Method and apparatus for continuous metal casting

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

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.

Claim 4

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.

Claim 5

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

Claim 6

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

Claim 7

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.

Claim 8

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.

Claim 9

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.

Claim 10

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.

Claim 11

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.

Claim 12

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.

Claim 13

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.

Claim 14

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.

Claim 15

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.

Claim 16

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.

Claim 17

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.

Claim 18

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*.

Claim 19

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

Claim 20

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.

Claim 21

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.

Claim 24

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.

Claim 25

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.

Claim 28

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.

Claim 29

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.

Claim 30

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.