Continuous casting plant

In a continuous casting plant comprising

• a coolable, open-ended mold for delivering a continuous casting,
• a guiding section for constraining said continuous casting to move away from said mold on a predetermined arcuate path and for cooling said casting on said path, said guiding section defining a longitudinal center plane of said path and comprising a guiding frame, two banks of walking beams, each of said banks containing a plurality of walking beams, each of said walking beams having a major axis extending parallel to one dimension of said walking beam which is substantially greater than any other dimension of said walking beam, said two banks of walking beams being mounted in said guiding frame and disposed on opposite sides of said path, and drive means for moving each of said beams in successive cycles including moving said beam from an initial position spaced from said path into engagement with said casting on said path, moving said beam in engagement with said casting along said path away from said mold for a predetermined distance, moving said beam away from said path to disengage said beam from said casting, and moving said beam along said path to said initial position while said beam is disengaged from said casting, each of said banks comprising first and second groups of said beams and said drive means being operable to move the beams of the first groups of both said banks with a phase displacement of about one-half period from the beams of the second groups of said banks, and
• a straightening section for constraining said casting to move along a straightening path, which succeeds said arcuate path, said straightening section defining a longitudinal center plane for said straightening path, two banks of straightening beams disposed on opposite sides of said straightening path, each of said banks of straightening beams containing a plurality of straightening beams, each of said straightening beams having a major axis extending parallel to one dimension of said straightening beam which is substantially greater than any other dimension of said straightening beam, said straightening section comprising additional drive means for moving each of said straightening beams in successive cycles including moving said straightening beam from an initial position spaced from said straightening path into engagement with said casting on said straightening path, moving said straightening beam in engagement with said casting along said straightening path away from said arcuate path for a predetermined distance, moving said straightening beam away from said straightening path to disengage said straightening beam from said casting, and moving said straightening beam along said straightening path to said initial position while said straightening beam is disengaged from said casting, each of said banks of straightening beams comprising first and second groups of said straightening beams, said additional drive means being operable to move the straightening beams of the first groups of both said banks thereof with a phase displacement of about one-half period from the straightening beams of the second groups of said banks thereof,
• the improvement residing in that
• each of said walking beams having said major axis extending transversely to said longitudinal center plane of said arcuate path,
• said walking beams are arranged in pairs of registering beams disposed on opposite sides of said arcuate path,
• a plurality of props are mounted in said guiding frame,
• each of said walking beams is connected to at least one of said props at one end of the latter and is supported by said at least one prop in said guiding frame,
• each of said straightening beams having said major axis extending transversely to said longitudinal center plane of said straightening path,
• said straightening beams are arranged in pairs of registering beams disposed on opposite sides of said straightening path,
• each of said straightening beams is connected to at least one additional prop at one end of the latter and is supported by said at least one additional prop, and
• said additional drive means are operatively connected to said straightening beams by said additional props.

In a guiding section for constraining a continuous casting to move in a continuous casting plant away from a mold on a predetermined path and for cooling said casting on said path, said guiding section defining a longitudinal center plane of said path and comprising a guiding frame, two banks of walking beams, each of said banks containing a plurality of walking beams, each of said walking beams having a major axis extending parallel to one dimension of said walking beam which is substantially greater than any other dimension of said walking beam, said two banks of walking beams being mounted in said guiding frame and disposed on opposite sides of said path, and drive means for moving each of said beams in successive cycles including moving said beam from an initial position spaced from said path into engagement with said casting on said path, moving said beam in engagement with said casting along said path away from said mold for a predetermined distance, moving said beam away from said path to disengage said beam from said casting, and moving said beam along said path to said initial position while said beam is disengaged from said casting, each of said banks comprising first and second groups of said beams and said drive means being operable to move the beams of the first groups of both said banks with a phase displacement of about one-half period from the beams of the second groups of said banks,

• the improvement residing in that
• each of said walking beams having said major axis extending transversely to said longitudinal center plane,
• said beams are arranged in pairs of registering beams disposed on opposite sides of said path,
• a plurality of props are mounted in said guiding frame,
• each of said beams is connected to at least one of said props at one end of the latter and is supported by said at least one prop in said guiding frame, and
• said drive means are operatively connected to said beams by said props.

In a straightening section for use in a continuous casting plant comprising a guiding section for constraining a continuous casting to move away from a mold on a predetermined arcuate path and for cooling said casting on said path, which straightening section serves to constrain said casting to move along a straightening path, which succeeds said arcuate path, said straightening section defining a longitudinal center plane for said straightening path and comprising two banks of straightening beams disposed on opposite sides of said straightening path, each of said banks containing a plurality of straightening beams, each of said straightening beams having a major axis extending parallel to one dimension of said straightening beam which is substantially greater than ony other dimension of said straightening beam, said straightening section comprising additional drive means for moving each of said straightening beams in successive cycles including moving said straightening beam from an initial position spaced from said straightening path into engagement with said casting on said straightening path, moving said straightening beam in engagement with said casting along said straightening path away from said arcuate path for a predetermined distance, moving said straightening beam away from said straightening path to disengage said straightening beam from said casting, and moving said straightening beam along said straightening path to said initial position while said straightening beam is disengaged from said casting, each of said banks of straightening beams comprising first and second groups of said straightening beams, said additional drive means being operable to move the straightening beams of the first groups of both said banks thereof with a phase displacement of about one-half period from the straightening beams of the second groups of said banks thereof,

• the improvement residing in that
• each of said straightening beams having said major axis extending transversely to said longitudinal center plane of said straightening path,
• said straightening beams are arranged in pairs of registering beams disposed on opposite sides of said straightening path,
• each of said straightening beams is connected to at least one additional prop at one end of the latter and is supported by said at least one additional prop, and
• said additional drive means are operatively connected to said straightening beams by said additional props.