Melt pumping apparatus and casting apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for supplying melt from a melt-holding vessel to a casting machine comprises a ceramic melt pump casing or housing submersible in the melt. The casing includes a melt-pumping chamber with a melt inlet and melt outlet and a piston-receiving bore communicated to the chamber. A piston having a ceramic pumping portion is movable in the bore relative to the chamber in a suction stroke to draw the melt into the chamber through the melt inlet and in a pumping stroke to discharge the melt from the chamber through the melt outlet to, for example, a melt casting machine. A melt inlet valve having a ceramic valve portion submersible in the melt is movable relative to the melt inlet to open/close the melt inlet when the piston pumping portion is moved in the respective suction/pumping stroke. A melt outlet valve having a ceramic valve portion submersible in the melt is movable relative to the melt outlet to close/open the melt outlet when the piston pumping portion is moved in the respective suction/pumping stroke. The casing, piston pumping portion, and melt inlet and outlet valve portions are supported from the support member so as to be submerged in the melt of the melt-holding vessel. Actuators provided for the piston and melt inlet and outlet valves are mounted on the support member above the melt.