US1874304A - Support for hot tops - Google Patents

Description

AUS- 30, 1932- E. J. KUFMAN 1,874,304

SUPORTI FOR HOT TQPS Filed Apfil 11, 1950 z sheets-smet v1 INVENTQR v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. J. KAUFFMAN SUPPORT FOR HOT TOPS Filed April 11, 1950 Aug. 30, 1932.

xNvENToR Ef/m lm UTK m9597141@ BY 5 M' TTORNEY Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES rATENToFl-i-CE EDMUND J'. KAUFFMAN, OF GIRARD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR `TO VALLEYv MOULD AND IRON CORPORATION, OF HUBBABD, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK SUPPORT FOR HOI.l TOIESY applicati@ me@ April `11,

thetop end of the mold or by mounting the y same in the moldwith suitable side supports. In prior art structures, the hot top has been left open so that any foreign substances, such as pieces of material falling from the hot top or other substances dropping into the hot top, could drop into the bottom of the mold. This was particularly true Where the mold set-up was made some little time prior to casting the ingot. Foreign substances dropping into kthe mold contaminate the ingot because the stream of molten steel poured into the mold would often submerge such foreign particles and cause them to betrapped in the freezing metal. The present invention overcomes the prior art by providing a'protecting sheet as a support for the hot top. This sheet may comprise a thin sheet of metal such as mild steel or heavy paper or other suitable materials. The supporting sheet preferably is continuous so as to completely seal the upper end of the mold set-up. This sheet will catch and hold any foreign substance which otherwise would fall to the bottom of the mold. When the stream of molten steel strikes the continuous sheet it substantially instantaneously burns a hole through the sheet and the stream of molten steel enters the moldl through such opening. However, Where desired, a small opening may be made in the sheet, and the molten steel poured through this opening.

The hot top in accordance with the present invention preferably is of the floating hot top type which is adapted to be freely movable in the upper end of the mold when the ingot is completely poured. This freely floating hot top arrangement becomes effective when the molten steel rises against the supporting sheet. The molten steel either melts the thin metal sheet or burns the paper or similar sheet so that when the steel rises beneath the het top sufficiently to float the same, the positive rigid support for the hot top is de- `idly supported hot to vporting sheet 4 rests.

i lugsG corresponding to ylugs v7 on the mold 1930. serial No. 443,280.

`stroyed. This leaves the hottop free to followV the contraction of the ingot lengthwise and thereby obviate hanger cracks in the side skin of the ingot, which usually occur when the ingot is stuck to and hanging from a rig- It 1s realized that the present invention may be practiced by constructions other than thosespecifically herein illustrated and therefore the disclosure is to be understood as illustrative and not in the 'limiting sense.

Referring now to the drawings, F l illustrates a vertical cross-section through an ingot mold set-up comprising-a supporting ring fr holding the hot topY supporting sheet in p ace.

`Fig-2 illustrates in section a sheet material support for the hot top being in the form of a cup, with the flanges thereof resting on the end of the mold.

.F ig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a supporting sheet beneath the hot top and sustained in the moldv by strap hangers.

Fig. 4 isa detail view illustrating the strap shown inFig. 3. v

Fig. 5'is ajdetail view illustrating a modificationof the-strap hanger shown in Fig. 3.

-Fig. 6 is a Fig. 5.

Fig..7 illustrates a sheet hot top support held by frictional engagement-with the side walls of the mold.

Referring-to the drawings and` more esp'e- `cially toF ig. l, the mold l is provided with a substantially plane top 2 upon which a sup- Preferably, a clamp ring 5 bears upon the supporting sheet 4 to hold the same securely in place. This clamp ring may, when desired, be provided with and through Whichpositioning pins 8 maypass in order to accurately center the opening 9 inthe clamp ring 5 directly over thematrix 10 of the mold. A hot top 1l sets in the opening 9 in the/clamp ring 5. Preferahly,u the hot topisof destructible `material so that the hottop is used but for a single pour. The

Yhot top may comprise a built-.up composite body of` suitable `materials or it may comprise a tile or. other, Well known hot top` material. i

detailof the strap shown in The supporting sheet 4 preferably is a continuous sheet entirely covering the matriX part of the mold, but Where desired a small opening may be left through which the steel stream may be poured Without necessity of the stream cutting a hole through the sheet. The sheet may7 comprise any7 suitable material but preferably is formed of a thin sheet of mild steel or iron.

Fig. Q shows the hot top 11 being supported' in the mold by a cup shaped supporting member 12 of sheet material having a flange 14 resting on the end of the mold. In this type of construct-ion, the hot top sets 'down in the mouth of the mold. lf desired, the flange may be raised slightly above the end of the mold by Wood or other blocks Which may be removed when the ingot is poured. This permits the hot top to rest directly on the molten steel and obviat-es any possibility of the hot top hanging in the mold in such manner as may result in hanger cracks in the upper end of the ingot.

Fig. 3 illustrates a construction similar to Fig. 2 exceptthe continuous supporting sheet 4f instead of being supported by a skirt and flangesis supported by individual Z shaped straps 15 which may, if desired, be attached to the sheet by spot Welding, riveting or the like or these straps may be separate members on which the sheet rests. l

Fig. that shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the exception that a lug 16 is attached to the vsupporting sheet 4 by spot Weldin or riveting and is provided with a hook end 17, which is adapted to interlock Twith the hook end 18 on a supporting strap 19. The supporting straps 19 may be of different lengths'so that the operator may adjust the depth'to Whi ch the hot top extends in the mold to suit his conventhe hooks 17 and 18 are sulliciently small in thickness so that the distance between the side Wall of the hot top and the inside of thel other forms of she-et iron in which iron formsV the major portion of the composition of the sheet.

It Will be observed from the foregoing that in each case the hot top is supported by a prof tective sheet member which is adapted to be destroyed when the ingot mold is filled with molten steel. p This supporting sheet catches any foreign substance that may tend to fall 5 illustrates a construction similar to into the niold and holds the same until the' molten steel rises into the hot top when the foreign substances are floated upon the molten steel or if they should become trapped in the molten steel, the trapping occurs in that part of the ingot mold which is cropped olf When the ingot is being fabricated by the billets, or other fabricated shapes. rEhe edges of the supporting sheet also act to chill any small fin of molten steel that might tend to rise between the hot top and the side Wall of the mold. Such fins, if not prevented, may tend to loclr the hot top to the mold and cause hanger'cracks in the ingot.

Having described my invention, I claim:

ln a mold set-up for casting steel ingots, the combination of an ingot mold having a substantially vertical matrix therein, a hot top telescoped into the upper end of said matrix, means to support said hot top, said means comprising a flanged cup of thin sheet iron adapted to melt on contact with molten steel an d with the flange of the cup resting on the top of the mold and the bottom of the cup comprising the sole support for the said hot 3 top.

EDMUND J. KAUFFMAN.

icnce or operating conditions.l ln practice,

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