Patent ID: 6698493
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
An apparatus for use in casting a metal article, said apparatus comprising a furnace assembly having a heating chamber, a chill plate which is movable between raised and lowered positions and supports a mold in the heating chamber of said furnace assembly when said chill plate is in the raised position, a baffle, said baffle having an outer section which is connected with said furnace assembly and extends around an inner section of said baffle, said inner section of said baffle having an opening through which the mold extends when the mold is in the heating chamber of the furnace assembly, and a plurality of connectors which extend between said outer and inner sections of said baffle and hold said outer and inner sections of said baffle against movement relative to each other with upper side surfaces of said outer and inner sections of said baffle in a coplanar relationship when the mold is in the heating chamber of the furnace assembly, said plurality of connectors being releasable under the influence of force transmitted from the mold to enable said inner section of said baffle to move downward relative to the outer section of said baffle as the mold is lowered from the heating chamber, said side surface of said inner section of said baffle moving out of a coplanar relationship with said side surface of said outer section of said baffle as said inner section of said baffle moves downward relative to said outer section of said baffle.