US3049769A - Adjustable-taper mold for continuous casting - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1962 R. A. SCHULTZ 3,049,769

ADJUSTABLE-TAPER MOLD FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING Filed July 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //Vl E/VT0A ROBERT A. SCHULTZ Attorney Aug. 21, 1962 R. A. SCHULTZ ADJUSTABLE-TAPER MOLD FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1961 lNVE/VTOR ROBERT A. SCHULTZ A fforney Aug. 21, 1962 R. A. SCHULTZ 3,049,759

ADJUSTABLE-TAPER MOLD FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING Filed July 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ill! INVENTOR ROBERT A. SCflULTZ y Aflorney United States Patent Ofiice 3,@49,1h9 Patented Aug. 21, 1952 3,949,769 ADJUTABLE=TAFEE Moan non CQNTENUQUS CASTENG Robert A. ciiultz, Penn Hills Township, Ailegheny County, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New .lersey Filed July 14, 1961, er. No. 124,73 Claims. (Ci. 22-145) This invention relates to a mold for continuous casting and, in particular, to a mold of rectangular section having independently adjustable walls, whereby a tapered mold cavity may be formed and the degree of taper thereof varied.

Tapered molds have special advantages for continuous casting. The optimum degree of taper, however, varies with conditions such as the pouring rate, the volume of coolant applied, etc. It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a mold having walls adjustable to different inclined positions, thereby affording the possibility of varying the degree of taper of the mold cavity.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the walls of a mold of rectangular section are supported independently on a hemispherical hearing which is itself adjustable toward and from the axis of the mold cavity. The walls are secured together adjacent their edges and means are provided for effecting movement of one relative to the others. The walls are of metal of high thermal conductivity, such as copper, backed up by steel plates having passages therein for coolant liquid.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section taken along the plane of line IIIIII of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my improved mold, indicated generally at 10, is supported below the teeming vessel and above the casting receiving means (not shown) on a framework comprising spaced beams 11 and girders 12 extending therebetween. The mold comprises four similar wall panels 13, 14, 15 and 16 arranged so that an edge of each abuts the adjacent panel close to its other edge but inwardly thereof, as shown in FIGURE 1. Each panel comprises a plate 17 grooved at 18 to provide coolant passages, with a face plate 19 and a filler plate 29 of metal of good thermal conductivity such as copper, overlying the inner face and an edge of plate 17, respectively. The plate 19 of each panel makes fiatwise engagement with plate 2.0 of the adjacent panel. Plates 19 and 20 are secured to plate 17, respectively, in any convenient manner.

Each panel includes rails 21 and 22 of channel section extending therealong and welded thereto. Rail 22 has gussets 22a on one side. Cross ties 23 extend between the rails at locations spaced therealong and are welded to plate 17. Each panel has a bearing structure 24 adjacent the lower end thereof. Such bearing structure includes a hemisphere 25 secured to one of the beams 11 (or one of the girders 12) by screws 26. Slots are formed in the beam flanges and in bottom plates 27 of hemisphere 25, at right angles to each other, permitting limited adjustment of the knob along the beam or normal thereto.

Across bar 28 including a pair of spaced channels, extends between rails 21 and 22 adjacent the lower ends thereof. A bearing socket 29 secured to the bottom of the transom by angles 29a fits on hemisphere 25, forming therewith a ball-and-socket joint. A bolt 30 extends through a guide sleeve 31 in the transom, through socket 29 and hemisphere 25 and is threaded into a nut 32 nonrotatably secured within the latter.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the lapping edge of one mold Wall is secured to the adjacent wall which it abuts by bolts 33. The lapping edge of one Wall has slots 33a therein and the rail 21 of the adjacent wall has similar slots. These slots through which bolts 33 are inserted, permit limited adjustment of one wall along the other when the bolts are loosened.

The lapping edge of each mold wall also has lugs 34 welded thereto. Studs 35 fixed to lugs 34 extend from said lugs and through lugs 36 welded to the rail 21 of the adjacent wall. Adjusting nuts 37 on the stud permit pressure or tension to be exerted on the stud to effect the adjustment of the mold walls just described.

Coolant headers 38 on top of the rails of each mold wall communicate with the upper ends of passages 18 and have a manifold 39 connected thereto. Similarly, headers 41) communicate with the lower ends of passages 18 and have a manifold 41 connected thereto. As shown, three branch pipes 42 extend from manifold 41, each having its own control valve, and enter header 4% which has a separate chamber for each branch pipe. Thus the volume of coolant flow in different areas of the mold wall may be independently controlled.

It will be evident that the angle made by each mold wall with the horizontal, in two vertical planes at right angles may be adjusted to vary the taper of the mold and thus vary the cross-section of the mold cavity from top to bottom. This is permitted by the overlapping wall design and the ball-and-socket joint in each bearing structure 24. These bearings themselves may also be adjusted along beams 11 and girders 12 or toward and from the longitudinal axis of the mold, for dimensional changes. When the mold walls have been adjusted, tightening of the bolts 33 makes the joints between walls leakproof.

The mold is rigid and sturdy, despite the provision of taper-adjustment means, yet the structure is simple and easy to operate.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention, I intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A mold comprising a fixed support, a plurality of wall panels .extending upwardly therefrom together defining a mold cavity, one edge of each Wall panel having fiatwise engagement with the inner surface of an adjacent wall panel, releasable means securing the edges of adjacent wall panels together, a ball-and-socket bearing structure adjacent the lower edge of each wall panel, one part of said bearing structure being secured to its wall panel and the other part resting on said fixed support.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, characterized by coacting means mounted on the edges of adjacent walls to effect relative movement therebetween on release of said securing means.

37The combination defined in claim 1, characterized by each wall comprising a metal plate having spaced vertical rails extending exteriorly therealong and secured thereto.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, characterized by said bearing structure including a cross bar extending between said rails adjacent the bottom of said plate.

5. The combination defined in claim 3, characterized by lugs spaced along one rail of each wall, screws extending from the edge of the adjacent wall through said lugs and nuts on said screws engaging said lugs effective to apply axial stress to the screws.

No references cited.

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