Bottom Pour Ladle and Method of Transferring Liquid Metal with Same
A bottom pour ladle device for transferring liquidus metal alloy from a crucible to a shot sleeve 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 metal alloy.
1 . A bottom pour ladle device for transferring liquidus metal from a crucible to a shot sleeve, the device comprising:
a bowl;
a snout disposed below the bowl, the snout being configured to fit into the shot sleeve, wherein a distal end of the snout is configured to reach a bottom portion of the shot sleeve;
an aperture at the distal end of the snout;
a stopper to close the aperture in response to being urged against the aperture;
an actuator to urge the stopper; and
a stopper rod to connect the stopper to the actuator, wherein the bowl, snout, and aperture are comprised of materials compatible with liquidus alloy.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquidus alloy is a liquidus magnesium alloy and wherein surfaces in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy are compatible with the liquidus magnesium alloy.
3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the surfaces in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy are comprised of stainless steel alloy Y06.
4 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lid to cover a top rim of the bowl.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater to impart heat into the liquidus metal, wherein the heater is disposed at the stopper rod and the bowl.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector to connect the device to a robotic system, the robotic system being configured to control the movement of the bottom pour ladle.
7 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an inert gas dispenser to dispense inert gas into the device.
8 . An apparatus for transferring liquidus alloy from a crucible to a shot sleeve, the apparatus comprising:
means for disposing a bottom pour ladle in the crucible, the bottom pour ladle having a bowl and a snout disposed below the bowl, the snout having an aperture at a distal end;
means for opening the aperture to allow an ingress of the liquidus alloy;
means for closing the aperture to retain the liquidus alloy;
means for disposing the distal end at a bottom portion of the shot sleeve;
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.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the liquidus alloy is a liquidus magnesium alloy and surfaces of the apparatus in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy are compatible with the liquidus magnesium alloy.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the surfaces of the apparatus in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy are comprised of stainless steel alloy Y06.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for heating a stopper rod to impart heat into the alloy, the stopper rod having a stopper end and an actuator end, the stopper end including a stopper being configured to mate with the aperture, the actuator end being affixed to an actuator.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for urging the stopper towards the aperture to close the aperture.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for heating the bowl to impart heat into the magnesium alloy.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for dispensing an inert gas into the bowl.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for opening a lid in conjunction with opening the aperture, wherein the lid is configured to cover a top rim of the bowl.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
means for closing the lid in conjunction with closing the aperture.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
means for connecting the bottom pour ladle to a robotic system, the robotic system being configured to control the movement of the bottom pour ladle.
18 . A method of transferring liquidus alloy from a crucible to a shot sleeve, the method comprising steps of:
disposing a bottom pour ladle in the crucible, the bottom pour ladle having a bowl and a snout disposed below the bowl, the snout having an aperture at a distal end;
opening the aperture to allow an ingress of liquidus alloy;
closing the aperture to retain the liquidus alloy;
disposing the distal end at a bottom portion of the shot sleeve;
opening the aperture to allow the liquidus alloy to flow into the shot sleeve; and
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.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the liquidus alloy is a liquidus magnesium alloy and the bottom pour ladle includes surfaces in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy that are compatible with the liquidus magnesium alloy.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the surfaces of the bottom pour ladle in contact with the liquidus magnesium alloy are comprised of stainless steel alloy Y06.
21 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
heating a stopper rod to impart heat into the magnesium alloy, the stopper rod having a stopper end and an actuator end, the stopper end including a stopper being configured to mate with the aperture, the actuator end being affixed to an actuator.
22 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
urging the stopper towards the aperture to close the aperture.
23 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
heating the bowl to impart heat into the magnesium alloy.
24 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
dispensing an inert gas into the bowl.
25 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
opening a lid in conjunction with opening the aperture, wherein the lid is configured to cover a top rim of the bowl.
26 . The method according to claim 25 , further comprising:
closing the lid in conjunction with closing the aperture.
27 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
connecting the bottom pour ladle to a robotic system, the robotic system being configured to control the movement of the bottom pour ladle.