Continuous Casting Mold

Abstract

A built-up plate mold for continuous casting of slabs comprises a supporting frame and longitudinal and transverse mold walls. The transverse walls are normally clamped between the longitudinal walls but can be released for removal and replacement by movement of at least one longitudinal wall. The transverse walls are also clamped to the supporting frame by releasable means operable from the top of the mold so that they may be removed and replaced without removal of the entire mold.

Description

This invention relates to a built-up plate mold for continuous casting of slabs, comprising a supporting frame which supports longitudinal and transverse mold walls that are equipped with cooling means and form the mold cavity. At least one of the longitudinal walls is movable with respect to said frame and the transverse walls are clamped between the longitudinal walls.

Experience has shown that most of the wear in built-up plate molds occurs at the edges of the transverse walls where these abut the longitudinal walls. It has been found that after only a few casting operations gaps become visible at these butt joints which render the mold unfit for further service. Such molds must be removed from the casting machine to permit fresh or re-machined transverse walls to be fitted. The mold must also be removed whenever it is desired to replace the transverse walls by walls of different widths.

A built-up plate mold has already been proposed which is composed of adjustable longitudinal and transverse walls equipped with cooling means. The longitudinal and transverse walls are supported by a frame surrounding the mold and the transverse walls can be clamped between the longitudinal walls. In such molds the width of the casting is adjustable without the mold having to be removed from the casting machine. However, whenever the transverse walls require replacement because of damage or for changing the thickness of the casting, the mold must be removed from the machine since this type of work cannot be carried out while it remains in position. The time needed for removing a mold from a continuous casting machine and for re-assembling it necessarily results in prolonged stoppages of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a built-up plate mold which permits the transverse walls to be quickly replaced, even by walls of different dimensions, whilst the mold remains in place.

According to the invention this is achieved by transverse walls which may be easily and quickly inserted between the longitudinal walls and which may be secured to the supporting frame by means operable from the top of the mold.

According to the present invention, for example, the transverse walls of a plate mold approximately 700 mm high for casting a slab of a cross-section of approximately 1,550 .times. 250 mm can be replaced in about 5 minutes, whereas replacement of the transverse walls of conventional plate molds would require much more time. Moreover, in order to replace the transverse walls the entire mold would have to be removed from the machine and then remounted.

In order to insure that each transverse wall is accurately guided during insertion between the longitudinal walls, the wall may comprise a T-shaped guideway running roughly parallel to the casting axis, for cooperation with a sliding bar and a stop. The clamping means may consist of spring operated studs cooperating with the sliding bar, and a screw threaded spindle with beveled shoulders.

According to another feature of the invention the time needed for the replacement of the transverse walls is considerably reduced due to the fact that said clamping means automatically couples the inlet and outlet pipes for the cooling water to the transverse wall.

Another feature of the invention permits assembled molds in casting position to be quickly and easily adjusted to castings of different width or thickness by the use of transverse walls of different width and/or thickness which are inserted between the longitudinal walls and are locked into position.

When casting different grades of steel and/or different casting widths it may be an advantage if the transverse walls are insertable at different angles of taper in respect to the casting direction.

The supply of cooling water to adjustable molds may be further simplified by conducting it to the transverse wall through a wall support yoke which rests movably on the supporting frame.

Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a plan view of part of a built-up mold, shown partly in section.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line II -- II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of a modified form of built-up plate mold, and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line IV -- IV in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a built-up plate mold is generally indicated by reference number 1. The cavity 4 of the mold is enclosed by one fixed longitudinal wall 2, one movable longitudinal wall 2' and by transverse walls 3, only one of which is shown. Each of the transverse walls 3 consists of a copper plate 7 facing the cavity 4 of the mold and a backing plate 8 secured thereto. The walls 2, 2' and 3 are supported in a supporting frame 5 which surrounds the mold on all sides. The thrust of power cylinder units 6 is used to clamp the transverse walls 3 tightly between the longitudinal walls 2 and 2'. The power cylinder units 6 also withdraw the longitudinal wall 2' in the arrowed direction 10 when the transverse walls 3 require replacement because of wear or when the casting cross-section has to be changed.

When the transverse walls have thus been released by retraction of the longitudinal wall 2', they are still supported by the frame 5 and are locked into position by supporting and clamping means operable from the top of the mold. The supporting means for each transverse wall 3 consists of a T-shaped guideway 12, extending vertically through the backing plate 8 roughly parallel to the axis of the casting, a sliding bar 13, and a limit stop 14. For securing the transverse wall 3 to the supporting frame 5 clamping means are provided which consist of springs 15 which are held under compression by studs 11 attached to the sliding bar 13. A screw spindle 16 with beveled shoulders 17 adapted to engage the studs 11 can be operated from the top of the mold. The springs 15 normally hold the bar 13 in frictional engagement with the walls of the guideway 12. However, when it is desired to remove a transverse wall 3, rotation of the screw spindle 16 moves the spindle upwardly, causing the beveled shoulders to engage the heads of the studs 11 so that they are forced inwardly to release the sliding bar 13 in the T-shaped slot 12. Thereby the transverse wall 3 is released and can then be easily lifted out of the mold. The insertion of a fresh transverse wall takes place by performing the above described operations in reverse order.

The dimensions of the mold cavity 4 can be changed by the insertion of transverse walls 3 of different widths and/or thicknesses. Dot and dash lines indicate the reduction in the width of the mold cavity by insertion of a thickness transverse wall 18 which may, if desired, be tapered in respect to the casting direction as shown in FIG. 2. If desired, the said transverse walls may have different degrees of taper.

The inlet and outlet for cooling water for the wall 3 is shown at 20. The clamping means 15 and 16 couple the pipe connections for the cooling water automatically to the wall 3 and are sealed by packing 19 when the transverse wall 3 is locked into position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a modified built-up plate mold 30. Plate shifting gear comprising two screw spindles 34, two worm gears 35 and an articulated shaft 36 connected to both worm gears serve for adjustably shifting each transverse wall 33. Thereby, it is possible to change the width of the mold cavity without replacement of the transverse walls. Flexible water hoses 40 conduct the cooling water through a support yoke 41 resting on the frame 5 and a transverse wall support 42 to the transverse wall 33. The support yoke 41 which is firmly secured to the transverse wall support 42 is movable on faces 43.

In this embodiment, the replacement of the transverse walls, when necessary, is performed in the same way and with the same means as has already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

In such an adjustable mold it is likewise possible to make use of transverse walls of varying thicknesses in order to extend the adjustability range of the screw spindles and to obtain a mold with an increased adjustability range.

Alternatively, other designs and constructions than those which are shown in the drawings may be used. For instance, the arrangements for the insertion of the transverse wall may comprise hook-shaped elements, with keys or magnetic clamps being used to lock the transverse wall into position.

The yoke may also be attached directly to the transverse wall to conduct the cooling water directly from the yoke into the wall. In this arrangement the yoke may be connected to the flexible water hoses by quick-release connections.

The invention is not limited to the above-described examples. For instance, both longitudinal walls might be movable. Besides setting one of the longitudinal walls in a fixed location this can also be done in the case of one of the transverse walls and the other transverse wall can be adjustable so that the mold has two fixed sides, and the other two sides can be adjusted to the cross-sections which have to be cast.

Claims

I claim as my invention:

1. A plate mold for continuous casting, comprising a supporting frame, longitudinal and transverse cooled walls supported on said frame and defining the mold cavity, means for moving at least one of said longitudinal walls to clamp the transverse walls therebetween, means for mounting said transverse walls for sliding movement in vertical direction on said supporting frame during insertion between or withdrawal from between said longitudinal walls, means to clamp said transverse walls to said supporting frame, and means operable from the top of the mold to release said clamping means to permit insertion or withdrawal of said transverse walls.

2. A plate mold according to claim 1, in which said guide means comprises a T-shaped guideway in each transverse wall extending substantially parallel to the casting axis, a sliding bar in said guideway and a limit stop at the bottom of said guideway.

3. A plate mold according to claim 2, in which said clamping means includes compression springs and studs mounted on said sliding bar, and a screw spindle with tapered shoulders adapted to engage said studs.

4. A plate mold according to claim 1, in which said clamping means couples the inlet and outlet pipes for the cooling water automatically to the transverse wall.

5. A plate mold according to claim 1, in which said transverse walls have different degrees of taper in respect to the casting direction.

6. A plate mold according to claim 1, in which said transverse walls are suspended from yokes which rest movably on said supporting frame.

7. A plate mold according to claim 6, in which the cooling water is conducted to the transverse walls through said yokes.