Mould support arrangement

A mould support arrangement for supporting a plurality of moulds in a casting apparatus having a first zone for introducing molten material into the mould, and a second zone in which the material in the mould can cool, the mould support arrangement being capable of relative movement from the first zone to the second zone thereby forming a solidification front in the material in each mould, which solidification front moves through the material as the material solidifies, each mould defining a main axis along which the solidification front can move, the mould support arrangement comprising support means to support the moulds such that the main axes of successive moulds at increasing distances from a central region of the support means are inclined relative to each other, and such that the main axis of each mould extends substantially perpendicular to the solidification front to be formed therein.

A mould support arrangement for supporting a plurality of moulds in a casting apparatus having a first zone for introducing molten material into the mould, and a second zone in which the material in the mould can cool, the mould support arrangement being capable of relative movement from the first zone to the second zone thereby forming a solidification front in the material in each mould, whereby the solidification front moves through the material as the material solidifies, each mould having a main axis, the mould support arrangement comprising support means to support the moulds such that the successive moulds arranged at increasing distances from a central region of the support means are arranged at successively lower levels, and such that the main axis of each mould extends substantially perpendicular to the solidification front to be formed therein.

A casting method comprising providing a mould support arrangement having support means for supporting a plurality of moulds, supporting a plurality of moulds by the support means, each mould defining a main axis along which the solidification front can move and a plane perpendicular to the main axis at the base of the mould, the mould being supported by the support means such that the said planes are not co-planar, and such that the main axis of each mould extends substantially perpendicular to a solidification front to be formed therein, introducing a molten material into the mould, cooling the moulds and the molten material to form the solidification front in the material in each mould, whereby the solidification front moves through the material as the material solidifies perpendicular to the main axis of each mould.

A casting method comprising providing a mould support arrangement having support means for supporting a plurality of moulds, supporting a plurality of moulds by the support means, such that successive moulds at increasing distances from a central region of the support means are inclined at successively greater angles to each other, each mould defining a main axis along which the solidification front can move, and each mould being supported by the support means such that the main axis of each mould extends substantially perpendicular to a solidification front to be formed therein, introducing a molten material into the mould, cooling the moulds and the molten material to form the solidification front in the material in each mould, whereby the solidification front moves through the material as the material solidifies perpendicular to the main axis of the mould.

A casting method comprising providing a mould support arrangement having support means for supporting a plurality of moulds, supporting a plurality of moulds by the support means, such that successive moulds arranged from increasing distances from a central region of the support means are arranged at successively lower levels, each mould defining a main axis along which the solidification front can move, and each mould being supported by the support means such that the main axis of each mould extends substantially perpendicular to a solidification front to be formed therein, introducing molten material into the mould, cooling the moulds and the molten material to form the solidification front in the material in each mould, whereby the solidification front moves through the material as the material solidifies perpendicular to the main axis of each mould.