Method and apparatus for continuous casting
AssigneeAlcon Inc.
InventorsGavin F. Wyatt-Mair, Ali Unal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for continuous casting of metal strip, the apparatus having (i) a first endless belt supported and moved on the surfaces of a first entry pulley and a first exit pulley and (ii) a second endless belt supported and moved on the surfaces of a second entry pulley and a second exit pulley, with an entry nip defined between the first and second entry pulleys and an exit nip defined between the first and second exit pulleys. Opposing surfaces of the first and second belts progressively diverge from each other in the direction of movement thereof. The apparatus may include a cooled roll in place of the first pulley and first belt with a nip defined between the cooled roll and the second entry pulley.
Claims27
In a twin belt continuous casting apparatus for casting metal strip, the apparatus comprising (i) a first endless belt supported and moved on the surfaces of a first entry pulley and a first exit pulley and (ii) a second endless belt supported and moved on the surfaces of a second entry pulley and a second exit pulley, with an entry nip defined between the first and second entry pulleys and an exit nip defined between the first and second exit pulleys, the invention comprising:
- a casting region into which molten metal is supplied, the casting region being defined between opposing surfaces of the first and second belts moving on the first and second entry pulleys, wherein opposing surfaces of the first and second belts progressively diverge from each other in the direction of movement thereof.
A continuous casting apparatus for casting metal strip comprising:
- a rotating roll and an entry pulley defining a nip therebetween;
- an exit pulley spaced apart from said entry pulley;
- an endless belt supported and moved on a surface of said entry pulley and a surface of said exit pulley;
- and
- a casting region into which molten metal is supplied, said casting region being defined between a surface of said roll and an opposing surface of said belt moving on said entry pulley and said exit pulley.
In a method of continuously casting metal by continuous belt casting comprising (i) moving a first endless belt around a first entry pulley and a first exit pulley, (ii) moving a second endless belt around a second entry pulley and a second exit pulley, with an entry nip defined between the first and second entry pulleys and an exit nip defined between the first and second exit pulleys, (iii) supplying molten metal to the surfaces of the belts moving over the first and second entry pulleys whereby the metal solidifies in a strip, the invention comprising:
- supplying molten metal into a casting region, the casting region being defined between opposing surfaces of the first and second belts moving on the first and second entry pulleys;
- and
- progressively diverging opposing surfaces of the first and second belts from each other in the direction of movement thereof.
A method of continuously casting metal strip comprising the steps of:
- moving a first endless belt around an entry pulley and an exit pulley;
- positioning a rotating roll to define a nip between the entry pulley and the roll;
- supplying molten metal into a casting region, the casting region being defined between a surface of the roll and an opposing surface of the belt moving on the entry pulley;
- and
- solidifying the metal into a strip at the entry nip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.