US 7,478,664 B2
	Method and continuous casting and rolling plant for semi-endless or endless rolling by casting a metal strand, especially a steel strand, which is cut to length as required after solidification
Günter Flemming, Erkrath (Germany); Joachim Schwellenbach, Düsseldorf (Germany); and Hans Streubel, Erkrath (Germany)
Assigned to SMS Demag AG, Düsseldorf (Germany)
Filed on May 04, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/418,411.
Application 11/418411 is a division of application No. 10/518085, filed on Dec. 15, 2004, granted, now 7,152,661.
Prior Publication US 2006/0243420 A1, Nov. 02, 2006
Int. Cl. B22D 11/12 (2006.01); B21B 1/46 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 164—417

3 Claims

1. Casting and rolling plant for semi-endless rolling or endless rolling of a cast metal or steel strand (1a), which is cut to length as required in a solidified state, wherein cut lengths (20) of cast strand are held at a high temperature and heated to rolling temperature and homogenized in a roller hearth furnace (2) and are then fed into a rolling mill (3), and wherein a continuous casting machine (1) casts continuously, wherein a roller hearth furnace (2) that is designed with buffer length (23) and has at least one roller plane (24) is installed between the continuous casting machine (1) and the rolling mill (3) and at its inlet (12a) and/or outlet (12b) has a shearing station (14), which is followed by a descaling system (15), which is followed by the rolling mill (3), which is followed by a cutting station (16), a cooling station (17), and coilers (18), wherein the continuous casting machine, the shearing station, the roller hearth furnace, the rolling mill and the coilers are successively arranged, wherein a casting rate for a roll change is reduced so as to maintain a sufficient buffer time for a roll change between an end of the rolling of a preceding multiple length and insertion of a new length, wherein swiveling roller conveyors are installed at the inlet and outlet of the roller hearth furnace.