Withdrawal elevator mechanism for withdrawal furnace with a center cooling spool to produce DS/SC turbine airfoils

A casting apparatus, comprising:

• a substantially stationary, mold heating chamber having an open lower end and having a periphery;
• a chill plate having a peripheral region for supporting a mold assembly comprised of casting molds on the chill plate, the chill plate having an aperture therethrough surrounded by the peripheral region, the plate being movable vertically through the lower end of the heating chamber, the plate being selectively positionable so that the casting molds on the chill plate are disposed substantially within the heating chamber and are movable to withdraw the casting molds out of the heating chamber;
• an inner cooling spool shaped to be moved vertically through the aperture of the chill plate and into the heating chamber;
• a first actuator for supporting and vertically displacing the chill plate and the mold assembly with respect to the heating chamber;
• and
• a second actuator for supporting and vertically displacing the inner cooling spool with respect to the heating chamber.