Claims
- 1. An apparatus for casting continuous metal strip comprising:
- (a) nozzle means for extruding molten metal, which has a nozzle body, a nozzle inlet opening, a nozzle exit orifice and a substantially planar nozzle mounting surface located on a nozzle flange proximate to said nozzle inlet;
- (b) reservoir means in fluid communication with said nozzle means for containing said molten metal, said reservoir means having a reservoir outlet opening for flowing said molten metal therethrough and having a substantially planar reservoir mounting surface located proximate to said reservoir outlet which is adpated to mate with said nozzle mounting surface and allow a relative, sliding-type movement therebetween due to a differing thermal expansion of said nozzle means relative to said reservoir means;
- (c) resilient, heat resistant sealing means located between said nozzle mounting surface and said reservoir mounting surface for minimizing molten metal leakage therebetween;
- (d) heater means disposed about said nozzle for heating molten metal contained therein; and
- (e) force means for moving said heater means into contact with said nozzle flange and resiliently urging said nozzle mounting surface toward said reservoir mounting surface to mate said nozzle and reservoir means together.
- 2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said reservoir mounting surface is an outwardly facing surface of said reservoir means and said nozzle mounting surface is a nozzle body surface facing opposite to the direction of the intended flow of molten metal into said nozzle.
- 3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said force means comprises:
- (a) support member which is substantially immobile with respect to said reservoir means;
- (b) a displacement member which is spaced a distance away from said support member and movable relative thereto;
- (c) spring means operably connected to said displacement member and said support member for providing a selected force which is adapted to move said displacement member against said heater means, move said heater means into contact with said nozzle flange and urge said nozzle mounting surface toward said reservoir mounting surface; and
- (d) adjustment means for adjusting said spring means to provide said selected force.
- 4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said force means comprises:
- (a) a support member which is substantially immobile with respect to said reservoir means;
- (b) a displacement member which is movable relative to said support member;
- (c) pneumatic actuator means for moving said displacement member against said heater means to move said heater means into contact with said nozzle body flange, and for providing a selected force that urges said nozzle mounting surface toward said reservoir mounting surface; and
- (d) pressure regulator means for controlling a fluid pressure supplied to said pneumatic actuator to adjust said force.
- 5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said force means comprises:
- (a) support member which is substantially immobile with respect to said reservoir means;
- (b) a displacement member which is movable relative to said support member;
- (c) pivot means connected to said support member for pivoting said displacement member thereabout;
- (d) pneumatic actuator means for pivoting said displacement member about said pivot means to move a portion of said displacement member against said heater means, move said heater means into contact with said nozzle body flange and provide a selected force that resiliently urges said nozzle mounting surface toward said reservoir mounting surface to mate said nozzle and said reservoir means together; and
- (e) pressure regulator means for controlling a gas pressure supplied to said pneumatic actuator to adjust said force.
- 6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a resilient seal composed of a boron-nitride paste, which allows sliding-type movement between said nozzle and reservoir mounting surfaces due to differing thermal expansions.
- 7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a resilient gasket composd of ceramic felt, which allows sliding-type movement between said nozzle and reservoir mounting surfaces due to differing thermal expansions.
- 8. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said displacement member comprises a pivot plate connected between two lever arms, said lever arms pivotable about said pivot means, said pivot plate having an opening therethrough that is configured to allow extrusion of molten metal from said nozzle means onto a quench surface, and said pivot plate being movable against said heater means.
- 9. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said sealing means comprises a resilient seal composed of a boron-nitride paste, which allows sliding-type movement between said nozzle and reservoir mounting surfaces due to differing thermal expansions.
- 10. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said sealing means comprises a resilient gasket composed of ceramic felt, which allows sliding-type movement between said nozzle and reservoir mounting surfaces due to differing thermal expansions.
- 11. A method for casting continuous metal strip, comprising the steps of:
- (a) containing a supply of molten metal in a reservoir means which has a substantially planar reservoir mounting surface located proximate to a reservoir outlet opening;
- (b) extruding said molten metal from a nozzle means which is in fluid communication with said reservoir means and has a substantially planar nozzle mounting surface located on a nozzle flange proximate to a nozzle inlet opening;
- (c) mating together said nozzle mounting surface with said reservoir mounting surface;
- (d) allowing a relative, sliding-type movement between said nozzle and reservoir mounting surfaces due to a differing thermal expansion of said nozzle means relative to said reservoir means;
- (e) resiliently sealing the region between said nozzle mounting surface and said reservoir mounting surface to minimize molten metal leakage therebetween;
- (f) heating said nozzle means with heating means; and
- (g) forcibly moving said heater means into contact with said nozzle flange to resiliently urge said nozzle mounting surface toward said reservoir mounting surface and mate said nozzle and reservoir means together.
- 12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of limiting the flow of molten metal from said reservoir means into said nozzle means.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 491,471 filed May 4, 1983, abandoned Feb. 14, 1985.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1126568 |
Mar 1962 |
DEX |
846077 |
Jul 1981 |
SUX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
491471 |
May 1983 |
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