Mobile ladle addition feeder

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR ADDING SOLID MATERIAL IN DISCRETE FORM TO MOLTEN METAL CONTAINED IN A LADLE, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING FRAME STRUCTURE SUPPORTING A HOPPER AT ITS UPPER END, A FEEDER PAN LOCATED BELOW THE HOPPER, MEANS FOR VIBRATING THE FEEDER PAN TO EFFECT DISCHARGE OF THE MATERIAL FROM THE DISCHARGE END OF THE PAN, A DISCHARGE CHUTE HAVING A MATERIAL RECEIVING END AND A DISCHARGE END AND ADAPTED TO BE PROJECTED INTO AN INCLINED MATERIAL DELIVERING POSITION BETWEEN THE FEEDER PAN AND THE LADLE AND TO BE RETRACTED FROM SAID POSITION TO WITHIN THE FRAME STRUCTURE, MEANS MOUNTING THE CHUTE FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENTS TO AND FROM SAID PROJECTED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A SUPPORT LOCATED ON THE FRAME STRUCTURE BELOW THE DISCHARGE END OF THE FEEDER PAN AND POSITIONED FOR SUPPORTING THE DISCHARGE END OF THE CHUTE WHEN THE CHUTE IS IN RETRACTED POSITION, A PAIR OF TRACK CHANNELS SUPPORTED BY AND LOCATED WITHIN THE FRAME STRUCTURE ON RESPECTIVE SIDES OF THE CHUTE, SAID TRACK CHANNELS BEING DIAGONALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE HORIZONTAL AND WITH THE END OF THE TRACK CHANNELS ADJACENT THE FIXED SUPPORT HAVING THE HIGHEST ELEVATION, MEANS FIXED TO THE CHUTE AT ITS RECEIVING END AND LOCATED WITHIN THE TRACK CHANNELS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR GUIDING THE CHUTE DURING THE RECIPROCATING MOVEMENTS THEREOF, AND ENDLESS CHAIN MECHANISM HAVING CONNECTION WITH THE CHUTE AT ITS RECEIVING END FOR EFFECTING SAID RECIPROCATING MOVEMENTS.