Abstract: A novel and improved starting bar head for use in conjunction with the starting bar and the flow through mold of a continuous casting apparatus for the continuous casting of metal strands wherein the starting bar head includes a body member defining a mold plug portion which is retained with respect to the starting bar and a strand retention member which is releasably retained with respect to the starting bar head body member in a manner that, upon separation of the cast strand from the starting bar, the body member and plug portion are retained by the starting bar and the strand retention member is retained by the leading end of the strand.

Abstract: A shrouding sleeve for removable insertion between a tundish and an underlying mold to vertically enshroud a liquid stream issuing from the tundish to the mold wherein the shrouding sleeve consists of upper and lower substantially rigid sleeve portions. The upper sleeve is removably secured to the underside of the tundish and the lower sleeve is removably insertable for vertical alignment between the upper sleeve and the underlying mold. An annular flange is annularly secured to the bottom of the upper sleeve, and in a similar manner, annular flanges are also secured to the top and bottom of the lower sleeve. Another annular flange is also secured to the top of the underlying mold. At least one of these annular flanges is under continuous bias in the vertical direction so that when the lower shrouding sleeve is transversely inserted into vertical alignment between the upper sleeve and the mold, all of the annular flanges engage adjacent mating flanges to form a continuous shrouding sleeve under seal.

Abstract: A metal processing system wherein a material removing means such as a shear blade is operative in conjunction with the transverse cutting action of a torch for removing from the cut line produced by the torch residual material resulting from the cutting action of the torch in a manner that the residual material is removed progressively along the transverse cut line in coordinated following relationship to the producing of the transverse cut line by the torch.

Abstract: A starting bar for a flow-through continuous casting mold is curved lengthwise in a vertical plane and has a trailing end for joining to a metal strand issuing from the mold, and a leading end portion provided with a row of rack teeth extending along the bar. A storage housing spaced laterally from the mold has a vertical passage through it for receiving the leading end portion of the bar when the bar is moved lengthwise from a strand-receiving position to the storage housing and up into its passage where a vertical gear will be engaged by the rack teeth.