Slotted casting spout with bottom control pin

Abstract

A metal delivery system for a casting system includes a spout having a spout passageway extending through the spout with an elongated slot as a bottom orifice. A bottom control pin is positionable within the spout and is movable between a closed position and an open position. In certain aspects, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages a portion of a surface of the passageway proximate to the bottom orifice.

1 . A metal delivery system for a casting system, the metal delivery system comprising:
 a spout comprising:
 a top end comprising a top orifice; 
 a bottom end comprising a bottom orifice, wherein the bottom orifice is an elongated slot; and 
 a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice and comprising a passageway surface; and 
   a bottom control pin positionable within the spout passageway and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages a portion of the passageway surface proximate to the bottom orifice.   
     
     
         2 . The metal delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom control pin comprises a pin end, wherein, in the closed position, a portion of the bottom control pin extends through the bottom orifice and the pin end is external to the spout passageway, and wherein, in the open position, the pin end is within the spout passageway. 
     
     
         3 . The metal delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein, in the open position, the bottom control pin is spaced apart from the passageway surface such that a flow path is defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice, and wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin is engaged with the portion of the passageway surface such that the flow path is not defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. 
     
     
         4 . The metal delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein a transverse dimension of the portion of the passageway surface is less than a transverse dimension of at least one of the bottom orifice or the top orifice. 
     
     
         5 . The metal delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the passageway surface comprises a non-linear cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         6 . The metal delivery system of  claim 5 , wherein the portion of the passageway surface is a first portion, wherein the passageway surface comprises a second portion between the first portion and the top orifice, and wherein the second portion comprises a linear cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         7 . The metal delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom control pin comprises:
 a top end;   a bottom end opposite from the top end;   a first portion between the top end and the bottom end; and   a second portion between the first portion and the bottom end,   wherein a transverse dimension of the second portion is less than a transverse dimension of the first portion, and   wherein the bottom control pin is positionable within the spout passageway such that the bottom end of the bottom control pin is more proximate to the bottom end of the spout than the top end of the bottom control pin.   
     
     
         8 . The metal delivery system of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom control pin further comprises a transition portion between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the transition portion is configured to engage the portion of the passageway surface in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . A metal delivery system for a casting system, the metal delivery system comprising a spout comprising:
 a top end comprising a top orifice;   a bottom end comprising a bottom orifice; and   a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice and comprising a passageway surface, wherein a transverse dimension of a portion of the spout passageway between the top orifice and the bottom orifice is less than a transverse dimension of the top orifice and is less than a transverse dimension of the bottom orifice.   
     
     
         10 . The metal delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom orifice is an elongated slot. 
     
     
         11 . The metal delivery system of  claim 9 , further comprising a bottom control pin positionable within the spout passageway and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages the portion of the passageway surface. 
     
     
         12 . The metal delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the bottom control pin comprises a pin end, and wherein, in the closed position, a portion of the bottom control pin extends through the bottom orifice and the pin end is external to the spout passageway, and wherein, in the open position, the pin end is within the spout passageway. 
     
     
         13 . The metal delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein, in the open position, the bottom control pin is spaced apart from the passageway surface such that a flow path is defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice, and wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin is engaged with the portion of the passageway surface such that the flow path is not defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. 
     
     
         14 . The metal delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the portion of the passageway surface comprises a non-linear cross-sectional profile, wherein the portion of the passageway surface is a first portion, wherein the passageway surface comprises a second portion between the first portion and the top orifice, and wherein the second portion comprises a linear cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         15 . A metal delivery system for a casting system, the metal delivery system comprising:
 a spout comprising:   a top end comprising a top orifice;   a bottom end comprising a bottom orifice, wherein the bottom orifice is a slot; and   a spout passageway extending through the spout from the top orifice to the bottom orifice; and   a bottom control pin comprising a pin end, wherein the bottom control pin is positionable within the spout passageway and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the open position, the pin end is within the spout passageway, and wherein, in the closed position, at least a portion of the bottom control pin extends through the bottom orifice and the pin end is external to the spout passageway.   
     
     
         16 . The metal delivery system of  claim 15 , wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin engages a portion of the passageway surface proximate to the bottom orifice. 
     
     
         17 . The metal delivery system of  claim 16 , wherein, in the open position, the bottom control pin is spaced apart from the passageway surface such that a flow path is defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice, and wherein, in the closed position, the bottom control pin is engaged with the portion of the passageway surface such that the flow path is not defined from the top orifice to the bottom orifice. 
     
     
         18 . The metal delivery system of  claim 16 , wherein the portion of the passageway surface comprises a non-linear cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         19 . The metal delivery system of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom control pin further comprises:
 a top end opposite from the pin end;   a first portion between the top end and the pin end; and   a second portion between the first portion and the pin end,   wherein a transverse dimension of the second portion is less than a transverse dimension of the first portion, and   wherein the bottom control pin is positionable within the spout passageway such that the pin end of the bottom control pin is more proximate to the bottom end of the spout than the top end of the bottom control pin.   
     
     
         20 . The metal delivery system of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom control pin further comprises a transition portion between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the transition portion is configured to engage a portion of the passageway surface in the closed position.