Expendable lance

Claim 2

An expendable lance for immersion into a bath of molten metal comprising an expendable tube, a hollow body structure in said tube adjacent one end of the tube adapted to be immersed in a bath, said body structure having a chamber therein, said chamber having first and second ends with the first end being closer to said one end of said tube, a first temperature sensing unit projecting from said one end of the tube for sensing the temperature of a bath of molten metal, a second temperature sensing unit, said second unit being inside the tube and coupled to said body structure so as to have its temperature sensing portion exposed to and adjacent said first end of said chamber, means adjacent said second end of the chamber defining a passage so that molten metal may flow radially into said chamber at the second end thereof and surround the temperature sensing portion of said second unit, and a heat destructible member sealing said passage, said heat destructible member being of a type so as to be destroyed by the bath of molten metal after said one end has been immersed into the bath of molten metal, said chamber facilitating a means for retrieving the specimen of the bath of molten metal.

Claim 3

A lance in accordance with claim 1 including a non-directional connector within said tube, a pair of lead wires extending from each of the temperature sensing units to said connector and having axially extending contact portions supported by said connector, whereby readings may be obtained from each sensing unit.

Claim 4

A lance in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said temperature sensing units are supported by said body structure and extend in opposite directions.

Claim 5

A lance in accordance with claim 1 wherein said temperature sensing units are identical and are coaxial with respect to said tube.

Claim 6

A lance in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means defining a passage to permit entry of molten metal into said chamber includes a radial hole in said tube, and a liner for said hole made from a ceramic material.

Claim 7

An expendable lance comprising an expendable tube, a first temperature sensing unit supported by said tube adjacent one end for ascertaining the temperature of a bath of molten metal, means having a chamber therein and disposed within said tube adjacent said one end for retrieving a sample of the bath of molten metal whose temperature is to be ascertained by said unit, a Second temperature sensing unit in said tube supported between said first unit and the chamber for ascertaining the liquidus arrest value of the sample at one end of the chamber as the sample solidifies in said chamber, and radial passage means for permitting introduction of a liquid sample directly into the other end of said chamber.

Claim 8

An expendable lance comprising an expendable tube, a first temperature sensing unit supported by said tube adjacent one end for ascertaining the temperature of a bath of molten metal, means having a chamber therein and disposed within said tube adjacent said one end for retrieving a sample of the bath of molten metal whose temperature is to be ascertained by said unit, a Second temperature sensing unit in said tube supported between said first unit and the chamber for ascertaining the liquidus arrest value of the sample at one end of the chamber as the sample solidifies in said chamber, and radial passage means for permitting introduction of a liquid sample directly into the other end of said chamber.

Claim 9

A lance in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for retrieving a sample includes a body structure made from a monolithic mass of heat resistant, non-metallic material and in which is disposed said chamber, each of said temperature sensing units being supported by said body structure, and a heat destructible member closing said passage means.

Claim 10

A lance in accordance with claim 6 including a connector supporting contact portions of lead wires extending from said temperature sensing units, said contact portions being supported by said connector for coupling to two sets of contacts, each set of contacts having a pair of contact surfaces.

Claim 11

A lance in accordance with claim 8 wherein said chamber is axially disposed between said first temperature sensing unit and said connector.

Claim 12

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a material tending to retard cooling of molten metal so as to allow detection of thermal arrest in the molten metal, said body structure being supported within said tube adjacent an immersion end and having a chamber, a radial passage through said tube positioned so as to facilitate introduction of molten metal into said chamber, a heat destructible cover closing said passage, said body structure supporting identical first and second thermocouple units back-to-back, said first thermocouple unit projecting beyond the immersion end of said tube to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the bath of molten metal, said second unit extending in an opposite direction from said first unit and having its temperature sensing portion disposed within said chamber, a non-directional connector within said tube adjacent said body structure, lead wires extending from each thermocouple unit to said connector, said connector supporting portions of said lead wires in a position so that contact portions of the lead wires associated with the thermocouple units may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder.

Claim 13

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a material tending to retard cooling of molten metal so as to allow detection of thermal arrest in the molten metal, said body structure being supported within said tube adjacent an immersion end and having a chamber, a radial passage through said tube positioned so as to facilitate introduction of molten metal into said chamber, a heat destructible cover closing said passage, said body structure supporting identical first and second thermocouple units back-to-back, said first thermocouple unit projecting beyond the immersion end of said tube to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the bath of molten metal, said second unit extending in an opposite direction from said first unit and having its temperature sensing portion disposed within said chamber, a non-directional connector within said tube adjacent said body structure, lead wires extending from each thermocouple unit to said connector, said connector supporting portions of said lead wires in a position so that contact portions of the lead wires associated with the thermocouple units may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder.

Claim 14

A lance in accordance with claim 10 including a lance holder telescoped within said tube, said lance holder supporting a female connector adapted to mate with said first-mentioned connector, said female connector having two sets of contacts, each set of contacts mating with the contact portions of the lead wires associated with one of the thermocouple units.

Claim 15

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a ceramic material, said body structure being supported within said tube adjacent one end thereof, said body structure having a chamber therein, said chamber having first and second ends with the first end being closer to said one end of said tube, said body structure and tube each having a radial passage, said passages being aligned with one another so that molten metal may enter said chamber adjacent the second end thereof through said passages, a heat destructible cover on said tube blocking entry of molten material into said chamber, an expendable thermocouple unit supported by said body structure at said first end with the hot junction thereof positioned to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the molten metal, at least a portion of said unit being disposed between said one end of said tube and said chamber, and a non-directional connector within said tube and supported by said body structure, said connector supporting portions of wires in a position so that contact portions of the wires may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder, with said chamber being disposed Between said connector and said thermocouple unit.

Claim 16

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a ceramic material, said body structure being supported within said tube adjacent one end thereof, said body structure having a chamber therein, said chamber having first and second ends with the first end being closer to said one end of said tube, said body structure and tube each having a radial passage, said passages being aligned with one another so that molten metal may enter said chamber adjacent the second end thereof through said passages, a heat destructible cover on said tube blocking entry of molten material into said chamber, an expendable thermocouple unit supported by said body structure at said first end with the hot junction thereof positioned to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the molten metal, at least a portion of said unit being disposed between said one end of said tube and said chamber, and a non-directional connector within said tube and supported by said body structure, said connector supporting portions of wires in a position so that contact portions of the wires may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder, with said chamber being disposed Between said connector and said thermocouple unit.

Claim 17

A lance in accordance with claim 12 including a second expendable thermocouple unit supported by said body structure between said chamber and said one end of said tube, said second thermocouple unit having a sensing junction positioned beyond said one end of said tube.

Claim 18

A lance in accordance with claim 12 wherein said body structure includes longitudinally extending grooves adjacent its outer periphery with conductors from said thermocouple unit extending through said grooves to said connector.

Claim 19

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a heat resistant material, said body structure being supported by said tube adjacent one end thereof, said body structure having a chamber therein for retrieving a specimen of metal, said body structure having first and second closed ends, said body structure having a radial passage so that molten metal may enter said chamber radially adjacent the second end thereof through said passage, a heat destructible cover blocking entry of molten material into said chamber, an expendable thermocouple unit supported by said body structure at said first end with the hot junction thereof positioned to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the molten metal in said chamber, an electrical connector within said tube and supported adjacent said second end of said body structure, said connector supporting portions of wires in a position so that contact portions of the wires may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder, with said chamber being disposed between said connector and said first end of said body structure.

Claim 20

An expendable lance comprising an expendable cardboard tube, a hollow body structure made from a heat resistant material, said body structure being supported by said tube adjacent one end thereof, said body structure having a chamber therein for retrieving a specimen of metal, said body structure having first and second closed ends, said body structure having a radial passage so that molten metal may enter said chamber radially adjacent the second end thereof through said passage, a heat destructible cover blocking entry of molten material into said chamber, an expendable thermocouple unit supported by said body structure at said first end with the hot junction thereof positioned to facilitate obtaining a temperature reading indicative of the temperature of the molten metal in said chamber, an electrical connector within said tube and supported adjacent said second end of said body structure, said connector supporting portions of wires in a position so that contact portions of the wires may be separately mated with contacts adapted to communicate a signal to a recorder, with said chamber being disposed between said connector and said first end of said body structure.