Apparatus for stripping ingots from molds

Abstract

An improvement in and pertaining to cranes for stripping and/or handling cast metal ingots. The improvement is disclosed in the illustrative environment of a crane capable of performing both functions and operations with big-end-down ingots and molds. The improvement is embodied in a horizontally disposed component of a vertical, crane-suspended, ingot working mechanism. Said component serves as a shock absorber and dampener during a stripping operation, and serves as a resilient energy reservoir in aid of an ingot handling operation. Said component takes a horizontal drum-shaped form with centrally apertured, resilient, spring tempered steel discs disposed like the heads of a drum normal to said mechanism wherein, however, the inner peripheries of said apertures engage parts of the mechanism between which there is relative vertical motion in one direction incident to stripping the ingot from the mold, and in the opposite direction when gripping the ingot to handle it. The inner peripheries of the apertures in each disc always engage externally and separately, with freedom for the discs to flex, relatively movable coaxial vertical tubular elements of the mechanism which sustain and/or transmit the essential forces and motions to effect the respective ingot stripping and handling operations.