Method and apparatus for controlling the operating conditions in continuous metal casting machines having a revolving endless casting belt

Claim 3

The method of controlling a continuous metal casting machine as claimed in claim 1, including the further steps of: positioning a second series of heat sensing detectors in bearing contact with the moving reverse, cooled surface of the casting belt in laterally spaced relationship across the width of the belt downstream from the position where the molten metal engages the insulative coating on the casting surface of the belt, monitoring the responses of said detectors to changes in the temperature of the moving reverse cooled surface of the belt at the respective lateral positions to determine the condition of the insulative coating, and controlling the casting machine for automatically stopping the casting process in the event that the insulative coating has become deteriorated to an undesired amount.

Claim 4

The method of controlling a continuous metal casting machine as claimed in claim 2, including the steps of: monitoring the relative temperatures of the moving reverse cooled surface of the belt at said respective lateral positions for determining non-uniformity of the insulative coating, and controlling the casting machine for automatically stopping the casting process in the event that the insulative coating has become non-uniform to an undesired amount.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling the operating conditions in a continuous metal casting machine of the type having at least one endless flexible revolving casting belt with a casting surface which engages the molten metal to be cast in a casting region as confined by the belt, said belt having a reverse, liquid-cooled surface along which is directed a substantially continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant, and the casting surface of said belt being covered with a belt coating to insulate and protect the belt from the molten metal and to control the rate of cooling of the molten metal, said apparatus comprising; support means attached to the continuous metal casting machine near the casting region; a series of at least two heat sensing detectors mounted on said support means and located at spaced positions near said casting region; said support means holding detectors in bearing contact with the moving reverse, cooled surface of said casting belt near said casting region; said detectors being arranged to present minimal interference to the continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant directed along the reverse belt surface; thermal insulation material associated with said heat sensing detectors for insulating them from the high velocity flow of liquid coolant rushing by; monitor means connected to said heat sensing detectors to monitor the responses of said detectors to changes in the temperature of the moving reverse surface of the belt at the respective upstream-downstream positions thereof to determine the molten metal pool position; said series of heat sensing detectors being located in relative upstream and downstream positions in relation to travel of the casting belt near the input to said casting region to span the desired location of the molten metal pool position; control means for controlling the rate of infeed of molten metal into the input region of the machine; and circuit means interconnecting said monitor means and said control means for automatically controlling the rate of infeed of the molten metal to keep the position of the molten pool within the desired operating range.

Claim 10

Apparatus for controlling the operating conditions in a continuous metal casting machine of the type having at least one endless flexible revolving casting belt with a casting surface which engages the molten metal to be cast in a casting region as confined by the belt, said belt having a reverse, liquid-cooled surface along which is directed a substantially continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant, and the casting surface of said belt being covered with a belt coating to insulate and protect the belt from the molten metal and to control the rate of cooling of the molten metal, said apparatus comprising; support means attached to the continuous metal casting machine near the casting region; a series of at least two heat sensing detectors mounted on said support means and located at spaced positions near said casting region; said support means holding detectors in bearing contact with the moving reverse, cooled surface of said casting belt near said casting region; said detectors being arranged to present minimal interference to the continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant directed along the reverse belt surface; thermal insulation material associated with said heat sensing detectors for insulating them from the high velocity flow of liquid coolant rushing by; monitor means connected to said heat sensing detectors to monitor the responses of said detectors to changes in the temperature of the moving reverse surface of the belt at the respective upstream-downstream positions thereof to determine the molten metal pool position; said series of heat sensing detectors being located in relative upstream and downstream positions in relation to travel of the casting belt near the input to said casting region to span the desired location of the molten metal pool position; control means for controlling the rate of infeed of molten metal into the input region of the machine; and circuit means interconnecting said monitor means and said control means for automatically controlling the rate of infeed of the molten metal to keep the position of the molten pool within the desired operating range.

Claim 11

Apparatus for controlling the operating conditions in a continuous metal casting machine of the type having at least one endless flexible revolving casting belt with a casting surface which engages the molten metal to be cast in a casting region as confined by the belt, said belt having a reverse, liquid-cooled surface along which is directed a substantially continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant, and the casting surface of said belt being covered with a belt coating to insulate and protect the belt from the molten metal and to control the rate of cooling of the molten metal, said apparatus comprising: support means attached to the continuous metal casting machine near the casting region; a series of at least two heat sensing detectors mounted on said support means and located at spaced positiOns near said casting region; said support means holding detectors in bearing contact with the moving reverse, cooled surface of said casting belt near said casting region; said detectors being arranged to present minimal interference to the continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant directed along the reverse belt surface; thermal insulation material associated with said heat sensing detectors for insulating them from the high velocity flow of liquid coolant rushing by; monitor means connected to said heat sensing detectors to monitor the responses of said detectors to changes in the temperature of the moving reverse surface of the belt at the respective upstream-downstream positions thereof to determine the molten metal pool position; said series of heat sensing detectors being located in relative upstream and downstream positions in relation to travel of the casting belt near the input to said casting region to span the desired location of the molten metal pool position; control means for controlling the speed of belt travel to match the actual infeed of molten metal into the input region of the machine; and circuit means interconnecting said monitor means and said control means for automatically controlling the speed of belt travel to keep the position of the molten pool within the desired operating range.

Claim 12

Apparatus for controlling the operating conditions in a continuous metal casting machine of the type having at least one endless flexible revolving casting belt with a casting surface which engages the molten metal to be cast in a casting region as confined by the belt, said belt having a reverse, liquid-cooled surface along which is directed a substantially continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant, and the casting surface of said belt being covered with a belt coating to insulate and protect the belt from the molten metal and to control the rate of cooling of the molten metal, said apparatus comprising: support means attached to the continuous metal casting machine near the casting region; a series of at least two heat sensing detectors mounted on said support means and located at spaced positiOns near said casting region; said support means holding detectors in bearing contact with the moving reverse, cooled surface of said casting belt near said casting region; said detectors being arranged to present minimal interference to the continuous high velocity flow of liquid coolant directed along the reverse belt surface; thermal insulation material associated with said heat sensing detectors for insulating them from the high velocity flow of liquid coolant rushing by; monitor means connected to said heat sensing detectors to monitor the responses of said detectors to changes in the temperature of the moving reverse surface of the belt at the respective upstream-downstream positions thereof to determine the molten metal pool position; said series of heat sensing detectors being located in relative upstream and downstream positions in relation to travel of the casting belt near the input to said casting region to span the desired location of the molten metal pool position; control means for controlling the speed of belt travel to match the actual infeed of molten metal into the input region of the machine; and circuit means interconnecting said monitor means and said control means for automatically controlling the speed of belt travel to keep the position of the molten pool within the desired operating range.