Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously casting metal strip are provided, in which molten metal is introduced between a pair of parallel chilled casting rolls via an elongate metal delivery nozzle disposed above and extending along the nip between the casting rolls to form a casting pool supported on the rolls and the rolls are contra-rotated to produce the solidified strip. The molten metal is then delivered into a trough of the nozzle through an entry nozzle having an upper inlet end for receiving molten metal from a tundish, and a lower outlet end extending into the trough of the delivery nozzle, and the outlet end of the entry nozzle has a bottom wall, elongated side walls spaced inwardly from the side walls of the delivery nozzle and outlets for molten metal in the side walls.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously casting metal strip comprises a pair of parallel casting rolls (16). In use of the apparatus molten metal is delivered between the casting rolls which are rotated to deliver cast strip product downwardly from the rolls. Casting rolls (16) are mounted on a roll module (13) installed in and removable from the caster as a unit. Module (13) is movable horizontally from a stand-by position to an intermediate position beneath a casting position of the rolls and can be hoisted from the intermediate position by operation of hoists (71) to lift the rolls (16) into their casting position.

Abstract: The invention addresses the problem of edge bulging and breakout of as cast strip due to a decrease of perfect solid phase shell thickness of the strip caused by heat recuperation of the unsolidified portion of the strip, by providing a chamber 19 which encloses the travel path of a strip 8 delivered from a pair of chilled rolls 1a and 1b, a pair of chilled blocks 29a arranged in the chamber to be positioned near a nip between the chilled rolls 1a and 1b, with each chilled block 29a being shaped for loose fitting over an edge of a strip 8 and being capable of injecting cooling gas toward the edge of the strip 8. When the strip 8 is to be continuously cast, the interior of the chamber 19 provides an inert gas atmosphere, in which the cooling gas injected by the cooling blocks 29a injection-cools the edges of the strip 8 delivered from the chilled rolls 1a and 1b at a position near the nip between the chilled rolls 1a and 1b.

Abstract: An arbourless casting roll for casting steel strip includes a cylindrical tube (20) of copper of copper alloy having a wall thickness in the range of 30 mm-200 mm and a series of holes defining longitudinal water flow passages (26). A pair of steel stub shafts (21, 22) disposed one at each end of tube (20) have end formations (27, 28) which fit snugly into the ends of tube (20) and have circumferential flanges (29, 30) abutting the ends of the tube. Fasteners (71) extend through flanges (29, 30) into at least some of the holes (26) to fix the stub shafts to the tube (20) such that the tube is unsupported between the stub shafts (21, 22). Water flow ducts (35, 36( in the stub shaft end formations (27, 28) allow flow of water to and from the flow passages (26).

Abstract: Twin roll strip casting apparatus in which a pair of pool confining side plates (56) engage end surfaces of casting rolls (16) to form side confining closures for the pool. Plates (56) are mounted in side plate holders (82) connected to horizontally acting thrusters (83) which apply inward closure forces to the side plates (56). Thrusters (83) are mounted on a pair of carriages (101) disposed one at each end of the casting roll assembly and movable toward and away from one another to enable the spacing between them to be adjusted so that the carriages (101) can be preset before a casting operation to suit the width of the casting rolls (16). Carriages (101) are mounted on a central frame structure (103) which sits over the casting rolls (16).

Abstract: Twin roll caster for casting metal strip. Metal is delivered through a distributor (18) and delivery nozzle (19) between a pair of casting rolls (16) to form a casting pool (30) supported on rolls (16) and confined by end plates (56). Rolls (16) are rotated to deliver cast strip downwardly from the nip between them. Rolls (16) are mounted on carriers (104) moveable to allow rolls (16) to move bodily toward and away from one another. Biasing units (110, 111) act on the roll carriers (104) to force them against central stops (107) and to provide roll biasing forces. Stops (107) are adjustable to set the width of the nip between the rolls (16). Biasing units (110) comprise biasing springs (112) whereas biasing units (111) comprise hydraulic actuators (113).

Abstract: Twin roll caster for continuously casting metal strip comprises a pair of parallel casting rolls (16) to which molten metal is supplied through a delivery nozzle (19). The rolls are mounted on roll carriers (104) moveable on a frame (102) to allow rolls (16) to move toward and away from one another. Biasing units (110, 111) allow inward biasing forces to be applied to the roll carriers (104) so as to bias one of the rolls (104) toward the other. The biasing units (110) incorporate biasing springs and means to adjust the thrust exerted by the springs.

Abstract: Twin roll caster for casting metal strip comprises casting rolls (11) between which is formed a casting pool (16) of molten metal. The casting pool is confined at each end of the roll nip by end closure plate (22). Alternating electric current is supplied to electrical conductors (33) disposed outside the closure plate (22) so as to generate an electromagnetic field which extends through the closure plate and pushes back molten metal at the conjunctions (27) between the closure plate (22) and the rolls (11).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for steering a strip along a desired path. The strip 12 is fed along a guide table 13 by a pair of pinch rolls 50 which are of concave formation so as to grip the strip at two laterally spaced locations at the edges of the strip. A pair of fluid cylinder units 52 are independently operable to vary the pressures applied by the rolls at the two gripping locations to steer the strips. The position of the strip is monitored in the vicinity of the rolls 50 by a strip position sensor 51. Steering of the strip is controlled by a control signal derived from the output of sensor 51. The control signal in the sum of three factors the first of which is a measure of an instantaneous value of the lateral position of the strip, the second of which is a measure of an instantaneous lateral traversing velocity of the strip and the third of which is an integration of instantaneous values of the lateral position of the strip over a preceding time interval.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously casting metal strip. Molten metal is introduced between a pair of parallel chilled casting rolls (16) via an elongate metal delivery nozzle (18) disposed above and extending along the nip between the casting rolls (16) to form a casting pool (68) supported on the rolls and contra-rotating the rolls to produce a solidified strip (20). The molten metal is delivered into a trough (67) of the nozzle (18) through an entry nozzle (18) having an upper inlet end for receiving molten metal from a tundish, and a lower outlet end (84) extending into trough (61) of the delivery nozzle (19). The outlet end (84) of entry nozzle (18) has a bottom wall (86), elongate side walls (88) spaced inwardly from the side walls (62) of the delivery nozzle (19) and outlets (92) for molten metal in the side walls (88).

Abstract: The invention addresses the problem of edge bulging and breakout of as cast strip due to a decrease of perfect solid phase shell thickness of the strip caused by heat recuperation of the unsolidified portion of the strip, by providing a chamber 19 which encloses the travel path of a strip 8 delivered from a pair of chilled rolls 1a and 1b, a pair of chilled blocks 29a arranged in the chamber to be positioned near a nip between the chilled rolls 1a and 1b, with each chilled block 29a being shaped for loose fitting over an edge of a strip 8 and being capable of injecting cooling gas toward the edge of the strip 8. When the strip 8 is to be continuously cast, the interior of the chamber 19 provides an inert gas atmosphere, in which the cooling gas injected by the cooling blocks 29a injection-cools the edges of the strip 8 delivered from the chilled rolls 1a and 1b at a position near the nip between the chilled rolls 1a and 1b.

Abstract: Twin roll casting method and apparatus in which molten metal is introduced between a pair of chilled rolls (16) via an elongate delivery nozzle (19) to form a casting pool (68) above the nip (69) between the rolls (16). Rolls (16) are rotated to cast a solidified strip (20) delivered downwardly from the nip (69). Delivery nozzle (19) comprises upwardly opening trough having side walls (62), a floor (63) and bottom outlet openings (64). A pair of upright flow barrier walls (84) stand up from floor (63) to define an internal trough channel (85) to receive the incoming flow of molten metal (65). Barrier walls (84) prevent direct flow of the incoming metal to the outlet openings (64).

Abstract: Twin roll caster for casting metal strip comprises pair of horizontal casting rolls (1) on which to support a casting pool of molten metal. A pair of side plates (18) engage end surfaces of rolls (1) to form side confining closures for the casting pool. A pair of side plate holders (25) hold plates (18) and thrusters (21) apply opposing inward closure forces to side plates (18). Thrusters (21) are connected to side plate holders (25) by pivot connections defined by horizontal pivot pins (26) and vertical pivot pins (28) which permit side plates (18) to self-align with the roll ends by rocking movements both longitudinally and laterally of the rolls but to constrain the plates against rotation in the general planes of the plates.

Abstract: A nozzle for delivering molten metal to a casting pool of a twin roll strip caster is formed in two halves and comprises an upwardly opening trough (61) to receive falling supply streams of molten metal and outlet openings (64) at the bottom of the trough. Nozzle end formations (87) define reservoirs (88) to receive separate supply streams of molten metal and flow passages (95) to direct metal from the reservoirs across pool confining end closures of the caster. Each reservoir (88) is separated from trough (61) by an upstanding wall (70) which functions as a weir for metal in the reservoir such that metal can flow over it into the trough when the reservoir is full.

Abstract: Casting metal strip by delivering molten metal to a casting pool (81) supported on a pair of parallel casting rolls (16) and passing metal downwardly between the rolls to produce solidified strip (20). Flow of metal to the casting pool (81) is controlled by an input flow control valve (47). At start of casting when pool (81) is being filled speed of rolls (16) is varied in response to variations between actual instantaneous pool level and predicted level until pool approaches desired operational level. Thereafter any variations between instantaneous roll speed and desired operational roll speed are caused to adjust valve (47) to being pool level and roll speed to desired operational valves.

Abstract: A casting pool (30) of ferrous molten metal is supported on a pair of chilled generally horizontal casting rolls (22) forming a nip (27) between them. The casting rolls (22) rotate mutually opposite directions to produce a solidified metal strip (12) moving downwardly from the nip (27). The strip (12) passes along a transit path (10) which takes it away from the nip (27) in an unrestrained loop (29) disposed within a strip enclosure (38) within which the strip is confined through said transit path (10). The strip (12) moves downwardly from the nip (27) to form the unrestrained loop (29) passes between a pair of cooled non-contact heat absorbers (101) to which heat is radiated from the strip (12) whereby to extract from the strip heat generated by completion of solidification of metal therein after leaving the casting pool (30). Heat absorbers (101) are formed as opposite side walls of a cooling collar (100) defining an upper part of enclosure (38) and provided with cooling water ducts (102).

Abstract: The apparatus includes a pair of cooled, rotating casting rolls forming a nip between them. Molten metal is delivered into the nip between the casting rolls to form a casting pool of molten metal supported on the rolls. The cast strip produced is delivered downwardly from the nip and guided through a transit path which takes it away from the nip. An enclosure confirms the strip throughout the transit path and includes an enclosure wall including a movable section disposed beneath the casting rolls and formed to serve as a movable receptacle for scrap produced at any stage of the casting process, which enclosure is sealed to control ingress of oxygen containing atmosphere during operation of the apparatus, thereby controlling the formation of scale on the strip during operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: Method of casting steel strip in which molten steel solidifies as a shell on a chilled casting surface (100). The casting surface (100) has a texture (101) formed by a regular pattern of surface projections (103) and depressions (102) and the steel chemistry is selected to generate in the casting pool deoxidation products which form on the casting surface (100) a layer of less than 5 microns thickness a major proportion of which is liquid during cooling of the steel to below its liquidus temperature in the formation of said solidified shell. The substantially liquid layer suppresses the formation of surface defects in the solidifying metal surface due to early deposition of solid oxides on the casting surface.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for retarding a flow of molten metal to a metal caster. The flow of molten metal is confined within a duct 11 having an elongate cross-section transverse to the flow directions to shape the flow in a sheet formation. The sheet formation flow is subjected to a magnetic field extending through the flow transversely of the sheet formation and varying sinusoidally along the flow direction whereby to induce circulating electric currents in the molten metal which interact with the magnetic field to produce forces on the molten metal which retard the flow. The magnetic field may be induced by two sets 13 of permanent magnets 14 spaced one set to either side of the duct 11, the magnets 14 of each set being spaced along the flow direction and being of successively opposite magnetic polarity.

Abstract: A metal delivery nozzle (19) for delivery of molten metal to the nip between casting rolls in a twin roll caster to establish a casting pool supported above the nip. The trough (19) defines an open topped trough (61) to receive molten metal from a distributor. The bottom of the trough (61) is closed and the nozzle has side openings (64) and two large end openings (71) for delivery of molten metal from the trough (61) into the casting pool. The side openings (64) are longitudinally spaced circular holes disposed between unperforated end regions (72) of the nozzle.