Ajf, Inc.

James P McGuire

Gary L Forte

Wayne Miller

David B Vinson

Wayne Miler

A slag control shape is releasably mounted on a cover for a molten metal vessel. An actuator is connected to a slag control shape release member to retract the release member from a first position engaged with the slag control shape to a second position separated from the slag control shape to allow the slag control shape to freely drop into the molten metal receptacle. The actuating end of the actuator is located at an easily accessible operator position for remote actuation of the release member. In another embodiment, one end of a cable wound in a plurality of turns about a rotatable shaft mounted in a reel is attached to the slag control shape. A spring biasingly engages the shaft to control the rate of rotation of the shaft and thereby the rate of payout of the cable and the rate of descent of the slag control shape into the molten metal vessel. In another embodiment, the release member is mounted on a lid removably mountable in a bore in the cover and the actuator is mounted on the cover and releasibly connected to the release member. In yet another embodiment, the release member is mounted on a base which is in turn removably mounted in the bore in the cover. The hanger of a slag control shape extends through an aperture in the base and is engaged by the release member on the base.

Slag control shape release apparatus for molten metal vessels

A slag control shape is releasably mounted on a cover for a molten metal vessel. An actuator is connected to a slag control shape release member to move the release member from a first position engaged with the slag control shape to a second position disengaged from the slag control shape to allow the slag control shape to descend into the molten metal vessel. Upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as a predetermined weight of molten metal in the vessel or a predetermined total time of molten metal discharge from the vessel, a controller generates a signal to the actuator to automatically release the slag control shape into the vessel. The controller is located remote from the actuator and transmits the activation signal to the actuator by radio frequency signals, directly through an electrical conductor, or to a light emitter which transmits a light beam to a photodetector mounted on the cover.

Slag control apparatus for molten metal vessels

A slag control shape is releasably mounted on a cover for a molten metal vessel. An actuator is connected to a slag control shape release member to retract the release member from a first position engaged with the slag control shape to a second position separated from the slag control shape allowing the slag control shape to freely drop into the molten metal receptacle. The actuating end of the actuator is located at an easily accessible operator position for remote actuation of the release member. In one embodiment, the actuator is a flexible cable attached at one end to the release member mounted on the cover and having a second end located remote from the cover at an easily accessible operator position. In another embodiment, one end of a cable wound in a plurality of turns about a rotatable shaft mounted in a reel is attached to the slag control shape. A spring biasingly engages the shaft to control the rate of rotation of the shaft and thereby the rate of payout of the cable and the rate of descent of the slag control shape into the molten metal vessel. A detector counts the revolutions of the shaft as the cable is paid out to measure the distance the slag control shape has descended into the vessel.

A slag control shape is releasably mounted on a cover for a molten metal vessel. An actuator is connected to a slag control shape release member to retract the release member from a first position engaged with the slag control shape to a second position separated from the slag control shape allowing the slag control shape to freely drop into the molten metal receptacle. The actuating end of the actuator is located at an easily accessible operator position for remote actuation of the release member. In one embodiment, the actuator is a flexible cable attached at one end to the release member mounted on the cover and having a second end located remote from the cover at an easily accessible operator position. In another embodiment, a pair of eccentric cams are mounted on the cover and the molten metal receptacle and pivot into engagement upon a downward force exerted on the actuator cable to retract the release member from engagement with the slag control shape.

An anti-slag, anti-vortex tundish measurement apparatus for use in tundishes or other molten metal receptacles provides a measurement of the depth of the molten metal layer above the bottom of such receptacles. The apparatus includes a body mounted on a first end of an elongated rod. The body and the rod are formed of a suitable material and have a predetermined size such that the specific gravity of the body and the rod is less than the specific gravity of the molten metal in the receptacle; but greater than the specific gravity of the slag layer covering the top of the molten metal layer such that the body is buoyantly supported at the interface between the slag layer and the molten metal layer. Measurement indicia in the form of incrementally spaced, scale gradations is formed on the second end of the rod, which end extends externally from the interior of the molten metal receptacle. A cover mounted on the molten metal receptacle slidably receives the second end of the rod therethrough such that the measurement indicia on the rod is disposed externally from the molten metal receptacle.

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Taylor, MI, United States of America

James P McGuire