Robotized ladle turret system

The metal casting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ladle sliding gate (15) comprises,

• (a) an upper plate (15u) comprising,
• a fixing surface and a bottom sliding surface separated from one another by a thickness of the upper plate,
• an upper bore extending from the fixing surface to the bottom sliding surface, and wherein
• the fixing surface of the upper plate is rigidly fixed to a lower portion of the corresponding first or second ladle (11, 12) with the upper bore in fluid communication with the opening,
• (b) A lower plate (15d) comprising,
• a nozzle sliding surface and a top sliding surface separated from one another by a thickness of the lower plate,
• a lower bore extending from the top sliding surface to the nozzle sliding surface, wherein
• the lower plate (15d) is slidingly mounted such that the top sliding surface can slide in translation along the bottom sliding surface to bring the lower bore in and out of fluid communication with the upper bore, and wherein
• (c) a drawer (15w) configured for rigidly holding a ladle shroud (13a-13c) having a shroud bore opening at an upper shroud surface and a collector nozzle (14) having a collector bore opening at an upper collector surface, the drawer being movingly mounted such as to translate the upper shroud surface and collector surface along the nozzle sliding surface of the lower plate (15d) between a shroud position, wherein the shroud bore is in fluid communication with the lower bore and a collector position, wherein the collector bore is in fluid communication with the lower bore,
• (d) the driving device (17) being coupled to the lower plate (15d) for driving the translation of the lower plate, and
• (e) a drawer driving device (17w) being coupled to the drawer (15w) for driving the translation of the drawer,
• wherein the driving device (17) is coupled to the lower plate (15d) and comprises a cylinder (17c) rigidly and reversibly coupled to the bottom portion of the corresponding first or second ladle (11, 12), and a piston (17p) rigidly and reversibly fixed to the lower plate (15d), the driving device being configured for moving the lower plate to bring the lower bore in and out of registry with the upper bore, and
• wherein the drawer driving device (17w) is coupled to the drawer (15w) and comprises a cylinder (17c) rigidly and reversibly coupled to the bottom portion of the corresponding first or second ladle (11, 12), and a piston (17p) rigidly and reversibly fixed to the drawer (15w), the drawer driving device being configured for moving the drawer to bring the shroud bore and the collector bore in and out of registry with the lower bore.

Method for casting a molten metal comprising the following steps,

• (a) providing a metal casting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein,
• the first ladle is full of molten metal (2) and is in the casting station and
• the second ladle (12) is full of molten metal (2) and is in the loading station,
• the ladle sliding gate (15) of the first ladle (11) is in the sealed position, is coupled to one or more driving devices (17) or optionally drawer driving devices (17w), and is provided with a ladle shroud (13a-13c) and a collector nozzle (14),
• the ladle sliding gate (15) of the second ladle (12) is in the sealed position and comprises no ladle shroud (13a-13c) and no operational driving device (17) and no operational drawer driving device (17w),
• (b) bringing the ladle sliding gate (15) of the first ladle (11) into casting position for casting molten metal from the first ladle (11) through the ladle shroud (13a) into the tundish (2),
• (c) during the preceding step,
• loading with the robot (21) a new ladle shroud (13b) onto the ladle sliding gate (15) of the second ladle (12), and
• coupling with the robot (21) the driving device (17) to the sliding plate gate (15) of the second ladle (12),
• (d) When the first ladle is substantially empty, bringing the ladle sliding gate (15) of the first ladle (11) into sealed position, followed by
• (e) swapping positions of the first and second ladles by moving the first ladle (11) from the casting station to the loading station and, concomitantly, moving the second ladle (12) from the loading station to the casting station,
• (f) bringing the ladle sliding gate (15) of the second ladle (12) into casting position and casting molten metal from the second ladle (12) through the ladle shroud (13b) into the tundish (2).