Continuous casting apparatus

In a continuous casting apparatus for billets to be rolled, comprising a mould having a mould cavity of rectangular cross-section, a hot top shaping attachment at the entrance of the mould cavity, and a starter block which closes the lower end of the mould cavity, and a starter block which closes the lower end of the mould cavity in the starting position and which receives a metal melt from the shaping attachment directed in the vertical direction into the starter block, characterized by said starter block comprising a vertically-movable block having a rectangular horizontal cross-section corresponding to that of the mould cavity and being provided with a substantially tub-shaped well area having a floor enclosed by a continuous peripheral wall having a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner surface, and containing at least one raised portion arranged symmetrically relative to the central axes of the starter block, the outer surfaces of the raised portion being inclined to said floor downwardly towards the inclined surface of the continuous wall to form said well area, said raised portion having a height above the floor of the well area which is equal to from approximately 1/2 to 2/3 of the height of said peripheral wall above the floor of the well area.