US1915729A

US1915729A - Ingot mold closure

Info

Publication number: US1915729A
Application number: US638208A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gathmann Emil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-10-17
Filing date: 1932-10-17
Publication date: 1933-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1950-06-27

Description

`)une 27, 1933. E, GATHMANN 4 1,915,729

INGOT MOLD CLOSURE Filed Oct. 17, 1932 the closure p Patented June 27,- 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMIL GATHMANN, 0F BALTIHOBE, MARYLAND INGOT HOLD GLOSUBE Application led October 17, 1932. Serial No. 688,208.

This invention relates to in ot mold closures and more particularly to c osures which are adapted especially for use in big-end-up molds from which solidified ingots are 5 stripped b means of a stripper rod or the like Inova le vertically through openings in the bottoms of the molds.

` In order to facilitate the removal of ingots from big-end-up molds it has become 10 universal practice to provide the molds with bottom openings fitted with removable closure plugs, the arrangement being such that after an ingot has solidified a stripper rod or the like may be projected into contact with ug and partially through the mold to strip the ingot from the mold. Stripping apparatus of this nature is shown for example in my copending applications Serial Number 567,281, filed October 6, 1931, and Serial Number 619,807, filed June 19, 1932.

It is very important that the mold closures seal the mold bottom opening effectively in order to prevent molten metals leaking.

through the opening and damaging the stripping apparatus and/or causing a sticker,

i. e., an ingot stuck within the mold so as to render diilicult its removal or stripping. Experience has shown that the mold bottom openings can be sealed most effectively by means of tapered plugs of bonded refractory material adapted to seat snugly within the openings and to be adjustable to irregularities in the contour of the Walls of the openings so as to have uninterrupted sealing en- 35 gagement with the walls around the entire An object of the present invention is to provide a mold closure adapted both to seal a mold bottom opening efficiently and to provide for the smooth and uninterruptedtransmission of stripping force from a stripper rod or the like to an ingot in the mold. A further object is to provide a closure possessing the above named advantage and includlng a sealing'plug of refractory material and a strippmg plug of substantially rigl material, the arrangement of the two belng such as to prevent crushing of the refractory sealing plug during the stripping operation. Other objects will become apparent fromla reading of the following description, the

appended claims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a car-supported ingot mold equipped with a bottom closure constructed within the mold in accordance with the invention, an ingot being shown in its lower position Within the mold, and stripping apparatus being shown in cooperative relation 75 with the mold, ingot, and closure;

Figure 2 yis a View similar to Figure 1 with the ingot shown in stripped or elevated position A Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary verti cal sectional view of an ingot mold and shows 9 one form of my improved closure in operative position Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified construction; and

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the clo- '.85

sure shown in Figure 4.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows a big-end-up ingot mold A of the Gathmann type supported upon a stool B which in turn is supported upon a transfer car C adapted to run on tracks D for moving the supported mold or molds from the pouring station to the stripping station.

top face of the mold A for holding the latter against vertical movement during the strip` ping operation, while a hydraulic plunger F, mounted below the level of the car and in line with the holding device E, is adapt/cd10 d oo and arranged 70 A holding device E is shown in engagement with the stripping of to move a stripper rod G upwardly to eect an ingot H from the mold A. The general arrangement of the parts thus far described does not in itself constitute the present invention, it being claimed in my copending application Serial Number 567,281, filed @ctober 6, 1931.

The mold A is provided with a vertically extending ingot-forming chamber 1 the Walls of which are necked in near the bottom as at 2, the necked-in portion 2 terminating in an annular seat 3 at the top of and surrounding a bottom opening generally designated 4 comprising a tapered upper part 5 and a straight lower part 6. The straight part 6 of the opening 4 is somewhat smaller in diameter than the tapered part immediately above it, thereby providing a second annular seat 7, this latter seat being disposed near the bottom of and within the opening 4.

rlhe stripper rod G is mounted for vertical movements within an opening 8 in the car and is adapted to be moved upwardly through an opening 9 in the stool B and through the mold bottom opening 4 for stripping the ingot from the mold. As disclosed in detail in my copending applications referred to above, a latch rod 10 adapted to cooperate with notches 11 in the stripper rod G may be employed for maintaining the ingot in raised position after the stripping operation has been performed. The stool B is shown as being provided with openings 12 extending through its horizontal web portion for permitting air to pass up through the mold when the ingot has been raised so as to promote cooling of the ingot in accordance with the method of producing ingots disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 621,100, l'iled July e, 1932.

llt will be understood that the primary purpose of providing an opening in the mold bottom is to make possible the movement of a device such as the stripping rodG upwardly to push the solidified ingot partially through the mold and upwardly relative to the latter, this being necessary because of the taper of the mold chamber walls. Before molten metal can be poured into the mold, the opening 4 must be closed in such a way as to prevent a leak or run-out and yet to permit proper functioning of the stripping mechanism, and the present invention has to do more particularly with the construction of the closure device l and its novel arrangement relative to the mold itself.

In accordance with the invention the closure I is of a composite nature and comprises a sealing plug 13, which primarily serves purely as a sealing means, and a stripping member generally designated 14. Preferably the sealing plug 13 is of annular shape and has its outer wall 15 tapered inwardlyfrom top to bottom so as to engage the wall of the tapered part 5 of the mold bottom opening and thus to seal the opening against leakage of molten metal. ln order to obtain the most effective sealing it is preferable to make the sealing plug of bonded refractory material adapted to wear away slightly when the plug is turned within the opening so as to adapt itself to any irregularities present in the shape of the opening. For a purpose to be set forth later, the plug is formed with a central opening 16 which tapers inwardly from top to bottom.

rllhe stripping member 14 com'pises a rigid and preferably metallic stripping plug 17 adapted to be positioned concentrically within the opening 16 in the annular sealing plug for transmitting force from the stripper rod to the ingot during the stripping operation to lift the ingot without crushing the refractory sealing plug. Preferably the plug 17 is of a size to fit somewhat freely within the opening in the sealing plug, and to provide for a free lit without undue clearance the plug may be tapered, as shown, to conform to the taper of the opening.

ln order to prevent metal being poured from cutting away the refractory plug 13 ll prefer to construct the stripping member to include aplate 18 adapted to overlie the sealing plug and to project beyond the mar-I gin of the sealing plug so as to rest on the vupper seat 3, the plate being connected to the stripping plug 17 to support the latter as well as to serve as a splash plate for protecting the sealing plug from the cutting action of the falling liquid metal. The plate 18 and plug 17 may be made integrally or may be connected in any suitable manner, such as by Welding them together as at- 19 in the form shown in Figure 3, or by providing the plug with a dove tail projection 20 cast into an opening in the plate as in the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5.

To insure still further against the leakage of molten metal and to prevent the sealing plug from crumbling and falling down onto the stripping mechanism I prefer to provide a metal plate 21 which conveniently may be supported on the seat 7 below and out of contact with the sealing plug.

lin use, the plate 21 first is inserted from above and placed upon the seat 7. Then the sealing plug 13 is inserted in the tapered upper part of the opening 4 and is rotated slightly so as to produce a grinding effect on its outer wall resulting in a snug fit despite slight irregularities in the wall of the opening. The stripping member 14 then is lowered so that the stripping plug 17 will be positioned concentrically within and will extend vertically through the sealing plug, the plate 18 being rested upon the seat 3. The mold is then ready to be poured.

After the ingot metal has solidified, the car is moved to position the mold under the holding device E and over the plunger F, the

holding device is moved down into engagement with the mold, and the plunger F and stripper rod G are raised. The rod Will engage and lift the plate 21 into contact With the stripping plug 17 and Will transmit lifting force through the latter to the ingot. In this way, the stripping force is transmitted to the ingot through rigid connections so that smooth stripping operation, free from shocks heretofore due to failure of the conventional refractory closure, is assured. Furthermore, my arrangement prevents the fouling of the stripping mechanism with bits of refractory material.

Although the invention has been disclosed herein in a practical and the preferred form various modifications may be employed Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A composite closure for an ingot mold comprising an outer annular sealing plug of bonded refractory material Whose marginal wall tapers inwardly from top to bottom; and a stripping member comprising a plate overlying said sealing plug and projecting beyond the margin thereof, and a metallic stripping plug connected to said plate and being tapered inwardly from top to bottom concentricallyv Within said sealing plug.

2. The combination with a big-end-up ingot mold having a bottom opening and a seat at the top of said opening; of a composite closure for said opening comprising an annular sealing plug of refractory material disposed Within said opening and having its outer wall in engagement with the Wall of said opening, and a stripping member comprising a plate overlying said sealing plug and having its marginal portion rested upon said seat and a stripping plug connected to said plate and extended vertically through said sealing plug.

3. The combination with a big-end-up ingot mold having a bottom opening, an upper seat at the top of said opening and surrounding the latter, and a rlovver seat at the bottom of said opening and Within the latter; of a composite closure for said opening comprising an annular sealing plug disposed Within said opening and having its outer Wall in engagement with the Wall of said opening, a stripping member comprising a plate overlying said sealing plug and having its marginal portion rested upon said seat and a stripping plug connected to said plate and extending vertically through said sealing v plug, and a second plate positioned on said lower seat and disposed below and out of contact with said sealing plug and stripping member.

4. A closure for a big-end-up ingot mold having a bottom opening and a seat at the top of said opening, said closure `comprising an annular sealing plug of refractory material adapted to be positioned Withinthe opening in said mold with its outer Wall in sealing contact with the Wall of said opening; and a stripping member comprising a plate adapted to overly said sealing plug with the marginal portion of the plate resting upon said seat, anda stripping plug connected to said plate and extending vertically through said sealing plug.

5. A closure for a big-end-up ingot mold having a bottom openingthrough'which an ingot stripping rod is adapted to be moved for stripping an ingot from said mold, an upper seat at the top of said opening and surrounding the latter, and a lower seat at the bottom of said opening and Within the latter, said closure comprising an annular sealing plug of refractory material adapted to be positioned Within theopening in said mold with its outer Wall in sealing contact with the Wall of said opening; and a stripping member comprising a plate adapted to overly said sealing plug With the marginal portion of the plate resting upon said seat, and a rigid stripping plug connected to said plate and extending vertically through said sealing plug, and a second plate positioned on said Contact with said sealing plug and stripping member and above the normal position of a stripper rod when said mold is in strippin position relative thereto.

6. A closure for the vertically extending bottom opening of a big-end-up ingot mold scribed my name.

EMIL GATHMANN.

lower seat and disposed below and out of