GB1569199A

GB1569199A - Machine for simultaneously facing the top and underside of a band-shaped continuous casting and a method of operating the same

Info

Publication number: GB1569199A
Application number: GB536977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-02-11
Filing date: 1977-02-09
Publication date: 1980-06-11
Also published as: ATA93976A; DE2704814A1; AT351888B; JPS5298294A; JPS59321B2; DE2704814C2

Description

(54) MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FACING THE TOP AND UNDERSIDE OF A BAND-SHAPED CONTINUOUS CASTING AND A METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME (71) We, ALFRED ADAMEC and ROLAND LEDER of Tschudigasse 16, 1220 Vienna, Austria, and of Alseggerstrasse 19, 1180 Vienna, Austria, respectively, both Austrian citizens do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a machine for simultaneously facing the top and underside of a band-shaped continuous casting during its intermittently ocurring extraction from the chill of a horizontal continuous casting installation, the machine including a milling device movable parallel to the direction of travel of the casting.

British Patent Specification No. 1,359,569 describes a machine of the kind equipped with two side milling cutter heads, that is to say cutter heads whose cutting edges are on a cylindrical surface whose principal axis is coincident with the axis of rotation. When side milling cutter heads are employed, a continuous lead must be ensured in order to achieve a satisfactory milled appearance and therefore the machine is designed to be movable as a whole having regard to the intermittent movement of the continuous casting. This machine equipped with side milling cutter heads has considerable disadvantages in practicat operation, as in the event of a changes of cutters for the purpose of exchanging or regrinding the blades, which takes several hours, the milling or facing operation must be interrupted.

Since, however, the casting process cannot be interrupted and it is not possible to catch up on the milling process, an unmilled casting product is obtained which must be re-melted.

Consequently, the problem underlying the invention is to provide a machine of the kind mentioned above in which a satisfactory milled appearance is obtained with simple means and which, in particular, offers the possibility of carrying out the exchanges of a damaged or defective milling tool in such manner that no unmilled casting products are obtained.

According to the invention, this is achieved in that the milling device has means for coupling it to the casting for movement therewith, the milling device comprising tool slides movable transverse to the direction of travel of the casting and disposed above and below the path of travel of the casting, each of the tool slides carrying an end milling cutter head. A fluid-pressure actuated return device may be provided for return of the milling device to a starting position after disengagement of the coupling means.

Preferably, the coupling means comprises at least two coupling devices each of which consists of a supporting table adapted to be brought up to the continuous casting and at least one hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pressure ram, the supporting tables and pressure rams being arranged opposite one another and below the continuous casting.

Longitudinal guide means for the milling column on the base frame may have a length which is many times greater than the feed of the continuous casting ocurring during the single-pass milling of the casting over its width and the return of the milling column to its starting position.

In a preferred embodiment, the machine has two pairs of slides with end milling cutter heads carried thereby which can be brought into use selectively on the continuous casting. The paths of movement of the two pairs of slides may moreover be identical within the working range, these paths being extended beyond the working range and the pairs of slides being located in the extensions in the inoperative or reserve position.

The machine with ultra-long longitudinal guide means for the milling column is operated in such manner that after the continuous casting has been transversed by the facing cutter heads they are moved back into their starting position and the milling column is shifted in the opposite direction to the direction of extraction of the casting by an amount which is smaller than the milling width during a working operation of the cutters transversely of the casting and preferably corresponds approximately to half the diameter of the facing cutter heads, whereupon the milling process is initiated again.

When a cutter head is to be exchanged or re-ground, the milling device is shifted to the downstream end of the range of movement allowed by the longitudinal guides and the exchange or regrinding is carried out. On resumption of the milling process, after each pass of the cutter head across the casting the cutter head is moved back to its starting position and the milling devices is shifted upstream by an amount greater than that used in normal working until it gets back to its starting position near the upstream end of the grinder.

The machine and the method according to the invention are described in detail hereinafter in a plurality of embodiments with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken open, of a facing or milling machine for a band-shaped continuous casting; Figure 2 is a front view of the machine as seen in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the casting; Figure 3 shows a modified constructional form of the machine in accordance with the view according to Figure 1, and; Figure 4 shows a second modified constructional form in a view in accordance with Figure 2.

Arranged on a base frame 2 of the machine is a milling column 3 which is provided with two clamping devices 4.1 and 4.2 and is movable along two guide bars 2.1 for a distance of 1000 - 1500 mm in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped continuous casting 1 coming from a horizontal chill and an extracting or draw-off machine. Each clamping device consists of a supporting table 6 which can be brought up to the continuous casting 1 by means of a spindle 5, and a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pressure ram 7 located above the supporting table and by which the casting 1 can be pressed against the supporting table 6 and brought in this way into frictional connection with the milling column 3.

The milling column 3 moreover comprises end milling cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2 coming into action on the continuous casting from above and below, respectively, and which are mounted together with a motor drive on slides 12.1 and 12.2, respectively, and can be made to act on the continuous casting 1 to the appropriate milling depth by means of fine vernier adjustments 9.1 and 9.2.

For facing the continuous casting, the slides 12.1 and 12.2 are set in reciprocating movement together, during which the milling column 3 takes part in the longitudinal movement of the continuous casting 1 since it is coupled thereto by the clamping devices 4.1 and 4.2. Feed screws 10 connected to a gearing are provided for the movement of the slides 12.1 and 12.2 transversely of the direction of extraction of the continuous casting 1. Finally, there is provided a hydraulic cylinder 11 mounted in the base frame 2, by which the milling column 3 can be shifted in the opposite direction to the direction of extraction of the casting 1 after the clamps 4.1 and 4.2 have been released.

This apparatus operates in the following manner: As soon as the oncoming continuous casting 1 has passed through the clamping devices 4.1 and 4.2, the supporting tables 6 are brought up to it by means of the spindles 5 and the casting 1 is frictionally connected to the milling column 3 by lowering the pressure rams 7. As a result, the milling column 3 moves along its guide means 2.1 with the same intermittent movements as are imparted to the continuous casting 1 by the extracting machine (not shown) After the milling depth has been set, the drives of the two end milling cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2 are set in operation and the slides 12.1 and 12.2 are shifted transversely of the direction of the casting by means of the feed screws 10. In this way, the casting 1 is milled transversely of its longitudinal direction.As soon as the cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2 have reached their other end position, the pressure rams 7 are raised, whereby the coupling of the casting 1 to the milling column is terminated, and the milling column 3 is moved backwards along its guide means 2.1, that is to say towards the extracting machine. Initially the casting is only gripped by the clamping device 4.1 and the operation of tranverse milling and return of the milling column is repeated a number of times under manual control until the clamping device 4.2 can grip the milled band. From this time on, a switch is made to automatic operation, after which the individual operations: closing of the clamping device - milling - opening of the clamping device - return of the milling column - closing of the clamping device, etc., take place automatically.

The length of the return travel which is imparted to the cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2 by the hydraulic cylinder 11 is related to the width of the band and the milling depth and is preferably about half the diameter of the end milling cutter head or 50% of the milling width. The milling speed and the return travel must be so chosen that the milling column is always located in the left-hand end zone of its distance of adjustment.

As soon as exchange of a cutter head is necessary, the automatic operating cycle is interrupted and the clamping action is discontinued, following which the milling head in question can be exchanged. Since the unmilled continuous casting is moved on during the space of time required for the exchange, the milling column 3 must be shifted such a distance to the right that after operation has been taken up again it is possible to link up to the areas previously milled, in order to prevent the possibility of a part of the continuous casting remaining unmilled. After completion of the exchange milling begins again, manual control being employed and a larger return travel of, for example, 80 to 90% of the milling width being maintained. In this way, the milling column 3 gradually travels back towards the lefthand end of its range of adjustment.It is then possible to change over again to automatic operation with a normal return travel which, on average, ensures that milling is carried out as fast as the casting is delivered from the casting installation.

Figure 3 shows a modified constructional form of the machine, the same reference numbers therein designating the same or similar parts. The difference compared with the con structiomil form according to Figure 1 lies in a modified design of the clamping devices 4.1 and 4.2, inasmuch as opposite the two greatly enlarged supporting tables 6, one of which bears against the continuous casting 1 from below and the other from above, there is not merely one pressure ram, but two smaller pressure rams 7.1 and 7.2, between which there are arranged end milling cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2, respectively, which are again carried by transversely movable slides 12.1 and 12.2.

The operation of this machine is similar to the operation of the machine in accordance with the constructional form according to Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 shows another constructional form.

The same structural elements are also designated by the same reference numbers in this case. This machine differs from that according to Figures I and 2 in that a second pair of end milling cutter heads 18.1 and 18.2 with corresponding slides 22.1 and 22.2 and driving motors is provided, the working path of the cutter heads being identical, but being extended to the right for the pair 8.1 and 8.2 and to the left for the pair 18.1 and 18.2, the extensions serving for parking that pair which is in the inoperative or reserve position at any given time.

In this case, the milling column 3 does not require any extension of the guide means 2.1 on the base frame 2, but only a guide with sufficient length for completion of a transverse milling pass, which corresponds to only about twice or three times the diameter of the cutter heads. When a cutter head must be exchanged, the drive of the pair concerned and of the assoc iatcd slides is simply stopped, and the drive of the second pair and of the associated slides is switched on. Consequently, any interruption of the milling process is avoided in this case by putting a second pair of end milling cutter heads into operation.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A machine for simultaneously facing the top and underside of a hand-shaped continuous casting during its intermittently occurring extraction from the chill of a horizontal continuous casting installation, the machine including a milling device movable parallel to the direction of travel of the casting and having means for coupling it to the casting for movement therewith, the milling device comprising tool slides movable transverse to the direction of travel of the casting and disposed above and below the path of travel of the casting, each of tool slides carrying an end milling cutter head.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 having a fluid-pressure actuated return device for return of the milling device to a starting position after disengagement of the coupling means.

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the coupling means comprise at least two coupling devices each of which includes a backing plate so mounted that it can be brought into engagement with one surface of the casting and a fluid-pressure actuated ram for engagement with the opposite surface.

4. A machine as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 in which the milling device is mounted in guides in a base frame which allow a range of movement parallel to the direction of travel of the casting which is many times greater than the advance of the milling device which occurs during a single pass of the cutter heads across the casting.

5. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 having two pairs of slides with cutter heads carried by the slides which can be brought into operation selectively.

6. A machine as claimed in Claim 5 in which the paths of movement of the two pairs of slides in the working range are identical, these paths being extended beyond the working range and each pair of slides being located in one of the extensions in its inoperative or reserve position.

7. A method of operating a machine as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 in which after passage of the cutter heads across the casting they are moved back to their starting position and the milling device is shifted in the return direction by an amount which is smaller than the width of cut of the cutting heads.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7 in which the return movement is about half the diameter of the cutter heads.

9. A method of operating a machine as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the milling device when working normally travels over a small part of the permitted range of movement near the upstream end of the range but for exchanging or re-grinding a cutter head the milling device is shifted to the downstream end of the permitted range after which the milling process is resumed with a return movement of the milling device after each pass of the cutting heads which is greater than that used in normal working so that the milling device progressively returns to the upstream end of the range.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. previously milled, in order to prevent the possibility of a part of the continuous casting remaining unmilled. After completion of the exchange milling begins again, manual control being employed and a larger return travel of, for example, 80 to 90% of the milling width being maintained. In this way, the milling column 3 gradually travels back towards the lefthand end of its range of adjustment. It is then possible to change over again to automatic operation with a normal return travel which, on average, ensures that milling is carried out as fast as the casting is delivered from the casting installation. Figure 3 shows a modified constructional form of the machine, the same reference numbers therein designating the same or similar parts. The difference compared with the con structiomil form according to Figure 1 lies in a modified design of the clamping devices 4.1 and 4.2, inasmuch as opposite the two greatly enlarged supporting tables 6, one of which bears against the continuous casting 1 from below and the other from above, there is not merely one pressure ram, but two smaller pressure rams 7.1 and 7.2, between which there are arranged end milling cutter heads 8.1 and 8.2, respectively, which are again carried by transversely movable slides 12.1 and 12.2. The operation of this machine is similar to the operation of the machine in accordance with the constructional form according to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 shows another constructional form. The same structural elements are also designated by the same reference numbers in this case. This machine differs from that according to Figures I and 2 in that a second pair of end milling cutter heads 18.1 and 18.2 with corresponding slides 22.1 and 22.2 and driving motors is provided, the working path of the cutter heads being identical, but being extended to the right for the pair 8.1 and 8.2 and to the left for the pair 18.1 and 18.2, the extensions serving for parking that pair which is in the inoperative or reserve position at any given time. In this case, the milling column 3 does not require any extension of the guide means 2.1 on the base frame 2, but only a guide with sufficient length for completion of a transverse milling pass, which corresponds to only about twice or three times the diameter of the cutter heads. When a cutter head must be exchanged, the drive of the pair concerned and of the assoc iatcd slides is simply stopped, and the drive of the second pair and of the associated slides is switched on. Consequently, any interruption of the milling process is avoided in this case by putting a second pair of end milling cutter heads into operation. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A machine for simultaneously facing the top and underside of a hand-shaped continuous casting during its intermittently occurring extraction from the chill of a horizontal continuous casting installation, the machine including a milling device movable parallel to the direction of travel of the casting and having means for coupling it to the casting for movement therewith, the milling device comprising tool slides movable transverse to the direction of travel of the casting and disposed above and below the path of travel of the casting, each of tool slides carrying an end milling cutter head.