Apparatus for introducing granular mold flux onto the top of a slab being cast within a continuous casting mold

Abstract

A continuous casting apparatus includes a dispensing assembly for introducing granular mold flux onto the top of a slab being cast within a continuous casting mold. The apparatus has a delivery apparatus for feeding granular mold flux from an intermediate hopper to the top of a slab being cast, and the delivery apparatus has at least one delivery tube assembly interconnected with the intermediate hopper, with a mechanism for controlling the flow rate of the mold flux through the delivery tube assembly. In the first two embodiments, the flow rate control mechanism is a variable diameter pinch valve located between the intermediate hopper and the delivery tube assembly. In the third and fourth embodiments, the flow rate control mechanism is an air pump and a mechanism for varying the air volume through the air pump so that the granular mold flux delivered is a function of the air volume of the air pump.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.