Patent ID: 6536504
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
Apparatus for continuously casting metal strip comprising:a pair of parallel casting rolls forming a nip between them; a molten metal supply system to delivery molten metal into the nip between the rolls to form a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting roll surfaces immediately above the nip; roll drive mechanism to drive the casting rolls in counter-rotational directions to produce a solidified strip of metal delivered downwardly from the nip between the casting rolls; a casting chamber to enclose strip delivered downwardly from the nip; a cooling chamber disposed below the casting chamber to receive the strip passing downwardly from the casting chamber from the nip through a transfer opening between the casting chamber and cooling chamber; an inter-chamber sealing element disposed directly adjacent to said transfer opening and movable between an open condition in which the opening is dilated and a closed condition in which the opening is contracted about the strip to enhance sealing between the casting and cooling chambers to reduce transfer of gas therebetween.