Method of and apparatus for automatically filling a continuous casting mold

A method of automatically filling a continuous casting mold with steel melt comprising:

• providing a metallurgical vessel with a supply of steel melt, said metallurgical vessel defining a bottom hole in fluid communication with the continuous casting mold;
• urging a stopper, which is capable of predetermined up and down movement, into said bottom hole with an elastic member positioned directly above the steel melt, said elastic member being operable pneumatically and urging the stopper with a force which increases in magnitude as the temperature of the steel melt increases;
• monitoring the level of the steel melt in the continuous casting mold;
• and
• controlling the up and down movement of the stopper with an adjustment unit which is operable pneumatically, is positioned above the steel melt, and which acts directly at the top end of the stopper to exert an adjustable force in opposition to the force urging the stopper into the bottom hole of the metallurgical vessel in response to the monitored level of the steel melt in the continuous casting mold.

A method of automatically filling a continuous casting mold with steel melt comprising:

• providing a metallurgical vessel with a supply of steel melt, said metallurgical vessel defining a bottom hole in fluid communication with the continuous casting mold;
• urging a stopper, which is capable of predetermined up and down movements, into said bottom hole with a constant force;
• monitoring the level of the steel melt in the continuous casting mold;
• and
• controlling the up and down movement of the stopper with an adjustment unit which is operable pneumatically and acts directly at the top end of the stopper to exert an adjustable force acting in opposition to the force urging the stopper in the bottom hole of the metallurgical vessel in response the monitored level of the steel melt in the continuous casting mold.

An apparatus for controlled adjustment of a stopper in a distributor channel or metallurgical vessel of a continuous casting plant comprising;

• a transom or traverse disposed above the distributor channel or the metallurgical vessel connected to the stopper;
• a guide member fixed to a side of the distributor channel or metallurgical vessel;
• a rod that is vertically displaceable in the guide member, the transom or traverse being connected to the rod;
• a stopper drive head being arranged between the traverse and the stopper, said stopper drive head comprising an elastic stopper closing member made up of at least one pneumatically operated open gas pressure spring which urges the stopper into closing position and a stopper adjustment unit which is effective against the action of said stopper closing member and is made up of at least one open gas pressure spring which is adapted to be pressurized pneumatically, in common or individually, against the action of the at least one open gas pressure spring of the stopper closing member.