Apparatus for the manufacture of hot rolled steel strip
AssigneeSMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsHeinrich Scholz, Rudolf Guse
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A manufacturing line for making hot rolled steel strip including a mold for the continuous casting of steel strip, a strip guidance device located downstream from the mold for the diversion of the cast strip into a horizontal plane, a crosscutting device, a temperature equalization furnace, and a rolling mill. To reduce capital costs, energy consumption and space requirements, and to avoid metallurgical errors in processing, a curved temperature equalization furnace surrounds the strip guidance device. A straight temperature equalization furnace horizontally adjoins the curved temperature equalization furnace, and includes a means for crosscutting the strip prior to its exit from the temperature equalization environment for subsequent rolling.
Claims28
Apparatus for the manufacture of hot rolled steel strip comprising:
- a mold for the continuous casting of steel strip including cooled walls defining a substantially vertical passage having an outlet end;
- a strip guiding device located adjacent said outlet end including means for diverting steel strip issuing downwardly from said outlet end into a substantially horizontal plane;
- curved temperature equalization means surrounding said strip diverting means, said curved temperature equalization means positioned adjacent to said outlet end to receive said strip as said strip exiting from said mold and extending the entire length of said strip guiding device, said curved temperature equalization means having means defining a first environment enclosing said steel strip and means external to said first environment for adding heat to said first environment so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile starting substantially at said mold outlet end and continuing during its passage through said curved temperature equalization means;
- substantially horizontal strip transfer means adapted to receive steel strip from said strip guiding device;
- straight temperature equalization means surrounding at least the portion of said strip transfer means adjacent said strip guiding device, said straight temperature equalization means positioned substantially adjacent to the outlet end of said curved temperature equalization means and extending the entire length of said strip transfer means, said straight temperature equalization means having means defining a second environment enclosing said steel strip and means external to said second environment for adding heat to said second environment so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile during its passage through said straight temperature equalization means;
- crosscutting means adapted to sever said steel strip within said straight temperature equalization means;
- and,
- a rolling mill adapted to receive said steel strip from said strip transfer means.
A method for hot rolling steel strip comprising the steps of:
- A. continuously casting steel strip in a strip casting mold having a vertical passage therethrough to form a steel strip which is sufficiently thin that the strip substantially solidifies upon exiting said passage;
- B. diverting the strip exiting from said passage into a horizontal plane within a curved temperature equalization means, said curved temperature equalization means being positioned adjacent to said passage to receive said strip as said strip exiting from said mold and having means defining a first environment enclosing said steel strip;
- adding heat to said first environment so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile starting at the outlet end of said mold passage and continuing during its passage through said curved temperature equalization means;
- D. conveying said diverted strip through a straight temperature equalization means, said straight temperature equalization means having means defining a second environment enclosing said steel strip;
- E. adding heat to said second environment so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile during its passage through said straight temperature equalization means;
- F. crosscutting said strip along a line normal to its direction of travel within said straight temperature equalization means;
- and
- G. rolling said crosscut lengths of strip in a rolling mill.
In a continuous strip casting machine having apparatus for delivering a continuous metal strip issuing from a mold to a cutter for cutting said strip into predetermined lengths, said metal strip being sufficiently thin that it substantially solidifies upon exiting from said mold, the improvement comprising:
- means for physically surrounding said apparatus to define an environment enclosing said strip, and means external to said environment for adding heat to said environment, said surrounding means being positioned to receive said strip as said strip exits from said mold so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile during its entire passage starting adjacent to said mold and continuing to said cutter.
In a continuous strip casting machine, apparatus for delivering a continuous metal strip issuing from a mold in a downward vertical motion to a horizontal cutter for cutting said strip into predetermined lengths, said apparatus having a strip diverter for diverting said strip vertical motion to a horizontal strip motion and a linear strip transfer means for conveying a strip issuing horizontally from said strip diverter to said cutter, said metal strip being sufficiently thin that it substantially solidifies upon exiting from said mold, the improvement comprising:
- means for surrounding said strip diverter and said strip transfer means to define an environment enclosing said strip, and means external to said environment for adding heat to said environment, said surrounding means being positioned to receive said strip as said strip exits from said mold so that said strip is maintained at a predetermined temperature profile during its entire passage starting adjacent to said mold and continuing to said cutter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.