Patent ID: 8302666

Claim:
A method of continuously casting molten steel into a beam blank comprising a first flange portion, a second flange portion and a neck portion interconnecting the first and second flange portions, the method comprising: providing a mold for the beam blank, the mold comprising a first flange-forming region, a second flange-forming region and a neck-forming region located between the first flange-forming region and the second flange-forming region; introducing a first molten steel composition into the mold via a nozzle outlet disposed in the first flange-forming region of the mold and immersed in the first molten steel composition cast in the first flange-forming region of the mold; placing a connecting rod within the second flange-forming region such that a substantial portion of the connecting rod is immersed in the first molten steel composition cast in the second flange-forming region of the mold; introducing a second molten steel composition into the first flange-forming region of the mold so that the second molten steel composition is cast over the first molten steel composition cast in the mold and that the connecting rod is immersed in the second molten steel composition cast in the mold; and cooling the first and second molten steel compositions to form the beam blank, which comprises the connecting rod in the second flange thereof.