Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus to
exchange immersion nozzles mounted on a molten steel outlet
in a bottom of a tundish.
Background
[0002] An immersion nozzle mounted on a tundish is worn
out when used several times and needs to be replaced
frequently. Thus, an immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus
as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 has been
conventionally used for exchanging immersion nozzles. The
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus performs exchange by
inserting a new immersion nozzle into an inlet of a pair of
guide rails located in parallel so as to face each other,
and causing the new immersion nozzle to press the worn
immersion nozzle.
Citation List
Patent Document
[0003] Patent Document 1: International Publication No.
WO2002/094476
Summary
Technical Problem
[0004] The tundish and a mold are located close to each
other. Thus, molten steel (splashes) splashing from the
mold hits the immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus when
poured into the mold from the tundish. At this point, the
splashes may adhere to the guide rails of the immersion

nozzle exchanging apparatus, hindering the exchange of the
immersion nozzles.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide
an immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus capable of
reducing adhesion of splashes to guide rails.
Solution to Problem
[0006] The present invention provides a splash adhesion
prevention cover-equipped immersion nozzle exchanging
apparatus as described below.
1. A splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped immersion
nozzle exchanging apparatus attached to a bottom of a
tundish, the apparatus comprising:
a pair of guide rails located in parallel so as to
face each other, each of the pair of guide rails including
an inlet into which a new immersion nozzle is inserted in
exchanging of immersion nozzles, and an outlet from which a
used immersion nozzle is discharged in exchanging of the
immersion nozzles; and
at least one of an inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover capable of covering an inlet space between the inlets
of the pair of guide rails from below, and an outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover capable of covering an outlet
space between the outlets of the pair of guide rails from
below.
2. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to the
above item 1, in which
the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover is movable
to a covering position covering the inlet space from below
and a non-covering position not covering the inlet space
from below, and
the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover is movable

to a covering position covering the outlet space from below
and a non-covering position not covering the outlet space
from below.
3. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to the
above item 1 or 2, the apparatus further comprising an arm
holding a dummy plate to close a molten steel outlet in the
bottom of the tundish in an emergency, in which
the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover is mounted
on a lower side of a dummy plate holder of the arm.
4. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to the
above item 3, in which a gap exists between the dummy plate
and the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover.
5. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to any one
of the above items 1 to 4, in which the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover is rotatable about a hinge rod.
6. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to the
above item 5, in which
the hinge rod is mounted on one of the pair of guide
rails, and
the other of the pair of guide rails includes a
support member capable of holding the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover.
7. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to the
above item 6, in which the support member includes a plate,
a slope formed on an upper surface of the plate so as to
guide the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover, and a
holder formed continuously from the slope so as to hold the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover.

8. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus according to any one
of the above items 5 to 7, the apparatus further comprising
a driving device having a shoot arm to press the new
immersion nozzle in exchanging of the immersion nozzles, in
which
the driving device has a projection capable of
abutting against the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover on a lower side of the driving device.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0007] In accordance with the present invention,
splashes hardly adhere to the guide rails.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a splash
adhesion prevention cover-equipped immersion nozzle
exchanging apparatus according to one embodiment of the
present invention, attached to a bottom of a tundish.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of main parts of the
splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped immersion nozzle
exchanging apparatus in FIG. 1 around inlets into which a
new immersion nozzle is inserted in exchange of immersion
nozzles.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of main parts of the
splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped immersion nozzle
exchanging apparatus in FIG. 1 around outlets from which a
used immersion nozzle is discharged in the exchange of the
immersion nozzles.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view around a dummy
plate holder of an arm.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the arm.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of main parts in a state

in which an inlet splash adhesion prevention cover is moved
to a non-covering position.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of main parts in a state
in which an outlet splash adhesion prevention cover is held
by a support member.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of main parts in a state
in which the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover is
moved to a non-covering position.
FIG. 9 is the same as above.
FIG. 10 is a front view of a hinge rod.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view around the support
member.
Description of Embodiments
[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be
described in detail based on the drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates a splash adhesion prevention cover-
equipped immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus (hereinafter
simply referred to as "immersion nozzle exchanging
apparatus") 1 according to one embodiment of the present
invention, attached to a bottom of a tundish. FIG. 2
illustrates main parts of the cover-equipped immersion
nozzle exchanging apparatus 1 around inlets into which a
new immersion nozzle is inserted in exchange of immersion
nozzles. FIG. 3 illustrates main parts of the immersion
nozzle exchanging apparatus 1 around outlets from which a
used immersion nozzle is discharged in the exchange of the
immersion nozzles.
[0010] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the immersion nozzle
exchanging apparatus 1 is attached to a bottom 121 of a
tundish 120 via a base plate 122. A tundish nozzle 123 for

pouring molten steel is mounted on the bottom 121 of the
tundish. In the pouring of molten steel, an immersion
nozzle 130 is connected to a lower portion of the tundish
nozzle 123. Molten steel in the tundish 120 is thereby
poured into a mold through the tundish nozzle 123 and the
immersion nozzle 130. That is, in the present embodiment,
a lower end opening of the tundish nozzle 123 serves as a
molten steel outlet in the bottom of the tundish.
A refractory located on an inner surface of the bottom
121 of the tundish is not illustrated in FIG. 1. The same
applies to other drawings such as FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0011] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the immersion
nozzle exchanging apparatus 1 includes a pair of guide
rails 2 and 2 located in parallel so as to face each other.
The pair of guide rails 2 and 2 include inlets 21 and 21
into which the new immersion nozzle is inserted in the
exchange of the immersion nozzles, outlets 22 and 22 from
which the used immersion nozzle is discharged in the
exchange of the immersion nozzles, and intermediate
portions 23 and 23 for supporting the immersion nozzle 130
during operation, respectively. The phrase "during
operation" used herein means a period of time during which
molten steel is being poured into the mold from the
tundish.
In the present embodiment, the intermediate portions
23 and 23 are formed by a plurality of key-like pressing
members 24 to press the immersion nozzle 130 against the
tundish nozzle 123. That is, the pressing members 24
support a lower surface of a flange 131 of the immersion
nozzle 130, and press the immersion nozzle 130 against the
tundish nozzle 123 during operation as illustrated in FIG.
1.
Similarly, some of or the whole of the inlets 21 and

21 and the outlets 22 and 22 can be formed by a plurality
of keyboard-shaped pressing members.
[0012] As illustrated in FIG. 3, an inlet space 211 is
formed between the inlet 21 of one of the pair of guide
rails 2 and the inlet 21 of the other guide rail 2.
Similarly, an outlet space 221 is formed between the outlet
22 of one guide rail 2 and the outlet 22 of the other guide
rail 2, and an intermediate space 231 between the
intermediate portion 23 of one guide rail 2 and the
intermediate portion 23 of the other guide rail 2.
[0013] The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus 1 of
the present embodiment includes an inlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 3 capable of covering the inlet space 211
and the inlets 21 and 21 from below, and an outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4 capable of covering the outlet
space 221 and the outlets 22 and 22 from below.
No splash adhesion prevention cover is required below
the intermediate space 231 during operation because the
immersion nozzle 130 is in the intermediate space 231 as
illustrated in FIG. 1. By contrast, heat insulating covers
5 and 5 are mounted on the lower sides of the intermediate
portions 23 and 23 with a space between the covers and the
intermediate portions 23 and 23 as illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the immersion nozzle
exchanging apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes
an arm 7 holding a dummy plate 6. The inlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 3 is mounted on the lower side of
a dummy plate holder 71 at a distal end of the arm 7.
The dummy plate 6 closes the molten steel outlet (the
lower end opening of the tundish nozzle 123 in the present
embodiment) in the bottom of the tundish in an emergency to
stop the pouring of molten steel from the molten steel
outlet. To this end, the dummy plate 6 is put on standby

in a state of being inserted into the inlets 21 and 21 (the
inlet space 211) during operation as illustrated in FIG. 1.
Thus, the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3
mounted on the lower side of the dummy plate holder 71
covers the inlet space 211 and the inlets 21 and 21 from
below during operation as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
With the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3 covering
the inlet space 211 and the inlets 21 and 21 from below,
adhesion of splashes to the inlets 21 and 21 during
operation can be reduced.
A shoot arm 81 is driven by a driving device 8
illustrated in FIG. 1 to move in a horizontal direction,
which presses the dummy plate 6 toward the intermediate
portions 23 and 23 (the intermediate space 231) in an
emergency. The dummy plate 6 thereby pushes out the
immersion nozzle 130 in use toward the outlets 22 and 22,
and moves to the lower portion of the tundish nozzle 123.
This allows the dummy plate 6 to close the lower end
opening of the tundish nozzle 123 as the molten steel
outlet so as to stop the pouring of molten steel from the
molten steel outlet.
For example, a hydraulic cylinder can be used for the
driving device 8.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view around the
dummy plate holder 71, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the arm
7 alone.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the dummy plate holder 71 of
the arm 7 has a cutout 72 having an opening 721 at one end.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the dummy plate 6 also has
a projection 61 formed on its lower surface. The dummy
plate 6 is held by the dummy plate holder 71 with the
projection 61 inserted from the one end side of the cutout
72. The opening 721 of the dummy plate holder 71 is

directed to the intermediate portions 23 and 23 when the
dummy plate 6 is on standby in the state of being inserted
into the inlets 21 and 21 (the inlet space 211).
The dummy plate 6 held by the dummy plate holder 71 is
pressed toward the intermediate portions 23 and 23 (the
intermediate space 231) in an emergency as described above.
At this point, the projection 61 of the dummy plate 6 comes
out of the opening 721 of the cutout 72. Thus, the dummy
plate 6 can move toward the intermediate portions 23 and 23
(the intermediate space 231).
[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a gap S is provided
between the dummy plate 6 held by the dummy plate holder 71
and the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3.
Providing the gap S between the dummy plate 6 and the inlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 3 as described above
enables the dummy plate 6 to move without hitting the inlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 3 when the dummy plate 6
is moved toward the intermediate portions 23 and 23 (the
intermediate space 231) in an emergency.
[0017] A rotating shaft 73 is mounted on a proximal end
of the arm 7 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The rotating shaft
73 is connected to an unillustrated rotation control
device. Thus, the arm 7 can rotate about the rotating
shaft 73 under the rotation control of the rotation control
device. The arm 7 also rotates to move the dummy plate 6
held by the dummy plate holder 71 at the distal end of the
arm 7 and the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3
mounted on the lower side of the dummy plate holder 71.
The inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3 can thereby
move to a covering position covering the inlet space 211
and the inlets 21 and 21 from below as illustrated in FIG.
2, and a non-covering position not covering the inlet space
211 and the inlets 21 and 21 from below as illustrated in

FIG. 6.
[0018] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7 to 9, the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4 can rotate about a hinge
rod 9 mounted on one of the pair of guide rails 2 and 2.
That is, the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 can
move to a covering position covering the outlet space 221
and the outlets 22 and 22 from below as illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 7, and a non-covering position not covering the
outlet space 221 and the outlets 22 and 22 from below as
illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. With the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4 covering the outlet space 221
and the outlets 22 and 22 from below, adhesion of splashes
to the outlets 22 and 22 during operation can be reduced.
[0019] FIG. 10 is a front view of the hinge rod 9 alone,
and FIG. 11 is a plan view of the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 alone.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, a flange 91 larger than the
hole diameter of a mounting hole 41 of the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4 illustrated in FIG. 11 is at a
lower end of the hinge rod 9. A step 92 having a circular
shape in cross section is on an upper portion of the flange
91, a rod body 93 having a cylindrical shape on an upper
portion of the step 92, and an external threaded portion 94
on an upper portion of the rod body 93.
The step 92 has a size (diameter) slightly smaller
than the hole diameter of the mounting hole 41 of the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4, and a height
slightly larger than the thickness of the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4. That is, when the hinge rod 9
is inserted into the mounting hole 41 of the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4, a gap is provided between the
step 92 and the rim of the mounting hole 41 of the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4. This enables the

outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 to rotate around
the step 92.
The rod body 93 has a diameter smaller than the
diameter of the step 92, and the external threaded portion
94 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the rod body
93 as illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0020] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4 is held between the flange 91
of the hinge rod 9 and a hinge plate 96. A hinge sleeve 97
is disposed on an upper portion of the hinge plate 96.
The hinge plate 96 has a through hole having a hole
diameter smaller than the diameter of the step 92 of the
hinge rod 9 and larger than the diameter of the rod body
93. Thus, the hinge plate 96 is located on the step 92 of
the hinge rod 9.
The hinge sleeve 97 also has a through hole having a
hole diameter smaller than the diameter of the step 92 of
the hinge rod 9 and larger than the diameter of the rod
body 93. Thus, the hinge sleeve 97 is located on the hinge
plate 96.
[0021] In accordance with the above configuration, the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 of the present
embodiment can be mounted on one of the pair of guide rails
2 and 2 via the hinge rod 9 in, for example, the following
manner.
First, the step 92 of the hinge rod 9 is fitted into
the mounting hole 41 of the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4. Subsequently, the hinge plate 96 is
mounted so as to be placed on the step 92. The hinge
sleeve 97 is then mounted so as to be placed on the hinge
plate 96. Lastly, the external threaded portion 94 of the
hinge rod 9 is inserted into a through hole formed in one
of the guide rails 2, and a nut 95 is mounted on the

external threaded portion 94 as illustrated in FIG. 9. The
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 is thereby
mounted on the guide rail 2.
In this mounted state, the step 92 of the hinge rod 9
is fitted into the mounting hole 41 of the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4 with a gap therebetween as
described above. Thus, the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 can rotate around the step 92.
In the present embodiment, no driving mechanism is
provided for rotating the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 4. Thus, in the present embodiment, a handle 42 is
formed on the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 as
illustrated in FIG. 11, for example, and an operator hooks
a tool or the like on the handle 42 to manually rotate the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4.
[0022] In the present embodiment, the hinge rod 9
includes the flange 91 larger than the hole diameter of the
mounting hole 41 of the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 4. Thus, the flange 91 covers the mounting hole 41
of the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 from below
in the mounted state illustrated in FIG. 9. This prevents
splashes from entering the mounting hole 41 of the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4. As a result, the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 can be prevented
from being fused and bonded to the hinge rod 9 to become
non-rotatable.
[0023] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the hinge
plate 96 is disposed between the hinge sleeve 97 and the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4.
In the mounted state illustrated in FIG. 9, the hinge
plate 96 provides reinforcing and heat insulating (heat
shielding) effects around the mounting hole 41 of the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4.

Additionally, the hinge sleeve 97, which covers the
outer periphery of the rod body 93 of the hinge rod 9,
provides reinforcing and heat insulating (heat shielding)
effects for the hinge rod 9 (the rod body 93). The hinge
sleeve 97 can further position the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 in the vertical direction by adjusting
the height of the hinge sleeve 97.
[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a support member 10 is
mounted on the other guide rail 2 facing the guide rail 2
on which the hinge rod 9 is mounted. The support member 10
holds the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 when
the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 is at the
covering position covering the outlet space 221 and the
outlets 22 and 22 from below as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and
7. This prevents the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 4 from bending under its own weight at the covering
position. The support member 10 also provides effects of
positioning the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4
at the covering position and stopping the rotation of the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4.
[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the support member 10
of the present embodiment includes a plate 101, a slope 102
formed on an upper surface of the plate 101, and a holder
103 formed continuously from the slope 102.
The plate 101 prevents splashes from reaching the
slope 102 and the holder 103.
The slope 102 guides the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 to the holder 103.
The holder 103 holds the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 to position the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 at the covering position. The holder
103 can also stop the rotation of the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 4.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 3 again, a projection 110
capable of abutting against the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 is mounted on the lower side of the
driving device 8. The projection 110 abuts against the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 when the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4 is at the non-covering
position not covering the outlet space 221 and the outlets
22 and 22 from below as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. That
is, the projection 110 provides an effect of stopping the
rotation of the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4
when the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 is
rotated toward the non-covering position.
[0027] Next, a method for exchanging the immersion
nozzles using the immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus 1
of the present embodiment will be described.
Before exchanging the immersion nozzles, i.e., during
operation, the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3 and
the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 are
individually located at the covering positions as
illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, in the exchange of the
immersion nozzles, the inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 3 and the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4
are individually moved to the non-covering positions. To
be more specific, for the inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 3, the unillustrated rotation control device rotates
the arm 7 to move the inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 3 to the non-covering position not covering the inlet
space 211 and the inlets 21 and 21 from below as
illustrated in FIG. 6. For the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4, an operator hooks a tool or the like on
the handle 42 of the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 4 to manually rotate the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4, thereby moving the outlet splash

adhesion prevention cover 4 to the non-covering position
not covering the outlet space 221 and the outlets 22 and 22
from below as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.
[0028] After individually moving the inlet splash
adhesion prevention cover 3 and the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover 4 to the non-covering positions, the new
immersion nozzle is inserted into the inlets 21 and 21 (the
inlet space 211). The shoot arm 81 of the driving device 8
then presses the new immersion nozzle toward the
intermediate portions 23 and 23 (the intermediate space
231). The new immersion nozzle thereby pushes out the used
immersion nozzle, which moves to the outlets 22 and 22 (the
outlet space 221). The used immersion nozzle is removed
from the outlets 22 and 22. Meanwhile, the new immersion
nozzle is located in the intermediate portions 23 and 23.
The new immersion nozzle is pressed upward by the
intermediate portions 23 and 23 to be connected to the
lower portion of the tundish nozzle 123 as illustrated in
FIG. 1.
After exchanging the immersion nozzles as described
above, the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3 and the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4 are individually
moved to the covering positions.
[0029] The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus 1,
which includes both of the inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 3 and the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover 4
in the present embodiment, may include only one of the
covers. The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus 1 more
preferably includes both of the covers.
Additionally, in the present embodiment, the inlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 3 covers the inlet space
211 and the inlets 21 and 21 from below, and the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4 covers the outlet space

221 and the outlets 22 and 22 from below. However, the
lower sides of the inlets 21 and 21 and the outlets 22 and
22 do not necessarily have to be covered. This is because
splashes adhering to lower surfaces of the inlets 21 and 21
and the outlets 22 and 22 do not seriously hinder the
exchange of the immersion nozzles. That is, covering at
least the inlet space 211 or the outlet space 221 from
below can reduce adhesion of splashes to upper surfaces of
the inlets 21 and 21 or the outlets 22 and 22 that
seriously hinders the exchange of the immersion nozzles.
[0030] The inlet splash adhesion prevention cover 3,
which is mounted on the arm 7 holding the dummy plate 6 in
the present embodiment, may be rotatably mounted on one of
the pair of guide rails 2 and 2 similarly to the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover 4.
Additionally, the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover 4, which is manually rotated in the present
embodiment, may be automatically rotated by separately
providing a rotation driving mechanism.
Reference Signs List
[0031] 1 IMMERSION NOZZLE EXCHANGING APPARATUS
2 GUIDE RAIL
21 INLET
211 INLET SPACE
22 OUTLET
221 OUTLET SPACE
23 INTERMEDIATE PORTION
231 INTERMEDIATE SPACE
3 INLET SPLASH ADHESION PREVENTION COVER
4 OUTLET SPLASH ADHESION PREVENTION COVER

41 MOUNTING HOLE
42 HANDLE

43 HEAT INSULATING COVER
44 DUMMY PLATE
61 LOWER PROJECTION
7 ARM
71 DUMMY PLATE HOLDER
72 CUTOUT
721 OPENING
73 ROTATING SHAFT
8 DRIVING DEVICE
81 SHOOT ARM
9 HINGE ROD
91 FLANGE
92 STEP
93 ROD BODY
94 EXTERNAL THREADED PORTION
95 NUT
96 HINGE PLATE
97 HINGE SLEEVE
10 SUPPORT MEMBER
101 PLATE
102 SLOPE
103 HOLDER
110 PROJECTION
120 TUNDISH
121 BOTTOM OF TUNDISH
122 BASE PLATE
123 TUNDISH NOZZLE

130 IMMERSION NOZZLE
131 FLANGE OF IMMERSION NOZZLE

We Claim :
1. A splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped immersion
nozzle exchanging apparatus attached to a bottom of a
tundish, the apparatus comprising:
a pair of guide rails located in parallel so as to
face each other, each of the pair of guide rails including
an inlet into which a new immersion nozzle is inserted in
exchange of immersion nozzles, and an outlet from which a
used immersion nozzle is discharged in the exchange of the
immersion nozzles; and
at least one of an inlet splash adhesion prevention
cover capable of covering an inlet space between the inlets
of the pair of guide rails from below, and an outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover capable of covering an outlet
space between the outlets of the pair of guide rails from
below.
2. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in claim
1, wherein
the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover is movable
to a covering position covering the inlet space from below
and a non-covering position not covering the inlet space
from below, and
the outlet splash adhesion prevention cover is movable
to a covering position covering the outlet space from below
and a non-covering position not covering the outlet space
from below.
3. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in claim 1
or 2, the apparatus further comprising an arm holding a
dummy plate to close a molten steel outlet in the bottom of

the tundish in an emergency, wherein
the inlet splash adhesion prevention cover is mounted
on a lower side of a dummy plate holder of the arm.
4. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in claim
3, wherein a gap exists between the dummy plate and the
inlet splash adhesion prevention cover.
5. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in any one
of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outlet splash adhesion
prevention cover is rotatable about a hinge rod.
6. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in claim
5, wherein
the hinge rod is mounted on one of the pair of guide
rails, and
the other of the pair of guide rails includes a
support member capable of holding the outlet splash
adhesion prevention cover.
7. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in claim
6, wherein the support member includes a plate, a slope
formed on an upper surface of the plate so as to guide the
outlet splash adhesion prevention cover, and a holder
formed continuously from the slope so as to hold the outlet
splash adhesion prevention cover.
8. The splash adhesion prevention cover-equipped
immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus as claimed in any one

of claims 5 to 7, the apparatus further comprising a
driving device having a shoot arm to press the new
immersion nozzle in the exchange of the immersion nozzles,
wherein
the driving device has a projection capable of
abutting against the outlet splash adhesion prevention
cover on a lower side of the driving device.