MXPA99006908A - Blocks of contained edge containment for continuous casting of metals - methods and apara - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to retaining rim blocks suitable for an assembly by means of the assembly of blocks on an elongated flexible tension member sliding along said tension element with the adjoining upstream faces facing the adjoining downstream side. of the adjacent blocks to form an endless containment edge to rotate in a preselected path for the internal sides of the blocks to define a boundary of a moving region of casting molds to maintain the molten metal in the casting region, each block containment edge both having an adjoining upstream face and an adjoining downstream face, each of the containment edge blocks is characterized in that it comprises: an adjoining mating upstream face in mating relation with an adjoining downstream mating face of an adjacent block, a downstream face coupled with ntigua in coupling relationship with an adjoining upstream coupling face of an adjacent block, the engagement in the coupling relationship between the contiguous coupling faces of the adjacent blocks being separated from the internal sides of the blocks

Description

CONTAINING EDGE BLOCKS PLACED FOR FOUNDRY CONTINUOUS METALS - METHODS AND APPARATUSES DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of continuous casting of molten metal achieved by the casting of metal in continuous metal band casting machines employing one or more heat conductive casting strips movable, flexible, endless, for example, metal casting bands. Such a band or bands define a movable mold cavity or mold space along which the band or bands are continuously moving so that the successive areas of each band enter the mold cavity, move along the length of the mold cavity. mold cavity and subsequently leave the mold cavity. The product of such continuous casting is usually a slab, plate, continuous sheet or strips, or a continuous bar generally rectangular. Particularly, this invention relates to retaining rim blocks or keyed containment sides that are configured to assemble with successive adjacent blocks in an interchapelled inter-coupling in a flexible incandescent ingot member such as a flexible strip, band, belt, cables, ropes. of wire of the like to form curled endless containment edges, and this invention also relates to assembled retaining edges. A retaining lip chain or flexible containment side is made by stripping discrete, usually metal-containing, discrete retaining edge blocks into an endless curled flexible metal tension member such as a lath, followed by cord-welding. in an incandescent ingot before assembling the last containment edge block, using the division block technique described in U.S. Patent 3,865,176 to Dompas et al. Curled containment edges are normally used in pairs, which travel together with the band or bands to complete the definition and sealing of a mold or space cavity. Alternatively, a pair of wire ropes can replace the lath. The containment edges of the prior art are described in the Patents referred to herein, which are all assigned to the same proxy as the present invention. The mutually contact faces of the containment blocks have typically been flat or resting effectively in a plane as shown in the aforementioned Patents. This junction plane is normally perpendicular to the mold cavity. In the totality, these containment edges of the prior art have almost solved the above problem of the presentation of the cooling metal, a continuous surface, intact to be melted again. However, the belt or wire ropes that carry the blocks and join them together in a chain need to be loosely fixed in the grooves of the holes in the blocks to allow self-adjustment of each block along the length of the belt or rope. of wire. Still, this need can loosely allow the tilting of the blocks when in the casting section of the casting machine, especially the inclination of the raised blocks used for the thick casting sections such as the wire rod. The curled retaining edges must present the molten metal with an intact, substantially continuous, smooth surface. The restraining blocks erect or inclined slidably cause the edge of an iced metal plate to be correspondingly toothed or discontinuous. Then, cracking or breaking can occur at such stress concentration points, either immediately, or during winding, or later during the manufacture of the finished products. The problem can be especially acute in casting the generally rectangular bar that is extracted from the wire, notably copper wire. The processes extracted from live wire result in phases of such discontinuities and consequently cracks and chips. The fine wire can be broken inside the matrix as a result, or the wire can be overheated locally in the electrical service. A second undesirable result of the inclined or upright retaining edge blocks is that the non-uniform contact with the results of stationary longitudinal retaining edge guides. Such guides are used in the casting of the bar shapes. There is a significant heat sink; by its contact with the external surface of the steps of blocks of containment edge, the guides are extracted by heat and pass heat to cold water in the hole of the channel through each of them. Non-uniform contact between the guides and containment blocks not only reduces the cooling process; the acute discontinuity of the percentage of cooling between the compounds of the adjacent misaligned containment edge blocks, the problems mentioned in the above by the aggregate crystalline discontinuities and internal tensions. In addition, the temperature difference causes the immediate coiling of the hot melt bar to be uniformly rigorous in the hot composition from point to point. We have found that the above problems of misalignment of retaining edge blocks, and the detrimental discontinuities that result in the melted edge surfaces of a continuously melted product, can be resolved or substantially superimposed through the formation of the transverse sides of each other. contact the containment edge blocks in such a way as to cause them to key together, that is, to interlock or interconnect in alignment, precisely face each other when they are fully spliced. Any of various deferred forms of those contact faces can accomplish this goal, as long as a face meshes with a corresponding die surface of its adjoining blocks, and whenever the edges are touched by molten metal, they will seal against the entrance of the molten metal. A preferred embodiment is that of an integral key or a key-like tongue extending across the height of a contact face and perpendicular to the plane of the cast strip or bands, this face engages a corresponding keyway in the face contact in the adjoining containment edge block. Another embodiment achieves a keyed relationship by using two pins on the face of each block, the two pins engage with two corresponding plugs on the opposite face. Any form of gear and corresponding matrix shape is used in any pair of adjacent blocks, it is applied to all of the containment edge blocks of a containment edge chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The attached drawings are part of this specification for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention. Other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more completely understandable from the description of the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment, considered together with the attached drawings, which are presented as illustrative and do not necessarily represent the scale or orientation and are not intended to limit the invention. The corresponding reference numbers are used to identify similar components or complete elements of the various figures. The point widely marked with arrows "downstream" in a longitudinal orientation (upstream-downstream) and thus these arrows indicate the direction of product flow from the entrance to the exit. The arrows of a simple straight line indicate the direction of band movement. Prolonged delineated triangles indicate a uniform direction of movement of retaining edges and their constituent blocks for explanation purposes. The orientation of the blocks can be inverted upstream downstream from the direction indicated in the drawings if any of the given curled containment edges is made uniformly.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a double-band continuous casting machine. As seen in this view, the curled retaining edge may be either the prior art or according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a top view of a containment edge block line according to the prior art. Some blocks are removed here to the ends to reveal the flexible metal strap that ties the blocks into a curled retaining edge. Figure 3 is a bottom view of a line of containment edge blocks according to the prior art. Some blocks are removed here at the ends to reveal - the flexible metal strap that ties the blocks into a curled retaining edge. Figure 4 is an elevation view of the containment edge blocks as an example of the present invention. The blocks are removed here at the ends to reveal the flexible metal strap that ties the blocks in a curled retaining edge. Figure 5 is an isometric view of the above of one of the containment edge blocks of Figure 4. Figure 6 is an isometric view of the following containment edge blocks of Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 6A shows a low strip. the integral keyway of Figures 5 and 6. Figure 6B shows a portion of a line of containment blocks as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, all slanted and misaligned in a vertical longitudinal plane. The bands are not shown. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a containment edge block utilizing two alignment pins and showing two side plugs. - - Figure 8 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the containment edge block of Figure 7. The section is shown as 8-8 in Figure 7. Figure 9 is an isometric view from the following and from the side pin of a retaining edge block using two alignment pins. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a mold region of a double-web continuous bar containment machine showing the "prior art cooled side guides for the retaining rims." The section is taken at 10-10. in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a view, in lateral elevation corresponding to the lower portion of Figure 1, schematically showing a prior art "out of line bore break" device that acts upward to maintain a Zero-period of zero activity between the containment edge blocks and a chain Figure 12 is an oblique view slidably from below a containment block with a long strip radius which are in slanted or sunken cut. in relation to a double-band casting machine 20, which typically has upper and lower conveyors for stirring the upper and lower casting bands 22 and 24 respectively. Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a double band casting machine 20 as seen on the outer side. The upper conveyor is indicated in U and the lower conveyor in L. Through the metal feeding equipment of cast iron (not shown) which is known in the continuous casting machine art, the molten metal is introduced at the end of inlet 26 of the movable mold cavity or mold space C (Figure 1). This introduction of molten metal is schematically indicated by the widely open arrow 25 shown on the left side in Figure 1, and the arrow 29 open on the right shows the product flow. A continuously molten product P shown on the right of Figure 1 arises from (arrow 30) the outlet end of the movable mold cavity C.

The upper and lower sides of the movable mold cavity C are defined by the heat conducting casting webs 22, 24, thin gauge, flexible, upper and lower worm, rotating. endless, respectively. These casting bands are usually made of thin flexible sheet metal. The front or working surfaces of the casting strips can be treated appropriately as is known in the art. The reverse surfaces are normally cooled by the fast-moving coolant. The two lateral sides of the movable mold cavity C are defined by two. retaining edges 32 of rotating block chain as is known in the art. (Only one of the containment edges 32 is seen in Figure 1). The lower band 24 and the block chains 32 rotate as shown by the movement arrows 34 and are shown being guided by an arcuate coupling of rollers 33 placed upstream from a lower pulley drum 36 upstream opposite the inlet end 26 (upstream) of the movable mold cavity and around a similar arc of rollers 33 placed downstream of a lower pulley drum 38 opposite the exit end of the movable mold cavity. The upper band 22 is shown rotating around an upper pulley drum 27 upstream and around a lower pulley body 28 downstream. The structure and operation of such double band casting machines is well known in the art of continuous mobile band metal casting machines. Figure 2 is a top view of some conventional containment edge blocks 40, strung on a batten 42. Figure 3 is the same as Figure 2 but viewed from below. Figure 4 is a top view of a preferred form of edge blocks of containment 44 according to the present invention. Corson bronze is a preferred material for those containment edge blocks for copper rod smelting, a process in which the present invention is important; see U.S. Patent 3,865,176 to Dompas et al., which is assigned to the same attorney as the present invention. Steel containment edge blocks are useful in aluminum casting. Figures 5 and 6 are isometric views of the same preferred form of the blocks of the containment edges 44; Figure 5 is an oblique view of the foregoing and Figure 6 is an oblique view of the following. The groove T 43 engages the metal strip that unifies the containment edge or belts 42 (Figure 4). The side with the key is arbitrarily designated here as the downstream side, since it is oriented to the downstream face when it is incorporated within that portion of the containment incandescent ingots of Figures 1 and 11 where they define the edges of the mobile mold. Correspondingly, the keyway side or grooved side is designated as the upstream side. The path of movement of the retaining edge blocks is indicated by dashed lines 52. The integral key 46 meshes with the keyway 48. The root strips 54 and half rods 57 of the keyway 58 are radiated from 1.2 to 3 millimeters, the edges external 53 and root strips 59 of the key 46 need to be radiated correspondingly from 1.2 to 3 millimeters probably due to the rapid cooling by cooling. The strips 58 of grooves T are radiated of approximately 0.8 mm. If any of the spokes 53, 54, 57, 58, 59 are lost or crushed, then the cracking of the cyclic operation is likely to occur there. In the event that the containment blocks enter the mold region slidably separated from one another, a cross-flow of cast metal may occur between the blocks, freezing there in a burst or crackling that remain inconveniently attached to the frozen product. . In the prior art, a burr can be the full width of the containment edge block. The presence of the integral key 46 in Figures 5 and 6 stops the flow of the molten metal itself, resulting in a less problematic, shorter, or sizzling burr around the retaining lip strip or belt 42. To block still this residual filtration, the key 46 can be changed laterally (not shown) so that the obstruction facilitates by means of such a key 46 moved, it is presented near the internal face 90, (hot) of the containment edge block and thus extend the passed belt 42 downstream. Similarly, the key 46 can be greatly enlarged to increase the clogging action (not shown). Figure 6A shows a modified containment edge block 44A having an improvement in the stress concentration of the containment edge block of Figures 5 and 6 by cutting the strip 47 under the integral key 46. It is advantageous under some conditions to have a radius 55 'still longer in the internal corners or strips where the integral key joins the block, a radius of above 5 millimeters. This is best achieved by the biased, sunken cut of the integral key 46 as shown in Figure 12 in the block 55 of the containment edge. Figure 6B shows a longitudinal tilting problem that may occur under certain conditions in the engagement of the retaining edge blocks, either of the prior art retaining edge blocks or the keyed retaining edge blocks of the prior art. the present invention, for example in the alignment of the keyed holding edge blocks 44, 44A, or 55. In Figure 6B we observe the keyed containment edge blocks 44, all inclined in the same direction, ie, in the vertical longitudinal plane, presenting a vacuum 92 through which the cast metal can penetrate and freeze into troublesome burrs or sizzles_ ._ The bands are not shown in this view. The tilting problem is not significantly found unless the retaining edge blocks are substantially less longitudinal in the radius of length to height as shown in Figure 8, where LL is the longitudinal length and H is the height. For the containment edge blocks shown in Figure 8, the LL / H radius is approximately 0.65. An alternating shape 60 of the interlocked retaining edge blocks addresses this tilting problem and is shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. These to peg-containing retaining blocks located each employ a pair of steel pins 61 stainless steel in exchange for a key and keyway. The tapered points 62 fixed in the plugs 64 in the heads 63 of the identical spindle pins 61 in the next retaining edge block. This socket configuration coupled to the pins resists and controls the contortion, the lateral (transverse) displacement and also resists and controls the inclination in the vertical longitudinal plane; (such vertical longitudinal disturbance as shown in FIGURE 6B); the vertical key 46 resists contortion and lateral (transverse) movement, that is, the lateral displacement resists or slides from a relatively lateral block to its adjacent blocks. For extra casting, pins 61 are made of 400 series chrome stainless steel and stainless steel to attract each other. Various forms of retaining edge block contacts can each modalize the invention. More generally, a contact face comprises a projection, while the mating face of the contact block comprises a corresponding recess, while any escape of cast metal passing its contact faces is prevented. The terms (1) downstream preferably are each to have a molten metal seal, practically determine the relationship with the upstream faces such that, when the assembled containment blocks are pressed together to be in contact with each other, they are (a) non-twist mutually nor (b) detrimentally slid against each other None are (c) capable of escaping the molten metal when properly assembled in a mobile band metal casting machine In addition, (2) all retaining rim blocks in a retaining rim chain are identical f untionally That is, they are all interchangeable in that each of the downstream contact faces is, at all its functionally relevant points, or orthogonally equidistant from its own upstream contact face as measured in an orthogonal direction parallel to the direction of the step line. This is illustrated by parallel arrows 70 of equal length in Figure 4, which are taken to be representative of substantially the complete configuration of each complete block Each contact face is constituted by a matrix for the functional portion of its contact face All the contact faces are completely mutually along those flanges where the escape or instruction of the casting metal is prevented, however, those areas of mutually contacting face that are not important to the mutual alignment, and that they are not important to seal against the instruction of the cast metal, they do not need to touch each other.In those areas, the open spaces can be allowed to clear, as in the necessary case of the plugs 66 to receive the heads 63 of the pins in the Figure Why do we say in the previous that in the blocks of containment edge are "practically" determined in relation one of the other and not "detrimentally" usable against each other ?. Due to an inclination as shown in FIG. 6B of the casting blocks 44 in the direction of movement of the strips 22, 24 and the retaining edges 32, they have not become a serious problem; hence the plan to couple a vertically keyed face to a vertical keyway in the coupling face as described above in a useful and advantageous configuration. In practice, other forces within the contact casting and radio consumption machine of conventional block configuration LL / H greater than about 0.65 have prevented significant longitudinal inclination. The entire result presents the casting metal with a mutually interlocking surface which is free of inclinations, stages or contortions. There are retaining lip guides 72, also known as side guides and shown in the cross section in Figure 10. They are used to guide the path of retaining edges despite the pressure of the metallostatic head of the cast metal in the region. printed. A second function of the lateral guides is aided in the cooling and cooling of the molten bar product while the bar is frozen from the inside to the outside. Finally, these retaining edge guides carry the containment • blocks in contact with the product. A passage -74 of water drilled in the containment edge guide draws the heat thus led to the containment edge guides 72. As shown in the heat transfer arrows 76, this cooling melt resulting from heat flow 76 is greatly facilitated by reliable alignment of containment blocks 44, 44A, 55 or 60 together with reliable contact against the guide 72 of substantially the surfaces 72 of the full face guide of each containment block in the manner provided by the present invention. The uniform contact disposed by this predetermined arcuate alignment, provided by the coupling that keyed the contact blocks allows for faster and more uniform cooling of the frozen bar product with improvements resulting in the quality of the molten product. TENSION CONTROL Figure 11 is a side view of an endless curl containment border 32 that alters in its courses by means of the mechanism 80"fracture outside the hole line". The object is taken from the blocks 44 of the containment edges, etc., comfortably against. one of the other during casting and thus pass the hot expansion and experience contractions by the containment edge blocks as they circulate through the mold region C of the casting machine. To finish this, the fracture outside the hole line 80, as we call it, moves its roller head 82 in a curled contention rim plane up to an elevated position during the start loading that the roller head 82 will assume more late when the containment blocks tension at the curled containment edge, being considerably hot and thus everything expands and in need of more temperature. The operation of this fracture outside the hole line acting upstream is described in US Patents Nos. 3,865,176 and 4, 155, 396, both patents of Dompas et al., Assigned to the same attorney as the present invention and incorporated in the present for reference. The principle of shortening the effective length of the curled retaining edge by means of the. Deflection of its course is shown in Figure 3 of each of these referred patents. The out-of-line fracture roller head 82 is adjustable by other means than by the spring 84 shown in Figure 11. Another form is described in US Pat., 934,441 of Wood et al, which is assigned to the same attorney as the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. Figures 3 and 4 show a lifting mechanism hydraulically operated by a more elaborate version of an out-of-line fracture of drill holes acting upwards. A load cell (not shown) may be added to the weight of the force applied against the curled retaining edge for the purpose of automatic tension control and the period of low activity of the containment edge. The blocks of the containment rim are routinely cooled by water spray (not shown) applied to the range 32 'back from the retaining edge chain (Figure 1). The hot inner face 90 of the blocks for example, of blocks 55 in Figure 12, is more seriously stressed by the application of water cooled there, the caused cracks will appear on that face and still be bent along the outer edges in another part. The confinement of ice water mainly to the outer face 78 of the containment flange blocks mitigates these conditions. Although the presently specified embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it is understood that these examples of the invention have been described for purposes of illustration. This description is not construed as limiting the scope of the invention, since the described methods and apparatus can be changed in detail by those skilled in the continuous metal casting art, to adapt these methods and apparatus to be used in particular casting machines or situations, starting from the scope of the following claims, for example, the above discussion has been in terms of a near horizontal double-band casting machine having lower and upper carriers, while the invention can be described and the mode in the machines casting operates at any angle from a horizontal downstream to vertical downstream. Again, the invention can be described and contained in terms of single band casting machines, having a relatively flat casting region along a radius length path, with the shape of the retaining edge blocks being expressed in correspondence of radial coordinates. Still further, the orientation of the retaining edge blocks can be returned as downstream against upstream from that shown herein.

Claims (30)

1. CLAIMS 1. Containment edge blocks suitable for assembling with contiguous upstream faces facing the adjoining downstream faces of the adjacent blocks to form an endless ridge to stir in a preselected path to define a boundary of a casting region of movement mold for maintaining the cast metal in the casting region, each retaining edge block having both upstream sides contiguous and an adjoining downstream face, each of the containment edge blocks characterized in that it comprises: a running face top engageable in keyed relationship with an adjoining downstream face of an adjacent block; an adjoining downstream face engageable in keyed relationship with an adjoining upstream face of an adjacent block.
2. 2. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: each block has a total configuration substantially identical with a plurality of other blocks.
3. 3. The retaining edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: the contiguous upstream faces are mutually complementary with the downstream faces contiguous with the adjacent blocks for minimized intrusion of the cast metal between the adjacent blocks .
4. 4. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: one side of each block adapted to face the casting region is called an inner side; the contiguous upstream faces are mutually complementary to adjacent contiguous faces of adjacent blocks in adjacent block portions near their internal sides to prevent significant intrusion of the cast metal between adjacent blocks.
5. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: the keying relationship between the adjacent blocks substantially prevents relative translation movement between them in a direction towards or away from the casting region of the movement mold .
6. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: one of the adjacent faces comprises at least one perpendicular keyway orientable to a casting strip while the other of the adjacent faces comprises at least one key as a tongue that corresponds integrally engageable in the keyway of an adjacent block.
7. The containment edge blocks according to claim 6, characterized in that: the outer edges of the key as a tongue are radiated; the strips of root of 'key like tongues are radiated; the half rods of each keyway are radiated; the root strips of each keyway are radiated; such radiated regions have the radius in a range between about 1.2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters.
8. 8. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: one of the adjacent faces comprises at least two rounded pegs having projected ends tapering to receive in the mating relationship the projected tapered ends of the two pegs an adjacent block.
9. 9. The curled endless containment chain comprises a multiplicity of retaining edge block according to claim 1, and comprises at least one unified, crimped tension member, characterized in that it comprises: contiguous upstream faces of the blocks of containment edge in the curled end containment chain are contact in the keyed relationship with the contiguous downstream faces of the adjacent containment edge blocks through the curled end containment chain.
10. 10. A curled worm containment chain having at least one unified tension member, characterized in that it further comprises: a multiplicity of retaining rim blocks mounted on the tension member; each containment edge block mounted on the tension member having one. upstream face mountable in keyed contact relationship with an adjoining downstream face of an adjacent block; each retaining rim block mounted on the tension member having a downstream face in useable keyed engagement with an adjoining upstream face of an adjacent block.
11. A molded restraint edge block method for improving its alignment when slidably slipped into a flexible tension member to form a flexible worm containment edge for use in a continuous-motion metal strip casting machine, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: contiguous configuration surfaces of the containment edge blocks to provide interlocking by keying between adjacent blocks when the adjacent blocks are pushed together against each other, followed by the steps of: stringing such edge blocks of containment formed in a flexible tension member; threading together the ends of flexible tension members to complete a flexible curled retaining edge; while a flexible curled worm containment portion is directed along a casting region in, the metal casting machine, pushing along a succession of retaining rim blocks in the portion, whereby: they align with each other the succession of retaining edge blocks to be free from the intervention of inclinations, imbalances or contortions, to present a substantially smooth internal surface along the portion of the flexible curled worm containment especially suited for casting the metal against it .
12. 12. A casting metal member continuously in a continuously moving band metal casting machine having a mold region in motion and employing a pair of endless containment edges to define the adjoining opposite side of the region of. mold in motion wherein each of the endless containment edges comprising a multiplicity of containment edge blocks slidably threaded into a flexible tension member, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: forming paired surfaces of the edge blocks of containment for interengaging in keyed relationship between the adjacent blocks when they are pushed from one another, followed by the steps of: stringing such containment edge blocks formed in a flexible tension member; securing the ends together of the flexible tension member to complete a flexible endless containment edge; assemble the pair of endless containment edges in a continuous motion band casting machine; and during the casting of the metal in the region of the moving mold, move the portions of the endless containment pair along the opposite sides of the moving mold region and push together the paired surfaces of the edge blocks of the mold. containment and portions of endless containment edges to mutually align the containment edge blocks in the interengageable keyed relationship to present the substantially smooth side abutting along the opposite sides of the moving mold to melt the coiled smooth product.
13. 13. The method according to the claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: - leaving some filled spaces along each of the flexible tension members to provide the period of low activity between some of the containment edge blocks of each endless containment edge; and absorbing the period of low activity between the blocks of restraining edges by flexible deflection of a course of each retaining edge in a preselected plane by appropriate use of deflection of the mechanism to mutually align the paired surfaces pushed together in the interengranable enchavetada relation.
14. 14. The method according to the claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises: sensitizing the tension in the flexible tension members; Adjust the tension to eliminate the period of low activity for the optimization of narrowing between the paired surfaces pushed together. retaining flange blocks on each of the containment edges.
15. 15. A flexible containment edge for use in a band-type continuous metal casting machine to be used as a moving mold boundary to retain the molten metal being melted in a mold in motion, the retaining-flexible edge is characterized in that it comprises: A flexible tension member; A multitude of retaining edge blocks threaded into the tension member and slidable along the tension member; blocks adjacent to the containment edge on the containment edge having adjacent surfaces each patable; and the adjacent matable surfaces being engageable together in keyed relationship to prevent sliding between adjacent blocks towards and away from metal being melted.
16. 16. The flexible containment rim according to claim 15, characterized in that: an adjacent pairing surface has at least one projection; the other adjacent pairing surface has at least one recess to comfortably receive the projection therein.
17. 17. A flexible retaining edge according to claim 16, characterized in that: the projection is a key that extends vertically along the patable surface of the block; the recess is a keyway that extends vertically along the paired surface of the adjacent block to comfortably receive the key therein.
18. 18. The flexible containment edge according to claim 17, characterized by: the outer edges and the root strips of the key are rounded, and the half-round and root strips of the keyway are rounded and the rounded portions of the key The key and the keyway have a radius between approximately 1.2 mm and approximately 3.0 mm.
19. The flexible retaining edge according to claim 18, characterized in that the key is cut in a bias to its lower portion.
20. 20. The flexible containment edge according to claim 15, characterized in that: the containment edge blocks in the multiplicity of the blocks of the containment edges are substantially identical with one another in the overall configuration.
21. 21. The flexible containment rim according to claim 20, characterized in that: a paired adjacent surface has at least one projection; and the other paired adjacent surface has at least one recess to comfortably receive the projection therein.
22. 22. The flexible containment edge according to claim 20, characterized in that: each containment edge block in the multiplicity of containment edge blocks has a paterable upstream surface and a paterable downstream surface; and each point of the paired upstream surface of each containment edge block is substantially equidistant from each point on the paterable downstream surface of the containment edge block as measured in a direction parallel with the moving mold boundary.
23. 23. The retaining rim blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that the mold casting region in motion has at least one boundary defined by a revolving foundry strip moving along the casting region, wherein : one of the contiguous surfaces includes at least one perpendicular keyway that can be orientated to the casting strip in a region in which the casting strip is moved along the casting region; the other of the adjacent faces includes at least one integral pivot key perpendicular to the casting strip in the region to be engageable in the keyway in a contiguous surface of an adjacent block; another contiguous surface includes a pair of parallel strips in slanted cut along opposite sides of the key; and each of the strips in biased cut has a radius in a range of about 3 millimeters to about 5 millimeters.
24. 24. The containment edge blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that the casting region of the moving mold has at least one boundary defined by a revolving casting band which moves along the region of casting, wherein: one of the contiguous faces includes at least one perpendicular keyway steerable to the casting band in a region in which the casting band is moved along the casting region; another of the adjacent faces includes at least one perpendicular integral key which can be pivoted to the casting strip in the region to be engageable in the keyway in a contiguous surface in an adjacent block; the keyway has amplitude in a direction towards and away from the molten metal, and the keyway amplitude is approximately one third of a total amplitude of the containment edge block in the direction; the key has an amplitude in a direction towards and away from a molten metal, and the width of the key is approximately one third of the total amplitude of the containment edge block.
25. 25. The curled worm according to claim 10, characterized in that the contiguous upstream surfaces of the retaining rim blocks have at least one mechanical keying element selected from a group of mechanical keying elements consisting of protrusions. and rebates of the mutually complementary configuration; the contiguous downstream surface of the retaining rim blocks have at least one mechanical keying element selected from the group and the selected keying mechanical elements of the adjacent downstream faces are of mutually complementary configuration with respect to the mechanical keying elements of the contiguous upstream faces to mesh with it and remove the mating relationship.
26. 26. The curled endless containment rim according to claim 25, characterized in that: said projections are tabs similar to elongated adjustable keys perpendicular to the casting band, said recesses being elongated orientable grooves perpendicular to the casting strip; and said elongated key-like tabs are engageable in the mating relationship in the elongated slots and are removable from the elongated slots.
27. 27. The curled worm according to claim 25, characterized in that the projections are pairs of tapered points; said recesses are pairs of tapered plugs; and said pairs of tapered points are engageable in a mating relationship in the tapered plug and are removable from tapered plugs.
28. The curled endless containment rim according to claim 27, characterized in that: the tapered points and the sockets are magnetized to attract each other.
29. 29. A method of continuously cast metal in a continuously moving band metal casting machine having a mold region in motion and employing a pair of endless containment edges to define adjacent abutting sides of the mold region in movement wherein each of the endless containment edges comprises a multiplicity of blocks strung slidably in a flexible tension members, the method is characterized. because it comprises the steps of: providing retaining rim blocks with engageable surfaces upstream and downstream to engage together a coupling relationship between adjacent -blocks when pushed together; provide the containment edge blocks with guide surfaces facing outwards; the containment edge blocks guided in the pair of endless containment edges that move along the opposite sides of the movement mold region by engaging such containment edge blocks together in mating relationship by pushing them together and sliding their facing guide surfaces along a pair of stationary chilled lateral guides that extend along opposite sides of the moving mold region and being placed outside the guided retaining edge blocks respectively, thus both mutually aligning the restraining edge blocks in mating relationship pushed together, presenting their facing guide surface with reliable contact slidable along the respective lateral guides to allow faster and more uniform cooling of the molten metal product from freezing.
30. 30. The flexible containment edge according to claim 15, characterized in that: the movement mold carries along a line of passage, the metal being melted; each containment edge block in the multiplicity has a paterable upstream surface and a paterable downstream surface; as measured in a direction parallel with the line of passage, each functional point on the paterable downstream surface of such restraining edge blocks at the multiplicity, is equidistant from each functional point on the upstream paterable surface of such edge blocks of containment. SUMMARY The containment rim blocks assembled with their upstream faces in the interengaged keyed mating with the faces downstream of the adjacent blocks form a removable worm containment edge in a preselected path to define a boundary of a cast region of the mold in movement. The containment edge keeps the molten metal in the casting region. The upstream and downstream faces of the adjacent blocks have mutually complementary shapes to minimize intrusion of the molten metal between the adjacent blocks. The keyed meshing between adjacent blocks prevents relative translational sliding into or out of the molten metal. An adjacent face in each block has at least one projection such as an elongated integral key extending perpendicular to the casting band associated with the casting region, or the projection includes two rounded pins having tapered projection ends. Another contiguous surface has a recess such as a keyway to comfortably receive a key in an adjacent block or has two tapered recesses to comfortably receive two tapered projections from an adjacent block. The external flanges and the root strips of cotter pins (half rods and keyway strips) are radiated with the radius in a range between approximately 1.2 and approximately 3 millimeters. The lower surfaces of the blocks show that they have grooves to receive a tension member. A lower end of the key can be biased in the slot to receive the voltage concentration. A pair of strips in parallel biased cut shows that they extend along opposite sides of a key. They have a radius in a range of approximately 3 to approximately 5 millimeters.