Patent ID: 6820680
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
A method of casting metal strip comprising:assembling a pair of first and second casing rolls in lateral relationship to form a nip between them with at least one of the rolls moveable laterally relative to the other roll, continuously biasing said first casting roll laterally toward the second casting roll to enable a setting of an initial gap and also a wider gay accommodating casting of strip of a desired thickness, setting the initial gap between the first and second casting rolls at the nip before a casting pool is formed less than the desired thickness of the strip to be initially cast to allow formation of a casting pool supported by peripheral surfaces of the casting rolls without a dummy bar, counter rotating the first and second casting rolls such that the peripheral surfaces of both casting rolls travel toward the nip at a speed of rotation to produce strip of a thickness greater than the initial gap, pouring molten metal to form a casting pool of molten metal supported on the peripheral surfaces of the first and second casting rolls above the nip without a dummy bar, casting strip from the molten metal in the casting pool delivered downwardly from the nip without a dummy bar at outset of casting to a thickness greater than the initial gap setting between the first and second casting rolls by the first casting roll moving laterally away from the second casting roll against the continuous biasing to increase the gap between the casting rolls to accommodate the desired thickness of the cast strip to be cast, and continuing casting to produce strip at said desired thickness and with the gap between the rolls increased beyond the initial gap.