47690 Pagel

Continuous Casting Plant

The invention relates to a continuous casting mechanism/plant comprising an ingot-mould placed in an oscillating swing-frame and an oscillator-base-/under-frame accommodating oscillating swing-frame as well as strand-guide attaching itself to the ingot-mould; the strand-guide is equipped with several strand-guide rolls and consists of strand-guide-segments supporting themselves on a segment-supporting-frame.

Generally in continuous casting plants/systems the upper most or the first billet-/strand-guide-segment is bedded on the segment-supporting-frame or the oscillator-base frame.

Examples for this can be had from JP 63005858, the US 3,409,070, US 4,799,535 and US 4,953,614.

Strutting or supporting on segment-frames is to that extent problematic, because these segment-frames are liable to undergo thermal accretion/growth.

However, for the aligning the segments among themselves and in respect to the mould, reference-points are necessary.

These reference points are liable to undergo a displacement, because of the thermal-accretion/growth, with the result that, viewed from a longer time-horizon, alignment-errors between the billet-guide-segments and the mould could occur. This could lead to undesirable transition-errors and reaction-forces on the billet-/casting-shell, which in this upper range of the billet-guide is still very thin.

The objective of the invention is to minimize such transition-errors or reaction-forces on the billet-/casting-shell.

This goal is realized as per the invention in a continuous casting plant comprising an ingot-mould placed in an oscillating swing-frame and an oscillator-base-frame in which the oscillating swing-frame is bedded as well as billet-/strand-guide attaching itself to the ingot-mould and where the strand-guide is equipped with several strand-guide rolls and consists of strand-guide-segments supporting themselves on a segment-supporting-frame, thereby that

- the continuous casting mould can be positioned to the oscillator-swing-frame with the help of a horizontal anchoring-/fastening-point,

- the first strand guide-segment supports itself on the oscillator-base-frame, and can be aligned horizontally on this at a bearing- or supporting-point on the oscillator-base-frame,

- the second strand-guide-segment in the area of the entry-side strand-guide-rolls can be horizontally aligned at a bearing-point on the oscillator-base-frame, and

- the second billet-/strand-guide-segment supports itself in respect of horizontal and vertical fixing with its bottom- or foot-area.

It is envisaged that the horizontal fixed-point is located/provided on the oscillator-swing-frame, namely preferably within a range of distance Kl to the billet-rear-edge of up to +/- 300 mm.

What is applicable for the horizontal bearing-point on the oscillator-base-frame is that it finds itself located within a range in distance Bl to the billet-rear-edge of up to+/-300mm.

The upper bearing-point for the second segment should find itself on the oscillator-base-frame within a range in distance B2_o to the billet-rear-edge of up to =/- 300mm.

Finally the second billet-/strand-guide-segment with its base-area supports itself for horizontal and vertical mounting on the segment-support-frame at a bearing-point with a distance B2_u to the billet-rear-edge, where the areas B2_u and B3 -thus, their extent or value of distance to billet-read-edge - can differ from one another by 300 mm, that is, B2_u = B3 +/- 300 mm.

Pursuant to an additional design of the invention it is envisaged that the supply of medium to the first strand-guide-segment takes place through water- and medium-clamping-plates, which are located in the oscillator-base-frame.

The same applies for the supply of medium to the second strand-guide-segment, which also takes place through water- and medium-clamping- or -fixing-plates.

It is beneficial if in this context the water- and medium-clamping-plates are designed elastic or flexible, with the help of springy-elements, for compensating misalignments.
The advantages which emerge from the invention-based assembly of the continuous casting plant can be summarized as follows.

The envisaged bedding or ability to position the billet-casting-mould and the billet-guide-segments attaching themselves minimizes alignment errors, so that thereby strain or stresses on the billet-shell could be reduced. This also results in a lesser wear-and-tear of the individual modules.

In connection with the invention-based bedding or mounting of the segments, also the separate feeding of water to the individual billet-guide-segments is of significance, because of the fact that hereby the billet-/strand-guide-segments are more easily accessible, which reflects itself in particular in a simplified maintenance. Furthermore, it is beneficial that the segment-support-frames can be designed shorter, leading to a reduced weight and allowing for a lighter assembly.

Bridge-over pipe-works of one segment to a higher-level assembly are moreover avoided.

Further, through the improved or simplified bedding of the billet-/strand-guide-segments, even partial compensations of relative displacements/shifts between the plant-parts can be carried out.

The invention is further elucidated in the following paragraphs under reference to the drawing, which illustrates schematically the assembly of a continuous casting plant in the upper area/range.

The oscillator base frame 2 is arranged below the casting-platform or rotating-tower. To this oscillator-base-frame belongs the oscillator-swing-frame 9, which struts or supports itself on it (base-frame), and which is set in vibration/swing through its drive; the oscillator-swing-frame 9 on its part accommodates the billet-casting-mould 1.

The first strand-guide-segment 4 attaches itself to the oscillator-swing-frame or the billet-casting-mould.

The further billet-guidance is formed through the strand-guide-segments 5, 6 etc, where in the Drawing only these two-that is, the second and third strand-guide-segments - 5 and 6 are illustrated.

The segment-support-frame is identified with 3, at which the second billet-guide-segment 5 struts itself at the bottom-side, where the point-of-support is identified with 14.

At the head-side or top-end this second billet-guide-segment 5 is mounted in lower/bottom oscillator-base-frame area.

The casting-direction is marked with 21 through an arrow, while rear-/trailing-edge of the billet is identified with 11, on which later more will be explained. Feeding of water to the first strand-guide-segment 4 is identified with 12; with 13 feeding of water to the second strand-guide-segment 5 is denoted.

The placement-area for the third billet-guide-segment is denoted by 22, where for the subsequently following billet-guide-segments corresponding areas are available.

At the bottom-end of the strand-casting-mould 1, mould-bottom-rollers 15 are envisaged.

The billet-guide-rollers assigned to the individual guide-segments are schematically marked with 17.

The copper-plates enveloping the forming- or moulding-area of the billet-casting-mould 1 are denoted with 16. The bearing- or bedding-points which will be further explained later-on are identified with 8,10 and 23.

The reference numbers 18,19 and 20 are supposed to denote water- and medium-clamping-plates on the oscillator base-frame, segment-support-frames or the second strand-guide-segment.

The horizontal fixing-point between the billet-casting-mould 1 and the oscillator-swing-/vibration-frame 9 is identified with 8.

As indicated earlier, the top-most or first billet-guide-segment 4 is accommodated on the oscillator-base-frame. The horizontal positioning of this first billet-guide-segment 4 is done with the help of supporting-points 10 on the oscillator-base-frame, where the alignment can be done within a range Bl = +/- 300mm from the billet-/strand-rear-edge 11.

The next supporting-point is identified with 23, and is located at the second strand-guide-segment 5 and allows a corresponding alignment-area B2_o = +/-300mm, similarly with respect to the strand-rear-edge 11.

Then, with B2_u the next point-of-support 14 is marked. The placement-area or touchdown-point 22 of the subsequent strand-guide-segment 3-x is identified with B3. The areas B2_u and B3 are dimensioned with respect to the strand-rear-edge 11, and are nearly of identical size - that is, B2_u"- B3 where the value or extent of their distance to rear-edge can differ from one another likewise up to 300 mm.

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PATENT CLAIMS

1 Continuous casting plant, comprising an ingot-mould (1) placed in an oscillating swing-frame and an oscillator-base-/under-frame (2) in which the oscillating swing-frame is accommodated, as well as billet-/strand-guide mechanism attaching itself to the billet-casting mould (1); the strand-guide mechanism is equipped with several billet/strand-guide rolls and consists of billet-guide-segments (4,5, 6, n) supporting themselves on a segment-supporting-frame (3) is thereby characterized,

- that the billet-casting mould (1) can be positioned with the help of a horizontal fixed-point (8) to the oscillator-swing-frame (9),

- that the first billet-guide-segment (4) struts itself on the oscillator-base-frame (2), and can be horizontally aligned to this at a bearing- or supporting-point (10) on/at the oscillator-base-frame (2),

- that the second billet-guide-segment (5) can be horizontally aligned in the area of the entry-side billet-guiding-rollers at a supporting-point (23) on the oscillator-base-frame (2),

- that the second billet-guiding-segment (5) with its bottom-area struts/supports itself for horizontal and vertical positioning on segment-support-frame (3).

2. Continuous-casting plant/mechanism as per Claim 1 is thereby characterized that the horizontal fastening-point (8) is located on the oscillator-swing-frame (9).

3. Continuous-casting plant as per Claims 1-2 is thereby characterized that the horizontal fastening-point (8) is located on the oscillator-swing-frame (9) within a range in distance Kl to billet-rear-edge (11) of up to +/- 300mm.

4. Continuous-casting plant as per Claims 1-3 is thereby characterized that the horizontal bearing-/supporting-point (10) finds itself on the oscillator-base-frame (2) within a range in distance Bl to billet-rear-edge (11) of up to +/-300 mm.

5. Continuous-casting plant as per Claims 1-4 is thereby characterized that the supporting-point (23) is located on the oscillator-base-frame (2) within a range in distance B2_o to billet-rear-edge (11) of up to +/- 300 mm.

6. Continuous-casting plant as per Claims 1-5 is thereby characterized that the second billet-guide-segment (5) with its bottom-portion or -area struts/supports itself for horizontal and vertical bedding/mounting on segment-support-frame (3) at a bearing-point (14) with a distance B2_u to billet-rear-edge (11), where the ranges B2_u and B3 - that is, their extent/quantum of distance to billet-rear-edge - can differ from one another by 300 mm, thus B2_u = B3 +/- 300mm.

7. Continuous-casting plant as per Claims 1-6 is thereby characterized that the supply of medium of the first billet-guide-segment (4) is done through water- and medium-clamping plates (18), which are located in oscillator-base-frame (2).

8. Continuous-casting plant as per Claim 1-7 is thereby characterized that the supply of medium of the second billet-guide-segment (5) is done through water- and medium-fixing-plates (19, 20).

9. Continuous-casting plant as per Claim 8 is thereby characterized that the water- and medium-clamping-plates (19,20) are designed in a flexible and elastic manner, with the help of springy elements, for purpose of compensating misalignments.