Holding device for hot top lining slabs

A device for holding a hot top lining slab in the head of an ingot mould comprising:

• a generally L-shaped strap having shorter and longer arms, the shorter arm of which is engageable with the top of the mould for hanging the slab and the longer arm of which includes means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart notches;
• and
• strap-receiving means securable to the slab and defining an elongated cavity in which said longer arm is received to be longitudinally movable between upper and lower positions as well as rotatable between latched and unlatched positions, said strap-receiving means including, (a) a substantially planar side wall disposed substantially parallel to said elongated cavity and having a resilient latching tongue means inwardly disposed in a direction towards said cavity, one end of said tongue means fixed to said side wall and the other end being engaged with a predetermined one of said notches when said longer arm is rotated to said latched position, said tongue means being downwardly inclined between said one and other ends in the direction of longitudinal movement of said longer arm when said longer arm is moved from said upper position to said lower position, and (b) a pair of spaced apart end walls each being disposed substantially transverse to said elongated cavity and defining an aperture in alignment with said elongated cavity thereby permitting said longer arm to pass therethrough,
• said strap-receiving means permitting said longer arm to freely move longitudinally within said cavity between said upper and lower positions when rotated to said unlatched position and for permitting said other end of said tongue means to engage a predetermined one of said notches when said longer arm is rotated to said latched position, and
• said tongue means for resiliently biasing said longer arm against upward movement in said engaged position to restrain said longer arm in said cavity and to hold the hot top lining slab in the head of an ingot mould.

In combination, a hot top lining slab, and a device for holding the slab in the head of an ingot mould, said device comprising:

• a generally L-shaped strap having shorter and longer arms, the shorter arm of which is engageable with the top of the mould for hanging the slab and the longer arm of which includes means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart notches;
• and
• strap-receiving means secured to the slab and defining an elongated cavity in which said longer arm is received to be longitudinally movable between upper and lower positions as well as rotatable between latched and unlatched positions, said strap-receiving means including, (a) a substantially planar side wall disposed substantially parallel to said elongated cavity and having a resilient latching tongue means inwardly disposed in a direction towards said cavity, one end of said tongue means fixed to said side wall and the other end being engaged with a predetermined one of said notches when said longer arm is rotated to said latched position, said tongue means being downwardly inclined between said one and other ends in the direction of longitudinal movement of said longer arm when said longer arm is moved from said upper position to said lower position, and (b) a pair of spaced apart end walls each being disposed substantially transverse to said elongated cavity and defining an aperture in alignment with said elongated cavity thereby permitting said longer arm to pass therethrough,
• said strap-receiving means permitting said longer arm to freely move longitudinally within said cavity between said upper and lower positions when rotated to said unlatched position and for permitting said other end of said tongue means to engage a predetermined one of said notches when said longer arm is rotated to said latched position, and
• said tongue means for resiliently biasing said longer arm against upward movement in said engaged position to restrain said longer arm in said cavity and to hold the hot top lining slab in the head of an ingot mould.