US1663896A - Centrifuge and mold holder therefor - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1928.

H. BARKSCHAT CENTRIFUGE AND MOLD HOLDER THEREFOR Filed March 29. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fzwezziw" .ife/zrz jar/behalf March 27, 1928.

Filed March 29. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 27, 1928.

H. BARKSCHAT" CENTRIFUGE AND MOLD HOLDER THEREFOR Filed March 29. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 15 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED sures 1,663,896: PATENTMOFFICE.

HENRY BARKSCHAT, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'l0 MARBELITE COB- PORATION OF AMERICA, 0]? L05 ANGELES,'CALIFORNIA,' A CORPORATION OF DELAVIARE.

GENTRIFUGE m) mom) HOLDERYTHEREFOB.

' Application filed. Mina 29, 1926. Serial No. 98,176.

This invention has to do generally with machines for molding plastic material by thecentrifugal method and has as its principal object to provide holders adapted to be used in connection with such machines whereby articlesof unusual con-figuration or dimen sions may be cast.

I will describe the invention in connection y with centrifuges for casing elongated" articles such as ornamental lamp posts and parts thereof, but this description is merely chosen in order that a clear conception of the invention may be had and is not considered-aslimitative. In centrifugating ornamental lamp posts two spaced, and substantially ially alined centrifuges are ordinarily employed, one being arranged togrip the elon gated mold at each end. Due to their spac ing, they are not adaptedto take molds of the size usually employed for casting post capitals and the like. The centrifugeshave another limitationinasmuch as their chuck holding drums, through which the post molds extend, are of such diameter thatthey cannot take molds which have any degreeof lateral spread, for instance, molds for casting capitals which have wide spreading cross arms.

I have provided means whereby centrifuges which are spaced to take usual post molds maybe adapted also to take molds which are of lesser longitudinal extent than the spacing between centrifuge units or having such lateral spread that theycan-not be taken within the centrifuge drums. Thus I am enabledto use ordinary equipment for casting these articles of unusual configuration, with obvious economic saving. p

Furthermore, the adapter becomes, in effect, the same as an ordinaryfelongated post mold, and consequently certain advan tages gained in a particular mounting ofthe elongated post molds in the centrifuges, may also be had in connection with articles I I lar heads 12 and 13 which are connected by bars 14, these'bars preferably being substan- 100 held by the adapter.

Further objects and novel features of the invention will be made apparent in-the fol? lowing detailed description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in

which: i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a centri fuge made up of two units equipped with my adapter or holder; i.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig.1,

Fig. Sis a diagrammatic end view of Fig.

1 illustrating'certain chuck characteristics; Fig. 4'is a detached, plan view of the adapter or holder, showing a mold-element cl am-pedtherein;

Fig-'5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 6is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 4; Fig. Sis a sectionon line 8-8 of Fig. 4; and

showing a plurality of mold elements clamped therein. I e

I willfirst describe the preferred construc tion of the holderor adapter, as illustrated in Figs. 4' to 8, inclusive. The adapter-may be characterized as a cylindrical holder or cage Which is adapted to be parted longitudinally order that the mold element may be introduced to and withdrawn from the interior of the holder. Considered in. its

holder H is shown as being'made up of two substantially symmetrical parts 10' and 11, and it is desirable that all elements of the holder be arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal axis ofthe holder, when assembled," in order that it may be as nearly as possible in balance; Since sections 10 and 11 may be identical, but one need be described in detail. There are two spaced semi-circuof a mold for a cross arm capital for ornamental light posts) to project therebetween. While-the head and bars may be made of any suitable material and formed in any suitable F ig. 9 is a plan. view of the adapter but 65 The skeleton construction 30 above, the holder is adapted 5 manner, I find that by making the heads and bars of wood, the sharper vibrations from the centrifuge which hold them are damped or absorbed before they reach the molded element held therein, and consequently the mold element, ordinarily made of cast metal, is not so readily crystallized or fatigued.

'lVhere wood is employed in making up the bars, metal reinforcing strips or plates 15 preferably are bolted at 16 along the outer edges of the bars, andthe ends of the bars are secured to the heads by bolts or lags l7. Cemented, nailed or otherwise suitably secured to heads 12 are strips 18 of belting or fabric, such materials offering good gripping surfaces for taking the chucks of the centrlfuges to be described, and also contributing to the resiliency of the connectionbetw'een the centrifuges and the mold elementwhereby vibrations are taken up or dampened before they reach the mold element.

Secured to the inner faces of bars 14- are pads 20 of belting, fabric or the like, which are adapted to engage element M, centering and clamping it within the holder when the two holder parts are clamped together. The

mold is thus disposed with its longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the; axis of rotation of the holder. Due to the resilient nature of these pads, they also aid in dampening vibrations before they reach the mold element, and since they are yieldable in nature, do not tend to mutilate or injure the mold even though clamped with considerable tightness thereabout.

Spaced from heads 12 and 13 are substantially semi-circular bands 21 which are secured to the outer faces of bar 14 as at 22. Preferably, diagonal braces 23 extend from bands 21 to adjacent head sections.

With the holder parts separated, mold element M is lowered into position on pads 20,

and then the other holder part is lowered onto the mold element, the heads and'bands of the two parts being in complementary relation and the bars pressing inwardly upon the mold element with sufficient force to hold it against displacement after clamps 24 have been applied to bands 21. These clamps comprise two substantially arcuate sections 26 and 27 hingedly connected by strips 28 and having terminal flanges 29 throughwhich a clamping bolt 30 extends. When bolt 30 is removed, the clamp parts may be swung apart as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 to clearthe upper holder-part so it centered within the holder, and in Fig. 9

I have shown how a plurality of relatively small mold elements M may be held in centered relation within a single holder 10 With certain types of capital molds, there may be three or even more of such molds supported by a single holder. 7

While the exact nature of the centrifuges used in connection with the holder is unimportant to the invention considered in its broader aspects, I have shown a type of centrifuge which is especially well adapted for use with the holder." The machine is made a up of twosubstantially identical and axially alined units 31 and 32, having cylindrical mold carriers or open ended drums 33 and 34, carrying chuck jaws 35 and 36, respec t-ively. These jaws-may be arranged in any suitable manner (not shown since many standard jaw actuating means are well known to those skilled in the art) which are adapted to take the ends of usual lamp post molds. Now the longitudinal spacing of units 31 and 32 is such that mold elements M or M cannot be takenby both chucks 35 and 36, nor is the inside diameter of either drum 33 or 34 sufficiently large to take the cross arm portions l\ of mold elements M. 7

However, holder H is of such length that heads 12 and 13 may be taken; by chucks 35 and 36, respectively, so the holder and hence the mold elements may be rotated in the same manner as the lamp post molds (not shown) which themachine is adapted nor mally to rotate.

Jaws 35. and 36 are movable by any usual mechanism (not shown) toa'llow easy insertion and withdrawal of heads 12. v

'Each drum is supported by rollers 37 which are journaled in frames 38 and en gage roll-ways 39 in the usual manner. In order that frames 38' need not be built excessively heavy to withstand the vibrations setup by the drums during rotation, thereof, i t

is preferable that roller shafts 3'7 be yield ably mounted in the frames.

forth in United StatesLettersPatent No. 1,391,164, issued to me Sept. 20, 1921; shaft boxes 40 being slidably mounted for movement in radial paths towards andfaway from the drum axes and being urged toward said axesby adjustable springs 41.

Belts 42 are run over crowned portions 43 of drums 33 and 34, and are driven from power shaft 44 by pulleys 45. While the drawings indicate that both drums are posi-' tively driven, it is usually desirable to apply power to one, only, the other merely being guided in its movement by the associated set of rollers 37; I I

Now it is usual to arrange units 31 and 32 so the drum axes are approximately alined For instance, they-may be mounted .inthe manner" set and to hold the, mold concentrically in both 1 drums so rotation of the alined drums causes simple rotation of the mold. However, ina Patent No. 1,544,879 issued to me on Julydisengagement of the excess water in the plastic mass, to hasten the compacting of the aggregate deposited on the mold walls, and to prevent classification of the concrete constituents. Since the holder of the present invention becomes, in effect, similar to the molds used in connection with the machine described in the last mentioned patent, it follows that with a machine otherwise similarly arranged to the centrifuges therein described, the holder, and hence the mold elements held thereby, are given the same char acter of movement as the post molds and the same advantages are gained.

The desired gyratory movement of the adapter may be gained in any one of several manners. For instances, the centrifuge may be altered so that either or both ends of the holder or adapter are eccentrically mounted in the drums. This may be done in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3. Chuck jaws 35 in drum 34 are adapted to hold head 13 concentrically within said drum, while jaws 36 are offset with respect to the axis of rotation of drum 83 and therefore hold head 12 at the left-hand end of the holder (as viewed in Fig. 1) eccentrically within said drum 33. Drum rotation consequently gyrates the ends of the holder with respect to one another, (the chuck jaws being arranged to grasp the holder collars in a manner to allow this relative movement of the mold ends) and hence gyrates the ends of mold element M with respect to one another, with the advantageous eifects mentioned above.

It will be understood the drawings and description are to be considered merely as illustrative of and not restrictive on the broader claims appended hereto, for various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of said claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described,

a pair of spaced and substantially axially alined centrifuge units, each having centrally arranged work-taking chucks, and an elongated mold holder adapted to extend longitudinally between the'units and to be spacing between units, and releasable means.

adapted to hold the sections against'relative movement and to clamp the mold element between the sections; v

2'."In a device of the character described, a pair of spaced and substantially axially alined centrifuge units, each havingc'entra'llyarranged work-taking chucks, and an elongated mold holder adapted to extend longitudinally between the units and to be taken nearits opposite ends and to be rotated by said chucks, said holder embodying a substantially cylindrical, skeleton frame made up of a plurality of relatii' ely movable sec} tions adapted to take between them a mold element of lesser longitudinal extent than the spacing between units, and releasable means adapted to hold the sections against relative movement and to clamp the mold element between the sections.

3. In a device of the character described, a pair of spaced and substantially axially alined centrifuge units, each having centrally arranged work-taking chucks, and an elongated mold holder adapted to extend longitudinally between the units and to be taken near its opposite ends and to be rotated by said chucks, said holder being adapted to support between said units a mold element of lesser longitudinal extent than the spacing between units; there being holder elements of relatively resilient material between the points of chuck engagement and points of mold element support.

4. In a mold holder for centrifuges, a frame embodying spaced and axially alined cylindrical heads, each made up of a plurality of separable parts, a plurality of frame bars extending between and. connecting the corresponding sections of the two heads, said bars extending in substantial parallelism with the common head axis and being radially spaced from said axis, the heads being adapted to be parted for the introduction of a mold'element between said bars, and releasable means adapted to engage the bars to hold said head parts against separative movement and to clamp the mold ment substantially in'axial coincidence therewith, and means at two longitudinally spaced points along the holder adapted to rotatably support said holder in a manner to gyrate said points with respect to one another and thereby to gyrate one end of the mold element with respect to the other end.

6. Ina device of the character described, a pair of spaced and substantially axially alined centrifuge units, each having centrally arranged work-taking chucks, and an elongated mold holder adapted to extend longitudinally between the units and to be taken near its opposite ends and to be rotated v by said chucks, said holder embodying-a substantially cylindrical, skeleton frame made up of a plurality of relatively movable sec-, tions adapted to takebetween them a mold element, and releasable means adapted to hold the sections against relative movement and to clamp the mold element between the sections.

v7. In a device of the character described, a pair of spaced and substantially axially alined centrifuge units, each having centrally arranged work-taking chucks, and an elongated mold holder adapted'to extend there being holder elements of relatively resilient-,material between the points of chuck en a 'em'ent and )oints of mold ele ment support. 7

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of March, 1926.

HENRY BARKSGHAT.

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