Patent ID: 8272426

Claim:
An apparatus for casting near-net-shape, rectangular strands from metal and a subsequent processing thereof into metal strips according to a DSC-method (direct strip casting) in a horizontal strip casting installation ( 1 ), comprising: a horizontally circulating metal conveyor belt ( 7 ) having a cooled bottom and a deflection roller ( 8 ) and on which a liquid cast product ( 4 ) solidifies to a pre-strip during displacement thereof therealong; a melt feeder ( 3 ′) for casting the metal melt onto the conveyor belt ( 7 ); roller means for feeding the solidified pre-strip under mechanical tension ( 14 ) to a driver ( 16 ) after the solidified pre-strip leaves the conveyor belt ( 7 ); a pressure device ( 11 , 12 , 13 ) arranged above the cast product ( 4 ) in a region of the deflection roller ( 8 ) of the metal conveyor belt ( 7 ) which is located downstream in a casting direction, for applying an adjustable pressure from above to the cast product ( 4 ) solidifying into the pre-strip ( 5 ); and a cooling device ( 17 , 19 , 19 ′) arranged immediately behind a downstream, in a casting direction of the strand, end of the metal conveyor belt ( 7 ) in a region between the downstream end of the conveyor belt and a first roller of the feeding roller means ( 14 ) for cooling a bottom of the pre-strip ( 5 ) over an entire width thereof as the pre-strip leaves the conveyor belt ( 7 ).