Patent ID: 8662145

Claim:
Casting apparatus for continuously casting a metal slab from molten metal, said apparatus comprising: a. spaced confronting casting surfaces forming a casting cavity therebetween and adapted to be advanced in a direction of casting from an inlet to an outlet of the casting cavity; b. molten metal feed apparatus for introducing molten metal into the casting cavity through said inlet; c. cooling equipment for cooling said casting surfaces enabling said surfaces to withdraw heat from said casting cavity thereby to solidify said molten metal and form a fully- or partially-solid metal slab within the cavity; d. said casting cavity having a region thereof extending transversely to said direction of casting and spaced from both said inlet and said outlet between immediately adjacent upstream and downstream regions of the casting cavity, wherein means are provided to reduce an ability of at least one of the casting surfaces to withdraw heat from said molten metal or metal slab in said region compared to an ability of said at least one casting surface to withdraw heat from the casting cavity within said immediately upstream and downstream regions thereof; and e. means whereby said opposite side of said member is at least partially insulated from said liquid coolant in said region but not in said immediately upstream and downstream regions.