Method and drive apparatus for continuously casting metal in a continuous block caster
AssigneeNichols Aluminum-Golden, Inc.
InventorErnst Zurcher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and novel drive system for use in a continuous block caster for continuously casting metal is disclosed. In particular, a novel worm gear drive system which reduces imperfections that can be created in a cast by movement of a beam chain through a casting cycle is disclosed.
Claims48
A worm gear for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the cast slab heating adjacent beams in the beam chain and causing variations in beam pitch in the beam chain, comprising a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along a length of said shaft thereby forming a thread, wherein said worm gear comprises variations in thread pitch to compensate for the variations in beam pitch.
A method for compensating for variation in individual beam pitch in a beam chain of a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the cast slab heating adjacent beams in the beam chain and causing variations in beam length in the beam chain, comprising providing a worm gear comprising:
- (a) a first section which compensates for beam pitches longer than one theoretical beam pitch;
- (b) a second section having a constant thread pitch;
- and, (c) a third section which compensates for beam pitches shorter than one theoretical beam pitch.
A continuous block caster comprising:
- a beam chain that supports a cast slab;
- a drive system that drives the beam chain along a track in the caster, wherein the beam chain has at least one variation in beam pitch along a length of the beam chain due to heating of one or more of the supporting beams by the cast slab and wherein the drive system comprises
- a motor;
- a worm gear connected to said motor, wherein the worm gear is disposed next to said beam chain;
- a meshing device that meshes said beam chain with said worm gear, wherein said motor is capable of energizing said worm gear such that said worm gear is capable of engaging said meshing device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear to cause said beam chain to move along a track in the caster and wherein at least a portion of the worm gear has a thread pitch that is about one theoretical beam pitch plus a correction factor, the correction factor being related to the at least one variation in beam pitch.
A continuous block caster comprising:
- a supporting means that supports a cast slab;
- a driving means for driving the supporting means along a track in the caster, wherein the supporting means has at least one variation in pitch along a length of the supporting means due to heating of one or more of the supporting means by the cast slab and wherein the driving means comprises
- a motor means;
- a gear means connected to said motor means, wherein the gear means is disposed next to said supporting means;
- a meshing means for meshing said supporting means with said gear means, wherein said motor means is capable of energizing said gear means such that said gear means is capable of engaging said meshing means to cause said supporting means to move along a track in the caster and wherein at least a portion of the gear means has a thread pitch that is about one theoretical pitch plus a correction factor, the correction factor being related to the at least one variation in pitch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.