Abstract: A swivelling sliding closure unit includes a stationary refractory plate having a discharge opening and supported by a stationary housing. A swivel pin is fixed to the stationary housing, and a swivel lever having first and second ends is mounted on the swivel pin by a gimbal bearing. A movable refractory plate has therethrough a discharge opening and is supported at the first end of the swivel lever by a movable housing to enable pivoting of the movable refractory plate with respect to the swivel lever. The swivel lever is rotated about the swivel pin to move the movable refractory plate between positions enabling and blocking discharge of molten metal from a metallurgical vessel and also to a replacement position. A rolling element is mounted on the stationary housing, and a raceway formed on the second end of the swivel lever abuts the rolling element.

Abstract: A dummy bar head for a continuous casting installation, particularly for casting steel, containing a dovetail-shaped coupling portion which can be decoupled by carrying out a relative movement between the dummy bar head and the cast strand. The relative movement is undertaken in a direction approximately transverse to the strand withdrawal direction. To ensure a disturbance-free starting of the continuous casting operation, with high casting speeds, the dovetail-shaped coupling portion comprises a raised or protruding dovetail-shaped body. The dovetail-shaped body or body member essentially contains a trapezoidal-shaped surface area. A boundary surface of the raised body has aligned therewith a boundary surface of the dummy bar head which is arranged in the strand withdrawal direction and as to the remaining three boundary surfaces at least two oppositely situated ones thereof contain undercut portions.

Abstract: In order to improve disassembly of the oscillation mechanism at a continuous casting installation, the continuous casting mold and the first support guide zone, and at the same time to obtain a support guide arrangement free of dislocation at the transition location, an upper section of the machine base frame and a support frame for the mold and the first zone of the support guide arrangement are at least partially overlappingly arranged. The underside of the frames are supported upon a foundation which is common to such frames. The upper section or portion of the machine base frame at its upper end region and the support frame for the continuous casting mold are movably supported in the direction of travel of the continuously cast strand at a common support location.