METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING

• US 3,860,057 A
• Filed: 03/08/1973
• Issued: 01/14/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas William Garlick
• Original Assignee: Thomas William Garlick
• Inventors: Garlick, Thomas William
• Primary Examiner(s): Annear, R. Spencer
• Application Number:
  US05/339,362
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 164/82,87,278,279
• US Class Current: 164/481
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/066 Side dams B22D11/0691 takes precedence

Abstract

Continuous casting apparatus for the manufacture of a strip of anodes includes upper and lower flexible belts having edge dams disposed between them. The edge dams are movable and are formed by a series of blocks which provide spaced recesses to permit the formation of integral lugs on the anodes. Alternatively or in addition the edge dams have spaced inwardly directed projections to provide for the formation of recesses in the edges of the anodes. The edge dams are constrained by guides to depart from the line of the cast strip at a shallow angle to enable ready withdrawal of the anodes.

Claims

1. Molten metal casting apparatus comprising an endless supporting belt and movable edge dams defining between them and with the belt a casting region for a continuously cast strip, the edge dams each having a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the cast strip.

2. Apparatus for the continuous casting of a metal strip comprising at least one substantially flat supporting belt which is movable, in a casting region, in a planar path, a pair of horizontally spaced edge dams engaging the casting region of the supporting belt and defining therewith a casting channel, the dams being movable in the same direction and at substantially the same speed as the supporting belt, the edge dams having opposed faces which at least at one region of each has a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the cast metal strip.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the laterally shouldered section comprises a recess in the edge dam.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the laterally shouldered section comprises a projection from the remainder of the face of the dam.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the shouldered section comprises a recess in, and an adjacent projection from the face of the dam whereby the casting is formed, in each edge face thereof, with a laterally projecting lug and an adjacent inwardly extending recess.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including synchronisation means adapted to cooperate with means on each edge dam to maintain the advancement of the dams in correctly phased relationship.

7. Apparatus for the continuous casting of anodes in the form of a metal strip including molten metal feed means, mould conveyor means, cast strip receiving means, and anode severing means in the region of the cast strip receiving means, the mould conveyor means comprIsing a pair of horizontal flexible conveyors each arranged to advance in a planar direction of travel, the conveyors being spaced one above the other to define parallel top and bottom mould surfaces, lateral mould surfaces being defined by a pair of horizontally spaced edge dams each positioned between and engaging the mould surfaces of the flexible conveyors and being supported for movement therewith at substantially the same speed, the edge dams having opposed faces which, for each anode, has a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the anode.

8. Molten metal casting apparatus comprising an endless supporting belt and movable edge dams defining between them and with the belt a casting region for a continuously cast strip, the edge dams each having a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the cast strip, means for supporting the cast strip as it leaves the casting region, and means for constraining the edge dams, beyond the casting region, to follow a path which is inclined to the cast strip at a shallow vertical angle.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the cast strip as it leaves the casting region follows a substantially horizontal path, and the means for constraining the edge dams causes the edge dams to move downwardly beyond the casting region.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the cast strip as it leaves the casting region follows a downwardly inclined path and the means for constraining the edge dams causes the edge dams to move upwardly beyond the casting region.

11. Apparatus for the continuous casting of a metal strip comprising at least one substantially flat supporting belt which is movable, in a casting region, in a planar path, a pair of horizontally spaced edge dams engaging the supporting belt in the casting region and defining therewith a casting channel, the dams being movable in the same direction and at substantially the same speed as the supporting belt, the edge dams having opposed faces which at least at one region of each has a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the cast metal strip, means for supporting the cast strip as it leaves the casting region, and means for constraining the edge dams, beyond the casting, to follow a path which is inclined to the cast strip at a shallow vertical angle.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the cast strip, as it leaves the casting region follows a substantially horizontal path, and the edge dams are constrained to follow a downward path.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the angle of inclination of the edge dam path with respect to the cast strip is between 2* and 10*.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the angle of inclination is 5*.

15. Apparatus for the continuous casting of anodes in the form of a metal strip including molten metal feed means, mould-forming conveyor means, cast strip receiving means, and anode severing means in the region of the cast strip receiving means, the mould conveyor means comprising a pair of horizontal flexible conveyors each arranged to advance in a planar direction of travel, the conveyors being spaced one above the other to define parallel top and bottom mould surfaces, lateral mould surfaces being defined by a pair of horizontally spaced edge dams each positioned between and engaging the mould surfaces of the flexible conveyors and being supported for movement therewith at substantially the same speed, the edge dams having opposed faces which, for each anode, have a laterally shouldered section to enable the integral formation of a supporting shoulder on each side of the anode, and guide means for constraining the edge dams, beyond the casting region to follow a path which is inclined at a shallow vertical angle to the path of the cast strip in the region of the cast strip receivinG means.

16. A method of continuously casting a metal strip comprising forming a casting region between an endless supporting belt and movable edge dams which have laterally shouldered sections and introducing molten metal into the casting region to form a cast strip having integral supporting shoulders defined by the laterally shouldered sections.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 including guiding the cast strip along a path which diverges at a shallow vertical angle from a section of path of the edge dams beyond the casting region.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the laterally shouldered sections comprise recesses in the edge dams and the molten metal flows into the recesses to form integral lugs on the strip.

19. A method of continuously casting anodes comprising forming a mould between a pair of horizontal flexible conveyors each advancing in a planar direction of travel and having lateral mould surfaces defined by a pair of horizontally spaced edge dams each positioned between and engaging the mould surfaces of the flexible conveyors and moving therewith at substantially the same speed, the edge dams having opposed faces which, for each anode, have laterally shouldered sections, introducing molten metal from feed means into the mould to form therein a cast strip having integral supporting shoulders defined by the said laterally shouldered sections and constraining the edge dams beyond the casting region to follow a path which is inclined at a shallow vertical angle to the path of the cast strip leaving the mould, receiving the cast strip on cast receiving means, and severing the anodes from the strip on the cast strip receiving means.

20. Molten metal casting apparatus comprising an endless supporting belt and movable edge dams defining between them and with the belt a casting region for a continuously cast strip, said edge dams each having a laterally shouldered section to enable formation of a continuous support shoulder on each side of the strip, said shouldered section including a trailing wall inclined to the vertical at a predetermined angle thereby to facilitate release of said strip from the edge dams.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said shouldered portion comprises a leading wall inclined to the vertical at a predetermined angle which is less than the angle of inclination of said trailing wall.