Continuous caster roll monitor

Claim 1

In a continuous casting machine for molten metal of the type having sets of rolls disposed in opposed pairs separated by space gaps and defining a path of travel for a workpiece, each roll including at least two aligned roll segments, the combination of a roll gap monitor for monitoring the gaps between the opposed pairs of rolls, the monitor comprising opposite sides with one opposite side facing the roll segments on one side of the path of travel, and the other opposite side being segmented in accordance with said aligned roll segments but being substantially coextensive with said one opposite side, each segmented other opposite side being independently retractably movably away from said one opposite side toward the other side of the path of travel and against the aligned roll segments on the other side of the path of travel, bias means in the monitor for moving the other opposite sides against an aligned roll segment so as to retain the monitor in place within the path of travel, a gap sensor for each segmented other opposite side supported by the monitor for measuring the space gaps between each opposed pair of roll segments, each gap sensor extending perpendicular to the direction of path of travel of the monitor and including heads mounted for relative movement normal to the direction of moving of the monitor and simultaneously engageable with the corresponding segment of corresponding pairs of rolls successively along the direction of movement and transducer means operatively connected with the heads for transmitting signals representative of the measurements of the gaps of each pair of rolls.