Process and apparatus for casting a strip with laterally extending lugs

Abstract

An improved process and apparatus for casting a strip with laterally extending lugs by introducing molten metal at the inlet of a molding zone having a bottom and sidewalls, the bottom of the molding zone being formed by the upper surface of a moving endless belt and the sidewalls being formed by a first and second moving endless sidedam. The sidedams move with the belt from the inlet to the outlet of the molding zone and return from the outlet to the inlet. Each sidedam comprises an endless strap and a multiplicity of blocks strung thereon. Some of the blocks form lug molding pockets, the height of each pocket being lower than the height of the molding zone. A cast strip with laterally extending lugs is extracted at the outlet of the molding zone. The passage of lug molding pockets or blocks forming these pockets in each sidedam is detected. The difference between the temperatures of the first and the second sidedams is corrected so as to change the advancing speed of at least one of these dams, a warmer sidedam moving slower than a colder sidedam, if an unwanted lag is found between the molding pockets of the first sidedam and those of the second sidedam. The improvement comprises controlling the result of the correction measures by detecting the passage of the externally extending lugs in the cast product, modifying the correction as a function of the lug detection, and modifying the difference between the temperatures of the first and the second sidedams by use of cooling and heating units.