GB1429342A - Wheel and belt continuous casting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1429342 Continuous casting HAZELETT STRIP-CASTING CORP 2 March 1973 [2 March 1972] 10378/73 Heading B3F The wheel of a wheel-and-belt casting machine has a removable rim 60, Fig. 7, e.g. of mild steel 0À025-0À075 inch thick, to the inner surface of which is applied liquid coolant, and removable side members 61, 62 (of forged steel) encircling the rim between the rim and the belt 24 for defining the mould cavity. The belt 24 is of similar material and thickness to the rim and both may be coated on their faces which contact the metal M, e.g. Al, Cu or (stainless) steel, to slow down the cooling rate. The side members 61, 62 are rings and may be moved apart to adjust the casting width or replaced to adjust its thickness. They may be solid and slotted at their outer edges for flexibility or may each be formed by a number of curved blocks strung on a strap or cable. The wheel rim 60, like the side rings 61, 62, is slightly oversize and "floats", in the case of the rim this is with regard to flanges 58, 59 of the wheel which extend from its hub (120). The edges of the rim 60 are guided by numbers of flexible edge clamps 64-1, 64-2 each with a mounting block 65. In one form, Fig. 17, the edge clamp has an extended and L-shaped finger 70 for greater resilience. Between the clamps and the wheel flanges 58, 59 extend a pair of resilient tubular rings 74-1, 74-2 to seal the edges of the rim 60 against leakage of coolant supplied from nozzle units 142; the rings are deflatable for removal of the rim 60 for replacement. The side rings 61, 62 of the mould are guided near the inlet E to the mould, Fig. 5, by two pairs of flanged rollers 78 and another pair of rollers (78, Figs. 13, 14, not shown) mounted with an adjustable stripper (94) for the casting (P) in the region where the belt 24 leaves the wheel. Filtered coolant is delivered through the wheel hub to a fixed header 157, Fig. 5, on which rotates a distributor with radial ducts 168 for passing the liquid through hoses 147 to nozzle means 132 each with a nozzle unit 142, Fig. 7, travelling round with the wheel and each bearing a deflector with a broadened end of which one side is a scoop 134 for diverting some of the coolant 130 applied to the inner face of the wheel rim 60 by the opposite side of the preceding deflector. The diverted liquid passes to a spiral discharge gutter 138 for direction axially out of the wheel. The coolant layer 130 may flow counter to the wheel revolution or with it. The end surfaces of the broadened ends of the deflectors converge towards the inner surface of the rim 60 so that there is deaeration of the coolant. A part-ring 170 in the fixed header 157 adjacent the wheel hub may block the access to ducts 168 in sequence as the wheel rotates, so that cooling is limited to the arc where casting occurs. Coolant 114 is also directed across the belt 24 by multiple-orifice units 112, Fig. 7. The cast metal may be rolled and coiled, or drawn.