Sampling molten metal

Apparatus for manipulating sampling tubes in relation to a metallurgical vessel comprising:

• a generally vertically oriented guide frame, there being spaced apart guide rails on the frame, said guide frame being pivotably mounted for limited pivoting on a horizontal axis;
• drive means connected to and acting upon said guide frame to obtain a pivoting thereof.
• a carriage running on the frame in a vertical direction towards and away from the vessel along a measuring axis for obtaining the taking of samples.
• a measuring lance on the carriage;
• a pivotable centering device for the lance for placement of the lance into said measuring axis and for removal therefrom.
• a tube manipulator pivotably mounted to the frame;
• and
• tube placing means on the manipulator for holding a tube in a position coaxial with said lance when the manipulator is in an upright position and placing the tube coaxially with a delivery axis when the manipulator is in a horizontal position, the manipulator passing in between the rails upon pivoting into the vertical position.

Apparatus for manipulating and handling sampling tubes in relation to a metallurgical vessel comprising:

• a generally vertically oriented guide frame mounted for limited tilting about a horizontal axis, there being rail means on the guide frame;
• a carriage running to the frame in said rail means and carrying a measuring lance;
• a lance centering device tiltably mounted on the frame and having retractable centering means for engaging the lance;
• a tube manipulator pivotably mounted to the guide frame and including tube holding means for holding a tube on an axis leading directly into the vessel and being coaxial with an axis of said lance as moved by the carriage and alternatively in coaxial relationship with a horizontal delivery axis;
• and
• means for placing tube into said horizontal delivery axis and moving a tube towards the manipulator for being gripped by the holding means so that such a tube may be swung into an upright position as the manipulator assumes a vertical position of coaxial relationship of the tube as held with respect to said lance axis.