Patent Description:
This application relates to the casting of metals, and, more particularly, to metal delivery systems for casting systems.

In metal casting processes, molten metal is typically delivered from a molten metal source to a mold cavity via a metal delivery system. In some casting processes, such as direct chill (DC) casting, the mold cavity has a movable bottom block, and as the molten metal enters the mold cavity via the metal delivery system, the bottom block is lowered at a rate related to the flow of the molten metal. One type of metal delivery system that may be used during casting is a slotted casting spout. Existing slotted casting spouts control flow through the spout by utilizing a top control pin that engages a top end of the spout (opposite from a dispensing end). Existing slotted casting spouts also have a fixed orifice size that the molten metal flows through at the dispensing end of the spout. <CIT> describes a stopper rod assembly for metal pouring ladles. <CIT> describes a control pin for use in controlling the flow of molten metal in a molten metal distribution system for casting. <CIT> describes a molten metal handling system. <CIT> describes an amorphous silica shape used in the casting of molten aluminum. <CIT> describes a process for pouring a molten metal through a spout into a casting mold. <CIT> describes a submerged entry nozzle for flowing liquid metal therethrough. <CIT> describes a casting tube with a bottom opening for continuously casting steel strands.

Embodiments covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

The present invention relates to a metal delivery system according to claim <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>. According to certain embodiments, a metal delivery system for a casting system includes a spout and a bottom control pin. The spout includes a top end having a top orifice and a bottom end having a bottom orifice, where the bottom orifice is an elongated slot. The spout also includes a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice and that includes a passageway surface. The bottom control pin is positionable within the spout passageway and is movable between a closed position and an open position. In some examples, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages a portion of the passageway surface proximate to the bottom orifice.

According to various examples, a metal delivery system for a casting system includes a spout having a top end with a top orifice and a bottom end with a bottom orifice. The spout also includes a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice and that includes a passageway surface. In certain examples, a transverse dimension of a portion of the spout passageway between the top orifice and the bottom orifice is less than a transverse dimension of the top orifice and is less than a transverse dimension of the bottom orifice.

According to some embodiments, a metal delivery system for a casting system includes a spout and a bottom control pin. The spout includes a top end having a top orifice and a bottom end having a bottom orifice, where the bottom orifice is a slot. The spout also includes a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. The bottom control pin includes a pin end. The bottom control pin is positionable within the spout passageway and is movable between a closed position and an open position. In some cases, in the open position, the pin end is within the spout passageway, and, in the closed position, at least a portion of the bottom control pin extends through the bottom orifice and the pin end is external to the spout passageway.

Various implementations described herein can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

The subject matter of embodiments of the present disclosure is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as "up," "down," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "front," and "back," among others, are intended to refer to the orientation as illustrated and described in the figure (or figures) to which the components and directions are referencing.

Described herein are metal delivery systems with slotted casting spouts for casting systems that may be utilized for the delivery of molten metal into a mold during a casting process. While the metal delivery systems described herein can be used with any metal, they may be especially useful with aluminum. The metal delivery systems described herein each include a spout and a bottom control pin that is movable within the spout. The spout includes a top end with a top orifice, a bottom end with a bottom orifice, and a spout passageway that extends through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. During a casting process, molten metal may flow from the top end, through the spout passageway, and out the bottom orifice. The bottom orifice may be an elongated slot having opposing slot ends and that may give desired flow characteristics to molten metal flowing through the bottom orifice to provide desired characteristics in the metal ingot being cast.

The bottom control pin is movable between an open position, in which a flow path is defined between the top orifice and the bottom orifice, and a closed position, in which the flow path between the top orifice and the bottom orifice is blocked and not defined between the top orifice and the bottom orifice. In various aspects, the bottom control pin is movable between a plurality of open positions to allow for one or more flow rates of molten metal out the bottom orifice. The bottom control pin selectively engages a control portion of a surface of the spout passageway proximate to the bottom orifice in the closed position and is positionable relative to the control portion of the surface in the open position to control the flow rate of molten metal. The selective engagement and control from the bottom control pin proximate to the bottom orifice may minimize oxidation of the metal flowing through the casting spout and that commonly occurs with existing casting spouts. The bottom control pin may also provide improved flow control of the molten metal because the flow is controlled at or near the bottom orifice unlike existing casting spouts that are controlled with a top control pin at the top orifice and cannot accommodate changes in flow due to the flow environment within the spout passageway. In some examples, the bottom control pin may prevent or minimize metal solidification on the casting spout by dislodging and otherwise clearing out the spout passageway after casting.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a metal casting system <NUM> according to various embodiments. The metal casting system <NUM> generally includes a metal source <NUM>, a metal delivery system <NUM>, and a mold cavity <NUM>. The metal delivery system <NUM> includes a spout <NUM> and a bottom control pin (omitted from <FIG>). The spout <NUM> includes a top end <NUM> and a bottom end <NUM> opposite from the top end <NUM>. As discussed in greater detail below with reference to <FIG>, the spout <NUM> of the metal delivery system <NUM> is a slotted casting spout, and the top end <NUM> includes a top orifice, the bottom end <NUM> includes a bottom orifice, and a spout passageway extends through the spout <NUM> from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. The bottom control pin is movable within the spout passageway as discussed in greater detail below with reference to <FIG>.

During casting, the metal source <NUM> supplies molten metal to the metal delivery system <NUM> (represented by arrow <NUM>), and the molten metal flows through the spout <NUM>, out the bottom end <NUM>, and into the mold cavity <NUM>. The metal flow is represented by arrows <NUM> in <FIG>. A bottom block <NUM> is movable relative to walls of the mold cavity <NUM> such that as molten metal is being cast into an ingot <NUM> and begins to solidify, the bottom block <NUM> can be lowered to allow for additional metal to lengthen the ingot <NUM>. The ingot <NUM> being cast can include metal in various stages of solidification including solidified metal <NUM>, transitional metal <NUM>, and molten metal <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate an example of a metal delivery system <NUM> according to various embodiments. The metal delivery system <NUM> is substantially similar to the metal delivery system <NUM> and includes the spout <NUM> having the top end (not visible in <FIG>) and the bottom end <NUM> opposite from the top end. The bottom end <NUM> includes a bottom orifice <NUM>, the top end includes a top orifice (not visible in <FIG>), and a spout passageway <NUM> extends from the bottom orifice <NUM> to the top orifice. In certain examples, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the bottom orifice <NUM> is an elongated slot having opposing slot ends <NUM>, <NUM>. The spout passageway <NUM> includes a passageway surface <NUM>.

In various aspects, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, a control portion <NUM> of the passageway surface <NUM> between the bottom orifice <NUM> and the top orifice has a transverse dimension <NUM> that is less than a transverse dimension <NUM> of the bottom orifice <NUM> and that is less than a transverse dimension of the top orifice. The transverse dimension of the top orifice may be equal to, less than, or greater than the transverse dimension <NUM> of the bottom orifice <NUM>. As used herein, a "transverse dimension" refers to the dimension across the widest portion of the component. The transverse dimension may depend on a shape of the component. A diameter of an object is an example of a transverse dimension. As another example, the distance between the opposing slot ends <NUM>, <NUM> of the bottom orifice <NUM> is the transverse dimension <NUM> of the bottom orifice <NUM>. In some cases, the control portion <NUM> defines a narrowest portion of the spout passageway <NUM>.

The control portion <NUM> of the passageway surface <NUM> may include a non-linear cross-sectional profile as illustrated in <FIG>. In some cases, the profile of the control portion <NUM> is arcuate or radiused, although various other profiles may be utilized. In some cases, another portion <NUM> of the passageway surface <NUM> between the control portion <NUM> and the top orifice may optionally have a linear cross-sectional profile as illustrated in <FIG>, although it need not be linear in other examples.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the metal delivery system <NUM> also includes a bottom control pin <NUM>. The bottom control pin <NUM> has a top end (not visible in <FIG>) and a bottom end <NUM> opposite from the top end. As best illustrated in <FIG>, in certain examples, the bottom end <NUM> may be elongated. A first portion <NUM> of the bottom control pin <NUM> is between the top end and the bottom end <NUM>, and a second portion <NUM> of the bottom control pin <NUM> is between the first portion <NUM> and the bottom end <NUM>. As best illustrated in <FIG>, a transverse dimension <NUM> of the first portion <NUM> is greater than a transverse dimension <NUM> of the second portion <NUM>. In various examples, the transverse dimension <NUM> of the first portion <NUM> is greater than the transverse dimension <NUM> of the control portion <NUM> of the spout passageway <NUM>. Optionally, the second portion <NUM> may taper towards the bottom end <NUM>. In some optional cases, a transition portion <NUM> of the bottom control pin <NUM> is between the first portion <NUM> and the second portion <NUM>. Similar to the second portion <NUM>, the transition portion <NUM> may taper towards the bottom end <NUM>. The bottom control pin <NUM> is positionable within the spout passageway <NUM> such that the bottom end <NUM> of the bottom control pin <NUM> is more proximate to the bottom end <NUM> of the spout <NUM> than the top end of the bottom control pin <NUM>.

When assembled with the spout <NUM>, the bottom control pin <NUM> is movable between a closed position (<FIG>) and one or more open positions (see, e.g., <FIG> and <FIG>). In various examples, in the closed position, a portion of the bottom control pin <NUM> engages the control portion <NUM> of the spout passageway <NUM> such that a flow path from the top orifice to the bottom orifice <NUM> of the spout <NUM> is not defined. In certain aspects, the transition portion <NUM>, sub-portions of the first portion <NUM>, and/or sub-portions of the second portion <NUM> may engage the control portion <NUM> in the closed position. As best illustrated in <FIG>, in the closed position, a portion of the bottom control pin <NUM> extends through the bottom orifice <NUM> such that the bottom end <NUM> is external to the spout passageway <NUM>. In various aspects, the bottom control pin <NUM> extending through the bottom orifice <NUM> in the closed position may minimize or prevent metal solidification on the spout <NUM> after casting.

Claim 1:
A metal delivery system (<NUM>) for a casting system (<NUM>), the metal delivery system (<NUM>) comprising:
a spout (<NUM>) comprising:
a top end (<NUM>) comprising a top orifice;
a bottom end (<NUM>) comprising a bottom orifice (<NUM>), wherein the bottom orifice (<NUM>) is an elongated slot; and
a spout passageway (<NUM>) extending through the spout (<NUM>) from the top orifice to the bottom orifice (<NUM>) and comprising a passageway surface (<NUM>); and
a bottom control pin (<NUM>) positionable within the spout passageway (<NUM>) and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages a portion of the passageway surface (<NUM>) proximate to the bottom orifice (<NUM>).