Semi-continuous casting plant

A semicontinuous casting plant has a mixer furnace connected to a pressurised metal receiving vessel on which a cooled mould is mounted, a starter bar being fitted in the upper part of the mould and connected to a strand withdrawal mechanism. The mould cooling system is provided with a device for displacement of cooling liquid from the mould by means of pressurised gas. The starter bar has a central head in which a heating element and a control valve, for inert gas feed into the cast strand, are fitted. The strand withdrawal mechanism has two withdrawal devices which are alternately coupled to the starter bar, one device withdrawing the strand to the required strand length and the other device withdrawing this strand length out of the mould. Solid or hollow cast strands of high surface quality and structure are produced.