Apparatus for controlled adjustment of a stopper of a distributor channel or the like in a continous casting plant

An apparatus for controlled adjustment of a stopper of a distributor channel of metallurgical vessel in a continuous casting plant for billets, ignots, or slabs, which is a stopper is connected to a crosstie or stopper rod disposed above the distributor channel or metallurgical vessel, the crosstie or stopper rod itself being connected to a support bar which is movable up and down in a vertical guide means, wherein the vertical guide means of the support bar is a rolling body guide means comprising support rollers or support balls which are clamped without clearance between the support bar and an outer guide housing and wherein the support bar is also movable back and forth or up and down by a piston and cylinder unit adapted to be actuated hydraulically, hydropneumatically, or pneumatically, the piston and cylinder unit being adapted to be supported by a guide housing which surrounds the support bar, the piston and cylinder unit comprising two piston rods adapted to be extended diametrically out of the cylinder casing and a third piston rod adapted to be extended out of the casing, the first two piston rods engaging the support bar, while the latter piston rod accomplishes the fixing of the piston and cylinder unit at the stationary guide housing, or the guide housing secured to the distributor channel and the diametrically effective piston rods engage within a lateral opening of the support bar, and in that the third piston rod extends spaced from the first two piston rods and approximately in parallel with them.