Apparatus for casting metal slabs and billets

Claim 2

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including coolant passageways formed in the mold sidewalls, and means for effecting the flow of coolant through the passageways.

Claim 3

Apparatus for the casting of molten steel into slabs and billets comprising: a. a plurality of molds each having sidewalls and a vertically movable bottom wall together forming a coreless mold cavity, b. a pouring riser having an open top, sidewalls and a bottom wall and a vertical succession of horizontal openings in the riser sidewalls communicating with each of the mold cavities whereby as metal flows into the riser it flows through successively higher openings into the mold cavities to fill them simultaneously, c. means for effecting simultaneous vertical upward movement of the entire mold bottom walls relative to the sidewalls of the molds during filling of the mold cavities.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including a pouring funnel at the top of the riser.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the riser sidewalls form one sidewall of each of the molds.

Claim 6

Apparatus for the simultaneous casting of a plurality of metal slabs or billets, comprisIng, a. a series of mold segments each having a front face and a backface, the segments being arranged in circular succession with the front face of each segment confronting the backface of an adjacent segment to form a circular succession of angularly spaced mold cavities, each pair of adjacent segments forming three vertical sidewalls of a four-walled mold, b. an upright refractory fountain centrally located with respect to the circular succession of mold segments and forming the fourth sidewall of each mold, the fountain having a bottom, an open top, a hollow interior, and a series of lateral openings therein forming passageways for the flow of metal from the hollow interior into each of the mold cavities, there being a like series of vertically spaced openings communicating with each of the mold cavities, c. a bottom wall for each of the molds, and d. means for moving the bottom walls vertically upward with respect to the mold sidewalls.

Claim 7

Apparatus for the casting of metal slabs and billets comprising: a. a plurality of vertically disposed molds each having sidewalls and a bottom wall forming a coreless cavity, b. vertically disposed pouring riser means adjacent the molds and having opening means therein communicating with each mold cavity and formed such that metal flows into the mold cavities from progressively higher locations as the mold cavities fill, and c. means for effecting relative vertical movement between each entire mold bottom wall and the sidewalls to reduce the size of the cavity during pouring and solidification of the metal, whereby as molten metal is poured into the riser and flows into each mold cavity through the openings there is exerted a force on the metal as it progressively solidifies in each mold thereby relieving tensile stresses on the metal as it shrinks during solidification.

Claim 8

Apparatus for the casting of metal slabs and billets, comprising, a. a pair of mold segments joined together to form the sidewalls of a mold cavity, b. a bottom wall, c. means for effecting relative vertical movement between the mold sidewalls and the bottom wall during the pouring and solidification of the metal to progressively reduce the size of the mold cavity, d. said mold segments defining vertical pouring riser means including an elongated passageway extending substantially over the entire vertical height of the mold cavity and communicating with the riser and the mold cavity, whereby metal poured into the riser may flow to the cavity, and e. cover means disposed in the passageway made of a material which is readily destructible upon contact with molten metal for controlling the flow of metal into the cavity such that the metal flows from the passageway at progressively higher locations as the mold fills.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the bottom wall is lined with a heat-resistant flexible cover.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the cover is asbestos.