The teachings provide a fill tube assembly for a casting mold and methods of using the assembly. The fill tube assembly includes a fill tube having a tubular member with a receiving end, a mold-engaging end and an intermediate portion. The mold-engaging end has a tapered flange radially extending therefrom, the remainder of the tubular member has a substantially, uniform cross-section. A clamping assembly is structured to maintain a substantially leakproof seal at the fill tube, casting mold interface while accommodating dimensional variations. The clamping assembly includes a gasket, a load ring, a clamping plate and a pre-load gap between the clamping plate and the casting mold and optionally includes a dimensional compensating ring. When tightened, the clamping plate biases the load ring against the flange thereby distributing a uniform load against the casting mold, compressing the gasket therebetween while narrowing the pre-load gap to accommodate dimensional variations.

In a device for fastening a perforated block (1) to a metal melt container, the perforated block (1) can be fastened by means of at least one clamping wedge (36) which can be inserted transversely with respect to its through opening (D) and which has a clamping jaw (35) coupled thereto, wherein this clamping jaw (35) acts on a clamping surface (13) formed on the circumferential surface of the perforated block (1). The respective clamping wedge (36) is guided in a carrier plate (33) so as to be displaceable in its longitudinal extent and transversely with respect thereto, while the clamping jaw (35) coupled thereto can be moved in this transverse direction. Consequently, the perforated block can be fastened with precise positioning in the carrier plate (33) in a simple manner.

In a device for fastening a perforated block (1) to a metal melt container, the perforated block (1) can be fastened by means of at least one clamping wedge (36) which can be inserted transversely with respect to its through opening (D) and which has a clamping jaw (35) coupled thereto, wherein this clamping jaw (35) acts on a clamping surface (13) formed on the circumferential surface of the perforated block (1). The respective clamping wedge (36) is guided in a carrier plate (33) so as to be displaceable in its longitudinal extent and transversely with respect thereto, while the clamping jaw (35) coupled thereto can be moved in this transverse direction. Consequently, the perforated block can be fastened with precise positioning in the carrier plate (33) in a simple manner.

The teachings provide a fill tube assembly for a casting mold and methods of using the assembly. The fill tube assembly includes a fill tube having a tubular member with a receiving end, a mold-engaging end and an intermediate portion. The mold-engaging end has a tapered flange radially extending therefrom, the remainder of the tubular member has a substantially, uniform cross-section. A clamping assembly is structured to maintain a substantially leakproof seal at the fill tube, casting mold interface while accommodating dimensional variations. The clamping assembly includes a gasket, a load ring, a clamping plate and a pre-load gap between the clamping plate and the casting mold and optionally includes a dimensional compensating ring. When tightened, the clamping plate biases the load ring against the flange thereby distributing a uniform load against the casting mold, compressing the gasket therebetween while narrowing the pre-load gap to accommodate dimensional variations.

The teachings provide a fill tube assembly for a casting mold and methods of using the assembly. The fill tube assembly includes a fill tube having a tubular member with a receiving end, a mold-engaging end and an intermediate portion. The mold-engaging end has a tapered flange radially extending therefrom, the remainder of the tubular member has a substantially, uniform cross-section. A clamping assembly is structured to maintain a substantially leakproof seal at the fill tube, casting mold interface while accommodating dimensional variations. The clamping assembly includes a gasket, a load ring, a clamping plate and a pre-load gap between the clamping plate and the casting mold and optionally includes a dimensional compensating ring. When tightened, the clamping plate biases the load ring against the flange thereby distributing a uniform load against the casting mold, compressing the gasket therebetween while narrowing the pre-load gap to accommodate dimensional variations.

A metal casting installation comprises a ladle comprising an inner nozzle in fluid communication with the through-opening of a top gate plate. The installation contains a ladle shroud coupling assembly comprising a support frame comprising a bottom gate plate and a passage. The support frame is slidingly coupled to a planar bottom surface of a top gate plate of the inner nozzle of the ladle, such that the opening of the bottom gate plate can be brought in or out of registry with the through-opening of the top gate plate. A drawer frame can be can be moved through the passage of the support frame. The bore of a specifically designed ladle shroud capable of being reversibly coupled to latches can be brought into or out of registry with the opening of the bottom gate plate.

A metal casting installation comprises a ladle comprising an inner nozzle in fluid communication with the through-opening of a top gate plate. The installation contains a ladle shroud coupling assembly comprising a support frame comprising a bottom gate plate and a passage. The support frame is slidingly coupled to a planar bottom surface of a top gate plate of the inner nozzle of the ladle, such that the opening of the bottom gate plate can be brought in or out of registry with the through-opening of the top gate plate. A drawer frame can be can be moved through the passage of the support frame. The bore of a specifically designed ladle shroud capable of being reversibly coupled to latches can be brought into or out of registry with the opening of the bottom gate plate.

An immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus and an upper nozzle capable of preventing damage to a plate of the upper nozzle are provided. An immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus is mounted on a lower portion of a molten steel outlet of a tundish. The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus includes a support and a flap. The support has a support surface to support a lower surface of a plate of an upper nozzle inserted into the molten steel outlet. The flap is rotatable with respect to the support. The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus further includes a rotation stopper for the flap. The rotation stopper includes a wedge to abut against the flap by projecting to an upper side of the flap, and a bolt connected to the wedge, and enables adjustment of a projection amount of the wedge by adjusting a fastening amount of the bolt.

An immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus and an upper nozzle capable of preventing damage to a plate of the upper nozzle are provided. An immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus is mounted on a lower portion of a molten steel outlet of a tundish. The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus includes a support and a flap. The support has a support surface to support a lower surface of a plate of an upper nozzle inserted into the molten steel outlet. The flap is rotatable with respect to the support. The immersion nozzle exchanging apparatus further includes a rotation stopper for the flap. The rotation stopper includes a wedge to abut against the flap by projecting to an upper side of the flap, and a bolt connected to the wedge, and enables adjustment of a projection amount of the wedge by adjusting a fastening amount of the bolt.

The invention provides rotating a submerged nozzle during casting to arbitrarily change the discharge angle of molten metal, causing the molten metal in the mold for slab to be rotated and stirred. A slab continuous casting apparatus according to the invention supplies molten metal from a tundish to a water-cooled mold for slab through at least an upper nozzle, a slide valve and a submerged nozzle and solidified the molten metal and provided with a submerged-nozzle quick replacement mechanism. The slab continuous casting apparatus further includes a discharge-direction changing mechanism capable of arbitrarily changing discharge angle of the molten metal as viewed in a horizontal cross section, during casting, the discharge-direction changing mechanism being provided between a slide valve device for opening and closing the slide valve and the submerged nozzle.