Method and drive apparatus for continuously casting metal in a continuous block caster
AssigneeNichols Aluminum-Golden, Inc.
InventorErnst Zürcher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and novel drive system for use in a continuous block caster for continuously casting metal is disclosed. In particular, a novel worm gear drive system which reduces imperfections that can be created in a cast by movement of a beam chain through a casting cycle is disclosed.
Claims69
An apparatus for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain supporting a cast slab and having at least one variation in beam pitch along a length of the beam chain due to heating of one or more of the supporting beams by the cast slab, comprising:
- (a) a motor;
- (b) a worm gear connected to said motor, said worm gear disposed next to said beam chain;
- (c) device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear;
- and
- wherein said motor is capable of energizing said worm gear such that said worm gear is capable of engaging said device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear to cause said beam chain to move along a track in a continuous block caster and wherein at least a portion of the worm gear has a thread pitch that is about one theoretical beam pitch plus a correction factor, the correction factor being related to the at least one variation in beam pitch.
An apparatus for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain supporting a cast slab and having at least one variation in beam pitch along a length of the beam chain from heating of a beam in the beam chain by the cast slab, comprising:
- (a) a motor;
- (b) a worm gear connected to said motor, said worm gear disposed next to said beam chain;
- and,
- (c) device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear;
- wherein said worm gear comprises a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along the length of said shaft thereby forming a thread, and wherein said motor is capable of energizing said worm gear such that said helical channels are capable of receiving said device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear when said device for meshing reaches an inlet section of said worm gear to cause said beam chain to move and axially push said device for meshing toward an outlet section of said worm gear;
- and,
- wherein the thread pitch of said inlet section initially is about one theoretical beam pitch plus a first correction factor, the first correction factor being related to the at least one variation in beam pitch.
A worm gear for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the beam chain having at least one variation in beam pitch due to heating of at least some of the beams by the cast slab, the worm gear comprising a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along the length of said shaft thereby forming a thread, wherein said helical channels are capable of receiving a device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear when said device for meshing reaches an inlet section of said worm gear and axially pushing said device for meshing toward an outlet section of said worm gear;
- wherein said thread pitch of said outlet section initially is about one theoretical beam pitch, said thread pitch in said outlet section changing to about one theoretical beam pitch minus a correction factor, the correction factor being related to the at least one variation in beam pitch.
A worm gear for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a number of beams for supporting a cast slab, comprising a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along the length of said shaft thereby forming a thread, wherein said helical channels are capable of receiving a device for meshing said beam chain with said worm gear when said device for meshing reaches an inlet section of said worm gear and axially pushing said device for meshing through a substantially constant section of said worm gear toward an outlet section of said worm gear;
- wherein the thread pitch of said inlet section initially is about one theoretical beam pitch plus a first correction factor, the first correction factor being related to at least one variation in beam pitch along a first length of the beam chain adjacent to the inlet section;
- wherein the thread pitch of said substantially constant section initially is about one theoretical beam pitch;
- and,
- wherein said thread pitch of said outlet section initially is about one theoretical beam pitch, said thread pitch of said outlet section changing to about one theoretical beam pitch minus a second correction factor, the second correction factor being related to at least one variation in beam pitch along a second length of the beam chain adjacent to the outlet section.
A method for compensating for variation in individual beam pitch in a beam chain of a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the cast slab heating adjacent beams in the beam chain and causing variations in beam pitch in the beam chain, comprising:
- contacting a device for meshing a beam chain with a worm gear comprising a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along the length of said shaft thereby forming a thread having a thread face, said thread having a thread pitch dependent upon a correction factor to compensate for at least one of the variations in beam pitch, the thread pitch being selected from the group consisting of:
- (a) beam pitches longer than one theoretical beam pitch;
- and (b) beam pitches shorter than one theoretical beam pitch.
A worm gear for driving a beam chain along a track in a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the cast slab imparting thermal variations to adjacent beams in the beam chain and said thermal variations causing variations in beam pitch in the beam chain, the worm gear comprising a cylindrical shaft having helical channels along the length of said shaft thereby forming a thread, wherein said worm gear comprises variations in thread pitch to at least substantially account for the variations in beam pitch caused by the transmitted thermal variations.
A method for compensating for thermal variations in individual beam pitch in a beam chain of a continuous block caster, the beam chain including a plurality of beams for supporting a cast slab, the cast slab causing thermal variations in the beam chain and said thermal variations causing variations in beam length in the beam chain, comprising providing a worm gear comprising:
- (a) a first section which increases or decreases a thread pitch in response to a first difference between the beam length and one theoretical beam pitch;
- (b) a second section having an at least substantially constant thread pitch;
- and, (c) a third section having a thread pitch which increases of decreases the thread pitch in response to a second difference between the beam length and one theoretical beam pitch, wherein the third section increases when the thread pitch of the first section decreases and decreases the thread pitch of the third section when the thread pitch of the first section increases and wherein said first and second differences are disparate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.