Patent ID: 6896032

Claim:
A casting apparatus for pouring molten metal into molds, comprising: a vessel having a molten metal-receiving chamber generally extending between a filling end and a pouring end, said vessel including a nozzle disposed in a bottom surface of said chamber proximate to said pouring end; a stopper cooperating with said nozzle to control a downward gravity flow of molten metal through said nozzle; a first support for pivotably supporting said vessel to provide a horizontal tilt axis substantially coincident with said nozzle; a second support connected to said vessel at a point away from said tilt axis and having a drive for controlling a pivot position of said vessel; and a tilt angle controller detecting a level of molten metal within said chamber and engaging said drive to maintain said level of said molten metal within said chamber at a generally constant head height defined between an upper surface of the molten metal and a nozzle exit of said nozzle.