Thin-strip casting device

Abstract

A thin-strip casting device ( 1 ) assures across the entire selected range of the width an about constant production of thin-strip ( 12 ) without requiring artificially extended charging times of the steel plant installed upstream. A multitude of interchangeable pairs of casting rollers ( 2 ) having different casting roller diameters “D” depending on the strip width “B” to be cast, are associated with the thin-strip casting device ( 1 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thin-strip casting device that is supplied with steel melt from a steel foundry, the thin-strip casting device comprising: 
 a. at least one pair of pivotably supported parallel casting rollers axially spaced adjacent to each other so as to define a kiss point for receiving steel melt, wherein said casting rollers have approximately the same design, rotate in mutually opposite directions, and have a predetermined length which relates to a resulting strip width;    and    b. lateral seals disposed at each lateral end of said at least one pair of casting rollers so as to form a funnel area between said pair of casting rollers and said lateral seals;    wherein a multitude of interchangeable pairs of casting rollers are associated with the thin-strip casting device and said pairs of casting rollers have different diameters based on their widths.    
     
     
         2 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pair of casting rollers has a shell length defined by the strip width and a diameter defined so that the product of said shell length and said diameter of every pair of casting rollers in the thin-strip casting device is approximately the same.  
     
     
         3 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a. a holding element disposed on the outer end of each lateral seal, wherein said holding element holds the lateral seal in the thin-strip casting device;  
 b. at least one bearing element that runs through each casting roller, wherein said at least one bearing element allows said casting roller to rotate around it;  
 c. setting frames in which the ends of said at least one bearing element are installed; and  
 d. a change frame in which said pair of casting rollers are situated and upon which said holding element and said setting frames are installed.  
 
     
     
         4 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 3  wherein said setting frames are set to create a desired strip thickness by means of a hydraulically activated setting cylinder, wherein said cylinder is disposed in said setting frame and said cylinder moves said at least one pair of casting rollers closer together or further apart.  
     
     
         5 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 3 , wherein said setting frames are set to create a desired strip thickness by means of a pneumatically activated setting cylinder, wherein said cylinder is disposed in said setting frame and said cylinder moves said at least one pair of casting rollers closer together or further apart.  
     
     
         6 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 3 , wherein said holding elements are mounted on support surfaces of said change frame.  
     
     
         7 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 1 , wherein said lateral seals comprise: 
 a. an outer frame that surrounds said lateral seal that is lined with a cast refractor compound; and    b. an insert disposed on the inside of said lateral seal made of a ceramic material that envelopes the track of said casting roller below said bath height.    
     
     
         8 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 3 , wherein said lateral seals are adaptable to casting rollers with different diameters by having a wider space in said inserts at the peripheral surface of said casting rollers to envelope said casting rollers.  
     
     
         9 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 8 , wherein said lateral seals are adaptable to casting rollers of different diameters by adjustably guiding said holding elements on guide elements to meet different shell lengths.  
     
     
         10 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 3 , wherein two change frames are used so that while one change frame is in use the other is prepared with a pair of casting rollers and lateral seals for the production of the next thin-strip.  
     
     
         11 . The thin-strip casting device according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one pair of casting rollers are cooled.