Patent ID: 7563407

Claim:
A thermal lance apparatus for unplugging a discharge port of a vessel containing molten metal, said apparatus comprising: an tubular housing having a top end, bottom end and a hollow interior chamber; a conduit in the housing communicating with the interior chamber for introducing pressurized oxygen into the housing; an axially-displaceable combustible thermal lance disposed within the interior chamber of the housing such that an upward end of the lance extends toward the top end of the housing; an ignitable fuse mounted on the upward end of the lance; an end fitting secured to the top end of the housing, the end fitting having an upper portion extending outside of the housing and a lower portion received within the hollow interior chamber, such that the transition between upper and lower portions defines a ledge within the end fitting; and an O-ring located on the ledge of the end fitting and disposed between the end fitting and the thermal lance to retain the lance within the housing.