Metal supporting structure for continuous casting machines

A continuous casting machine comprising a downwardly opening mold for casting a continuous metal strand, a structure for supporting and cooling the cast metal strand after it is discharged from said continuous casting mold, comprising:

• a backing frame having interior wall means defining a downwardly extending cavity extending away from said mold, said backing frame having exterior wall means remote from said cavity and a multiplicity of spaced-apart through openings extending through said backing frame from said exterior wall means to said interior wall means;
• a multiplicity of spray nozzles arranged adjacent to said exterior wall means of said backing frame and arranged to spray cooling water through said openings onto the cast metal strand that is moving through said cavity;
• a wear lining on the interior wall means of said backing frame, said wear lining comprising a multiplicity of metal-supporting elements protruding inwardly into said cavity from said interior wall means of said backing frame, said metal supporting elements having inner end faces adapted to contact and support the cast metal strand and defining a guide passage that conforms to the shape of the cast metal strand, said metal supporting elements being spaced apart from each other and being spaced from said openings so as not to obstruct spraying of said cooling water through said openings into said guide passage, said metal supporting elements being arrayed in horizontally and vertically spaced-apart, staggered relationship to each other, said metal supporting elements being of a generally octagonal shape and having upper edge portions which taper in an upward direction and having lower edge portions which taper in a downward direction so as to permit water easily to flow downwardly in said guide passage and to permit water vapor generated by contact of water with said cast metal strand to escape upwardly in said guide passage, the upper and lower edge portions of adjacent vertically spaced-apart metal supporting elements being in vertically overlapping relationship to that vertically continuous support for the cast metal strand is provided by said metal supporting elements;
• a plurality of guide rollers disposed below said structure for guiding the cast metal strand after it leaves said structure;
• a plurality of upper spray nozzles between said structure and said mold for spraying water onto the cast metal strand in order to cool said strand;
• and
• a plurality of lower spray nozzles associated with said guide rollers for spraying water onto the cast metal strand in order to cool said strand.