Sliding gate mechanism with side wall mounted biasing springs

#This invention relates to an improved slidable gate mechanism for controlling flow of material from a bottom-pour vessel, particularly liquid metal from a ladle or tundish.

#It is known to use slidable gates in lieu of the once more common stopper rods for controlling flow of metal from bottom-pour vessels, such as ladles and tundishes. Shapland et al application Ser. No. 377,385, filed July 9, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,418 as a continuation of application Ser. No. 150,585, filed June 7, 1971 (now abandoned) and Klaus et al application Ser. No. 300,957, filed Oct. 26, 1972, all of common ownership, show gate mechanisms intended mainly for use on ladles. The gate mechanism of the present invention is an improvement over the mechanisms shown in these applications.

#A conventional slidable gate construction includes a stationary refractory top plate and a movable refractory gate. The top plate underlies the bottom wall of a vessel and has an orifice aligned with the vessel outlet. The gate is supported beneath the top plate, and in the type of mechanism to which my invention relates, has both a closed area and an orifice. The gate can move back and forth to position its closed area in line with the orifice in the top plate to close the vessel outlet, or to position the two orifices in line to permit pouring. The gate must be held firmly against the top plate to prevent leakage of material therebetween, yet must be free to slide.

#In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of a bottom-pour vessel which is equipped with a gate mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention;

#FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the vessel and gate mechanism from the right of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 1 shows a portion of a conventional bottom-pour vessel which includes a metal shell 10 and a refractory lining 12. The bottom wall of the vessel has an outlet 13. The vessel illustrated is a ladle for handling liquid metal.

#The gate mechanism of my invention includes a relatively stationary exterior frame 16 rectangular in plan supported on a plurality of pivot ears 17 which depend from the underside of the shell 10 and are fixed thereto. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, frame 16 has outwardly projecting lugs 18. Pins 19 are removably inserted through aligned holes in the ears and lugs, whereby the frame and parts carried thereby can be removed or hingedly opened to afford access to the parts inside. As best shown in FIG. 1, a relatively stationary interior frame 20, also rectangular in plan, is housed within the exterior frame 16 and is pivoted thereto at its back end, as indicated at 21.

#A gate carrier 24 is housed within the interior frame 20 and carries a refractory gate 25 and integral collector nozzle 26 (FIG. 1). As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of opposed upwardly concave supporting ledges 27 are rigidly fixed to the inside faces of the longitudinal side members of the interior frame 20. Respective downwardly convex rockers 28 are received in the concave upper faces of the ledges 27. The upper faces of rockers 28 are flat and slidably support the gate carrier 24 and gate 25. A stationary top plate 29 is positioned under the vessel outlet in contact with gate 25. The underside of the exterior frame 16 and carrier 24 are equipped with conventional heat shields 30.