US1672662A - Supporting means for hot tops - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1928.

E. J. TURNER Filed Nov. 11, 1925 Patented June 5, 1928 UNITED STATES ERNEST J. TURNER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR HOT TOPS.

Application filed November 11, 1925. Serial No. 68,306.-

larly to the art of ingot casting by the use of hot tops whereby the quality of the ingots is improved.

It is now customary practice, in a large number of steel companies, to utilize hot tops on the ingot molds in order to prevent piping of the ingots. These hot tops are of two general types, one type having a rib,-

shoulder or equivalent supporting means for mai'ntainin the hot tops in position, and the other type having flexible or adjustable suspending or supporting means. Vhile the present invention obviates the necessity of suchribs, shoulders or the like, without, however, precluding their retention, it is particularly intended for use with hot tops having walls substantially smooth or continuous and devoid of integral or detachable supporting projections.

To those skilled in the art, it will be understood that hot tops are of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and compositions, including fireclay or other similar refractory material, slag, cinders, cement, and a combustible or slow burning material. The present invention contemplates the use'of any hot tops of these or other characteristics, the utility of the invention not being limited to any particular kind of hot top.

It is also understoodyby those skilled in the art, that hot tops are utilized with ingot molds of various kinds, including both big end up and big end down molds, and the present invention contemplates the use of molds of any desired characteristics.

It not infrequently happens that, during the formation of aningot, the hot top being utilized cracks or spalls. larly true with. some of the'hot tops of larger sizes where there is a very substantial projection, particularly above the end of the mold. In order to obviate any objectionable results by reason of such, cracking or spalling, -i t hasheretofore been proposed to 'utilize reinforcing means extending around the hot tops, this reinforcing means frequently being in addition to the ribs, shoulders or the like, provided for supporting the hot to s in osition. Such a construction is consi ered y some'to be objectionable for the reason thatit requires separate supporting and reinforcing means for a single structure, and at the same time neither the reinforcing nor the supporting means is effective for This is particuthat portion of-the hot'top which projects farthest into the mold. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide supporting means which. is directly effective on the lower end of the hot topsand of such construction as to effectively support the hot tops even in the event of cracking or spallmg. i

A further object of the invention is to providesupporting means effective for centering the hot tops and for maintaining the walls thereof in predetermined spaced relation to the walls of the mold.

A still further object of the invention is to provide supporting means of such nature that any desired projection of the hot tops into and out of the molds may be obtained, the supporting means being of such construction that each support cooperates with at least two of the mold walls and thereby facilitates positioning thereof and minimizes possibility of displacement during the mounting of the hot top in position thereon.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes of illustration only, certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of my invention as changes in the construction, operation and arrangement disclosed therein may be made without departing either from the spirit of the invention or the scope of my -purpose.of illustrating the adaptability of the invention to hot tops of different shapes. In carr ing out the present invention, as illustrate for example in Figures 1 and 2, there may be provided an ingot mold 2 of any desired construction, either big end u or big end down, or of other constructiona characteristics, the'utility of the invention is not being limited with respect to any particular type of mold.

For supporting a hot top in position in the upper end of the mold, there may be provided supporting means herein illustrated as comprising supporting straps having depending central portions 3' and upwardly and outwardly extending end portions 4. The depending central portions are adapted to extend continuously across a portion of the mold cavity from one wall of the mold to another wall, each support being constructed for cooperation with at least two of the mold walls. These supports may be applied to the molds substantially as shown in Figure 2 in such manner that the depending central portions 3 will underlie the side Walls 5 of the hot top which is to be supported in cooperative relation to the mold. It will be obvious that by reason of this positioning of the supporting means, they do not interfere with the pouring of the metal through the hot top, and at the same time they are eflective throughout a substantial portion of the area of the lower end of the hot top. In the event of cracking of the hot top, the cracked portions are retained in position by reason of the provision of the continuously extending depressed central portions. 'At the same time, the upstanding end portions 4 serve as spacing means effective between the hot top and the mold for maintaining the hot top in predetermined spaced relation.

It will be apparent tov those skilled in the art /that the supports, if desired, may be of d able material either throughout or adjacent their ends to enable the same to be bent at different points to vary the plane of support of the hot top, or difl'erent supports may be constructed of predetermined dimensions in accordance with the desired positioning of the hot top. In like manner, the supports may be of any desired material, such as fusible material, whereby they will be melted upon contact with the hot steel to permit sinking of the hot top during shrinkage or cooling of the ingot; combustible or slow burning whereby contact with the molten metal will cause the same to ignite 'and give 0e additional heat to assist in -maintaining the steel in the upper portion of the mold hotter, or of any usual strap iron composition.

In Figure 3 there is illustrated another embodiment of the invention, in which the depressed central port-ion 3' of the support extends diagonally adjacent one corner of the mold, the upwardly and outwardly extending end portions 4: also having downward projections 'Gadapted to extend over the edge of the mold walls to definitely position the support. It will be understood that one ofthese supports will be provided adjacent each of two diagonally opposite corners of a mold, each support being constructed for cooperation with at least two of the mold walls and being effective for extending below a substantial portion of the hot top ad,-

jacent the corner thereof whereby each support in effect cooperates with at least two sides of the hot top.

A support of the character herein shown in which the depending central portion extends continuously between at least two of the mold walls, has been found to possess dc cided advantages over a hook-shaped support which merely cooperates with one mold wall and projects into the mold for coopera tion with a limited portion of the hot top. Such supports are diflicult to position'and frequently become displaced or knocked from the mold walls, thereby making their use somewhat objectionable.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated a modified form of hot top having tapered walls 7 the lower end of the walls being shown in cooperative relationship to a support 8.

Due to the construction and location of the supporting means, the hot tops may .be

.of any desired shape and composition, the

pressed central portion adapted to directly cooperate with a substantial portion of the area of the lower end of a hot top.

Further advantages arise from the provision of supporting means each adapted to effectively cooperate with at least two of the mold walls.

I claim:

1. Supporting means for hot tops, comprising supports having depending central portions and upstanding end portions, said central portions being adapted to extend continuously acrossa portion of a mold cavity, each support being shaped to cooperate withat least two of the moldwalls.

2. Supporting means for hot tops, comprlslng combustible supports having depending central portions and upstanding end port1ons, each support being shaped to cooperate with and be positioned laterally by at least two of the mold walls.

3. Supporting means forhot tops, com

prising U-shaped supports having depending central portions and upstanding end -portions,each of'said supports being shaped to cooperate with at least two of the mold walls, and said end portions being shaped to extend over a portion ofthe mold walls."

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand. NE T J TURNER.

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