Method of casting metal including disintegration of molten metal

Claim 1

Method for casting molten metal into ingot bars, whereby the molten metal is first disintegrated into fragments by a gas containing a powdered material, after which the resultant mixture of fragmented molten metal and powder is collected, comprising the steps of: providing a container having an outlet in the bottom wall thereof and a lance-shaped tube disposed therein aligned with said outlet; disposing molten metal within said container such that said tube, at its mouth end, is at least partially surrounded by said molten metal; flowing said molten metal from said container through said outlet; pressurizing a supply means containing a powdered metallic material; mixing gas with said powdered metallic material; forcing the gas containing said powdered metallic material through and out said mouth end of said tube, introducing a uniform mixture of the gas and powdered metallic material simultaneously in the center of the molten metal stream flowing from the container outlet, disintegrating the molten metal stream with said gas and powdered metallic material mixture, the quantity of powder mixed with the quantity of molten metal being in a predetermined proportion such that a major portion of the mixture of the powder and molten metal upon disintegration by the gas stream and mixed with the powder, assumes a temperature of at least as much as the solidification temperature of the material mixture, and collecting the resultant semi-solidified mixture of fragmented molten metal mixed with metallic powder grains in a collector.