Patent Publication Number: US-6338380-B1

Title: Multiport mold cooling apparatus for continuous casting

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to mold cooling apparatuses and more particularly pertains to a new multiport mold cooling apparatus for eliminating or reducing rhomboid errors and materials cracking defects during the continuous casting process. Rhomboidity is a measure of squareness defined as the difference between diagonal measurements of a square cross-section of continuous cast material. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of mold cooling apparatuses is known in the prior art. More specifically, mold cooling apparatuses heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,884; U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,179; U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,920; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 342,125; U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,467; U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,295; U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,172; U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,949; U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,379; U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,244; U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,342; U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,614; U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,869; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,127. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new multiport mold cooling apparatus. The inventive device includes a support base assembly including a housing having side walls, an open top and bottom, and further having holes disposed through the side walls; and also includes a tubular mold support member being removably disposed in the housing and being adapted to removably receive a mold therein; and further includes a plurality of water blocker members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and also includes a restriction-free water flow assembly including a plurality of restriction-free water flow members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and further includes a water flow control assembly being mounted to the support base assembly. 
     In these respects, the multiport mold cooling apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of eliminating or reducing rhomboid errors and materials cracking defects during the production process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mold cooling apparatuses now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new multiport mold cooling apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for eliminating or reducing rhomboid errors and materials cracking defects during the production process. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which has many of the advantages of the mold cooling apparatuses mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mold cooling apparatuses, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a support base assembly including a housing having side walls, an open top and bottom, and further having holes disposed through the side walls; and also includes a tubular mold support member being removably disposed in the housing and being adapted to removably receive a mold therein; and further includes a plurality of water blocker members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and also includes a restriction-free water flow assembly including a plurality of restriction-free water flow members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and further includes a water flow control assembly being mounted to the support base assembly. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which has many of the advantages of the mold cooling apparatuses mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mold cooling apparatuses, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus to industry which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus for eliminating or reducing rhomboid errors and materials cracking defects during the production process. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus which includes a support base assembly including a housing having side walls, an open top and bottom, and further having holes disposed through the side walls; and also includes a tubular mold support member being removably disposed in the housing and being adapted to removably receive a mold therein; and further includes a plurality of water blocker members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and also includes a restriction-free water flow assembly including a plurality of restriction-free water flow members being removably disposed in the housing and about the tubular mold support member; and further includes a water flow control assembly being mounted to the support base assembly. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus that increases the water contact and heat transfer. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new multiport mold cooling apparatus that evenly cools the mold more effectively. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a new multiport mold cooling apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is another top plan view of the present invention showing variations of the tubular mold support member and water blocker members. 
     FIG. 5 is yet another top plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the tubular mold support member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art. 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the support base member of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 10 thereof, a new multiport mold cooling apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10, the multiport mold cooling apparatus  10  generally comprises a support base assembly including a housing  11  having side walls  12 , an open top  13  and bottom  14 , and further having holes  15 , 16  being disposed through the side walls  12 . The holes  15 , 16  in the housing  11  include inlet holes  15  being disposed through the side walls  12  near the open bottom  14 , and also include outlet holes  16  being disposed through the side walls  12  near the open top  13 . The support base assembly further includes a top cover  28  being removably disposed upon the open top  13  of the housing  11  and having an opening  29  centrally-disposed therethrough, and also includes a bottom cover  30  being removably disposed upon the open bottom  14  of the housing  11 . 
     A tubular mold support member  17  is removably disposed in the housing  11  and is adapted to removably receive a mold. The tubular mold support member  17  has side walls  18  and a plurality of fluted grooves  19  being disposed in an exterior of the side walls  18 . The tubular mold support member  17  is conventionally attached to the top cover  28 . The fluted grooves  19  are semi-circular and extend the length of the tubular mold support member  17  with the depth of the fluted grooves  19  not exceeding ⅓ inch thickness of the tubular mold support member  17 . 
     A plurality of water blocker members  20  being removably disposed in the housing  11  and about the tubular mold support member  17 . Each of the water blocker members  20  is an elongate block being disposed about a respective corner of the tubular mold support member  17  and having longitudinal flanges  22  extending outwardly from side walls  21  and near a corner of the elongate block  20 . The longitudinal flanges  22  are spaced apart with a respective corner of the tubular mold support member  17  being received therebetween to effectuate heat transfer from a mold being disposed in the tubular mold support member  17 . 
     A restriction-free water flow assembly includes a plurality of restriction-free water flow members  23  being removably disposed in the housing  11  and about the tubular mold support member  17 . Each of the restriction-free water flow members  23  is an elongate tubular member which has a top meniscus  24  and a bottom meniscus  25  and which is disposed upon a respective side wall  18  of the tubular mold support member  17 . The restriction-free water flow assembly also includes a plurality of top cap swedges  26  being disposed upon the top meniscuses  24  and also includes a plurality of bottom cap swedges  27  being disposed upon the bottom meniscuses  25 . 
     A water flow control assembly is conventionally mounted to the support base assembly. The water control assembly includes a plurality of inlet and outlet hose members  31 , 32  being conventionally attached to the inlet and outlet holes  15 , 16  respectively, and also includes a plurality of valve members  33  being conventionally disposed inline of the outlet hose members  32 , and further includes a plurality of thermocouples  34  being conventionally attached to the outlet hose members  32 , and also includes a computer link member  35  being conventionally attached to the support base assembly and to the valve members  33  and to the thermocouples  34 . The computer link member  35  is adapted to be connected to a computer  38  for controlling operation of the valve members  33  and the thermocouples  34  to effect flow of water through the hose members  31 , 32 . The inlet hose members  31  are adapted to be connected to a water source  39 . 
     In use, the user places the tubular mold support member  17  in the housing  11 , and uses a computer  38  to run water through the housing  11  and about all sides of the tubular mold support member  17  to effectively and evenly cool the mold inside the tubular mold support member. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.