US 11,548,061 B2Granted

Dynamic mold shape control for direct chill casting

AssigneeWagstaff, Inc.

InventorsCraig Richard Cordill, Craig Lee Shaber, Michael Kim Anderson

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for continuous casting of metal, and more particularly, to a mechanism for controlling the shape of a direct chill casting mold to dynamically control a profile of an ingot cast from the mold during the casting process. Embodiments may provide an apparatus for casting material including: first and second opposing side walls; first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, where the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls form a generally rectangular shaped mold cavity. At least one of the first and second opposing side walls may include two or more contact regions, where each of the two or more contact regions may be configured to be displaced relative to a straight line along the side wall.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for casting material, comprising:

first and second opposing side walls;
first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second opposing side walls and first and second opposing end walls form a generally rectangular shaped mold cavity;
and
two or more force receiving elements;
wherein at least one of the first and second opposing side walls comprises two or more contact regions, each of the two or more force receiving elements attached to at least one of the first and second opposing side walls at a respective contact region at two or more pivoting attachment points,
wherein each of the two or more contact regions are configured to be displaced relative to a straight line between a first end of the at least one of the first and second opposing side walls and a second end of the at least one first and second opposing side walls in response to receiving a respective force applied at the two or more force receiving elements externally from the mold cavity, wherein the respective displacement at a first of the two or more contact regions relative to the straight line is different from a displacement at a second of the two or more contact regions relative to the straight line,
wherein the force applied to the respective force receiving element is distributed across the two or more pivoting attachment points, and
wherein a respective force at each of the two or more contact regions changes a curvature of the at least one of the first and second opposing side walls between the first end and the second end of the at least one first and second opposing side walls.

5 more elements

A system for casting metal comprising:

a controller;
a mold comprising:
a first side wall;
a second side wall opposing the first side wall;
a first end wall;
and
a second end wall opposing the first end wall, wherein the first side wall, second side wall, first end wall, and second end wall cooperate to define a mold cavity having a mold cavity profile;
a first force receiving element attached at two or more pivoting attachment points to the first side wall located opposite the mold cavity,
wherein a first force applied to the first force receiving element distributed across the two or more pivoting attachment points of the first force receiving element is controlled by the controller and causes a first displacement of the first side wall at the first force receiving element;
and
a second force receiving element attached at two or more pivoting attachment points to the first side wall located opposite the mold cavity,
wherein a second force applied to the second force receiving element distributed across the two or more pivoting attachment points of the second force receiving element is controlled by the controller and causes a second displacement of the first side wall at the second force receiving element, and
wherein the first displacement is different from the second displacement, wherein the first force receiving element and the second force receiving element are spaced apart from one another along a length of the first side wall between the first end wall and the second end wall.

10 more elements

A wall of a direct chill casting mold comprising:

a longitudinally extending body extending along a length between a first end and a second end;
two or more force receiving elements attached to the longitudinally extending body at two or more contact regions, each force receiving element attached to a respective contact region at two or more pivoting attachment points, wherein a force applied to the respective force receiving element is distributed across the two or more pivoting attachment points and displaces the respective contact region relative to a straight line between the first end and the second end;
an inner face defining a portion of a mold cavity and extending from proximate the first end to proximate the second end, wherein a first set of orifices and a second set of orifices are formed through the longitudinally extending body proximate the inner face of the longitudinally extending body;
an outer surface opposite the inner face;
a first fluid chamber disposed proximate the outer surface;
and
a second fluid chamber disposed proximate the outer surface;
wherein the first fluid chamber is in fluid communication with the first set of orifices and the second fluid chamber is in fluid communication with the second set of orifices, wherein the first set of orifices and the second set of orifices are each arranged to supply cooling fluid to a cast part as it exits the mold.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/304,351Filed 18 Jun 2021 · continuation
Priority: 12 Jun 2017
Published: US 2021/0308748 A17 Oct 2021
Granted: 10 Jan 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B22D 11/049
Into open-ended moulds: for direct chill casting, e.g. electromagnetic casting
B22D 11/001
Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths: of specific alloys
B22D 11/0406
Into open-ended moulds: moulds with special profile
B22D 11/05
Into open-ended moulds: into moulds having adjustable walls

Family

Application15/619,866Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Jun 2017
Application16/425,368Parent of this continuation · filed 29 May 2019
US 10,350,674 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Jul 2019
US 2021/0308748 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Oct 2021
US 11,065,678 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2018/0354023 A1Published application
US 2019/0275582 A1Published application
US 11,548,061 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.