EP2986404B9 - Transport device and use thereof - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a transport device, in particular for the transport of cooling blocks in a crawler casting machine according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Transporters with endless belts or chains are often used in the art as conveyors. Another application of such transport devices can be found in foundry technology, where, for example, the rolling elements of the device can comprise a rolling element body with one or more cooling blocks, so that the rolling elements form the cooling elements of a casting caterpillar.

Casting devices of this type are known as so-called crawler casting machines and are called "machine with caterpillar mold" and also "block caster" according to American terminology.

By means of a drive, the blocks circulate as endless tracks around a machine body, one type having two opposing machine bodies positioned so that the distance between the walls facing each other in the mold, taking into account the shrinkage of the melt as it solidifies Thickness of the strand to be cast corresponds.

Another type of construction differs in that the machine has only one machine body, which is bypassed by a bead, wherein the melt is poured onto the bead and solidifies thereon consecutively into a strand. The solidifying strand is preferably covered with a protective gas to prevent inadmissible oxidation on the free top of the solidifying melt.

Related methods and devices have been developed since the penultimate and last century. It will be on the books of E. Hermann, "Handbook of Continuous Casting", 1958 , and " Handbook on Continuous Casting ", 1980 (Aluminum Verlag Dusseldorf) referenced. In addition to other types of casting machines were thus designed, in which the casting mold in which the solidification of the Melt is made by, over the width of the mold reaching, lined up metal blocks are formed.

In order to minimize the friction between the solidifying foundry material and the mold, the blocks move with the resulting strand at the same speed to the end of the mold, where they stand out from the strand and, for example, sprockets or arcuate raceways on the back of the Machine body and be led back to the entrance of the mold after a repeated deflection.

A casting machine whose cooling elements form the wall of a casting mold on the straight sections of the casting crawlers is known from US Pat WO 2005/068108 LAMEC known. This known casting machine comprises two casting casters, each of the two casting caterpillars forming a wall of the casting mold and each casting caterpillar consisting of a multiplicity of endlessly connected cooling blocks. The cooling blocks are mounted on support elements, which are mounted on chains and thus articulated like links of a chain. The support elements are held with the cooling blocks by means of stationary magnets there on the chains, where they would fall down because of gravity. The chain links are provided at their joints with rollers which roll on guideways. However, this known casting machine has the disadvantage that in particular caused by the caterpillar drive under load chain joints significant friction losses.

The invention aims to remedy this situation. The invention has for its object to provide a transport device, the rolling elements allows a low-friction, undisturbed running on the entire orbit and in particular on the deflector and in the transitions between straight lines and deflecting.

The invention solves the problem with a transport device, which has the features of claim 1.

• da jedes Rollelement mittels Rollen individuell in den Führungsbahnen auf der Umlaufbahn geführt wird und somit durch die Schwerkraft nicht von den Führungsbahnen herunterfallen kann, müssen die Rollelemente in Richtung der Zirkulationsbewegung nicht aneinander gekoppelt sein. Dadurch wird ein reibungsarmer, ungestörter Lauf der Rollelemente auf der Umlaufbahn, insbesondere in den Übergängen und auf den Umlenkbögen ermöglicht; und
• die abgehobenen Rollelemente können auf speziell für die Aufnahme der Rollträger konzipierten Ablagestellen abgelegt oder gestapelt werden, ohne dass sie kippen.

The advantages achieved by the invention are essentially to be seen in that:

• since each rolling element is guided individually by means of rollers in the guideways in the orbit and thus can not fall down from the guideways by gravity, the rolling elements in the direction of the circulation movement must not be coupled to each other. This allows a low-friction, undisturbed running of the rolling elements on the orbit, in particular in the transitions and on the Umlenkbögen; and
• The lifted rolling elements can be stored or stacked on specially designed for receiving the roller carrier storage locations without them tilt.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention can be commented on as follows:

In a specific embodiment, the rolling elements are loose relative to each other in the direction of the circulation movement. As a result, the advantage is achieved that the application and removal of the rolling elements can be done individually or in associations, without having to be solved between the individual rolling elements compounds, because in the orbit following rolling elements are not coupled together like the links of a chain. In particular, when using the transport device in crawler casting machines designed as cooling elements rolling elements can thus be placed with minimal expenditure of time on the machine and removed.

In another embodiment, in the region of the first end and / or in the region of the second end of the rolling element body hinge supports are arranged, wherein at least two rollers are fixed to a joint support.
Preferably, the joint supports are rotatably mounted by means of hinge axes on the rolling element body, wherein the hinge axes are arranged perpendicular to a defined by the orbit U center plane of the transport device.

In a further embodiment, the rollers each comprise a roller axle, wherein the roller axles are fixedly secured to the rolling element body.

In another embodiment, the rolling elements measured in the direction of circulation each have a maximum length "L" and immediately adjacent rolling elements are positioned on the first and second guideway so that the geometric axes of the roller axes or the hinge axes of the arranged in the region of the first ends or roles Joint support of two adjacent rolling elements are substantially brought to a distance corresponding to the maximum length "L".

In yet another embodiment, the geometrical axes of the roller axes or the articulation axes of the rollers or articulated supports arranged in the region of the first ends lie in a plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which plane is defined by the first end of the respective rolling element body.

In a further embodiment, the geometric axes of the roller axes or the joint axes of the arranged in the region of the second ends rollers or Gelenkauflager lie in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which has a distance to the plane defined by the first ends of the respective rolling element body, which in Is substantially equal to or greater than the length "L". As a result, the advantage is achieved that the center distance substantially corresponds to the measured in the direction of circulation cooling block length, whereby a kinematically optimal running of the cooling elements is made possible on the entire orbit.

Preferably, the geometric axes of the roller axes or the hinge axes, which are arranged at the mutually facing first and second ends of two in the direction of the circulation movement of adjacent rolling elements, substantially coaxial. The coaxial arrangement of the geometrical axes of the arranged at the facing ends of the rolling elements rollers of two adjacent rolling elements together with the geometry of the guideways results in a kinematically optimal run of the rolling elements on the orbit U. In particular, when using the transport device in caterpillars penetrate the edges of the cooling blocks at the transition to the bends not in the casting level.

In another embodiment, each rolling element body comprises at least one cooling block, so that a casting bead is formed, which is suitable as a wall of a casting mold. The cooling blocks can be made according to the required operating conditions of non-magnetic or ferromagnetic material, preferably copper or aluminum, as well as cast iron or steel.

In yet another embodiment, the cooling blocks have a bottom side facing the rollers and opposite a flat cooling surface and the two parallel planes containing the geometric axes of the roller axes or the joint axes are perpendicular to the cooling surface. In the case of curved cooling block flanks, the two planes are defined by the perpendicular to the cooling surface standing solders of lying in the casting level edges of the cooling blocks.

In a further embodiment, each rolling element comprises at least four rollers, wherein two rollers are respectively arranged at the first and second end of each rolling element body, and wherein the rollers arranged at the first end are offset with respect to the rollers arranged at the second end orthogonal to the median plane. This has the advantage that the rear rollers of a cooling element in the lateral direction relative to the front rollers of the adjacent cooling element are offset so that the cooling elements in the direction of travel (in the direction of the circulation movement) can be pushed together until the flanks of the cooling elements touch. Preferably, the two rollers arranged at the first end have a distance A and the two rollers arranged at the second end a distance B ≠ A to each other, wherein the distances A and B are dimensioned such that the two rollers arranged at the first end between the two At the second end arranged rollers of the adjacent rolling element fit. This provides the advantage that the geometric axes of the rollers of a cooling element arranged at the first end are co-linear with the geometric axes of the rollers of the adjacent cooling element arranged at the second end.

In a further embodiment, the guideways on at least a part of the orbit U, where the rolling elements due to gravity of the Guideways would fall, first and second roller treads, which face each other.

In a further embodiment, the guideways on Umlenkbögen, wherein the guideways in the region of the Umlenkbögen each other in the radial direction opposite to comprise first and second roller treads, so that the rollers roll depending on the loading direction on the first or second roller tread. The advantage of this embodiment is that the cooling elements can not tip over or fall off the guideways due to gravity.
Preferably, the guideways each comprise a first and / or second roller running surface directed against the median plane and a first and / or second roller rolling surface directed away from the median plane.

In another embodiment, the rolling element bodies of the rolling elements are designed as cooling blocks and the rollers are fastened to the cooling blocks.
In yet another embodiment, the rolling element bodies of the rolling elements comprise a roller carrier.

In a further embodiment, a plurality of cooling blocks are arranged on each roller carrier perpendicular to the center plane. Thus, a minimization of the effects of thermal expansion and stress of cooling blocks and roller carriers (transport carrier) can be achieved to ensure the flatness of the cast carpet and to reduce the thermal stresses caused by wear of the machine elements. By nature, the unilaterally heat-affected machine elements, such as the cooling blocks and the roll supports placed beneath them, tend to bend as a result of thermal expansion. In order to counteract this fact, in the past, the beam-like cooling blocks extending across the width of the casting mold were clamped down on very rigid supports. In another solution, the cooling blocks are divided into relatively small pieces (cooling block segments), as in the US 3,570,586 is described. Since in the second solution mentioned above, the requirement for a flexural rigidity of the carrier over the entire width of the casting surface is eliminated, the casting level can also laterally from provided with cooling block segments or a number of individual, with cooling block segments equipped and provided with rollers cooling block carrier elements are constructed by juxtaposing the same in the respective required width, their heat-related distortions are kept as a result of their relatively small lateral extent even in light construction in tolerable for the casting process limits. The roller carrier elements can carry one or more cooling blocks. Roller carrier and gapless laterally pushed together cooling blocks thus form the width of the casting level. In addition to the fact that the subdivision of the roll carrier over the width of the casting level in individual short roll carrier elements possible faults of the same are minimized, thus also the modular structure of the casting width is given.

In a further embodiment, the drive device comprises at least one Mitnehmerrad.
Preferably, the guideways each comprise two Umlenkbögen, wherein in the region of each Umlenkbogens on both sides of the median plane depending on a Mitnehmerrad is arranged. As a result, the advantage can be achieved that in the region of the orbit in which the roller carriers are guided on a straight line, the cooling blocks touch each other on their flanks and push themselves on their journey.

In another embodiment, the rollers of a rolling element, whose geometric axes lie on a common straight line, or the mechanical axes of these rollers perpendicular to the center plane projections and the driving wheels have on their periphery recesses, which are engageable with the projections in engagement. An advantage of this embodiment is that each roller carrier is driven individually in each of the two deflecting curves of the guideways by a Mitnehmerrad, so that on the straight sections of the guideways, where the Mitnehmerräder are not engaged with the roller carriers, the trailing cooling block to the leading cooling block their joint contact surface pushes forward.

In another embodiment, each guideway, in a vertical direction parallel to the local gravity vector, includes upper and lower guideway sections, at least the upper guideway section having only one or more first roller tracks. As a result, the advantage is achievable that the cooling elements in horizontally arranged caterpillars on the upper straight track section, respectively in vertically arranged caterpillars on the upper deflecting bow individually or in associations can be lifted from the guideways or applied to this. In this area of the orbit where the roller carriers naturally do not tip or fall off the rails due to gravity, the guideways need not have an opposing roller tread.

In yet another embodiment, each guideway comprises a diverter arch having in a vertically parallel to the vertical direction in the upper region a first opening in the directed against the median plane second roller tread and a second opening in the direction away from the median plane second roller tread, wherein the distance between the first opening and the second opening in the direction of the circulation movement of the rolling elements measured corresponds to the measured in the direction of the circulation movement distance of the geometric axes of the arranged on a rolling element rollers. The rollers of the cooling element located in this region of the deflection arc can thus be passed through the openings, so that the cooling element can be removed from or inserted into the guideway. This allows easy removal or attachment of the cooling elements.

In a further embodiment, the transport device has a longitudinal axis and the guide tracks are telescopic in the direction of this longitudinal axis, so that between adjacent rolling elements, a gap can be produced, which allows the removal of a rolling element of the guideways.
The roller rolling surfaces of each guide track preferably have first and second sections that are displaceable relative to one another and that overlap in the direction of the circulation movement.

In another embodiment, the guideways each comprise a rotatably mounted deflecting bow, wherein the rotatably mounted deflecting bow are arranged symmetrically to the median plane and are rotatable about an axis of rotation orthogonal to the median plane.

Preferably, the axis of rotation connects the edges of the second roller rolling surfaces at the junction between the rotatably mounted Umlenkbögen and the adjacent lower straight guide track sections.

In a further embodiment, in the region of the deflecting arc of the guideways, a respective driver wheel is fastened on each side of the median plane in a rotationally rigid manner on a drive axle, one drive axle being arranged coaxially to a geometrical axis of the deflecting arcs. Thus, the advantage can be achieved that the cooling elements are driven individually in the region of the Umlenkbögen by the driving wheels and therefore not compressed in the direction of the circulation movement.

In another embodiment, the rolling elements are not coupled to each other in the direction of the circulation movement.

Preferably, the inventive transport device is used as a casting caterpillar. In particular, a transport device according to the invention can be used as the basic module of a modular caterpillar of a casting machine. As a result, the advantage is achieved that the width of the casting surface can be built laterally by juxtaposing structurally identical modules.

The invention and further developments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the partially schematic representations of several embodiments.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung, wobei je eine Transportvorrichtung ein Grundmodul einer Giessraupe einer Giessmaschine bildet;
• Fig. 2 eine perspektivische Ansicht mehrerer Rollelemente gemäss der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 3 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines als Kühlelement ausgebildeten Rollelements gemäss einer anderen Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 4 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Führungsbahnen gemäss einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 5 eine vergrösserte Darstellung des Details A in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 6 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Moduls einer Giessraupe gemäss der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 7 eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung einer drei Module umfassenden Giessraupe gemäss der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 8 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Moduls einer Giessraupe gemäss der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung mit teilweise entfernten Kühlblöcken und zwei gekippten Rollträgern;
• Fig. 9 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Moduls einer Giessraupe gemäss wiederum einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung;
• Fig. 10 eine vergrösserte Darstellung des Details C in Fig. 9;
• Fig. 11 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Führungsbahnen einer Giessraupe gemäss nochmals einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung mit geschlossenen Führungsbahnen;
• Fig. 12 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Führungsbahnen der Giessraupe gemäss der in Fig. 11 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung mit geöffneten Führungsbahnen; und
• Fig. 13 eine Seitenansicht eines Rollelements gemäss einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Transportvorrichtung.

Show it:

• Fig. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive transport device, wherein each transport device forms a basic module of a casting caster of a casting machine;
• Fig. 2 a perspective view of several rolling elements according to the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 3 a perspective view of a cooling element designed as a rolling element according to another embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 4 a perspective view of the guideways according to another embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 5 an enlarged view of detail A in Fig. 4 ;
• Fig. 6 a perspective view of a module of a caterpillar according to the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 7 an exploded perspective view of a three modules caterpillar according to the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 8 a perspective view of a module of a caterpillar according to the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive transport device with partially removed cooling blocks and two tilted roller carriers;
• Fig. 9 a perspective view of a module of a caterpillar according to turn another embodiment of the inventive transport device;
• Fig. 10 an enlarged view of detail C in Fig. 9 ;
• Fig. 11 a perspective view of the tracks of a caterpillar according to yet another embodiment of the inventive transport device with closed guideways;
• Fig. 12 a perspective view of the tracks of the caterpillar according to the in Fig. 11 illustrated embodiment of the inventive transport device with open guideways; and
• Fig. 13 a side view of a rolling element according to a further embodiment of the inventive transport device.

The transport device 1 according to the invention is described here by way of example in its use in a crawler casting machine. In the in Fig. 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the transport device 1 is equipped with rolling elements 4 whose roller element body 34 comprises, by way of example, a cooling block 5, so that the rolling elements 4 form the cooling elements 40 of a casting caterpillar 2, 3. Trained as cooling elements 40 rolling elements 4 form on the straight sections of the casting caterpots 2, 3, the wall of a mold. Furthermore, the transport device 1 comprises a drive device 33 which has drive wheels 23 for moving the rolling elements 4.

The in the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment comprises two casting crawlers 2, 3, which are arranged horizontally and one above the other. Alternatively, casting machines can be produced, the casting caterpillars 2, 3 are arranged vertically or inclined. Each of the two casting crawlers 2, 3 comprises by way of example six transport devices 1 arranged next to one another, each transporting device 1 forming a basic module 32 of a modular casting machine. Each transport device 1 comprises two guideways 20 which extend over an oval orbit U and which are arranged symmetrically to a median plane 9. On the guideways 20 several rolling elements 4 circulate like a caterpillar. Each rolling element 4 comprises a rolling element body 34 which has a first end 35 and a second end 36 in the direction of the circulation movement. Furthermore, four rollers 10 are attached to each rolling element 4 by way of example. The rolling elements 4 are arranged loosely in the direction of the circulation movement, ie not coupled to each other. The circulation movement of the rolling elements 4 on the orbit U can take place in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, wherein the rolling elements 4 circulate on the first and second caterpillars 2, 3 with opposite sense of direction.

In the in Fig. 2 illustrated embodiment, the cooling blocks 5 are fixed to individual, ie not coupled transport carriers, which are provided with rollers 10 and are referred to as roller carrier 6 hereinafter. The rollers 10 run on and in guides which are designed as guide tracks 20, so that the roller carrier 6 and the cooling blocks 5 fixed thereon are guided and move in a low-friction manner on the revolving path U. The cooling blocks 5 can, for example by means of Screw connections on the roller carriers 6 releasably secured. Alternatively, the cooling blocks 5 themselves may be provided with rollers 10 ( Fig. 3 ), so that no separate roller carrier 6 are needed.

In order to ensure a uniform undisturbed running of the cooling blocks 5, the wheels 10 mounted on each roller carrier 6 are arranged in the direction of travel such that their geometric axes lie on two parallel straight lines 11a, 11b. In this case, the first straight line 11a in the region of the first end 35 of a rolling element body 34 and the second straight line 11b in the region of the second end 36 are arranged. Preferably, each of a straight line 11a, 11b lie in a plane which are defined by the first and second ends 35, 36 of each cooling block 5. The cooling blocks 5 have a roller 10 facing the bottom and opposite a flat cooling surface 37 ( Fig. 2 ). In the case of block-shaped cooling blocks 37, therefore, the first straight line 11a lies in the plane defined by the front cooling block flank 7 and the second straight line 11b is in the plane defined by the rear cooling block flank 8. In the case of cooling blocks 5 tapering against the rollers 10, the two planes are defined by the edges delimiting the cooling surface 37 of a cooling block 5 in the direction of circulation and the respective solders to the cooling surface 37.

The axial distance of the rollers 10 thus corresponds to the cooling block length measured in the direction of the circulation movement. Furthermore, the rolls 10 of the roll carriers 6 arranged at the second end 36 are offset in the axial (lateral direction) to the casting machine 1 in relation to the rolls 10 of the roll carriers 6 arranged at the first end 35 such that the roll carriers 6 can be pushed together in the direction of travel until the Flanks of the cooling blocks 5 touch and thus the second straight line 11b, on which the geometric axes of the second end 36 arranged rollers 10 of a roller carrier 6, coincides with the first straight line 11a, on which the geometric axes of the arranged at the first end 35 Rolls 10 of the adjacent roller carrier 6 are. Each roller 10 of a roller carrier 6 moves on its own guideway. This arrangement together with the guideway geometry results in a kinematically optimal run of the cooling blocks 5 via the orbit U. Each roller carrier 6 has on a straight line 11a, 11b the geometric axis of at least one roller 10.

In a further embodiment ( Fig. 13 ), the rolling elements 4 are formed such that in the region of the first end 35 and in the region of the second end 36 of the rolling element body 34 Gelenkauflager 41 are arranged and at least two rollers 10 are fixed to the Gelenkauflagern 41. The Gelenkauflager 41 are rotatably mounted by means of hinge pins 42 on the rolling element body 34, wherein the hinge axes 42 perpendicular to a defined by the orbit U center plane 9 (FIGS. Fig. 1 ) of the transport device are arranged. The geometric axes of the articulation axes 42 of the articulated supports 41 arranged in the region of the first ends 35 are each in a first plane which is orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement and which is defined by the first end 35 of the respective rolling element body 34. The geometric axes of the articulation axes 42 of the articulated supports 41 arranged in the region of the second ends 36 each lie in a second plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which has a distance to the first plane defined by the first end 35 of the respective rolling element body 34, which here for example is equal to the maximum length "L" of the rolling element body 34. Again, the axial distance of the joint axes 42 substantially corresponds to the measured in the circulation direction cooling block length L, whereby a kinematically optimal running of the rolling elements 4 is made possible on the entire orbit.

As in the Fig. 4 and 5 it can be seen that the roller guides formed as guideways 20 in the areas of Umlenkbögen 21, where the roller carrier 6 as a result of gravity tilt away and fall off would be designed so that they have opposing first and second roller bearing surfaces 12a, 12b whose distance is tolerated that the rollers 10 come to contact depending on the direction of loading on the first or second roller tread 12a, 12b and roll on it.

Guideways 20 that meet these conditions are preferably designed as profiled rails. The pairs of rollers 10 whose geometrical axes are located on the same straight lines 11a, 11b are mounted offset from one another and run on mutually parallel first or second roller rolling surfaces 12a, 12b. The guideways 20 may be formed on one or more profile rails. In the in Fig. 4 illustrated embodiment, each of the two parallel guideways 20 has a separate rail and one each against the Center plane 9 directed first and / or second roller tread 12a, 12b and directed away from the center plane 9 first and / or second roller tread 12a, 12b. Suitable profiled rails are: U profile for each runway, U-profile with two adjacent raceways, double-T profile, each with a roller tread 12a, 12b left and right of the center bar. Each guide track 20 thus comprises at least one roller running surface 12a, 12b for the rollers 10 arranged at the first end 35 of a rolling element body 34 and for the rollers 10 arranged at the second end 36 of the same rolling element body 34 relative to the center plane 9. Alternatively, a profile rail can be both of the two include parallel guideways 20. These are, for example, rails, which are designed as a double-L profile, double-U profile or double-T profile.

In this case, the two rollers 10 arranged at the first end 35 have a spacing A (FIG. Fig. 3 ) and the two rollers 10 arranged at the second end 36 have a distance B> A to each other, wherein the distances A and B are dimensioned such that the two rollers 10 arranged at the first end 35 are arranged between the two at the second end 36 Rollers 10 of the adjacent cooling element 40 fit.

In the region of the Umlenkbögen 21 of the guideways 20 driving wheels 23 are mounted whose axis of rotation coincides with the geometric axis of the Umlenkbögen 21. Each two drive wheels 23 are mounted symmetrically to the central plane 9 rotationally rigid on a drive axle 25, wherein each one drive shaft 25 is arranged coaxially to the geometric axis of the Umlenkbögen 21. The roller carriers 6 have lateral extensions 14 on one or more of their rollers 10 or roller axles, which engage as carriers, for example in the form of rollers mounted on the corresponding axle, into the recesses 24 of the driving wheels 23, which engage the roller carriers 6 with their cooling blocks 5 drive.

As in the Fig. 4 and 5 1, each guide track 20, in a vertical direction parallel to gravity, comprises an upper and a lower straight guide track section 27a, 27b, wherein the upper straight guide track section 27a juxtaposed in the vertical direction at the same height with respect to the median plane 9 faces a first plane directed against the median plane 9 Roller tread 12a and a directed away from the median plane 9 first Roller tread 12a may have. In this case, the juxtaposed first roller bearing surfaces 12a have only one guide track 20 with a side guide 44 (FIG. Fig. 5 ) provided guideway portion 27 a, so that the cooling elements 40 can extend in the region of the mold transverse to the median plane 9.

The application and removal of the cooling blocks 5 together with the roller carriers 6 can be done individually or in associations. This happens in the area of the orbit where the roller carriers 6 naturally do not tip or fall off the guideways 20 due to gravity and do not require an opposing second roller tread 12b.

1. 1) Im Falle dass die Kühlblöcke 5 auf Rollträgern 6 (Fig. 2) fixiert sind, genügt es auf zwei bis drei aufeinander folgenden Kühlelementen 40 die Kühlblöcke 5 zu entfernen, worauf die Rollträger 6 gekippt, zusammengeschoben und herausgenommen werden können (Fig. 8).
2. 2) Im oberen Bereich des Umlenkbogens 21 (Fig. 4 und 5), wo die Kühlblöcke 5 auseinandergespreizt vorliegen, wird im Bereich der sich höher befindenden Rolle 10 eine erste Öffnung 28 in der zweiten Rollenlauffläche 12b und im Bereich der sich weiter unten befindenden Rolle 10 eine zweite Öffnung 29 in der zweiten Rollenlauffläche 12b von je mindestens der Länge eines Rollendurchmessers geschaffen. Die Rollen 10 des entsprechenden Kühlelements 40 passen durch die ersten und zweiten Öffnungen 28, 29 der beiden Führungsbahnen 20 und ermöglichen die Entfernung des gesamten Kühlelements 40. In der in Fig. 4 und 5 dargestellten Ausführungsform sind die ersten Öffnungen 28 für die am zweiten Ende 36 angeordneten Rollen 10 mit dem kleineren Abstand A an den gegen die Mittelebene 9 gerichteten zweiten Rollenlaufflächen 12b und die zweiten Öffnungen 29 für die am ersten Ende 35 angeordneten Rollen 10 mit dem grösseren Abstand B an den von der Mittelebene 9 weggerichteten zweiten Rollenlaufflächen 12b angeordnet. Falls die Rollelemente 4 umgekehrt angeordnet sind und die am ersten Ende 35 angeordneten Rollen 10 den kleineren Abstand A aufweisen, sind die ersten und zweiten Öffnungen 28, 29 in vertauschter Reihenfolge angeordnet.
3. 3) Durch Öffnen und Auseinanderschieben von teleskopierbaren Führungsbahnen 20 in Richtung der Längsachse 30 der Transportvorrichtung 1 entsteht eine Lücke im Reihenverband der Kühlelemente 40. Entspricht das Ausmass der Lücke mindestens dem Durchmesser einer Rolle 10, so können die Rollen 10 genügend weit unter ihren Nachbar-Kühlelementen 40 hervorgeschoben werden, sodass beim Herausheben ein Verhaken der Rollen 10 mit den Nachbar-Kühlelementen 40 vermieden wird.

Die Trennung der Führungsbahnen 20 kann in den geraden Führungsabschitten 27a, 27b (Fig. 9 und 10) angeordnet sein. Die Rollenlaufflächen 12a, 12b jeder Führungsbahn 20 weisen in Richtung der Längsachse 30 der Transportvorrichtung 1 relativ zueinander verschiebbare erste und zweite Abschnitte 38, 39 auf, so dass sich die ersten und zweiten Abschnitte 38, 39 der Rollenlaufflächen 12a, 12b in Richtung der Zirkulationsbewegung überlappen. Die Rollen 10 der Rollelemente 4 liegen dann bei in Richtung der Längsachse 30 der Transportvorrichtung 1 auseinandergeschobenen Führungsbahnen 20 im Bereich der Trennstelle der Führungsbahnen 20 auf einem der ersten oder zweiten Abschnitte 38, 39 der Rollenlaufflächen 12a, 12b auf.
Alternativ kann die Übergangsstelle zwischen geraden Führungsbahnabschnitten 27a, 27b und Umlenkbogen 21 durch Wegrücken eines Umlenkbogens 21 entsprechend weit geöffnet werden um die gewünschte Lücke zu schaffen. Dabei können die Umlenkbogen 21 translativ von den geraden Führungsbahnabschnitten 27a, 27b weggerückt werden,
oder
die Umlenkbögen 21 können an einer Drehachse 31 drehbar gelagert sein (Fig. 11 und 12), die die Punkte verbindet in denen die zweiten Rollenlaufflächen 12b der Umlenkbögen 21 sich mit den unteren zweiten Rollenlaufflächen 12b der geraden Führungsbahnabschnitte 27b treffen. Durch Wegkippen der Umlenkbögen 21 um einen entsprechenden Winkel entsteht die gewünschte Bahnlücke an der oberen Verbindungsstelle, d.h. dort wo die oberen geraden Führungsbahnabschnitte 27a auf die abwärts führenden Umlenkbögen 21 treffen. Da sich die Drehachse in der Verbindungsstelle der zweiten Rollenlaufflächen 12b zwischen den Umlenkbogen 21 und den unteren geraden Führungsbahnabschnitten 27b befindet, bleiben beim Kippen die unteren Führungsbahnverbindungen lückenlos erhalten, so dass keine Kühlelemente 40 von den Führungsbahnen 20 herunterfallen können.A complication arises, however, from the kinematic requirement that the distance of the straight lines 11a, 11b containing the geometric axes of the rollers 10 are set equal to one cooling block length. The first cooling element 40 to be lifted out remains hanging at the locations between the remaining and the cooling block 5 to be removed, because the rollers 10 of the cooling element 40 to be removed project half a diameter below the cooling blocks 5 of the remaining cooling elements 40. The removal of a first cooling element 40 can be carried out according to one of the following methods:

1. 1) In the case that the cooling blocks 5 on roller carriers 6 ( Fig. 2 ) are fixed, it is sufficient to remove the cooling blocks 5 on two to three consecutive cooling elements 40, whereupon the roller carriers 6 can be tilted, pushed together and taken out ( Fig. 8 ).
2. 2) In the upper region of the deflecting bend 21 (FIG. Fig. 4 and 5 ), where the cooling blocks 5 are spread apart, a first opening 28 in the second roller surface 12 b and in the region of the roller 10 located below a second opening 29 in the second roller surface 12 b of at least the Length of a roll diameter created. The rollers 10 of the corresponding cooling element 40 pass through the first and second openings 28, 29 of the two guideways 20 and allow the removal of the entire cooling element 40. In the in Fig. 4 and 5 In the embodiment shown, the first openings 28 for the rollers 10 arranged at the second end 36 are at the smaller distance A against the central plane 9 directed second roller bearing surfaces 12b and the second openings 29 arranged for the arranged at the first end 35 rollers 10 with the greater distance B to the directed away from the median plane 9 second roller bearing surfaces 12b. If the rolling elements 4 are arranged reversely and the rollers 10 arranged at the first end 35 have the smaller spacing A, the first and second openings 28, 29 are arranged in a reversed order.
3. 3) By opening and pushing apart telescopic guideways 20 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 30 of the transport device 1 creates a gap in the series of cooling elements 40. If the extent of the gap at least the diameter of a roller 10, the rollers 10 can be sufficiently far below their neighboring Cooling elements 40 are pushed out, so that when lifting a snagging of the rollers 10 with the neighboring cooling elements 40 is avoided.

The separation of the guideways 20 may be in the straight Führungsabschitten 27 a, 27 b ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) can be arranged. The roller treads 12a, 12b of each guide track 20 have first and second sections 38, 39 displaceable relative to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis 30 of the transport device 1, so that the first and second sections 38, 39 of the roller treads 12a, 12b overlap in the direction of the circulation movement , The rollers 10 of the rolling elements 4 are then in the direction of the longitudinal axis 30 of the transport device 1 pushed apart guideways 20 in the region of the separation point of the guideways 20 on one of the first or second sections 38, 39 of the roller treads 12a, 12b.
Alternatively, the transition point between straight guide track sections 27a, 27b and deflecting 21 can be opened by moving away a Umlenkbogens 21 correspondingly wide to create the desired gap. In this case, the deflection curves 21 can be moved away from the straight guide track sections 27a, 27b in a translatory manner,
or
the deflecting bends 21 may be rotatably mounted on a rotation axis 31 ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ) connecting the points at which the second roller treads 12b of the turn elbows 21 meet with the lower second roller treads 12b of the straight guide track portions 27b. By tilting the Umlenkbögen 21 by a corresponding angle creates the desired path gap at the top Junction, ie where the upper straight guideway sections 27a meet the downwardly leading Umlenkbögen 21. Since the axis of rotation is in the connection point of the second roller treads 12b between the deflecting bend 21 and the lower straight guide track sections 27b, the lower guide track connections remain without gaps during tipping so that no cooling elements 40 can fall off the guide tracks 20.

The requirements for the width of the products to be cast are variable, ranging from less than 200 mm to more than 2 m. The modular design of the casting machines, which meet the various respective casting product width requirements, simplifies both the design, assembly and stocking of spare parts and provides equal functionality of the mechanics and operating conditions across the entire width of the casting level. In order to set up casting machines of different widths, a basic module 32 (FIG. 6 and 7 ) designed so that by laterally juxtaposing casting machines are created with different casting widths.

A basic module 32 ( Fig. 6 ) is characterized in that it comprises in width a provided with rollers 10 cooling element 40, for example, provided with one or more cooling blocks 5 roll carrier 6, Umlenkbögen 21 and straight track sections 27a, 27b with the number of roller treads 12a, 12b, the Number of rollers 10 of the cooling element 40 corresponds. Right and left of the outermost Umlenkbogen guides are each a Mitnehmerrad 23 arranged concentrically with the Umlenkbogen guides. The Mitnehmervertiefungen 24 are aligned parallel to the axes of the Umlenkbogen guides. Umlenkbogen guides and driving wheels 23 have in the region of their axes an opening through which a drive shaft 25 can be pushed, the length of which is dimensioned so that they can accommodate the Giessbreite determining number of basic modules 32. A concentric and conclusive connection of the drive shaft 25 with the drive wheels 23 ensures their drive. The driving wheels 23, in turn, drive the roller carriers 6 and cooling blocks 5 in their orbit.

Claims (17)

1. Transport device, in particular for transporting cooling blocks (5) in a casting machine with caterpillar mold, wherein the transport device comprises:

   a plurality of roller elements (4), which endlessly circulate in a caterpillar-like manner on a circulating path U and which are drivable by a drive device (33);

   at least two parallel guide paths (20), each of which comprises one or more roller running surfaces (12a, 12b) and extends over the entire circulating path U; wherein

   each roller element (4) comprises a roller element body (34), which has a first end (35) and a second end (36) in the direction of circulation; and

   each roller element (4) comprises in the area of the first end (35) and in the area of the second end (36) respectively at least one roller (10),

   characterized in that

   the rollers (10) situated in the area of the first end (35) of the roller element bodies (34) roll on roller running surfaces (12a, 12b) different from those of the rollers (10) situated in the area of the second end (36) of the roller element bodies (34).
2. Transport device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the roller elements (4) are not coupled to one another in the direction of the circulation movement and thus are loose relative to one another.
3. Transport device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the area of the first end (35) and/or in the area of the second end (36) of the roller element bodies (34) joint bearings (41) are situated and respectively at least two rollers (10) are attached to a joint bearing (41).
4. Transport device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the joint bearings (41) are rotatably attached by way of joint axles (42) to the roller element bodies (34), wherein the joint axles (42) are situated perpendicular to a center plane (9) of the transport device defined by the circulating path U.
5. Transport device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rollers (10) comprise respectively a roller axle (43), wherein the roller axles (43) are fixedly attached to the roller element body (34).
6. Transport device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the roller element bodies (34) measured in the direction of circulation have respectively a maximum length "L" and immediately adjacent roller elements (4) can be positioned on the first and second guide path (20) so that the geometrical axes of the roller axles (43) or of the joint axles (42) of the rollers (10) or the joint bearings (41) situated in the area of the first ends (35) of two adjacent roller elements (4) can substantially be adjusted to a distance which corresponds to the maximum length "L".
7. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the geometrical axes of the roller axles (43) or of the joint axles (42) of the rollers (10) or the joint bearings (41) disposed in the area of the first ends (35) lie in a plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which plane is defined by the first end (35) of the respective roller element body (34).
8. Transport device (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the geometrical axes of the roller axles (43) or of the joint axles (42) of the rollers (10) or the joint bearings (41) disposed in the area of the second ends (36) lie in a plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, having a distance to the plane defined by the first ends (35) of the respective roller element body (34) which is substantially equal to or greater than the length "L".
9. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the geometrical axes of the roller axles (43) or of the joint axles (42), which are situated at the first and second ends (35, 36) facing each other of two adjacent roller elements (4) in the direction of the circulation movement, are substantially coaxial.
10. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each roller element body (34) comprises at least one cooling block (5) so that a casting caterpillar (2, 3) is formed, which is suitable as the wall of a casting mold.
11. Transport device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the cooling blocks (5) have a bottom side facing the rollers (10) and a flat cooling surface (37) on the opposite side, and the two parallel planes comprising the geometrical axes of the roller axles (43) or of the joint axles (42) are perpendicular to the cooling surface (37).
12. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that each roller element (4) comprises at least 4 rollers (10), wherein respectively two rollers (10) are disposed at the first and the second end (35, 36) of each roller element body (34), and wherein the rollers (10) disposed at the first end (35) are offset in an orthogonal manner to the center plane (9) vis-à-vis the rollers (10) disposed at the second end (36).
13. Transport device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the two rollers (10) disposed at the first end (35) have a distance A to each other and the two rollers disposed at the second end (36) have a distance B ≠ A to each other, wherein the distances A and B are sized so that the two rollers (10) disposed at the first end (35) fit between the rollers (10) disposed at the second end (36) of the adjacent roller element (4).
14. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the guide paths (20) have at least in one portion of the circulating path U, in which the roller elements (4) would, owing to gravity, fall down from the guide paths (20), first and second roller running surfaces (12a, 12b), which are situated opposite each other.
15. Transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the drive device (33) comprises at least one driver wheel (23), wherein the rollers (10) of a roller element (4), the geometrical axes of which lie on a common straight line (11a, 11b), or the mechanical axles of these rollers (10) have extensions (14) perpendicular to a center plane (9) defined by the circulating path U and the at least one driver wheel (23) has recesses (24) on its periphery, which can engage with the extensions (14).
16. Use of a transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15 as a casting caterpillar (2, 3).
17. Use of a transport device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15 as a base module (32) of a modularly constructed casting caterpillar (2, 3) of a casting machine.

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