Adjustable Mold Size Patents (Class 164/436)
  • Patent number: 5205345
    Abstract: The width of a mold is controlled effectively to produce a slab having a desired and constant width associated therewith. More particularly, the speed of the output slab and the temperature of the molten metal contained within tundish are measured and the pressure exerted by the received molten metal within mold is determined. These measured and determined values are used to appropriately modify the width of the mold so as to produce a slab of constant width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Acutus Industries
    Inventors: John T. McClellan, John W. Grove, Frank Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 5146975
    Abstract: This invention discloses a width-variable mold device to be used by placing a feed device for moving minor side members toward a movable direction and by varying steplessly the width of the mold within a certain range by means of the operation of the feed device, in a mold device formed in an approximately rectangular shape by both two mutually opposed major side members having slightly curved opposed surfaces so that their opposed interval may reach its maximum at the center portion and its minimum at both ends and two opposed minor side members bringing both side ends into contact with the opposed surfaces of the major side members and placing between the major side members, wherein the major side members and the minor side members are equipped with their water cooled jackets at their outside, each of the major side members is suspended and supported to the support tables at both sides so as to move each of the major side members toward the direction where their opposed interval varies, and at the same time
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Furukawa Aluminum Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Negishi
  • Patent number: 5085263
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold includes two long side walls which are arranged opposite each other on support frames. For the purpose of adjusting the width of the mold, short side walls which can be moved toward each other are tightly clamped between the long side walls. Mechanical clamping elements which are in connection with hydraulic piston-cylinder units are provided for chucking the short side walls between the long side walls. The support frames with the long side walls are arranged in the continuous casting mold and are connected to the clamping elements in such a way that they can be moved toward each other as well as apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Josef Deussen, Dieter Bottger
  • Patent number: 5036902
    Abstract: A continuous casting plant for casting beam blanks to be used in rolling section steel. The continuous casting plant includes a cooled mold and a strand guide arrangement following the mold. The mold has two side walls which each define a web surface, two expanding surfaces and two parallel adjusting surfaces. End rolls are adjustably mounted between the adjusting surfaces. The expanding surfaces of the mold are inclined at an angle of 20.degree. to 45.degree. relative to the plane of the web surface. Guide rollers are arranged in alignment with and following the web surfaces, the expanding surfaces and the adjusting surfaces of the mold. The adjustable end rolls are provided with sections which project into the mold space. Guide elements are arranged following the end walls, the guide elements being adjustable in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Streubel, Georg Engel, Hugo Feldmann
  • Patent number: 5033536
    Abstract: A horizontal continuous casting apparatus for metals, particularly steel, having a supply container in the metal outlet opening of which there is arranged a nozzle brick against which a separation ring rests in sealing manner, and having a continuous casting mold which is connected to the supply container and rests with the edge sides of its side walls in sealing manner against the separation ring. A reliable changing of the passage cross-section of the mold before, during and after the casting is possible in a structurally simple manner. The passage cross-section (A) of the continuous casting mold (30) is adjusted and displacement elements (40) are provided by means of which the position of the side walls (31 to 34) of the continuous casting mold (30) is adjusted. At least one side wall (31 to 34) is moveable parallel and transverse to the center line I of the outlet opening 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Keutgen, Peter Voss-Spilker, Achim Kubon
  • Patent number: 4960165
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the casting width of a continuous metal, in particular steel, casting mold in which two displaceable end walls are clamped between two large side walls with a predetermined clamping force. Prior to making the adjustment the clamping force acting on the end walls is released and one large side wall is displaced away from the abutting end walls to form a gap between them so that the end walls can be moved to the desired position. They are then clamped again between the two side walls. To attain an optimum gap width between the end and side walls by taking the actual mold dimensions at the time of adjustment into consideration, the thermal expansion of the end walls in a direction parallel to the axis of the tie rods is measured during casting, or at least during the start-up period of the continuous casting process until it has reached its equilibrium state. The adjustment is the made by adding the desired, optimum gap width to the actual, measured expansion of the end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Helmut Eidinger, Werner Scheurecker
  • Patent number: 4942919
    Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous casting of slabs has a mold and a slab support zone immediately following the mold. The mold is made up of four separate plates which are held together to define a mold cavity. A dividing wall can be removably mounted in the mold cavity in order to divide the same into a pair of parallel casting passages. Insertion of the dividing wall in the mold cavity makes it possible to simultaneously cast two relatively narrow slabs rather than a single wide slab. A partition designed to constitute an extension of the dividing wall is provided for the support zone and can be removably mounted in the same. Both the dividing wall and the partition are carried by a clamping mechanism which serves to clamp the dividing wall in the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: SMS Concast, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Poran, Carl Langner, Shlomo Hury
  • Patent number: 4892134
    Abstract: An electromagnetic mold for continuous casting comprises side and endwalls each of which features an inductor part with induction loop and a screen. An endwall can be displaced along and secured to the sidewalls by means of releasable bolts while the related inductor parts and the screens are connected to closed loops via a clamping facility with pistons in piston chambers. To improve this means of fixing and for faster fitting into place, the piston chambers are connected via branch lines or channels to a compression chamber in a piston bore and fitted with a compression medium which can be put under pressure by a main piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Swiss Aluminium Ltd.
    Inventor: Laurent Zuber
  • Patent number: 4883111
    Abstract: The mould includes wide side plates 4, 5 and adjustable narrow side plates 2, 3 which can be clamped by the wide side plates 4, 5. Adjusting cylinders 11 operable by a hydraulic pressure medium are used to adjust and tension the wide side plate 5. To prevent the tensioning from becoming accidentally loosened if the pressure medium fails, the wide side plate 5 is additionally supported, more particularly on clamping elements 12 which can be clamped to the piston rods 13 of the adjusting cylinders 11. A control device 21 activates the clamping elements 12 when a limit pressure is reached at the adjusting cylinders 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Thyssen Stahl Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hermann Lax, Waldemar Radtke, Karl-Heinz Wyrwas
  • Patent number: 4881589
    Abstract: The mold for continuous casting of a rollable steel flanged billet having a web and two flanges used to make a steel beam or girder comprises two side walls extending over the web and the flanges and two end walls determining the thickness of the flanges positioned movably between the side walls. To provide a continuous casting mold in which the web length, the web thickness and the flange thickness can be independently varied, each of the side walls has a straight portion and an exteriorly directed bent out end portion angled relative to the straight portion, each of the end walls is positioned between a straight portion of one of the side walls and an adjacent opposing bent out end portion of the other of the side walls and at least one side wall is movable in the direction of its planar surface relative to the other side wall transverse to the casting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Heinrich Hartmann, Hans Streubel
  • Patent number: 4869310
    Abstract: The known belt type continuous casting machine is improved in that a pair of guides for side dam block groups are disposed at opposite sides, in the widthwise direction, of a cast piece. Each of the guides includes guide beams disposed in two parallel rows displaced in direction of the thickness of the cast piece. Each of a pair of side dams which are movable in synchronism with feeding of the cast piece is formed of a side dam block group in one row. Each of the side dam block groups is divided into two sub-groups, each of which has a length longer than a contact length between the side dam block group and the cast piece and each of which is guided by a separate guide beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jokogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Yanagi, Yoshiki Mito, Kanji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4854371
    Abstract: A continuous casting machine has a mold of a rectangular cross-section having short sides formed by parallel runs of a pair of metallic belts and short sides constituted by parallel runs of a pair of endless loops each comprising a plurality of dam blocks. The parallel runs of each endless loop are guided by inner and outer guide rails sandwiched between the edges of the parallel runs of the metallic belts and moved in the same direction as the movements of the metallic belts and substantially in synchronism therewith. So as to vary the widthwise dimension of a slab to be cast by the mold, the inner and outer guide rails are independently movable. The endless loop comprises first and second groups of dam blocks which groups are respectively shifted widthwise of the slab by one of the guide rails and by the other guide rail, whereby the width of the slab can be varied perpendicularly to the length of the slab being cast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Katahira, Kiyomi Shio, Noriyuki Kanai
  • Patent number: 4789021
    Abstract: A short mold for use in a continuous casting system includes a short taperless casting die coupled to a plurality of cooling plates having means for circulation of coolant therethrough arranged in a serially overlapping configuration in which the plates are individually moveable to accommodate variations of the casting. Hydraulic means are operative upon the cooling plates to assert a contact force and hold the cooling plates in contact with the surfaces of the casting. The individual plate motions provide for accommodation of the taper of the cooling casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Steel Casting Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventor: Max Ahrens
  • Patent number: 4774996
    Abstract: A moving plate aftercooler for use in a continous casting system includes a plurality of cooling plates having means for circulation of coolant therethrough arranged in a serially overlapping configuration in which the plates are individually moveable to accomodate variations of the casting. Hydraulic means are operative upon the cooling plates to assert a contact force and hold the cooling plates in contact with the surfaces of the casting. The individual plate motions provide for accomodation of the taper of the cooling casting. A serial arrangement of three aftercoolers which cooperate to provide a continuous partially flexible cooling passage is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Steel Casting Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventors: Max Ahrens, Manfred Haissig
  • Patent number: 4770228
    Abstract: A metal casting device employs a number of pairs of mold members which can be opened or closed with respect to each other. The mold chamber pairs cooperate, in their closed state, to form a linear mold chamber. In order to compensate for shrinkage as the metal cools, the mold member pairs are movably supported by an endless chain, with the pairs of cooperating mold members being provided with contact faces having the same angle of inclination. Each mold member pair is also equipped with supporting rollers with which the associated mold chamber section can be closed or opened, as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Gerd Artz, Herbert Berendes, Dieter Figge
  • Patent number: 4727926
    Abstract: A width changing method in which the width of a slab under casting is changed by a movement of narrow face of a continuous casting mold by the operation of a horizontal driving device and a rotary driving device operable independently of the horizontal driving device. The period of width changing operation is divided into a forward taper changing period in which each narrow face is inclined toward the center of the mold and a rearward taper changing period in which each mold wall is inlcined away from the center of the mold. The acceleration of the horizontal movement of each narrow face is determined by means of allowable shell deformation resistance as a parameter for each period. Also is determined the angular velocity of the rotary device or the difference in velocity between the upper and lower ends of the narrow face. The width changing operation is conducted while maintaining the acceleration and the angular velocity or the velocity difference at constant levels in respective periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tsutsumi, Wataru Ohashi, Takeyoshi Ninomiya, Masami Temma
  • Patent number: 4719966
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold has four walls each having a cooled surface and an end face. The walls are arranged so that the end face of each wall abuts the cooled surface of another wall. The cooled surfaces cooperate to define a casting passage of square or rectangular cross section. Two or more of the mold walls are shiftable transverse to the casting direction for the purpose of changing the dimensions of the casting passage. At least one of the shiftable walls is movable along a direction making an acute angle with the respective cooled surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Concast Standard AG
    Inventor: Adalbert Rohrig
  • Patent number: 4706733
    Abstract: To reduce the cost of the mold, the mold of a continuous casting machine has no frame and the machine comprises an oscillating table constituted by a rectangular frame having large sides and small sides defining an opening, a mold carried by the oscillating table in this opening and comprised of two opposing large plates and two opposing small plates held tightly between the large plates. Supports for the small plates are integral with devices for adjusting the position of the small plates and jacks are provided for exerting a pressing force upon the large plates for pressing them tightly against the small plates. The large plates, the position adjusting devices and the jacks for exerting the pressing force are mounted on the oscillating table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Fives-Cail Babcock
    Inventors: Joseph Pietryka, Joel Cazaux
  • Patent number: 4702303
    Abstract: A mold for continuous casting is changed for changing the dimensions of the casting, by, selecting a casting speed during a change of the mold dimensions which is not lower than the one prior to the change; one or both small mold walls are tilted each about an axis below the low end of the respective wall, the mold wall is then parallel shifted, the shifting to begin before the final tilting is completed; thereafter the mold wall is tilted back about an axis coinciding with a surface level of molten material in the mold, the back tilting begins before the lateral shifting ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Peter Monheim, Gerhard Stadtfeld
  • Patent number: 4699201
    Abstract: Improved side wall plate members for an adjustable width, continuous casting mold. The adjustable width continuous casting mold is formed of a pair of opposed, spaced apart front and rear mold wall members and a pair of opposed, spaced apart side wall members with the side wall members clamped between the front and rear mold wall members. The improved side wall members of the present invention prevent scratching and wearing of the surfaces of the adjacent front and rear mold walls during mold width adjustment and also prevent twisting or tilting of the mold wall side members during such adjustment. Furthermore, the improved side wall members avoid the formation of flash producing gaps or spaces at the corners of the mold. Each sidewall member according to the present invention, includes, along its side edges, i.e., the edges in contact with the adjacent front and rear mold wall members, a bearing surface formed of a low friction, thermally stable, compressible, memory material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Kirk M. Gladwin
  • Patent number: 4679614
    Abstract: Improvements are provided in a continuous caster mold for preventing undesired variation in the angular alignment of the narrow mold walls during casting. In one aspect, an improvement is provided in a mechanism for adjusting the spacing and angular alignment of the mold wall so as to enhance the rigidity thereof. An elongated rigidly mounted housing is provided with a slidable member extending through an opening in the housing and connected to the mold wall. A mechanism is provided for adjusting the spacing of the walls by movement of the slidable member back and forth in the housing. A mechanism is provided extending longitudinally through the housing and slidable member for adjusting the angular alignment of the mold wall by tilting the wall about the axis of a first pivotal connection by movement of a second pivotal connection of the wall and said slidable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Grove
  • Patent number: 4669526
    Abstract: A vertical slab mold has a pair of spaced wide walls, and a pair of spaced narrow walls which are located between the wide walls. The narrow walls are movable towards and away from one another for the purpose of performing width changes during casting. Drives for remote adjustment of the narrow walls during casting are connected with the narrow walls. A support for the narrow face of a slab is mounted immediately below each of the narrow walls and constitutes a downward extension of the respective narrow wall. The upper end of each support is articulated to the bottom of the associated narrow wall so that the support pivots relative to the narrow wall towards and away from the other support. A biasing element acts on the lower end of each support to urge the latter towards the other support and, hence against an adjacent narrow face of a slab. The biasing elements are designed to permit the supports to follow changes in the contours and/or positions of the narrow faces of the slab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: SMS Concast Inc.
    Inventor: Shlomo Hury
  • Patent number: 4660615
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold assembly that includes a mold unit including a pair of wide mold walls each having a wide copper plate supported on the inner side of a back-up frame and a pair of narrow mold walls each having a narrow copper plate supported on the inner side of a back-up frame and gripped between the wide mold walls; a water supply frame including a datum-side water supply frame adapted to support and determine the position of one of the wide mold walls on the back side thereof, and an adjustable-side water supply frame adapted to support the other wide mold wall for movement in clamping and unclamping directions in parallel relation with the opposing wide mold wall; a clamp mechanism mounted on the part of the water supply frame and operable to clamp the other wide mold wall toward the opposing wide mold wall to grip the narrow mold walls securely therebetween; and a narrow mold wall shift mechanism mounted on the part of the water supply frame to adjust the spacing between the two narrow mold wal
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventor: Herbert Lemper
  • Patent number: 4651802
    Abstract: An improvement is provided in continuous caster molds for quick disconnect of a mold wall from its spacing adjustment mechanism. A plate attached to the adjustment mechanism is aligned generally parallel to the mold wall. A pair of connections are provided adjacent upper and lower ends of the mold walls for connecting the wall to the plate. The lower connection is adapted to make the wall and plate readily separable at the lower connection. The improvement is provided in an upper connection which includes a pair of flange portions of the wall and plate having at least one pair of mateably aligned holes therein. A pin is adapted to fit in the holes of the flange portions and is threadedly engaged in the hole in one of said flange portions. Upon removal of the pin, the wall and adjustment mechanism are made readily separable and one can be lifted free of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Wilmer C. Wrhen
  • Patent number: 4637452
    Abstract: A mold apparatus for use in a continuous casting system, has a pair of parallel longer frames disposed to oppose each other and lined at their opposing surfaces, and a pair of shorter frames disposed between opposing ends of the longer frames and lined at their opposing surfaces, the longer and shorter frames in cooperation defining a rectangular mold cavity. A core frame is disposed between the longitudinal centers of the longer frames such as to divide the mold cavity into two sections. The core frame is split into two segments in the thicknesswise direction and has a substantially T-shaped configuration constituted by a vertical portion disposed between the longer frames and projecting downwardly beyond the lower ends of the longer frames and top wing portions projected laterally from the top end of the vertical portion and resting on the upper surfaces of the longer frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 4625788
    Abstract: In an apparatus for the continuous casting of metal, especially with a casting machine having circulating molds, the metal flows as a melt out of a nozzle, if appropriate with a nozzle mouthpiece, between molds and solidifies between side-limiting elements. The mouthpiece has adjoining it on each of its two sides a baffle which is followed in the casting direction by a cooling block. Between the baffle and cooling block there is a gap through which a gas can be blown into a corner region formed by the baffle, cooling block and melt, this gas forming a gas cushion in this corner region. The throughflow width of the molten metal between the baffles located opposite one another can be changed as a result of the movement of the baffles in the direction. The same applies to the width of the cooling blocks located opposite one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Swiss Aluminium Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurt Buxmann, Martin Bolliger
  • Patent number: 4572277
    Abstract: A vertical continuous casting mold has a pair of wide walls, and a pair of narrow walls which are received between the wide walls. The narrow walls are translatable back-and-forth, and also pivotable, in order to change the width of a strand cast in the mold. Each of the narrow walls is driven by an arrangement which permits the respective narrow wall to be remotely adjusted during casting. The arrangement for each narrow wall includes a pair of internally threaded sleeves which are respectively articulated to an upper and a lower portion of the corresponding wall. A rotatable spindle is threaded into each sleeve. The spindles are operative to cause axial displacement of the associated sleeves in response to rotation of the spindles. The two spindles for each narrow wall are rotated by a common motor. A first transmission transmits motion from the motor to one of the spindles, and a second transmission transmits motion from the motor to the other spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: SMS Concast Inc.
    Inventors: Gunter Fleming, Horst Grothe, Rolf Haselhuhn, Hans-Peter Kaiser
  • Patent number: 4566523
    Abstract: An adjustable slide mold for twin casting installations includes two angular mold parts slidably engaging each other at two contact surfaces. At least one of the mold parts is formed with a projecting arm engaging the opposite mold part at an additional contact surface to divide the extrusion channel into a plurality of parallel extrusion passages. The mold parts are connected to an adjusting drive which uniformly displaces the mold parts relative to each other in opposite directions, so that the centers of respective extrusion passages remain stationary irrespective of the adjustment of their cross-sectional areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Benteler-Werke AG Werk Neuhaus
    Inventor: Gert Vaubel
  • Patent number: 4562876
    Abstract: Additional intermediate narrow side walls are provided between narrow side walls at an apparatus for continuous casting of metals for casting as desired of metal bars with slab boom cross-section or of at least two metal bars of smaller cross-section, where a plate mold is employed, which is provided with a water tank supporting the narrow side walls and the wide side walls. In order to use best the cross-sectional area available for the forming of a slab bloom and in order to maintain acceptable and favorable viewing conditions immediately below the mold, the copper plates of the wide side walls between the end side narrow side walls are in each case subdivided by at least one recess in the longitudinal direction of the advancing metal bar in order to be able to cast at least two bars concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhard Hargassner, Alois Scheinecker
  • Patent number: 4557315
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold arrangement for multiple continuous casting installations for producing casting strands of a substantially rectangular cross-section, has a plurality of continuous casting molds each including at least two mold parts displaceable relative to one another in a displacement direction transverse to a strand direction so as to change a strand cross-section, wherein the continuous casting molds are arranged one behind the other in the displacement direction and the respective mold parts of each two neighboring continuous casting molds are connected with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: Benteler-Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gert Vaubel, Heinz Beier
  • Patent number: 4546813
    Abstract: An insert is provided for a continuous caster mold which permits casting of plural strands in the mold. The insert has opposed wall faces, the spacing of which is independently adjustable at their upper and lower ends. The spacing of the upper and lower ends is made adjustable by separately actuable wedge assemblies, each of which includes a wedge and ramps having mateable angularly aligned surfaces. At least one surface in each pair of adjoining wedge and ramp surfaces has a convex curvature to permit adjustment of the angular alignment of the wall faces as required at the various spacing distances thereof. The wedges provide greater rigidity than screw-type adjustment, preventing undesirable variations in taper during casting. The invention includes a method of installing the insert in the mold and adjusting the spacing and angular alignment of the opposed wall faces of the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Grove, John W. Grove
  • Patent number: 4545424
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of continuously casting steel with the use of a copper or copper alloy mold comprising a pair of long side mold pieces and a pair of short side mold pieces slidable along the long side mold pieces for changing the width of the slab to be produced, the method being characterized by inserting into the mold at each corner thereof a cooling member made of a material identical or substantially identical with the steel to be cast and slidingly moving the short side mold pieces under reduced clamping pressure acting between the long side mold pieces and the short side mold pieces in contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1985
    Assignee: Satosen Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Sato
  • Patent number: 4523623
    Abstract: A plate mould for continuous casting includes a carrying frame and broad-side walls supported therein and delimiting the mould cavity. Between the broad-side walls, end walls are arranged. The broad-side walls are adjustable normal to the axis of the mould cavity by an adjustment device and clampable relative to each other by a clamping device. In order to enable a perfect movement of the broad-side walls in the direction normal to the axis of the mould cavity, which is simple to maintain and adjust by the maintenance personnel, and to provide an easy installation and removal of the mould insert, each broad-side wall is clampable in the vertical direction by at least one clamp strap, against a holding plate of the carrying frame supporting the broad-side wall. The clamp strap is supported on the broad-side wall and on the carrying frame and clampable against the carrying frame in the manner of a bending carrier by a tensioning device that is detachable from the upper side of the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1985
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gunter Holleis, Horst Wiesinger
  • Patent number: 4522251
    Abstract: The width of a slab can be easily increased during a continuous casting operation by a simple method, wherein casting of a molten steel is temporarily stopped during the continuous casting operation, the narrow side of a casting mold is moved to a predetermined width, corresponding to the increased width to be of the slab, to form a space between the narrow side of the mold and the solidified shell of a slab, a closing member having a width 1-5 mm smaller than the increased width of the slab, and a cooling and sealing material are inserted into the space to form a clearance of 1-5 mm between the closing member and the narrow side of the mold, and the casting of the molten steel is again started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1985
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Koshikawa, Tsunehiro Ueda, Tadao Ozeki
  • Patent number: 4516624
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold assembly has a pair of end plates which are releasably clamped between a pair of side plates and cooperate with the same to define an open-ended mold cavity. A single tie-rod at either end of the pair of side plates spans the side plates and provides a clamping function and an alignment function. Clamping is accomplished by clamping nuts on the tie-rods and the torque required to turn the nuts is maintained at a low value by means of thrust bearings. Alignment is achieved via tongues on the tie-rods which contact the side plate to be located at the neutral axis of the continuous casting apparatus. The tongues cooperate with locator heads on the respective tie-rods to define a predetermined distance of such magnitude that the side plate contacted by the tongues lies at the neutral axis when the locator heads abut fixed reference elements on the mold table. The invention provides simplification and increased operational reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: Concast Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Poran, Carl Langner, Chester C. Tobiasz
  • Patent number: 4516622
    Abstract: A plate mould of a continuous casting plant includes a carrying frame mounted on a reciprocating mould lifting table, and walls supported on the carrying frame and delimiting the mould cavity. At least one of the side walls is displaceable transversely to the mould axis by an adjustment drive to change the format of the strand cross section. In order to reduce the expenditures in terms of machinery and investments for a continuous casting plant, the adjustment drive is arranged on a stationary supporting structure neighboring the lifting table, or on the lifting table, and is in connection with the adjustable side wall via a coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich Thone, Reinhard Hargassner, Gottfried Deibl, Gunter Holleis
  • Patent number: 4512386
    Abstract: An adjustable mold for use in electromagnetic casting systems wherein the side walls of the mold are adjustable so as to allow for the casting of ingots of various sizes by a single mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Swiss Aluminium Ltd.
    Inventor: Walter Haller
  • Patent number: 4510990
    Abstract: A continuous casting apparatus for a metal casting arranged to compensate for shrinkage of the casting in a cross sectional plane of the casting normal to the casting direction. The apparatus includes a pair of endless casting belts each spaced from and facing the other to form respective mold walls and arranged for movement in the casting direction. A pair of endless articulated mold walls, each spaced from and facing the other, is disposed between the casting belts and arranged to move with the casting belts in the casting direction. The spacing between the articulated mold walls and between the casting belts is greater upstream than downstream relative to the casting direction. Each articulated mold wall includes a plurality of dam blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Gerd Artz, Dieter Figge, Clemens Philipp
  • Patent number: 4506724
    Abstract: An ingot mold with adjustable dimensions for a machine for continuously casting metal, comprising a support frame fixed on the oscillating table of the machine, two transverse walls and two longitudinal walls, connected to the support frame. The transverse walls are fixed to the support frame by application to the interior faces of the corresponding sides, and each transverse wall is provided with individual members for adjusting its thickness in accordance with the desired spacing between them. The support frame can thus be rigidly and permanently fixed on the oscillation table, the dimensions of the casting cavity being determined merely by adjustment of the thickness of the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Cledid S.A.
    Inventor: Raymond Vial
  • Patent number: 4505321
    Abstract: During a change in casting parameters, particularly during displacement of a mold wall to change the strand format or cross-sectional shape, the supporting action and the cooling capacity should not fall either below a well-defined supporting action and a predetermined cooling capacity in order to avoid metal break-out or other defects in the cast strand. Furthermore, upon changing the strand cross-section the rate of adjustment should be increased in order to reduce the length of transitional pieces between the old strand format and the new strand format. To achieve this result it is contemplated to bend the mold wall, during displacement thereof into each pivotal position thereof, this bending of the mold wall corresponding to the instantaneous geometric shape of the moving solidified shell or skin of the strand and such bending is represented by bending lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Assignee: Concast Service Union AG
    Inventor: Josef Zeller
  • Patent number: 4503901
    Abstract: A squeezing caster comprises a bed which carries a bottom plate, an intermediate carrier member, and two dies. The intermediate carrier member is of the split type. Each of the dies is mounted on a crosspiece and provided with a mechanism which drives it along the intermediate carrier member. The crosspiece is rigidly attached to said mechanism accommodated in a housing which is mounted on the intermediate carrier member. The die driving mechanism comprises a rack and four pushers. On the external surface of each pusher there is a buttress thread meshed with an internal thread of a gear whose outer teeth are meshed with the rack. One of the racks is intended for connection to a rod of a drive cylinder and provided with a link which is kinematically coupled to the other rack. The caster also contains a means for a preliminary advance of one of the dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Inventors: Viktor N. Vinogradov, Vladimir I. Smagin
  • Patent number: 4487249
    Abstract: A continuous casting mold is adapted for measurement of the clamping force exerted on the mold sidewalls. A method of adjusting the mold size includes measuring the clamping force and adjusting it to a predetermined value, preferably a value related to the size to which the mold is adjusted. The method may also include monitoring the clamping force during casting and adjusting it so as to maintain it constant at said predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Wilmer C. Wrhen
  • Patent number: 4480976
    Abstract: Disclosed is an adjustable sliding mold assembled of two angular mold pieces slidably engaging each other at two mating surfaces. Adjusting means, preferably in the form of a spindle, is hinged to an outer side of a mold part to move the same transversely to the extrusion channel. The movable mold part is formed with an arcuate guide surface extending transversely to the extrusion channel and cooperating with a stationary complementary bearing surface so that during adjustment of the width of the extrusion channel the guiding surface automatically adjusts the taper of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: Benteler-Werke AG
    Inventors: Gert Vaubel, Heinz Beier
  • Patent number: 4465122
    Abstract: In a mold having a pair of narrow side walls, a method for reducing the mold width during continuous casting of molten metal includes, as a first step, inwardly moving the upper end portion of at least one of the narrow side walls while maintaining the lower end of that side wall fixed. Thereafter, as a second step, the whole narrow side wall is uniformly moved so that the lower and upper end portions move in parallel. Then, as a third step, the lower end portion of the narrow side wall is moved inwardly until the side wall is inclined at a predetermined angle, thus completing the mold width reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Mutsumi Ohya
  • Patent number: 4450887
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the direct chill casting of non-ferrous metals comprises varying the chill depth of the mould independently of the level or quantity of liquid metal in the mould by relatively moving the mould and a "hot-top" which may be a sleeve of refractory material during the casting, which may comprise semi-automatic or automatic casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: The British Aluminium Company Limited
    Inventor: Rennie F. T. Wilkins
  • Patent number: 4421155
    Abstract: The mold comprises a generally rectangularly shaped, machine duplicatable band which is monolithically circumferentially continuous and inherently convexly bowed on the relatively longer and shorter sides thereof, so that it forms crowns on the opposing side walls of the ingot operatively formed therein. The bow in the relatively longer sides of the band has an inherent deflection adapted to form a crown intermediate between that adapted to compensate for shrinkage during the butt forming stage of the casting operation, and that adapted to compensate for shrinkage when the casting operation is conducted at operating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Wagstaff Engineering, Incorporated
    Inventor: Frank E. Wagstaff
  • Patent number: 4413667
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for adjusting the inclination of the small sides in a mold for continuous casting, selectively in response to any variations of the mold sides as such, and in response to any variation of the gap between the casting emerging from the mold and the lower end thereof. A feedback loop operating in response to mold side inclination should be responsive to command input which are dependent upon the casting speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Schrewe, Lothar Parschat, Klaus Franken, Peter Geisbusch
  • Patent number: 4356862
    Abstract: To obtain a short adjustment time with small risk of metal break-out, it is intended during the changing of the dimensions of a continuously cast strand to alter during the casting operation i.e. while the pour or teeming operation is in progress, at least during a time interval of the pivotal movement of the mold wall, the mutual relationship of the displacement speeds of two devices for moving the mold wall and the position of the pivot axis of the mold wall is shifted parallel to its starting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Assignee: Concast AG
    Inventor: Hans Gloor
  • Patent number: 4356860
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for accurately and quickly adjusting the distance and tilt angle or taper between movable side wall mold plates in adjustable width continuous casting mold sections. A pair of spaced primary mold members with movable side wall mold plates therebetween, form an open ended mold cavity. Each side wall mold plate is connected to upper and lower fixed mold supports by separate upper and lower adjustable length connectors which have their inner ends hinged to the side wall mold plates. Each connector has an axial bore receiving a transducer core for reciprocating movement along a linear path. A cylindrical transducer coil housing in the bore, fixed relative to the mold cavity center, surrounds the movable core. The transducer core has one end anchored to a side wall mold plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Inventor: Kirk M. Gladwin
  • Patent number: 4313487
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method and apparatus for changing the width of a cast piece during continuous operation. The method comprises stopping pouring a molten metal into a mold, inserting a frame including a pair of opposite side plate members into the mold so that the lower ends of the members are dipped in the molten metal, pouring the molten metal into a cavity defined by said frame, and withdrawing the cast piece together with said frame to obtain a cast piece having a desired width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: Sumitomo Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Moriki Hashio, Tomohiko Kimura