An elongate collapsible feeder element (20; 40) for use in metal casting and a feeder system comprising the feeder element and a feeder sleeve secured thereto.
The feeder element (20; 40) has a length, a width and a height and comprises an A end and an opposite B end measured along the height, and a C end and an opposite D end measured along the length, said A end for mounting on a mould pattern or swing plate and said opposite B end for receiving a feeder sleeve; and a bore between the A and B ends defined by a sidewall comprising a stepped collapsible portion.
The feeder element is compressible in use whereby to reduce the distance between the A and B ends. The sidewall has a first sidewall region (24;52) defining the B end of the feeder element which serves as a mounting surface for a feeder sleeve in use, and a second sidewall region (38; 50) contiguous with the first sidewall region (24;52). The stepped collapsible portion comprises a series of third sidewall regions (32a,b,c,d; 44a,b) in the form of concentric rings of decreasing diameter interconnected and integrally formed with a series of fourth sidewall regions (34a,b,c,d; 46a,b) in the form of concentric annuli of decreasing diameter.
The bore has an axis that is offset from the centre of the feeder element along the length towards the C end and said second sidewall region (38;50) is non-planar, contiguous with a third sidewall region and located between the bore axis and the D end.