# US 11,077,491 B2 · Continuous casting apparatus and corresponding method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,491 B2 - Document ID: US11077491B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/497,121 - Filed: 2018-03-29 - Published: 2021-04-29 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-29 - Assignees: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA - Applicants: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SPA - Inventors: Michele Meret; Gianni Del Forno; Antonio Sgro′; Michele Papinutto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077491B2 ## CPC - B22D 11/1282: {Vertical casting and curving the cast stock to the horizontal} - B21B 1/463: {in a continuous process, i.e. the cast not being cut before rolling} - B21B 13/22: for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting, {i.e. in-line rolling of steel}(methods therefor B21B1/46; continuous casting B22D11/00, e.g. into moulds with rolls B22D11/06) - B22D 11/1206: {for plastic shaping of strands (rolling mills B21B1/46)} - B22D 11/1226: {for straightening strands} - B22D 11/1287: {Rolls; Lubricating, cooling or heating rolls while in use} - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) - B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04) ## Abstract Continuous casting apparatus comprising a plurality of compression units (11), each of which is defined by a lower roll (12) and an upper roll (13) configured to exert a compression action on a cast metal product (P). Each lower roll (12) defines with the respective upper roll (13) a passage gap (14) for the metal product (P). The passage gaps (14) of the compression units (11) are disposed aligned along a casting axis (Z) with an at least partly curved development. A straightening roll (15) is disposed on the extrados side of said casting axis (Z) and between at least two of the lower rolls (12). ## Claims ### Claim 1 Continuous casting apparatus comprising a plurality of compression units (11), each of which is defined by a lower roll (12) and an upper roll (13) configured to exert a compression action on a cast metal product (P), each lower roll (12) defining with the respective upper roll (13) a passage gap (14) for the metal product (P), and the passage gaps (14) of said compression units (11) being disposed aligned along a casting axis (Z) with an at least partly curved development, wherein it comprises a plurality of straightening rolls (15), disposed only on the extrados side of said casting axis (Z), and each of which is interposed between a pair of said lower rolls (12) positioned on said extrados side, said casting axis (Z) being defined by a plurality of curved segments (T1, T2, T3) having different radii of curvature (R1, R2, R3), each curved segment (T1, T2, T3) being comprised between two successive straightening rolls (15), each of said straightening rolls (15) being configured to straighten the cast metal product (P) and define a variation in the radius of curvature of said casting axis (Z). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein, moving along a casting direction (D), corresponding to a direction of feed of said metal product (P), said curved segments (T1, T2, T3) have increasing radii of curvature along said casting axis (Z). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of straightening rolls (15) is provided with a positioning member (16) provided to selectively position said at least one straightening roll (15) with respect to said casting axis (Z). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein at least one sensor (29) is associated with said at least one straightening roll (15) to detect stresses acting on said at least one straightening roll (15), and in that said at least one sensor (29) is connected to a control member (28) configured to command activation of said positioning member (16). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said straightening rolls (15) have a first diameter (D1) which is smaller than a second diameter (D2) of said lower rolls (12), and/or of said upper rolls (13). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the lower rolls (12), between which said straightening roll (15) is interposed, have an interaxis (X) with a size smaller than or equal to twice the second diameter (D2) of said lower roll (12). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said straightening roll (15) is positioned in the center line of said interaxis (X). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein two of said compression units (11), between which said straightening roll (15) is interposed, are installed on a common support structure (17). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said lower rolls (12) are installed in a fixed position with respect to a support structure (17) and are selectively rotatable around respective axes of rotation located horizontal and orthogonal to the casting axis (Z), and in that said upper rolls (13) comprise movement members (18) to move the upper rolls (13) toward or away from the lower rolls (12). ### Claim 10 Continuous casting method that provides to make available a plurality of compression units (11), each defined by a lower roll (12) and an upper roll (13) between which there is a passage gap (14) for a metal product (P) to be cast, to dispose said compression units (11) so that the passage gaps (14) are aligned along a casting axis (Z) with an at least partly curved development, and to exert during casting compression actions on the metal product (P) by means of said compression units (11), wherein during casting it also provides to straighten said cast metal product (P) to define a variation in the radius of curvature of said casting axis (Z), said straightening being performed by a plurality of straightening rolls (15) disposed only on the extrados side of said casting axis (Z) and each of them interposed between at least two of said lower rolls (12) positioned on said extrados side, and in that said straightening rolls (15) define, along said casting axis (Z), respective curved segments (T1, T2, T3) having different radii of curvature (R1, R2, R3), each curved segment (T1, T2, T3) being comprised between two successive straightening rolls (15).