Electromagnetic levitation type continuous metal casting apparatus

In an electromagnetic levitation continuous metal casting apparatus including a molten metal storing furnace for holding and storing a molten metal;

• a casting vessel for upwardly receiving and holding said molten metal in the form of an upwardly moving molten metal column;
• cooling means adjacent to and in heat exchange relationship with said casting vessel and disposed around the outer periphery thereof for cooling and solidifying said upwardly moving molten metal column;
• alternating electromagnetic levitation and containment field generation means adjacent to and disposed around the outer periphery of said casting vessel for generating an alternating electromagnetic levitation and containment field, said alternating electromagnetic levitation and containment field serving to electromagnetically levitate and contain said upwardly moving molten metal column within said casting vessel;
• the improvement comprising:
• a tube-shaped molten metal supply path for supplying said molten metal to be cast from said molten metal storing furnace to said casting vessel, said tube-shaped molten metal supply path having:
• (a) a horizontal section extending from said molten metal storing furnace,
• (b) a vertical section disposed for upwardly supplying said molten metal into said casting vessel,
• (c) a bend section intermediate said horizontal and vertical sections, and
• (d) an appendix section having a predetermined length disposed on the side of said bend section opposite said horizontal section;
• first high frequency electromagnetic heating means disposed on the outer periphery of said horizontal and vertical sections of said tube-shaped molten metal supply path;
• and
• second, independent high frequency electromagnetic heating means disposed on the outer periphery of and along said length of said appendix section, said length of said appendix section predetermined to permit said second high frequency electromagnetic heating means to heat said bend section and to maintain the temperature of molten metal flowing through said bend section above its solidification temperature.