Process and apparatus for the continuous casting of metal products
AssigneeSociete de Vente de l'Aluminium Pechiney
InventorRaymond Boccon-Gibod
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Process and apparatus for casting liquid metal in an ingot mold consisting of opposed cooled casting surfaces, at least one of which is convex, and one of which consists of a series of joined shutters. A high pressure is applied to the metal moving between the two surfaces during the solidification of the metal.
Claims25
A process for the continuous casting of products of metal alloys such as strips, sheets, bars, blanks for wire rods, ingots and special products, comprising the casting of liquid metal between two surfaces, at least one of which is convex, applying a high pressure to the metal during solidification via these surfaces, the final thickness of the product may be appreciably reduced with respect to the initial thickness presented to the liquid metal, and keeping the cast product on the sides during its reduction in thickness by means of cooled tilting or retracting lateral sectors, the casting of liquid metal between two surfaces involving feeding the liquid metal near the upper generatrix of a cooled rotating casting drum, applying a series of shutters, which are also cooled and are almost joined, around the effective part of the drum and turning the series of shutters at the same rate as the drum, exerting a high pressure on the metal throughout the solidification via the shutters, the pressure of the shutters on the metal being exerted via one or more endless chains or cables acting on the side of the shutters opposite the cast metal and forcibly urging the shutters against the cast metal, and turning at a velocity synchronized with that of the drum, releasing the shutters from the action of the cables or chains, in the vicinity of the outlet for the cast product, the said shutters falling under their own weight, guiding the shutters by a rolling pathway, and moving and raising the shutters by belts to the vicinity of the liquid metal feed point where drive rollers bring them into a quasi-joined arrangement, spacing members being disposed on the said shutters, cooling of the shutters by circulating cooling fluid from the casting drum, and effecting an alignment of connection openings of the cooling fluid circuits of the drum and the shutters around the effective part of the drum by the spacing members of the shutters.
A process for the continuous casting of products of metal alloys such as strips, sheets, bars, blanks for wire rods, ingots and special products, comprising the casting of liquid metal between two surfaces, at least one of which is convex, applying a high pressure to the metal during solidification via these surfaces, the final thickness of the product may be appreciably reduced with respect to the initial thickness presented to the liquid metal, and keeping the cast product on the sides during its reduction in thickness by means of cooled tilting or retracting lateral sectors, the casting of liquid metal between two surfaces involving feeding the liquid metal near the upper generatrix of a cooled rotating casting drum, applying a series of shutters, which are almost joined, around the effective part of the drum and turning the series of shutters at the same rate as the drum, exerting a high pressure on the metal throughout the solidification via the shutters, cooling of the shutters by circulating cooling fluid from the casting drum, and effecting an alignment of connection openings of the cooling fluid circuits of the drum and the shutters by uniform spacing members spacing the shutters around the effective part of the drum.
Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal products such as strips, sheets, bars, blanks for wire rods, ingots, and the like;
- said apparatus comprising two moving surfaces, at least one of which is convex, means for pouring liquid metal on the convex surface, means for cooling the convex surface, the second surface being oriented relative to the convex surface for the application of high pressure to the liquid metal fed on the convex surface, said second surface comprising a series of cooled shutters which extend about the effective part of the convex surface, and means for moving the series of shutters at the same rate as the convex surface, said moving surfaces comprising two series of lower and upper shutters each carrying fixed and tilting lateral cooled sectors, lower and upper rolling pathways, at least one of which has a cylindrical convex shape of large diameter in the casting zone, and on which these shutters roll, the axes of the pathways being in the same approximate vertical plane, a water feed system to each series of shutters operative only when they are in the casting zone, a mechanism for driving the lower and upper shutters on the rolling pathways, a rapid return system for the upper and lower shutters, and a clamping system for the upper and lower rolling pathways, the water feed system to each of the series of upper and lower shutters including a hydrant integral with a continuous metal strip driven by the shutters, said metal strip forming the moving wall of an annular water chamber adopting the shape of the rolling pathway and situated at one end of the shutters, a similar device situated at the opposite end of the shutters ensuring the removal of the water.
A process for the continuous casting of products of metal alloys such as strips, sheets, bars, ingots and special products, comprising casting liquid metal between the external surface of a cooled rotating drum and the external surfaces of a series of shutters, also cooled and almost joined around the effective part of the drum and turning at the same rate as the drum, and within retracting lateral sectors, exerting a high pressure on the cast metal, via one or more endless chains or cables acting on the shutters and urging the shutters against the cast metal, raising the shutters by belts from the vicinity of the outlet of the cast product to the vicinity of the liquid metal feed point, cooling the shutters by circulating cooling fluid from the rotating drum, and aligning connection openings of the cooling fluid circuits of the drum and the shutters by the uniform spacing of the shutters around the effective part of the drum.
Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal alloys and in particular of aluminum alloys, comprising a moving casting mold including a casting drum having an internal cooling fluid circuit and being cooled by internal circulation of fluid therethrough, said drum constituting one of the walls of the moving casting mold;
- an assembly of quasi-joined shutters surrounding a part of the circumference of the drum, said shutters constituting the opposite wall of the moving casting mold, having a cooling fluid circuit therein, and being cooled by circulation of fluid from the casting drum;
- said cooling fluid circuits of the drum and shutter having connection openings therein;
- means for aligning and connecting the connection openings of the cooling fluid circuits of the drum and the shutters for the circulation of cooling fluid therebetween;
- retractable lateral sectors, constituting the small sides of the moving casting mold;
- a system of cables or chains maintaining contact under pressure with the shutters about said part of the circumference of the drum;
- and a raising mechanism for raising the shutters after the exit of the cast product.
Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal products as strips, sheets, bars, blanks for wire rods, ingots, and the like, said apparatus comprising:
- a moving casting mold formed by two opposed moving convex surfaces of very large diameter, said convex surfaces consisting of two series of lower and upper cooled shutters each carrying fixed and tilting lateral cooled sectors, opposed lower and upper rolling pathways having an inlet and an outlet, said two series of shutters rolling on lower and upper pathways, the axes of the pathways being in the same approximate vertical plane;
- means for pouring liquid metal between said convex surfaces;
- a mechanism for driving the lower and upper shutters on the rolling pathways;
- a rapid return system for the upper and lower shutters between the outlet and the inlet of the rolling pathways;
- a clamping system clamping the upper and lower rolling pathways to each other and maintaining the distance thereabout at the outlet less than at the inlet;
- and a water feed system for cooling the shutters of each series, said water feed system being operative only when they are in the casting zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.