EP1525930B1 - Starting device for a continuous casting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The unit (1) to start up a continuous casting assembly, especially for casting round strands, has a casting inlet (3) and a coupling (2), linked together by a bar (14), with a hook shape at the end (15) towards the mold. The coupling is attached to the head (9) of a cold strand by an easily-released hooked link. The gap between the wall of the mold (7) and the strand head is filled by a seal (4) to separate molten metal from the strand. The seal is of cardboard, with a smaller diameter metal plate (5) attached to the head of the strand in advance.

Description

The invention relates to a starting device for a continuous casting plant, in particular for round casting, according to claim 1.

Starting devices for introduction into the continuous casting mold generally consist of a casting element and a head element of a cold strand which can be connected to the casting element via a coupling element.

From the DE 15 83 605 A is a starting device for continuous casting known with the features of the preamble of claim 1, wherein the coupling takes place via a releasable hook connection, which has a pivoting hook.

Another releasable connection is in the starting device according to the US 4,724,893 provided, which consists of a engaging in a corresponding recess T-shaped hooks.

Also from the DE 36 29 043 A1 is a corresponding starting device for round or continuous profile casting known. The head member has a smaller cross-section with respect to the mold in order to be able to easily pull the cold strand with the head member out of the mold after casting. The existing gap between the head member and the mold is sealed with the interposition of a resting on the head member and the mold cross-section filling sealing element. This sealing is necessary to prevent passage of the liquid metal to the head member and thus a merger with this.

Usually, the mold is intensively cooled to improve the heat dissipation. The potted strand is firmly connected after cooling with the starting device, so that can be supplied via the connected to the starting device cold strand of the new hot strand of a driving and straightening system.

After emergence of the cold strand from the propellant and Richtaniage the head of the cold stranges detached from the coupling element and prepared for the next sprue of a new strand. The casting element itself is separated with the associated Warmstrangende after cooling and scrapped.

In the known starting device, the casting element consists inter alia of a pipe section, which forms a circumferential gap with respect to the inner wall of the continuous casting mold. Between Angießelement and head member, a mold wall contacting the sealing element is arranged, which seals the gap existing between the head member and mold wall.

The connection of the coupling element with the pipe section is realized via a transverse pin inserted through the coupling element and the pipe section, which thus forms a further part of the Angießelementes.

The connection of the coupling element with the head member of the cold strand is also done via a cross member connecting both elements.

When casting a new strand, the molten metal enters the pipe section and the gap to Kokillenwand, whereby after cooling the melt, a frictional connection with the existing of pipe section and cross bolt sprue and the melt coming into contact with the upper part of the coupling element is achieved ,

However, this starting device has several disadvantages. On the one hand, the construction, consisting of a multi-part Angießelement and a coupling element consuming in manufacturing and assembly, and the variety of parts incur additional costs for the purchase and storage.

Since a new pipe section with bolt and coupling element must be used for each strand to be cast, this considerably increases the production costs for continuous casting.

In addition, this starting device has the disadvantage that the assembly and disassembly of the connecting bolt between the coupling element and the head part of the cold strand is very time consuming. Another disadvantage is that the bolt is clamped after exiting the continuous casting by deformation due to operational stress or due to different thermal expansion in the coupling pin so that it can not be solved.

If detachment of the head member from the sprue by removal of the bolt is no longer economically viable, the remaining cold leg must be released from the head member. The head of the cold strand is then no longer usable and must be scrapped together with the separated casting head of the hot strand and the sprue. In addition to the additional time required, this causes additional costs for the replacement of the new head link.

Apart from the occasionally time-consuming release of the connection of the head member from the coupling element caused by the bolt as a further connecting element additional costs for its purchase and storage.

The disadvantage of an additional element for connecting the cold strand head with the coupling element avoids the from DE 44 06 012 C2 known starting device for continuous slab casting.

In this device, the head member of the cold strand is connected to the coupling element by hooking. The hanging is done via T-slots in the head member, with corresponding T-shaped counterparts engage positively on the coupling element.

This device has the disadvantage that the production of the T-shaped connecting elements is very complicated to produce and especially for Rundstranggießanlagen is uneconomical and impractical.

The object of the invention is to provide a starting device, in particular for Rundstranggießanlagen, which is inexpensive to produce, easy to assemble and disassemble and without the disadvantages of known devices described.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1, wherein advantageous splits are the subject of dependent claims.

According to the teachings of the invention, a starting device is used in which executed as integral features of Angießelement and the coupling element in one piece and the connection between the coupling element and the head member of the cold strand is designed as easily detachable and re-hook hook connection.

The advantage of this starting device is that the one-piece design of the sprue and coupling element significantly reduces the manufacturing, assembly and storage costs and thus the costs for continuous casting.

The actual configuration of the sprue element of this one-piece design can be arbitrary, but the requirements placed on the connection of the liquid strand to the sprue element must be met. For the specific form of Angießelementes therefore offer advantageous mushroom-like formations with undercuts, which allow an intimate connection with the cast strand.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is characterized by ease of manufacture and functional reliability, the sprue element consists of a web-shaped section whose kokkilde-side end portion is hook-shaped. The head member-side end portion of the web is formed as a coupling element.

During casting, the molten metal filled into the cooled mold encloses the web portion with the hook-shaped end region, wherein the metal undergoes intensive cooling by the cooled inner wall of the continuous casting mold. By realized by the hook shape undercut a positive and positive connection between the cooling metal and the Angießelement is ensured in an advantageous manner.

To further improve the power transmission from the dummy bar on the cast strand, z. As in casting strands of larger dimensions, the shaped as a hook end portion of the web can be formed in an advantageous manner as a double or even quadruple hooks. Conceivable, however, are other modifications of this hook shape, as far as they are a ver better connection of the casting strand to the Angießelement useful.

The sealing element between the mold wall and the head section of the cold strand, which is provided with a smaller diameter, consists, according to an advantageous embodiment, of the actual sealing disc substantially filling the mold cross-section and of a metal plate which can be connected to the coupling element.

The purpose of the metal plate is to remove the heat from the liquid metal in the area close to the head part and to lead to rapid solidification of the melt, the sealing disk made of flexible material, preferably of cardboard, taking over the sealing function between mold wall and head element.

To shorten the assembly time, the metal plate is advantageous, temporally independently pre-assembled arranged on the coupling element.

In order to intensify the cooling of the molten metal in the starting device, according to a further feature of the invention, cooling scrap parts are arranged on the side of the sealing element or the metal plate facing the sprue element, which remove heat of fusion from the liquid metal and thereby cause additional cooling.

Another significant advantage of this starting device is that the connection between the head member of the cold strand and the coupling element of the sprue now can be made very quickly and solved just as quickly by the simple hook connection without additional connecting element. This saves assembly and disassembly time and the associated costs.

To realize the hook connection according to the invention, the head member of the cold strand at the connection end is formed as a hook, wherein the connection-side end of the coupling element has a suitable for hooking with the head member end formation. This may for example also be a hook or a holding element which can be encompassed by the hook of the head member.

It is also conceivable that the sprue device is formed as a hook at the connection end and the connection-side end of the head member has a suitable for hooking with the coupling element end formation.

In an advantageous embodiment of the starting device, the connecting region is laid in the connection-side end region of the head member, which ensures that the hook connection is arranged protected, for example, against metal splashes during the casting process as far as possible.

According to the invention, the connection-side end region of the head member is provided on the end side with a recess extending over the entire diameter. The front end of the recess has on both sides a hook forming a shoulder and the end region of the coupling element to be connected to a suitable for hooking into the recess end. This can be, for example, a bolt-like thickening.

In the final assembled state, the end region of the sprue device connected to the shoulder forming the hook is located in the region of the recess of the head member and is thus well protected from environmental influences. Under load is then the bolt-like thickening of the coupling element on the front side of the paragraph.

Since this compound is operationally exposed to high mechanical stresses, this paragraph wears relatively strong. In order not to have to replace the entire head part of the cold strand at a worn paragraph, the paragraph is formed according to an advantageous feature as a separate connectable with the recess part. This connection can be made by welding or screwing.

When replacing is then only the very inexpensive to produce separate paragraph to renew.

The paragraph can be easily z. B. made of sheet material by means of flame cutting.

Further features, advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment.

Figur 1

Längsschnitt durch eine erfindungsgemäße Anfahrvorrichtung,

Figur 2

wie Figur 1, jedoch um 90° gedreht (Schnitt B-C),

Figur 3

Aufsicht auf den Gegenstand nach Figur 1 aus Richtung des Pfeiles "A".

In a schematic representation:

FIG. 1

Longitudinal section through a starting device according to the invention,

FIG. 2

as FIG. 1 , but rotated by 90 ° (section BC),

FIG. 3

Supervision of the object FIG. 1 from the direction of the arrow "A".

FIG. 1 shows a starting device according to the invention for a Rundstranggießanlage, which is already assembled, arranged in a mold.

The starting device 1 consists of an inventively one-piece design of a Angießelementes 3 and a coupling element 2, which are connected to a web 14 together. The kokillenseitige end portion 15 of the sprue element 3 is hook-shaped. The coupling element 2 is detachably connected to the head member 9 of a cold strands, not shown, via a hook connection.

With the interposition of a frontally resting on the head member 9 and the cross section of the mold 7 and filling the head member 9 separated from the liquid metal sealing element 4, the gap between the wall of the mold 7 and the smaller diameter having head member 9 is sealed.

According to the invention, the sealing element 4 consists of a front side resting on the head member 8 and made of cardboard sealing washer 6, which seals the annular gap and arranged thereon and compared to the mold cross section in diameter slightly smaller metal plate 5. The metal plate 5 is before the coupling of the starting device. 1 already preassembled on the head member 9 of the cold strand on the coupling element 2.

As one of many possible embodiments, the end region 15 of the Angießelementes 3 is formed in this illustration according to the invention as a quadruple hook.

Advantageously, the sprue element 3 with the hook-shaped end region 15 together with the coupling element 2 is first produced as a flame-cut part from a flat plate to which two further hooks are welded at right angles to the two already existing hooks.

For additional cooling 5 cooling scrap parts 8 are piled below the quadruple hook on the metal plate.

For entanglement of the head member 9 with the coupling element 2 of the connection-side end portion of the head member 9 is frontally provided with a over the entire diameter extending recess 11 into which the coupling element 2 engages with a bolt-like thickening 10.

Corresponding FIG. 2 has the front end of the recess 11, on both sides of the recess 11 decreasing, a hook forming a shoulder 13, 13 'on. The bolt-like thickened end portion 15 of the coupling element 2 comes after hooking the front side of the shoulder 13, 13 'of the recess 11 to the plant.

In the final assembled state shown here, according to the invention, the end region of the coupling element 2 connected to the shoulder 13, 13 'is completely in the region of the recess 11.

Above the reel force control in the continuous casting, the hot strand, not shown here with the starting device 1 and the head member 9 of the cold strand itself align, so that the hook connection can not solve in the continuous casting itself. Only in the outlet area, when the strand is only performed on sub-rollers, the head member 9 can be unhooked from the coupling element 2 in a simple manner and prepared again for a new use.

For easier hooking of the head member 9 with the coupling element 2, the shoulder 13, 13 'is chamfered on the hooking side.

The shoulder 13, 13 'of the recess 11 is produced according to the invention in an advantageous manner as a separate part and welded on both sides at the front end of the recess 11.

After reaching the wear limit, the welds of the paragraph 13, 13 'in a simple manner, for example, by grinding, removed and a new paragraph 13,13' used very easily and inexpensively in the recess 11.

In the FIG. 3 illustrated supervision of the starting device according to FIG. 1 from the direction of the arrow "A", shows a cross section through the mold 7 with the Angießelement arranged therein 3. To recognize the formation of Angießelementes 3 as a quadruple hook with the upper of the cross section of the metal plate 5 arranged KGhischrottteilen. 8

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

No. description 1 starting device 2 coupling member 3 Angießelement 4 sealing element 5 metal plate 6 sealing washer 7 mold 8th Cooling scrap parts 9 Head member cold strand 10 bolt-like thickening 11 recess 12 Bevel paragraph 13, 13 ' paragraph 14 web 15 end

Claims (13)

1. A starting device for a continuous casting machine, in particular for round strand casting, for introduction into the continuous casting mould, comprising a starting element (3) and a head member (9) of a dummy bar, this head member being detachably connected to the starting element (3) by way of a coupling element (2), in which

   - after cooling, the strand is fixedly connected to the starting element (3) by the interposition of a sealing element (4) which lies on the head member (9) and fills the mould cross-section and separates the head member (9) from the liquid metal during starting,

   - the starting element (3) and the coupling element (2) are made in one piece,

   - the connection between the head member (9) and the coupling element (2) is in the form of a readily detachable hook connection,

   characterised in that
   the sealing element (4) comprises a metal plate (5), which faces the starting element (3) and substantially fills the mould cross-section, and a sealing plate (6) which is made from flexible material and whereof the diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the mould.
2. A starting device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the starting element (3) is a web (14) which extends from the sealing element (4) towards the mould side and whereof the end region (15) is in the form of a hook.
3. A starting device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the end region (15) of the web (14) is in the form of a double hook.
4. A starting device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the end region (15) of the web (14) is in the form of a quadruple hook.
5. A starting device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the metal plate (5) is connectable to the coupling element (2) for pre-mounting.
6. A starting device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the sealing plate (6) is made from cardboard.
7. A starting device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that cooling scrap parts may be arranged on the metal plate (5) in the mounted condition.
8. A starting device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the end region of the head member (9) that is on the connection side has, on the end face, a cutout (11) extending at least transversely beyond the centre line, and the end-face end of the cutout (11) has, on both sides, a shoulder (13, 13') forming a hook, and the end region of the web (14) to be connected takes the form of a coupling element (2) which has an end region suitable for hooking into the cutout (11), with the end region of the coupling element (2) which is hooked to the shoulder (13, 13') on the end face being located entirely in the region of the cutout (11) in the fully mounted condition.
9. A starting device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the end region of the coupling element (2) has a bolt-like thickened portion (10).
10. A starting device according to Claims 8 and 9, characterised in that the shoulder (13, 13') is a part that may be separately connected to the cutout (11).
11. A starting device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the shoulder
    (13, 13') is welded to the cutout (11).
12. A starting device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the shoulder
    (13, 13') is screwed to the recess (11).
13. A starting device according to one of Claims 8 - 12, characterised in that the shoulder (13, 13') is provided with a bevelled portion (12) on the hooking-in side.

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