MXPA97008094A - Continuous casting mold formed of pla elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to: continuous release molding machine has a vertically oriented open lid mold cavity, with downwardly moving sides containing a liquid metal deposit. The cavity is wide in the upper center and tapers in the narrow thickness of the strip (34) that is molded on the sides and bottom. Each of the two wide sides of the cavity is delineated by a matrix of adjacent contiguous planes (38) of narrow expansion. Cadas matrix is an approximation of many facets of a doubly curved surface, the dynamic changes in the shape of which are facilitated by small changes in the relative angular and linear orientation of the plates relative to each other, as they progress down through the cavity of mol

Description

CONTINUOUS CASTING MOLD FORMED OF PLATE ELEMENTS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The continuous casting process is conventionally employed in the production of flat rolled steel. The metal is continuously cast in slabs or plates with 120 to 300 millimeters thick, in a short vertical oscillating mold with essentially constant cross section. The mold is large enough to receive a pouring or coating tube that transports liquid metal from a refractory tundish to the liquid reservoir at the top of the mold. The plate advances from the mold through a train of restraining conveyor rollers, where it is sprayed with water until it totally solidifies and subsequently is hot-rolled and heated to a hot band so called fractional thickness of centimeters. In recent years, so-called thin-plate molding has come into use which characterizes a similar oscillating mold design, but with a molding cavity that is flared outwardly in the central region of the upper part to accommodate a tube of hot metal casting. Plates of approximately 50 millimeters in thickness, are produced by this device that requires a shorter roller conveyor and considerably less rolling equipment, although they still require reheating.

It has long been recognized that a method of molding a strip of steel a few millimeters thick directly would result in huge savings in initial investment and operating costs and many of those schemes have been proposed. These usually involve either moving a mold surface into which metal is cast or two opposing moving surfaces, with the metal frozen between them. Single-sided devices tend to be fast but produce leaves that are too thin and are rough on one side. The two-sided procedures with the parallel casting surfaces have metal feeding problems and are too slow to allow lamination of the cast strip. Two-sided processes where the cast surfaces converge in general, have serious containment problems at the end of the deposit. For these and other reasons, strip casting schemes have been plagued with difficulty and have not found extensive commercial use. An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus with a vertically oriented casting cavity for casting a wide, essential and fully solidified steel in full form or another metal strip of thickness of a few centimeters at a speed greater than one meter per second, in such a way that it can be rolled directly to a hot strip gauge with a minimum of conventional rolling equipment or if it is cast to a smaller thickness, it can be directly coiled in coils for subsequent cold rolling. The strip can be embossed on the surface, which can be hot rolled, before further rolling or hot or cold winding. Another object is to provide means for dynamically adjusting the cross-sectional shape of the cast strip. A further object of the invention is to provide a mold surface construction, which will see a minimum of thermal stress during thermal cycling and which will maintain the surface of the strip as it is formed, such that the self-stretching of metal that is freezes due to restricted thermal contraction, will essentially be uniform across the casting surface. These and other objects and attributes are achieved by my invention as described later. The apparatus, hereinafter referred to as a mold or a machine, consists in part of a vertically oriented casting cavity, which contains a liquid metal deposit and the envelope cast solidification. The central portion of the surface of this cavity is broad at the top and narrows with depth. The surface also narrows as it approaches the ends, the horizontal cross sections of the reservoir have a cigar or symmetrical shape or a skewed spindle-like shape, (which has a symmetry of cards or cards) that narrows more and more as the section in the mold advances. The two sides at some distance from the bottom, become essentially parallel to each other and separate at a distance essentially equal to the thickness of the strip that is cast. The casting cavity has an essentially constant peripheral dimension at every elevation, such that its width increases as the thickness of the central region decreases as it advances in the depth of the deposit. The current shape of the casting cavity of the invention is a multi-faceted approximation of the uniform cavity just described, each wide side of which is formed by a plurality of contiguous facets, which are the elements of the casting surface. Each of these facets is called a plate. The plates are arranged in a number of approximately vertical columns, these columns are juxtaposed in a successive and contiguous manner to form a set approaching a doubly curved surface on each side of the machine. I call this a mosaic-type surface that is buckled like a matrix. Two of these matrices face each other and form the wide sides of the mold cavity. These surfaces move down at a constant speed.

The plates of the matrix are preferably rectangular, although other sets of geometric shapes that can be housed together and subdivided into separable columns can be used. I call the almost vertical edges of the plates of the matrix, the sides of the plates. The narrow sides of the casting cavity are formed either by integral block protrusions with and added to the plates at each end of the die, by independently moving down edge locking means which may take the form of a chain Endless blocks, which border the edges of the dies or by a stationary strip of edge blocking material. As the plates leave the cavity at the bottom, new plates are supplied at the top. To ensure this continuous removal and replacement of plates, each column of the matrix is a portion of a longer continuous loop of plates. The plates in a column are not necessarily the same width as those in another. The plates are integral with or held by plate carriers that are fastened together in series to form a loop by articulated or flexible connecting devices such as the joints or links of a common chain, chain with strips, roller chain or a section of flexible material.

Each plate and its support means are placed and slid on rollers in one or more stationary parts that are fixed to the frame of the machine. The tracks not only keep the plate columns in position in the matrix, but can also guide them through some portion of their return path. The center line of this partial track loop in general is a uniform three-dimensional spatial curve with either zero outward curvature or positive (convex) curvature. The loop of the track may be interrupted or supplemented by traveling and auxiliary guidance means for the plates and carrier means. The tracks may deviate from each other after leaving the matrix in the background and converge again before they re-enter the top. The machine basically consists of two assemblies of plate trains in loops facing each other. A main portion of the machine frame consists of two seasonal structures that pass through two sets of chain assemblies in loops, each of these structures being fixed to a machine base by uprights at one or both ends. The looping and sliding guide gear is fixed to these structures. The machine base is made in two parts that can be spaced apart to separate the two chain assemblies in loops and in certain modalities move sideways to each other, to adjust the width of the casting.

In machine modes where the surface of the tank is limited by columns of plates that confine each other at angles less than 180 *, the chain loops in the upper part of the machine can converge to each other before butting to form the casting surface matrix and the various chains that make up the matrix, all can be of the same length. In modalities where columns confine at angles greater than 180 °, certain plate trains loop into adjacent trains to avoid interference. It is well known experimentally as well as by surface tension theory, that liquid metals that do not wet a given mold material, will not penetrate small fissures less than 1/2 millimeter in width into a mold surface, if the mold temperature is well below the solidification temperature of the liquid metal. It is also known that if a wide plate is quickly heated on one side, the plate will not only bend the hot side convexly outward due to the temperature gradient across the plate, but also forge the hot side material on itself due to the temperature gradient across the plate. a thermal expansion located near the hot surface. Subsequent cooling and reheating results in cyclic stressed plastic plate surface that can eventually destroy it.

To provide stable matrix that is impenetrable to liquid metal, it not only uses small fissures between the plates but also (in * modalities where any dimension of the plate is much larger than one centimeter) the narrow grooves ** on the surface of the plate to absorb the thermal expansion. The slots where they are used, divide the plate surface into blocks that are of a rectangular or hexagonal shape and are housed together in a board, stepped or honeycomb board and in this way can form plates with either jagged edges or straight. Although the blocks may be integral with or separately connected to a plate, the term plate below shall be used to indicate the total structure of blocks and plates, however configured. The slots are a fraction of a centimeter deep and can end in sub-cutaneous cooling passages. The width of both the grooves and the fissures must be large enough to allow the surface expansion of each block and yet be small enough to obviate penetration by hot metal. Both the fissures between the various casting plates and the width of the grooves in the surface are preferably less than .5 mm and the grooves are separated at intervals that are in the order of one centimeter or less. The subcutaneous cooling passages, if used, are below the plate surface and provide additional cooling for the back of the blocks, so that the body of the plate does not penetrate appreciable heat and rapid cooling of the surface plate in its return path is facilitated. To avoid the dangerous splash that would occur if the refrigerant passes under liquid metal, the application of the refrigerant at the rear of the blocks does not begin until some distance downstream from the surface of the tank, where the strip at least is partially frozen. The pouring surfaces of the blocks are cooled by fluid in the return portions of the circuit. Since the presence of the grooves in the casting surface will generally create a different local freezing speed, it is convenient to stagger the grooves on one side of the machine both horizontally and vertically from those on the other side, so that the Thick on the cast sheet on one side, will tend to mesh with the thin sites on the other side. In the likeness of a doubly curved undeveloped mathematical surface with a mosaic of closely contiguous (or lodged) flat plates, several types of anomalies and approximation imperfections occur. In general they are a function of the local curvature and the change in point-to-point curvature of the approaching surface, the size of the plates and the distance between the center of rotation of the plate support means (articulated) and the plate surface and include a part of: (1) A step anomaly, wherein the displacement of some position of a plate is greater from the approaching surface than the adjacent portion of an adjacent plate. (2) A displacement anomaly where adjacent plates of a given column or row are displaced sideways or vertically due to a rotation of the plates with respect to a center that moves from the face of the casting. (3) A taper anomaly where the space between adjacent plate edges is not constant in dimension. (4) An enlargement of the normal space due to relative vertical rotation of the plates of a column, again with respect to a displacement center. To minimize these anomalies that disappear in the lower straight section of the mold, a preferred mold design uses a large number of rows and columns, a minimum displacement distance of the centers of rotation of the plates, and minimal curvature and changes in curvature of the approaching surface. The edges of the blocks may be chamfered or otherwise contoured, in such a way that a grid of ridges is formed on the surface of the casting. The resulting grooves of the chamfers are sufficiently broad at the top to be penetrated to a substantial portion of their total depth by the liquid metal. The grooves work in conjunction with metallo-static pressure, they serve to lock the cast piece in place against relative sliding as it forms on the mold surface. In this way, the elongation due to restricted shrinkage that occurs on a surface expansion as the material solidifies and cools, is not concentrated at one site resulting in possible localized breaking and bending, but disperses evenly over the surface. The connected grid of flanges on the casting surface must be subsequently laminated if a flat product is desired. The grooves are typically only a few millimeters deep. In another embodiment, the chamfers are removed, so that only fissures less than half a centimeter wide remain between the blocks. The mold can be adapted with an interconstructed mechanism to alter the cross-sectional shape (called the profile) of the strip by dynamic adjustment during casting. This is done in a preferred embodiment with eccentric cams mounted on an arrow in the lower straight portion of the machine, in such a way that the tracks can be elastically deflected a small distance inwards or outwards by rotating one or more horizontal arrows in which they mount the cams.

In such an assembly, a number of circular cams, one per track and of equal diameter but with varying amounts of eccentricity, are mounted on a common arrow on one side of the machine and arranged in such a way that each cam in turn push the track towards (and thus compress) or pull the track away from (and in this way thicken) the cast in the local vicinity. Several cam arrows are required at least for one side of the machine. In such a way that the profile of the strip can be varied continuously from an integral center to an integral edge condition (ie thicker to the center or thicker at the edges), the eccentricity of these cams is greater for tracks at the center of the casting cavity and decreases to zero for those at the edges such that a quarter turn of a cam arrow in one direction (or the other) moves the portion adjacent to the plate array from a local plane configuration to a that is buckled inward (or outward). The magnitude of the cam settings is conveniently small. A set of similar cams on the other side of the machine can be used to correct the full thickness of the strip at quarter points or to make other specific profile corrections. Alternatively, individual adjustment means such as screws or hydraulic cylinders can be used to adjust the local position of each track. These assemblies give a more intimate control of the thickness of the local casting track but add complexity to the machine. The machine is preferably operated at such a speed that the liquid center of the strip extends outwardly to the thickness of the molded part as it forms at the narrow edges through the entire upper converging section, such that the weld Joint end of the two sheets occurs essentially across the entire width of the lower constant thickness or "straight" section. Although in its simplest form the machine is arranged to mold a single width, designs are possible where the width is adjustable. In a non-adjustable design, the surfaces of the two dies are preferably concave everywhere or flat against the casting. This allows all the loops of plates that can diverge from each other, when leaving the bottom of the machine are of the same length and converge again on the upper part to reform the matrix without interfering with each other. In width-adjustable designs, horizontal cross-sections of the tank have regions where the limiting curves are convex against the casting, so that certain of the plate loops as they re-enter the matrix at the top, must be more long to ascend over adjacent loops without interference.

The invention and various embodiments thereof are further described in the following drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a cross section elevation of the roller chain mode that is taken through the center of the casting machine. Figure 2 is a schematic of the spatial assembly of plate loops and feed tube of the casting machine with plates of the close half removed and the casting tank illustrated in dotted lines. Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a typical track showing a typical three-dimensional twist. Figure 3A is a front elevational view of the track of Figure 3. Figure 4 is a schematic showing a mode where portions of the tracks of Figure 1 are replaced with guide sprockets and unguided sections. Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D are cross sections, horizontal, partial, schematic, various machine modalities that are taken in the elevation of the surfaces of the deposit. Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D are sections showing alternate methods for end containment in detail.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of several plates, trays, and elements carrying one embodiment of the invention using a roller chain. Figure 8 is a section showing an embodiment with casting elements connected by a steel cable approaching an adapted cavity liner. Figures 8A, and 8B are orthogonal views of the elements of Figure 8. Figure 9 is a mode that employs a link chain. Figure 10 shows a modality adapted for variable width using a roller chain, Figure 10A shows an orthogonal view thereof. Figures 11 and HA are schematic views showing a chain crossing scheme. Figure 12 shows a section through a portion of a cam arrow for contour adjustment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section elevation, taken through the centerline of a machine mode using a roller chain 46a. The liquid metal supply 20 supported by a refractory tundish 22 is fed through the flow regulating slide gate 24 and the drain tube 26 into the reservoir 28. The reservoir has the surface 30 and the side walls continuously solidifying 32a, 32b, which thicken as they move downward to form the casting 34. In the reservoir and the nascent casting part both sides are constrained by downwardly moving portions 36a-36b of continuous loops 39 of contiguous casting plates 38. The portions 36a-36b are arranged in adjacent rows to form an impenetrable liquid metal deposit. This consists of a converging section 40-41 where solidification begins and a straight section 41-42 where it is completed. The plates 38 of the loop 39 are restricted to move in the desired path by plate carriers 44 connected to chain links 46 of the roller chain 46a. The links 46 run on channel tracks 48 which are connected to the machine frame plates 63, in appropriate angular orientation by the clamps 50. The ends of the tracks 48 supply chain links 46 inside and outside the toothed wheels. set 52a and 52b. There is a sprocket for each chain loop and the sprockets on each side of the machine are mounted on common impulse arrows 54a-54b. These are synchronized by a drive mechanism (not shown) in the indicated directions, thereby imparting movement to the chains. The LEVs 56 mounted through the cam arrows 58 are rotatable to make small adjustments in the cross-sectional shape of the casting piece by locally flexing tracks 48 inwardly or outwardly by a small amount in the general regions 41 to 42. The extensions 47 to the tracks 48 type the cams, so that they can move the central tracks inwardly or outwardly to change the shape of the casting. The arrows 58 are mounted on bearings (not shown) that are rigidly fixed to the frame members 62a-62b. Cams can be provided on either side or both sides of the machine. Frame members 62a and 62b are formed into a stacked assembly of plates 63 and rectangular closed end tubes 65 and fixed to vertical uprights such as at 67a-67b at either end of the machine. The tubes 65 can also serve as conduits for cooling water. The frame member 62a can move a small distance towards or away from the frame member 62b by the mechanism 64 to adjust the strip thickness or maintain the machine. Water jets such as 66 supported in the frame 62a-62b are located to cool the interior of the plates 38 during an emergency stop of the machine and also optionally during normal operation, as required. Water racks typically illustrated as 68, mounted in the water and dew-containment boxes 70 are located such that they cool the side of the casting of the plates 38 during their upward return travel.

The solidified casting 34 is guided from the bottom of the machine by guide rollers 71 to conventional reduction and crushing rollers or to a winding device. Figure 2 is a conceptual schematic section of one half of a machine embodiment, wherein all parts have been omitted except for the hot metal feed tube 26 (illustrated in part) with side discharge holes 27 and the loops 39 of the casting plates 38 and block train containing end 74. The casting width is not adjustable in this mode. For clarity of presentation, plates 38 are illustrated as one-piece flat rectangles except where marked 38a and 38b are marked. At 38a, a plate that has been sub-divided into blocks, is illustrated in profile, here with stepped upper and lower edges. In 38b, it is illustrated with its surface in full detail consisting of an assembly where there are 10 square blocks 72, 5 wide by 2 high. The guide plates can be juxtaposed, such that the blocks are staggered or arranged in a straight board pattern. The reservoir 28 and the resulting casting 34 contained by the machine are illustrated in dotted lines. Each end of the reservoir is contained by an endless train of end blocks 74.

Figure 3 shows side elevation and Figure 3A shows a front elevation of an isolated single track 48, in this case channel-type cross section. The slight inward curvature at the top of a track as illustrated in Figure 3A may be absent or even inverted since it is a function of the width of casting cavity, cavity opening and other design parameters. Together, the two Figures exaggeratedly illustrate the three-dimensional track curvature that is required to a greater or lesser degree by an amount of these tracks to form the plate matrix on each side of the mold. The tracks in addition to the mold center have the increased three-dimensional curvature and are already curved as illustrated for one side of the die or are on the opposite side for the other. Everything except several straight tracks that can be used in the center of the machine and the tracks that carry end blocking plates are thus curved. A typical chain drive sprocket that is assembled together through the pulse arrow 54a is illustrated at 54b. A track extension device 76 is used to tighten the chain. Cam box extensions are illustrated at 47. The groove in the track may be flat, notched, arched plate or otherwise configured, depending on the plate carrier design.

An embodiment employing a different chain guide method than that of Figures 3 and 3A is illustrated schematically in Figure 4 where again only half of the machine is illustrated. Here, the looped roller chains represented by lines 46b carry plates 38 and are guided by tracks 48 only in the region at the rear of the array. The chains are otherwise arranged by upper secondary toothed wheels 80, which are transported separately by free-running bearings illustrated here on the bent shaft 81, and by the sprockets for chain tightening 82. The chains are moved by mounted sprockets as a whole 52a keyed to the arrow of the head 54a. Separate bearing mounting brackets, not shown, can be used instead of the bent shaft 81. A continuous loop 74 of end locking plates 86 is similarly supported and displaced to the plates of the die by the secondary gear 88 and the sprocket impeller 90. Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D are schematic horizontal cross sections that are taken in the upper part of the tank and show different shapes of reservoir surface and end containment means, which are illustrated in more detail in the Figures 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D, respectively. Figure 5A shows a reservoir that is similar to that illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 4 with end locking which is the partial section taken in I of Figure 4, one end of which is also illustrated in Figure 6A. Here, the adapted mold plate assemblies 38f and 38g on the outer edge of the die are illustrated by abutting one of the blocks 86 of the train 74 to the stop. The blocks 86 are transported on links of the roller chain 48b running in the stationary track 48d supported by the frame not shown. The casting cavity converges to the constant casting thickness indicated in the center of Figure 5A. Figure 5B shows a somewhat different deposit surface shape and a method for casting casting edge using an appendix 86a to the casting plate of another standard form 38b, as also illustrated in Figure 6B. The embodiments of Figures 5A and 5B allow adjustment of casting thickness but not adjustment of casting width. FIG. 5C shows a deposit surface border for casting having both convex and concave border portions, such that the deposit containing matrices converges to the parallel connection at the edges of the strip. The width of the casting can be changed by connecting individual dam blocks 86b, as illustrated in Figure 6 to the plates of one of the columns of the die at each end at various distances from the center of the cavity. The plates of the casting here are illustrated as comprising solid blocks without refrigerant passages, this design is permissible if the time in the die is relatively short and the return portion of the loop is long enough to ensure adequate cooling of the plates. Figure 5D shows an adaptive reservoir shape for changing both the width and the thickness of the casting. The two matrices that face each other are of inverted symmetry (cards) and both have concave and convex regions that pass in a flat region at opposite ends, the other ends end in an end blocking chain. To adjust the casting width, an entire train and assembly of end blocks 74 are moved laterally with respect to the assembly. The thickness is varied by moving the matrices together or separately. The plates are illustrated here with passages of sub-cutaneous refrigerants. Figure 6D shows the edge blocks 86c that are in a continuous train 74. Details of one embodiment of the invention using a roller chain running in a channel track as described in Figures 3 and 3A, are illustrated in Figure 7 in an exploded view. The various links or links 46 of the chain 46a are adaptations of a conventional large roller conveyor chain with side plates 98 of the pin joints (wider) and side plates 100 of the roller joints (narrower). The chain rollers 98 travel the surface 48a of the track 48 in the form of channel. Short and long hinge clamps 102a and 102b connected to the side plates 98 and 100, respectively, convey hinge pins 101 pivotally locating the hinge center 44 projecting downwardly from the tray 106. The hinge centers 44 have downwardly projecting tabs 44a and 44b, which act as limiting stops to prevent too great a movement outwardly of the plate as it rests against the sides of the plates. chain side plates 98 and 100, respectively. Hinges 44 were employed, not only to facilitate plate-to-plate alignment of adjacent rows of plates as they meet at the top of the matrix, but they can also attenuate the amount of divergence of the plate rows from each other at the top of the machine, thus reducing the amount of twisting that is seen by the roller chains. The various parts of the casting plate 38c are spaced for clarity of presentation. Casting blocks 72b with chamfered edges 123 each, are constituted by a hexagonal head 112 and a rod 110. The tray 106 has holes 108 which receive the rod ends 110 of casting blocks 72b which are fixed to the tray. Locating lugs 114 loosely engage the heads 112 and between the rods 110 of the blocks 72b in the adjoining column of the plates loosely with low spaces. Spacings are provided in this loose fitting so that the plates in adjacent columns can be slightly twisted together, as they travel down through the matrix. Slots 116 and open spaces between adjacent trays 118, are provided to allow water to enter and leave the region between the heads of the blocks 112 and the trays 106. Another embodiment employing a flexible member such as a metallic wire 120 instead of a roller chain, is detailed in Figure 8, which is a cut of a plate carrying member 45 that approaches its driving cavity pulley 84, with cavities 84a where the elements 45 are housed. Figure 8A is a section through the center track line of this embodiment, and Figure 8B is a cross section at right angles to track 48b. The track 48b here is a semicircular channel with rotating limiting curves of element 123. The track 48b in conjunction with the round bottom carrier 45 not only guides the plate train 38d, but serves the same function of plate alignment that the hinge pins 101 of Figure 7, the present assembly according to the distance of the axis of rotation of the plate 38d is preferable as the distance of the axis of rotation of the plate 38d (as indicated by the radius R) from the surface of the plate, can be reduced to zero.

Plate 38d is illustrated here formed of integral square casting blocks 72a, with subcutaneous cooling passages 116. Plate carriers 45 are strung on cable 120 at equal spacing and fixed to the cable by adjustment screws 122. Locating lugs 114 they ensure angular alignment between the plates of adjacent columns. The holes 116 provide passages for water to cool the backs of the casting blocks. Figure 9 shows a flat slotted casting plate 38j mounted on the support 153 which is fixed to the edge of alternating links 150, 151 of a chain of links. The support has an outward projection 153a on which the plates of the adjacent column rest on the matrix. The chain runs on track 154 which allows a slight amount of rotation through the tapered groove 154a. Figure 10 and Figure 10A show a plate and a plate support assembly wherein a roller chain 46c with side extensions 46d and 46e is connected to the underside of the plate 38j by fasteners 120. Here, the rollers of the chain of rollers do not run on tracks, the plate is supported on both ends by auxiliaries 38, which run on arcuately grooved tracks 48c fixed to the frame of the machine. Again, as in Figure 8, the axis of rotation of the plate with respect to its side edge is at or near the plate surface. Here, there are no lugs that lock adjacent columns of the plates together, although jagged edges of the columns can still be used in applications where they do not cause objectionable block-to-block interference. The series of plates, only one of which is illustrated, travels along the roller chain 46c. Two links of the chain are illustrated one in the background with its plate removed and with its side plate extensions partially dismembered. The plate 38j here is six blocks wide and one block high, each block has chamfered edges 125 forming grooves 123, the bottoms of which travel through narrow grooves 126 which in turn terminate in optional coolant passages 116 some distance below of the plate surface. The chamfered edges 125 at the periphery of the plate form similar notches between adjacent plates of the casting matrix. Figure 11 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the upper portion of the machine embodiment, illustrating the general placement of plate loops and carrier sprockets, necessary to create a convex region of convex curvature in the upper part of the tank convergent to the strip 34 of constant thickness in the bottom. Here, the design is a modification of the assembly of Figure 4 involving three sprockets for each train, the modification is illustrated by two plate loops 39a and 39b also illustrated in schematic elevation view of Figure HA. The loop 39a is conveyed in the direction illustrated in part by the sprocket 82a and thence the upper secondary sprocket 88a. By placing sprocket 82a outwardly from sprockets for squeezing, typically placed such as 82b, when raising the upper secondary sprocket 88a on the upper sprockets positioned typically 88b, the loops of the plates and their carrier chains can accommodate regions of horizontal convex curvature of the matrix. Loops such as 39a are longer than typical loops 39b. Figure 12 shows a portion of a cam arrow 58 carried by main bearings 60 at each end and by intermediate bearings 60a, all connected to the frame of the machine. Circular cams 56 are arranged at arrow 58 to lean on tracks 48 on the equivalent portion of the cams at three o'clock. The vertical portion of the track box extensions 47 is supported on each cam face at the corresponding 9 o'clock position. The cams on the arrow 58 are mounted with varying amounts of eccentricity being concentric at the ends and approaching a maximum eccentricity at the center. With the arrow 58 in the position of another (with the apogee of each cam in the position equivalent to two o'clock) the tracks 48 are all at level with each other and are in a planeWhen turning the arrow 58 clockwise, the plane becomes distorted, becoming slightly convex. Turning the arrow in the opposite direction makes the previous plane concave. By proper adjustment of the various camming arrows, the cross-sectional shape of the emerging strip can be controlled to a flat condition or if desired crowned. The eccentricity of the cams is exaggerated for illustration purposes. Although the Figures illustrate only several designs where centered and displaced assemblies of chains and cables are employed, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other designs characterizing other types of articulated or flexible track supported means may be employed for transporting and locating casting elements with various housed block assemblies that form two arrays to delimit a variety of convergent deposit shapes, all of which fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A machine for casting continuous strips, characterized in that it comprises: (a) two casting surfaces in downward movement and wide facing each other, each of the surfaces is constituted by the faces of a plurality of plates For example, the matrixes are closely housed, forming a mosaic or matrix in their aggregate, each matrix is a faceted approximation of a uniform double curved surface, the matrices delimiting the two wide sides of a casting cavity containing a deposit of molten metal and Continuously freezes a cast piece therefrom, the doubly curved surfaces are configured such that the surface of the reservoir has an elongated shape with a broad thickness in the central region, which gradually converges to a narrow thickness at each end, the widest portions on the surface they gradually decrease in thickness with depth of the cavity to converge to a narrow thickness and essentially constant across the entire width of the reservoir at a distance below the surface of the reservoir, thus defining a converging section, the cavity also has a section with approximately constant thickness for an additional distance below, thus defining a section of constant thickness, and (b) two narrow end containment means, which delimit the thickness spacing at approximately constant between the edges of the two matrices, and retain the deposit and molded part there, and (c) drive means for advancing the casting plates and solidified portions of the adjacent casting piece, downwardly at an essentially constant speed, and (d) recirculating means for returning the casting plates from the bottom of the casting cavity to re-insert the dies in the upper part, and (e) cooling means for extracting heat that is absorbed by the casting plates of the casting.
2. 2. - A casting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the matrices comprises a number of juxtaposed columns of the casting plates, the plates of each column are a portion of a larger number of plates comprising a closed and endless train of the plates, all the plates of the train are mounted or in or are integral with the means for transporting plate, the means of transport are connected in series with articulated or flexible connection means to form a loop.
3. 3. A casting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the plate trains, transport means and connection means are guided in a curve of uniform three-dimensional space, at least in part by some combination of tracks of channel, means of secondary wheels and means of driving wheels that locate the casting plates both in their downward trajectory through the matrix and in a uniform return path, the connection means at least in a certain proportion are torsionally deviable for accommodate or allow both bending and twisting of the plate loops to form a three-dimensional spatial curve.
4. 4. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate connection means comprise the links of a roller chain.
5. 5. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the casting plates are fixed to the plate carriers by pivoting means that allow rotation with respect to an axis parallel to its direction of travel, to increase the torsional mobility of the casting plates and to soften the torsional tension in the articulated connection means.
6. 6. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the transport means are connected to one side of the plates, the opposite side of the plates is adjusted with protuberances for transmission and placement of load that couple the adjacent columns during its descending journey through the matrix.
7. 7. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate transport means have a round bottom and run on an arched grooved track, to provide the torsional mobility and are spaced in a continuous loop of flexible cable and are at least partially guided in an arcuately grooved channel track and displace by rotating pulley means.
8. 8. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate transport means and the pivoting means comprise links adapted from a chain of links.
9. 9. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that each of the casting surfaces of the plates are constituted by the outer surfaces of one or more casting blocks closely housed, the blocks are mounted on or are integral with a carrier tray such that a crack with a width less than one millimeter exists everywhere between the adjacent edges of attached blocks of a given plate, and where the columns of the plates are juxtaposed so that the spaces between the edges of the surfaces of adjacent plates in the matrix, they measure everywhere less than one millimeter.
10. 10. A casting machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the casting blocks are relatively thin and are spaced from the carrier tray by assembly means with a cross-sectional area smaller than the surface area of the plates, providing in this way space for the introduction of coolant between the blocks and the tray and partial thermal insulation of the tray with respect to the blocks.
11. 11. - A casting machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the casting blocks are relatively thick and are directly connected to or integral with the tray.
12. 12. A casting machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the edges of the faces of the casting blocks facing the casting track are chamfered, are radial or otherwise contoured to provide tapered grooves in which the metal The melt of the deposit partially enters before solidification.
13. 13. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the channel tracks are deflectable in the vicinity of the lower portion of the casting cavity by adjusting means for adjusting the cross-sectional profile of the casting.
14. 14. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the adjustment means comprise cams mounted on manually shifted or energized pulse arrows.
15. 15. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that all the horizontal cross sections of the tank are essentially limited by segment segment approaches that are essentially flat or inwardly concave throughout.
16. 16. - A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that one or both sides of the plates in the two matrices are supported by radial auxiliaries that run on the tracks, the tracks are arcuately grooved to allow the radial auxiliaries and plates or carriers are connected in series, the sides of the plates are configured such that the loop of plates of a column can pass over and confine the loop of plates of an adjacent column without interference to accommodate a casting cavity with both portions of Concave and convex border.
17. 17. A casting machine according to claim 16, characterized in that all the horizontal cross sections of the deposit are limited by segmented curve approaches that have both concave portions outward and inwardly concave portions, resulting in a uniform transition to portions of straight line at each end of the casting cavity, the straight line portions are confronted with each other at a spacing distance equal to the casting thickness and which are maintained at spacing by laterally placeable end containment means.
18. 18. A casting machine according to claim 16, characterized in that the horizontal cross sections of the deposit are symmetrical as cards with respect to the central plane of the strip, each long side of the cross section has a means for end containment that confines butt the edge of a segmented approach of a concave inward portion, this auxiliary portion in a segmented approach of an outwardly concave portion and this portion traverses in a straight portion, the straight portion being contiguous with the end locking means on the opposite long side.
19. 19. A casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the two wide casting surfaces facing each other are mounted in separate frames or separate frames, at least one of the frames is movable horizontally in a direction relative to the another, to increase or decrease the thickness of the cast strip.
20. 20. A casting machine according to claim 16, characterized in that a machine frame is translatable horizontally in a second direction from the other and at right angles to the first direction to increase or decrease the width of the strip.