US 4,590,988 A · Method and apparatus for supplying molten metal in the manufacture of amorphous metal ribbons

Abstract

In a method of manufacturing amorphous metal ribbons by ejecting molten metal through a nozzle attached to a tundish onto a rapidly moving cooling body, the molten metal is suppled to the tundish by first pouring the molten metal from a ladle into an intermediate vessel and then by supplying the molten metal from the intermediate vessel to the tundish through a gas-lift pump. An apparatus for supplying molten metal to a tundish comprises an intermediate vessel adjacent to the tundish and a gas-lift pump to supply the molten metal from the intermediate vessel to the tundish. The molten metal is poured from a ladle into the intermediate vessel. The gas-lift pump has a pump proper that is placed over the intermediate vessel and tundish so that its inlet and outlet open in the intermediate vessel and tundish, respectively. Bubbles are suppled into the pump proper through its inlet.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a method of manufacturing amorphous metal ribbons by ejecting molten metal from a nozzle attached to a tundish onto the surface of a rapidly moving cooling body, an improved method of supplying the molten metal to the tundish, which comprises:

pouring the molten metal from a ladle into an intermediate vessel separate from and positioned beside the tundish;
and
supplying the molten metal from the intermediate vessel to the tundish by placing the lower end of an ascension pipe of a gas-lift pump into the molten metal in the intermediate vessel and placing the lower end of the discharge pipe of the gas-lift pump in the molten metal in the tundish, supplying bubbles of an inert gas to the lower end of the ascension pipe for lifting molten metal from the intermediate vessel, transferring said molten metal laterally and then down into the tundish, and venting the gas from the top of the gas-lift pump.

In an amorphous metal ribbon manufacturing apparatus having a rapidly moving cooling body and a tundish having a nozzle to eject molten metal onto the surface of the cooling body, and a molten metal supply means for supplying molten metal, an apparatus for supplying the molten metal from said supply means to the tundish which comprises:

an intermediate vessel separate from the tundish and disposed beside the tundish and positioned for receiving the molten metal from the supply means;
and
a gas-lift pump for supplying the molten metal from said intermediate vessel to the tundish, said gas-lift pump having a pump member placed over said intermediate vessel and the tundish and being constituted by an ascension pipe and a discharge pipe, said pipes being spaced laterally from each other and being connected at the upper ends, said ascension pipe having the lower end opening into said intermediate vessel adjacent the bottom thereof and said discharge pipe having the lower end opening into the tundish at a level below the normal level of molten metal in the tundish, vent means at the top of said pump member for discharging gas therefrom, and means adjacent the bottom of said ascension pipe for supplying bubbles of inert gas into the bottom of said ascension pipe.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for supplying molten metal in the manufacture of amorphous metal ribbons

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for supplying molten metal in the manufacture of amorphous metal ribbons

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14