System for casting a metal article

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed formed of particulate suspended in a flow of gas and having a generally annular cross-sectional configuration in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the fluidized bed, moving a generally annular portion of a mold containing molten metal into the fluidized bed with a central axis of the annular portion of the mold disposed in at least a substantially coaxial relationship with a central axis of the fluidized bed, and solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold moves into the fluidized bed.

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing a container having an inner wall and an outer wall which extends around the inner wall, supporting a mold containing molten metal above the container, establishing a fluidized bed between the inner and outer walls of the container with the fluidized bed extending around the inner wall of the container, lowering the mold into the fluidized bed, and solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold is lowered into the fluidized bed.

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing a container having an inner wall with a circular cross-sectional configuration and an outer wall which extends around the inner wall and has a circular cross-sectional configuration, supporting a mold beneath a furnace assembly with a support member which extends through a passage which is at least partially enclosed by the inner wall of the container, moving the support member upward in the passage enclosed by the inner wall of the container to move the mold into the furnace assembly, moving the container upward to a raised position beneath the furnace assembly with the support member extending through the passage enclosed by the inner wall of the container, establishing a fluidized bed disposed between the inner and outer walls of the container and formed of particulate suspended in a flow of gas, moving the support member downward in the passage enclosed by the inner wall of the container to move the mold from the furnace assembly into the fluidized bed in the container, solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold moves into the fluidized bed in the container, and moving the container downward from the raised position to a lowered position with the support member extending through the passage enclosed by the inner wall of the container.

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed formed of particulate suspended in a flow of gas, providing a heat sink in a central portion of the fluidized bed, moving a mold containing molten metal into the fluidized bed to a position in which at least a portion of the mold extends around at least a portion of the heat sink, and solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold moves into the fluidized bed.

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing an inner heat sink, providing an outer heat sink which extends around the inner heat sink, supporting a mold beneath a furnace assembly with a support member which extends through a passage which is at least partially enclosed by the inner heat sink, moving the support member upward in the passage enclosed by the inner heat sink to move the mold into the furnace assembly, moving the inner and outer heat sinks upward to a raised position beneath the furnace assembly with the support member extending through the passage enclosed by the inner heat sink, moving the support member downward in the passage enclosed by the inner heat sink to move the mold from the furnace assembly to a position beneath the furnace assembly and in which at least a portion of the mold extends around at least a portion of the inner heat sink and at least a portion of the outer heat sink extends around at least a portion of the mold, solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold moves to the position beneath the furnace assembly, and moving the inner and outer heat sinks downward from the raised position to a lowered position with the support member extending through the passage enclosed by the inner heat sink.

A method of casting metal, said method comprising the steps of providing an inner heat sink, providing an outer heat sink which extends around the inner heat sink, establishing a fluidized bed formed of particulate suspended in a flow of gas in a space between the inner and outer heat sinks, moving a mold containing molten metal into the fluidized bed in the space between the inner and outer heat sinks, and solidifying molten metal in the mold as the mold moves into the fluidized bed.