Abstract: An outlet valve for a melt-containing vessel includes a lower insert piece mounted in the base of the vessel having an outlet bore passing therethrough from the inside to the outside of the vessel, and an elongate shaft located above and pressed down upon the lower insert piece. The shaft has a lower face mating with an upper face of the lower insert piece and is rotatable relative to the lower insert piece about a generally vertical axis. The bore through the lower insert piece is offset, at least at its upper end, from the axis of rotation. The shaft has a side opening at the lower end thereof capable of aligning with the top of the bore through the lower insert piece in at least one rotational position.

Abstract: A discharge structure includes a refractory plate, a mounting frame supporting the refractory plate, an exchangeable refractory nozzle, a mounting sleeve surrounding and supporting the nozzle, a lock between the sleeve and frame for locking the sleeve and the nozzle to the frame in a position with an inner end face of the nozzle urged toward a confronting surface of the refractory plate, and a refractory joint forming a seal between the end face and surface. An abutment extends from the frame and abuts an inner end of the nozzle, thus forming an axial support for the nozzle upon the lock urging the nozzle toward the plate, thus ensuring spacing between the end face and the surface by a predetermined distance and the resultant formation of the joint at a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: Slag retention devices for use in a tapping converter, such as used in the steel industry, are positioned by an improved apparatus positioned substantially above the charging floor in front of the tapping converter and movable horizontally with respect to an overhead support and vertically with respect to the charging floor and the converter. A tiltable drive mechanism telescopically supports an elongated boom, the outer end portion of which is arranged to releasably carry a slag retaining device and move into the tapping converter and position the slag retaining device in the tap hole thereof.

Abstract: A rotary sliding closure unit includes stationary and rotary refractory members having respective discharge openings and fixed and rotary mounting devices for supporting the respective refractory members. The rotary member is rotated by the rotary mounting device with respect to the stationary refractory member along respective complementary abutting sliding surfaces thereof. Air is prevented from contacting the abutting sliding surfaces by an annular chamber defined between the fixed and rotary mounting devices and closed by an annular seal positioned therebetween.

Abstract: A swivelling sliding closure unit includes a stationary refractory plate having a discharge opening and supported by a stationary housing. A swivel pin is fixed to the stationary housing, and a swivel lever having first and second ends is mounted on the swivel pin by a gimbal bearing. A movable refractory plate has therethrough a discharge opening and is supported at the first end of the swivel lever by a movable housing to enable pivoting of the movable refractory plate with respect to the swivel lever. The swivel lever is rotated about the swivel pin to move the movable refractory plate between positions enabling and blocking discharge of molten metal from a metallurgical vessel and also to a replacement position. A rolling element is mounted on the stationary housing, and a raceway formed on the second end of the swivel lever abuts the rolling element.

Abstract: A refractory member adapted for use in a casting vessel valve is disclosed including a refractory plate, a wire helically wound around the periphery of the plate, and means rigidly interconnecting the helical windings to one another. A method is also disclosed for reinforcing a valve plate, including the steps of heating a metal wire into a malleable state, securing one end of the wire with respect to the plate, helically winding the heated wire about the plate with the windings substantially abutting one another, and welding together each wire winding with the abutting windings at at least one spot. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed, including a rotatable support for supporting the plate with its periphery exposed, a drive for rotating the supported plate, a jig assembly orienting the supported plate in a position generally tangent to the reinforcing wire, and preheat burners for heating the wire to a malleable state before winding about the plate.

Abstract: A device for the separation of slag and its retention in a tapping converter, such as used in the steel industry, consists of a closure having a specific gravity lower than that of the steel produced in the converter, but higher than that of the slag, provided with an elongated guide member depending from the closure, the tip portion of the guide member having a configuration including pockets for the molten steel and an exterior shape against which the molten steel flowing into the tap hole of the converter engages to accelerate and align the guide member and the closure into registry with the tap hole.

Abstract: Electric arc furnace, having a tapping hole (2) in the bottom of the vessel or in the bottom of a part (1) of the vessel, which projects in a bay window-like manner, and a closure arrangement (3) for the tapping hole (2), comprising a closure plate (4) which is movable from a closure position of closing the tapping hole from the outside into an open position of opening the tapping hole, by means of a first lever (6) which is pivotally mounted to the outside of the vessel (pivot axis 11) and which is pivotal by a drive means (14), whereby the closure plate (4) is mounted to an arm (5) which is connected rotatably (rotary axis 8) to the first pivotal lever (6) and which is guided by means of a second pivotal lever (7) which at a spacing from the first lever (6) on the one hand is pivotally connected to the outside of the vessel (pivot axis 12) and on the other hand is connected rotatably (rotary axis 9) to the arm (5).

Abstract: In a dual door type rotary nozzle system for metallurgical vessels, a bottom plate brick attached to the bottom shell of the vessel is adapted to be opened and closed by an inner door, and a slide plate brick slidable in surface-to-surface contact relation with the bottom plate brick is also adapted to be opened and closed by an outer door. The bottom plate brick is provided with a plurality of nozzle bores and is mounted in a case rotatably supported in the inner door by means of a bearing so that the bottom plate brick is manually rotated along with the case when the inner door is opened, thereby realizing a rotary nozzle system capable of easily and rapidly effecting the change operation of the nozzle bores of the bottom plate brick.

Abstract: A rotary nozzle engageable with the pouring nozzle of a ladle that contains molten metal for transporting or pouring purposes, or in the flow passage of a converter so as to allow the outflow of molten metal. The rotary nozzle includes a fixed plate brick, a fixed plate supporting frame, a rotor mounted on the outer periphery of the supporting frame by way of a bearing, and a sliding plate supporting frame holding a sliding plate brick secured to the rotor by means of a hinge so that it can be hingedly opened and closed. Hooks and spring means are carried by the sliding plate supporting frame to thereby prevent lowering of the sliding plate brick and to securely fasten the sliding plate supporting frame to the rotor. Cooperating lugs are carried by a door frame and by the sliding plate supporting frame and hydraulic jacks serve to draw the lugs together to maintain the door frame and the sliding plate supporting frame together when the hooks are released.

Abstract: In order to resist alteration of the spring forces utilized for applying seal pressure between the valve bodies in sliding gate valves for molten metal pouring, particularly those of the manually operated type, the valve support plate and the mounting plate are arranged to form a narrow slot that receives the valve actuator and presents insufficient clearance to permit excessive relative displacement between the valve members. The valve further incorporates releasable attachments, two of which serve as hinge connections for the support plate while the other serves as a latching member. Each of the attachments comprise clevis-mounted eyebolts in which the clevises have predetermined dimensions to establish a fixed, pre-set distance between the plates upon reassembly of the valve after opening and thus insure repeatability of the spatial relationships between the valve bodies and, concomitantly, of the seal pressure between the members.

Abstract: A stopper for a casting machine is comprised of a hollow rod of a refractory material which is supported at its outer periphery by a clamp carried by a transversely extending arm, the transversely extending arm having a threaded end that extends through an elongated slot in a block carried by a vertically moveable support shaft, the transverse arm being securable to the block in a desired position of adjustment of clamping nuts.

Abstract: High alumina slide gate compositions comprising aluminous grain, carbonaceous material, high purity alumina, silicon metal and resin.

Abstract: A rotary sliding closure unit includes a stationary support frame adapted to be mounted removably adjacent to pouring opening of a liquid melt container. A stationary refractory plate has therethrough a flow passage and has an annular, ring-shaped configuration. The stationary refractory plate is supported by the stationary support frame such that the flow passage is in communication with the pouring opening. A rotary refractory plate is positioned in sliding abutting contact with the stationary refractory plate, has therethrough a plurality of flow passages to be moved selectively into and out of alignment with the flow passage of the stationary refractory plate, and has an annular, ring-shaped configuration. A rotary support frame supports the rotary refractory plate against the stationary refractory plate for rotational movement with respect thereto. The stationary and rotary refractory plates have complementary, annular, abutting relative sliding surfaces.

Abstract: A device for the separation of slag and its retention in a tapping converter which consists of a closure, sometimes referred to as a dart, arranged to be positioned, either manually or automatically, into the tap hole of the converter. The device may include configurations enabling it to seal the tap hole to prevent slag from entering the same or alternately indicate the level of the slag in the converter relative to the tap hole by restricting the tap hole and imparting a swirling motion to the molten metal and slag therein. The device may be formed of material having a specific gravity lower than that of the steel produced in the converter but higher than that of the slag or alternately having a specific gravity higher than that of the steel to facilitate manual placement of the device in the tap hole.

Abstract: This invention relates to the protection of the teeming flow or stream of molten metal contained in a vessel and passing through a plate-type valve or cut-off device of the kind comprising a stationary plate and a displaceable plate that is provided with at least one output nozzle. A gas which is substantially inert with respect to the metal and has a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure is fed into the aforesaid device, and this gas surrounds the metal while the latter passes through the said device, in such manner as to isolate the same from the ambient air by an uninterrupted protective gaseous barrier.

Abstract: A rotary nozzle system for metallurgical vessels, especially steel ladles, whose stationary closure portion or part contains a refractory bottom plate and whose rotatable closure portion or part contains a rotatable toothed rim mounted at the stationary closure portion and a refractory slide plate which bears against the bottom plate. There is solved the problem of enabling a rapid, uncomplicated exchange, especially of the bottom plate and the slide plate with the particular task of automatically reestablishing each time a condition which ensures for operational reliability of the rotary nozzle system. This is obtained by constructing the rotatable closure portion or part as a housing having a rigid cover member which is detachably connected at the rotatable toothed rim. Internally of the housing there is located a pressure plate which receives the slide plate.

Abstract: A sliding closure unit for selectively discharging liquid melt from a liquid melt container includes a stationary refractory plate and a sliding refractory plate, the two refractory plates having complementary, abutting relative sliding surfaces. The stationary refractory plate consists essentially of a substantially non-wettable material having a Mohs' hardness of from 1 to 2, a thermal conductivity of greater than 40 W/km at 700.degree. C. and a crushing strength of not greater than 25 N/mm.sup.2 at about room temperature. The sliding refractory plate consists essentially of a substantially non-porous material having a Mohs' hardness of from 6 to 7, a thermal conductivity of less than 3 W/km at 700.degree. C. and a crushing strength of greater than 300 N/mm.sup.2 at approximately room temperature.

Abstract: A device for the discontinuous charging of molten metal into a vacuum chamber which is continuously held under vacuum includes a charging vessel or tundish on which is disposed a fixed transfer pipe so positioned that the tundish can be rotated about the axis of the pipe to such an extent that the pipe's input orifice is lifted above the surface of the metal flow in the tundish, while at the same time the pipe is withdrawn from the vacuum chamber. The chamber is sealed with a plate valve.

Abstract: A rotary sliding closure unit for use in a liquid melt container extends inwardly through the jacket of the container and into the lining thereof to selectively block and unblock a pouring opening of the container. The unit includes a stationary refractory plate positioned within the lining and having therethrough a flow passage in communication with the pouring opening, and a rotary refractory plate positioned in sliding abutting contact with the stationary refractory plate and having therethrough at least one flow passage to be selectively moved into and out of alignment with the flow passage of the stationary refractory plate. The two refractory plates have complementary abutting relative sliding surfaces located within the interior of the jacket of the container. A stationary tube member extends through the jacket and into the lining and has an inner end grasping the stationary refractory plate.

Abstract: A rotary valve for teeming fluid metal is disclosed having a frame for securing the same beneath a metal vessel which has a working nozzle at its lower portion. A rotary gate carrier is provided within the frame, and a rotary gate is secured thereatop with one or more depending nozzles. The top plate is substantially coplanar with the rotary gate. The metallic case holding the rotary gate has one or more depending nozzle cases with inwardly extending locks. Nozzle extensions with recessed portions proportioned to permit insertion in concert with the locks in a bayonet fastener type relationship are provided whereby the lower nozzle extensions can be replaced. Desirably the nozzles in the rotary gate have different diameter bores thereby permitting different flow rates in accordance with erosion and clogging.

Abstract: A method for automatic pouring of molten metal from a ladle into a tundish through the use of a rotary nozzle, wherein the pouring operation between a ladle and a tundish in continuous casting of metal is effected by a rotary nozzle, and a plurality of pouring nozzles having different diameters are mounted on the rotary nozzle, whereby the pouring nozzles are used alternately by 100% fully opening and closing the same. The plurality of pouring nozzles with different diameters include at least a pouring nozzle whose pouring rate for wide open pouring is greater than that required to maintain the level of the molten metal in the tundish at a predetermined reference level and another pouring nozzle whose pouring rate for wide open pouring is less than that required to maintain the predetermined reference level.

Abstract: A sector sliding plate brick having a plurality of discharge ports for use in a sliding nozzle apparatus for casting molten metal, characterized in that the plane configuration of said sliding plate brick forms a sector shape or a shape similar to sector, each center of the discharge ports of more than two pierced on said sector plane exists at point corresponding to a definite distance from the common center of an arc passing through the center of each discharge port, and the sliding plate brick can revolve on said common center as fulcrum.

Abstract: This invention provides a rotary slide gate mechanism for use on a pour vessel to control flow of molten metal through at least one outlet in the vessel shell, whereby refractory insert plates which are conveyed by said mechanism, may be moved in very close cooperating contact with a perforated refractory outlet plate for the pour vessel, so as to control the flow of molten metal therethrough.

Abstract: A rotary slide closure for a vessel provided with a fire-proof lining includes a closure block contacting a beveled seat of a seat block and being rotatably mounted relative to the seat block. The closure block and the seat block each have at least one flow-through opening which can be brought into register by turning of the closure block so as to form a pouring channel extending from the center of the closure block. The surface of the seat block forming the beveled seat, faces the interior of the vessel and the closure block contacts the surface forming the bevel seat from the interior of the vessel.