Bottom pour ladle and method of transferring liquid metal with same

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/017,073, filed on Dec. 27, 2007, titled “BOTTOM POUR LADLE AND METHOD OF TRANSFERRING LIQUID METAL WITH SAME,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates generally to a bottom pour ladle device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bottom pour ladle device and method for transferring liquid metal with same.

In the casting industry, a supply of liquid metal is maintained at liquidus temperatures in a crucible or reservoir. Depending upon the particular method of casting, this liquidus metal is transferred from the crucible to a mold for casting an item. Certain automobile components are typically made via cast methods such as high pressure die casting (“HPDC”) or squeeze casting. In such high pressure devices, the liquidus metal is generally transferred to a hydraulic press or shot sleeve that injects the liquidus metal into the mold at high pressures.

Conventionally, a ladle may be used to dip into the crucible and retrieve a measure of liquidus metal that is then poured into the shot sleeve. Unfortunately, conventional ladles include elements that are not compatible with some alloys. In addition, these convention ladles are not capable of transferring liquidus metals without causing a great deal of turbulence. In some relatively reactive alloys, this turbulence may cause the formation of oxides or other such impurities that in turn adversely affect the quality of the casting.

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in some embodiments a bottom pour ladle and method for transferring liquidus magnesium alloy are provided.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a bottom pour ladle device for transferring liquidus metal from a crucible to a shot sleeve. The device includes a bowl, snout, aperture, stopper, actuator, and stopper rod. The snout is disposed below the bowl and is configured to fit into the shot sleeve. A distal end of the snout is configured to reach a bottom portion of the shot sleeve. The aperture is at the distal end of the snout. The stopper is to close the aperture in response to being urged against the aperture. The actuator is to urge the stopper. The stopper rod is to connect the stopper to the actuator. The bowl, snout, and aperture are comprised of materials compatible with liquidus alloy.

Another embodiment of the present invention pertains to an apparatus for transferring liquidus alloy from a crucible to a shot sleeve. The apparatus includes a means for disposing a bottom pour ladle in the crucible. The bottom pour ladle has a bowl and a snout disposed below the bowl. The snout has an aperture at a distal end. The apparatus includes a means for opening the aperture to allow an ingress of liquidus alloy, means for closing the aperture to retain the liquidus alloy, and means for disposing the distal end at a bottom portion of the shot sleeve. In addition, the apparatus includes a means for opening the aperture to allow the liquidus alloy to flow into the shot sleeve and means for raising the bottom pour ladle, wherein the aperture is raised at a rate coinciding with a rate the shot sleeve fills with liquidus alloy and the aperture is controlled to remain relatively below a fill level of the shot sleeve.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of transferring liquidus alloy from a crucible to a shot sleeve. In this method, a bottom pour ladle is disposed in the crucible. The bottom pour ladle has a bowl and a snout disposed below the bowl. The snout has an aperture at a distal end. In addition, the aperture is opened to allow an ingress of liquidus alloy, the aperture is closed to retain the liquidus alloy, and the distal end is disposed at a bottom portion of the shot sleeve. Furthermore, the aperture is opened to allow the liquidus alloy to flow into the shot sleeve and the bottom pour ladle is raised. The aperture is raised at a rate coinciding with a rate the shot sleeve fills with liquidus alloy and the aperture is controlled to remain relatively below a fill level of the shot sleeve.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified view of a horizontal vertical squeeze casting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified view of the horizontal vertical squeeze casting apparatus during a shot sleeve filling operation.

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