Patent Publication Number: US-9849503-B2

Title: Transport device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 National Phase conversion of PCT/CH2014/000063, filed Apr. 16, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The PCT International Application was published in the German language. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a transport device, in particular, for transporting cooling blocks in a casting machine with caterpillar mold according to the preamble of patent claim  1 . 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Transport devices with endless belts or chains are commonly used in technology as conveyors. A further application of such transport devices can be found in the foundry industry in which, for example, the rolling members of the device may include a rolling member body having one or more cooling blocks so that the rolling members form the cooling elements of a casting caterpillar. 
     Casting devices of this type are known as so-called caterpillar-type mold casting machines and are, according to American terminology, called “machines with caterpillar mold” and also “block casters.” 
     By way of a drive, the blocks circulate as endless caterpillars around a machine body, one design including two machine bodies opposite each other which are positioned in such a way that the distance between the walls facing one another in the mold corresponds to the thickness of the strand to be cast, taking into consideration the shrinking of the molten materials as they solidify. 
     Another design is distinguished by the fact that the machine includes only one machine body around which a caterpillar circulates, and the melt is poured onto the caterpillar where it continuously solidifies into a strand. In this instance, the solidified strand is preferably covered by a gas shrouding to prevent unwanted oxidation on the free upper side of the solidified melt. 
     Methods and devices for this purpose have already been developed in the penultimate century and the last century. Reference is made to the books by E. Hermann, “Handbuch des Stranggiessens” (“Handbook on Continuous Casting”), 1958, and “Handbook on Continuous Casting,” 1980 (Aluminium Verlag Düsseldorf). Thus, among other types, casting machines were also designed in which the casting mold, where the melt solidifies, is formed by strung-together metal blocks extending over the width of the casting mold. 
     In order to minimize friction between the solidifying casting material and the casting mold, the blocks move along with the solidifying strand at the same speed until they reach the end of the casting mold, where they are detached from the strand and are directed, for example, by means of chain wheels or arcuate running paths to the rear of the machine body and are, after undergoing a change of direction once more, guided back to the inlet of the casting mold. 
     A casting machine, the cooling elements of which form the wall of a casting mold on the straight portions of the casting caterpillars, is known from WO 2005/068108 LAMEC. This known casting machine includes two casting caterpillars, each of the two casting caterpillars forming a wall of the casting mold and each casting caterpillar being made up of a plurality of endless cooling blocks connected to one another. The cooling blocks are installed on carrier elements, which are mounted on chains and thus are movably connected to one another like links of a chain. For this purpose, the cooling blocks hold, by way of stationary magnets, the supporting members on the chains, from which they would fall down because of gravity. The chain links are provided at their junctions with rollers rolling on guide paths. This known molding machine, however, has the disadvantage that, in particular, significant friction losses are caused by the chain joints under load owing to the caterpillar drive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In this instance, the object of the invention is to remedy this circumstance. The object of the invention is to create a transport device, the roller elements of which enable a low-friction, uninterrupted run on the entire circulating path and, in particular, in the deflection arcs and when transitioning between the straight sections and the deflection arcs. 
     The invention solves this problem by a transport device which has the characteristics of claim  1 . 
     The advantages achieved by the invention are substantially to be seen in that:
         Since each roller element by means of rollers is individually directed in the guide paths on the circulating path and, thus, may not fall down from the guide paths because of gravity, the roller elements do not have to be coupled to one another in the direction of the circulation movement. For this reason, a low-friction, uninterrupted run of the roller elements on the circulating path and, in particular, in transitions and on the deflection arcs is enabled; and   The detached roller elements may be deposited or stacked on specially designed depositing stations for the reception of the roller carriers without the rolling elements tipping.       

     Additional advantageous embodiments of the invention may be commented upon as follows: 
     In one specific embodiment, the roller elements are loose relative to one another in the direction of the circulation movement. For this reason, the advantage may be achieved that applying and removing the roller elements may occur individually or in assemblies without having to loosen connections between the individual roller elements because the roller elements succeeding one another on the circulating path are not coupled together like the links of a chain. Particularly when using the transport device in casting machines with caterpillar mold, the roller elements designed as cooling elements may be placed on and removed from the machine with minimal time effort. 
     In another embodiment, joint bearings are situated in the area of the first end and/or in the area of the second end of the roller element body, wherein in each case at least two rollers are attached to a joint bearing. 
     Preferably, the joint bearings are rotatably attached to the roller element body by way of joint axles, wherein the joint axles are perpendicularly positioned to a center plane of the transport device defined by the circulating path U. 
     In a further embodiment, the rollers respectively include a roller axle, wherein the roller axles are fixedly attached to the roller element body. 
     In another embodiment, the roller element bodies measured in the direction of circulation have a maximum length “L” and immediately adjacent roller elements may be positioned on the first and second guide path in such a manner that the geometric axes of the roller axles or of the joint axles of the rollers or joint bearings, which are disposed in the area of the first ends of two adjacent roller elements, may be substantially adjusted to a distance, which corresponds to the maximum length “L”. 
     In yet another embodiment, the geometrical axes of the roller axles or of the joint axles of the rollers or joint bearings disposed in the area of the first ends lie in a plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which plane is defined by the first end of the respective roller element body. 
     In a further embodiment, the geometrical axes of the roller axles or of the joint axles of the rollers or joint bearings disposed in the area of the second ends lie in a plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, having a distance to the plane defined by the first ends of the respective roller element body which is substantially equal to or greater than the length “L”. In this way, the advantage may be achieved that the axle distance substantially corresponds to the cooling block length measured in the direction of circulation, as a result of which a kinematically optimal run of the cooling blocks on the entire circulating path is enabled. 
     Preferably, the geometrical axes of the roller axles or of the joint axles, which are situated at the first and second ends facing each other of two roller elements adjacent in the direction of the circulation movement, are substantially coaxial. The coaxial arrangement of the geometrical axes of the rollers of two adjacent roller elements, which are situated at the ends of the roller elements facing each other, together with the geometry of the guide paths results in a kinematically optimal run of the roller elements via the circulating path U. In particular, in using the transport device in casting machines with caterpillar mold, the edges of the cooling blocks do not enter the casting plane when transitioning to the deflection arcs. 
     In another embodiment, each roller element body includes at least one cooling block so that a casting caterpillar is formed which is suitable as a wall for a casting mold. In this instance, the cooling blocks may be, according to the required operating conditions, made of antimagnetic or ferromagnetic material, preferably copper or aluminum, as well as cast iron or steel. 
     In yet again another embodiment, the cooling blocks have a bottom side facing the rollers and a flat cooling surface on the opposite side and the two parallel planes including the geometrical axes of the roller axles or of the joint axles are perpendicular to the cooling surface. In the case that the flanks of the cooling blocks are curved, the two planes are defined by the perpendiculars of the edges of the cooling blocks lying in the casting plane, the perpendiculars being vertical to the cooling surface. 
     In a further embodiment, each roller element includes at least four rollers, wherein respectively two rollers are disposed at the first and second ends of each roller element body, and the rollers disposed at the first end are orthogonally offset to the center plane vis-à-vis the rollers disposed at the second end. In doing so, the advantage can be achieved that the rear rollers of a cooling element are offset in the lateral direction vis-à-vis the front rollers of the adjacent cooling element in such a manner that the cooling elements are able to be pushed together in the direction of motion (in the direction of the circulation movement) until the flanks of the cooling elements touch. Preferably, the two rollers disposed at the first end have a distance A and the two rollers disposed at the second end have a distance B≠A to each other, and the distances A and B are sized so that the two rollers disposed at the first end fit between the rollers disposed at the second end of the adjacent roller element. Thus, the advantage may be provided that the geometrical axes of the rollers of a cooling element disposed at the first end are collinear with the geometrical axes of the rollers of the adjacent cooling element disposed at the second end. 
     In a further embodiment, the guide paths have at least in one portion of the circulating path U, in which the roller elements would, owing to gravity, fall down from the guide paths, first and second roller running surfaces, which are situated opposite each other. 
     In a further embodiment, the guide paths have deflection arcs, wherein the guide paths include in the area of the deflection arcs first and second roller running surfaces situated opposite each other in the radial direction so that the rollers roll on the first or the second roller running surface, depending on the direction of the load. The advantage of this embodiment is in that the cooling elements, as a consequence of gravity, are not able to tilt away from the guide paths or fall down therefrom. Preferably, the guide paths respectively include a first and/or second roller running surface directed towards the center plain and a first and/or second roller running surface directed away from the center plane. 
     In another embodiment, the roller element bodies of the roller elements are designed as cooling blocks and the rollers are attached to the cooling blocks. 
     In yet another embodiment, the roller element bodies of the roller elements include a roller carrier. 
     In a further embodiment, a multiple of cooling blocks are situated on each roller carrier perpendicular to the center plane. In doing so, the influences from thermal expansions and stress from cooling blocks and roller carriers (transport carriers) may be minimized to secure the planeness of the casting surface and to reduce the wear of the machine elements caused by thermal stresses. The machine elements unidirectionally impinged with heat have a natural tendency, such as the cooling blocks and the roller carriers placed thereunder, to bend as a consequence of thermal expansions. In order to counteract this circumstance, the beamlike cooling blocks extending over the width of the casting mold have, in the past, been clamped-down onto very flexurally rigid carriers. In a further solution, the cooling blocks are divided into relatively small pieces (cooling block segments), as it is described in the publication U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,586. Since in the second solution mentioned above, the requirement for a flexural rigidity of the carriers over the entire width of the casting surface is omitted, the casting plane may also be built-up laterally by cooling block segments provided with rollers or by a number of individual cooling block carrier elements equipped with cooling block segments and provided with rollers by stringing said segments together in the respectively required width, wherein their heat induced distortions, as a result of their relatively small lateral expansion, may be kept within limits tolerable for the casting process, even in the case of lighter constructions. In this instance, the roller carrier elements may carry one or more cooling blocks. In doing so, roller carriers and cooling blocks laterally pushed together in a gapless manner form the width of the casting plane. In addition to the circumstance that the division of the roller carriers over the width of the casting plane into individual, short roller carrier elements minimizes possible distortions of said carriers, the modular architecture of the casting width is thus also provided. 
     In a further embodiment, the drive device has at least one driver wheel. 
     Preferably, the guide paths include at least two deflection arcs, wherein in the area of each deflection arc respectively a driver wheel is disposed on both sides of the center plane. This may achieve the advantage that in the area of the circulating path where the roller carriers are guided on a straight line, the cooling blocks touch at their flanks and, in doing so, push one another when moving. 
     In another embodiment, the rollers of a roller element, the geometrical axes of which lie on a common straight line, or the mechanical axles of these rollers have extensions perpendicular to the center plane and the driver wheels have recesses on their periphery, which may engage with the extensions. In this embodiment it is advantageous that each roller carrier in each of the two deflection arcs of the guide paths is driven individually by a driver wheel so that in the straight sections of the guide paths, where the driver wheels do not engage with the roller carriers, the trailing cooling block pushes the cooling block in the lead at their common touching surface forward. 
     In another embodiment, each guide path includes, viewed in a vertical direction parallel to the local gravity vector, an upper and a bottom guide path section, wherein at least the upper guide path section has only one or a multiple of first roller running surfaces. In doing so, the advantage may be achieved that the cooling elements for horizontally situated casting caterpillars on the upper, straight guide path section—respectively, on the upper deflection arc for vertically situated casting caterpillars—may be individually or in assemblies detached from the guide paths or be mounted onto said path. In this area of the circulating path in which the roller carriers naturally do not tilt or fall off the rails because of gravity, the guide paths do not require any counter holding roller running surface. 
     In yet another embodiment, each guide path includes a deflection arc, which has in a vertical direction parallel to gravity in the upper section a first opening in the second roller running surface oriented towards the center plane and a second opening in the second roller running surface oriented away from the center plane, wherein the distance between the first opening and the second opening measured in the direction of the circulation movement of the roller elements corresponds to the distance, measured in the direction of the circulation movement, of the geometrical axes of the rollers situated at a roller element. The rollers of the cooling element situated in this area of the deflection arc, thus, may be guided through the openings so that the cooling element may be removed from the guide path or be introduced into said path. In doing so, the cooling elements may be simply removed or installed. 
     In a further embodiment, the transport device has a longitudinal axis and the guide paths are telescopic in the direction of these longitudinal axes so that between adjacent roller elements a space may be created, which enables the removal of a roller element from the guide paths. 
     Preferably, the roller running surfaces of each guide path have first and second sections moveable relative to each other, which overlap in the direction of the circulation movement. 
     In another embodiment, the guide paths include respectively a deflection arc mounted in a rotatable manner, wherein the rotatably mounted deflection arcs are symmetrically disposed in respect to the center plane and may be rotated about a rotation axis orthogonal to the center plane. 
     Preferably, the rotation axis connects the edges of the second roller running surfaces at the connection location between the rotatably mounted deflection arcs and the bottom, straight guide path sections adjacent thereto. 
     In a further embodiment, respectively a driver wheel is rotatively fixedly attached to a drive axle on each side of the center plane in the area of the deflection arcs of the guide paths, wherein respectively a drive axle is coaxially situated to a geometrical axis of the deflection arcs. In doing so, the advantage may be achieved that the cooling elements in the area of the deflection arcs are driven individually by the driver wheels and are, for this reason, not pressed together in the direction of the circulation movement. 
     In another embodiment, the roller elements are not coupled to one another in the direction of the circulation movement. 
     Preferably, the transport device according to the invention is used as a casting caterpillar. In particular, a transport device according to the invention may be used as a base module of a modularly constructed casting caterpillar of a casting machine. In doing so, the advantage may be achieved that the width of the casting surface may be laterally built-up by constructively stringing together identical modules. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention and further refinements of the invention are subsequently described in more detail on the basis of the partially schematic illustrations of a plurality of exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the transport device according to the invention, wherein respectively one transportation device forms a base module of a casting caterpillar of a casting machine; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a multiple of roller elements according to the embodiment of the transport device according to the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a roller element designed as a cooling element according to another embodiment of the transport device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the guide paths according to a further embodiment of the transport device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows an enlarged illustration of the detail A in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a module of a casting caterpillar according to the embodiment of the transport device according to the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective explosive view of a casting caterpillar including three modules according to the embodiment of the transport device according to the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a module of a casting caterpillar according to the in  FIG. 1  illustrated embodiment of the transport device according to the invention having partially removed cooling blocks and two tilted roller carriers; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a module of a casting caterpillar according to yet another embodiment of the transport device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 10  shows an enlarged view of detail C in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a guide path of a casting caterpillar according to yet again another embodiment of the transport device according to the invention having enclosed guide paths; 
         FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of the guide paths of the casting caterpillar according to the embodiment of the transport device according to the invention illustrated in  FIG. 11  having open guide paths; and 
         FIG. 13  shows a lateral view of a roller element according to another embodiment of the transport device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The transport device  1  according to the invention is here exemplary described in its use in a casting machine with caterpillar mold. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the transport device  1  is provided with roller elements  4 , whose roller element body  34  includes, for example, a cooling block  5  so that the roller elements  4  form the cooling elements  40  of a casting caterpillar  2 ,  3 . The roller elements  4  designed as cooling elements  40  form the wall of a casting mold on the straight sections of the casting caterpillars  2 ,  3 . Further, the transport device  1  includes a drive device  33  having driver wheels  23  for moving the roller elements  4 . 
     The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes two casting caterpillars  2 ,  3 , which are positioned horizontally and above one another. Alternatively, casting machines may also be produced having vertically situated or inclined casting caterpillars  2 ,  3 . Each of two casting caterpillars  2 ,  3  includes, for example, six transport devices  1  positioned next to one another, wherein each transport devices  1  forms a base module  32  of a modularly constructed casting machine. Each transport device  1  includes two guide paths  20 , which extend over an oval circulating path U and which are situated symmetrically in respect to a center plane  9 . A multiple of roller elements  4  circulate in a caterpillar-like manner on the guide paths  20 . Each roller element  4  includes a roller element body  34 , which has a first end  35  and a second end  36  in the direction of the circulation movement. Further, at each roller element  4  four rollers  10 , for example, are attached. The roller elements  4  are arranged loosely to one another in the direction of the circulation movement, that is, they are not coupled to one another. The circulation movement of the roller elements  4  on the circulating path U may occur in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction, wherein the roller elements  4  on the first and second casting caterpillar  2 ,  3  circulate in opposite directions. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the cooling blocks  5  are fixed onto individual transport carriers, that is, are not coupled together, which are provided with rollers  10  and subsequently referred to as roller carriers  6 . The rollers  10  run on and in guides, which are designed as guide paths  20 , so that the roller carriers  6  and the cooling blocks  5  fixed thereon move in a guided and low friction manner on the circulating path U. The cooling blocks  5  may, for example, be releasably attached by screwed connections on the roller carriers  6 . Alternatively, the cooling blocks  5  themselves may be provided with rollers  10  ( FIG. 3 ) so that no separate roller carriers  6  are required. 
     In order to enable an even, undisturbed run of the cooling blocks  5 , the rollers  10  attached to each roller carrier  6  are, viewed in the direction of motion, situated in such a manner that their geometrical axes lie on two parallel straight lines  11   a ,  11   b . Thereby, the first straight line  11   a  is positioned in the area of the first end  35  of the roller element body  34  and the second straight line  11   b  in the area of the second end  36 . Preferably, respectively a straight line  11   a ,  11   b  lies in a plane which each is defined by the first and second ends  35 ,  36  of each cooling block  5 . The cooling blocks  5  have a bottom side facing the rollers  10  and, on the opposite side, a flat cooling surface  37  ( FIG. 2 ). For this reason, in cuboidal cooling blocks  37 , the first straight line  11   a  lies in the plane defined by front cooling block flank  7  and the second straight line  11   b  lies in the plane defined by rear cooling block flank  8 . In cooling blocks  5  tapered toward the rollers  10 , both planes are defined by the edges delimiting the cooling surface  37  of a cooling block  5  in the circulation direction and the respective perpendiculars to the cooling surface  37 . 
     Thus, the axle distance of the rollers  10  just corresponds to the cooling block length measured in the direction of the circulation movement. Furthermore, the rollers  10  of the roller carriers  6  situated at the second end  36  are offset in axial (lateral direction) to the casting machine  1  vis-à-vis the rollers  10  of the roller carriers  6  situated at the first end  35  in such a manner that the roller carriers  6  may be pushed together in the direction of motion until the flanks of the cooling blocks  5  touch and, in doing so, the second straight line  11   b , on which lie the geometrical axes of the rollers  10  of a roller carrier  6  situated at the second end  36 , overlaps with that first straight line  11   a , on which lie the geometrical axes of the rollers  10  of the adjacent roller carrier  6  situated at the first end  35 . Each roller  10  of a roller carrier  6  moves along on a guide path of its own. This arrangement together with the geometry of the guide path results in a kinematically optimal run of the cooling blocks  5  via the circulating path U. Each roller carrier  6  has on a straight line  11   a ,  11   b  the geometrical axis of at least one roller  10 . 
     In a further embodiment ( FIG. 13 ), the roller elements  4  are designed in such a manner that joint bearings  41  are situated in the area of the first end  35  and in the area of the second end  36  of the roller element body  34  and that respectively at least two rollers  10  are attached at the joint bearings  41 . The joint bearings  41  are rotatably attached by way of joint axles  42  at the roller element body  34 , wherein the joint axles  42  are situated perpendicular to a center plane  9  defined by the circulating path U ( FIG. 1 ) of the transport device. The geometrical axes of the joint axles  42  of the joint bearings  41  situated in the area of the first end  35  lie respectively in a first plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, which is defined by the first end  35  of the respective roller element body  34 . The geometrical axes of the joint axles  42  of the joint bearings  41  situated in the area of the second end  36  lie respectively in a second plane orthogonal to the direction of the circulation movement, having a distance to the first plane defined by the first end  35  of the respective roller element body  34  which here, for example, is equal to the maximum length “L” of the roller element body  34 . The axle distance of the joint bearings  42  here also substantially corresponds to the cooling block length “L” measured in the direction of circulation, as a result of which a kinematically optimal run of the roller elements  4  on the entire circulating path is enabled. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the roller guides, which are designed as guide paths  20 , are designed in the areas of the deflection arcs  21 , where the roller carriers  6  as a result of gravity would tilt away from or fall off said arcs, so that they have first and second roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b  situated opposite each other, the distance of which is tolerated so that the rollers  10  touch, depending on the direction of the load, on the first or second roller running surface  12   a ,  12   b  and roll thereupon. 
     Guide paths  20  fulfilling these conditions are preferably designed as profiled rails. Those pairs of rollers  10 , the geometrical axles of which sit on the same straight line  11   a ,  11   b , are mounted in an offset manner opposite each other and run on first and second roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b  situated parallel to each other. The guide paths  20  may be designed on one or more profiled rails. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , each of the two parallel guide paths  20  includes a separate profiled rail and respectively a first and/or second roller running surface  12   a ,  12   b  oriented towards the center plane  9  and a first and/or second roller running surface  12   a ,  12   b  oriented away from the center plane  9 . Suitable profiled rails are: U profile for each roller path, U profile having two adjacent running paths, double T profile having respectively one roller running surface  12   a ,  12   b  on the left side and one on the right side of the center bar. Each guide path  20  thus includes respectively at least one roller running surface  12   a ,  12   b  for the rollers  10  situated at the first end  35  of a roller element  34  and for the rollers  10  offset in reference to the center plane  9  at the second end  36  of the same roller element body  34 . Alternatively, a profiled rail may include both parallel guide paths  20 . Suited for this purpose are profiled rails which are designed as double L profiles, double U profile or also as double T profiles. 
     In this instance, the two rollers  10  situated at the first end  35  have a distance A ( FIG. 3 ) to each other and the two rollers  10  situated at the second end  36  have a distance B&gt;A to each other, wherein the distances A and B are sized in such a manner that the two rollers  10  situated at the first end  35  fit between the two rollers  10  situated at the second end  36  of the adjacent cooling element  40 . 
     In the area of the deflection arcs  21  of the guide paths  20  driver wheels  23  are mounted, the rotation axis of which concurs with the geometrical axis of the deflection arcs  21 . Respectively two driver wheels  23  are symmetrically to the center plane  9  and rotatively fixedly attached onto a drive axle  25 , wherein respectively a drive axle  25  is situated coaxially to the geometrical axis of the deflection arc  21 . The roller carriers  6  have lateral extensions  14  at one or more of their rollers  10  or roller axles, which engage as drivers, for example, in the form of rollers mounted on the respective axle, into the recesses  24  of the driver wheels  23 , which in this manner actuate the roller carriers  6  with their cooling blocks  5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each guide path  20  includes, viewed in a vertical direction parallel to gravity, an upper and a bottom straight guide path section  27   a ,  27   b , wherein the upper straight guide path section  27   a  may, in the vertical direction on the same height in relation to the central plane  9 , have situated next to one another a first roller running surface  12   a  oriented towards the center plane  9  and a first roller running surface  12   a  oriented away from the center plane  9 . In this instance, the first roller running surfaces  12   a  situated next to each other have only at one guide path  20  a guide path section  27   a  provided with a side guide  44  ( FIG. 5 ) so that the cooling elements  40  may expand in the area of the casting mold transversely to the center plane  9 . 
     Applying and removing the cooling blocks  5  together with the roller carriers  6  may be carried out individually or in assemblies. This occurs in the area of the circulating path, where the roller carriers  6  because of gravity naturally do not tilt or fall off the guide paths  20  and which do not require any counter holding second roller running surface  12   b.    
     A difficulty, however, results from the kinematic requirement that the distance of the straight lines  11   a ,  11   b  including the geometrical axes of the rollers  10  equates to a cooling block length. The first cooling element  40 , which is to be lifted out, gets stuck in the places between the remaining cooling blocks and the cooling block  5  to be removed because the rollers  10  of the cooling element  40 , which is to be removed, protrude by half of a diameter under the cooling blocks  5  of the remaining cooling elements  40 . Removing a first cooling element  40  may be carried out according to one of the following methods:
         1) In case that the cooling blocks  5  are fixed to roller carriers  6  ( FIG. 2 ), it suffices to remove the cooling blocks  5  from two to three successive cooling elements  40 , as a result of which the roller carriers  6  may be tilted, pushed together and removed ( FIG. 8 ).   2) In the upper area of the deflection arc  21  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ), in which the cooling blocks  5  are spread apart, in the area of the rollers  10  higher situated a first opening  28  in the second roller running surface  12   b  and, in the area of rollers  10  situated further below, a second opening  29  in the second roller running surface  12   b  are created, which each have at least the length of a roller diameter. The rollers  10  of the respective cooling element  40  fit through the first and second openings  28 ,  29  of the two guide paths  20  and enable the removal of the entire cooling element  40 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first openings  28  for the rollers  10  situated at the second end  36  having a smaller distance A are located at the second roller running surfaces  12   b  oriented towards the center plane  9  and the second openings  29  for the rollers  10  situated at the first end  35  having a greater distance B are located at the second roller running surfaces  12   b  oriented away from the center plane  9 . In the case that the roller elements are arranged in an opposite manner and the rollers  10  situated at the first end  35  have the smaller distance A, the first and second openings  28 ,  29  are arranged in reversed order.   3) Opening and pushing apart telescopic guide paths  20  in the direction of the longitudinal axis  30  of the transport device  1  results in a gap in the assembly of rows of the cooling elements  40 . If the dimension of the gap is equal to at least the diameter of a roller  10 , the rollers  10  may be pushed out sufficiently far from below of its adjacent cooling element  40  so to prevent that the rollers  10  interlock with the adjacent cooling elements  40  during extraction. The separation of guide paths  20  may be situated in straight guide path sections  27   a ,  27   b  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). The roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b  of each guide path  20  have in the direction of the longitudinal axis  30  of the transport device  1  first and second sections  38 ,  39  movable relative to each other so that the first and second sections  38 ,  39  of the roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b  overlap in the direction of the circulation movement. When the guide paths  20  are pushed apart manner in the direction of the longitudinal axis  30  of the transport device  1 , the rollers  10  of the roller elements  4  then rest in the region of the separation location of the guide paths  20  on one of the first or second sections  38 ,  39  of the roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b.      Alternatively, the transition location may, by pushing a deflection arc  21  aside, be opened sufficiently wide between the straight guide path sections  27   a ,  27   b  and the deflection arcs  21  to create the desired gap. In doing so, the deflection arcs  21  may be pushed aside in a translative manner from the straight guide path sections  27   a ,  27   b,      or   the deflection arcs  21  may be mounted in a rotatable manner at a rotation axis  31  ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ) connecting the points in which the second roller running surfaces  12   b  of the deflection arcs  21  meet with the bottom second roller running surfaces  12   b  of the straight guide path sections  27   b . Tilting away the deflection arcs  21  by a respective angle results in the desired path gap at the upper connection location, that is, in that location where the upper straight guide path sections  27   a  meet with the deflection arcs  21  leading downwards. Since the rotation axis is located at the connection location of the second roller running surface  12   b  between the deflection arcs  21  and the bottom straight guide path sections  27   b , the bottom guide path connections remain gapless during titling so that none of the cooling elements  40  may fall off the guide paths  20 .       

     The requirements in reference to the width of the products to be cast are variable and range from under 200 mm to over 2 m. The modular architecture of the casting machines, which meet with the different requirements in respect to the width of the casting product, simplifies the construction, installation and storing of spare parts and creates equal functionality of mechanics and operating requirements across the entire width of the casting plane. In order to setup casting machines having different widths, base module  32  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) are configured so that by laterally stringing together said modules casting machines having different casting widths are created. 
     A base module  32  ( FIG. 6 ) is characterized in that it includes regarding its width a cooling element  40 , provided with rollers  10 , for example, a roller carrier  6  having one or more cooling blocks  5 , deflection arcs  21  and straight guide path sections  27   a ,  27   b , having that number of roller running surfaces  12   a ,  12   b , which correspond to the number of rollers  10  of the cooling element  40 . To the right and the left of the outer-most deflection arc guides, respectively a driver wheel  23  is positioned in a concentric manner with the deflection arc guides. For this purpose, the driver wheel recesses  24  are oriented in a parallel manner to the axes of the deflection arc guides. Deflection arc guides and driver wheels  23  have in the area of their axes an opening through which a drive shaft  25  may be pushed, whose length is sized so that it is able to receive the number of base modules  32  determining the casting width. A concentric and interlocking connection of the drive shaft  25  with the driver wheels  23  provides their actuation. The driver wheels  23  on their part actuate the roller carriers  6  and the cooling blocks  5  along their circulating path. 
     As described above, even though different embodiments of the present invention are present, they are to be understood so that the different features may be used individually or in any combination. 
     For this reason, this present invention is not simply limited to the particularly preferred embodiments mentioned above.