Lance for use in metal production and casting installations

Lance for immersion of a probe into molten metal comprising,

• (A) a top lance comprising,
• a handling portion extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and comprising a distal end of cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D1), the distal end being provided with a coupling portion extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (X), and having a maximum diameter (d1), with D1>d1,
• (B) a sublance formed by an elongated tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and comprising a cavity configured for snugly receiving the coupling portion, wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical of diameter (d2), with d1≤d2, extending along the longitudinal axis (X) from an immersion end provided with a probe and/or a sample collector, to a proximal end which is coupled to a protective device comprising a coupling end (2 c) opening to the cavity (2 v),
• wherein,
• the elongated tube (2 t) has a cross-section of external diameter (D2) wherein d1<d2<D2<D1, and
• the protective device (3) is deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• the coupling portion is inserted in the cavity of the sublance with the protective device contacting a shoulder formed by the distal end of the handling portion and the coupling portion,
• wherein
• when at rest, the protective device is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3 o) which is not more than 10% larger than D2 (D3 o≤1.1 D2),
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder;
• wherein the protective device comprises,
• an inner tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the inner tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and forming an inner passage of diameter (D3 i) with D3 i≥d1, the inner tube comprising a number of inner slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the inner tube,
• an outer tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the outer tube snugly surrounding the inner tube (3 i) and comprising a number of outer slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the outer tube,
• optionally, one or more peripheral tubes which are deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), and which are inserted in one another and snugly surrounding the outer tube and wherein each of the one or more peripheral tubes comprises a number of peripheral slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of each of the one or more peripheral tubes, wherein the peripheral slits of two adjacent peripheral tubes do not overlap with one another at any point, and wherein the outer slits do not at any point overlap with the peripheral slits of the peripheral tube adjacent to the outer tube, and
• wherein the inner slits and the outer slits do not overlap with one another at any point.

Lance for immersion of a probe into molten metal comprising,

• (A) a top lance comprising,
• a handling portion extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and comprising a distal end of cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D1), the distal end being provided with a coupling portion extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (X), and having a maximum diameter (d1), with D1>d1,
• (B) a sublance formed by an elongated tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and comprising a cavity configured for snugly receiving the coupling portion, wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical of diameter (d2), with d1≤d2, extending along the longitudinal axis (X) from an immersion end provided with a probe and/or a sample collector, to a proximal end which is coupled to a protective device comprising a coupling end (2 c) opening to the cavity (2 v),
• wherein,
• the elongated tube (2t) has a cross-section of external diameter (D2) wherein d1<d2<D2<D1, and
• the protective device (3) is deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• the coupling portion is inserted in the cavity of the sublance with the protective device contacting a shoulder formed by the distal end of the handling portion and the coupling portion,
• wherein
• when at rest, the protective device is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3 o) which is not more than 10% larger than D2 (D3 o≤1.1 D2),
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder;
• wherein the protective device comprises a tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and forming an inner passage of diameter (D3 i) with D3≥d1, the tube comprising a number of slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the tube, wherein the slits are distributed in two sets,
• an upper set extending from a location adjacent to the coupling end to a location adjacent to a half of a height of the tube measured along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• a lower set extending from a location adjacent to a fixed end opposite the coupling end to a location adjacent to the half of the height of the tube,
• wherein the slits of the upper set are offset relative to the slits of the lower set.

Lance for immersion of a probe into molten metal comprising,

• (A) a top lance comprising,
• a handling portion extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and comprising a distal end of cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D1), the distal end being provided with a coupling portion extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (X), and having a maximum diameter (d1), with D1>d1,
• (B) a sublance formed by an elongated tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and comprising a cavity configured for snugly receiving the coupling portion, wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical of diameter (d2), with d1≤d2, extending along the longitudinal axis (X) from an immersion end provided with a probe and/or a sample collector, to a proximal end which is coupled to a protective device comprising a coupling end (2 c) opening to the cavity (2 v),
• wherein,
• the elongated tube (2 t) has a cross-section of external diameter (D2) wherein d1<d2<D2<D1, and
• the protective device (3) is deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• the coupling portion is inserted in the cavity of the sublance with the protective device contacting a shoulder formed by the distal end of the handling portion and the coupling portion,
• wherein
• when at rest, the protective device is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3 o) which is not more than 10% larger than D2 (D3 o≤1.1 D2),
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder;
• wherein the protective device comprises,
• a support ring coupled to the proximal end of the elongated tube, and
• a number of L-shaped plates, each comprising an outer portion joined to an inner portion at a level of a corner of the L-shaped plates, the L-shaped plates being rotatably mounted and distributed about a circumference of the support ring by hinges at the level of or adjacent to the corners of the L-shaped plates, such that
• in the initial configuration of the protective device, each L-shaped plate is biased to rotate such that the inner portions extend radially inwards, substantially normal to the longitudinal axis (X), obturating at least partially the cavity and the outer portions rest against an outer surface of the sublance, and
• the L-shaped plates are configured for pivoting about the hinges from the initial configuration to the deformed configuration upon inserting the coupling portion into the cavity to couple the sublance to the top lance, wherein in the deformed configuration, the inner portions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) and the outer portions extend radially, substantially normal to the longitudinal axis (X) and overlap with one another to form a continuous screen against splashes when the protective device is brought into contact with the shoulder.

Lance for immersion of a probe into molten metal comprising,

• (A) a top lance comprising,
• a handling portion extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and comprising a distal end of cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D1), the distal end being provided with a coupling portion extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (X), and having a maximum diameter (d1), with D1>d1,
• (B) a sublance formed by an elongated tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and comprising a cavity configured for snugly receiving the coupling portion, wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical of diameter (d2), with d1≤d2, extending along the longitudinal axis (X) from an immersion end provided with a probe and/or a sample collector, to a proximal end which is coupled to a protective device comprising a coupling end (2 c) opening to the cavity (2 v),
• wherein,
• the elongated tube (2 t) has a cross-section of external diameter (D2) wherein d1<d2<D2<D1, and
• the protective device (3) is deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• the coupling portion is inserted in the cavity of the sublance with the protective device contacting a shoulder formed by the distal end of the handling portion and the coupling portion,
• wherein
• when at rest, the protective device is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3 o) which is not more than 10% larger than D2 (D3 o≤1.1 D2),
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder;
• wherein the protective device comprises,
• an inner tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the inner tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and forming an inner passage of diameter (D3 i) with D3≥d1, the inner tube comprising a number of inner slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the inner tube,
• an outer tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the outer tube snugly surrounding the inner tube and comprising a number of outer slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the outer tube,
• optionally, one or more peripheral tubes which are deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), and which are inserted in one another and snugly surrounding the outer tube and wherein each of the one or more peripheral tubes comprises a number of peripheral slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of each of the one or more peripheral tubes, wherein the peripheral slits of two adjacent peripheral tubes do not overlap with one another at any point, and wherein the outer slits do not at any point overlap with the peripheral slits of the peripheral tube adjacent to the outer tube, and
• wherein the inner slits and the outer slits do not overlap with one another at any point, wherein
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion (1 c) being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder, extending normal to the longitudinal axis (X) over a distance at least equal to ½ D1 from the longitudinal axis (X).

Protective device for protecting from splattering a shoulder formed between a distal end of a handling portion and a sublance of a lance for immersion of a probe into molten metal, the lance comprising

• (A) a top lance comprising,
• the handling portion extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and comprising the distal end of cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D1), the distal end being provided with
• a coupling portion extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (X), and having a maximum diameter (d1), with D1>d1, and
• (B) the sublance formed by an elongated tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and comprising a cavity configured for snugly receiving the coupling portion, wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical of diameter (d2), with d1≤d2, extending along the longitudinal axis (X) from an immersion end provided with a probe and/or a sample collector, to a proximal end which is coupled to the protective device comprising a coupling end (2 c) opening to the cavity (2 v),
• wherein,
• the elongated tube (2 t) has a cross-section of external diameter (D2) wherein d1<d2<D2<D1, and
• the protective device (3) is deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and
• the coupling portion is inserted in the cavity of the sublance with the protective device contacting a shoulder formed by the distal end of the handling portion and the coupling portion,
• wherein
• when at rest, the protective device is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3 o) which is not more than 10% larger than D2 (D3 o≤1.1 D2),
• when the sublance is coupled to the lance with the coupling portion being inserted in the cavity, the protective device contacts the shoulder and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over an area inscribing a circle normal to the longitudinal axis (X) of diameter (D3 d) with D3 d≥D1, covering a whole area of the shoulder;
• wherein the protective device further comprises,
• an inner tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the inner tube extending along the longitudinal axis (X) and forming an inner passage of diameter (D3 i) w with D3 i>d1, the inner tube comprising a number of inner slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the inner tube,
• an outer tube which is deformable upon application thereto of a compressive force along the longitudinal axis (X), the outer tube snugly surrounding the inner tube and comprising a number of outer slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of the outer tube,
• optionally, one or more peripheral tubes which are deformable upon application thereto of a force along the longitudinal axis (X), and which are inserted in one another and snugly surrounding the outer tube and wherein each of the one or more peripheral tubes comprises a number of peripheral slits separated from one another and distributed over a circumference of each of the one or more peripheral tubes, wherein the peripheral slits of two adjacent peripheral tubes do not overlap with one another at any point, and wherein the outer slits do not at any point overlap with the peripheral slits of the peripheral tube adjacent to the outer tube, and
• wherein the inner slits and the outer slits do not overlap with one another at any point.