US3653428A - Apparatus for aligning continuous casting mold with the casting metal supply vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

In case of oscillating chills, mechanical disturbances in operation of the installation frequently occur because the chill sticks to the nozzle or when a large one-sided deposit between the nozzle and the interior wall of the chill is formed, which affects the life of this part. This shows that these mechanical disturbances can be basically associated with the nozzle slightly changing its position and/or its direction in the course of the casting process. This position or direction change of the nozzle is connected with the thermal effects, those to which the wall of the casting container supporting the nozzle is exposed. The changes of the position between the surface of the nozzle and the wall of the chill resulting from the changes of the position, or direction, of the nozzle can also lead to molten metal entering the slot between the corresponding opposed surfaces of the chill and of the nozzle, which occasionally leads to blocking of the chill when this metal solidifies in the slot.

Description

United States Patent 1 Bieri 1 Apr. 4, 1972 s41 APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING 3,482,621 12/1969 l-lalliday ..l64/281 CONTINUOUS CASTING MOLD WITH THE CASTING METAL SUPPLY VESSEL [72] Inventor: Hans Bieri, Oberrick, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Erik Olsson AG, Zurich, Switzerland [22] Filed: July 15, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 841,832

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 19, 1968 Switzerland ..10868 [52] U.S. Cl... ..164/28l, 164/82 [5 l] Int. Cl ..B22d 11/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..164/82,273,28l,282, 283

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,789,328 4/1957 Ackermann et al. .....164/283 3,040,396 6/1962 Hudson 164/276 X 3,166,803 l/l965 Ruckstuhl.... 164/283 3,516,479 6/1970 Kurth et al ..l64/283 X Primary ExaminerR. Spencer Annear Attorney-Pamelee, Utzler & Welsh [57] ABSTRACT In case of oscillating chills, mechanical disturbances in operation of the installation frequently occur because the chill sticks to the nozzle or when a large one-sided deposit between the nozzle and the interior wall of the chill is formed, which affects the life of this part. This shows that these mechanical disturbances can be basically associated with the nozzle slightly changing its position and/or its direction in the course of the casting process. This position or direction change of the nozzle is connected with the thermal effects, those to which the wall of the casting container supporting the nozzle is exposed. The changes of the position between the surface of the nozzle and the wall of the chill resulting from the changes of the position, or direction, of the nozzle can also lead to molten metal entering the slot between the corresponding opposed surfaces of the chill and of the nozzle,'which occasionally leads to blocking of the chill when this metal solidifies in the slot.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Casting Con fainer KLZ rCh/l/ Patented April 4, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet l +wwmmwm wwwhu 1 9m. & 2

INVEW TOR. HA NS B/ER/ Attorneys Patented April 4, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOH. HANS 81E Attorneys Patented April 4, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 W. Mai mm INVEN TOR. HANS B/ER/ A r tor/rays APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING CONTINUOUS CASTING MOLD WITH THE CASTING METAL SUPPLY VESSEL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus for continuous casting which eliminates disturbances in casting practice resulting from changes of the position or direction of the casting nozzle.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by supporting the chill so that it could move in operation transversely to its longitudinal axis. Operational mobility of the chill transverse to its longitudinal direction and therefore transverse to the oscillation exerted commonly in the longitudinal direction permits the chill to adjust itself to the position and direction of the casting nozzle. According to a preferred way of reduction to practice, the mobility of the chill transverse to its longitudinal axis is achieved by adjustably supporting it at two points spaced in the direction of the axis by means of Cardan or universal joints, one of the universal joints being supported by the casting container. According to a particularly preferred way of reduction to practice, the joint provided on the casting container is formed by the nozzle itself or a corresponding shape of a shoulder surrounding the nozzle on its front end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings are presented several exemplary ways of reducing the apparatus for continuous casting according to the invention to practice. They show:

FIGS. 1 and 2 a schematic presentation of the principle on which the invention is based;

FIG. 3 a possible reduction to practice of the apparatus in application to a horizontal continuous casting installation in a longitudinal section;

FIG 4-a second reduction to practice of the apparatus in a representation corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5-the apparatus according to FIG. 4 with the chill removed, and

FIG. 6a section along the VI-VI line in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ln FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematically presented both possible deviations of axis M of the casting nozzle in respect to the axis of the guide rolls designated as S. In the case shown in FIG. 1, axis M is parallelly displaced in respect to axis S of the extend of x, while in case depicted in FIG. 2, axis M forms angle a with axis S.

In order to be movable transverse to its longitudinal axis according to the invention, in in case of FIG. 1 the chill 6, for adjusting its position to that of the nozzle, must be supported as providing only for a parallel shifting. In case of FIG. 2, an adjustment of the chill to the nozzle requires also the swinging of the former.

It follows from the schematic representation of FIGS. 1 and 2 that supporting the chill 6 in the vicinity of its both ends on Cardan or universal bearings permits taking up both deviations of the position and definition of the direction of the nozzle or its axis M. This is particularly simple to achieve, because the universal joint KL, mounted on the inlet side of chill K, follows the nozzle, or its axis, in space by providing this joint on the nozzle itself, for example. Universal joint KL, mounted at the exit side of chill K is, self understood, so supported that the axis of the chill always intersects axis S of the guide rolls (or if necessary coincides with it). In both cases shown in the drawings the chill axis and the guide rolls axis intersect at a and ,8 angle.

In the exemplary reduction to practice presented in FIG. 3, reference numeral 2 indicates a casting container, nozzle 4 placed on it, chill 6, and guide rolls 8. Casting container 2 is supported on a slide 10, which is movable in casting direction on rollers 12 fastened on base 14. Slide is operated by cylinder 16, above which the casting container can be moved horizontally back and forth.

Another slide 20 moved on rolls 18 and operated by cylinder 22 supports chill 6 which can be moved in the direction of casting. For this purpose slide 20 carries on its end close to guide rolls 8 support 24 which supports ball joint 26, 28. Part 26 of the ball joint is rigidly mounted on the support,

and part 28 thereof on the chill.

Another ball joint 30, 32 is provided on the inlet end of the chill, the race 32 of which is mounted in the supporting ring 34. Supporting ring 32 surrounds nozzle 4 and slides over it. v In order to support chill 6 on its inlet end when supporting ring 34 is out of contact with the nozzle, for example when the latter must be changed, slide 20 carries vertically-adjustable fork 36.

From the explanation of the structure of the apparatus in FIG. 3, it follows that chill 6 used in operating a continuous casting installation can be adequately adjusted to the deviations of the position and the direction of the nozzle presented in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In order to improve the installation and sliding relation between the inner wall of the chill 6 and the outer wall of the nozzle 4, the front end of nozzle 4 can have a collar with a spherical or conical surface.

The construction of the nozzle given in the examples of reducing to practice in FIGS. 4 to 6 serves the same purpose as the nozzle 4 described earlier. Nozzle 40 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 carries on its free end a narrow spherical or cylindrical collar 42 around which chill 6 can move articulately and on which it rests directly.

A further difference of the apparatus according to FIGS. 4 to 6 consists in taking up a portion of the weight of the chill normally supported by the nozzle by a weight equalizer generally designated as 44. Weight equalizer 44 consists of a vertically disposed cylinder 46 mounted on slide 20 and piston 48 movable in the cylinder which during the operation of the continuous casting installation is pressed against the lower side of chill 6. The force, generated by hydraulic or pneumatic means, for example, corresponds here to the portion of the chill weight to be supported.

Supporting fork 36 in the exemplary reduction to practice given in FIG. 3 is replaced in the exemplary reduction to practice of FIGS. 4 to 6 by fork 50 swingedly mounted on slide 20, FIG. 6, and which is provided with two set screws 52. In operation of the installation, fork 50 is turned down, as it is shown in FIG. 4; when the casting container 2 is brought in the position shown in FIG. 5, in which nozzle 40 is not engaged any more with the chill, fork 50 is swung upward, and the front end of the chill is supported by set screws 52.

As for the rest, the installation according to FIGS. 4 and 6 corresponds to the installation of FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising:

a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge noule rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof;

chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith;

means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and

means comprising two universal joints arranged in axial spaced relationship with said chill means for supporting said chill means in a limited transverse movable relationship with the outlet of said discharge nozzle, whereby said chill means is transversely movable to follow any inadvertent lateral displacement between the ends of said discharge nozzle and the inlet opening of said chill means. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising:

a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge nozzle rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof;

chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith;

means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and

means comprising two universal joints for supporting said chill means in a limited transverse movable relationship with the outlet of said discharge nozzle, one of said joints being supported at the end of said chill means away from said inlet opening and the other being connected to said discharge nozzle and engaging the inlet opening end portion of said chill means, whereby said chill means is transversely movable to follow any inadvertent lateral displacement between the ends of said discharge nozzle and in the inlet opening of said chill means.

3. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising:

a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge nozzle rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof;

chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith;

means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and

means comprising a universal joint supported at the end of 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said other universal joint is supported by a collar arranged on said discharged nozzle.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other universal joint is adjacent the outlet plane of said discharge nozzle.

Claims (5)

1. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising: a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge nozzle rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof; chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith; means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and means comprising two universal joints arranged in axial spaced relationship with said chill means for supporting said chill means in a limited transverse movable relationship with the outlet of said discharge nozzle, whereby said chill means is transversely movable to follow any inadvertent lateral displacement between the ends of said discharge nozzle and the inlet opening of said chill means.

2. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising: a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge nozzle rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof; chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith; means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and means comprising two universal joints for supporting said chill means in a limited transverse movable relationship with the outlet of said discharge nozzle, one of said joints being supported at the end of said chill means away from said inlet opening and the other being connected to said discharge nozzle and engaging the inlet opening end portion of said chill means, whereby said chill means is transversely movable to follow any inadvertent lateral displacement between the ends of said discharge nozzle and in the inlet opening of said chill means.

3. Apparatus for continuous casting comprising: a container for receiving molten metal and having a discharge nozzle rigidly fixed to a wall thereof and communicating with the interior thereof; chill means having an inlet opening sized and shaped to receive said discharge nozzle in a sealed relationship therewith; means for supporting said container and said chill means and for effecting relative movement therebetween at least in an axial direction relative to the outlet of said discharge nozzle; and means comprising a universal joint supported at the end of said chill means away from said inlet opening and resilient means engaging the inlet end portion of said chill means for supporting said chill means in a limited transverse movable relationship with the outlet of said discharge nozzle, whereby said chill means is transversely movable to follow any inadvertent lateral displacement between the ends of said discharge nozzle and the inlet opening of said chill means.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said other universal joint is supported by a collar arranged on said discharged nozzle.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other universal joint is adjacent the outlet plane of said discharge nozzle.

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