Patent ID: 11958107
Assignee: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES INC.
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A continuous casting machine comprising:
(a) a ladle;
(b) a collector extending through the ladle such that a bottom portion of the collector is disposed below the ladle, wherein the collector comprises a collector opening extending therethrough, wherein a top portion of the collector opening comprises a cylindrical cross-section adjacent to a shelf, wherein an intermediate portion of the collector opening comprises a transitional opening that tapers from the shelf to a bottom portion of the collector opening comprising a cross-shaped cross-section;
(c) a tundish funnel positioned underneath the collector, wherein the tundish funnel comprises an opening extending therethrough, wherein a top portion of the opening comprises a larger diameter than a bottom portion of the opening such that the opening is tapered;
(d) a coupling comprising at least one ring extending from the tundish funnel to the ladle such that a top surface of the at least one ring is positioned against a bottom surface of the ladle, wherein the coupling is positioned about a bottom portion of the collector such that the bottom portion of the collector extends within the coupling to space an inner surface of the coupling away from an outer surface of the collector to fluidly seal the collector with the tundish funnel; and
(e) a tundish, wherein the tundish funnel is coupled to a lid of the tundish such that the tundish funnel extends through the tundish lid and into the tundish.