Abstract: An installation for the manufacture of hot rolled steel strips is disclosed which reduces the constructions costs, energy expenditure and space consumed. The installation comprises at least two thin slab casters, arrangements for preheating and/or keeping the thin slabs at a particular temperature and a hot finishing rolling train. Two thin slab casters 1 and 2 are disposed to face each other and have opposite billet output conveyance, with a cut-to-length line 20, 21, a two-high furnace 22, 23 with superimposed roller tables 27, 28 and a transfer furnace 24, 25 with a roller table 34. The height of the roller table is adjustable to match the superimposed roller tables 27, 28 of the two-high furnace 22, 23 and is located downstream of each thin slab caster 1, 2.

Abstract: Hot-rolled strips or sections from continuously cast primary material are manufactured in successive work steps in a closed process and arrangement chain. The endless continuously cast primary material is divided after solidification into individual slab pieces of predetermined length. The slab pieces are heated in an equalizing furnace to rolling temperature and are then rolled into the predetermined final dimensions. For bridging a comparatively short interruption, for example, a ten-minute interruption of the rolling process, a slab piece obtained from the uninterrupted casting process is moved into a buffer zone of the equalizing furnace.

Abstract: A manufacturing line for making hot rolled steel strip including a mold for the continuous casting of steel strip, a strip guidance device located downstream from the mold for the diversion of the cast strip into a horizontal plane, a crosscutting device, a temperature equalization furnace, and a rolling mill. To reduce capital costs, energy consumption and space requirements, and to avoid metallurgical errors in processing, a curved temperature equalization furnace surrounds the strip guidance device. A straight temperature equalization furnace horizontally adjoins the curved temperature equalization furnace, and includes a means for crosscutting the strip prior to its exit from the temperature equalization environment for subsequent rolling.

Abstract: In a continuous casting installation, screw-less fixing of the roller guide segment frames to the bed is achieved by means of a plurality of traction rods which can be subjected to traction force by hydraulic means. Each traction rod has a nut thereon which is loadable by a respective ring piston guided in a self-adjusting manner in a semi-cylindrical bearing member supported on the bed. The free end of the traction rod is an apertured head aligned with frame apertures. A locking pin passing through said apertures releasably interconnects the rod and the segment frame.