US3367189A - Apparatus for preparing metal test samples from molten metal baths - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1968 w. J. CURRY, JR

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING METAL TE ST SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL BATHS Filed June 24, 1965 ll lll IIHIHI Fig. I

Fig.4

v INVEN TOR. William J. Curry, Jr

H/S ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,367,189 APPARATUS FOR PREPARING METAL TEST SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL BATHS William J. Curry, Jr., Johnstown, Pa., assignor t0 Hiram Swanks Sons, Johnstown, Pa. Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,733 7 Claims. (Cl. 73425.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A molten metal sampling apparatus having an elongated hollow body of refractory material secured at one end to a handle and having a filling passageway in a side of the body for the fiow of molten metal to fill the body which is the desired size of the sample to be taken and which may contain a chilling plug.

For many years it has been the custom in the steel and other metal industries to obtain samples of molten metal during processing for testing and analysis of physical and chemical properties. An operator has dipped a hand ladle into a molten bath or molten metal has been poured into a hand ladle, following which the molten metal in the ladle has been poured into molds of the desired size and shape, which, when air cooled, produced samples of the desired size and shape for chemical and physical analysis, particularly physical analysis.

I have invented method and apparatus whereby this sampling operation is completed more quickly than has heretofore been the practice. My invention is useful whenever it is important that test samples be obtained quickly, and it is, therefore, particularly useful in obtaining samples from basic oxygen furnaces.

Broadly described, my invention comprises the use of a mold of refractory material which is secured to the end of a handle so that it can be dipped into a bath of molten metal and which, when mounted on the end of a handle, is a closed hollow body having a filling passageway through which molten metal will flow to fill the body when it is dipped into a molten metal bath.

The mold is dipped into a bath filled with molten metal. The metal flows into the mold and solidifies within the mold while the mold is in the bath. After the mold has been filled, it is withdrawn and broken to free the solidified metal. The interior of the mold has the desired size and shape of a sample to be used for testing so that a sample is immediately available when the refractory mold is broken.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated certain presently preferred embodiments of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a mold embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the mold shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side View of a handle used to maneuver the mold shown in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of mold embodying my invention;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the mold shown in FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial longitudinal section of a handle to be secured to the mold shown in FIGURE 4 and of the mold together with a key for joining the handle and the mold.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the apparatus which I have invented for preparing metal test samples comprises a mold in the form of a hollow body 7 of refractory material, for example, refractory clay, which is preferably in the form of an elongated hollow cylinder 3,367,189 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 closed at one end 8 and open at the other end 9. The interior 10 of the mold body has the size and shape of a test sample which is to be obtained.

The open end 9 has longitudinally extending slots 11 and inner circumferentially extending slots 12 which form bayonet slots whereby a handle 13 (see FIGURE 3) may be secured to the open end of the mold. As shown in FIGURE 3, the handle 13 has an end portion 14 which has a diameter the same as the interior 10 of the mold and an elongated handle portion 15. The end portion 14 of the handle has bayonet lugs 16 which cooperate with the slots 11 and 12 to form a bayonet joint whereby the handle is secured to the open end 9 of the mold 7. An end portion 14a of the enlarged portion 14 extends forwardly of the lugs 16 and has a beveled edge 14b to facilitate positioning of the portion 14 within the mold 7. The end portion also assists in closing the open end 9 by the handle when the bayonet lugs 16 are inserted into the slots 11, and the handle is turned so that the lugs 16 slide in the slots 12 to secure the handle to the mold 7.

The mold has in its side an access passageway 17 through which molten metal will flow into the interior 10 of the mold when the mold is dipped into a bath of molten metal as is later described.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of mold embodying my invention. The mold 18 is in the form of an elongated hollow cylindrical body of refractory material having an interior 19 which has the size and shape of the test samples to be taken from the bath. A filling passageway 20 is in the side of the mold for the flow of molten metal from the bath into the interior 19 when the mold is dipped into a bath. As shown by the dotted lines 20a in FIGURE 4, the passageway is sloped toward the handle at an angle of approximately degrees with the central axis of the mold to facilitate the flow of molten metal into the mold.

The mold has a closed end 21 and an open end 22. The open end 22 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the interior 19 of the mold to form a shoulder 23. A handle for maneuvering the mold is secured to the open end 22, and when in position, holds a cylindrical plug 24 of refractory material against the shoulder 23 to close the interior 19 of the mold.

Referring to FIGURE 6, a handle 25 has an enlarged end 26 of a diameter to fit closely within the open end 22 of the mold. The enlarged end has a diametrically extending passageway 27 through which a pin 28 is passed after the enlarged end 26 has been inserted in the open end 22 of the mold. This pin 28 extends into two diametri cally opposed openings 29 in the sides of the open end 22 and thereby secures the handle to the mold, and a portion 30 of enlarged portion 26 which is forward of the pin 28 holds the plug 24 against the shoulder 23 of the mold. The pin 28 extends only part way into the passageway 29 and the ends of the pins are covered with high temperature cement 28a to hold the pin in position and prevent metal in the bath from adhering to the ends of the pins.

To obtain a test sample, an operator secures a mold to a handle and dips the mold into the molten bath. The mold may be dipped vertically into the moi-ten bath or it can be immersed at an angle to the vertical. When the mold is dipped into the bath at an angle, the filling passageway is positioned vertically, and the end of the handle can be bent at an angle of degrees to give an indication of the test mold position. If the metal bath has a slag covering, the mold may be turned to point the filling passageway downwardly while the mold is being passed through the slag and then again turned so that the passageway extends upwardly.

Because the mold is made of refractory material, the

temperature of the inside of the mold is considerably below the temperature of the molten bath, when the mold is inserted in the bath, and therefore the molten metal being sampled solidifies almost instantly upon entry into the mold. When the mold has been filled it is withdrawn from the bath, and it can be immediately broken to produce a test sample having the size and shape desired for chemical and physical analysis and testing.

In order to expedite the chilling of the molten metal which flows into the mold, I may provide a cylindrical copper plug 31 which is placed adjacent the closed end 21 of the mold as shown in FIGURE 4. To further expedite chilling of the metal, I may make the ceramic plug 24 also of copper.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have invented method and apparatus for preparing test samples from molten metal baths which produce the samples much more quickly than has heretofore been done. In a single operation, test samples are prepared which have the desired size and shape for physical testing and which also can be used for chemical analysis. The molds are readily attached to a handle whereby they can be dipped into a molten bath, and they can be manufactured at low cost so that their breaking to free the test samples constitutes only a very small part of the cost of the entire test procedure.

While I have described certain presently preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that they may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for preparing metal test samples from molten metal baths which comprises,

(A) an elongated hollow body of non metallic refractory material closed at one end, and open at the other end,

(B) a handle for maneuvering the body into and out of metal baths,

(C) means at the open end of said body for securing the handle to the body, the handle extending into the open end to close it, and

(D) a filling passageway in a side of the body and between the ends of the body for the flow of molten metal into the body when it is dipped into a bath of said metal.

2. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 in which the means for securing the handle to the body comprises bayonet slots in the body and bayonet lugs on the handle, the slots and lugs cooperating to complete a bayonet joint and the end of the handle closing the open end of the body.

3. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 in which the means for securing the handle to the body comprises diametrically opposed openings in the sides of the body adjacent said open end, a transverse opening in the handle, and a pin extending through the opening in the handle and into the openings in the sides of the body when all openings are axially aligned.

4. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 and having a refractory plug positioned at the end of the handle for closing the open end of said body.

5. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 and having a copper plug positioned at the end of the handle for closing the open end of said body.

6. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 and having a copper plug positioned adjacent the closed end of said body for chilling molten metal entering said body when it is dipped into a molten bath.

7. Apparatus for preparing metal samples as described in claim 1 in which the interior of the elongated hollow body conforms in size and shape to the desired test sample.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 95,643 10/1869 Brunner.

1,387,293 8/1921 Morse 164-132 1,972,945 9/1934 Nilson 164120 2,583,008 1/1952 Olsen 164l08 X 3,221,559 12/1965 Miller l64-4 X 3,313,159 4/ 1967 Vanderbeck. 3,267,732 8/1966 Hance 73-359 3,298,069 1/1967 Acre 164--335 160,416 3/1875 Furst 73-425.2 1,168,486 l/1916 Des Isles 73-425.2 2,896,444 7/1959 Forman et al.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

V. RISING, Assistant Examiner.

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