1. A side-locking clamp, comprising:
a lower band, including:
an arcuate body with a hinge portion disposed at a proximal end, and
an extension with a mounting hole and a curved locking tab disposed on a curved distal end; and
an upper band, including:
an arcuate body with a hinge portion, disposed at a proximal end, to engage the lower band hinge portion and form a hinge about which the upper band rotates from an open position to a closed position, and
an extension, with a mounting hole and a curved locking tab disposed on a curved distal edge, to slidingly engage the lower band locking tab from right to left when viewed from the front and lock the clamp when the upper band is disposed in the closed position.
2. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein, when the upper band is disposed in the closed position, the inner surface of the lower band arcuate body and the inner surface of the upper band arcuate body define a cylindrical cavity.
3. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the lower band hinge portion is an arcuate tab and the upper band hinge portion is a slot in which the arcuate tab is cooperatively disposed.
4. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the upper band arcuate body includes at least one lightening hole.
5. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the lower band arcuate body includes at least one lightening hole.
6. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the lower band locking tab thickness is substantially the same as the upper band extension thickness, and the upper band locking tab thickness is substantially the same as the lower band extension thickness.
7. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein, when the upper band is disposed in the closed position, the lower band mounting hole and the upper band mounting hole substantially overlay one another.
8. The clamp according to claim 1, further comprising a cushion substantially surrounding the lower band arcuate body and the upper band arcuate body.
9. A method for mounting an object to a support using the side-locking clamp according to claim 1, the method comprising:
disposing the side-locking clamp in an open position such that the upper band and the lower band substantially surround the object;
rotating the upper band toward the lower band;
as the upper band approaches the lower band, translating the upper band laterally, in an unlocking direction, so that the upper band locking tab clears the lower band locking tab;
translating the upper band laterally, in a locking direction, so that the upper band locking tab slidingly engages the lower band locking tab; and
mounting the side-locking clamp to a support.
10. A side-locking clamp, comprising:
a lower band, including:
an arcuate body with a hinge portion disposed at a proximal end, and
an extension with a mounting hole and a curved locking tab disposed on a curved distal end; and
an upper band, including:
an arcuate body with a hinge portion, disposed at a proximal end, to engage the lower band hinge portion and form a hinge about which the upper band rotates from an open position to a closed position, and
an extension, with a mounting hole and a curved locking tab disposed on a curved distal edge, to slidingly engage the lower band locking tab from left to right when viewed from the front.
11. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein, when the upper band is disposed in the closed position, the inner surface of the lower band arcuate body and the inner surface of the upper band arcuate body define a cylindrical cavity.
12. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein the lower band hinge portion is an arcuate tab and the upper band hinge portion is a slot in which the arcuate tab is cooperatively disposed.
13. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein the upper band arcuate body includes at least one lightening hole.
14. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein the lower band arcuate body includes at least one lightening hole.
15. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein the lower band locking tab thickness is substantially the same as the upper band extension thickness, and the upper band locking tab thickness is substantially the same as the lower band extension thickness.
16. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein, when the upper band is disposed in the closed position, the lower band mounting hole and the upper band mounting hole substantially overlay one another.
17. The clamp according to claim 10, wherein the upper band locking tab slidingly engages the lower band locking tab from left to right when viewed from the front.
18. The clamp according to claim 10, further comprising a cushion substantially surrounding the lower band arcuate body and the upper band arcuate body.
19. A method for mounting an object to a support using the side-locking clamp according to claim 10, the method comprising:
disposing the side-locking clamp in an open position such that the upper band and the lower band substantially surround the object;
rotating the upper band toward the lower band;
as the upper band approaches the lower band, translating the upper band laterally, in an unlocking direction, so that the upper band locking tab clears the lower band locking tab;
translating the upper band laterally, in a locking direction, so that the upper band locking tab slidingly engages the lower band locking tab; and
mounting the side-locking clamp to a support.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A bottom nozzle brick comprising at least partly an outer jacket of metal and a flow aperture for molten metal, a lower part of the brick being formed conical for at least part of the way; wherein the lower part of the bottom nozzle brick, its outer surface, is provided with an area formed for an annular seal.
2. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the area for the seal is a cylindrical recess built to the conical lower part of the bottom nozzle brick.
3. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 2, wherein the cylindrical recess extends from a lower end of the bottom nozzle brick upwards essentially in a range corresponding to a height of the seal.
4. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the area for the seal contains grips for the seal.
5. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 4, wherein the grips are at least partly protrusions encircling the bottom nozzle brick.
6. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the metal jacket does not extend under the seal.
7. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the metal jacket extends at least partly under the seal.
8. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the ring seal is essentially a rectangle, square, circle, ellipse, triangle, or quadrangle.
9. The bottom nozzle brick according to claim 1, wherein the seal is made of aluminium oxide, graphite or some other heat-resistant material.
10. A method for sealing the contact between a bottom nozzle brick and a shroud, comprising:
arranging the bottom nozzle brick with at least a partly metal surface, on a side of a lower part of which there is an area substantially on a range corresponding to a height of a seal to be used and that the area comprises a cylindrical recess for installing the seal into the area or grips for installing the seal;
installing the seal to the bottom nozzle brick;
installing the bottom nozzle brick with its seal under the pouring ladle; and
bringing the bottom nozzle brick into sealed contact with the shroud.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
arranging the bottom nozzle brick without the metal jacket in the area of the seal.
12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
arranging the bottom nozzle brick so that the metal jacket extends at least partly into the area of the seal.