Patent ID: 8251128

Claim:
A method of continuously producing a phosphorus-containing copper alloy wire by adding phosphorus and an element which is less soluble than phosphorus to molten copper, the method comprising the steps of: transferring molten copper through a casting trough from a melting furnace to a heating furnace, in which the molten copper is maintained at a first temperature; adding an element, which is less soluble than phosphorus, to the molten copper in the heating furnace after the step of transferring molten copper through the casting trough from the melting furnace to the heating furnace; transferring the molten copper through the casting trough from the heating furnace to a tundish after the step of adding an element, which is less soluble than phosphorus; decreasing the temperature of the molten copper in the tundish to a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature by adding solid copper mass to the molten copper in the tundish after the step of transferring the molten copper through the casting trough from the heating furnace to the tundish; adding phosphorus to the molten copper in the tundish after the step of decreasing the temperature; producing a cast copper material by supplying the molten copper from the tundish to a belt wheel-type continuous casting apparatus after the step of adding the phosphorus; and rolling the cast copper material output from the belt wheel-type continuous casting apparatus, thereby continuously producing the phosphorus-containing copper alloy wire, wherein the first temperature of the molten copper at the step of adding the element less soluble is equal to or higher than 1150° C., and the second temperature of the molten copper at the step of adding the phosphorus is equal to or lower than 1130° C.