초록 ▼

A baffle retard the transfer of heat from a mold structure to a chill plate during casting of molten metal. The baffle includes a circular support portion and a plurality of flexible segments which extend from the support portion. Each of the segments is engageable with an irregular side portion of

A baffle retard the transfer of heat from a mold structure to a chill plate during casting of molten metal. The baffle includes a circular support portion and a plurality of flexible segments which extend from the support portion. Each of the segments is engageable with an irregular side portion of the mold structure. During a casting operation, the chill plate and mold structure are lowered from a furnace chamber. As they are lowered, the baffle is maintained in engagement with an irregular side portion of the mold structure until the irregular side portion moves below the baffle. To maintain the baffle in engagement with the irregular side portion of the mold structure during lowering of the mold structure, the flexible segments of the baffle resiliently flex toward and away from the central axis of the baffle. The flexible segments of the baffle may advantageously be formed of a graphite foil.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for use during casting of molten metal in a mold structure having an irregular side portion, said apparatus comprising furnace means for transmitting heat to the mold structure, movable chill plate means for receiving heat during casting and for supporting the mold structure, baffle mea

An apparatus for use during casting of molten metal in a mold structure having an irregular side portion, said apparatus comprising furnace means for transmitting heat to the mold structure, movable chill plate means for receiving heat during casting and for supporting the mold structure, baffle means for retarding the transfer of heat from the mold structure, and means for moving said chill plate means and mold structure relative to said furnace means between a raised position in which the mold structure is disposed in said furnace means and a lowered position in which the mold structure is at least partially outside of said furnace means, said baffle means being disposed adjacent to said chill plate means and a lower end portion of the mold structure when said chill plate means is in the raised position, said baffle means being disposed adjacent to an upper end portion of the mold structure when said chill plate means is in the lowered position, said baffle means including a circular support portion and a plurality of flexible segments which extend from said support portion, each of said segments having an end portion which is spaced from said support portion of said baffle means and which is separate from the end portions of adjacent segments, said end portions of at least some of said segments being engageable with the irregular side portion of the mold structure to retard the transfer of heat through said baffle means, said segments being movable relative to the irregular side portion of the mold structure and relative to adjacent segments during relative movement between the mold structure and said baffle means to enable said end portions of at least some of said segments to engage the irregular side portion of the mold structure during relative movement between said baffle means and the mold structure. A method of casting using a mold structure having an irregular side portion which extends between upper and lower end portions of the mold structure, said method comprising the steps of supporting the mold structure on a chill plate, flowing molten metal into an article mold cavity in the mold structure, retarding the transfer of heat from the mold structure with a baffle disposed adjacent to the lower end portion of the mold structure, said baffle including a circular support portion and a plurality of flexible segments extending from said support portion, thereafter, lowering the chill plate and mold structure relative to the baffle through a distance which is greater than the vertical height of the article mold cavity, engaging the irregular side portion of the mold structure with the flexible segments of the baffle, and maintaining the flexible segments of the baffle in engagement with the irregular side portion of the mold structure while the mold structure is lowered through a distance which is at least substantially as great as the vertical height of the article mold cavity.