Abstract: A dip pipe (1) which feeds by gravity with a molten metal or alloy (2) from a ladle (3) a slab (4) being formed in a thin mold (5) with cooling walls comprises a length of vertical pipe (6) communicating with the upper ladle (3) and downwards ending into a diffuser (8) of flattened shape having two discharge holes (9, 9'). According to the invention the diffuser (8) has a central partition baffle (14) designed to define two channels (16, 16') for the flow and corresponding to said two discharge holes (9, 9'), and the cross-section area (10) of the flow at the highest level of the diffuser is less than the cross-section area (11) of the pipe (6). Furthermore the inner side walls (12, 12') of the diffuser, which are directed to the narrow sides of the thin mold, form each an angle .alpha..ltoreq.7.5.degree. with the vertical axis (13) while departing therefrom in the downward direction, the flow partition baffle (14) narrowing in its lower portion to form two angles .beta..ltoreq.7.5.degree.

Abstract: Apparatus for the continuous casting of steel slabs, especially low thickness slabs at high speed, comprising a mold (1) fed by the submerged nozzle (2) and connected to an oscillator (3) driven by a hydraulic servocontrol, wherein the following geometrical relation is valid concerning both the mold and the submerged nozzle shapes and their mutual arrangement:0.9.ltoreq.(A1/S1)/(A2/S2).ltoreq.1.1and preferably A1/S1=A2/S2, wherein, on the mold horizontal section at the meniscus level, A1 is the area enclosed between the submerged nozzle and larger sides of the mold, and A2 is the residual area less the nozzle area, between submerged nozzle and smaller sides, S1 and S2 being the total sums of the mold peripheral lengths corresponding to each of said areas. Furthermore, at least in the mold horizontal section at the meniscus level, the distance between submerged nozzle and copper plates forming the mold walls is kept constant.

Abstract: An induction furnace for homogeneously heating flat steel products fed therethrough in a continuous line in a predetermined feeding direction includes a succession of heating assemblies and pairs of rollers placed between the heating assemblies for supporting and moving the flat products in the feeding direction. Each heating assembly has a narrow induction coil fed by a separate frequency converter and a linear flux concentrator. The coil extends transverse to the feeding direction. The size of the coil in the feeding direction of the flat products is 350 mm. or less. The flux concentrator is in proximity of the coil and extends along the longitudinal orientation of the coil. The flux concentrator has ends, an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions are joined at each of the ends, and establish a central gap therebetween for the flat products to pass therethrough. The gap extends through the heating assembly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal orientation of the coil.

Abstract: Steel is continuously cast by employing a mold and a casting track. The casting track has a metallurgical length wherein the steel is substantially liquidus at one end of the length and substantially solidified at the other end of the length. At a distance along the length, the area of the cross-section of the solidifying liquid steel is reduced while maintaining the length of the perimeter of the reduced cross-section. The distance is between about 10% and about 80% of the length from the one end to the other end.

Abstract: A process for obtaining steel strip coils with characteristics of a cold-rolled product, directly in a hot-rolling line, comprises subsequently to steps of casting and thickness reduction at a temperature of more than 1100.degree. C. upon solidification, induction heating of the product and a further step of hot rolling, above point Ar.sub.3, a step of cooling and temperature control in a range of between 600.degree. and 250.degree. C., thus lower than said point Ar.sub.3, as well as one or more passes of cold-rolling in series, with final coiling of the obtained product. Also a preferred plant is described for putting into practice such a process.

Abstract: An induction furnace is described which is capable to heat a thin strip from a continuous casting apparatus throughout the furnace itself after a previous rolling, at a homogeneous temperature adapted to the subsequent rolling steps. The induction furnace of the present invention comprises, in a known manner, an array of toroidal coils being fed at M.F., with intermediate feeding rollers having reduced size along the strip feed direction with respect to the known coils so that the rollers are less spaced from each other. Flux concentrators are also provided, being distributed preferably in pairs on the inductor and mounted transversely movable with respect to the strip forward movement and possibly also in a plane perpendicular thereto.