Method of and apparatus for producing compound ingots

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMPOUND INGOTS, COMPRISING AN INGOT MOLD DEFINING AN INTERNAL SPACE AND HAVING A PAIR OPPOSED INTERNAL SURFACES BOUDNING A PORTION OF SAID SPACE; AND A PARTITION CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF FERROUS MATERIAL RECEIVED IN SAID SPACE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SURFACES TO THEREBY DIVIDE SAID SPACE INTO A PAIR OF DISTINCT CHAMBERS EACH OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A DIFFERENT MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCE, SAID PARTITION COMPRISING A CENTRAL PORTION INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PANEL HAVING TWO MARGINAL PORTIONS EACH OF WHICH IS ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM ONE OF SAID SURFACES, AND A PAIR OF REINFORCED EDGE PORTIONS EACH DISPOSED BETWEEN ONE OF SID SURFACES AND THE PANEL, SAID EDGE PORTIONS HAVING CHANNELS RECEIVING THE RESPECTIVE MARTINAL PORTIONS AND BEING IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE RESPECTIVE SURFACES THAT THEY AT LEAST REDUCE BLEEDING OF MOLTEN SUBSTANCES ABOUT SAID PARTITION, THE RESISTANCE OFFERED BY SAID EDGE PORTIONS TO MELTING AT TEMPERATURES PREVAILING IN SAID MOLD AT THE TIME SAID CHAMBERS RECEIVE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES EXCEEDING THE RESISTANCE OFFERED BY SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS, THE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES RECEIVED IN SAID CHAMBERS EVENTUALLY FORMING A MONOLITHIC INGOT WITH SAID PARTITION.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMPOUND INGOTS, COMPRISING AN INGOT MOLD DEFINING AN INTERNAL SPACE AND HAVING A PAIR OPPOSED INTERNAL SURFACES BOUDNING A PORTION OF SAID SPACE; AND A PARTITION CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF FERROUS MATERIAL RECEIVED IN SAID SPACE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SURFACES TO THEREBY DIVIDE SAID SPACE INTO A PAIR OF DISTINCT CHAMBERS EACH OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A DIFFERENT MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCE, SAID PARTITION COMPRISING A CENTRAL PORTION INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PANEL HAVING TWO MARGINAL PORTIONS EACH OF WHICH IS ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM ONE OF SAID SURFACES, AND A PAIR OF REINFORCED EDGE PORTIONS EACH DISPOSED BETWEEN ONE OF SID SURFACES AND THE PANEL, SAID EDGE PORTIONS HAVING CHANNELS RECEIVING THE RESPECTIVE MARTINAL PORTIONS AND BEING IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE RESPECTIVE SURFACES THAT THEY AT LEAST REDUCE BLEEDING OF MOLTEN SUBSTANCES ABOUT SAID PARTITION, THE RESISTANCE OFFERED BY SAID EDGE PORTIONS TO MELTING AT TEMPERATURES PREVAILING IN SAID MOLD AT THE TIME SAID CHAMBERS RECEIVE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES EXCEEDING THE RESISTANCE OFFERED BY SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS, THE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES RECEIVED IN SAID CHAMBERS EVENTUALLY FORMING A MONOLITHIC INGOT WITH SAID PARTITION.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF CASTING TWO LOTS OF MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCES INTO A COMPOUND INGOT IN A MOLD HAVING WALLS DEFINING A MOLD CAVITY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF POURING TWO MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCES INTO A MOLD; SEPARATING THE TWO SUBSTANCES IN THE MOLD FROM EACH OTHER BY A PAIR OF END PIECES HAVING CHANNELS AND BEING LOCATED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER ADJACENT AND ABUTTING THE INTERNAL WALL FACES OF SAID MOLD AND BY AT LEAST ONE PANEL EXTENDING ACROSS THE MOLD AND HAVING ENDS LOCATED IN THE CHANNELS WHEREBY SAID ENDS ARE PROTECTED FROM THE HEAT OF THE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES BY SAID END PIECES AND ARE NOT MELTED; PERMITTING SAID SUBSTANCES TO COOL AND HARDENED SO THAT SAID END PIECES, SAID PANEL AND THE TWO HAWRDENED SUBSTANCES IN THE MOLD FORM A COMPOSITE INGOT; AND WITHDRAWING THE COMPOSITE INGOT FROM THE MOLD.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF CASTING TWO LOTS OF MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCES INTO A COMPOUND INGOT IN A MOLD HAVING WALLS DEFINING A MOLD CAVITY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF POURING TWO MOLTEN METALLIC SUBSTANCES INTO A MOLD; SEPARATING THE TWO SUBSTANCES IN THE MOLD FROM EACH OTHER BY A PAIR OF END PIECES HAVING CHANNELS AND BEING LOCATED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER ADJACENT AND ABUTTING THE INTERNAL WALL FACES OF SAID MOLD AND BY AT LEAST ONE PANEL EXTENDING ACROSS THE MOLD AND HAVING ENDS LOCATED IN THE CHANNELS WHEREBY SAID ENDS ARE PROTECTED FROM THE HEAT OF THE MOLTEN SUBSTANCES BY SAID END PIECES AND ARE NOT MELTED; PERMITTING SAID SUBSTANCES TO COOL AND HARDENED SO THAT SAID END PIECES, SAID PANEL AND THE TWO HAWRDENED SUBSTANCES IN THE MOLD FORM A COMPOSITE INGOT; AND WITHDRAWING THE COMPOSITE INGOT FROM THE MOLD.