Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1040384
Bsck~round of the Inventlon
In most multiple strant contlnuous castlng machlne
lnstallatlons, turtdlsh transfer cars are ln~talled to move the tundlsh
from over the molds at the completlon of a cast or serles of casts to
per~lt dumplng of slag, tundlsh cleanlng, lnstallatlon of tundish nozzles
from outslde, preheatlng of the tundlsh for reuse, and to clear the area
above the molds to permlt mold changing and cleanlng. At the present
tlme the tundish transfer cars travel elther on ralls ln the floor or on
overhead tracks, traversing back and forth elther ln the dlrectlon of
caotlng strant runout or perpendlcular to the ca3tlng strand runout.
~.
Each type of tundlsh transfer càr lnstallatlon and each method of con-
; ventlond tuntlsh transfer has atvantages and dlsadvantages.
; In thoJe ca6es where the tundlsh transfer car travels
` b~ck ana forth ~n the dlrectlon of the ca~t otrsnd and the runout tables,
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~; tbe tundlsh ls moved back away from the mold~ after completlon of the
cast. In such posltlon, any resldue ln the tundlsh can be dumped
~ l ~etiately lnto a tundlsh splllover box; the tundlsh can be washed wlth
;j oxygen whlle lt 18 ln the tlltet positlon; external nozzles, lf any,
~,;
c n be removet and new nozzles lnstallet as requlret; and then the tuntlsh
can be lnverted and moved to a preheat positlon at the rear of the castlng
; ~achlne ~tructure where lt 18 prepared for the next cast.
In thls partlcular lnstance where the tundlsh transfer
j c~r mwves ln the dlrectlon of the cast strand, allgnment of the tundlsh
;,~
nozzles over the center of the molds 18 ea~lly aceompllshed; changlng
nozzles 18 easlly accompllshet, and no extra allgnment mechanlsm 18
requlred for movlng the tundlsh ln the ~trand runout dlrectlon.
.
However, certaln dlsadvantages are apparent ln tho~e
lnstances where the tundlsh car moves ln the dlrectlon of the cast strand.
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Some of the ~ore l~portant dlsadvantages are: 1) the cleanlng operatlon,
occurrlng tlrectly behlnd the castlng molds, doe~ hamper the mold operators
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104~384
ln startln~ to prepare the mold~ for the next ca~t becau~e of the sparks
and the lntense heat generated durlng the cleanlng operatlon; 2) the
srea behind the sp~llover box 18 llmlted frequently and the removal and
replacement of any external nozzles 18 hampered tue to a lack of adequate
worklng area; 3) then, too, the lnstallstlon oS a secont tundlsh transfer
car i8 very tlfflcult and oftentlmes 18 imprsctlcal; ant 4) slnce the
tuntlsh preheat statlon is tlrectly behlnd the pourlng statlon, the
preheat stat~on could be tamaged ~hoult lt become necessary to qulckly
move a pourlng ladle wlth a running Rtopper to an emergency latle located
behlnd the structure.
In other lnstances where the tundi6h transfer car travels
back and orth ln a tlrectlon that i8 perpendlcular to the plsne of the
ca~t strand, certaln atvantage~ ant tlsadvantages shoult be pointet out.
It 1- an atvantage that a secont tuntlsh car can be lnstallet, or that
pro~l~lons for a ~econd car can be mate wlthout any partlcular tlfflculty;
- that tundlsh tumplng ant cleanlng operatlons can be performet at the
lte of the molts, ant no lnterference occurs wlth molt preparation for
the next cast; the more space 18 avallable Sor the removal ant replacement
of external nozzles; that the tuntlsh preheat positlon 18 to one slte of
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the molts ant it cannot be tamaget turlng the movement of a pourlng latle
~ wlth a runnlng stopper; ant that minor atJustment oS the tundl~h nozzles
; ln a tlrectlon perpentlcular to the plane of the cast strant is reatlly
; ccompllshet.
Howcver, ln ~uch other instances there are tisadvantsges
among whlch the followlng are the most prevalent ones: that the tuntisb
cannot be tumped lm~etiately after the cast; that slag or lten steel
can drip from the tundlsh nozzles onto the molds when the tuntlsh 18
~ movet to the dump and cleanout posltlon; that dumplng, cleanlng, removlng
- ant replaclng of nozzles and preheatlng occur at the same locatlon whlch
, . . .
necessltates movlng the preheat burners lnto posltlon after the clean out
':,
~ over a box contalnlng hot ~lag ant ~teel. Further ralls on whlch the
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tundish transfer car moves can become damaged or covered with hot metal should
a spill occur. At such time, an emergency ladle transfer must be employed to
locate an emergency ladle at the side of the machine, since the tundish
transfer car tracks prevent the lifting of the ladle vertically. Furthermore,
special arrangements must be made on the tundish car to move the center-line of
the tundish nozzles so as to align them over the center of the molds when chang-
ing mold sizes on a curved mold type of casting machine.
The present invention provides an apparatus for transferring a tundish
relative to a continuous casting mold from which a cast strand is withdrawn
comprising:
a) a car disposed relative to said mold and supporting a carriage
carrying said tundish;
b) means for moving said car in a first direction perpendicular to a
plane contalning 6ald strand;
c) mean~ for movlng sald carriage relatlve to said car in a second
dlrectlon perpendlcular to sald flrst directlon;
d) means plvotally supportlng sald tundlsh ln sald carrlage for
rotatlon about an axls perpendicular to said plane; and
e) powered means mounted to sald carrlage for rotating said tundish.
More partlcularly the transfer apparatus lncludes a car having wheels
engaglng rails disposed at a level above a working floor around the mold with a
carrlage carrylng a tundish supported on the car,
; A motor may operate through a speed-reducer that turns the wheels of
the car to move the car ln a direction perpendicular to a plane contalning the
strand.
Preferflbly, the powered means mounted to said carriage includes a
worm gear mounted to said means pivotally supporting said tundish, and a powered
plnior gear coactlne with said worm gear and mounted to said carriage.
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1040384
For a further understanding of the invention and for
features and advantages thereof, reference may be made to the following
description and the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of
equipment in accordance with the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the drawings:
Flgure 1 is a plan view of a tundish transfer car arrange-
ment in accordance wlth the invention;
Figure 2 is a view along line II-II of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a view along line III-III of Figure l; and
Flgure 4 is a view along line IV-IV of Figure 1.
Detailed Descript~on
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, apparatus 11 in accordance with
the present invention lncludes a movable tundish car structure 13 havlng
wheels 15 that coact wlth rails 17 that are mounted to elongate I-beams 19
supported by vertlcal columns 21.
The tundish car structure 13 comprises two opposite
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f~; elongate rectangular-sectioned beams 23, 25 that support wheels lS that
travel on rails 17 as shown in Figure 2. Ad~acent the ends of each beam
~i 20 23, 25 there are depending leg members 27, 29 and 27a, 29a that are
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¦ secured to the beams 23, 25 in any suitable manner. The depending leg
, ~ members 27, 29 and 27a, 29a are interconnected by horizontsl rectangular-
..,
sectioned beams 31, 33. Each such rectangular beam 31, 33 carries on its
..
top side a rail 35, 37 with suitable fixed wheel chocks 39 at the ends.
The horizontal beams 31, 33 each support the load o~ an
fl underslung tundish carriage 41 having wheels 43 that ride on the rails
35, 37. A conventional tundish 45 is supported upon trunnions 47 carried
by bearings 49 mounted to supports 51, 53 attached to legs 55, 57 depending
~; from carriage 41. As viewed in Figure 2, the trunnion 47 on the right
hand side carries at its end a worm gear 59 and pinion 61 by means of which
the trunnions 47 are rotatable to tilt the tundish 45.
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The underslung tundlsh carrlage 41 18 provided wlth a
pair of electrically-operated linear actuators 63, 65 or other suitable
devlce, that are connected thereto and to the beam structures 25 at the
plston rod end. Thus, by actuatlng the assemblies 63, 65, the tundlsh
carrlage 41 is movable on the ralls 35, 37 from left to rlght and back
agaln, as vlewed ln Flgures 3 and 4; that 18 from front to back and
return, as vlewed ln Flgure 1.
The beams 23, 25 carry electrlc motors 67, 69 that act
through 8peed reducers 71, 73 to motlvate the apparatus 11 along the
10ralls 17 from positlon No. 1, shown ln Flgure 1, where the tundlsh 45 ls
shown ln the pourlng posltion, to positlon No. 2 where the tundish ls
shown ln phantom outllne ln the preheat and clean-out po~ltlon.
Two attltudes, A and B, of the tuntlsh 45 are ~hown ln
~lgure 3 at po~ltion No. 1. Attltude A 1~ the pourlng posltlon, wlth
the tundlsh 45 tlsectly above the centerllnes of a plurality of castlng
molds 75; attltude B 18 the dumping posltion wlth a com entional splll
box 77 located ln posltlon on an operatlng Sloor 79.
: In Plgure 4, two attltudes, C ant D, of the tundlsh 45
are shown at posltlon No. 2. Attltude C 18 the preheat posltlon wlth
the tundlsh 45 turnet upslde down; attltude D 18 the cleanout posltlon
wlth the tundish 45 tllted 80 that slag and hot metal gravltate lnto a
dump box 81 on the floor 79.
In Plgure l, arrows E and F lndlcate the movement of the
apparatus from posltlon No. I to posltlon No. 2 and back to posltlon No. 1.
When a castlng operatlon 18 to be carrled out, the tundish
car 13 18 brought to posltlon No. l and the tundlsh 45 is placed upright
ln attltude A. The carrlage 41 18 then moved to a posltlon dlrectly over
the molds 75, as shown ln Flgure 3. A ladle 83 carrylng ~olten steel 18
brought lnto posltlon above the tundlsh 45, as shown ln Flgures 1-3, and
the pourlng commences when a stopper rod or outslde nozzle-closure valve
of the latle 83 1~ openet.
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11~)4~)384
After ~he cast is completed, the cyllnder-piston assemblles
63, 65 are actuated to move the tundish carrlage away from the ~olds 75
and the tundish 45 ls turned from attitude A to attitude B. The worm
gear 59 and pinlon 61 are actuated to rotate the tundish 45 60 that slag
and hot metal therein gravitate into the spill box 77.
Thereafter, the tundish car 13 18 moved along the rails 17
from posltion No. 1 to posltion No. 2 in the direction of arrow E. At
posltion No. 2, the tundlsh ls rotated to a flrst attltude D for clean-out
purposes, and then lt is rotated further to a second attltude C for pre-
heatlng.
When another cast 18 to be mate, the tundish 18 rotatetto an upright attitude and the apparatus is moved in the direction of
arrow F to positlon No. 1, where the tundish assumes attitude A. In
thls posltlon, all 18 ready to co~mence another casting cycle.
From the foregoing description of one embodlment of the
lm entlon, those skllled ln the art should recognlze many importsnt
features and advantages of lt, among whlch the followlng are particularly
slgnlflcant:
The tundish can be readily aligned over the mold of a curvet
molt casting machine simply by moving the tundish car. The tundish nozzles
can also be allgnet with the molt by moving the tuntlsh car ant carriage
ln any dlrection rather than resetting the tuntlsh on the car as 18 tone
customarlly;
The tundish can be moved away from the molds simply by
movlng the carrlage for qulc~ tumping or training of the tundish into a
launter in an emergency situatlon. Because the tundish carriage can be
80 moved ln accordance wlth the present lnvention. chill plugging of the
tundlsh nozzles at the completlon of a cast is never requlred. Hence,
,~
tundlsh nozzles can be reused slnce they are damaged frequently when
J, ~
chlll plugs are removed;
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1~4~)384
The car and tundlsh can be moved easily to the dumplng
posltion and thence to the cle~ning ~tation. Because the cleaning
ststlon 18 removed from the molds the cleanlng operatlon can start
lmmedlately;
The tundlsh, after cleanlng and nozzle repairing lf any,
can be moved over the tundish preheat burners to ready it for the next
cast. The preheat burners are fixed in po~ition instesd of belng movable
as usual, and the tundish of the lnventlon 18 easlly and readlly movable
to various posltlons whlch cuts down the time between casts to make
reaty the tundlsh;
The tundlsh car and carrlage of the lnvention is adaptable
to varlous ladle support and handling methods. Latles can be brought in
from behlnd the machlne and can be supported by the bsll or on supports
under the trunnions. Such ladle handllng methots can be used wlthout
changing the tuntlsh transfer carrlage deslgn or the cradle deslgn; ant
In accordance wlth the lnvention, there sre no tundish
~ car tracks on the operatlng Sloor that might be tamaged by a hot metal
:. ~plll.
~ lthough the invention has been tescrlbed herein with a
certaln degree of particularity it 18 understood that the present dls-
closure has been made only as an example and that the scope oS the
inventlon 18 deSlnet by what 18 herelnafter claimed.
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