Induction heating of endless belts in a continuous caster

An apparatus for continuously casting molten metal comprising:

• pulleys;
• first and second endless belts mounted on the pulleys, a front surface of the first endless belt facing a front surface of the second endless belt;
• a pair of dam blocks located on opposite outer edges of the front surface of at least one of the first and second endless belts, such that the front surfaces of the first and second belts, and the pair of dam blocks define a casting region;
• a molten metal providing means for providing molten metal to the casting region;
• a motor means for rotating the pulleys which in turn move the mounted first and second endless belts, and the pair of dam blocks;
• and,
• first and second induction heating means with laminations applied over selected areas, each heating means located immediately adjacent the surface of the respective belts and solely adjacent the pulleys for inductively heating the first and second endless belts prior to introduction of molten metal into the casting region, the first induction heating means mounted in close association with the first endless belt and the second induction heating means mounted in close association with the second endless belt, whereby the first and second belts are inductively heated during rotation of the belts in close proximity to the first and second induction heating means, thereby expanding the belts prior to receiving the molten metal and thus allowing production of a uniform strip of cast metal.