Process and an apparatus for continuously casting a sheet and the like

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY CASTING A LIQUID HAVING A VISCOSITY RENDERING IT FLOWABLE UNDER THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND WHICH HARDENS WITH CHANGING TEMPERATURE AND TIME, IN A TRAVELING CASTING SPACE HAVING CASTING AND DISCHARGING ENDS, SAID SPACE BEING DEFINED BETWEEN TWO OPPOSED, VERTICALLY INTERSPACED, EXTERNALLY RESTRAINED, HORIZONTAL UPPER AND LOWER, ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE BELT SPANS HAVING SIDE SEALS AND TRAVELING AT THE SAME SPEED AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND FORMED BY ENDLESS FLEXIBLE BELTS EACH RUNNING AROUND HORIZONTALLY INTERSPACED CYLINDRICAL ROLLS FORMING EACH BELT INTO A LOOP HAVING SEMI-CYLINDRICAL ENDS, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY CASTING SAID LIQUID INTO SAID CASTING END BY FLOWING THE LIQUID INTO CONTACT WITH SAID BELTS WHILE CONTROLLING THE TRAVELING SPEED OF SAID BELTS SO THAT BY THE BELTS'' ENGAGEMENT

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY CASTING A LIQUID HAVING A VISCOSITY RENDERING IT FLOWABLE UNDER THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND WHICH HARDENS WITH CHANGING TEMPERATURE AND TIME, IN A TRAVELING CASTING SPACE HAVING CASTING AND DISCHARGING ENDS, SAID SPACE BEING DEFINED BETWEEN TWO OPPOSED, VERTICALLY INTERSPACED, EXTERNALLY RESTRAINED, HORIZONTAL UPPER AND LOWER, ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE BELT SPANS HAVING SIDE SEALS AND TRAVELING AT THE SAME SPEED AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND FORMED BY ENDLESS FLEXIBLE BELTS EACH RUNNING AROUND HORIZONTALLY INTERSPACED CYLINDRICAL ROLLS FORMING EACH BELT INTO A LOOP HAVING SEMI-CYLINDRICAL ENDS, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY CASTING SAID LIQUID INTO SAID CASTING END BY FLOWING THE LIQUID INTO CONTACT WITH SAID BELTS WHILE CONTROLLING THE TRAVELING SPEED OF SAID BELTS SO THAT BY THE BELTS'' ENGAGEMENT

Claim 17

A method for continuously casting a liquid having a viscosity rendering it flowable under the force of gravity and which hardens with changing temperature and time, in a traveling casting space having casting and discharging ends, said space being defined between two opposed, vertically interspaced, externally restrained, horizontal upper and lower, elongated, flexible belt spans having side seals and traveling at the same speed and in the same direction and formed by endless flexible belts each running around horizontally interspaced cylindrical rolls forming each belt into a loop having semi-cylindrical ends; wherein the improvement comprises continuously casting said liquid into said casting end by flowing the liquid into contact with said belts while controlling the traveling speed of said belts so that by the belts'' engagement with the liquid the latter receives therefrom a forwardly directed force, said liquid hardening as it travels through said space and the latter being long enough to permit said hardening, said force being greater than the force of gravity on the liquid to a degree preventing the latter force from causing said liquid to flow reversely out of said casting end far enough to fall from said lower belt, and the total of said forces producing a pressure on the liquid cast in said casting space, prior to the liquid hardening therein, which is at least sufficient to hydraulically support said upper span; said lower belt span being extended backwardly from said upper belt span to form a forwardly moving horizontal belt surface on which the liquid forms a backwardly extending body of liquid terminating where said forwardly moving force received from this belt surface is adequate to hold the liquid body against extending further backwardly; said liquid being flowed into contact with said belts in the form of a flow of less width than the width of said casting space so that this flow spreads laterally while moving into said casting space under said forwardly moving force, said flow being at a rate filling said space; said belt spans extending from said casting end and towards a location within said casting space where said liquid has substantially hardened, being externally restrained by resilient forces reacting against the hydraulic force of said liquid between said spans, said spans being held against separation to provide the casting thickness desired at least while adjacently approaching said location, and said resilient forces being proportioned relative to saiD hydraulic force to permit the latter to hold said belt spans apart for a distance greater than said thickness and controlling the lateral spread of said flow to cause the latter to completely fill said cast space at a location within said casting end but adjacent thereto.

Claim 18

A method for continuously casting a liquid having a viscosity rendering it flowable under the force of gravity and which hardens with changing temperature and time, in a traveling casting space having casting and discharging ends, said space being defined between two opposed, vertically interspaced, externally restrained, horizontal upper and lower, elongated, flexible belt spans having side seals and traveling at the same speed and in the same direction and formed by endless flexible belts each running around horizontally interspaced cylindrical rolls forming each belt into a loop having semi-cylindrical ends; wherein the improvement comprises continuously casting said liquid into said casting end by flowing the liquid into contact with said belts while controlling the traveling speed of said belts so that by the belts'' engagement with the liquid the latter receives therefrom a forwardly directed force, said liquid hardening as it travels through said space and the latter being long enough to permit said hardening, said force being greater than the force of gravity on the liquid to a degree preventing the latter force from causing said liquid to flow reversely out of said casting end far enough to fall from said lower belt, and the total of said forces producing a pressure on the liquid cast in said casting space, prior to the liquid hardening therein, which is at least sufficient to hydraulically support said upper span; said lower belt span being extended backwardly from said upper belt span to form a forwardly moving horizontal belt surface on which the liquid forms a backwardly extending body of liquid terminating where said forwardly moving force received from this belt surface is adequate to hold the liquid body against extending further backwardly; said liquid being flowed into contact with said belts in the form of a flow of less width than the width of said casting space so that this flow spreads laterally while moving into said casting space under said forwardly moving force, said flow being at a rate filling said space; said belt spans extending from said casting end and towards a location within said casting space where said liquid has substantially hardened, being externally restrained by resilient forces reacting against the hydraulic force of said liquid between said spans, said spans being held against separation to provide the casting thickness desired at least while adjacently approaching said location, and said resilient forces being proportioned relative to saiD hydraulic force to permit the latter to hold said belt spans apart for a distance greater than said thickness and controlling the lateral spread of said flow to cause the latter to completely fill said cast space at a location within said casting end but adjacent thereto.