Ladles

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR USE IN PROCESSING METALS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A LADLE HAVING A BASE AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALLS SECURED TO SAID BASE AND DISPOSED TO FORM A RESERVOIR FOR RECEIVING A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN METAL THEREIN, AN OUTLET NOZZLE SECURED IN SAID BASE TO PROVIDE A PASSAGEWAY FOR THE MOLTEN METAL THERETHROUGH AND A STOPPER ROD ASSEMBLY DISPOSED FOR SEATING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN A PORTION OF THE OUTLET NOZZLE, SAID STOPPER ROD ASSEMBLY BEING FORMED OF A SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID STOPPER ROD PIN TERMINATING IN A TAIL FLANGE, A STOPPER HAVING A CENTRAL BORE THERETHROUGH, THE LOWER PORTION OF WHICH HAS A DIAMETER SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE TAIL FLANGE AND DISPOSED TO RECEIVE AND BE CARRIED IN FLUID TIGHT SEALING ENGAGEMENT ON SAID TAIL LANGE, AND A PLURALITY OF HEAT INSULATING SLEEVES DISPOSED IN SEATING ENGAGEMENT ON THE STOPPER, SAID STOPPER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING PASSAGEWAYS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION ABOUT THE STOPPER AND EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE STOPPER INWARDLY TO AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CENTRAL BORE OF THE STOPPER AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW THE TAIL FLANGE, POROUS REFRACTORY MATERIAL IMPERVIOUS TO THE FLOW OF MOLTEN METAL THERETHROUGH DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS, A FLUID DISPERSING UNIT SECURED TO THE TAIL FLANGE WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CENTRAL BORE AND DISPOSED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE CENTRAL BORE AND SAID STOPPER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGEWAYS, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A FLUID, UNDER PRESSURE, THROUGH THE OUTLET NOZZLE TO SAID FLUID DISPERSING UNIT WHEREBY A FLUID, UNDER PRESSURE, IS INJECTED INTO THE RESERVOIR OF MOLTEN METAL TO TURBULENTLY STIR THE MOLTEN METAL CONTAINED WITHIN SAID LADLE.