Introducing a grain refining or alloying agent into molten metals and alloys

Claim 1

The method of continuously introducing a metallic treating agent into a molten metal which comprises pouring the molten metal from a source thereof into a confined troughlike passageway to form a stream of the molten metal flowing through the passageway, simultaneously feeding into the stream of molten metal flowing in the passageway a solid rodlike supply of the agent, the rodlike supply of the agent being introduced obliquely into the upstream portion of the stream of molten metal with the end of the rod facing downstream into the flow of molten metal so as to effect a significant disturbance of the flow without impairing the integrity of the stream and to permit the sidewalls of the trough to perpetuate said disturbance during flow of the molten metal throughout the remainder of the length of the trough in order to insure complete melting and assimilation of the treating agent in the molten metal stream, the rod being supplied at a rate not in excess of that at which it is consumed in the flowing molten metal in the trough, and discharging the resulting molten metal into a casting zone.