Method of making long ingots (cutting in furnace)

1. A method comprising the steps of:

forming a metal casting within an inert gas atmosphere of a furnace interior chamber with a continuous casting mold disposed in the furnace interior chamber; and

cutting the metal casting with a cutter in the furnace interior chamber to form an unfinished metal ingot in the furnace interior chamber and a finished metal ingot which is in the furnace interior chamber downstream of the unfinished ingot; wherein the step of cutting creates cuttings; and

further comprising the step of moving the metal casting through an annular barrier which is downstream of the cutter and which engages or lies adjacent an outer perimeter of the metal casting to prevent the cuttings from falling past the barrier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the barrier prevents the cuttings from falling onto an isolation valve.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the barrier prevents the cuttings from falling onto an ingot lift which engages and lowers the finished ingot.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the furnace interior chamber comprises first and second interior chambers which are in fluid communication with one another;

further comprising the step of moving the finished ingot downstream from the first interior chamber into the second interior chamber; and

wherein the barrier prevents the cuttings from falling into the second interior chamber.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of moving the metal casting through an additional annular barrier which is upstream of the cutter and which engages or lies adjacent an outer perimeter of the metal casting to prevent dust from moving upstream of the barrier.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of engaging the metal casting with a plurality of rollers within a roller space of the furnace interior chamber; wherein the barrier prevents dust from moving upstream into the roller space.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the mold is disposed within a melting space of the furnace interior chamber; and the barrier prevents dust from moving upstream into the melting space.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of

moving the finished metal ingot from a first chamber of the furnace interior chamber into a second chamber of the furnace interior chamber;

closing communication between the first and second chambers; and

removing the finished ingot from the second chamber.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of disconnecting the second chamber from the first chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of lowering the second chamber relative to the first chamber.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of moving the second chamber from a receiving position at which the second chamber receives the finished ingot from the first chamber to a withdrawal position at which the step of removing occurs.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first chamber has an exit opening;

the second chamber has an entrance opening which is aligned with and adjacent the exit opening in the receiving position; and

the entrance opening is distal the exit opening in the withdrawal position.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising, after the step of removing, the steps of

evacuating the second chamber;

backfilling the second chamber with inert gas; and

opening communication between the first and second chambers.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of heating or cooling the metal casting with a temperature control assembly adjacent the cutter.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of clamping the metal casting with a clamp adjacent the cutter.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of

moving the finished metal ingot from a first chamber of the furnace interior chamber into a second chamber of the furnace interior chamber through an entrance opening of the second chamber; and

removing the finished ingot from the second chamber through the entrance opening into atmosphere external to the first and second chambers.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises one of (a) a plasma torch; and (b) a frame with a rigid cutting member movably mounted on the frame.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming comprises the step of melting metal in a hearth with a plasma torch and pouring molten metal from the hearth into the mold.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of engaging the metal casting with a plurality of rollers in the furnace interior chamber.