US3199830A

US3199830A - Attaching means for hot top bottom ring

Info

Publication number: US3199830A
Application number: US168283A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert G Polenschat
Original assignee: Oglebay Norton Co
Current assignee: Oglebay Norton Co
Priority date: 1962-01-23
Filing date: 1962-01-23
Publication date: 1965-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-10

Description

1965 A. G. POLENSCHAT ATTACHING MEANS FOR HOT TOP BOTTOM RING Filed Jan. 23, 1962 W M i w/ 1 I 2 U a M W? rrolez y United States Patent f 3,199,830 ATTACHING MEANS Fill? HUT T9? BOTTGM RING Albert G. Pelenschat, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to @giebay Norton Company, Cleveland, Ghio, a corporation of Delaware Filed lien. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 168,283 4- Clairns. (Cl. 249-262) This invention relates to clips for attaching securely a refractory bottom ring to the lower end of a composite hot top.

Hot tops are used in conjunction with ingot molds in the pouring of molten metal into the molds to produce ingots as is well understood in the art, and the purpose of the hot top is to provide a reservoir of molten metal to supply the shrinkage cavity or pipe in the solidifying ingot with molten metal.

The invention particularly relates to clips for attaching the refractory bottom rings of composite hot tops, that is hot tops having reusable metal casings provided with refractory linings and on the lower ends of which casings the refractory bottom rings are secured, all as is well understood in the art.

The refractory bottom rings heretofore have been attached to the lower ends of the metal casings of composite hot tops by wire clips as, for example, the clips shown in Charman et al. United States Patent No. 1,949,292, February 27, 1934, and in Charman Patent No. 2,080,848, May 18, 1937.

Hot tops are provided in varying sizes related to the openings in the ingot molds with which the hot tops will be used, such openings varying substantially from small size openings to large size openings. Due to this difference in the sizes of the hot tops, the refractory bottom rings for use with such a differing size range of hot tops vary substantially in horizontal cross-sectional widths and require for the various crosssections sizes suitably dimensioned wire clips. This means that a large variety of attaching clip shapes and sizes are needed as in many plants the number of different mold sizes and correspondingly of hot top and refractory bottom ring sizes will vary from three to a dozen. This means that a plant must carry a tremendous inventory of different size attaching clips necessitating considerable diligence in maintaining an adequate stock of such clips and the proper identification thereof.

The present invention contemplates wire attaching clips for the refractory rings used with composite hot tops which are so constructed that a relatively few different sizes of the clips are sufficient to cover the wide variations in the size range of hot tops, bottom rings and mold openings, thus reducing and simplifying the required inventory in a plant of the attaching clips.

The invention further contemplates the provision of wire attaching clips as just referred to and which clips are so constructed as to elficiently perform functionally the results now obtained with the multiple sizes of clips and to act to maintain the refractory bottom ring secured to the lower end of the metal casing of the composite hot top with a strong and effective holding tension.

More particularly the invention contemplates wire attaching clips of the character referred to which when applied to various sized refractory bottom rings to hold the same connected to the metal casings of composite hot 3,19%,83 Patented Aug. 10, 1955 tops can be twisted to holding position with respect to the different sized bottom rings and the twisting of the clips produces therein a torsion which acts to provide a torsional spring effect and force that anchors the attaching clips to the refractory bottom rings of different horizontal widths.

The wire attaching clips embodying the invention attain the advantages and objects above referred to and also those which will hereinafter be mentioned or become apparent during the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and wherein,

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of wire attaching clip embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but of a slightly different form.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a portion of an inverted composite hot top, on the lower end of which the bottom ring has been placed, and shows the attaching clip of FIG. 1 in full line elevation as it is initially connected to the clip bushing in the metal casing of the composite hot top, and in dot and dash lines after the at taching clip has been swung or twisted from the full line position to its final fastening position wherein its opposite ends are connected respectively to the metal casing of the hot top and to the refractory bottom FIG. 4 is a sectional view of that portion of the composite hot top shown in FIG. 3 and after the hot top has been turned from inverted to upright position and the attaching clip is shown in full lines in the securing position it occupies in dot and dash lines in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan View of the bottom ring shown in FIG. 3 and the initial position of the attaching clip after it has been swung or twisted across the lower face of the bottom ring is indicated in dash lines while the final position of the attaching clip after it has been torsionally twisted into spring-like holding engagement with the bottom ring is shown in full lines, the bottom ring of FIG. 5 representing a relatively wide bottom ring.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrates the attaching clip applied to a substantially narrower bottom ring than the one shown in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of FIG. 3 and illustrates in dash and dot lines the various positions that the wire attaching clip will assume as it is torsionally twisted to bring it into final holding attachment with the bottom ring and the clip bushing of the hot top casing.

The attaching clip shown in FIG. 1 comprises a vertical leg 15 and a horizontal leg 11 integral with the vertical leg. The attaching clip of FIG. 1 is shown as provided with a relief or offset portion 11a in the horizontal leg 11 and adjacent to its junction with the vertical leg 16. The free end of the vertical leg lib is provided with an angular hook portion 12 while the free end of the horizontal leg 11 has a right angle vertical portion 13 at the free end of which is a short horizontal portion 13a. The attaching clip preferably is formed of suitably ganged tempered steel wire which when applied to the bottom ring and hot top and torsionally twisted to bring it into fully applied position will possess the desired torsion spring efiect.

The wire attaching clip of FIG. 2 is identical with the attaching clip of FIG. 1, except that the relief or offset portion 11:: is omitted in the clip of FIG. 2.

In the portion of the composite hot top shown in the drawing the metal casing of the hot top is indicated at 14 and the refractory lining thereof at 15. The refractory bottom ring which interfits the lower end of the hot top casing and refractory lining 15 is indicated at 16 and on its inner periphery is provided with a shoulder 17.

The metal casing 14 of the composite hot top is provided with clip receiving bushings 18 spaced around the hot top and of the required number to receive the hook portions 12 of the attaching clips that are used to secure the bottom ring 16 to the casing. The structure of the composite hot top and refractory bottom ring are well known and need not be more specifically referred to.

Also, as is well known in preparing the composite hot top for a pouring operation, the hot top casing is mounted on a preparation stand in inverted positionand the ring is then placed against the lower end of the casing, which at this time is uppermost as indicated in FIG. 3.

The attaching clips embodying the invention are applied by first inserting the hook portions 12 of. the vertical legs 11) of the attaching clips in the bushings 18 as indicated in FIG. 3, at which time the vertical legs 19 are angularly disposed relative to the outer vertical face of the casing and have the horizontal legs 11 projecting outwardly.

The hook 12 at the free end' of the vertical leg 10 of each clip and the short vertical portion 13 and horizontal portion 13a at the free end of the horizontal leg 11 of each.

clip all lie in the same plane. This arrangement is important in connection with the functioning of the clips when they have been rotated or twisted into bottom ring securing position.

The attaching clips embodying the invention would be produced in several sizes as, for instance, two or three sizes, with respect to the length of the horizontal legs 11. In each of the sizes the horizontal legs 11 would have a length so as to be adapted to extend across and beyond the horizontal cross-sectional width of a number of different sizes of bottom ring cross sections coming within a given size range so that the portions 13 and 13a of the clips may be located inwardly of the inner periphery of the bottom rings in a position from which the horizontal legs are released for movement by spring forces to final ring-en aging and holding position.

In applying the clips to a hot top the hooks 12 are positioned in the clip bushings 18 of the hot top casing, as indicated in full lines in FIG. 3. Then .with the hooks 12 in the bushings 18 the clips are rotated to-cause the horizontal legs 11 thereof to first extend horizontally across the lower face of the bottom ring and to dispose the portions 13, 13a of the legs 11 inwardly of the inner periphery of the bottom ring. This rotation sets up torsion bar spring forces in the spring leg 10 which tend to return the spring leg 11. The relative position of the parts at this time is illustrated in broken lines in FIGS. and 6, with the bottom ring 16 of FIG. 5 being Wider than the bottom ring 16 of FIG. 6, but both bottom rings being in the size range for the particular siZe clip illustrated. After the horizontal legs 11 have been moved to the broken line position shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, they are released for movement as indicated by the arrows in said views until the portions 13, 13a of the legs 11 engage the inner periphery of the bottom ring. The spring forces acting to hold portions 13 and 13a tight against the bottom ring to prevent displacement of the clip and the loosening of the bottom ring from the casting are a combined torsional spring effect in spring leg 19 due to the initial twisting of the clip and a leaf spring effect in leg 11.

In those instances wherein the inner periphery of the bottom ring is provided with the recessed shoulder 17, the portions 13, 13a of the horizontal legs interfit the recessed inner periphery, with the portions 13a engaging with the shoulder 17.

Angular displacement or twisting of the leg 11 pro- 4 duces a torsion bar spring effect in leg 19 and a cantilever spring effect in leg 11, both of which are greatest for a wide ring. It will be noted that in the twisting of the vertical legs 10, the hooks 12 in the bushings 18 will only have limited swinging movement within the diametral limits of the bushings and in effect the hooks 12 become stationary as the torsional twist is imparted to the vertical legs 10. This is illustrated in FIG. 7 by the various broken line positions of the hooks 12. v

The advantages of attaching clips embodying the invention will be seen when it is considered that today the bottom rings usually employed in the steel industry vary in width from two to six inches. This variation in bottom ring size has necessitated the use of approximately sixteen dilferent sizes of attaching clips, that is, attaching clips having horizontal legs of sixteen different lengths.

Clips embodying the present invention could be sized with respect to the lengths of their horizontal legs so that not more than three different size clips would be required for the entire range of bottom ring sizes. This advantage is accomplished by the novel utilization of torsionally twisting the clips so as to enable one size clip to efficiently function with respect to a plurality of sizes of bottom rings coming within a given size range. I

The twist that is imparted to the vertical legs of the attaching clips embodying the invention produces a substantial torsional spring effect in the clips that enables the same size clip to eifectively and efficiently retain its holding position and engagement with a variety of different size bottom rings within a given size range. only would the customer or user of the clips avoid the inventory problem of keeping in stock a substantial num ber of different size clips, but also there would be the. advantage of lower costs in purchasing the clips because of reduced manufacturing cost. Since only two or three sizes of clips are needed the manufacturer would require fewer and less expensive dies with a reduced number of machine setups for the different dies and also lower in-. ventory and shipping costs.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms of clips illustrated and described, except insofar as the scope of the appended claims so limits it.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a bottom ring for a hot top casing and an attaching clip for attaching the bottom ring to the underside of the hot top casing, saidclip being of spring wire and comprising'a hook portion at one end for reception in a receiving opening in the hot top casing, a generally vertical elongated leg extending downwardly from said hook portion, and a generally horizontal ring engaging and supporting portion at the lower end of said vertical leg which extends angularly from said vertical leg underneath said ring to engage the underside of the ring and support the bottom ring against the underside of the casing, said hook and bottom ring engaging portions having first angularly related positions when attaching said bottom ring to a hot top casing in which said vertical leg is torsioned and urges said portions to swing to different angularly related positions where said vertical leg is untorsioned, said portions having said different angularly related positions whensaid clip, casing and ring are unassembled, said ring engaging and supporting portion having a stop portion engaging a generally vertical inner surface on said ring to resist the swinging of said ring engaging and supporting portion outwardly of said ring when said vertical leg is torsioned and said hook portion being dimensioned relative to said receiving opening to be limited against being swung out of said opening by the torsion in said vertical leg.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said,

ring engaging and supporting portion hasa length greater than the annular width of said ring and said stop portion Not extends upwardly to engage the inner periphery of said ring.

3. A bottom ring clip for use in combination with a hot top casing and a bottom ring to attach the bottom ring to the casing, said clip being of spring wire and having a hook portion adapted to be received in an opening in the casing and dimensioned to be held against swinging out of the opening, a vertical leg portion extending downwardly from said hook portion, and a horizontal leg portion extending horizontally from said vertical leg portion to engage the underside of said ring and support the latter, said hook portion and horizontal leg portion having natural relative positions different from their relative positions for attaching the bottom ring to the casing and movable to the latter relative positions by twisting said vertical leg portion to torsion it, said horizontal leg portion having a stop portion for engaging a vertical inner surface of said ring for preventing the torsion in said vertical leg portion from swinging the horizontal leg out of position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 918,017 4/09 Davis 24237 2,080,848 5/37 Charman 22-447 3,014,254 12/61 Marcec 22-147 3,044,133 7/62 Marcec 22-147 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/ 19 Denmark.

6/55 France.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISL MARCUS U. LYONS,

Examiners.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION, A BOTTOM RING FOR A HOT TOP CASING AND AN ATTACHING CLIP FOR ATTACHIGN THE BOTTOM RING TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOT TOP CASING, SAID CLIP BEING OF SPRING WIRE AND COMPRISING A HOOK PORTION AT ONE END FOR RECEPTION IN A RECEIVING OPENING IN THE HOT TOP CASING, A GENERALLY VERTICAL ELONGATED LEG EXTENDING DOWN WARDLY FROM SAID HOOK PORTION, AND A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL RING ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING PORTION AT THE LOWER END OF SAID VERTICAL LEG WHICH EXTENDS ANGULARLY FROM SAID VERTICAL LEG UNDERNEATH SAID RING TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RING AND SUPPORT THE BOTTOM RING AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CASING, SAID HOOK AND BOTTOM RING ENGAGING PORTIONS HAVING FIRST ANGULARLY RELATED POSITIONS WHEN ATTACHING SAID BOTTOM RING TO A HOT TOP CASING IN WHICH SAID VERTICAL LEG IS TORSIONED AND URGES SAID PORTIONS TO SWING TO DIFFERENT ANGULARLY RELATED POSITIONS WHERE SAID VERTICAL LEG IS UNTORSIONED, SAID PORTIONS HAVING SAID DIFFERENT ANACCORDINGLY, THE VALUE OF "K" IS: GULARLY RELATED POSITIONS WHEN SAID CLIP, CASING AND RING ARE UNASSEMBLED, SAID RING ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING PORTION HAVING A STOP PORTION ENGAGING A GENERALLY VERTICAL INNER SURFACE ON SAID RING TO RESIST THE SWINGING OF SAID RING ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING PORTION OUTWARDLY OF SAID RING WHEN SAID VERTICAL LEG IS TORSIONED AND SAID HOOK PORTION BEING DIMENSIONED RELATIVE TO SAID RECEIVING OPENING TO BE LIMITED AGAINST BEING SWUNG OUT OF SAID OPENING BY THE TORSION IN SAID VERTICAL LEG.