Abstract: An apparatus and process for the dry removal of the scale from the surface of a metal product comprising at least one heating area that does not reduce the specific surface of the material to be treated and does not cause oxidation, at least one reducing area for performing the reaction between a specific reducing gas (normally hydrogen) and at least the scale, at least one cooling area for cooling the metal product, means for heating the metal product, means for heating the reducing gas, means for controlling the fluid dynamics of the boundary layer produced by the flow of said reducing gas over the surface of the metal product, means for removing the reaction products from the reducing gas after the reaction, means for cooling the metal product, and means for removing the reaction products from the treated surface of the metal product.

Abstract: Means for conveying hot granular material from a loading zone to an arc melting furnace (3), comprising a horizontal trough (1), trough vibration generators that cause the granular material to move along the trough, a sluice gate (4) to regulate the material flow in the discharge zone and a sluice gate to regulate the material flow in correspondence with the loading zone. Separating baffles (5) are arranged inside the conveyor trough defining cells in which the granular material accumulates and considerably improving the effectiveness of the action of the gases that are forced through the granular bed, for instance to prevent oxidation of the hot DRI or to perform an additional reduction process.

Abstract: Oscillating table for blooms or billets production plants, comprising pairs of bars, lying on at least one horizontal plane, which constitute the elastic support elements of the crystalliser, thus permitting an optimal guidance of the oscillation thereof exclusively in the casting direction, said pairs of bars constituting a tie rod-strut system working in bending that confers to the table very high torsional and lateral stiffness. It allows a high precision in guiding crystalliser thus consenting it wide oscillations in the axial casting direction only.

Abstract: A device for reeling semi-finished rolled products comprises two sections (1, 2) connected together to form an articulated arm that guides the product (BL) coming out of a rolling mill onto the reel that is being wound. The second section (2), which is closer to the reel, during winding, maintains its own inclination constantly equal to the inclination of the turns of the reel. This enables a considerable reduction of the gap between the adjacent turns and prevention of any overlapping (i.e., climbing on top of one another) between the turns already wound and the turns being distributed on the same layer. Reels that are more compact and have a more precise geometry are thus obtained. Also described is a device (12) for guiding the rolled product (BL) arriving on the reel with greater precision.

Abstract: Plant for the continuous casting of thick slabs, blooms or other similar steel products comprising an ingot mould and a series of containment and guiding rollers placed in the area below the ingot mould on both sides of the cast product, i.e. on the intrados and extrados, respectively. The rollers are arranged on at least three longitudinal rows and all have an axial length shorter that the width of the cast product. The rollers of a central longitudinal row are advantageously staggered with respect to the lateral longitudinal row rollers in such a way as to reduce the surface of the bulges created due to the ferrostatic pressure existing in the liquid core of the product at ingot mould outlet. Furthermore, the pitch between the adjacent rollers is advantageously always of different values so as to not cause the buckling of the bulges with a single frequency.

Abstract: Crystalliser holding device for billets, blooms and slabs production plants that has a high constructive simplicity, a significantly reduced overall weight and that reduces substantially to zero the need for maintenance. The crystalliser holding device of the invention, in addition to efficaciously guaranteeing the transfer toward the exterior of the heat of the liquid steel introduced into the tubular crystalliser contained therein, also provides a separate circuit for cooling the continuous ingot exiting the crystalliser and the rollers at the foot. It also permits an easy and rapid replacement in the oscillating table in which it is housed.

Abstract: Oscillating table for thick slab production plants, comprising pairs of bars (8, 8?, 9, 9), lying on at least one horizontal plane, which constitute the elastic support elements of the ingot mould (3), thus permitting an optimal guiding of the oscillation thereof exclusively in the casting direction (x), said pairs of bars (8, 8?, 9, 9?) constituting a tie rod-strut system working in bending that confers to the table very high torsional and lateral stiffness. It allows a high ingot mould (3) guiding precision thus consenting, for example, wide oscillations exclusively in the axial casting direction.

Abstract: Support bearing for a roll (33) for immersion in liquid metal, comprising an internal rotating bush (31) fitted coaxially on a pin (32) at the end of the roll (33), and rotating inside an external bush (34) fixed to a supporting arm (37) of the roll (33). The first bush (31) is provided with an axial helical groove (39) on its outer surface and the second bush (34) is provided with a toroidal-shaped convex outer surface to allow rotation without friction inside the cylindrical ring of the supporting arm (37).

Abstract: Plant for packing bars after the rolling cycle comprising a feeding unit, a shear (45) for cutting the bar to size, a pair of deflector devices (46), (47) and a bar braking device. The bar segment deflector devices send the bar segments into seats (58) arranged along the perimeters of pairs of rotating cylinders (50), (51), (52), (53) and parallel to the axis of the cylinder, after making them pass through a bar braking device (48) to slow the bars down to the predefined speeds. The bars are unloaded from the seats onto conveyors (60), (61), (62), (63) and transported to a station where they are packed into bundles.

Abstract: Oscillating table in which the oscillation drive, comprising a hydraulic actuator, transmits the oscillating motion to the mould via a spring subject to bending stress, for example a fitted rod. The body of the hydraulic actuator is also anchored to the floor by means of a fitted spring subjected to bending stress. Thus thanks to the absence of any mechanical bearings in the drive mechanism, all disadvantageous movements caused as a result of bearing play, which increases at high oscillation frequencies, are eliminated. Moreover, the use of mould guide elements having a much simpler design and consisting of straightforward bars, also ensures greater guidance precision and enables a reduction in the oscillation marks on the cast product, a reduction that is even more noticeable when working at higher oscillation frequencies. Advantageously, the presence of an anti-roll device, consisting of two or more pairs of bars, for example two pairs, ensures good torsional rigidity of the table.

Abstract: Ingot mold for casting ultra thin slabs to be used, for instance, in a manufacturing plant for the manufacture of metal strips, having two wide concave walls (11) in the center and two flat portions (12) parallel to the plane of symmetry X in the end zones connected by two convex connecting zones (13) wherein the ratio between the lengths d/l is between 10 and 60% and the ratio h/f is between 10% and 60%.

Abstract: Discharge device for discharging liquid steel into a roller crystallizer for the continuous casting of thin strip capable of reducing turbulence at the meniscus to a minimum so as to eliminate the relative defects on the cast strip by passing the steel between two crystallizer rollers. A relative casting process is also described, said process providing for particular expedients for improving the steel feeding from the tundish to the crystallizer. Advantageously, the feeding of guided steel jet streams inside the nozzle, or delivery nozzle, eliminates the disturbance at the meniscus caused by the air bubbles which form when free-falling jet streams come into contact with the air, as occurs in the known devices and plants.

Abstract: Process and ultracompact plant for continuous production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mould (15) which produces a very thin slab at a speed between 4 and 16 m/min, wherein the thickness of the oairrow sides is between 15 and 50 mm with a central swelling. Such slab has a core in which the steel is still liquid; it is run through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) which reduces the thickness of the slab, hence flattening it. The solidified slab can thus undergo a first light rolling process by means of a pinch roll (17) and, by forming a free curve, it moves to a horizontal position where it can undergo a second light rolling process by means of another pinch roll (22?), a heating process (if required) in an inductor (50), a superficial descaling process and a series of reductions in a rolling mill made up of at least three stands (20?, 20?, 20??), thereby maintaining its temperature along the train above the Ar3 recrystallization point.

Abstract: Coiling device (“R”) and relative method for a windable long, metal product (10). The device (“R”) comprises a mandrel (12) having a substantially circular transverse section and rotating around a horizontal, vertical or inclined axis, and at least a guide and containing device (15, 16) which is driven between a first working position wherein it cooperates with the mandrel (12), and a second inactive position wherein it is arranged distant from the mandrel (12). The coiling device (“R”) also comprises at least a clamping device (21) associated with the mandrel (12), which clamps at least temporarily an initial segment of the metal product (10).

Abstract: Coiling method and device (“R”) for a long product (10). The device (“R”) comprises a mandrel (12) with a sub-stantially cylindrical shape and rotating around its own axis, and a containing element (13) coaxial with the mandrel (12), rotating together therewith and defining a front wall (32) to contain the coil of product (10) to be formed. The containing element (13) comprises an annular channel (14) to clamp the leading end of the product (10) around the mandrel (12). The containing element (13) is mobile axially with respect to the mandrel (12) between a first position wherein the leading end of the product (10) is inserted, and a second position wherein the coil of product (10) is completed.

Abstract: Coiling device (“R”) and relative method for a windable long, metal product (10). The device (“R”) comprises a mandrel (12) having a substantially circular transverse section and rotating around a horizontal, vertical or inclined axis, a containing element (13) to contain the metal product (10) arranged in correspondence with the mandrel (12) and substantially orthogonal to the axis, and at least a guide and containing device (15, 16) able to be driven between a first working position wherein it cooperates with the mandrel (12), and a second inactive position wherein it is arranged distant from the mandrel (12). The containing element (13) comprises an annular channel (14) made in proximity with an outer surface of the mandrel (12).

Abstract: Compact plant for making steel bars and profiles with which, starting from the scrap, it is possible to obtain the finished product, for example bars with commercial length from 6 to 18 meters, pre-packed, packaged and ready for sale, with all the stations placed in line and operating continuously. All the stations are arranged in reduced spaces, thereby reducing both investment costs and plant management costs, and decreasing production times. Advantageously, the plant of the invention incorporates an extremely compact bar packaging apparatus which, through an innovative arrangement and innovative operating method of the components thereof, allows a further reduction in length.

Abstract: Control device for a stopper-rod to regulate the outflow of liquid metal through a calibrated hole of a pouring receptacle comprising motor means, suitable to operate lifting and lowering means (2) of the stopper (4) by means of first driving means (7) and second driving means (14, 14?), the latter being suitable to convert a rotating motion into a translational motion, wherein the second driving means are flexible longitudinal elements and are fixed at a first end thereof to lifting and lowering means and a second end thereof to an anchor element (9), integral with the first means.

Abstract: Coil winding method for steel bars providing, at the outlet of the rolling mill (2), cooling stages by means of WB (4?, 4?, 4??) and equallsation in air so as to perform “soft” hardening on the bar which generates a microstructure consisting, on the surface, of martensite and bainite and, in the center, of ferrite and pearlite, and winding of the bar in the form of a compact coil by means of a coil winder (5). In the position wound on the coil, the bar cools slowly with tempering of the bainite and martensite formed on the surface. This is followed by a straightening stage, jo performed during the coil unwinding phase, and a natural ageing stage, maintaining the bar at ambient temperature.

Abstract: A bar speed changing device (48) comprising a pair of upper rollers (55, 55?) and a pair of lower rollers (59, 59?). Said device receives a bar section with the rollers (55, 55?, 59, 59?) in the open position and rotating at a given speed. Upon leaving the device (48) said sections are fed into axially arranged peripheral seats (58) of rotating drum channels. Control devices calculate the speed at which the bar section must be released, upon completion of the braking action, according to the position that said section must occupy in one of said seats and on the basis of the bar-seat friction coefficient. When the rollers (55, 55?, 59, 59?) receive the bar, they turn at the calculated release speed. At a predefined moment, such to enable braking in the correct space and time, the four rollers close on the section and exert the braking action, exploiting the dynamic friction between the roller-section.