Alcan Research and Development Limited

Thomas Adrian Stock

Olivo G Sivilotti

David Edward Steer

Parick Daniel Dougan

Patrick Daniel Dougan

For supporting and cooling the reverse surfaces of belts in apparatus for continuously casting metal strip between such belts, means enclosing the reverse surface of a belt includes a multiplicity of guiding faces that are distributed closely both crosswise and lengthwise of the belt to define an intended belt path, and that have nozzle openings through which liquid coolant is projected against the belt, rapidly flowing out in a layer over the guiding face and being withdrawn at localities close to all of the guiding faces. The belt, which may be forced toward the faces to stabilize it in its desired path, thus rests on a layer of rapidly moving liquid coolant, which affords efficient heat removal and an essentially complete liquid bearing, such apparatus and procedure being also deemed applicable to cooling other surfaces. The high velocity coolant layer can be extended around part of the curved path followed by the belts returning to enter the mold space; thus or otherwise a liquid bearing can be provided along this return belt path approaching the mold entrance, avoiding large pulleys that interfere with the use of effective cooling structure there. The guide-faced nozzle elements along the mold path can be individually mounted and limit-loaded toward the belt so as to yield to local excess of outward force by the belt, for instance as caused by solidified metal.

Continuous casting of metal strip between moving belts

In a rolling mill for reducing metal, having upper and lower work rolls between which the metal is passed and at least one back-up roll for the upper work roll, the combination of means for applying coolant to the surface of the upper work roll only on the outgoing side of the mill, casing structure enclosing the locality of coolant application and so arranged that a narrow gap is defined between the upper work roll and a transverse wall of the casing below the coolant-applying means, and means for creating a rapid flow of air along the upper work roll surface adjacent the gap in a direction to prevent exit of coolant through the gap from the casing structure while withdrawing air from the casing structure. The air-flow creating means may include means for maintaining the interior of the casing structure at subatmospheric pressure. A method of cooling the upper work roll in such a mill comprises applying coolant to the surface thereof only at a locality on the outgoing side of the mill while maintaining an enclosure in surrounding relation to the coolant-applying locality with a narrow gap defined between the enclosure and the upper work roll surface at a level below that locality, and directing a rapid flow of air along the latter roll surface adjacent the gap to prevent exit of coolant through the gap. The back-up roll, which is in contact with the upper work roll, cooperates with the foregoing structures and steps to prevent carryover of excessive coolant onto the upper work roll surface on the ingoing side of the mill.

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Kingston, Canada

Thomas Adrian Stock