US1589730A

US1589730A - Method and apparatus for casting steel ingots

Info

Publication number: US1589730A
Application number: US439357A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward H Williams
Original assignee: Valley Mould & Iron Corp
Current assignee: Valley Mould & Iron Corp
Priority date: 1921-01-24
Filing date: 1921-01-24
Publication date: 1926-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1943-06-22

Description

June' 22,1926. 1,589,730

- E. H. WILLIAMS n METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING STEEL INGOTS Filed Jan. 24, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 y ;f 7 d!! y 10 L f7' "HH.., .""WHIHWW "UHHHMH "umh".I 76 Z3 f4 J1 z5 I I .I I

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E. H. WILLIAMS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR lCASTING STEEL INGOTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. l 24. 1921 www1/Wam@ @513 4m atto/heg i Patented l.lune 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES ri-ifislv'rv oI-Flclaf EDWARD H. WILLTAMS, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO VALLEY MOULD & IRON CORPORATION, OF SHARPSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING STEEL INGOTS.

Application filed January 24, 1921. Serial No. 439,357.

This invention relates broadly to metallurgy and more specially-to a method and apparatus for casting horizontal ingots from dead melted steel.

The principal object of the present in vention is the method and apparatus of casting horizontal ingots from dead melted steel by j )roviding a hot member in contact with one end of the ingot during pouring and cooling.

A still further object of thel present `invention is Vthe method and apparatus of casting` steel ingo\ts from dead melted steel wherein a heated runner is provided adjacent one end of the ingot in such man ner as to prevent chilling' of one end of the ingot during pouring, thereby permitting molten steel to he suppliedV until the steel is 'set thus preventing formation of pipes or cavities in the ingot. j Y

n, still further object of the present invention is a method `and apparatus of castingrstcel ingots in horizontal molds by proriding a runneradjacent one end of the mold and which runner is provided with a plurality of openings arranged in such manner that` substantially the same volume of steel issues from the upper and lower openings into the mold during the pouring operation.: i

n, still further and important object of thel present invention isthe method and apparatus of Acasting Vhorizontal steelingots which comprises arranging runner openings adjacent one end of the matrix end'of the mold in such manner that a plurality of in'- lcts lead from the runner to the matrix'and with the upper inlets being of larger crosssectiona-l area than the lower inlets.

-instill further and important object of the present invention is an ingot mold for casting horizontal steel ingots, which mold is provided with an opening adjacent one end thereof adaptedto receive a runner tile of such size vas to comprise the majority of the end wall of the matrix portion of the mold when the runner tile is in position.

A still further and primary object of the present invention is an article'of manufacture comprising a runner tile for use in casting horizontal ingots, which runner tile 1s of relatively wide width. to prevent chilling of the steel adj acent'the runner tile dur* ing the pouring operation'and wherein said runner tile is adapted to be standardized so that said tile may be interchangeableV with any one of a plurality of molds.`

Another object of the present invention is an article of manufacture comprising a runner tile for use in casting horizontal steel ingots and wherein the runner tile and fountain are integral and formed in such n'lanner that the fountain extends substan tially to the uppermost inlet opening adapted. to lead into the mold matrix.

A still lfurther object of the present invention is the provision of a runner tile for use in casting horizontal steel ingots, which tile comprises an earthen product preferably of porous texture and adapted to have large heat absorbing capacity whereby the runner tile may be heated very hot before being set so as to give off heat during the pouring operation and prevent Chilling of the steel being poured.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the several figures thereof.

Realizing that the presentinvention may be embodied in constructions other than those speciiically shown and described it is desired that the disclosure herewith shall be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting` sense. i

Figure l vof the drawings illustrates a horizontal `section through a two-part mold having a vertical separation plane with the view taken on the separation plane and showing the runner tilel in section.

f Figure 2 is a view illustrating the pouring` action. j

Figure 3 is a view illustrating shrinkage after the ingot is cold and showing the shrinkage exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the same.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the mold at one end of the mold and through the ruimer' tile recess on line 4 4- Figure l with the runner tile of the mold.

Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5 5 Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a cross-section of the runner tile.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the runner tile shown in Figure G.

The presentinvention relates more specially to the production of ingots from dead melted or piping7 steel, such as steel from which the free gases have been largely eliminated and which pours without bubbling or boiling the usual action ofordinary7 or wild steel.. Alloy or high carbon steels which are usually used forspecialV purposes, for example, high speedv toolsteel, rail, or the like, are usually dead melted steels. Such steels may comprise alloys of titanium, vanadium, chromium, tungsten, nick el, combined carbon etc.- This type of steel usually pours dead17 and when made into ingots has a considerable tendency to pipe. Becauseof the special purposes for which such steel is used any port-ion of the ingot which has pipes mustbe scrapped. .it is customary in the product-ionof commercial shapes fromsteel of this type, for eX- ample, high speed tool steel to subject the ingots to elaborate processes of manufacture todetermine and eliminate these troublesome pipes. Heretofore it has been customary to castY small vertical ingots from tllstype of steel; These ingots are usually cropped in rough to such a point as the operator believes will eliminate the majority of the pipes. lngots of this steel are usuall); subjected to processes of annealing, ham-v mering', pickling, grinding, chipping etc., to vkuetrid of pipesfv For example, an ingot of high speed tool steel will be tirst annealed; thenv coggethhannnered. or. rolled into `an Velongated form ,of general `redtangular shape; then the seams are `ground out. The bloom thus formed is pickled with acid, then cropped. if any piges show the bloom is again cropped. This operationis continued until all evidences of pipes disappear. The bloom or billet4 is then annealed again and is then rolled .or shaped intothe iinal form, usiuillyv a. bar, whiclris again inspected, annealed and defects cut out, andthe. remaining portion is ready for the market.Yy Often times Vdefects in the original ingot show. upin the. final shape so that aularge portion of the final form even may be cropped and discarded as scrap. Vlfhis .type of steel pipeszso. badly that; in the average run of ingots only a relatively small percentage. isinanufactured into final product, and arrelatively large. percentage is tffouzn aside as scrap. rlhis very greatly iii-reves the cost of producingfsuch steel.

rlhe presentinvention overcomesithe olifliculties of the known art andV produces what is known in the art as a perfect ingot77 of which substantially all portions thereof may be manufactured into tinishei'l product Preferably this invention is carried out in inclined horizontal chill molds with runner tiles at one end thereof. These tiles preferably are arranged to produce vertical agitation in the steel in the mold during pouring and this may be accomplished by a plurality of openings i the runner tile. lVhere cold runner tiles are used in casting this type of steel the ingot may appear substantially solid but there is a liability of a small pipe leading from the upper opening into the ingot downwardly at an angle about double the angle of inclination of the axis of the mold. This liability is completely overcome by heating the runner tile and supply ing su'iiicicnt fresh steel to follow up and lill all tendencies to cavitate, It is also desirable that the runner tile havethe fountain integral with the body of the tile with the funnel opening-of the fountain leading substantially to the upper inlet opening in the body ofthe tile and with the lower inlet opening in the-runner tile of less diameter than the upper opening. When the tile is so constructed substantiallyl the same amount of steel enters the mold matrix from each openingduing pouring. This insures the steel entering through the lower opening spurting into` the mold with considerable force and velocity while the steel entering through the upper opening Will fall downwardly upon the lower stream, `thereby producing a churning action which Will continue while the mold is rapidly being filled. Since the mold is a chill mold they steel farthest from the inlet cools, first and the cooling action progresses from the remote end toward the inlet opening so that the portion of the ingot against the Wide hot runner is. last to freeze. Consequently the freezing or shrinking steel is continually fed on the insidev or corev portion byy liquid or molten steel, up to the final instant of freezing at which time the last shrinkage would occur in thev runner itself and the entire ingot in the mold is solidnon-segregated steel.

Referringnow to .the drawings the mold may comprise a. pair ofmold members l and 2 which are preferably vseparated on a vertical plane of separation and With relatively heavy heat absorbing Walls 4 on all sides ofthe mold matrix The top. and bottom edges of the mold members may be provided: with clamping lugs-6 over which C-clamps '.are adapted to be driven in order to. hold the mold members together during thepouring operation. The mold members are provided at onev end with recesses 8 and 9 which extend at rightangles across one end of the mold matrixY and which are of a combined width substantially that of the cross-section of the matrix. These recesses are adapted to receive a suitable runner tile 10. This runner tile is preferably a combined runner tile and fountain and is provided with a body portion 11 and a fountain portion 12. The body portion is provided with a vertical conduit 1st which terminates in a lower inlet opening 15 and leads upwardly to the funnel 16 of the fountain. This funnel preferably extends downwardly into the body portion of the runner sufficiently so that the upper inlet opening 17 is substantially within the lower end of the fountain whereby hot steel is continually fed to the upper. opening without danger of the conduit being choked at this point. Preferably the

openings

15 and 17 are so proportioned as to cross-sec tional area that the steel issuing from the lower opening will be substantially the same volume per unit of time as is the steel issuing from the upper opening. Y When the fountain is kept lilled with steel, obviously the pressure at the lower opening is greater than at the upper opening, therefore during the same interval more steel will issue upper opening, unless the areas are respectively proportioned to counterbalance the pressure conditions. The ends of the mold members may be provided with crane knobs 18 to facilitate the lifting of the mold members and the bottoms of the mold members may be provided with

suitable legs

19 and 20 to maintain the axis of the matrix slightly inclined to the horizontal, with the inclination toward the gas outlet in the mold body.

lFigure 2 illustrates by means of arrows the churning or stirring action which occurs due to the arrangement of the pouring openings, and arrows A illustrate the substantially horizontal direction of the steel spurting from the lower opening 15, whereas the arrows B illustrate the downwardly direction of the steel issuing from the upper opening 17 and the arrows C indicate the swirling or mixing action in a vertical direction which occurs in the steel in the mold during the pouring operation. This action eEectively prevents segregation. Preferably a gas outlet opening 21 is provided between the mold body and the runner tile adjacent the fountain portion of the tile.4 This facilitates escape of gases from the mold during pouring.

Referring more specially to Figure 3 which shows the condition immediately after freezing and which illustrates the man-ner in which the ingot shrinks in the mold, it will be noted that in view of the fact that the end farthest from the runner, cools first, the majority of shrinkage appears to be4 at this end and the space as at D is formed between the end ofthe ingot and the mold wall. A wedge shaped space ,E is also formed between the upper side walls of the mold and tile is then` set in the recesses in the end of the mold body and the steel is poured as quickly as possible after the setting of the hot runner so that the mold is filled with molten steel before the runner `has cooled to any appreciable extent. As the steel enters the matrix the churning action specified occurs and there iszno liability of the constituents of the alloy segregating. The mold is filled as quickly as possible and the chilling action beginning at the far end of the mold proceeds toward the hot runner tilek which continues to feed'molten steel as is required to till any cavities tending to form due to shrinkage. The final result is what is known in the art as a perfect ingot which is adapted to be fabricated as an entirety into commercial forms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: f t

1. The method of n'ianufacturing ingots from dead melted steel in a horizontal covered mold matrix, comprising positioning a preheated wall adjacent one end of the mold matrix and introducing molten steel into the mold matrix through an opening inthe hot wall and in sufficient volume to quickly lill .the matrix before the hot wall is cooled wall in suflicient volume to quickly iill the matrix beforethe hot wall is cooled to an appreciable extent.

3. The method of manufacturing in chill molds ingots from dead melted steel, comprising positioning a hot vertical wall to comprise a vertical end of the mold matrix and introducing molten steel into the mold matrix through an opening in the hot wall and in sufficient volume to quickly fill lthe matrix before the hot wall is cooled to an appreciable extent while chilling the remaining sides of the ingot.

4. The method of casting horizontal ingots from dead melted steel, comprising positioning a hot wall adjacent the inlet of the steel to the mold cavity, chilling all other portions of the mold cavity, and causing freezing of the steel to progress from the portion of steel farthest from the inlet to-` ward the inlet while the said wall 'is maintained hot.

liti

The method ot' casting horizontal ingots from dead melted steel, comprising utilizing a hot vertical wall as the inlet for the steel to the mold cavity, causing the molten steel to enter the mold in a horizontal direction and to have eddy currents in a vertical direction, chilling all other p0rlions ot' the mold cavity, and causing freezing of the steel to progress from the p0rtion of steel farthest from the inlet toward the inlet while the said vertical Wall is maintained hot.

G. The method of cast-ing horizontal ingots from dead melted steel which comprises utilizing` a completely covered chill mold, inclining the mold to the horizontal, maintaining a hot Wall adjacent the high end of tho mold matrix, and introducing the steel into the mold matrix adjacent the hot Wall.

7. rfhe method of casting steel ingots in a covered chill mold, `which comprises positioning a hot runner tile to iorm substantially one vert-ical Wall of the mold matrix and introducing the steel into the matrix through said hot runner tile.

8. The method of casting steel ingots which comprises preheating a runner tile adjacent one Wall of a horizontal closed chill mold and introducing a plurality of horizontal streams of steel into the` matrix through said hot runner tile.

9. The method of casting steel ingots in a cold covered horizontal chill mold, which comprises 'positioning a highly heatedV runner tile vertically at one end of said mold in such manner that the runner tile comprises substantially the end Wall of said mold and illing said mold from said hot runner tile through openings to cause a mixing action of the steel as it fills the mold matrix.

10. The method of casting steel ingots in a 'cold covered chill mold, which comprises positioning a highly heated runner tile at one end 'of said mold in such manner that the runner tile comprises substantially the end Wall of said mold, and iilling said mold from said hot runner tile through openings having horizontal axes one over the other to cause a mixing action of the steel as it fills the mold.

ll. The method of casting steel ingots in a cold covered chill mold, which comprises positioning a highly heated runner tile at one end ot said mold in such manner that the runne1 'tile comprises substantially the end wall of said mold and illinof said mold from said hot runner tile, and maintaining a vertical mixing action in the steel in the mold until the matrix is illed.

l2; The method ol. casting a steel ing-'ot which comprises casting the ingot in a horizontal. full chilled mold, utilizing a heated 'inlet 'conduit to prevent the supply stream olr molten steel from freezing, causing agitation in the steel to prevent segregation during pouring, then causing the stoel to freeze as soon as possible after the mold is filled.

The method oi casting a steel ingot which comprises casting the ingot in a hori zontal full chilled. mold, utilizing a heated inlet conduit to prevent the supply stream of molten steel irom freezing, causing agitation in the steel to prevent segrcgat. ing` pouring, then causing the steel to as soon as possible after the mold is lilled with the heat gradient runningl tovvard the hot conduit so that the steel in the conduit is last to solidify.

lil. rEhe method ot casting a steel iugot which coniprises casting the ingot in an inclined horizontal full chilled mold, utilizingv a heated inlet conduit to prevent the supply stream of molten steel from freezing, pouring the steel into one end of the meld matrix, causing agitation in the steel in the matrix to prevent segregation during pouring, then causing the steel to freeze as soon as possible after the mold is filled.

l5. The method oit casting a steel ingot which comprises casting the-ingot in a horizontal full chilled mold, utilizing a heated inlet conduit to prevent the supply stream of molten steel :trom freezing, causing agitation in the steel to prevent segregation during pouring, causing mold gases to issue from the highest portion of the matrix, then `causing the steel to freeze as soon as possible after the mold is filled.

16. The method of casting a steel ingot Which comprises casting the ingot in an inclined horizontal full chilled mold, utilizing a heated inlet conduit to prevent the supply stream of molten steel from freezing, pouring the steel into one end oi the mold matrix, causing agitation in the steel in the matrix to prevent segregation during pouring, causing mold gases to issue irom the highest. portion of the matrix, then causing the steel to freeze as soon as possible after the mold is lled With the heat `gradient running toward the hot conduit so that the steel in the conduit is last to solidify.

17. The method of casting steel ingots which comprises heating a Wall of the mold matrix, filling the mold matrix oy introducing molten steel adjacent said Wall thereby lilling the 'mold matrix by converging streams of steel, quickly chilling the steel in the matrix When the matrix is full while supplying molten steel through the hot wall as the steel in the mold freezes,

18. The method of casting steel ingots Which comprises heating a Wall ot the mold matrix, filling the mold matrix by introdueing` molten steel adjacent said Wall thereby lilling the mold matrix by a plurality of converging streams of steel, quickly chilling the steel in the matrix when 'l (Il) the matrix is full and causing the temperature gradient to run towardthe hot Wall While supplying molten steel through the hot Wall as the steel in the mold freezes.

19. The method of casting steel ingots which comprises heating a Wall of mold matrix, filling the mold matrix by introducing molten steel adjacent said Wall thereby iilling the mold matrix by horizontally directed converging streams issuing through the hot wall, at the highest part of the matrix, quickly chilling the steel in the matrix when the matrix is full While supplying molten steel through the hot Wall as the steel in the mold freezes.

20. The method of casting the metallic ingot which comprises preheating an end wall of a horizontal closed chill mold, and filling the mold matrix With molten metal in substantially horizontal streams from the preheated end before the latterl has cooled.

2l. The method of casting a metallic ingot which consists in preheating a heatretaining wall forming the major portion of an end of a horizontal covered mold matrix and then introducing the molten metal adjacent said Wall to fill the matrix before the wall has cooled.

22. rlhe method of casting a metallic ingot which consists in preheating a heat retaining Wall forming an end of a horizontal covered mold matrix and then introducing the molten metal throl'lgh said Wall in converging streams to fill the matrix before the Wall has cooled.

23. The method of casting a metallic ingot which consists in preheating a heatretaining Wall forming a major portion of an end of a horizontal covered mold matrix, and then introducing the molten metal through said Wall With a mixing action to fill the matrix before the Wall has cooled.

2l. The method of casting a metallic ingot lwhich consists in preheating a heatretaining wall forming an end of a horizon- Val covered mold matrix and then introducing the molten metal adjacent said Wall With a mixing action to fill the matrix before the wall has cooled to an appreciable extent.

25. The method of casting metallic ingots which consists in preheating a heatretaining Wall at the inlet end of a horizonorifices in the preheated end Wall to cause a mixing action Within the mold and chilling the top, bottom, sides and the end of the confined metal While the head end is in relatively molten condition.

27. The method of casting horizontal steel ingots, Which comprises preheating an end Wall of a horizontal closed chill mold and filling the mold with molten metal through the preheated end thereof before the latter has cooled materially.

28. The method of casting horizontal ingots which comprises preheating a heat retaining wall in a horizontal covered mold, introducing molten metal adjacent said Wall, mixing the metal Within the mold and delaying the chilling of the ingot at the entrance end of the mold until after all of the remaining surfaces have been chilled.

29.' The method of casting horizontal ingots which comprises preheating the runner tile at one end of a horizontal chill mold and filling the mold matrix through said runnerl tile before said tile has cooled appreciably.

30. The method of casting ingots in a horizontal covered mold matrix, Which comprises placing a hot Wall adjacent one end of the horizontal mold and introducing molten steel into the mold matrix adjacent the hot Wall to fill the matrix-before the hot Wall cools to an appreciable extent.

3l. The method of casting ingots in a horizontal covered mold matrix Which comprises mounting a hot member adjacent one end of the mold matrix and introducing molten metal into the mold matrix adjacent the hot member in sufcient volume to quickly lill the matrix before the hot member is cooled to an appreciable extent.

i EDl/VARD H. WILLIAMS.