cradle 4, so that when the rotation cradle 4 rotates, the ingot 2 falls directly onto it.

For example, the impact surface 6 can be a sand surface, i.e. a layer of sand.

In the embodiment of the figures, an impact plane 6 is shown associated with the support structure 3 so as to form an angle {acute over (α)} with the resting plane of the support structure 3. The angle {acute over (α)} is visible in FIG. 3. For example, for large bars of 1000 oz Ag (about 31.1 Kg) the angle {acute over (α)} of the impact plane 6 is about 15° and the optimal distance between the resting surface 40 and the centre of the impact plane 6 is about 400 mm.

In particular, the more the distance between the resting plane 40 and the impact plane 6 increases, the more the angle {acute over (α)} of the inclined plane decreases.

Preferably, the impact plane or surface 6 is associated with the support structure 3 so that the highest side thereof is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4 and is arranged to receive the ingot 2 falling from the ingot mold 20 (considering a section along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the rotation cradle 4, the impact plane 6 is arranged inclined from top to bottom in the direction of rotation of the rotation cradle 4 itself, forming a sort of chute for the ingot 2).

These characteristics allow not only to ensure that the impact between the impact plane 6 and the ingot 2 occurs between two surfaces, but also to favour the movement of the ingot 2 towards a subsequent treatment station, in particular a cooling station.

For example, the impact plane 6 could make the ingot 2 slide directly into a cooling tank or it could cooperate with a thrusting and/or transport system, of the type for example with pushers and/or belt, adapted to move the ingot 2 to a subsequent treatment station.

In this regard, in a possible embodiment, the impact plane 6 comprises guides 61 adapted to channel the ingot towards a distancing area.

Furthermore, the expulsion system 10 comprises impact absorber elements 7 interposed between the load-bearing structure 3 and the impact plane 6 and adapted to absorb the impact of the ingot 2 falling on the impact plane 6.

Preferably, the impact plane 6 is a metal plate made of a material resistant to high temperatures. In an optimal embodiment it is AISI 304 or AISI 316 or AISI 310 stainless steel which at the same time allows it to withstand the numerous impacts of ingots 2 it undergoes and also to withstand well to high temperatures.

The impact plane 6 is in any case a replaceable element as it is subject to wear.

Preferably, the rotation cradle 4 is adapted to perform a rotary movement from 0° to 200°, preferably from 0° to 145°, still more preferably from 0° to 120°, wherein the position at 0° corresponds to the position in which the resting plane 40 of the ingot mold 20 is parallel to the resting plane of the load-bearing structure 3 or ground and the position corresponding to the maximum rotation (200°, 145°, 120°) corresponds to the position in which the resting plane 40 of the ingot mold 20 is located at the end of the rotation of the rotation cradle 4. This rotary movement is calibrated to the dimensions of the ingot 2 to be expelled so as to ensure that the ingot 2 impacts on the impact plane 6 with one of its flat base surfaces, preventing it from impacting on the impact plane 6 with one of its side surfaces, edges or corners.

The expulsion system 10 can comprise, depending on the type of ingot forming process to which it is associated, manipulation means 8 of the lid 21 of the ingot mold 20. Such manipulation means 8 are suitable for the removal of the lid 21 before the expulsion of the ingot 2 and for the repositioning of the lid 21 on the ingot mold 20 after the ingot 2 has been expelled and the ingot mold 20 advantageously filled with a new solid charge to be melted.

In particular, in the embodiment shown for example in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4A, the manipulation means 8 of the lid 21 comprise gripping elements 81 of the lid 21 movable along the axis x and the axis y by means of suitable movement means 83 associated with a structure 82. The structure 82 is preferably associated with the load-bearing structure 3 of the system 10. In the embodiment shown, in particular in FIG. 3, the movement means 83 are constituted by two linear actuators adapted respectively to move the gripping elements 81 along the axis x and along the axis y.

Preferably, the gripping elements 81 can form a gripper, or comprise elements which can be coupled to respective complementary elements placed on the lid 21 of the ingot mold 20, or they can also comprise suction cups adapted to grip the lid 21.

In the preferred and shown embodiment, as visible in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the expulsion system 10 comprises a driving motor 111 of the rotation cradle 4 associated with motion transmission means 11, to automate the rotary movement of the rotation cradle 4. By driving motor 111 it is meant any motor system adapted to drive the rotation cradle 4 in rotation, whether it consists of an electric motor, a rotary actuator, etc.

Furthermore, the expulsion system 10 can also comprise an actuator 12 of the arm 5, which allows the automation of the movement of the arm 5 from its first position to its second position and vice versa. Preferably, it is a linear type actuator 12 which has an end articulated to the arm 5 and an end articulated to the rotation cradle 4.

The expulsion system 10 can be a stand-alone system or it can be an integral part of a station of an ingot forming plant 2.

In this case, the expulsion system 10 is an integral part of a station subsequent to the metal melting station, at which the ingot mold 20 has been subjected to high temperatures to allow the metal charge contained therein to be melted. Preferably, the expulsion system 10 is an integral part of a station for solidifying the metal charge melted into an ingot, however, it is not excluded that it may be part of an expulsion station subsequent to the solidification station or of a cooling station subsequent to the solidification station.

Again as previously described, if the expulsion system 10 is an integral part of a solidification station, it is associated with cooling means to cool the ingot mold 20 after the melting phase. In the represented embodiment, these cooling means are integral with the rotation cradle 4 and are constituted by the resting surface 40 and the two side plates 91, in which each cooling plate is crossed by a coil in which a cooling fluid flows (for example water).

Furthermore, when the expulsion system 10 is an integral part of a station of a plant for the continuous production of ingots, it can be completed with a distancing system, for example a belt or a pusher, which moves the ingot away from the impact plane 6 towards a subsequent station of the plant, such as for example a cooling station, such as a water tank. The expulsion system thus allows to increase the productivity of the plant for forming ingots, allowing the ingot mold 20 to be quickly freed from the ingot 2 when it is still at high temperatures (of the order of about 800° C.) and to be used immediately for the formation of subsequent ingots, filling it with a new metal charge when still hot.

In this regard, an advantage of the expulsion system 10 according to the present disclosure includes the possibility of not having to cool down the ingot mold 20 between one melting process and the subsequent one to temperatures close to ambient temperature, thus being able to reduce energy expenditure.

The operation of the expulsion system 10 is as follows. With reference to FIGS. 4A to 11B, the expulsion system 10 is shown in a series of successive positions which it assumes during its operation.

The ingot mold 20, closed by the lid 21, is positioned on the rotation cradle 4, after having been subjected to the melting phase, as visible in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Subsequently, the movement means 83, associated with the structure 82, are activated to move the gripping elements 81 to overlap the lid 21 of the ingot mold 20 to grasp it (FIGS. 5A and 5B). By means of the reverse movement of the gripping elements 81, the lid 21 is removed and moved away from the ingot mold 20, so as not to create an obstacle during the expulsion process (FIGS. 6A and 6B). It is noted that during these first phases, the arm 5 is in its first position. Once the lid 21 has been removed and moved away, the arm 5 is moved to its second position by the actuator 12, so that the foot or stop 51 present at its second end abuts against an edge of the upper surface of the ingot 2 formed in the ingot mold 20 (FIGS. 7A and 7B).

At this point, the rotation of the rotation cradle 4 is activated, preferably from 0° to 120° (FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B), which causes the ingot 2 to be expelled by fall, which falls on the impact plane or surface 6. During its fall, the ingot 2 is controlled by the foot or stop 51 of the arm 5 which, thanks to its arrangement and structure, controls the rotation thereof by acting as a “fulcrum”. In particular, the foot or stop 51 of the arm 5 controls the fall of the ingot 2 so as to make it perform a 360° turn, or “somersault”, so as to make it land on the impact plane or surface 6 on the same surface on which it was resting in the ingot mold 20 (FIGS. 9A and 9B).

Once the ingot 2 has fallen, the rotation cradle 4, together with the arm 5, returns to the initial position (0° position) (FIGS. 10A and 10B).

Finally, the arm 5 is moved to its first position so as to free the ingot mold 20.

At this point, the ingot mold 20 is free to be filled again, or to be transported to the initial stations of the plant, while the ingot 2 is transported to the subsequent processing stations, in particular a cooling station.

In other words, the expulsion system 10 performs the following steps of a process for the expulsion of an ingot 2 or metal bar from an ingot mold 20 or mold:

• • providing a mold comprising a body or ingot mold 20 with at least one molding cavity of at least one ingot closed at the top by a removable lid 21 and containing at least one solidified ingot 2;
  • removing the lid 21 from the ingot mold 20;
  • rotating the ingot mold 20 at an angle greater than 90° to cause the expulsion by fall of the ingot 2 contained thereof;
  • collecting the ingot 2 on an impact plane or surface 6.

Advantageously, the process for expelling an ingot 2 or bar can comprise the phase of blocking a perimeter portion of the ingot 2 after the phase of removing the lid 21 of the ingot mold 20.

Advantageously, the phase of blocking a perimeter portion of the ingot 2 takes place by partially inserting in the ingot mold 20 an arm 5, which will accompany the ingot during its fall as described above. The process, in preferred embodiments, can include phases of absorbing the shock caused by the fall of the ingot 2 on the impact plane 6, moving the ingot 2 away to a subsequent station, advantageously a cooling station, or even cooling the ingot 2 throughout the expulsion process.

From the above description the features of the device object of the present disclosure, as well as the advantages thereof, are evident.

Finally, it is evident that the expulsion system thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the same inventive concept; furthermore, all details can be replaced by equivalent technical elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the technical requirements.

Claims

1. An expulsion system of metal bars or ingots from molds, said expulsion system comprising: a load-bearing structure to which a rotation cradle is associated adapted to support and hold back a mold comprising a body or an ingot mold having at least one cavity for forming at least one ingot or bar, said rotation cradle being adapted to rotate so as to cause the expulsion by fall of said bar or ingot contained within said ingot mold, an impact plane or an impact surface arranged below said rotation cradle and adapted to receive said bar or ingot falling from said body.

2. The expulsion system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one arm adapted to control the fall of said bar or ingot from said ingot mold.

3. The expulsion system according to claim 2, wherein said arm is arranged to act as a fulcrum for overturning said bar or ingot, i.e. for inducing said arm to perform a rotation of about 360° during its fall.

4. The expulsion system according to claim 2, wherein said arm comprises a first end and a second end and said arm is coupled to said rotation cradle in a movable manner between a first position, in which said arm is disposed completely outside said ingot mold, and a second position, in which said arm is at least partially inserted in said ingot mold with one of the first end and the second ends resting on a perimeter area of the upper surface of said ingot.

5. The expulsion system according to claim 4, wherein said arm is hinged at said first end to said rotation cradle in a movable manner around a hinge axis.

6. The expulsion system according to claim 2, wherein said arm is constituted by an elongated body or bar comprising on said second end a foot or stop.

7. The expulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said expulsion system comprises manipulation means of a lid of said ingot mold.

8. The expulsion system according to claim 4, wherein said rotation of said rotation cradle is controlled by a driving motor and wherein the movement of said arm between said first position and said second position is controlled by an actuator.

9. The expulsion system according to claim 1, said expulsion system comprising one or more impact absorbers interposed between said load-bearing structure and said impact plane and adapted to absorb the impact of said ingot falling on said impact plane.

10. The expulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said plane or impact surface is a surface comprising sand.

11. A plant for forming metal bars or ingots said plant comprises an expulsion system of bars or ingots according to claim 1.

12. A process for expelling metal bars or ingots from molds the process including the following steps:

A. providing a mold comprising a body or an ingot mold with at least one molding cavity of at least one ingot closed at the top by a removable lid and containing at least one solidified ingot,

B. removing said lid from the mold or said ingot mold;

C. rotating said ingot mold at an angle greater than 90° to cause expulsion by fall of said ingot contained thereof, and

D. collecting said ingot on an impact plane or surface.

13. The process according to claim 12, the process comprises between said phase B and said phase C a phase of blocking a perimeter portion of said ingot, by partially inserting an arm into said ingot mold for controlling the fall of said ingot, wherein said arm has an end thereof suitable for resting on a perimeter area of the upper surface of said ingot.

14. The process according to claim 12, the process further comprises step E of moving said ingot away from said impact plane towards a subsequent treatment station.