Rotary valve

For use with a rotary valve, a rotary bottom gate comprising, in combination,

• a metal housing for encasing ceramic elements having at least two depending tubular members,
• two or more identical pieces of ceramic flat plate for positioning within the housing, each said member having a semi-circular aperture portion therein,
• tubular inserts for positioning within the circles defined by the opposed semi-circles,
• means for interlocking said tubular members into position,
• said tubular members extending down a portion of the metallic tubular members beneath the case,
• a further lower ceramic tubular insert having means for receiving a locking member,
• and locking members on the metallic tubular portion,
• whereby the lower ceramic member of the pour tubes may be replaced during the course of a pour.

A rotary valve for pouring teeming metal from the lower portion of a teeming vessel having an aperture therein comprising, in combination,

• frame having means for securing it to the lower portion of the teeming vessel,
• a rotary drive means positioned within the frame for receiving a rotary valve,
• a top plate for positioning beneath the upper surface of the frame and in teeming communication with the vessel aperture having a nozzle insert therein secured by two or more identical ceramic slabs,
• a rotary gate defined by a metallic case having a depending case portion for a pour tube,
• two or more plates in said rotary gate identical to the plates in the top plate,
• a pour tube engaged within the metal case and secured by opposed semi-circular portions in the plates,
• means for rotating said rotary gate in fluid tight relationship to the face of the top plate,
• whereby the valve can teem metal from the nozzle provided in the rotary gate or terminate teeming flow by rotation of the rotary gate.

The method of forming a top plate for a rotary gate valve comprising the steps of,

• forming a plate member having a pair of semi-circular recesses,
• providing a metallic case for containing the identically formed flat plate members and semi-circular opposed relationship,
• positioning one or more imperforate plugs and/or pour nozzle interiorly of the opposed semi-circular members,
• and then securing the same interiorly of the metal case for positioning beneath a pouring vessel.

The method of forming a rotary gate for a teeming vessel comprising the steps of,

• providing a metallic case with depending nozzle cases for a ceramic plate and two or more nozzles,
• providing two or more identical ceramic plate members having opposed semi-circular sections,
• positioning ceramic members interiorly of said opposed semi-circular sections and depending the same into the metallic nozzle portions of the casing,
• and providing means in the lower portion of the tubular casings beneath the thus positioned nozzle ceramic portions for removably securing a further ceramic nozzle portion in the lower portion of said tubular casing, whereby two or more identical members can be employed to define the plate portion of the rotary gates, and customization of the pour nozzle portions can be achieved, along with replaceability of the lower extension of the pour nozzles.

A top plate for a rotary gate valve comprising, in combination,

• a metallic housing for containing the ceramic pieces,
• a formed ceramic plate having a centrally disposed semi-circular section for retaining a further ceramic member,
• perforate ceramic member for insertion between said semi-circular sections,
• said insertion member being a pouring member having a central aperture like teeming opening,
• a mechanical interlock means for securing said pouring member between the ceramic plates,
• each of said ceramic plates being identical in configuration,
• whereby a single plate member can be employed with a variety of pouring members selected from the appropriate ceramic for the intended pour.

For use with a rotary valve, a rotary bottom gate comprising, in combination,

• a metal housing for encasing ceramic elements having a depending tubular member,
• two identical pieces of ceramic flat plate for positioning within the housing, each said member having a semi-circular aperture portion therein,
• a tubular insert for positioning within the circles defined by the opposed semi-circles,
• means for interlocking said tubular member into position,
• said tubular member extending down a portion of the metallic tubular members beneath the case,
• a further lower ceramic tubular insert having means for receiving a locking member,
• and locking means on the metallic tubular portion, whereby the lower ceramic member of the pour tube may be replaced during the course of a pour.

A rotary valve for pouring teeming metal from the lower portion of a teeming vessel having an aperture therein comprising, in combination,

• frame having means for securing it to the lower portion of the teeming vessel,
• a rotary drive means positioned within the frame for receiving a rotary valve,
• a top plate for positioning beneath the upper surface of the frame and in teeming communication with the vessel aperture having a nozzle insert therein in mechanical interlocking relationship with two or more identical ceramic slabs,
• a rotary gate defined by a metallic case having a depending case portion for a pour tube,
• two or more plates in said rotary gate identical to the plates in the top plate,
• a pour tube engaged within the metal case and secured by opposed semi-circular portions in the plates,
• means for rotating said rotary gate in fluid tight relationship to the face of the top plate, whereby the valve can teem metal from the nozzle porvided in the rotary gate or terminate teeming flow by rotation of the rotary gate.

The method of forming a top plate for a rotary gate valve comprising the steps of,

• forming a plate member having a pair of semicircular recesses,
• providing a metallic case for containing the identically formed flat plate members and semi-circular opposed relationship,
• positioning a pour nozzle interiorly of the opposed semi-circular members,
• and then securing the same interiorly of the metal case for positioning beneath a pouring vessel.

The method of forming a rotary gate for a teeming vessel comprising the steps of,

• providing a metallic case with a depending nozzle case for a ceramic plate and one or more nozzles,
• providing two or more identical ceramic plate members having opposed semi-circular sections,
• positioning a pouring ceramic member interiorly of said opposed semi-circular sections and depending the same into the metallic nozzle portions of the casing,
• and providing means in the lower portion of the tubular casing beneath the thus positioned nozzle ceramic portion for removably securing a further ceramic nozzle portion in the lower portion of said tubular casing, whereby two or more identical members can be employed to define the plate portion of the rotary gates, and customization of the pour nozzle portions can be achieved, along with replaceability of the lower extension of the pour nozzles.

The method of accommodating deflection in a rotary valve having a stationary top plate, and a rotary gate having more than one depending nozzle comprising the steps of,

• providing at least two refractory plates to form the stationary top plate,
• inserting at least one nozzle interlocked between the refractory plates,
• retaining the stationary top plate and the rotary gate within a frame,
• providing a plurality of substantially uniformly dispersed load pads interiorly of the frame and bearing upon the combination of the rotary gate and top plate,
• dispersing a first plurality of said load pads in surrounding relationship to the nozzles in their pour configuration, and,
• dispersing a second plurality of load pads adjacent the periphery of the rotary gate and top plate,
• arranging said first and second plurality of load pads to maximize the overlapping of the same to thereby minimize the quantity of load pads needed to cause the rotary gate to deflect into a position conforming to the warpage of the top plate resulting from warpage of the top plate backing,
• securing the frame and its contained rotary gate and its contained load pads against the top plate by means of opposed pivot toggle and latch toggle mechanisms spaced to provide for removal and replacement of the rotary gate and top plate and rearrangement in toggle actuated compression proportioned to permit the first and second plurality of load pads to accommodate the mutual deflection of the rotary valve and stationary top plate thereby sealing the same against each other in removably secured relationship.

A replaceable plate assembly for use in a slidable valve organization having a top plate and a movable gate plate containing refractory surfaces disposed in mutual sliding relation and each having an opening for the pouring of metal when said openings are disposed in registry with one another, said assembly comprising:

• (a) a metal housing;
• (b) a refractory plate member retained in said housing having an exposed, flat sliding surface, said plate member containing a through-opening penetrating the sliding surface of said member;
• (c) a replaceable tubular insert received in said through-opening;
• (d) said refractory plate member being assembled from parts separable along a parting line extending through said through-opening;
• and
• (e) means for retaining said insert in locked relation in said plate member.