Abstract: A method for improving an iron-nickel-chromium-manganese alloy for timepiece applications, particularly for producing a balance spring, is described. The base alloy contains, by mass, from 9.0% to 13.0% of nickel, from 4.0% to 12.0% of chromium, from 21.0% to 25.0% of manganese, from 0 to 5.0% of molybdenum, and/or from 0 to 5.0% of copper in addition to iron. The alloy is hardened while its anti-ferromagnetic properties are maintained by introducing 0.10% to 1.20% of carbon and 0.10% to 1.20% of nitrogen interstitially, based on the mass of the base alloy.

Abstract: A hold down mechanism for releasably securing a refractory lining to a furnace. The hold down mechanism can comprise plate segments that form a composite plate. The plate segments can comprise a first plate segment structured to articulate relative to a second plate segment. Furthermore, a gap in the hold down mechanism can be structured to adjust in response to a thermal condition of the composite plate, such as thermal expansion or thermal contraction of at least one plate segment. The composite plate can also comprise an articulation plate pivotally coupled to at least one of the first plate segment and the second plate segment via a pivot and/or a slot and pin engagement. The composite plate can further comprise a third plate segment and a second articulation plate pivotally coupled to at least one of the second plate segment and the third plate segment.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and refining impure nonferrous metals, comprising a tiltable reverberatory furnace with a furnace body that has a base with a rectangular plan shape and is provided with two mutually opposite heads, which are mutually connected by a bottom wall, by an upper wall or ceiling and by two side walls, the furnace being provided with means for the tilting of the furnace body about an axis which is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the heads; the furnace has, in a central region of the upper wall, a portion that protrudes upwardly from the remaining portion of the upper wall and is delimited in an upper region by a flying buttress-like wall and laterally by two mutually opposite side walls, the portion having, on the side that faces the flying buttress-like wall, a loading port, which is closed by a movable door.

Abstract: A method of automatically pouring molten metal from a ladle into a mold by tilting the ladle. In the method, the height of molten metal located above a molten metal outlet and the weight of molten metal flowing out of the ladle are estimated using an expanded Kalman filter on the basis of: the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle, said weight being measured using a load cell; the voltage inputted to a servo motor; the angle of tilt of the ladle measured by a rotary encoder; and the position of the ladle in the lifting and lowering direction thereof. The sum of the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle when the ladle is tilted rearward, said weight being estimated from the angle of tilt of the ladle and the height of the molten metal located above the molten metal outlet estimated by the expanded Kalman filter, and the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle estimated by the expanded Kalman filter are estimated as the final weight of outflowing molten metal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for distributing a material in a molten state, said device comprising a swinging chute (16) supported so as to be capable of swinging about a substantially horizontal swinging axis (25), and a driving group (40). The latter comprises gear motor group (42), a drum winch (44) driven by the gear motor group (42), and at least one cable segment (50, 50?) that can be both wound on or unwound from said drum. One end of the cable segment (46, 50, 50?) is attached to the swinging chute (16) at a distance L from the swinging axis (25) thereof so as to apply a swinging momentum to said swinging chute (16).

Abstract: A method for treating spheroidal graphite iron includes the step: pouring molten spheroidal graphite iron into a pouring electrical furnace (1); covering the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with alkali slag (6) which is melted at high temperature and rich in alkali earth metal ion, rare earth metal ion, or mixture of them; connecting the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the negative pole of the direct current source by one pole (7); connecting the alkali slag (6) with the positive pole of the direct current source by another pole (4), treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the alkali slag (6) which is used as electrolyte. The method can prevent the spheroidized fading velocity of the spheroidal graphite iron. The pouring electrical furnace can be used for treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron.

Abstract: A method for treating spheroidal graphite iron includes the step: pouring molten spheroidal graphite iron into a pouring electrical furnace (1); covering the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with alkali slag (6) which is melted at high temperature and rich in alkali earth metal ion, rare earth metal ion, or mixture of them; connecting the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the negative pole of the direct current source by one pole (7); connecting the alkali slag (6) with the positive pole of the direct current source by another pole (4), treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the alkali slag (6) which is used as electrolyte. The method can prevent the spheroidized fading velocity of the spheroidal graphite iron. The pouring electrical furnace can be used for treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron.

Abstract: To transfer the molten metal that is melted in the melting furnace into the pouring ladle, which is a vessel for transporting the molten metal to the place for pouring, and to further lift the pouring ladle by another crane to pour the molten metal, requires time, such that the molten metal that had a high temperature when melted by the melting furnace is likely to cool down and to cause a defective cast product. To solve the problem the pouring equipment of the present invention pours the molten metal into the mold, comprising the melting furnace that produces molten metal by melting metal material and a driving apparatus that can move the melting furnace backward and forward or in a traverse direction, wherein the pouring equipment moves the melting furnace to the predetermined position by the driving apparatus, and then pours the molten metal into a mold by tilting the melting furnace relative to the mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting particulate and/or gaseous material into a metallurgical vessel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a duct through which to inject the material, inner and outer water inflow and outflow passages extending through a wall of the duct and an annular duct tip disposed at the forward end of the duct. The duct tip is of annular formation and includes an annular inner end component, an annular outer end component, and an annular central component located between the inner and outer components. The duct tip also includes a plurality of radially extending dividers to divide a space between the outer end component and the central component into discrete radial passages to serve as the internal water flow passages of the tip.

Abstract: An apparatus for bottom pouring into an investment cast includes a container that holds a melted casting material, where the container moves from a first container position to a second container position. In the first container position, holes on a stationary nozzle are not exposed to the interior of the container, and the melted casting material remains in the container. In the second container position, holes on the stationary nozzle are exposed to the interior of the container, and the melted casting material flows out the bottom of the container through the stationary nozzle. A temperature detection device determines the temperature of the melted casting material, and a heating device heats the melted casting material to a specified temperature.

Abstract: A hoisting mechanism for raising a ladle filled with liquid steel from a transfer vehicle to immersion pipes of a vacuum treatment tank of an RH degasser. Two lifting arms are provided, one end of which can be brought into engagement with a support device formed on the ladle, and a bearing end of the arms is supported in a stationary saddle support comprised in such a way of a runway, disposed on the bearing ends of the lifting arms and having the shape of a circular arc, and of a path of rolling contact, adapted to axially fixedly guide the runway during pivoting of the lifting arms, that due to shifting of the point of load introduction in the saddle support occurring during a raising movement, reduction of a horizontal movement of the ladle occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for melting metal and casting molds. The apparatus includes a rollover melt furnace having a crucible and a mold. The apparatus also includes an electrical servomotor that drives rotation of the crucible about an axis of rotation. This rotation of the crucible causes molten metal to flow from a pour opening in the crucible into a fill opening in the mold. The apparatus may further include a controller to carry out a pouring process in compliance with a pour profile and a melting process in compliance with a melt profile.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel includes a gas flow duct which receives hot gas through a gas inlet structure at a rear end of the duct. The forward end of the duct has an annular duct with an internal cooling water passage. Cooling water supply and return passages are formed within the wall of the duct such that water flows to and from a tip through the supply and return passages. The tip includes a hollow shell and a partitioning structure that has a ring and a plurality of circumferential flanges that project outwardly from the ring to the shell to form a series of water flow galleries, each extending circumferentially around the tip and interconnected for flow of cooling water sequentially through the galleries from the water supply passages to the water return passage. The circumferential flanges also serve as buttress supports for the shell.

Abstract: A melting or holding furnace includes a furnace chamber surrounded by a housing. The chamber holds the melt with a maximum filling level. The furnace also has an outlet opening for transferring the melt to another container. The outlet opening is provided with a shut-off valve for dosing the emerging melt. The valve is covered by melt in normal operation. The housing is connected to a tilting device which tilts the housing in such a manner that the shut-off valve can be freed from melt for the purpose of repairing it even at a maximum filling level.

Abstract: The invention pertains to the art of ferrous metallurgy, and more particularly, to a multichambered steelmaking apparatus and to a method of steelmaking. A multichambered steelmaking apparatus contains smelting chambers communicating with each other through their upper portions. Process input ports are provided in the chamber side wall, and the smelting chambers are provided with gas-oxygen burners installed on the walls of the smelting chambers facing each other. A method of steel making employs the apparatus in a unique manner. During operation, the smelting chambers are tilted in the direction of the input port and during the discharge of steel they are tilted in the direction of the outlet. During the melting stage carbon monoxide (CO) is afterburned by gas-oxygen burners forming carbon dioxide (CO) in the exit gasses supplied to the gas exhaust system through the coaxial chamber. A portion of a slag from the previous heat is retained.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arc furnace (1), which can be tilted or remains stationary for tapping the melt or the slag and which comprises an eccentric and/or centric tap (9; 12). The invention also relates to a method for operating an arc furnace (1) of this type. The aim of the invention is to improve an arc furnace with regard to production and to operating characteristics by making structural changes thereto. To this end, the tap (9) is provided inside a separately mounted projection (6) that abuts against a terminating wall (4) of a lower vessel (2). In addition, at least one tapping channel (5) is provided, which connects the furnace trough (2a) and the projection (6) while passing through the terminating wall (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing steel. The invention device comprises a container (1, 101, 201). The metal used is molten, blown and refined in said container which comprises an upper component (5, 205) having at least one opening, a lower component (2, 202) and means for tapping the melt and slag from the container. Electrodes (21) can be charged into the container through said opening. The aim of the invention is to improve said device in such a way that said device can be constructed in a more simple manner in comparison with known devices. A bottom tapping system is provided for tapping the melt and optionally the slag.

Abstract: The invention relates to the emptying of melting vessels (1) by tipping. According to the invention, the melting vessel (1) is placed on column-shaped bases (6). During the tipping process, the melting vessel (1) is raised at the side and the base supports (7) of the opposite side are used as the pivot or axis of rotation. This ensures that the discharge opening (4) and the slag overflow edge (5) are not moved very far from their original position.

Abstract: In a metallurgical vessel (1) having a tapping apparatus (5) for the slag-free withdrawal of liquid metal (3) from a molten metal bath (3) which is disposed in the vessel (1), a first leg (11) of a discharge duct (10) passes through the refractory vessel wall (15) and an overflow edge (14) in the connecting region of the two legs (11, 12) of the discharge duct (10) is higher than the upper edge (18) of the inlet opening (17) of the discharge duct. The molten metal (3) in the discharge duct is preferably inductively heatable.

Abstract: A tank for liquid metal processing tilting about an axis and fed by a fixed chute and pouring the liquid metal into a fixed evacuating chute. The tank includes at least a passage hole for supplying, discharging, or emptying the liquid metal arranged in one of its walls and extended by a mobile nozzle integral with the tank. At least the fixed evacuation chute merges with the tilting axis and the nozzle. Further, the fixed chute is assembled together by a linking device articulated in rotation about the tilting axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vessel for metallurgical purposes intended for transporting molten metals. The tank has a metal jacket provided with a heat-proof lining. Two lifting lugs are disposed on the outer side opposite one another, each of which is supported by a lug shield connected to the metal jacket. The lug shield is disposed so as to limit movement in vertical and peripheral direction. Alternatively, the vessel can be made of sections of pipe, with the lug shield connected to a reinforcement ring on the pipe sections. Means are fixed on the metal jacket and/or the reinforcement ring(s) for receiving the own weight of the lug shield and the vessel when the vessel is in a vertical or tilted position.

Abstract: A melting furnace for reforming steel-making slag so as to be available, for example, to roadbed ballast by mixing steel-making dust with the slag in molten states, which is provided with a fuel oxygen burner for melting the slag and the dust, a slag charging port for charging the slag in molten state into the furnace, a dust feeder for supplying the dust into the furnace, a slag feeder for supplying the slag in powdered state into the furnace, a storage portion for storing a molten mixture of the slag and the dust in a quantity corresponding to a tilting angle of the furnace body and an outlet port for discharging the molten mixture, and is possible to dispose the slag efficiently whether the slag is in the powdered or molten state.

Abstract: A metallurgical unit for smelting metal charge material and for post-treatment of the molten metal, which is tiltable from a starting position in a positive tilting direction (8) about a tilt axis (7), includes a melting vessel (1), with a furnace hearth (12) for receiving the molten metal (13), and a treatment vessel (2) disposed laterally on the melting vessel for metallurgical treatment of the molten metal. The molten metal (13) which flows away out of the melting vessel (1) upon tilting of the unit in the positive direction (8) can be transferred into the treatment vessel (2) by way of a passage (26) connecting the furnace hearth of the melting vessel (1) to the receiving chamber of the treatment vessel (2).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling slag in a trough of a tilting furnace or in a free-standing tilting vessel. On a tilting furnace, the apparatus is mounted on a trough extending from the furnace tap hole and has a reservoir for receiving flow of molten metal and slag from the trough. The reservoir has a slag opening. One of its walls functions as a dam with a bottom opening. A passage extends from the bottom opening along a weir which terminates at an elevation above the bottom opening but below the slag opening. The molten metal flows over the weir and out of the device. The slag is retained in the reservoir and is discharged from the reservoir through the slag opening. In the free-standing tilting vessel, there is a reservoir, slag opening, dam portion, bottom opening, passage and weir, of a substantially similar design as that of the apparatus attached to a trough of a tilting furnace.

Abstract: A steelworks apparatus includes a closed tiltable arc furnace for melting scrap and having a lower vessel part for containing the melt and an upper vessel part connected to an exhaust gas assembly and closed by a furnace roof. A sealable charging assembly is formed of at least two stack-like storage containers which are connected at their top ends to the exhaust assembly and which include gas-permeable, scrap-retaining flaps that are movable between open and closed positions at the bottom end of each respective storage container. A compensation component is located connectingly between the storage containers and the lower furnace vessel part for accommodating relative movements of and between the furnace and storage containers while gas-tightly preventing leakage or escape of gases from between the relatively moved or shifted structures during or as a result of operative tilting of the furnace.

Abstract: A crucible (9) surrounded by an induction coil (10) is housed for tilting about a first tilt axis within a gas-tight furnace chamber (2) which has a closable opening (40a) for transferring the melt (31) into a receiving vessel (36, 63). The furnace chamber (2) is in turn tiltable about a second tilt axis (A2) between a melting position and a position in which the start of the pouring of the melt is immediately imminent by an angle which corresponds to the range of the tilting angle of the crucible (9). The opening (40a) for transferring the melt is surrounded by a first sealing flange (41) which, after the tilting path of the furnace chamber (2) has been traveled, comes sealingly into contact with a second sealing flange (38, 64) of an additional gas-tight chamber (35, 61) in which the receiving vessel (36, 63) for the melt is situated.

Abstract: An induction crucible furnace with a tiltable furnace body includes a crucible that is usually covered by an accessible furnace platform. The furnace platform is sonically uncoupled from the furnace body in an untilted normal position, in order to reduce sound intensity radiated by the furnace platform. Coupling elements, which effect a change of state between a very loose coupling or a complete uncoupling in the normal position and a close or rigid coupling in a tilted position of the furnace body, are provided between the furnace body and the furnace platform. The coupling elements can be spring elements, lug and bolt connections, lug and bolt and lug connections or lug and locking bolt connections.

Abstract: An induction furnace (1) for melting and casting purposes has a closed crucible pot (2) with a pot bottom (3) and a cover (4), a crucible (6) housed in the crucible pot and surrounded by an induction coil (7), and an ascending tube (9) reaching into the crucible, through which the crucible can be emptied into a casting apparatus by means of gas pressure. To permit continuous operation and measurements and analyses during operation, the ascending tube (9) is fastened exclusively to the pot bottom (3) and connected with a horizontal delivery tube (11) which is brought through a side wall of the pot bottom (3). Furthermore, above a separation seam (24) between pot bottom (3) and cover (4) a turret (39) with a vertical axis of rotation is disposed, which has a charging air lock (26) for charging the crucible (6) with melt material (27) and a measuring chamber (36). The charging air lock and measuring chamber can be connected alternately with an air lock valve (25) which is disposed on the top of the cover (4).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling slag in a tilting furnace is provided. The apparatus comprises a discharge trough, lateral opening, dam, weir, discharge passage, discharge passage gate, and slag gate. The method comprises tilting the furnace to discharge molten metal and slag into the discharge trough, damming and retaining slag in the discharge trough while allowing molten metal to flow through the discharge passage and out of the discharge trough, closing the discharge passage with the discharge passage gate, and opening the slag gate to allow slag to flow out of the discharge trough the lateral opening.

Abstract: By means of an electromagnetic stirrer there is produced in the melt within the melt chamber of the melting furnace a turbulent flow or pair of turbulent flows working in opposite directions and each having a substantially vertical turbulent flow axis. By means of this turbulent flow the upwardly floating slag is forced towards the outermost turbulent flow lines or regions and into an auxiliary chamber formed between a slag barricade and the furnace door. The melt can flow back from the auxiliary chamber into the melt chamber. The slag collected in the auxiliary chamber can be removed in predeterminate time intervals from the auxiliary chamber by means of a slag removal sliding or pusher element and disposed in an environmentally protective fashion in a slag container moved into position at the opened furnace door.

Abstract: A metal casting ladle utilized for pouring molten metal and having mounting blocks located on each side of a pour spout and used for independent and alternate attachments of the ladle to either a left mount or a right mount casting machine to permit pouring molten metal from the ladle on an axis falling through the lip of the spout.

Abstract: In a process for continuously melting scrap (6) and/or pig iron within a converter (1), the converter (1) is heated in proximity of the bottom (3) with sub-stoichiometric burners (4), having their flames (5) essentially radially directed into the interior of the converter (1). In this case, secondary air or O.sub.2 is supplied at a distance above the burner plane for the purpose of completing the combustion. The melt is, optionally together with slag, discharged via a tapping means (9) laterally connected to the converter (1) into a mobile ladle (19). For the purpose of interchanging ladles (19), the converter (1) is swivelled into a position in which the level of the melt is located below the taphole (11).

Abstract: In automatic melting crucible tipping it is important that, starting from a certain angular position, the melting crucible (1) is tipped according to a predetermined model until emptying is complete. This model can be obtained, for example, by the so-called teach-in process and can be stored in an analog or digital memory (89). In order to prevent abrupt movement of the crucible (1) when the molten material touches the pouring lip (3) of the crucible (1) when the pour-lip angle has been reached, according to the invention a correction arrangement (108, 109, 37) is provided which enables the tipping process to proceed continuously and without abrupt movements even in the case of different pour-lip angles.

Abstract: The tapping passage of a metallurgical furnace is disposed generally horizontally in a lower region of the furnace wall structure below the upper level of the liquid metal; a closure member is pivotally movable relative to an outer end of the tapping passage to open and close access to the passage; the closure has a gas injection nozzle for injecting air under low pressure into the tapping passage to remove temporary plugging material in said passage in preparation for discharge of the liquid metal.

Abstract: In a tiltable metallurgical furnace vessel having a completely closed lateral protrusion with a closable discharge opening on its underside, simplified furnace structure is achieved by configuring the protrusion as a removable, heatable fore-hearth that is constructed in the form of a casting spout. A particularly simple structure results due to the fact that the fore-hearth is flanged to the main furnace vessel and essentially has a box shape. The invention is particularly useful for electric arc furnaces.

Abstract: A tiltable metallurgical vessel has a convexly curved bottom, and is supported on a cradle frame tiltably mounted on the base. In order to provide a metallurgical vessel of high operational safety in which the melt covers as short a path as possible during tapping, scumming is feasible in a simple way, the retention of a residual sump in the vessel is possible, at least one eccentrically arranged, closeable tap opening is provided in the bottom above a receptacle placeable into the tapping position. The tap opening is closeable by a closure flap pivotable by a lever. The lever is connected with a shaft for rotation therewith, a pressure medium cylinder is mounted on the cradle frame, and an actuation rod of sufficient length to reach beyond the radiation region of the receptacle enables the shaft to be rotatable by the cylinder through the actuation rod.

Abstract: In a method of intermittently charging a molten principal raw material and any supplementary material as needed to provide a specified raw material formulation into a melting furnace and continuously discharging a molten material therefrom, the discharge of the molten material is effected by determining the weight of the tiltable melting furnace, said weight changing with change of the raw materials and discharging of the molten material, computing the rate of change in weight of the molten material with respect to time from the determined weights of said furnace, and tilting said furnace to a position indicated by comparison of said computed rate of change in weight of the molten material with respect to time and the set rate of change in weight of the molten material with respect to time.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a frame and a crucible having a central axis and a bottom. The crucible is supported and is moved so that the central axis of the crucible describes a substantially conical surface with an apex located substantially on the central axis and spaced from the bottom of the crucible by a distance equal to or less than the crucible height. The crucible is restrained against rotation about its own axis.

Abstract: A highly compact and efficient tilting crucible furnace and smelting method is disclosed for use in the direct smelting of a precious metal containing material. A furnace body having a refractory lined cavity which has a top opening is pivotally mounted on a support frame to allow tipping thereof. A cover having a first opening to receive a gas burner and a second multi-purpose opening therein is rigidly attached to the body. A gas burner attached to the cover provides a downwardly directed oxidizing flame into the cavity to oxidize iron which is added to the cavity and other impurities in the precious metal containing material. A flux is provided to provide a thoroughly liquid mixture and after heating, the molten mass is poured through the multi-purpose cover opening into a mold. As the mold cools, a dore button of precious metal settles to the bottom of the mold and slag containing impurities forms on the top.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating iron or steel from slag by inductively pumping the iron or steel up an inclined trough away from the non-pumped slag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the treatment of a stream of aluminum or magnesium-based liquid metal or alloy during its passage, comprising a ladle formed by an external metal casing, a refractory lining, a channel for the admission of the crude liquid metal at the rear, a nozzle for the casting of the treated liquid metal at the front, at least one internal partition leaving, with the bottom of the ladle, a space for the circulation of the liquid metal and defining a first rear compartment and at least one second front compartment opening into the casting nozzle. The ladle is fixed on a supporting cradle connected to an articulated frame relative to which the said cradle can rock forwards about a first horizontal axis passing through the casting nozzle, the articulated frame itself being connected to a fixed frame relative to which it can rock about the second horizontal axis. The first horizontal axis is approximately perpendicular to the stream of liquid metal.

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: Method and apparatus for emptying bottle cars 22 of hot metal and slag. A rotatable bottle 24 is mounted to a railroad car for movement of molten iron between a blast furnace and a steel making facility such as a basic oxygen furnace or the like. To facilitate emptying the bottle, a section 32 of railroad track, shorter than the length between the wheels of the car, is moved transversely from beneath the bottle to one side of the car and the bottle rotated as much as 180.degree. to pour contents of the bottle from a central opening into a receiving ladle 14 below the track. The path of the contents passes through the area from which the track section was removed. Stops 50 prevent movement of the bottle car after the section has been moved.

Abstract: In a filling stand for pouring molten metal from a tiltable metallurgical vessel into a metallurgical ladle, the metallurgical ladle is surrounded by a casing to which at least one exhaust conduit is connected. In the casing upper part a pour-in opening for the molten metal is provided, which opening is arranged below an outlet of the tiltable vessel. In order to keep the exhaust and filter performance of the exhaust system low, at least one part of the ladle surrounding casing which comprises the pour-in opening is displaceable in the tilting plane of the tiltable vessel in accordance with the change of position of the metal jet streaming out of the outlet of the tiltable vessel.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for pouring molten metal into a mold or other cavity. The apparatus includes a tiltable pouring ladle having a pouring spout disposed coaxially with the axis of rotation or tilt of the ladle to permit pouring of metal in a direction coincident with such axis of rotation. The apparatus is further provided with a positionable pouring trough for directing molten metal from the pouring spout to a pouring cup located at any position on the mold surface. With this apparatus, a fixed relationship between the pouring spout, the pouring trough, and the mold surface at any phase of the pouring process may be maintained such that the trajectory of molten metal being poured through air is minimized. The ladle is shaped such that molten metal may be poured at a rate proportional to the tilting rate of the ladle. The ladle also includes apparatus for preventing impurities such as slag or dross inclusions introduced into the ladle with the molten metal from being poured into the casting.

Abstract: A melt process apparatus having a melt receptacle held on the distal end of a cantilever supported beam. The support for the beam is elevatable and is pivotable about a vertical axis so that the receptacle can be raised, lowered, swung and tilted to facilitate loading, insertion of additives and pouring without transfer vessels and temperature loss. The support for the beam includes a weighing device for monitoring the quantity of melt placed therein. Various embodiments are shown.

Abstract: A car for transporting a ladle of hot metal and charging the metal to a furnace, commonly a BOP or Q-BOP used in steelmaking. The car includes a transversely movable trolley which carries a tiltable support for a ladle. Tilting of the ladle is independent of transverse movement of the trolley. Thus the car can be positioned adjacent the furnace, and the ladle moved tranversely and tilted to dump its contents into the furnace even though the furnace itself is not tilted to a precise position.

Abstract: A crucible furnace for high-temperature melting of metals or other materials which includes a capped vessel for serving as a crucible to hold a charge of material to be melted, a solid baffle surrounding and closely spaced from the vessel to form a restricted passageway and a refractory wall surrounding and widely spaced from the baffle to form a combustion chamber. Fuel is supplied at the base of the combustion chamber and mixed with air preheated by a compact internal recuperator operative from exhaust gases exiting the restricted passageway. The fuel is burned in the combustion chamber, heating the baffle which in turn radiates heat to the vessel containing the charge. Several of the elements forming the combustion and heat transfer system also serve as structural elements providing rigid support to internal components when the furnace is upright and when it is tilted to pour off melt.

Abstract: A hot metal ladle tilter including a support stand having spaced-apart bearings, a ladle support frame pivotally mounted on the bearings for tilting about a tilt axis, the ladle support frame including two spaced-apart support members for readily receiving thereon a ladle to be tilted, a stop bracket fixedly positioned and engaging the ladle support frame to prevent the tilting thereof rearwardly, the center of gravity of the ladle support frame in combination with the ladle being disposed rearwardly with respect to the tilt axis to urge the ladle support frame against the stop bracket under gravity, an hydraulic motor for pivoting the ladle support frame about the tilt axis, and controls for actuating the hydraulic motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for casting a fusible material has a support on which is provided a row of melting burners and a parallel row of warming burners. A crucible holder on the support has a pair of bars forming a plurality of seats each above a respective one of the melting burners and each for a respective crucible. A slide having a plurality of mold holders is displaceable into a position with the mold holders above the warming burners. Once the material in the crucible holders has been melted by the melting burners the entire crucible-holding assembly may be agitated horizontally to homogenize this material. Thereafter the entire crucible-holding assembly is tipped up to pour the contents of the crucibles into the molds which have been preheated by the warming burners. The warming burners are then shut off and jets of compressed ambient-temperature gas are directed at the molds to cool the material therein and solidify same into a tablet or slug suitable for X-ray analysis.