Abstract: A method of and arrangement for introducing a starter bar into the strand guide of a continuous casting plant has the starter bar introduced from above, foot part first, into the strand guide and lowered. An upper part of the strand guide is removable transverse to the strand axis so that an opening is formed in the strand guide. The starter bar is lowered after its foot part has been introduced, until the starter bar head has passed the opening, whereupon the removed strand part is returned into its initial position and the starter bar is moved upward until its head closes the mould.

Abstract: A continuous casting plant for slabs, comprising a water-cooled mould from which the strand is continuously extracted, a supporting and guiding means having rollers for guiding the strand between them, and a cooling device having nozzles for spraying a coolant, in particular water, onto the strand and the rollers, has a part of the cooling device formed by flat jet nozzles arranged parallel to the surface of the strand. The longitudinal axes of the nozzles are parallel to the axes of the rollers, and two flat jet nozzles are arranged between neighboring rollers. Advantageously, the flat jet nozzles are arranged within the area defined by the slab edges of the slab sizes to be cast in the plant, and advantageously they are arranged opposite and toward each other. Furthermore, the flat jet nozzles can have nozzle openings in opposite directions, each opening pointing toward the slab edges.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring installation for measuring the machine profile of a continuous casting machine. A strand-like body of elastically deformable material, e.g. rubber or plastics, corresponding to the nominal machine profile is insertable into the roller conveyor of the continuous casting machine. Into the strand-like body at least one measuring device is embedded, which device measures and/or records the actual machine profile, i.e. the clear distance between rollers lying opposite each other or the distance of each roller from the neutral fiber of the strand-like body. The invention also relates to a method of measuring the machine profile of a continuous casting machine, which method consists in that after an exact alignment of the individual rollers in accordance with the nominal machine profile, i.e.

Abstract: A method of cooling continuously cast strands in the tertiary cooling zone of continuous casting plants, so as to achieve a more regular cooling, has the cooling water fall onto the machine parts in the form of a finely distributed spray. Surplus cooling water in the area of the uncovered spaces between the machine parts is drained off by collecting devices. Thus the cooling water is prevented from directly hitting the hot strand surface. Moreover, a continuous casting plant for carrying out the above described method comprises an upper and a lower guiding-roller path and cooling water spray nozzles arranged above the upper guiding-roller path over the entire width of the strand. Above the rollers in the area of the uncovered spaces, channels are arranged running transversely in relation to the casting direction of the strand and having lateral outlets.