GB984228A - Improvements in or relating to methods and apparatus for continuous casting of metal - Google Patents

Abstract

984,228. Continuous casting - machines. HAZELETT STRIP-CASTING CORPORATION. Dec. 5, 1961 [Dec. 8, 1960], No. 43461/61. Addition to 912,742. Heading B3F. In a belt-type continuous casting machine as described in the parent Specification which is referred to, the grooved support rolls at the input end of the belts are substantially directly opposed to each other so that their axes lie in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to or at an angle in excess of 45 degrees to the plane of casting zone, and both belts at the input end are supported and guided by additional rolls spaced away from the grooved rolls and aligned with the axes of said grooved rolls in a plane perpendicular to or at an angle in excess of 45 degrees to the plane of the casting zone, and the flight of both belts approaching the input end of the casting zone follow paths each of which is substantially perpendicular to or at an angle in excess of 45 degrees to the length of the casting zone. Metal is directed from a tundish 5 into the casting gap by a nozzle 25 having a number of longitudinal passages 26. The flexible, sheet-metal belts 14, 16 are guided by rollers 28, 32, 36 and 30, 34, 38 respectively, and backed up over the casting length by ridged rolls 44. The nip rollers 28, 30 have deep, closely spaced circumferential grooves 31 into which curved nozzles 84 project to supply coolant to the reverse sides of the belts, other coolant being supplied along the length of the casting gap by nozzles 61, scoops 60 picking up excess coolant and directing it to gutters 63 for return to the coolant supply tank 50. The rollers 32, 34 are the driving and steering rollers, being driven through shafts 42, 43 with universal couplings, and being also skewable by means of cylinders 96 to compensate for any tendency of the belt to move laterally, such tendency being sensed by probes 95, Fig. 3. The belt tensioning rollers 36, 38 are each faced with a layer of rubber 39 and are moved to tension the belt by cylinders 216 acting through links 222 &c., Fig. 1. The upper belt assembly is pivotally supported on the ends of cantilever arms 150, 152, Figs. 3 and 4, mounted at their other ends on a pivot 114, so that it may be swung upwardly by means of a cylinder 154 to open up the gap between the belts. The assembly is also movable longitudinally as shown in Fig. 14c by means of a screw member operated by a handwheel. The edges of the gap are sealed by moving dams 68, 70 comprising steel blocks strung on continuous flexible metal straps. Spacer blocks 178, Fig. 1, support the weight of the upper belt assembly. The whole assembly is mounted on a pivot 100, Fig. 3, so that it may be tilted with respect to the horizontal, being located in any desired position by bolts 119 in holes 120. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 837,473, 837,474 and 837,475.