Tie bar withdrawing device

Method for withdrawing at least one tie bar from a casting machine, wherein the casting machine comprises a fixed die plate with a first casting-mould half arranged thereon and a movable die plate with a second casting-mould half arranged thereon, and the movable die plate is guided on tie bars that are fastened releasably in the fixed die plate, comprising the steps of:

• a) releasing the releasable fastener of the tie bar in the fixed die plate in a machine position in which the movable die plate is in the closing position.
• b) fixing the tie bar to the movable die plate by closing the fastening device arranged on the movable die plate,
• c) moving the movable die plate in the opening direction to a position in which the tie bar has been introduced into a further fastening device for releasable connection to a tie bar, said further fastening device being arranged on a rack which is located on that side of the movable die plate that is remote from the fixed die plate,
• d) fixing the tie bar to the rack by closing the fastening device arranged on the rack,
• e) opening the fastening device arranged on the movable die plate,
• f) moving the movable die plate in the closing direction,
• g) optionally repeating steps b) to e) until the tie bar has been withdrawn to a predetermined degree from the region between the fixed and movable die plates.