763,148. Moulding-machines; foundryplant. TACCONE, R. W. June 24, 1954, No. 18583/54. Class 83 (1). [Also in Group XXX] Sand-moulding apparatus comprises conveying means for feeding empty flasks to a flask-positioning and stripping device and means for depositing them from said device in succession on to a pattern-plate resting on a support; means for moving the flasks away from said positioning and stripping device to sand-compacting means; means for delivering sand to empty flasks on the pattern-plate; sand-compacting means, and means for moving said support with pattern-plate, flask and mould away from the sand-compacting means on to the positioning and stripping device for stripping the flask and mould from the pattern. Flasks 2, 2a, 2b Fig. 1, are supported on an inclined roller-conveyer having a tiltable section 5 with guide-rollers at the sides for locating the flasks. The end of the section 5 is raised to bring the flask 2 into the horizontal position and above a fixed stop 12, by a piston 25a, a piston 26a simultaneously raising a stop 27 to prevent flasks 2a, 2b moving. A piston 11a then actuates a pusher 9 to move the flask 2 from the conveyer to a flask-positioning and stripping device 50, Figs. 17 and 18, which straddles the traverse-carriage 8 on which the pattern-plate 7 and pattern 7a are mounted. The device 50 comprises flask-supporting rollers 73, mounted on bars 72 connected by pushrods 70 to shoes 69. Each shoe receives a cam-roller 67 supported on a rocker 63, the rockers being connected by tie-rods 61 and in pairs by shafts 64. Cylinders 29 are pivoted to the base of the machine and the outer ends of the piston rods are pivoted to the tie-rods 61. In the position shown in Fig. 18, the flask is held above the car 8, and by actuation of the cylinders 29 the device 50 may be lowered so that the flask rests on the pattern-plate 7 on the car 8. The car and flask are then moved by a piston 32a to beneath the shoot 17, Figs. 29, 30, to which sand is supplied from a metering box 16 supplied from a hopper 15, the box being supported on rails 91 and moved by a pistonrod 18a, an extension 92 cutting off the supply of sand from the hopper when the box is over the shoot. The car is then moved by a piston 21 to a position beneath the press-head 20, Figs. 30, 31, 32, the edge 17a sweeping off surplus sand on to a conveyer 134. The head comprises a cavity 120 to, or from which, air may be admitted or exhausted through pipes 121. A flexible diaphragm 122, which lies in folds to prevent strain, compacts the sand when pressure-air is supplied to the head via a valve 137, which is also connected to an exhaustfan 143 for the extraction of air from the head cavity. The traverse-car is spring-mounted on its wheels 112 so that the lower edges of its frame-members 116 are spaced from the base 119 of the machine. when the car is being moved from one position to another, but when pressure is exerted by the diaphragm to compact the sand, the springs 118, Fig. 31, yield to allow the members 116 to rest on the base 119 to provide a firm support and relieve the load on the wheel journals. After the sand is compacted, the diaphragm is drawn up into the head-cavity and the car is then retracted by the piston 21 to the position adjacent the flask-positioning and stripping device 50. The device is raised by the pistons 29a to strip the mould and flask from the pattern-plate 7. The mould and flask are then moved away to allow a new flask to be moved on to the stripping device from the conveyer section 5. The car is cushioned at the ends of its movement between the device 50 and the press-head by hydrauliccylinders. The actuation of the parts of the apparatus is controlled by hand-operated valves and there are several safety-devices. Pressureair is supplied to the operating cylinders 11, 18, 23, 25, 26, 29, 32 and valve 137, Fig. 36, through a valve 41 which. is solenoid-actuated and remains closed unless the exhaust-fan 143 is switched on. An electric switch 174, Fig. 33, is positioned in the press-head cavity and is closed by the diaphragm 122 when it is drawn up into the head. Only when the switch 174 is closed will solenoid-operated valves 180, controlling the flow of air to cylinder 23, open. Further, while the switch 174 is open, a bleedoff valve 184 remains open so that the pressure in the system is not sufficient to actuate the parts above referred to. Further, the diaphragm cannot be expanded until the car is properly positioned beneath the press-head, to thereby engage a spririg-pressed plunger 150a to open a valve 150 which allows pressure-air to reach the diaphragm control-valve 137. Also, the pistons 29a cannot be operated unless the car is in proper position adjacent the positioning and stripping-device 50, the car in this position engaging a plunger 186a to open a valve 186 to allow air to reach the pistons 29a. Specifications 750,979, 750,980 are referred to.