A sliding closure (10) at the outlet of a metallurgic container is provided with a housing (12), at least one closing plate arranged therein, a longitudinally displaceable closing plate and a cover (15), fastened to the housing (12) by means of a bracing mechanism (20). The closing plates can be pressed against one another by the bracing mechanism (20) via the cover (15). The bracing mechanism (20) having at least one spring member (33) is provided with clamping levers (21, 22) pivotably housed on either side at the housing (12) and supports (23, 24) which cooperate with same, with the result that, by pivoting these clamping levers (21, 22), the cover (15) can be fastened to, or released from, the housing. In this way, the closing plates, which often need to be exchanged, can also be braced, always uniformly and optimally, against one another, even after many operational uses.

Provided are a plate holding device, a plate detaching apparatus, a plate attaching apparatus and a plate attaching-detaching apparatus which are capable of reliably attaching and/or detaching a plate with respect to a plate-receiving metal frame. The plate holding device comprises: a plurality of holding members for holding a plate for a sliding nozzle device; widening and narrowing mechanisms to selectively widen and narrow a distance between the holding members; a pressing unit for pressing a central region of the plate when the plate is held by the holding members; and a force sensor for detecting a force received by the holding members and/or the pressing unit from the held plate. The plate holding device is configured to be mounted to a distal end of a robot arm.

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.

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.

Slide closure for a metallurgical vessel, with two compensation units I and II for equalizing overloads, which may result from the thermal extension and spreading of the fire-proof closure plate thicknesses conditional on manufacturing, and/or from the upper inner shell, wherein the inner shell can also be reduced during operation. The compensation unit I consists of a spring arrangement with fastening screws which can be moved away between the housing and a cover of the housing. The compensation unit II consists, for its part, of a spring arrangement with an insertion frame pressing against the lower closure plate, which insertion frame is fixed to the bottom of the housing with fastening screws.

Slide closure for a metallurgical vessel, with two compensation units I and II for equalizing overloads, which may result from the thermal extension and spreading of the fire-proof closure plate thicknesses conditional on manufacturing, and/or from the upper inner shell, wherein the inner shell can also be reduced during operation. The compensation unit I consists of a spring arrangement with fastening screws which can be moved away between the housing and a cover of the housing. The compensation unit II consists, for its part, of a spring arrangement with an insertion frame pressing against the lower closure plate, which insertion frame is fixed to the bottom of the housing with fastening screws.

Slide gate for a metallurgical vessel, in particular a ladle, including a slide gate housing attachable to a metallurgical vessel, a head plate accommodated in the slide gate housing and having a passage opening for a metallic melt, a slide frame mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be displaceable in a direction relative to the head plate, and a slide plate accommodated in the slide frame and having a passage opening, characterized in that a device for compensating the contact pressure of the slide plate against the head plate is arranged between the slide gate housing and the slide frame, wherein the compensating device includes at least one carrier body mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation, and at least one spring element, via which the carrier body is coupled to the slide frame.

Slide gate for a metallurgical vessel, in particular a ladle, including a slide gate housing attachable to a metallurgical vessel, a head plate accommodated in the slide gate housing and having a passage opening for a metallic melt, a slide frame mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be displaceable in a direction relative to the head plate, and a slide plate accommodated in the slide frame and having a passage opening, characterized in that a device for compensating the contact pressure of the slide plate against the head plate is arranged between the slide gate housing and the slide frame, wherein the compensating device includes at least one carrier body mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation, and at least one spring element, via which the carrier body is coupled to the slide frame.

A gate valve system includes a base plate and a gate valve plate, a casting plant includes the gate valve system, and a casting process manufactures workpieces, particularly from metal materials. The base plate has an opening and the gate valve plate has a first opening and at least a second opening. The separating gate valve system is set up so that the separating gate valve system can be brought into casting, pressing, and closure positions. In the casting position, the first opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; in the pressing position, the second opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; and in the closure position, the gate valve plate closes off the opening of the base plate.

A gate valve system includes a base plate and a gate valve plate, a casting plant includes the gate valve system, and a casting process manufactures workpieces, particularly from metal materials. The base plate has an opening and the gate valve plate has a first opening and at least a second opening. The separating gate valve system is set up so that the separating gate valve system can be brought into casting, pressing, and closure positions. In the casting position, the first opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; in the pressing position, the second opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; and in the closure position, the gate valve plate closes off the opening of the base plate.