Alcan International Limited

Hatch Associates Ltd.

Guy LeBlanc

Friedrich P Mueller

Vincent J Newberry

Neil B Bryson

James P Anson

Julien Lemieux

Donald A Wilson

David T Auchterlonie

An adjustable mold for direct chill casting of metals has longitudinally movable end walls which are clamped between the mold side walls during casting. Each end wall is secured to a sliding carriage which supports the end wall and allows it to be moved along the end portions of the side walls. The sliding suspender has a clamping mechanism which applies a clamping force to one or both of the side walls, the force being transversely directed through a center of the end wall. The side walls are pivotable relative to one another to allow clamping and unclamping of the end walls. Preferably, one end of each side wall is pivotable so as to transversely displace the opposite end of the side wall, with the pivoting ends of the respective side walls preferably being opposite one another across the mold.

Adjustable casting mold

An apparatus and process are described for continuously casting molten metal. The apparatus includes (a) an open-ended direct chill casting mould comprising a mould plate having an inner axially extending wall or walls defining a mould cavity, (b) coolant delivery aperture or apertures adjacent the mould cavity adapted to discharge a stream or streams of coolant inwardly in the direction of metal movement to impinge on an ingot being formed, and (c) deflector means for deflecting the coolant stream or streams in a variable direction dependent on the local shrinkage conditions of the ingot being formed such that the coolant impinges upon the ingot at a constant distance below the mould plate around the periphery of the ingot and preferably at a constant relative impingement angle. The deflector means is preferably a movable baffle having a deflector face contoured to impart the desired deflection pattern to the coolant stream.

Direct chill casting mould with controllable impingement point

An apparatus for casting metal includes a mould for effecting solidification of the molten metal into a formed metal product, means adjacent to an inlet portion of the mould for feeding the molten metal into the mould and means for delivering a lubricating agent to a surface of the mould contacting the molten metal to substantially prevent adhesion of anyu solidfied metal on the mould surface. According to the novel feature, the lubricating agent delivery means comprises at least one lubricant delivery channel arranged generally parallel to the mould surface, inlet means for delivering a flow of lubricant under pressure into the delivery channel, a plurality of uniformly spaced restrictive flow passages extending across between the delivery channel and lubricant outlet holes adjacent the molten metal for delivery of lubricant to the mould surface. The restrictive flow passages have dimensions such that the friction loss from lubricant flow in the lubricant delivery channel is negligible relative to the total friction loss of the total system whereby lubricant delivered under pressure to the lubricant delivery channel is transferred uniformly through said restrictive flow passages to the mould surface. The delivery channels and passages are preferably dimensioned such that friction loss from the flow of lubricant in the delivery channel is less than 10% of the total friction loss of the system.

Lubrication system for casting moulds

A direct chill casting device is described comprising: (a) an axially upright, open-ended direct chill casting mould plate having an inner axially extending wall or walls defining a mould cavity, an upper annular surface and a lower annular surface, the mould plate having a generally rectangular or square cross-section at points about the axis thereof with the horizontal dimensions of the cross-section being greater than the vertical height, (b) at least one coolant channel formed within the mould generally parallel to and laterally spaced from the cavity-defining walls, (c) coolant dispersal discharge passages extending downwardly and outwardly between said coolant channel and the lower surface of the mould plate adjacent the mould cavity, and (d) a coolant manifold mounted on the lower surface of the mould plate beneath the coolant channel or channels and adapted to supply coolant fluid to the coolant channel or channels.

Direct chill casting mould

The system includes: (a) a hollow cylindrical body adapted to be mounted in a casting table, (b) an annular water baffle removably mounted in the body, the baffle having a central opening through which a forming ingot passes and the baffle providing a flow path for cooling water to flow radially inwardly from the body and discharge inwardly and downwardly against a forming ingot passing through the central opening, (c) an annular mould removably mounted in the body immediately above the water baffle having a central forming cavity for forming a metal ingot, the forming cavity having a smaller diameter than the central opening of the water baffle, (d) a feed inlet for molten metal comprising an insulating ring removably mounted within the body immediately above the mould, the outer diameter of the insulating ring being less than the diameter of the body, (e) a pressure ring removably mounted in the body in the annular gap between the body and the outer diameter of the insulating ring, and (f) a cover plate adapted to compress the components of the mould system together. The annular members are selectively replaced with ones of variable inner diameter or length depending upon the diameter of ingot desired and the composition of the metal being cast.

Growing community of inventors

Longueuil, Canada

Guy LeBlanc