Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
B kground and Summary of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to
machinery for the automatic making of moulds for the
casting of metals or the like. The structures as disclosed
in this application provide both an improvement over the
art as shown in Hunter Patent ~o. 3,406,738 for Automatic
Matchplate Moulding Machine, and in addition thereto
apparatus adapted both to cope and drag moulding and
stack moulding both with ~hd without core setting.
In all embodiments of the invention mould
portions are formed in mould frames mounted on a turret
which goes through angular displacements to place the
mould portions one atop another to form a finished slip
mould ready for the pouring operation, the poured moulds - :
being removed from the machine after a suitable cooling
interval.
In one embodiment of the invention the mould
portions are formed on their upper and lower surfaces
with half cavities, so that when the mould portions are
stacked one atop another two mould portions define a `
complete cavity. In the forming of such slip moulds the
turret moves a mould frame to a loa~ing position where it
is filled and squeezed to form a mould portion, subse-
quently moved with its frame to a second position where
; cores may be set in the upper half cavity, then moving
, ,
; the cored mould portion to a final position where the
` mould portion is delivered for the su~sequent placement
thereon of a like mould portion. Ultimately a stack of
such finished moulds complete with cores is then ready
. 30 for pouring. Moulds may be poured singly, or in multiples
by the use of stop-off cores and interconnecting sprues.
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By adapting the invention structure the step
of core setting is dispensed with, and the turret for
the mould frame cooperates with a pair of sand loading
devices, each forming a mould portion thereat, the turret
oscillating back and forth to deposit mould portions
one atop another at delivery positions each disposed
between the two sand loading devices.
The invention strueture may also be modified
so that a cope mould is formed at one sand filling and
eompaetion station with a half pattern, forming a eavity
in the lower surface of the cope m~uld, and a drag mould
at the other sand filling and compacting station with a
mating half pattern forming a cavity in the upper surface
of the drag mould. The turret oscillates to deposit a
cope mould on a drag mould at delivery positions, each
disposed between the sand filling and compacting stations.
Where the machine is adapted for use in stacX
moulding without core setting or for use in eope and
drag moulding, the production rate can be antieipated
~o be twice that with staek moulding and eore setting.
Moreover, the apparatus lends itself to a
multiplieity of sand filling and eompacting stations
~or situations where eore setting may be employed or not
employed, or for eope and drag mou~ding both with and
without eores.
The invention also eomprehends the formation
of unique moulds whieh are disposed one atop another,
two moulds defining a pouring channel connected to a
runner and mould cavity. Sueh runners may be eonneeted
by vertieal sprues and when employed with stop off eores,
one pouring ehannel only may be employed for pouring a
number of eastings at one time from a single pouring
ehannel.
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According to a broad aspect of the present inven-
tion, there is provided a foundry machine for forming moulds
comprising a turret having means for supporting at least one
moulding frame. Means is provided for placing a quantity of
mould forming material into a mould frame and forming at
least one mould cavity in the material~ Cavity forming means
cooperates with the frame and the mould forming material
therein to define a mould portion having at least one cavi-ty
therein. Means is provided for rotating the turret through
a predetermined angle with the moulding frame and the mould
portion supported thereby. Means is provided for expressing
the mould portion from the moulding frame. Means is also
provided for receiving the mould portion in position to re-
ceive another mould portion superimposed thereon~
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The Drawinqs:
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a foundry
machine embodyi7ng the improvements according to the
present invention,
Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view thereof;
Fig. 3 is a detailed elevation view, parts
being shown in section, of that portion of the machine
where moulding sand is supplied to a mould frame and a
mould portion is formed;
FigO 4 is a fragmentary elevation view of that
portion of the machine where finished moulds are delivered;
Fig. 5 is a detailed plan view of structure
for holding stacked moulds in position for pouring,
cooling and delivery, said Figure looking in the direction
of the arrows 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 4,
FigO 6 is a schematic plan view of a turret
for supporting the mould frames, and for causing the
mould frames to move through rotary displacements;
Fig. 7 is a schematic plan view of a Geneva-like
structure for giving rotar~ movement to the mould frames
seen in Figs. 2 and 6;
Fig. 8 is a sectional view through a stack of
completed moulds adapted to be held in position in the
structure seen in Fig. 5, showing the lower moulds of
the stack being poured;
Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a mould portion
fashioned by the invention structure and forming part of
the stack seen in Fig~ 8,
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the steps taking
place in the machine of Figs. 1 to 9;
`.~
Fig~ 11 is a diagram showing the steps taXing
place in the machine as adapted for use without core
setting,
Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the steps taking
place in the machine as ad,a,pted for use in co~e and drag
moulding;
Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing
how the mould portions may be provided with vertical
sprues and stop-off cores to enable a plurality of gatings
of castings to be poured from a single point, in this
case two gatings being poured at one time;
Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing
the manner in which three gatings are poured at one time;
; Fig. 14A is an enlarged scale detail view of
Fig. 14 showing details of a particular form of stop-off
core for preventing flow of founding material into a
sprue basin disposed below the point of pouring; and
Fig. 15 is a view similar to Figs. 8, 9, 13
and 14 showing further details of the mould portions. -
Specification:
The foundry machine according to the present
invention is referred to by the reference numeral 20
and comprises vertical frame members 21 which are spanned
by horizontal frame members 22, 23 and 2~. A moulding
sand supply device referred to generally by reference
- numeral 26 is arranged to supply moulding sand to a
mould frame 27 having spaced walls 30 mounted on a turret
28 which rotates through a predetermined angle in step-by-
step fas'hion.
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The turret 28nlsupports four equiangularly
spaced mould frames 27, and has a center post 29 with
paired arms 31 extending substantially radially therefrom.
The ends of each pair of arms 31 have vertically extending
guide rails 32 for vertical movement of the mould frames
27 with respect to the center post 29. Each of the mould
frames 27 is provided with rollers 33 embracing the guide
rails 32 for such movement. Each mould frame 27 has a
vertical leg 34 extending downward from the back thereof
with a foot 36 extending therefrom guided along a lower
vertical rail 37 secured to centerpost 29. A stop
member 38 secured to leg 34 has a bumper 39 along the
lower side thereof arranged to contact the upper end of
vertical rail 37 to limi-t downward movement of a mould
~rame 27.
Mould frame 27 is arranged to be filled with
moulding sand from the supply 26, the open bottom of
frame 27 being closed by a platen 41 having a lower half
pattern L~P thereon. Pattern LHP is continuous with a
runner pattern RP and a sprue pattern SP. The platen
41 is raised by a cylinder 42 to close the bottom of
mould frame 27 and continuing upwards taking with it the
mould frame 27.
Continuing movement upward of platen 41 with
mould frame 27 takes place until frame 27 encounters an
upper fixed platen 43 having an upper half pattern UPH
affixed to the underside thereof.
A chamber 25 is thus formed within mould frame
27, upper platen 43 and lower platen 41 for the reception
of a measured quantity of moulding material from the
sand supply device 26. Continued extension of the
cylinder 42 squeezes the moulding sand within chamber
25 to define a slip mould portion 44 having an upper
half cavity 46 and a lower half cavity 47 as seen in
Fig. 8. When the mould portions 44 are stacked as seen
in Fig. 8, the upper and lower cavities are in register
and are connected by runners R to a sprue basin SB to
form a casting gating C when poured. The term "gating"
herein means a complete casting formed by sprues,
runners, gates and casting cavities.
The platen 41 retracts after the squeeze of
the sand within ~he mould frame 27 and the compacted
sand mould portion 44 within mould frame 27 is heLd
frictionally to the interior walls thereof. Frame 27
moves downward along its guide rails 32 and 37 during
such retraction. The frame 27 is thus withdrawn from
the upper platen 43 and the downward motion of frame 27
is stopped when bumper 39 contacts rail 37. Further
downward motion of platen 41 and lower half pattern LHP
draws pattern LHP from mould portion 44 and frame 27
leaving both in position for rotation as will be described.
There~ter the turret moves through a 90
angle with the mould frame 27 to a position where one
or more cores (not shown) may be placed in position on
the mould portion 44.
Structure is provided for moving turret 28
through a succession of angular displacements whereby
succeeding mould portions 44 may be formed in a succeed-
ing mould frame 27 at the sand supply apparatus 26. To
this end the turret has a circular Geneva-type turret
~,
plate 52 at the upper end thereof fast to the shaft
26 of turret 28. The lower end of center post 29 is
mounted in a bearing 51 supported on the lower frame
22. The Geneve-type turret plate 52 is provided with
sets of spaced lands 53 and 54, see also Fiy. 7, each
pair of lands 53 and 54 being arranged in 90 spaced
apart relationship to a like pair on the top of the
plate 52.
Structure is provided for turning the plate
through successive 90 angular di.splacements, and each
pair of spaced lands 53 and 54 cooperate with a Geneva
arm 56 having a roller 58 at the end thereof engaged
between the spaced lands 53 and 54. The arms are part
of a spider 5g mounted fast to a shaft 61 driven by an
intermittently operated gear drive motor 62.
As shown particularly in Fig. 7 for each 120
displacement of arm 56 the Geneva table 52 moves through
a 90 displacement~ The table 52 is locked in position
by means of a detent arm 63 having a roller 64 at the
end thereof engageable with a notch 66 in the periphery
of the table 52. The arm 63 and its roller 64 are
biased against the periphery of the table 52 by a spring
67.
As seen in Fig. 2, after the formation of the
mould portion 44 within the mould frame 27 it is moved
through successive angular displacements w~ere core
setting may be accomplished, and then to a structure 71
where the mould portions 44 are expressed from the mould
frame 27. Such structure includes a movable platen 72
having an area and configuration like the upper surface
of the mould portion 44, platen 72 being moved in vertical
directions by a cylinder 73 secured to the upper frame 24.
The structure 71 for expressing the mould
portion 44 includes a U-shaped frame 74 corresponding
in plan to the plan of the mould frame 27 and the mould
portion 44 formed therein. Frame 74 has spaced walls
76 extending from a vertical backwall 77. Each of the
walls 76 extends downward for a distance to confine a
stac~ of mould portions 44 therebetween frictionally as
seen in Figs. 1 and 4 particularly, and the walls 76
and the back wall 77 are lined with vertical pressure
members 78 which exert pressure against the sides of
the mould portion 44, such pressure being maintained by
air cylinders 79 supplied by a common line ~1 and
creating sufficient friction to hold the mould portions
44 in position except when downward pressure is exerted
by platen 72.
The sequence of operations described thus far
is shown in the diagram of Fig. 10 which shows mould
frame filling and mould portion forming ta~ing place, ~-
and subsequent core setting at subsequent positions of
mould frame 27 and mould portion 44, and final pouring
and ejection of the poured moulds. At the conclusion
of such pouring and after cooling of the castings has
been accomplished further movement of the platen 72 in
its expressing operation will move completed and cooled
moulds to a conveyor 82 seen in Fig. 1.
Referring now to Fig. 11, there is shown an
adapted form of the invention where the machine can
achieve a double rate of production when core setting
is not performed on the mould portion. In this arrange-
ment there are two sand fi31ing devices spaced 180
apart, turret 28 moving through 90 of displacement to
mould pouring and ejection structures placed between
the sand supply devices.
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In this embodiment of the invention the
turret 28 may instead be oscillated through 90 for
such purpose, if desired.
Referring now to Fig. 12 there is shown still
another adaptation of the invention structure described
wherein the turret oscillates back and forth through
90 of angular displacement. At one of the mould
filling stations described a cope mould can be made
and at the other a drag mould. Turret 28 then rotates
in a direction to place a drag mould portion within
the ejection and pouring st~ucture 71, and thereafter
a cope mould is rotated by the turret through an oppo-
site 90 angular displacement to place the cope mould
portion upon the drag mould portion already transferred
to structure 71~
The other ejecting structure 71 also receives
cope and drag mould portions in like manner to those
supplied to the first described ejecting structure 71.
It may be noted that the sand supply structure
is shown in very general terms only, and structures for
supplying sand to the mould frame can be of any commer-
cially available kind.
It should be understood that the functions
described are under control of electrical and fluid
circuitry, not disclosed, and such circuitry forms no
part of the present invention.
Reference is now made to Figs. 8, 9, 13, 14,
14A and 15 wherein there is shown the mould portions
44 arranged in a stack thereof as seen in Fig. 4. As
seen in Figs. 8 and 9, each mould portion 44 has an upper
cavity 46 and a lower cavity 47, these being in register
to form a casting C or a gating of castings therein when
poured.
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Each mould portion 44 has an extension 91
each defining with a subjacent portion 44 a pouring
channel PC and a sprue basin SB. The lower side of
extension 91 of a superjacent portion 44 and the upper
side o~ extension 91 of a subjacent portion 44 define
a converging channel leadiny to a runner R in turn
connected to mould cavities 47 and 46.
As seen in Fig~ 15 particularly, the underside
92 of extension 91 of a superjacent portion 44 is
flanked by spaced sides 93, while the upper side 94
of subjacent portion 44 is flanked by spaced sides 96
which register with spaced sides 93 of superjacent
extension 91, the aforesaid sides defining the sprue
basin SB connected to runner R.
The mould portions 44 may be arranged in such
a fashion that pouring may be carried on at a pair of
extensions 91, the founding material coursing into a
number of cavities to provide a number of gatings C at
one pouring. As seen in Figs. 13 and 14, the runners
R are connected by vertical sprues VS. Such sprue VS
above the poured point are block~d by a stop-off core
SOC seen in Fig. 13 at the intersection of the lower
pouring channel PC, and the sprue VS between pouring
channel PC and runner R above tha ~ouring point being
blocked by a like stop-off core SOC.
As seen in Figs. 14 and 14A, the arrangement
is such as to pour three gatings C from one pouring
point. In Fig. 14A there is shown a special form ~f
stop-off core SOC for blocking a pouring channel PC
below the channel where pouring takes place and above
the lowermost cavities C of a stack belng poured.
This application is a division of Canadian Patent
Application Sarial No. 289,650 filed October 27, 1977.
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