Slide closure unit on the spout of a metallurgical vessel, preferably a copper-anode furnace, includes a housing in which refractory closure plates, as well as at least one connecting refractory inner casing, are arranged. A removable induction heater is provided, having at least one induction coil surrounding the refractory inner casing outside of the housing. In this way, it is possible to constantly keep the melt located in the outlet channel of the spout sufficiently warm so that it does not freeze before and/or during the pouring of the melt, or that any frozen metal and/or slag can be melted in the spout.

Slide closure unit on the spout of a metallurgical vessel, preferably a copper-anode furnace, includes a housing in which refractory closure plates, as well as at least one connecting refractory inner casing, are arranged. A removable induction heater is provided, having at least one induction coil surrounding the refractory inner casing outside of the housing. In this way, it is possible to constantly keep the melt located in the outlet channel of the spout sufficiently warm so that it does not freeze before and/or during the pouring of the melt, or that any frozen metal and/or slag can be melted in the spout.

A sliding gate for a vessel containing molten metal is provided with a slide housing (1), a slide unit guided longitudinally therein and having a push rod (2), a mounting (5) and a linear drive (6), which is removably fastened in the latter and has a drive rod (4). This drive rod (4) can be connected to the push rod (2) of the slide unit by a coupling (3). The coupling (3) is designed in such a way that, when the linear drive (6) has been pushed into the mounting (5), it automatically couples by a movement of the drive rod (4) towards the slide unit, while it uncouples when the linear drive (6) is removed from the mounting (5), transversely in relation to the direction of movement of the drive rod (4). A locking device (7), which can be actuated by the linear drive (6) and interacts with the mounting (5) is provided here, by means of which the linear drive (6) after being pushed into the mounting (5) can be fixed in the latter and can be unlocked again before it is removed.

With a method for detecting variables in an outlet of a metallurgical vessel, different variables in the outlet are detected or measured by at least one coil surrounding the outlet channel and/or an induction coil of an induction heater as a monitoring system, wherein the variables relate to the slag portion when pouring out the metal melt, wear condition of refractory parts in the outlet channel, the solidified metal melt, flow rate and/or plugging mass in the outlet channel. After evaluation, a closure element for the outlet is actuated, heating of the metal in the outlet channel is activated and/or renewal of the outlet channel is triggered. In this way, optimum operation in the pouring of metal melt out of a vessel is simply achieved, wherein occurrence of irregularities are detected during the entire pouring, and pouring out of slag can be successfully prevented at the end of the pouring.

A mounting device capable of smoothly mounting a drive unit being in a hanging state to a sliding nozzle device, using a manipulator. The mounting device is mounted to a distal end of a manipulator to mount a drive unit whose upper end is connected to a suspending device, to a holder of a sliding nozzle device. The mounting device includes: a holding part for holding an upper portion or central portion (to-be-held plate) of the drive unit; and a contact part which is contactable with a lower portion (to-be-contacted part) of the drive unit when mounting the drive unit to the holder.

A vibratory system and method for use in transferring molten metal. The vibratory system includes a vibrator which generates vibrational energy used to dislodge particulate positioned in a ladle for storing molten metal in an industrial molten metal transfer and manufacturing process. In one example, the vibratory system includes a transfer device for guiding the molten metal from the ladle and the vibrator is connected to the transfer device. In an example of a method for dislodging the particulate from the ladle, particulate is added to the ladle and vibrational energy is applied or transferred to the ladle to dislodge the particulate from the ladle allowing a flow of the molten metal to exit the ladle unobstructed by the particulate.

Method for automatically replacing the spout nozzle of a slide closure with a robot for manipulating the slide closure with an appropriate apparatus, the spout nozzle being able to be clamped against the slide plate of the slide closure by a carrying ring that can be released by turning. During the changing procedure, the carrying ring is turned with a defined torque, by means of which the new spout nozzle is clamped with a likewise defined tension force against the slide plate. In this way, operational reliability of the slide closure is guaranteed, independently of any tolerance and other deviations. The apparatus for implementing the method includes a gripping lance with clamping jaws for manipulating the spout nozzle and a gripping ring with catches for manipulating the carrying ring. The gripping ring can be actuated by a hydraulic rotation cylinder. A pneumatic cylinder is used to actuate the gripping lance.

Method for automatically replacing the spout nozzle of a slide closure with a robot for manipulating the slide closure with an appropriate apparatus, the spout nozzle being able to be clamped against the slide plate of the slide closure by a carrying ring that can be released by turning. During the changing procedure, the carrying ring is turned with a defined torque, by means of which the new spout nozzle is clamped with a likewise defined tension force against the slide plate. In this way, operational reliability of the slide closure is guaranteed, independently of any tolerance and other deviations. The apparatus for implementing the method includes a gripping lance with clamping jaws for manipulating the spout nozzle and a gripping ring with catches for manipulating the carrying ring. The gripping ring can be actuated by a hydraulic rotation cylinder. A pneumatic cylinder is used to actuate the gripping lance.

A refractory sliding gate valve plate has a planar upper surface and a planar lower surface parallel to the planar upper surface. A connecting outer surface connects the upper surface to the lower surface, and a pouring channel fluidly connects the upper surface to the lower surface. Specified ratios of length between (a) specified longitudinal segments extending from the axis of symmetry of the pouring channel to the perimeter on the upper surface and the lower surface of the plate, respectively, and also between (b) specified latitudinal segments extending from the axis of symmetry of the pouring channel to the perimeter on the upper surface and the lower surface of the plate, respectively, increase the uniformity of thrust force applied to the plates and the contact area between the upper surfaces of two such plates within a valve.

Slide closure unit on the spout of a metallurgical vessel, preferably a copper-anode furnace, includes a housing in which refractory closure plates, as well as at least one connecting refractory inner casing, are arranged. A removable induction heater is provided, having at least one induction coil surrounding the refractory inner casing outside of the housing. In this way, it is possible to constantly keep the melt located in the outlet channel of the spout sufficiently warm so that it does not freeze before and/or during the pouring of the melt, or that any frozen metal and/or slag can be melted in the spout.