Slag control shape release apparatus for molten metal vessels

A slag control shape release apparatus for a molten metal receptacle having an open top, side and bottom walls, an interior cavity containing a layer of slag covering a layer of molten metal, a discharge nozzle formed in the bottom wall, a cover removably closing the open top end of the receptacle, the cover having a bore extending therethrough and a slag control shape insertable into the receptacle, the apparatus comprising:

• means, mounted on the cover, for releasably mounting the slag control shape with respect to the cover;
• means, connected to the mounting means, for actuating the mounting means to release the slag control shape from the mounting means on the cover and to allow the descent of the slag control shape by gravity into the molten metal receptacle, the actuating means being operable from a location remote from the cover mounted on the molten metal receptacle;
• the mounting means including:
• a yoke mounted on the cover;
• a bore formed in the yoke;
• a plunger movably mounted in the bore and having first and second ends;
• first biasing means, mounted in the bore for normally biasing the first end of the plunger outward from the yoke;
• an arm pivotally attached to the yoke;
• a pin slidably mounted in the arm and having first and second ends, the first end of the pin releasably engaging the first end of the plunger of the yoke;
• a bore formed in the arm for releasably receiving a slag control shape therein;
• second biasing mean, mounted in the arm for normally biasing the second end of the pin into the bore in the arm;
• and
• the second end of the pin releasably engaging the slag control shape disposed in the bore in the arm to hold the slag control shape in the arm and being retractable away from the slag control shape to release the slag control shape for descent into a molten metal receptacle below the cover.

A molten metal receptacle containing a layer of slag covering a layer of molten metal, the receptacle having an open top end, side and bottom walls and a discharge nozzle formed in the bottom wall, the molten metal receptacle comprising:

• a cover for removably closing the open top end of the receptacle;
• a bore formed in the cover, the bore being located substantially over the discharge nozzle when the cover is mounted on the receptacle;
• a slag control shape having a specific gravity to buoyantly float at an interface between the slag layer and the molten metal layer;
• means, mounted on the cover, for releasably mounting the slag control shape adjacent to the cover;
• means, connected to the mounting means, for actuating the mounting means to release the slag control shape from the cover and to allow the descent of the slag control shape by gravity into the molten metal receptacle, the actuating means being operable form a location remote from the cover mounted on the molten metal receptacle;
• and
• means, attached to the slag control shape, for automatically controlling the rate of descent of the slag control shape into the molten metal receptacle after release of the slag control shape from the mounting means.