Patent attributes
A self-locking inner nozzle system locks an inner nozzle in operating position at an outlet of a metallurgic vessel for a time sufficient for a sealing material to set, said self-locking inner nozzle system comprising:(A) an inner nozzle, provided with N≥2 protrusions, distributed around a perimeter of the lateral surface,(B) an upper frame rigidly fixed to a bottom surface of a metallurgic vessel,(C) a locking ring, rigidly fixed to the upper framewherein, an inner surface of the locking ring is provided with N L-shaped channels, such that the inner nozzle can be inserted along a longitudinal axis, Z, through an opening of the locking ring, with the N protrusions being engaged in corresponding first channel portion until they abut against corresponding first channel ends, at which point the inner nozzle can be rotated about the longitudinal axis to engage the protrusions along corresponding second channel portions to self-lock the inner nozzle in its operating position.
