METHOD AND MACHANISM FOR DETERMINING FORCES ON A SOLIDIFYING CASTING

摘要

A method and mechanism for determining forces on a casting as it solidifies in a continuous-casting machine. A plurality of roll-pairs of an otherwise conventional curved roll-rack are equipped with means (e.g. load cells) which show the compressive load exerted by the different roll-pairs on the casting. The roll-pair beyond which no further upward trend in compressive load occurs marks the plane at which the casting first solidifies throughout its cross section, since beyond this plane the casting no longer has a liquid core tending to bulge the skin and separate the rolls. Whenever the load on a roll-pair departs substantially from the norm, the indication is that the rolls of this pair are improperly gapped (that is, the spacing between roll faces is either too great or too little).