Apparatus for exchanging pouring tubes at casting vessels of continuous casting installations

An apparatus for exchanging pouring tubes at a casting vessel having a closeable bottom pour outlet of a continuous casting installation, each pouring tube having an infeed end and outfeed end for the molten metal to be teemed, wherein each pouring tube when assuming its casting position extends substantially vertically with its outfeed end immersed in a throughflow vessel, said apparatus comprising:

• guide means providing different paths of travel for the infeed end and outfeed end of the pouring tubes moved from an approximately horizontal pouring tube-infeed position into an approximately vertical casting position;
• said different paths of travel comprising a substantially horizontal path of travel for the infeed end of each pouring tube and a substantially vertical path of travel for the outfeed end of each pouring tube, and wherein at least part of the vertical path of travel extends within the throughflow vessel;
• and
• additional guide means for withdrawing each pouring tube out of the casting position.

An apparatus for exchanging pouring tubes at a casting vessel having a closeable bottom pour outlet of a continuous casting installation, each pouring tube having an infeed end and outfeed end for the molten metal to be teemed, wherein each pouring tube when assuming its casting position extends substantially vertically with its outfeed end immersed in a throughflow vessel, said apparatus comprising:

• guide means providing different paths of travel for the infeed end and outfeed end of the pouring tubes moved from an approximately horizontal pouring tube-infeed position into an approximately vertical casting position;
• said different paths of travel comprising a substantially horizontal path of travel for the infeed end of each pouring tube and a substantially vertical path of travel for the outfeed end of each pouring tube, and wherein at least part of the vertical path of travel extends within the throughflow vessel;
• and
• pouring tube-holder means for supporting a pouring tube;
• said pouring tube-holding means being provided at two opposite sides thereof with a respective pair of guide pins which coact with said guide means.