Patent ID: 6857464

Claim:
A mold for direct chill casting of metal ingots, the mold comprising a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls which together define a generally rectangular mold space having an open top through which molten metal enters the mold; each of the side walls having a first end portion, an opposed second end portion, an inner surface and an opposed outer surface, and at least one of the end walls comprising a movable end wall assembly which is movable relative to the side walls to alter an area of the mold space, each of the movable end wall assemblies comprising: (a) a central end wall member extending across a space between the end portions of the side walls, the central end wall member having opposed end surfaces which are sealable against the inner surfaces of the side walls; (b) a pair of upper extension members attached to the central end wall member, each of the upper extension members extending outwardly beyond an end surface of the central end wall member and over one of the side walls; (c) a pair of lower extension members attached to the central end wall member, each of the lower extension members extending outwardly beyond an end surface of the central end wall and under one of the side walls; (d) a pair of connecting members, each of which extends along the outer surface of one of the side walls and connects one of the lower extension members and one of the upper extension members, wherein the extension members and the connecting members together define a pair of spaces, each located outwardly of an end surface of the central end wall member, through which the side walls extend; and (e) clamping means movable with the movable end wall assembly to clamp the side walls into sealing engagement with the end surfaces of the central end wall member.