Method and apparatus for twin belt casting of strip

Apparatus for strip casting of metals by continuous belt casting comprising:

• (a) a pair of continuous endless belts formed of heat conductive material, said belts being substantially horizontally disposed and positioned adjacent each other to define a molding zone therebetween;
• (b) a pair of at least two pulley means, each of said belts being mounted on the pulley means and passing around the pulley means whereby the belts define curved surfaces about said pulley means and supported thereby wherein each belt is in tension and a substantially flat surface after each belt passes around said pulley means;
• (c) means for supplying to said curved surfaces of both belts while the belts are in tension a substantially horizontal stream of a molten metal whereby the molten metal solidifies in the molding zone between the belts to form a cast strip of metal, thereby transferring heat from the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts;
• and
• (d) cooling means positioned adjacent to each belt for cooling the belts when the belts are not in contact with either the molten metal or the cast metal, said cooling means serving to reduce the temperature of the belts by removing, when the belts are not in contact with either the metal or the cast strip, substantially all of the heat transferred by the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts,
• whereby the molten metal is deposited substantially on the curved surfaces of the belts about the pulley means to transfer heat thereto while the belts are supported by the pulley means and then the heat thus transferred to the belt is removed when the belt is not in contact with the molten metal or the cast strip to thereby minimize distortion of the belts so as to improve surface quality of the cast strip.

Apparatus for strip casting of metals by continuous belt casting comprising:

• (a) a pair of continuous endless belts formed of heat conductive material, said belts being substantially horizontally disposed and positioned adjacent each other to define a molding zone therebetween;
• (b) a pair of at least two pulley means, each of said belts being mounted on the pulley means and passing around the pulley means whereby the belts define curved surfaces about said pulley means and a substantially flat surface after each belt passes around said pulley means;
• (c) tundish nozzle means in proximity to the belts for supplying to said curved surfaces of both belts a substantially horizontal stream of molten metal whereby the molten metal solidifies in the molding zone between the belts to form a cast strip of metal, thereby transferring heat from the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts;
• and
• (d) cooling means positioned adjacent to the belts for cooling the belt when the belts are not, in contact with either the molten metal or the cast metal, said cooling means serving to reduce the temperature of the belts by removing, when the belts are not in contact with either the metal or the cast strip, substantially all of the heat transferred by the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts,
• whereby the molten metal is deposited substantially on the curved surfaces of the belts about the pulley means to transfer heat thereto while the belts are supported by the pulley means and then the heat thus transferred to the belt is removed when the belt is not in contact with the molten metal or the cast strip to thereby minimize distortion of the belts so as to improve surface quality of the cast strip.

Apparatus for strap casting of metals by continuous belt casting comprising:

• (a) a pair of continuous belts formed of a heat conductive material mounted one above the other;
• (b) at least one pulley means for each belt, each of said belts being mounted on the pulley means and passing around the pulley means whereby the belts define curved surfaces about said pulley means and a substantially flat surface after the belts pass around said pulley means for each belt;
• (c) nozzle means defining, along with said curved surfaces and said flat surfaces of both belts, a molding zone, said nozzle means for supplying to said curved surfaces of each belt in the molding zone a molten metal whereby the molten metal solidifies in the molding zone between the belts substantially by the time the metal reaches the nip of the belts to form a cast strip of metal, thereby transferring heat from the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts;
• and
• (d) cooling means positioned adjacent to the belt for cooling the belt when the belt is not in contact with either the molten metal or the cast metal, said cooling means serving to reduce the temperature of the belt by removing, when the belt is not in contact with either the metal or the cast strip, substantially all of the heat transferred by the molten metal and the cast metal to the belts,
• whereby the molten metal is deposited substantially on the curved surfaces of the belts about the pulley means to transfer heat theerto while the belts are supported by the pulley means and then the heat thus transferred to the belt is removed when the belt is not in contact with the molten metal or the cast strip to thereby minimize distortion of the belts so as to improve surface quality of the cast strip.

A method for casting of metals by continuous belt casting comprising the steps of:

• (a) moving a pair of endless belts formed of heat conductive material around a pair of pulleys whereby the belts define a molding zone therebetween and, each belt, as it passes over one of the pulleys, defines a curved surface;
• (b) supplying to the curved surfaces of each of the belts a molten metal whereby the molten metal solidifies in the molding zone to form a strip of cast metal while transferring heat to the belts;
• and
• (c) cooling the belt to remove the heat transfer to the belt from the molten metal and the cast metal when the belts are not in contact with the molten metal or the cast metal and before the belts receive additional molten metal,
• whereby the molten metal is deposited substantially on the curved surfaces of the belts about the pulleys to transfer heat thereto while the belts are supported by the pulleys and then the heat thus transferred to the belt is removed when the belt is not in contact with the molten metal or the cast strip to thereby minimize distortion of the belts so as to improve surface quality of the cast strip.