Patent ID: 6386270
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
A method for controllable electromagnetic induction heating of copper alloy edge dam blocks in first and second revolving edge dam chains of twinbelt casting machines, wherein the first and second edge dam chains include respective first and second lug-molding pocket blocks respectively positioned at uniformly spaced intervals along the first and second edge dam chains for casting continuous slabs of electrolytic anodes having first and second lugs protruding from respective first and second edges of the continuous slabs and wherein downstream of the casting machines the continuous slabs are cut for providing individual anodes, with each anode having an upper and a lower end, wherein said slabs are cut so that each individual anode has a first and a second lug protruding from the first and second edges of the anode near the upper end of the anode, wherein said first and second lugs of said anodes are used for supportively hanging the anodes in a tankhouse, and wherein respective first and second lugs on respective anodes need to be suitably aligned in opposed relationship so that anodes thereby supportively hanging in a tankhouse will be suitably aligned with other similarly supportively hanging anodes in the tankhouse:said method of controllable electromagnetic heating of copper alloy dam blocks in first and second revolving edge dam chains in such twinbelt casting machines comprising the steps of: providing a shallow depression in a surface of copper alloy edge dam blocks included in first and second edge dam chains in twinbelt casting machines for casting continuous slabs of electrolytic anodes having first and second lugs protruding from respective first and second edges of such continuous slabs; said shallow depressions covering at least about 50% of said surfaces; thermally spraying a layer of ferromagnetic material into each shallow depression; as first and second edge dam chains are revolving in such casting machines, sensing relative opposed relationships of first and second lug-molding pocket blocks in revolving first and second edge dam chains for determining whether first or second pocket blocks are moving ahead of aligned opposed relationship relative to respective second or first pocket blocks; providing first and second induction heaters near respective first and second edge dam chains; said first and second induction heaters being positioned near respective first and second edge dam chains in places where such chains are returning from exits of casting machines to entrances thereof; periodically heating copper alloy edge dam blocks in the respective edge dam chain having pocket blocks that have relatively moved ahead of said aligned opposed relationship by inductively heating ferromagnetic layers of copper alloy blocks of said respective edge dam chain for causing high thermal conductivity of the copper alloy blocks of said respective edge dam chain rapidly to conduct heat from their ferromagnetic layers into the blocks themselves; thereby relatively thermally expanding overall length of the respective edge dam chain having pocket blocks that have relatively moved ahead of said aligned opposed relationship, whereby elapsed time is relatively increased for the relatively thermally expanded edge dam chain to travel around each full revolution for enabling the other edge dam chain to revolve in relatively less time around each full revolution for enabling its pocket blocks to re-establish said aligned opposed relationship.