Molten metal distribution launder

A low-flexure launder for molten materials, comprising:

• an elongated structural beam which extends longitudinally between opposite ends, the structural beam having an unsupported length between its ends;
• a plurality of refractory holders extending along the structural beam, each refractory holder being vertically supported by the structural beam to allow longitudinal expansion and contraction of said refractory holder relative to the structural beam;
• a refractory liner received by the refractory holders;
• wherein each refractory holder has a portion along its longitudinal length which is securely positioned relative to the structural beam, the remaining longitudinal portions of each refractory holder being free to move longitudinally relative to the structural beam.

A low-flexure launder for molten materials, comprising:

• an elongated structural beam which extends longitudinally between opposite ends, the structural beam having an unsupported length between its ends;
• a plurality of refractory holders extending along the structural beam, each refractory holder being vertically supported by the structural beam to allow longitudinal expansion and contraction of said refractory holder relative to the structural beam;
• a refractory liner received by the refractory holders;
• wherein each refractory holder is a U-shaped hanger having longitudinally-extending sidewalls and support lips extending outward from the sidewalls, the structural beam having longitudinally-extending hanger support surfaces upon which the hanger lips are supported.

A low-flexure molten metal distribution launder comprising:

• an elongated structural channel which extends longitudinally between opposite ends, the elongated channel having an unsupported length between its ends;
• a plurality of U-shaped refractory holders aligned along the elongated structural channel to form a refractory channel within the unsupported length of the elongated structural channel, each refractory holder being vertically supported within the elongated structural channel to allow longitudinal expansion and contraction of said refractory holder relative to the elongated structural channel, each refractory holder having walls which are spaced from the elongated structural channel to form an air space between the refractory holder walls and the elongated structural channel;
• a plurality of refractory liners received within the refractory holders to form a molten metal trough along the unsupported length of the elongated structural channel;
• and
• a plurality of downspouts which extend through the refractory liners from the molten metal trough to deliver molten metal from the molten metal trough.

A low-flexure molten metal distribution launder for distributing molten metal to a plurality of metal casting stations, comprising:

• an elongated structural channel which extends longitudinally between opposite ends, the elongated structural channel having an unsupported length for spanning metal casting stations;
• a plurality of metal level sensors which extend downward from the unsupported length of the elongated structural channel to measure molten metal levels in metal casting stations;
• a plurality of U-shaped refractory hangers received within the elongated structural channel to form a refractory channel along the unsupported length of the elongated structural channel, each refractory hanger having walls which are spaced from the elongated structural channel to form a heat-insulating region between the refractory hanger walls and the elongated structural channel, the refractory hangers being spaced from each other and being mounted within the elongated structural channel to allow longitudinal expansion and contraction of said refractory hangers relative to the elongated structural channel;
• a plurality of refractory liners received within the refractory hangers to form a molten metal trough along the unsupported length of the elongated structural channel;
• and
• a plurality of downspouts which extend through the refractory liners from the molten metal trough to deliver molten metal from the molten metal trough into casting stations.

A low-flexure molten metal distribution launder for distributing molten metal to a plurality of metal casting stations, comprising:

• an elongated structural beam which extends longitudinally between opposite ends, the elongated structural beam having an unsupported length for spanning metal casting stations, the elongated structural beam forming an upwardly-open beam channel along the unsupported length, the upwardly-open beam channel having a bottom wall and opposed sidewalls;
• a plurality of metal level sensors which extend downward from the unsupported length of the elongated structural beam to measure molten metal levels in metal casting stations;
• a plurality of spaced U-shaped refractory hangers received within the upwardly-open beam channel to form a refractory channel along the unsupported length of the elongated structural beam;
• each refractory hanger having a bottom wall which is spaced from the bottom wall of the upwardly-open beam channel, each refractory hanger having sidewalls which are spaced from the sidewalls of the upwardly-open beam channel;
• each refractory hanger having a medial portion along its longitudinal length which is securely positioned relative to the elongated structural beam, each refractory hanger having distal portions along its longitudinal length which are free to move longitudinally relative to the elongated structural beam;
• a plurality of refractory liners received within the refractory hangers to form a molten metal trough along the unsupported length of the elongated structural beam, wherein each refractory hanger spans at least one refractory hanger, the refractory liners having longitudinal ends which are positioned at central longitudinal positions within the refractory holders;
• and
• a plurality of downspouts which extend through the refractory liners from the molten metal trough to deliver molten metal from the molten metal trough into casting stations.