Abstract: In a strand guide for a continuous casting plant comprising a plurality of strand supporting elements for supporting the strand, in particular support segments carrying supporting rollers, several support segments being fastened adjacent each other on a supporting framework designed in one piece in its longitudinal extension, each support segment is fastened to the supporting framework by a fixed bearing and a movable bearing spaced apart therefrom in the longitudinal extension of the strand guide, each support segment, by at least one bearing, is pivotally mounted to the supporting framework so as to be pivotable about an axis, the axis being oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal extension of the strand guide and horizontally, as well as in a vertical plain passing through the longitudinal extension of the supporting framework and by at least one bearing is mounted so as to be adjustable with respect to the supporting framework in a direction toward the pivoting movement of the support segme

Abstract: An adjustment device for adjusting the position of at least one strand supporting element (5) relative to a supporting stand (9, 10) carrying at least one further strand supporting element (6), of a strand guide in a continuous casting plant comprises at least one hydraulic adjustment cylinder (12) contacting a strand supporting element (5) directly or indirectly on the one side and the supporting stand (9, 10) carrying a further strand supporting element (6) on the other side, the movement of the strand supporting element (5) being detectable via a position sensor (17) and controllable by means of an automatic controller (26). In order to safely attain the high precision in positioning the strand supporting elements (5, 6) sought for a strand guide at yet a minimum expenditure and a minimum susceptibility to failure, at least one directional control valve (21A, 21B) capable of being switched via a three-level controller (26) is provided for actuating the hydraulic adjustment cylinder (12) FIG. 2.

Abstract: In a process for continuously casting a metal strand by casting metal into a straight, vertically oriented mold and subsequently drawing off the strand formed in the mold, the straight strand at first is bent into a circular arc shape in a bending zone along a transition curve, is guided along a circular arc guide and finally is straightened in a final straightening zone along a transition curve and, after this, is extracted via an approximately horizontal straight guide.

Abstract: In continuous casting in a continuous casting plant, a strand (2) after emergence from the mold (1) is reduced in thickness by a wedge-shaped roller gap. In order to assure upon the casting to obtain the shortest possible wedge-shaped solidified head piece (25) or in the event of an interruption in casting or a decrease in the operating casting speed a short completely solidified strand intermediate piece of a thickness (28) differing from the desired final thickness (26) of the strand, the strand (2) is reduced in thickness exclusively in a region in which it has a liquid center (20), support segments (4, 5) being so directed at all times that the liquid tip (19) of the liquid center (20) always lies in a region of the strand guide in which the roller gap developed by the rollers (8) is the narrowest parallel gap--with respect to the following strand guide and disregarding a roller adjustment which follows the shrinkage of the completely solidified strand.

Abstract: Materials are exposed to laser energy, and after the material is heated, the thermal radiation of the material is measured. Following this, a material-specific evaluation takes place, based on optical and thermal material properties. At least one area on the surface of the material to be identified is subject to a short, point-shaped exposure of laser radiation. The material-specific thermal impulse response for the radiated surface area of the material is both locally and temporally measured, and evaluated as regarding the kind of material.

Abstract: With known strand guides, the adjustment of different strand thicknesses involves cumbersome manipulations and the susceptibility to failures of the elements allowing for such adjustment. In order to eliminate such disadvantages, the framework parts of the strand guide rest one above the other by supports and counter supports equipped with supporting surfaces provided at different high levels and with counter supporting surfaces, respectively. In addition to the support and counter support, a rotary bushing having a helicoidal supporting surface is arranged in series to each support and counter support. An abutment allocated to one of the framework parts is supported on the rotary bushing.

Abstract: An oscillation gear for a mold of a continuous casting plant includes an eccentric shaft and an eccentric sleeve surrounding the eccentric shaft and rotatable and fixable relative to the same. in order to provide for a space-saving structure requiring only few mechanically moving parts, both the eccentric shaft and the eccentric sleeve are each provided with at least one groove. The longitudinal axis of at least one of the grooves is oriented at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the eccentric shaft or eccentric sleeve, respectively. The longitudinal axes of the two grooves enclose an angle with each other. A force transmission element rotating commonly with the eccentric shaft or with the eccentric sleeve projects into each groove, the force transmission elements being mutually coupled.

Abstract: A checking and aligning stand for measuring and aligning structure sections of the strand guide of a continuous casting plant includes measuring surfaces to determine the mounting position of the structure section. In order to be able to effect a quick check of the mounting position of curved structure sections of a bow-type continuous casting plant without impeding the casting operation during this adjustment work, at least two pairs of measuring surfaces arranged at an angle to each other, preferably at 90.degree., to determine the roller-way coordinates relative to the position-defining supporting surfaces of the structure section are provided on the checking stand.

Abstract: A continuous casting plant includes supporting elements following a through-type mould and including the strand guideways. The elements are arranged within a cooling chamber and are fastened to a supporting structure so as to be adjustable relative to the through-type mould and relative to one another in the direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of the strand guideways. In order to be able to carry out an aligned adjustment between the mould and the supporting elements in a simple manner, with little work to carry out and even with the plant in operation, wherein the entry of the cooling chamber is avoided, at least one of the supporting elements is coupled with an adjustment means. This adjustment means is fastened to a supporting structure, directed outwardly from the cooling chamber and actuatable from outside of the cooling chamber.

Abstract: There is disclosed a continuous casting machine for selectively casting a strand having slab cross section or at least two strands having smaller cross sections. It includes a plate mold surrounded by a support frame supporting the end walls and side walls, and further intermediate end walls provided between the end walls for casting at least two strands. In order to provide end walls that are insertable into the mold and positively connectable thereto with parts that project into the mold used for slab cross sectional formats being avoided, a hollow body carrying copper plates of the intermediate end walls is inserted between the copper plates of the side walls. A coolant flows through the hollow body, which is supported with its upper end on the side walls by supporting elements overlapping the side walls, and with its lower end is fixed by coolant supply and discharge piping.

Abstract: A protection arrangement for preventing damage at a continuous casting plant for slabs in case of a breakthrough of molten metal through the solidified strand skin, includes a collecting device for molten metal provided below the mould at a supporting stand for the strand and enclosing the strand in the peripheral direction. The collection device is made up of displaceable collecting plates with separate collecting plates for each side of the strand. The collecting plates on the broad sides are each connected with part of the supporting stand, and the collecting plates provided for the narrow sides are displaceable by an adjusting device and overlap the collecting plates on the broad sides.

Abstract: A strand guiding roller to be used in a continuous casting plant for supporting, bending, straightening and deforming a wide strand includes an axle, and a plurality of longitudinally divided rollers arranged on the axle and held thereon by bracing means.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein Py is a substituted or unsubstituted 2-, 3- or 4-pyridyl, N-oxidized or quaternized pyridyl group;A is a group of the formula-- ALK--0 -- -- O--ALK -- -- ALK--O--Alk --whereinAlk is straight or branched chain alkylene of 1 to 6 carbon atoms;R.sub.1 is a carboxylic acid group, a group which is converted in the human body to a carboxylic acid group or acyl;R.sub.2, r.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each hydrogen, a carboxylic acid group, a group which is converted in the human body to a carboxylic acid group, acyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, aralkoxy, aryloxy, an esterified hydroxy group, nitro, halogen or amino;May be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions useful for the treatment of hyperglycaemia by combining said compounds with a pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic inert diluent or carrier.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein Py is a substituted or unsubstituted 2-, 3- or 4-pyridyl, N-oxidized or quaternized pyridyl group;A is a group of the formula (IIIA), (IIIB) or (IIIC) ##STR2## wherein ALK is straight or branched chain alkylene of 1 to 6 carbon atoms;R.sub.1 is a carboxylic acid group, a group which is converted in the human body to a carboxylic acid group or acyl; R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each hydrogen, a carboxylic acid group, a group which is converted in the human body to a carboxylic acid group, acyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, aralkoxy, aryloxy, an esterified hydroxy group, nitro, halogen or amino;May be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions useful for the treatment of hyperglycaemia by combining said compounds with a pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic inert diluent or carrier.

Abstract: Stilbazole derivatives in which the phenyl ring is substituted with a carboxylic acid group at the para position or a group convertible in the body to a carboxylic acid group, are useful as hypoglycemic agents.