Patent ID: 7000679

Claim:
A vertical casting apparatus for casting a casting of a predetermined length by pouring a molten special steel including a high-alloy steel and tool steel in a mold open to the top and bottom thereof, supporting a lower end of the casting having a shell formed on a surface thereof and pulling out said lower end of said casting from a bottom portion of said mold with a lift table, provided below said mold and movable up and down vertically by lifting means, comprising: a lid member capable of covering a top portion of said mold and set an internally defined heating chamber in an atmosphere of an inert gas; heating means for heating said molten steel in said mold covered by said lid member with a plasma or arc; a carriage movable along rails on a casting bed; and a tundish provided on and movable with said carriage; wherein said lid member is provided on and movable with said carriage; and when said tundish comes to a casting position, said lid member comes to a standby position that is set away from said mold, and when said tundish comes to a casting retracting position, said lid member comes to a heating position which said lid member covers a top portion of said mold.