Hazelett Strip-casting Corporation

Charles R Simon

Charles D Dykes

John F Wood

Timothy Dean Kaiser

Jerome B Allyn

Robert J Carmichael

Frank E Kalaskie

R William Hazelett

J F Wood

Steering, tensioning and driving a revolving metallic casting belt in continuous casting machines wherein the belt travels along a generally straight casting plane P. Two two-axis robotic mechanisms are positioned at opposite ends of an exit-pulley drum, each including a 'floating' housing carrying a bearing rotatably supporting a journal at the respective drum end. A drive shaft connected to one of the journals rotates the drum for revolving the belt. The robotic mechanisms adjustably position opposite ends of a rotating drum in X--X plane parallel with plane P for tensioning the belt and in Y--Y plane perpendicular to plane P for steering the revolving belt. These robotic mechanisms are controlled to operate in any of several modes: (1) 'Walking-tilt' steering keeps the belt much closer to an exiting product than prior art, the belt being flatter and in better contact with the product for improving casting speed and quality. Mode (2) provides a 'virtual squaring shaft' causing a drum to simulate being constrained by a rigid mechanical squaring shaft for synchronizing downstream movements of both drum ends for regularizing tension fully across a 'cylindrical' casting belt. In modes (3), (4) and (5) the rigidity of the virtual squaring shaft may be 'softened,' or re-zeroed or eliminated, to accommodate small 'frustro-conical' errors in belt manufacture. Moreover, even a small error in built-in length dimensions of a belt carriage may effectively be canceled by mode adjustments which effectively 'twist' the virtual squaring shaft.

Steering, tensing and driving a revolving casting belt using an

For closing gaps between blocks of a moving edge dam prior to its travelling downstream into the entrance of a moving mold defined between upper and lower revolving casting belts moving downstream from the mold entrance to its exit, the moving edge dam is initially elevated into a crest, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14. This crest is above a plane generally defined by the lower casting belt travelling downstream. Then, a guide roller positioned above thrusts downwardly upon the moving edge dam bending it convex downwardly as shown at 'B' in FIG. 14 for causing its dam blocks to press against each other for sliding them along their high strength endless flexibile carrying member, thereby closing gaps between the blocks entering the mold entrance for sealing the entrance against outward leakage of molten metal between blocks. The downward convex bending also produces desired downward pressure of the moving edge dam against the lower casting belt, thereby enhacing sealing action between moving edge dam and lower belt. The downward thrust of this roller is sensed for indicating the amount of tension in the endless flexible carrying member of the moving edge dam. Back-breaker apparatus in rolling contact with a moving edge dam during its sagging return travel from mold exit to mold entrance has remotely controllable lift means for controllably raising or lowering the sagging edge dam for respectivley increasing or decreasing tension of the endless flexible carrying member.

Edge dam tensioning and sealing method and apparatus for twin-belt

A method and system are provided for synchronizing the travelling edge dams in the continuous casting of metal slab, strip, or bar, thereby providing a means for the continuous uniform casting of longitudinally spaced edge shapes, contours, or profiles such as integral shoulders, lugs, lobes, depressions, curves, or indentations in the opposite edges of the cast product. Shapes include the protruding lugs, cast directly opposite each other, for suspending copper anodes in electrolytic refining-also the intruding, material-saving contours in the tops of anodes. A belt-type continuous casting machine is shown wherein two moving contoured edge dam loops each comprise blocks strung upon flexible endless metal straps. The moving edge dams on each side of the mold must be synchronized, regardless of disturbing thermal variations notably. 'Back breakers' exert upward rolling contact force controllably and separately against each moving edge dam loop along its return path, thereby changing the local curvature and so adjusting the degree of mutual compression and closeness of the constituent dam blocks or the end-to-end spacing of the same. Such compression effectively shortens the elevated edge dam loop and thereby hastens its revolutions. Known previous methods of heating or cooling to synchronize the edge dam loops may advantageously be used in addition to back-breaker control. The positioning of separate 'back-breaker' apparatus in an inverted configuration near the entrance to the moving mold results in a significant improvement in the sealing capability of the entering edge dams against the lower casting belt where molten metal is introduced.

Edge dam synchronization and tensioning control method and system for

Growing community of inventors

Williston, VT, United States of America

Charles R Simon