Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an installation for minimising the local wear of a bell during a ladle treatment of a liquid metal by rotating the bell about an axis during the treatment of the liquid metal.

Abstract: The patent describes an oscillating device for a continuous casting mould with a supporting structure (10), an oscillating lever (12), which has a forked first lever arm (30) and a second opposing lever arm (32), this oscillating lever (12) being mounted in the supporting structure by means of first swivel joints (26′, 26″) so as to be vibratable about an axis (28), and a stroke generator (14), which is connected to the second lever arm (32) of the oscillating lever (12). The oscillating device according to the invention comprises a supporting cage (18) for suspension of a continuous casting mould (20), this supporting cage (18) being connected via second swivel joints (40′, 40″) to the forked first lever arm (30) of the oscillating lever (12).

Abstract: A continuous casting die has a casting channel (10) formed by molding plates (12) and a self-carrying frame construction with lateral openings into which the molding plates (12) can be slidingly inserted perpendicularly to the casting channel. The frame construction preferably has a top frame (14) with a passage (16) which is slightly larger than the cross-section of the casting channel (10) at the entrance of the casting die, a bottom frame (18) with a passage (20) which is slightly larger than the cross-section of the casting channel (10) at the exit of the casting die, and corner sections (22) which link the top frame (14) to the bottom frame (18). The lateral passages are delimited at their sides by the two corner sections, above by the top frame (14) and below by the bottom frame (18).

Abstract: A device for coupling a blow lance with a header is disclosed, in which the force required for producing a sealing joint between the header (2) and the lance (4) is exerted by a cooling fluid and/or a blowing fluid. In a preferred embodiment, said cooling fluid and/or blowing fluid acts via a pressure surface (32) on the joint between the header (2) and the lance (4), the pressure surface being integral with a piston (22) which transmits the pressure to said joint. The lance has preferably a first coupling surface (12), while the header (2) has a second coupling surface (14), and one of said coupling surfaces (12 or 14) is integral with said piston (22).

Abstract: A coupling device for the automatic coupling of a teeming ladle to several gas pipes is presented. The coupling device comprises a first coupling part connected to a gas supply and a second coupling part attached to the teeming ladle, with several gas outlets being arranged in the first coupling part and several gas inlets being arranged in the second coupling part. Each individual gas outlet can be closed by a closing element in the first coupling part, wherein, when being coupled to the second coupling part, this closing element is pressed inwards into the first coupling part and opens the corresponding gas outlet. To bring about self-cleaning of the coupling parts before they are coupled together, the closing elements are designed in such a way that, when the two parts of the coupling are coupled together, before the sealing union of the two coupling parts, a single gas outlet is first opened, before the other gas outlets are opened.

Abstract: A device for coupling a metallurgical carriage to a flexible conduit comprises a first half-coupling mounted on the metallurgical carriage and a second half-coupling connected to one end of the flexible conduit. A coupling station is located near a predefined coupling position for the metallurgical carriage. This coupling station comprises a supporting block designed to receive and support the second half-coupling, driving means to move the supporting block from a parked position in the direction of the first half-coupling and vice versa. The second half-coupling is equipped with a locking device which can be actuated by a control device on the coupling station. In a first position of the locking device, the second half-coupling is coupled and locked to the first half-coupling; and in a second position of the locking device, the second half-coupling is coupled and locked to its support on the coupling station.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for supplying media to a blowing lance, particularly a blowing lance used in the production of steel by a top blowing process. A vertically movable lance carrier comprises a media connection device having a vertical connection surface. Before coupling, the blowing lance is first locked on the lance carrier by a fastening device. The connection device is movable horizontally in guide rails on the lance carrier from a waiting position towards the coupling head of the blowing lance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a blowing lance suspension with integrated medium supply. In accordance with this invention, a U-shaped medium collector box having a horizontal top plate as carrier arm and a first connection surface is provided on the lance carriage. The medium connection pipes lead into this first connection surface. A lance carrier plate is provided, at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lance, on the top part of the lance. The underside of the lance carrier plate forms a second connection surface into which the medium distributor pipes of the lance lead fittingly. After the lance has been laid down on the carrier arm of the lance carriage, the lance carrier plate is carried by the horizontal top plate, so that between the first and second connection surfaces, the connection of the medium pipes is made through the action of gravity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to drives for an automatic lance-changing devices. In accordance with the present invention, the drive effects the coupling of lances used for supplying media by pressing them against a coupling head which, in turn, is accomplished by draw rods which are operated with the aid of lifting spindle movement transmitting screw thread systems. Each draw rod has associated with it its own reduction gear unit which has an integrated lifting spindle system and on which a load cell is mounted. The primary shafts, in alignment with one another, of the two gear units are connected together by a coupling which compensates for axial, radial and angular displacements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new process and a new apparatus for the treatment of steel-mill slag in a vessel which allows a wet granulation of the slag without the risk of explosions. The slag is caused to flow through a taphole at the bottom of the vessel, and the flow rate of the slag is determined by means of a continuous check of the weight of the vessel. One or more jets of granulating water, the flow rate of which is adjusted as a function of the slag flow rate, are directed onto the stream of slag flowing from the vessel. The apparatus comprises a vessel containing molten slag. This vessel is equipped with weighing means, with a taphole, with a device for shutting off the taphole, with means for maneuvering the shut-off device between an operating position and a stored or parked position away from the taphole and with a device for opening or freeing the taphole, engageable through the latter in order to initiate the flow of slag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a drive for an automatic lance-changing device, such as is used in the top-blowing steel-making process. Such a lance-changing device comprises two lance-receiving hooks pivotable about a horizontal axis of rotation, means for the synchronous vertical displacement of these hooks relative to the lance carriage and to the coupling head, means which, during this displacement of the hooks, cause these hooks to execute a pivoting movement about their said axis of rotation, and means for detecting by measurement the load acting on each hook, the latter being a function of the force with which the lance top part is pressed against said coupling head by the hooks. The drive of this invention is a lifting-spindle system, by means of which a vertically displaceable suspension ring for suspension hooks of the lance top part is driven.

Abstract: A device for automatically coupling a lance for injecting a fluid into a molten metal bath to a manifold for supplying the fluid to the lance includes means for hitching the lance rigidly to a lance-carrying carriage which can be displaced along a slide rail, and means ensuring the support of the manifold with respect to the lance-carrying carriage and enabling the manifold to be displaced vertically with respect to the lance-carrying carriage, or vice versa.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic coupling for coupling lances used in steel production to a coupling head of a lance carrier, the required materials and cooling liquids being supplied to the lance through the coupling head.Coupling takes place by means of coupling hooks (4) which are provided on the coupling head (6), mounted by means of eccentrics (12), and vertically movable by actuation of these eccentrics (12).

Abstract: An automatic lance changeover device is presented wherein a radially guided ring is axially vertically displaceable by two lifting spindle systems provided on each side of the ring and bears pivotable hooks for receiving the lance and for pressing the latter axially against a sealing surface on the coupling head. The hooks are connected to the stationary coupling head via pivotable connecting rods whose length is alterable, these connecting rods being eccentrically articulated on the support pin of the hooks with the bearing bore at the coupling head end of the connecting rods having a larger diameter than the associated wrist pin. When the ring is axially displaced, the hooks, which have swung out, in a first phase, initially surround the supporting pins on the upper part of the lance as the ring is displaced further, the hooks, without executing any further pivoting movement, pull the lance head into sealing contact with the coupling head.

Abstract: An apparatus for coupling a metallurgical ladle to a gas supply is presented wherein gas is used for the treatment of molten metal contained in the ladle. The gas is injected through the bottom of the ladle into the liquid metal. The ladle rests on a support located at a treatment station. The apparatus comprises a base mounted on the bottom of the ladle support in a manner as to be slidable in two directions at right angles to one another against the action of springs. The apparatus is provided with a male connection head which has an axial through passage that communicates with the gas supply. This apparatus also includes a foot fixed on the ladle which is provided with a female connection member for engagement on the connection head when the ladle is placed in its support.

Abstract: A lance guiding and changing apparatus is presented for immersion lances which enables the lances to be changed or replaced at a rapid rate, the lances being held particularly firmly and rigidly during the plural injection processes. The immersion lance guiding and changing apparatus comprises, in part, lance storage means, lance transfer means, and lance changing means. The lance changing means includes a vertical mount which is capable of rotating about its vertical axis via a suitable drive means. At least two lance carriages are suspended on the mount, and the carriages are vertically transportable along the mount. The lance storage means, preferably comprised of a turret-type container capable of holding a plurality of lances, supplies or receives new and used lances respectively. The lance transfer means transfers the new or used lances between the storage means and the rotatable mount.

Abstract: A safety device for protecting a cover used for closing a vessel in which molten metal undergoes metallurgical treatments is presented. The device is used in conjunction with the type of cover which rests on or hangs over the edge of the vessel. The device comprises a plurality of segments which preferably form a substantially cylindrical or funnel-shaped space. These segments may have any variety of configurations and/or shapes so long as they effectively eliminate the splashing and frothing of molten metal and slag.

Abstract: A rotatable drum, which bears beater bars and is intended for use in pulverizing metallurgical slag, is defined by abutting conduits which are welded to one another and to a tubular support. The arrays of conduits, through which a coolant is circulated, is interrupted at a number of locations spaced radially about the support where radially outwardly extending beater bars are welded to the same support. The beater bars are also provided with internal passages through which the coolant is circulated.