Unit in a continuous casting installation for positioning a dummy bar

A unit in a continuous casting installation for positioning a dummy bar in preparation of a casting operation, the casting installation comprising a mold for producing a continuous casting attached to the dummy bar and an end station wherein the dummy bar is separated from the continuous casting, and the unit comprising a basket capable of receiving the separated dummy bar, a handling system for moving the basket from the end station to a position above the mold, the system including a lifting frame capable of holding the basket, a raising means having one end attached to the lifting frame for vertically raising the lifting frame, a travel frame supporting an end of the raising means opposite to one end, the travel frame

• having two vertical uprights capable of receiving and guiding the raised lifting frame, a horizontal pathway supporting the travel frame for movement to and from the position above the mold, two fixed uprights mounted on respective sides of the basket at the end station for vertically displacing the lifting frame towards the uprights of the travel frame, the fixed uprights and the uprights of the travel frame being of the same cross section and the uprights of the travel frame being capable of being moved into registry with the fixed uprights by a displacement of the travel frame along the horizontal pathway, and means for introducing the dummy bar from the basket into the mold from above.