Continuous casting method and apparatus for making defined shapes of thin sheet

Claim 1

Apparatus for making essentially flat metal sheets having predetermined defined outline directly from the melt comprising, in combination: (a) a movable chill body providing a chill surface for deposition thereon of molten metal for solidification, said chill body being adapted to provide longitudinal movement of said chill surface at velocity of from about 100 to about 2000 meters per minute, said chill surface being provided with essentially flat raised and/or lowered domains having the outline of the desired shape of the shaped metal sheet product, said domains being defined by a bordering wall having a height of at least about 0.02 millimeter, said bordering wall being formed at an angle deviating not more than about 20° from the normal to the chill surface; (b) a reservoir for holding molten metal; in communication with (c) a slotted nozzle for depositing molten metal onto said chill surface, located in close proximity to said chill surface, having its slot arranged generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the chill surface, said slot being defined by a pair of generally parallel lips, a first lip and a second lip numbered in direction of movement of the chill surface, wherein said slot has a width of from about 0.2 to about 1 millimeter, measured in direction of movement of the chill surface, wherein said first lip has a width at least equal to the width of said slot, and said second lip has a width of from about 1.5 to about 3 times the width of said slot, wherein the gap between the lips and the surface of the domains on the chill surface is from about 0.1 to about 1 times the width of said slot; and (d) means for effecting expulsion of the molten metal contained in said reservoir through said nozzle for deposition onto the moving chill surface.

Claim 9

The method of making essentially flat metal sheets having predetermined defined outline directly from molten metal comprising: a forcing the molten metal under pressure through a slotted nozzle located in close proximity to a chill surface which is provided with raised and/or lowered essentially flat domains having the outline of the desired shape of the shaped metal sheet product, said domains being defined by a bordering wall having a height of at least about 0.02 millimeter, said bordering wall being formed at an angle deviating not more than about 20° from the normal to the chill surface and said nozzle having its slot arranged generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the chill surface. b. advancing the chill surface, at a predetermined speed; and c. quenching the molten metal in contact with the chill surface to permit the metal to solidify on the chill surface to form the essentially flat metal sheets having an outline corresponding to that of the bordering walls of said domains.

Claim 10

The method of making essentially flat metal sheets having predetermined defined outline directly from molten metal comprising: a forcing the molten metal under pressure through a slotted nozzle located in close proximity to a chill surface which is provided with raised and/or lowered essentially flat domains having the outline of the desired shape of the shaped metal sheet product, said domains being defined by a bordering wall having a height of at least about 0.02 millimeter, said bordering wall being formed at an angle deviating not more than about 20° from the normal to the chill surface and said nozzle having its slot arranged generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the chill surface. b. advancing the chill surface, at a predetermined speed; and c. quenching the molten metal in contact with the chill surface to permit the metal to solidify on the chill surface to form the essentially flat metal sheets having an outline corresponding to that of the bordering walls of said domains.