Method and apparatus for continuously casting hollow bars

A die assembly for continuously casting hollow bars, the assembly comprising in combination, a female die having upper and lower open ends and having a vertical passage including an internal forming surface for receiving molten material to be formed into a hollow bar, an elongated mandrel support member fixed relative to the female die and extending across the top of the female die and defining with the internal surface of the female die relatively large unobstructed areas for pouring molten metal directly into the passage of the female die from the top end thereof and to the side and independently of the mandrel support member, a one-piece solid and unapertured mandrel removably fixed to the mandrel support member and suspended therefrom to be received within the passage of the female die for forming a hollow passage in the hollow bar to be cast, guide means projecting above opposite side portions of the female die and guide passages in opposite end portions of the mandrel support member receiving said guide means for vertically placing said mandrel support member and the mandrel in position with the mandrel received through the molten metal in the die during a casting operation, and wherein there is further included a retaining ring fixed relative to the female die about the upper end thereof, and wherein said mandrel support member and said retaining ring have alignable passages and wherein there is further included a fastening element slidably received in said alignable passages to releasably fix the mandrel support member to said retaining ring while permitting quick release of the mandrel support member from the retaining ring.