Side dam blocks for continuous strip casters

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a side dam block for a continuous metal caster apparatus. The block comprises a body of molten metal resistant material having a metal-contacting surface. The metal contacting surface has a plurality of indentations therein, the indentations having openings at the metal-contacting surface dimensioned to prevent penetration of molten metal into the indentations under casting conditions. Due to a smaller area of direct contact between the molten metal and the surfaces of the blocks, the blocks extract less heat from the molten metal than conventional blocks and help to reduce so-called “dog-bone” and “sink” type deformation of the cast article.

1 . A side dam block for a continuous metal caster apparatus, comprising a body of molten metal-resistant material having a metal-contacting surface, wherein said metal contacting surface has a plurality of indentations therein, said indentations having openings at said surface dimensioned to prevent penetration of molten metal into said indentations under casting conditions. 
     
     
         2 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations are in the form of elongated generally parallel grooves in said surface. 
     
     
         3 . The block of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are generally semi-circular in cross-section, at least at inner ends thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The block of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are generally rectangular in cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The block of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are horizontal. 
     
     
         6 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein an area provided with said indentations covers a majority of said metal-contacting surface. 
     
     
         7 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein said area covers at least 80% of said surface. 
     
     
         8 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein said area covers at least 90% of said surface. 
     
     
         9 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein said area has flat lands between said grooves. 
     
     
         10 . The block of  claim 9 , wherein said lands occupy 75% or less of said area of said metal-contacting surface covered by said grooves. 
     
     
         11 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations are in a form selected from the group consisting of dimples, holes and linear cross-hatch designs. 
     
     
         12 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations are in the form of irregular surface roughness. 
     
     
         13 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-contacting surface has a periphery defining a top and bottom edges and end edges thereof, and wherein said indentations are absent in a surface region adjacent to said periphery, at least adjacent to said end edges of the block. 
     
     
         14 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said openings have width having a maximum size of 0.06 inch (1.5 mm). 
     
     
         15 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said openings have a width having a maximum size of 0.04 inch (1 mm). 
     
     
         16 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said openings have orthogonal width and height dimensions, and wherein said indentations are separated from each other by distances no greater than five times the size of a smaller of said width and height dimensions. 
     
     
         17 . The block of  claim 16 , wherein said openings are separated by distances no greater than three times the size of a smaller of said width and height dimensions. 
     
     
         18 . The block of  claim 17 , wherein said openings are separated by distances no greater than twice the size of a smaller of said width and height dimensions. 
     
     
         19 . The block of  claim 16 , wherein said openings are separated by distances generally the same as a smaller of said width and height dimensions. 
     
     
         20 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations are separated from each other by a distance of 0.06 inch or less. 
     
     
         21 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations have a depth extending into said block from said surface of 0.06 inch or less. 
     
     
         22 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations have a depth extending into said block from said surface of 0.04 inch or less. 
     
     
         23 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said indentations have a depth extending into said block from said surface of about 0.02 inch. 
     
     
         24 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said body is made of a metal selected from the group consisting of cast iron and mild steel. 
     
     
         25 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein said body is generally rectangular and has a longitudinal flanged slot in a surface other than said metal-contacting surface for loosely slidably engaging a guide rail for the block. 
     
     
         26 . A continuous metal caster having a casting cavity formed between confronting moving casting surfaces, an entrance for molten metal to the casting cavity, an exit for a solidified metal slab cast within the casting cavity, and movable side dams positioned between the casting surfaces to prevent escape of molten metal at the sides of the casting cavity, wherein at least one of said side dams is made up of movable side dam blocks having molten metal-contacting surfaces, the molten metal-contacting surface of at least one of the blocks having a plurality of indentations therein, said indentations having openings at said surface dimensioned to prevent penetration of molten metal into said indentations under casting conditions. 
     
     
         27 . The caster of  claim 26  wherein all of the side dam blocks of at least one of the side dams are provided with molten metal-contacting surfaces having said plurality of indentations. 
     
     
         28 . A method of continuously casting molten metal to form a metal slab, which comprises introducing molten metal into the continuous metal caster of  claim 26 , and operating said caster to cast said molten metal into a metal slab while contacting said molten metal with said molten metal-contacting surface of said at least one movable side dam block to confine the molten metal to the casting cavity at sides thereof.