US1728483A - Pig-releasing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1929. 'rz GlBBON I I I 1,728,483

P IG RELEASING MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l //V VE/V 70/? ATTflF/VEYS Sept. 17, 1929. J. B. FITZ GIBB ON' PIG RELEASING MECHANISM Filed May 19,1925 :5 sways-Sheet 2 S p 1929- J. B. FITZ GIBBON PIG RELEASING MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A T TO /vim Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STA TIES 1 JOHN B. FITZ-GIBBON, OF BRIDGEBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA PIG-RELEASING MECHANISM Application fiIedMay 19,

This invention relates to pig casting machines, and particularlyto means for loosening the pigs from the molds thereof. I

An objectof this invention is to provide an improved and simple device for loosening the from the molds.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved sticker for pig casting machines, which will operate automatically; which will effectively loosen the pigs from the molds, which maybe used with casting machines in which. the molds travel continuously or intermittently; which may be attached to existing types of casting machines, and which will be relatively durable,strong, compact, simple and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodin'ient of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a casting machine having applied thereto a sticker device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 a transverse, sectional elevation thrrmgh the machine, approximately along the line 22 01 Fig. 1 and illustrating the sticker device in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a similar but partial sectional elevation, but with the sticker device also in sectional elevation.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. l. i

5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation illustrating the action of the chisel in prying a pig iiromits mold, and illustrating an interthe invention is shown as applied is one of I the endless conveyor type having a series of molds 1 extending between and connecting opposite sections of two endless chains 2' and 8, which are guided over sprocket wheels 4 at one end of the conveyor. The sprocket wheels 1828. Serial N0. 279,009.

4; may be'suitably mounted for rotation ina frame 5. The molds l are arrangedside by side, with portions usually overlappingone another as shown at thebroken section at the left in Fig. 1, so that as the upperstret'ch of the conveyor travels pastan iron runner or trough discharging molten metal, the metal may be allowed to flow continuously upon the conveyor, and as the conveyor travels, the molds will receive charges of the molten metal varying in amount with the rate, of flow and rate of travel of the conveyor. The details of, the casting machine, however, per se form no part of the present invention. I

Before the molds with their charges of molten metal reach the end of the conveyor and pass over the sprocket wheels 42, the charges of metal are usually subjected to a cooling'action such as'to a spray, so as to cause them to eongeal and enable them to be discharged as solid bodies While the molds pass around the sprocket wheels. Difliculty has been experienced,because of tendency of the metal chargesor pigs to adhere to the walls of the molds, especially afterthe molds have been used for some time, and therefore some provision should be made for loosening the cast pigs or charges of Inetalfrom the molds before they pass over the sprocket wheels to insure their discharge at that time.

The frame 5 isprovided at opposite sides, and at a point shortly before the upper stretch of the conveyor reaches the sprocket wheels 4,

with upright standards 6 which extend upwardly and terminate in bearing tongues 7 A beam 8 extends across and above the molds in the upper stretch of the conveyor and at its end is t-iltably mounted on said tongues 7 by pivot pins 9 that are alined with one another and extend transversely of the path of travel of the molds in the upper stretch of the conveyor.

The lower sightly above ashoulder 10 on each standard 6, so that the beam rocks upon the pins 9, opposite side edges oft-hebeam willengage with the shoulder10 and limit the extent to which the beam will rock.

face of the beam is disposed which mounts a tubular guide 12 for rocking or tilting movement in a direction transverse to the direction of tilting of the beam. That is, the axis of the pivot 11 will be transverse to the axis of the pivots 9. A stop device 13 is mounted on the beam in a position for engagement by the guide 12, so as to limit the tilting of the guide to a position in which it has considerable inclination, but permitting rocking or tilting of the guide upon the pin 11 into positions making lesser inclinations to the horizontal.

A link 1% is pivotally connected at 15 to the guide 12, and extends through an aperture 16 in a distant point of the stop 13, the aperture 16 being considerably larger than the portion of the rod 1% passing therethrough so as to permit of some lateral or tilting movement of the link 1% in the aperture. The

end of the link 14 which extends through the aperture 16 carries a nut or other adjustable abutment 17, and a washer 18. A compression spring 19 is also disposed on the link 1d between the washer 1S and the aperture 16.

The face of the stop 13 against which the spring abuts may have a concave seat 20, and a washer 21 is disposed on the link 14 between the spring 19 and this concave seat 20. This washer 21 may have a convex face fitting the concave seat 20 so as to permit tilting of the link 14 with a minimum of friction. The spring 19 tends to hold the guide 12 yieldingly against the stop 13, in which position the iongitudinal axis of the passage of the guide 12 will have its maximum inclination, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

A weight 22 is mounted in the passage of the guide 12, so as to reciprocate in an endwise direction therein, and this weight at its lower end carries a chisel or sticker 23 which is adapted to enter a mold beneath the guide when the weight falls in the guide, as shown in Fig. 3. The weight is so positioned that with a mold beneath it, the sticker or chisel 23 in falling will enter the mold adjacent one edge thereof and engage beneath or along an edge of the charge of metal or cast pig 2% carried by the mold. The metal of the pig in cooling forms a curved edge or meniscus as shown in F 3, and this curved edge tacili tates the entrance of the sharpedge of the chisel between the pig and the adjacent inclined side wall of the mold. The movement of the chisel along and in contact with the mold and pig tends to keep itsharpened.

A flexible cable 25 is connected to the upper end of the weight and extends vertically therefrom and passes over a sheave or pulley 26, and then descends with its lower end connected to one end of a lever 27 of the first order. This lever 27 is rockably or pivotally mounted at 28 upon a suitable part of the frame 5, and its other arm carries a roller cam 29 which is adapted to engage with and be operated by the successive teeth ct one of the sprocket wheels 41, as shown clearly in Fig. 4t. As the sprocket wheels rotate during the travel of a conveyor, the successive teeth of one wheel thereof will engage the cam roller 29 and shift the lever from the position shown in dash lines in Fig. 1, through the position shown in full lines in Fig. e, and then will suddenly release the cam roller and tree the lever 27. During this movement 01 the lever 27 however, the cable 25 is operated to elevate the weight 22, and then when the lever is released, the cable will be released, and thus the weight 22 will be released.

When the weight is released, it falls and projects its chisel into the mold immediately between its wall and its pig, and the impact of the chisel between the pig and adjacent edge of the mold usually loosens or wedges the pig free from its mold. The inertia of the weight however tends to cause it to continue to move after its stoppage by the striking of the chisel between the pig and mold wall, and because of the fact that the weight and guide are in an inclined position the weight will then rotate the guide 12 about the pivot pin 11 and against the action of the spring 19.

This rocking of the guide and weight tilts the chisel 23 which is engaged beneath an edge of the pig in the mold, and this tilting or rocking of the chisel acts somewhat in the nature of a crow bar and pries the pig loose from its mold, successive steps of this prying operation being shown in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively. This edectively loosens the pigs from their molds, and the pigs will continue to travel with the molds toward the sprocket wheels During this continued travel, the chisel will tend to drag over the mold it last entered and the beam will tiltor rock to a limited extent upon its pivots 9 so as to permit of this dragging without danger of breaking oil the chisel or of the breaking of other parts 01 the machine. As the next mold begins to move beneath the weight, however, a sprocket wheel 4 will operate the lever 27 in a direction to elevat-e the weight, and when the cable 25 is made taut and operated to elevate the weight, the

direct upward pull on the end of the cable connected to the weight, will right the guide 12 into a position in which its axis is in an approximately vertical plane, and in a posi tion to direct the weight into the mold which is just then moving into position beneath it.

The weight, guide and beam are therefore all righted automatically by the mere elevation of the weight, and will beheld in that position until the weight is released at a time when the mold is in proper position beneath it.

Upon release of the weight, it again wedges or pries a pig from its mold in the manner just described. This operation is continued for each successive mold which moves beneath the sticker, or chisel, and the operating parts therefor.

It is also desirable to have a stop limiting the, downward movement or the weight 22beyond an extent necessary to loosen the pig from the mold. Then the chisel cannotdescend far enough'to becaughtin the molds and broken, owing to the limited extent to which the beam may tilt. The limitedtilting of the beam 8 is provided in order toprevent tilting of the beam and parts carriedthereby into a position where the elevation of weight 22 might be diflicult. 'As a convenient stop for this purpose the weight 22 may have a lug slidi'ng in a slot 31 provided in a side wall of the tubular guide 12 at its upper end, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

The operation of the improvedsticker device would appear to be obvious from the foregoing description, but will be briefly mentioned. As the molds with their charges of metals or pigs move beneath the beam 8, the sprocket wheel 4 will operate the lever 27 to cause an elevation of the weight 22, and then its sud-den release. The weight in falling will project its chisel int-o Wedging engagement between the mold and pig, and the subsequent tilting of the weight will pry the pig loose from its mold. This operation is automatic and may be utilized with a casting machine in which the molds travel either continuously or intermittently. This improved sticker has been found to be particularly elfective, and is very simpleand easily appliedto existing casting machines without material modifications thereof.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details, which have been herein described and illustrated, in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In a. )ig "casting machine, a series of molds in which the pigs are to be cast, means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path, a sticker disposed above the path of travel of said molds, means for uiding said stickerbetween the molds and the pigs cast therein, and means controlled by said moving means for causing actuation of the sticker into each mold in succession to loosen its pig.

2. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for moving said molds in a prescribed path, a sticker disposed above said path, means forguiding said sticker into any mold beneath it, in a direction and at a point to engage between the mold and a pig cast therein, said sticker being actuated into the mold by gravity, and means operated by said moving means for raising and releasing said sticker at intervals to cause the sticker to fall into each mold when said mold is in line beneath it, and release the pigs from said molds in succession.

In a pig-casting machine, a series of molds arranged s de by s1de,means tor movmg sald molds in 'a' prescribed path, a "stlcker disposed above said path, means for guiding.

leasethe'pigs from said molds in succession,

means mounting said guiding means for l m ted oscillation in the direction of travel of the molds, whereby sa d sticker may drag over said molds without injury to said molds 1 and said sticker.

'4. Ina pig casting machine, a SGIIGS of molds arranged sid'eby side,means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path,a wedge shaped sticker disposed above said path,a guide for said sticker for directingsaid sticker downwardly into any mold beneath it in an inclined direction and projecting said sticker between the 'mold wall and any pig cast therein, said guide being mounted for-rocking movement in a direction transversely of the direction of travel of said molds, whereby after said sticker has entered between the mold wall and a pig cast in that mold, it may tilt transversely of the travel of the mold and pry the pigfro'm its mold, and means controlled by said moving means for causing movement of said sticker into and out of the molds in succession. v

5. Ina pig casting machine a series of molds arranged side by side, means for mov ing said molds successivelyin'a prescribed path, a sticker disposed above said path, means operable in coordinated relation to the travel ofsaid molds for first projectingsaid sticker into a mold between the moldwall and the pig cast therein, and then tilting it lateral ly of said path to pry said pigloose from its mold, and means mounting said chisel 'projecting means in a manner to permit the sticker to trail over the molds while in the oath thereof and during movement of the molds.

6. In a pig casting machine, seriesof moldsjarranged side by side, means for moving said molds in a prescribed path, a chisel,

and means operable by said moving means for projecting'the chisel into a mold and along an edge of thepig, and by inertia then tilting the chisel to pry'said pigs loose from their molds in succession during the travel of the molds in said path. I W p "7. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for moving said molds in a prescribed path, a chisel disposed above said path, and means operable in coordinated relation to the travel of said molds forinserting said chisel 'insuccession into said moldsbetweenthe pig and the'mold and then tilting said chisel to pry the pigs loose from the molds.

8. In a pig casting machine, an endless carrier, a series of molds arranged side by side on said carrier for movement in a prescribed path, sprocket wheels for guiding said carrier, a chisel, and means operable by one of said sprocket wheels for inserting said chisel into said molds in succession, between the mold wall and the pig cast therein, to loosen each pig from its mold.

9. In a pig casting machine, an endless carrier, a series of molds arranged side by side on said carrier for movement in a prescribed path, sprocket wheels for guiding said carrier, a chisel, and means operable by one of said sprocket wheels for inserting said chisel into said molds in succession, between the mold wall and the pig cast therein, and then tilting said chisel laterally of the direction of travel of said molds, to pry each pig loose from its mold.

10. In a pigcasting machine a series of molds arranged side by side, means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path, a weight disposed above said path, a guide for directing said weight toward and from said molds travelling through said path, said guide directing said. weight in an inclined path and tiltable into different inclinations transversely of said path, yielding means holding said guide at a maximum inclination, a chisel carried by said weight and efiective upon the falling of the weight to enter the mold and engage between the wall of the mold and the pig cast therein, and then by inertia tilt laterally of said path against the action of said yielding means to pry the pig loose from said mold, andmeans operable in coordinated relation to said moving means for raising and releasing said weight in succession to cause said chisel to enter said molds successively during their travel in said path.

11. In a pig casting machine a series of molds arranged side by side, means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path, a weight disposed above said path, a guide for directing said weight toward and from said molds travelling through said path, said guide directing said weight in an inclined path and tiltable into different inclinations transversely of said path, yielding means holding said guide at a maximum inclination, achisel carried by said weight and eifective upon the falling of the weight to enter the mold and engage between the wall of the mold and the pig cast therein, and

then by inertia tilt laterally of said path against the action of said yielding means to pry the pig loose from said 'mold, means operable in coordinated relation to said moving means for raising and releasing said weight in succession to cause said chisel to enter said molds successively during their travel in said path, and means mounting said guide for tilting movement in the direction of travel of said molds whereby said chisel may drag from one mold to another without damage to molds or chisel.

12. In a pig casting machine, an endless conveyor, a series of molds mounted on said conveyor for movement in succession through a prescribed path, a beam extending across and above said path and tiltable about an axis transverse to said path, a guide mounted on said beam for oscillation in a plane transverse to said path, means yieldingly holding said guide in an inclined position and permitting tilting of said guide in said plane into lesser inclinations, a weight mounted by said guide for movement in an inclined direction toward and from said path and into and out of any mold beneath it, means for operating said conveyor, and means controlled by said operating means for raising and releasing said weight in coordinated relation to the travel of said molds, whereby said weight will be raised above each mold and released to fall toward that mold, and a chisel carried by said weight and eiiective from the falling of the weight to enter a mold between the wall mold and a pig cast therein, and then tiltable laterally by inertia against said yielding means to pry the pig loose from its mold.

13. In a pig casting machine, an endless conveyor, a series of molds mounted on said conveyor for movement in succession through a prescribed path, a beam extending across and above said path and tiltable about an axis transverse to said path, a guide mounted on said beam for oscillation in a plane transverse to said path, means yieldingly holding said guide in an inclined position and permitting tilting of said guide in said plane into lesser inclinations, a weight mounted by said guide for movement in an inclined direction toward and from said path and into and out of any mold beneath it, means for operating said conveyor, means moved and released at intervals by said operating means in coordinated relation to the travel of said molds beneath said guide, for raising and releasing said weight above each mold in succession to project said weight toward each mold, and a chisel carried by said weight and operated thereby into said molds successively between the mold wall and the pig cast therein, and then tilting by inertia against said yielding means to pry the pig loose from its mold.

14. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for conveying said molds in a prescribed path, a beam disposed above said path, means mounting said beam for lateral tilting about an axis transverse to said path, a guide tiltably mounted on said beam for oscillation about an axis extending approximately parallel. to said path, a spring device carri, J. by said beam and holding said guide in an inclined position and yielding to permit oscillation of said guide into lesser inclinations, a weight guided in an inclined path by said guide, a chisel carried by said weight and guided into and out of a mold beneath said guide, With the chisel entering between a wall of the mold, and a pig in said mold, and means for repeatedly elevating and releasing said weight to permit said chisel to enter a mold and then tilt laterally upon said beam to pry the pig loose from that mold, said tilting beam permitting dragging of said chisel from one mold to another during the travel of said molds.

15. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for conveying said molds in a prescribed path, a beam disposed above said path, means mounting said beam for lateral tilting about an axis transverse to said path, a guide tiltably mounted on said beam for oscillation about an axis extending approximately parallel to said path, a spring device carried by said beam and holding said guide in an inclined position and yielding to permit oscillation of said guide into lesser inclinations, a weight guided in an inclined path by said guide, a chisel carried by said weight and guided into and out of a mold beneath said guide, with the chisel entering between a wall of the mold, and a pig in said mold, means for repeatedly elevating and releasing said weight to permit said chisel to enter a mold and then tilt laterally upon said beam to pry the pig loose from that mold, said tilting beam permitting dragging of said chisel from one mold to another during the travel of said molds, and means for limiting the downward travel of said weight.

16. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means mounting said molds for moving them successively in a prescribed path, a chisel-carrying weight, means mounting said weight for movement permitting tilting of said weight in the direction of travel of said molds, and also trans-' versely thereto, and means for elevating and releasing said weight and yieldingly placing it in a position with its axis in a plane approximately transverse to said path at the time of release of said Weight.

17. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for conveying said molds successively through a prescribed path, a chisel-carrying weight, a guide for said weight by which said weight may be moved toward and from said molds from above, means mounting said guide for oscillation about an axis transverse to said path, a cable connected to said weight and extending vertically therefrom, and means connected to said cable for raising said weight and releasing it at intervals corresponding to the inter vals of passage of said molds beneath said weight.

18. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side, means for conveying said'molds successively through a pre scribed path, a chisel-carrying weight, a guide for said weight by which said weight may be moved toward and from said molds from above, means mounting said guide for oscillation about an axis transverse to said path, a cable connected to said weight and extending vertically therefrom, means connected tosaid cable for elevating and releasing said weight and in turn operated by said mold moving means in coordinated relation to the travel of said molds, whereby the weight will be released at an instant to permit its chisel to enter a mold when falling, and engage the mold at the edge of a pig therein and loosen said pig from its'mold, and means for mounting said guide mounting means for oscillation in the direction of travel of said molds to permit the chisel to drag over the molds during continued movements of the molds.

JOHN B. FITZ-GIBBON.

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