LOW-PRESSURE CASTING APPARATUS, METHOD OF INERT GAS FILLING AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING CAST ARTICLE

摘要

A low-pressure casting apparatus designed to simply communicate a space provided above a molten metal in a pressurization chamber with either a stalk provided vertically from a pouring port of mold or a guide hole connected to the pouring port of mold to thereby allow an inert gas to fill the interior of the stalk or the interior of the guide hole. The low-pressure casting apparatus (100) is designed to pressurize a superior surface of molten metal by an inert gas to thereby fill a mold (7) with the molten metal via a stalk (8) provided vertically from a pouring port of the mold or a guide hole having its one end connected to the pouring port of the mold. The casting apparatus is characterized by having a molten metal retaining chamber (1) for retention of the molten metal; a pressurization chamber (2) provided in a fashion permitting communication with the molten metal retaining chamber via a communication hole (4) while allowing the lower end of the stalk (8) to come thereinside or allowing the other end of the guide hole (21) to be in connection therewith, the pressurization chamber adapted to pressurize the molten metal by an inert gas; an opening/closing valve (5) for opening and closing of the communication hole; detection means (15) for detecting communication between the space provided above the molten metal in the pressurization chamber and either the interior of the stalk or the interior of the guide hole; and inert gas supply means (30) for supplying the inert gas to a superior portion of the pressurization chamber.