US4073414A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Auto crucible for metering and transferring liquid metals
Assignee: TOOLCRAFT ENGINEERING Inc A CORP OF CT
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Filing: 1976-08-09
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Granted: 1978-02-14
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Expires: 1996-08-09
Abstract
Abstract A device for metering and transferring liquid non-ferrous metals. A hollow sleeve is mounted on a supporting structure and a pouring spout is on one end of the hollow sleeve. An orifice is in the pouring spout communicating with the interior of the sleeve. A stopper rod extends into the sleeve and is shiftable between a position seating on the pouring spout and sealing the orifice therein and a position removed from the pouring spout to permit liquid metal to flow into and out of the hollow sleeve. The parts are made of cast iron and the stopper rod has a tungsten carbide tip for passage through the orifice during the sealing and unsealing thereof to clean the orifice and to prevent foreign matter from collecting in the orifice.
Inventors
- 👤 H. Gary Garab
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:37
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22D; B22D39/00; B22D39/02; B22D39/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
432 words
A device for metering and transferring liquid metals comprising: a support structure; a hollow sleeve on the supporting structure and an opening at both ends; a pouring spout on one end and having an orifice therethrough communicating with the hollow interior of the sleeve; a stopper rod extending into the sleeve from the other end thereof to be shiftable between a position seating on the pouring spout and sealing the orifice therein and a position removed from the pouring spout to permit liquid metal to flow into and out of the hollow sleeve, the stopper rod and the pouring spout having mating surfaces thereon to facilitate sealing engagement therebetween when the stopper rod is in the seating position to prevent leakage; means for shifting the stopper rod between positions the means for shifting the stopper rod between positions including axial drive means and rotary drive means to permit the stopper rod to be rotated with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve and to be axially shifted with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve and operating so that when the stopper rod is directed into mating engagement with the pouring spout it will be both axially and rotatably brought into mating engagement thereby facilitating sealing of the stopper rod and pouring spout to prevent leakage; means for transferring the device into and out of a container of liquid metal with the stopper rod being in the seated position on the pouring spout during insertion into the liquid metal to facilitate prevention of accumulation of undesirable materials within the hollow sleeve during the insertion into the liquid metal to the desired depth; means for cleaning the orifice and for preventing undesirable materials from collecting in the orifice including the end of the stopper rod adjacent the pouring spout having a small diameter tip portion extending therefrom of a predetermind length so that when the stopper rod is seated in sealing position on the pouring spout the tip will extend through the orifice in the pouring spout thereby guarding against the accumulation of foreign matter in the orifice while the device is being transferred into a container of liquid metal, and when the stopper rod is removed from the seating position on the pouring spout the tip will be removed therefrom to permit liquid metal to freely flow through the orifice in the pouring spout and the tip acting to remove any collection of undesirable material from the orifice upon reinsertion therein as it is rotated and axially moved with the stopper rod as the stopper rod is reseated on the pouring spout.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
432 words
A device for metering and transferring liquid metals comprising: a support structure; a hollow sleeve on the supporting structure and an opening at both ends; a pouring spout on one end and having an orifice therethrough communicating with the hollow interior of the sleeve; a stopper rod extending into the sleeve from the other end thereof to be shiftable between a position seating on the pouring spout and sealing the orifice therein and a position removed from the pouring spout to permit liquid metal to flow into and out of the hollow sleeve, the stopper rod and the pouring spout having mating surfaces thereon to facilitate sealing engagement therebetween when the stopper rod is in the seating position to prevent leakage; means for shifting the stopper rod between positions the means for shifting the stopper rod between positions including axial drive means and rotary drive means to permit the stopper rod to be rotated with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve and to be axially shifted with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve and operating so that when the stopper rod is directed into mating engagement with the pouring spout it will be both axially and rotatably brought into mating engagement thereby facilitating sealing of the stopper rod and pouring spout to prevent leakage; means for transferring the device into and out of a container of liquid metal with the stopper rod being in the seated position on the pouring spout during insertion into the liquid metal to facilitate prevention of accumulation of undesirable materials within the hollow sleeve during the insertion into the liquid metal to the desired depth; means for cleaning the orifice and for preventing undesirable materials from collecting in the orifice including the end of the stopper rod adjacent the pouring spout having a small diameter tip portion extending therefrom of a predetermind length so that when the stopper rod is seated in sealing position on the pouring spout the tip will extend through the orifice in the pouring spout thereby guarding against the accumulation of foreign matter in the orifice while the device is being transferred into a container of liquid metal, and when the stopper rod is removed from the seating position on the pouring spout the tip will be removed therefrom to permit liquid metal to freely flow through the orifice in the pouring spout and the tip acting to remove any collection of undesirable material from the orifice upon reinsertion therein as it is rotated and axially moved with the stopper rod as the stopper rod is reseated on the pouring spout.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein means are provided for transferring the device from the location of a furnace containing liquid metal to a pouring station whereupon liquid metal within the sleeve can be poured upon shifting of the rod to the position removed from the pouring
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sleeve, the pouring spout, and the stopper rod are constructed of cast iron material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein timing means is provided to determine the time at which the stopper rod will be positioned in each of the two positions with respect to the pouring spout.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pouring spout has a threaded outer surface and one end of the sleeve has a threaded inner surface thereby facilitating the threaded interengagement between the pouring spout and one end of the hollow sleeve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of tungsten carbon material and is connected to the end of the stopper rod.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mating surfaces between the stopper rod and the pouring spout are beveled to facilitate seating engagement therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tip has a lesser outer diameter than the diameter of the orifice in the pouring spout to alleviate the danger of interference therebetween and facilitate the movement of the tip into and out of the orifice.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pouring spout is removably mounted on one end of the sleeve and the stopper rod is movably mounted on the support structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein pressure means is provided to produce a slight pressure on the stopper rod when it is seated with respect to the pouring spout thereby providing a more positive seating interengagement therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the end of the sleeve distal from the end connected to the pouring spout has a threaded inner surface and the supporting structure adjacent thereto has a threaded surface, a tubular pipe nipple having a passageway therethrough and threaded outer surface portions at both ends with the nipple being threadedly interengaged with the threaded surface on the supporting structure and the other end of the nipple being threadedly interengaged with the adjacent threaded end portion of the sleeve in position for passage of the stopper rod through the nipple and thereby interconnecting the sleeve to the supporting structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein a probe is mounted on the supporting structure and has a predetermined length to extend to the surface of the molten metal and determine the depth of immersion of the ladle into molten metal contained in the furnace.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stopper rod is rotated about approximately a 90° turn.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sleeve, the pouring spout and the stopper rod are of metal material and are operated at a temperature at which the metal is annealed when liquid metal is handled by the device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
134 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sleeve, the pouring spout, and the stopper rod are of metal material and the device is operated in handling liquid metals at a temperature at which the sleeve, the pouring spout, and the stopper rod are annealed, the means for shifting the stopper rod between positions including axial drive means and rotary drive means to permit the stopper rod to be rotated with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve and to be axially shifted with respect to the pouring spout and sleeve, and pressure means being provided to produce a slight pressure on the stopper rod when it is seated with respect to the pouring spout so that the combined annealed elements being rotated and subjected to pressure provides a more positive seating interengagement.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-13 | 1981-08-15 | 1982-02-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-13 | 1985-08-15 | 1986-02-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-13 | 1989-08-15 | 1990-02-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |