Continuous casting plant

Claim 1

An apparatus for casting a continuous slab of metal material which comprises a slabbing train including a plurality of opposed rolls for guiding a hot cast metal slab therebetween, at least one of said rolls being a deflection controlled roll extending at least over the width of the cast slab of metal and having a fixed beam of generally cylindrical configuration and a generally cylindrical roll shell rotatably mounted about said beam, said beam defining at least two groups of generally cylindrical bores extending radially with respect to said beam and configured to receive hydraulic piston support elements, at least the first group being disposed in the generally central portion of the roll shell and at least the second group being disposed nearer to at least one end of the roll shell, each support element being disposed in relatively sealed relation within its associated cavity, said piston support elements having bearing surfaces facing the interior of said roll shell and provided with hydrostatic recesses therein, a throttling duct connecting each recess with the associated cavity, means for independently supplying water under pressure directly from a reservoir to preselected groups of said cavities for exerting forces through said piston support elements outwardly against said roll shell, means for independently regulating the pressure of the water supplied from said reservoir to said preselected groups to provide cooling of the roll shell and metal slab and to accommodate slabs of varying widths, said pressure water further being directed through said throttling ducts and through said recesses toward the interior of said roll shell so as to flow continuously between said bearing surfaces and the interior of said shell thereby forming a hydrostatic fluid cushion therebetween, the water continuously contacting interior surface portions of said roll shell thereby maintaining said bearing surfaces of said piston support elements in spaced relation with the interior of said roll shell and conducting heat transmitted by said metal slab to said roll shell, the dimension of the space being such as to cause the velocity of the water flowing therethrough to increase thereby providing intensive cooling for said roll shell while avoiding direct contact between said piston support elements and the interior of said roll shell during operation.

Claim 2

An apparatus for casting a continuous slab of metal material which comprises a slabbing train including a plurality of opposed rolls for guiding a hot cast metal slab therebetween, at least one of said rolls being a deflection controlled roll extending at least over the width of the cast slab of metal and having a fixed beam of generally cylindrical configuration and a generally cylindrical roll shell rotatably mounted about said beam, said beam defining at least two groups of generally cylindrical bores extending radially with respect to said beam and configured to receive hydraulic piston support elements, at least the first group being disposed in the generally central portion of the roll shell and at least the second group being disposed nearer to at least one end of the roll shell, each support element being disposed in relatively sealed relation within its associated cavity, said piston support elements having bearing surfaces facing the interior of said roll shell and provided with hydrostatic recesses therein, a throttling duct connecting each recess with the associated cavity, means for independently supplying water under pressure directly from a reservoir to preselected groups of said cavities for exerting forces through said piston support elements outwardly against said roll shell, means for independently regulating the pressure of the water supplied from said reservoir to said preselected groups to provide cooling of the roll shell and metal slab and to accommodate slabs of varying widths, said pressure water further being directed through said throttling ducts and through said recesses toward the interior of said roll shell so as to flow continuously between said bearing surfaces and the interior of said shell thereby forming a hydrostatic fluid cushion therebetween, the water continuously contacting interior surface portions of said roll shell thereby maintaining said bearing surfaces of said piston support elements in spaced relation with the interior of said roll shell and conducting heat transmitted by said metal slab to said roll shell, the dimension of the space being such as to cause the velocity of the water flowing therethrough to increase thereby providing intensive cooling for said roll shell while avoiding direct contact between said piston support elements and the interior of said roll shell during operation.