US1925495A - Casting machine - Google Patents

Description

sept. 5, 1,933. A, MCHOLS Er AL 1,925,495

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1929 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept- 5, 1933- c. A. NlcHoLs Er AL 1,925,495

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sep 16, 1929 1l Sheets-Sheet 2 lmmmp Sept. 5, 1933. c. A. NlcHoLs Er Al.

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1929 11 ShQets-Sheet 3 Sept' 5, 1933- c. A. NlcHoLs Er AL 1,925,495

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16. 1929 11 Sheets-Sheetl 4 Sept 5, 1933. c. A. NICHOLS ET AL 1,925,495

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16. 1929 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 mento/c 7 my( QuQ-QJWJC Sept 5 l933 c. A. NlcHoLs E-r AL 1,925,495

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Sept 5 1933. c. A. ANICHOLS Er Al. 1;925,495.

CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16. 1929 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 C. A. NICHOLS Er AL CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept; 16

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lva'ten-ted Slept. 5, -1933A UNITED 4STATE-s CASTING MACHINE Charles A. Nichols and Alva.I W. Phelps, Andertion, Anderson, Ind., a corporation Ware Ind., asslgnors to Delco-Remy Corporaof Dela- Appucation september 16, 1929 f serial No. 392,905

f 7 claims. (cl. zz-vz) This invention relates to machines for making metal castings in permanent molds and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine of this character which shallbe simple in construction, durable and reliable in operation, and by which metalcastings may be manufactured at relatively low cost.

In order to accomplish this object the present invention provides a machine having a conveyor, a plurality of pairs of coacting molds supported by the conveyor at least one mold of each pair being movable relative to the other, independent mold operating devices supported by the conveyor and each operatively connected with a movable mold, and means responsive to the movement of the conveyor for controlling the mold operating devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for cooling the molds, and to this end the present invention provides an air manifold Within the conveyor and distributing pipes for conducting air from the manifold to the molds.

The conveyor of the present invention is stopped intermittently to permit pouring the by it. This object is accomplished by a brake which is applied automatically when it is desired to bring the conveyor to rest, and which is released automatically before starting the conveyor into motion.

The present invention provides a mechanism operated by a power shaft for intermittently moving the conveyor. In this connection a further object of the present invention is to provide means for so controlling the operative connection between the power shaft and mechanism that the power shaft will be disconnected from the mechanism after each movement of the conveyor, and to provide means for causing the -power shaft to be connected with said mechanism, said means including a manually operable controlling member and provisions whereby release of the controlling member is required before the connection between the conveyor mechanism and the power shaft can be reestablishd.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically ejecting castings from the molds after the molds are separated. In the present invention this is accomplished by ejector pins which extend into the mold cavity and are connected with a plate exterior to the molds and operated by suitable plate actuating device -which forces the pins into the. mold cavity. In this connection it is an object of the present invendescription, reference being had tion to provide means for positively retracting the pins from the .molds when the molds close again. 1

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following panying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment `of one form of the present invention is `and a portion of the conveyor having been broken away for sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing in side elevation a pair of coacting mold members andv mechanism for moving one of the members, said molds and mechanism being mounted upon the conveyor which is shown in section, the section gleing taken substantialy on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of a pair of coacting mold members and mechanism for moving one of the members, the section being taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the mold members shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. (i is a composite sectional view, the upper half being taken on the line (ia-6a of Fig. 4, and the -lower half being taken on the line 6b-6b of Fig. 4, the molds being in closed position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the molds in open position and devices for operating the ejector pins which are shown extending into the mold cavities.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing how the machine can be adapted for pairs of molds, one member only of which provides the mold cavities. (Fig. 4 shows pairs of molds each member of which provides a part of the mold cavity). 4 A Figs. 9 and 10 are front elevations of the mold members shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the lower part of the machine and shows particularly the valves and valve controlling mechanisms which control the admission of pressure uid to the cylinders, each of which operates a movable mold.

to the accom- Fig. 12 isa top plan view of one of the cylinder v right being taken on' the line 13b- 13b of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig.

13 showing the valve in a different position for the purpose of causing the cylinder to operate to open the molds.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 15-15 of Fig. 3 and is drawnto a larger scale than Fig.'3, and showsv an end elevation ofdevice for controlling a clutch for connecting a power shaft and the mechanism which intermittently moves the conveyor.

Fig. 16 is drawn to the same scale as Fig. 15 and is in part a side elevation of the clutch controlling device viewed in Fig. 3, and is inpart a sectional view taken on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of the brake for stopping the conveyor.

Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view of the brake and is taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 19.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the brake on the line 19-19 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 20-20 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 20 and Fig. 19 constitute a diagrammatic disclosure of automatic means for controlling the brake.

The machine comprises a base 30 to which screws 31 attach a pedestal 32 which, as shown in Fig. 3, carries bearings 33 and 34 for laterally supporting a shaft 35 connected with the hub 364 of a turn-table conveyor which is supported for circular movement about the axis of the shaft 35 by an annular ball bearing 37, also supported by the pedestal 32. The conveyor hub 36 is cup-shaped and provides an outer cylindrical wall 38, a bottom wall 39 and a number of radially extending reinforcing ribs 40. The hub 36 supports a cover 41 attached by screws 42. The cover 41 is provided with a central opening surrounded by an annular ange 43 which carries a collar 44 having a running fit with a centrally located pipe 45 for conducting a cooling medium such as air to the manifold provided within the hub of the conveyor.

The conveyor comprises also a number of spokes 50 which are attached by screws 51 to the wall 38 of the conveyor hub and which are attached by screws 52 at their outer ends to rim plates 53. The rim plates 53 are bolted together by bolts 54 cooperating with nuts 55. Screws 56 attach to the spokes 50 a plurality of brackets 57. Each bracket 57 provides a mounting pad 58 to which a cylinder 60 is secured by bolts 59. As shown in Figs. 13 and 14 each cylinder 60 cooperates with a piston 61 attached to a connecting rod 62 swivelly connected with a frame 63 which carries two bearing members 64 slidable upon two rods 65 extending from tubular lugs 66 integral with the bracket 57. The frame 63 supports a movable mold member having apertured lugs 69 through which tubular bolts 68 pass and cooperate with nuts 68a to secure the mold 70 to lugs 67 of the frame 63. Thus the spokes 50 of the conveyor support a bracket 57' which in turn supports the movable mold 70 and the iluid pressure device which moves it toward or away from the rim member 53.

The rim member 53 supports a companion mold 7l which coacts with the movable mold 70 to provide mold cavities 72. The mold 71 is provided with lugs 73 through which pass tubular bolts 74 cooperating with nuts 74a to secure the mold 71 to the rim member 53. Each mold member provides a main gate groove 75 and branch grooves 76 leading to the cavities 72 which are connected with vent grooves 77 shown in Fig. 5. Castings formed within the cavity 72 are ejected by ejector pins 80 and 81 cooperating with the molds 70 and 71 respectively and adapted to project into the mold cavities. The pins 80 threadedly engage a plate .82 which is supported by and guided by screws 83 threaded intov the mold '10 and encircled by springs 84 which yieldingly urge the plate 82 away from thevmold 70. The heaads of the screws 83 limit movement of the plate\ `2\away from thevmold '10. The ejector pins 81 are threadedly connected with a plate 90 supported and guided by screws 91 threadedly connected with the mold '11 and encircled by springs 92 which yieldingly urge the plate 90 away from the mold 71. The heads of the bolts 91 limit the movement of the plate 90 away from the molds 71. The springs 84 and 92 nojjmally maintain the plates 82 and 90 in positions such that the pins 80 and 81 are retraeted'rom themold cavities as shown in Fig. 6. When the mold 70 is separated as shown in Fig. 7 from mold 71 by the operation of uid pressure means to be described later, the plate 82 will be engaged by stop rods 95 screw threadedly connected with the bracket 57 thereby causing the plate 82 to approach the mold 70 and the pins 80 to project into the cavities of the mold 70. In order to eject any casting which-may cling to the mold 71, the plate 90 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7 by a rod 100 attached to a piston, not shown, cooperating with a fluid pressure cylinder 101 mounted on a bracket 102 located conveniently adjacent the periphery of the conveyor. Admission of compressed fluid to the ends of the cylinder 101 is controlled by a valve, not shown, connected with the source of fluid pressure and with the cylinder 101 by pipes 103 and 104 shown in Fig. 4.

It is intended that the pins 81 should be retracted from the mold cavities of the mold 71 by the springs 92 after having returned the knockout rod 100 to the position shown in Fig. 4. Likewise it is intended that the springs 84 shall retract the pins 81 from the cavities of mold 70 by the time that the mold 70 has been returned to the position shown in Fig. 6. However, should the ejectorpins 80 or 81 tend to stick in the molds and prevent the springs 84 and 92 from retracting the pins from the mold cavities, these pins are positively moved out of the cavities due to the engagement of rods 110 and 111 adjustably connected to the plates 82 and 90 respectively and passing through the tubular bolts 68 and 74 and meeting end to end substantially on the parting line of the molds when the molds are brought together'I as shown in Fig. 6. Hence, it is apparent that if either or both sets of ejector pins 80 and 81 tend to stick in the molds, with their ends projecting into the mold cavities, the pins will be positively retracted when the molds are brought together due to the fact that the pairs of coacting rods 110 and 111 must return to the relative position shown in Fig. 6 thereby causing the plates 82 and 90 to return to normal position. When the mold is open for removal of the casting, the castings will fall through the space between the spokes 50 since this space is not occupied by any part of the machine except the ducts which conduct a cooling medium through the molds. These ducts. however, are located so as not to interfere with the descent of castings from the molds.

The ducts for conducting cooling air from the air chamber in the conveyor hub to the mold 70 comprises a pipe 120 connected with an elbow 12.1 attached by screws 122 to the mold 70 and by lill screws 123 to the frame 63. The bottom wall of the mold .70 provides an orifice matching with the orifice in the elbow 121. Thus air-is conducted around the wall 72a of the mold cavity and is confined in proximity to said wall 72 by a baille plate 124 having an opening at 125. The pipe 120 is slidable through a bushing 126 attached to the side wall 38 of the conveyor hub. This permits the pipe 120 to move with the mold 70. The duct for conducting cooling air from the air chamber in the conveyor hub to the mold 71 comprises a pipe 127 and a goose neck elbow 128 which is attached by screws 129 to the bottom wall of the mold 71 which is provided with an opening matching with the passage through the elbow 128. The cooling air is confined in proximity to the wall 72a of the mold cavity in mold 71 by a baffle plate 130 having an opening at 131.

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show pairs of coacting mold members each of which is provided with mold cavities. Figs. 1, 8 and 11 show how the machine may be adapted for casting with pairs of cooperating molds, only one member of each pair having mold cavities. Fig. 8 shows that the mold shown in Fig. 4 has been replaced by a mold member 140 shown in front elevation in Fig. 9, and that the mold 71 shown in Fig. 4 has been replaced by a mold 141 the front elevation of which is shown in Fig. 10. Mold 141 is provided with a plurality of mold cavities 142 which are fed with molten metal from main gate channels 143 supplying side channels 144. The vents are indicated at 145. The mold 140 cooperates with the mold 141 to cover the mold cavities and to retain the sand cores 146. The mold 140 carries the screws 83 which support and guide the ejector plate 82 as described previously, but the plate 82 carries no ejector pins since there are no mold cavities in the mold 140. The mold 141 carries the screws 92 which support and guide the plate 90 carrying ejector pins 81a adapted to move into the mold cavities 142 when the plate 90 is acted upon by the knock-out rod 100. The cooling pipes 127 and 128 conduct air to the mold 141.

Since there is no need for cooling the mold 140 the pipes 120 and 121 have been omitted and the bushings 126 have,l been replaced by caps 126a shown in Figs. 8 and 11. When the machine is using the molds 149 and 141 the usual rods 110 and 111 are provided for the purpose of positively retracting the ejector pins 81a in the same manner as has been described with reference to the preceding iigures.

Referring to Fig. 3 the conveyor is intermittently`rotated by a suitable mechanism operated by a power shaft 150 which drives a reduction gearing in a housing 151 and operatively connected with a shaft 152 to which is pinned a clutch member 153 which cooperates with a clutch member 154 slidably connected with a shaft 155 by keys 156. The shaft 155 provides a collar 157. Springs 158 located between the collar 157 and the clutch member 154 tend to urge the clutch member 154 toward the clutch member 153 and thus cause the shaft 150 to be connected with the shaft 155 when there is nothing to obstruct movement of the clutch member 154 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 3. The shaft' 15,5 is journalled in bearings 159 and 160 supported by a frame 161 attached by screws 162 to the base 30. Shaft 155 drives a bevel-gear 163 which drives a bevel-gear 164 which drives a shaft 165 journalled in bearings 166 and 167 provided respectively by the frame 161 and a frame cap 168. The upper end of shaft 165 is connected with an arm 169 carrying a pivoted rollerv 170 which, during a portion of its orbital movement in a counterclockwise direction, engages one of a series of equidistant radially disposed plates 171 attached by screws 172 to the bottom wall 39 of the conveyor hub as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As gears 163 and 164 have the same pitch diameter the arm 169 will rotate once during each rotation of the shaft 155 and the conveyor or turn-table will be moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 an angular distance equal. to the angular spacing between adjacent plates 171. Since the angular spacing between these plates is the same as the angular spacing between the pairs of molds located at the rim of the conveyor it is apparent that these pairs of molds will be moved successively into a position indicated at D in Fig. 1 where metal is poured into the mold cavities provided by the closed mold members from a ladle 25 which is supported by trunnions 27 resting upon a hooked member 26 supported from above. The ladle 25 may be turned about the trunnions 27 by a handle 28.

The mechanism which includes the orbitally movable roller 170 carried by arm 169 and cooperating with plates 171 and which mechanism intermittently rotates the conveyor, might be permanently connected with the power driven shaft 150, and the conveyor might be stopped by discontinuing rotation of the shaft 150. However, the present invention provides for automatically disconnecting the conveyor intermittent rotating mechanism from the rotating power shaft so that the conveyor may be stopped without discontinuing rotation of the power shaft 150. The means for disconnecting the power shaft from the intermittent rotating mechanism comprises a cam plate 180 attached to the hub of the clutch 154 and engageable with a roller 181 pivoted upon the upper end of a rod 182 normally maintained in the position shown in Figs. 15 and 16 by a controlling device to be described. The present invention provides means cooperating with the rod 182 for withdrawing the roller 181 from the path of axial movement of the plate 180 in order to permit the clutch member 154 to engage the clutch member 153. This clutch connecting means is controlled by a pedal and is so constructed and arranged that the machine will stop automatically at the end of a movement of the conveyor regardless of whether the operator has released the pedal, and that the machine cannot be started again unless the operator first releases the pedal and then presses it down again. In order to accomplish this result the rod 182 is slidable within a sleeve 183 providing a recess for a spring 184 which cooperates with the rod shoulder 185 to urge the rod 182 upwardly. The sleeve 183 is connected by a pin 186 with a lever 187 which is fulcrumed at 188 and is provided with a notch 189 which receives an arm 190 of a bellcrank lever 191 pivoted at 192 upon a bracket 193. The lever 191 is connected by a rod 194 with a bell-crank lever 195 providing a pedal 196 and pivoted at 197 upon a bracket 198. The sleeve 183 is guided by a bracket 200 attached by screws 201 to the base 30. The levers 195, 191, 187 and the sleeve 183 is normally maintained in the position shown in Figs. 15 and 16 by a spring 202 connecting the lever 195 with a stationary part and urging it in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1.

The conveyor is started into operation by pressing the pedal 196 downwardly thereby causing the lever 187 to move in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 15, thereby causing the -rod 182 to move downwardly and retract the roller from the path of axial movement ol.' the cam plate 180. When this occurs thesprings 158 will be released to cause the clutch member 154 to move into engagement with the clutch member 153. By the time the shaft 155 `has made a quarter turn in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig.. 15 a cam 203 extending radially from a plate 204 attached to the clutch 154 will strike a lever 205 upon its surface 206 thereby causing the levers to rotatecounterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 16 aboutv a pivot 207 and to move a pin 208 attached to the lever out of a groove 209 provided by the rod 182. Therefore, regardless of the fact that the operator may continue to press the pedal 196 downwardlythe spring 184 will be released by the coaction of the members\ 203 and 206 and will cause the rod 182 to move upwardly and the roller 181 to move again into the pathof axial movement of the cam plate 180. Therefore, at the end of one rotation of the shaft 155 to the sleeve 183.

the clutch member 154 will be moved toward the left out of engagement 'with the clutch 153 due to the coaction between the cam plate 180 and the roller 181.

The conveyor cannot be started into operation again unless the operator will release the pedal 196 so as to permit the spring 202 to return the levers 195, 191, 187 and the sleeve 183 to the positions shown in Figs. 15 and 16 in which position the groove 209 of the rod 182 is located in horizontal alignment with the pin 208 whereupon a spring 210 located between the sleeve 183 and the lever 205 will be released to move the lever 205 clockwise so as to move the pin 208 into the groove 209. In this way the rod 182 is latched Consequently, after having released the pedal 196, the operator may press the pedal again to start the machine by repeating the operation of retracting the roller 181 from the path of axial movement of the cam plate 180. In this way the control of the machine is rendered more fool proof by reason of the fact that.

nected by elbow 221 and pipe 222 with a. pipe 223 shown in Fig. 3 and located on the axis of the turn-table conveyor. A joint 224 connects pipe 223 with an elbow 225 in a manner such that the pipe 223 may remain stationary while the elbow 225 is rotating. Elbow 225 is connected with pipe 226, elbow 227, pipe 228 and a. ring manifold comprising sections of -pipe 229 connected by Ts 230. Each T 230 is connected by suitable pipes including pipe 231 shown in Figs. 13 and 14 with a valve supporting plate 232 having a threaded opening 233 for receiving the pipe 231. The plate 232 has a threaded hole 234 for receiving a pipe 235 leading to the rear end of an air cylinder 60. Plate 232 has a threaded hole 236 for receiving a pipe 237 leading to the front end of an air cylinder 60. Plate 232 has a plain hole 238 through whichv air is discharged.

Plate 232 supports a valve body 240 having passages 241, 242, 243 and 244 which match respectively with holes 233, 234, 236 and 238 oi the plate 232. The passage 241 leads to an irregular passage 245 which conducts air to a chamber 246 and to a chamber 247. Air may pass from the chamber 246 to a chamber 248 through a hole 249 in 'a valve seat 250 and closed by a valve 251 mounted on a stem 252 andinormally-maintained in closed position by a spring 253. Airnormally maintained closed by a spring 260.

Air may pass from the chamber 248 to the pipe 235 through the openings 242 and 234, 'and air may pass from the chamber 248 tothe chamber 255 through'a hole 261 in a valve seat 262 closed by a valve 263 mounted on a' stem 264 and normally maintained closed by a spring 265.- Air may pass from the chamber 255 to the pipe 237 through the holes 243 and 236, and air may pass from the chamber 255 to the passage 244 through a hole 266 in a valve seat 267 and closed by a valve 268 mounted on a stem 269 and normally maintained closed by a spring 270. The lower ends of the valve stems are engageable with a latch lever 271 fulcrumed on a pin 272 carried bybrackets 273 extending from the Valve body 240. The latch lever 271 is engageable with pins .274 and 275 carried by an operating lever 276 fulcrumed at 277 upon the brackets 273.

When the lever 276 is "in the up position shown in Fig. 13 valves 251 and 268 will be opened and valves 258 and 263 will be closed, consequently, air will be admitted to the rear end of the air cylinder 60 through the following passages: 231,241, 245, 246, 249, 248, 242, 235; and air will be discharged from the front end of the air cylinder 60 through the following passages: 237, 243, 255, 266, 244a, 244 and 238. The valves 251 and 268 will be maintained in open `position since the pin 274 is located toward the left of a plane intersecting the fulcrum 277 and the points of application of pressure of the.valve stems 269 and 252 upon the latch lever 271.

When the controlling lever 276 is in down position,v shown in Fig.v 14, the valves 258 and 263 will be opened and the others closed, consequently air will be admitted to the front end of the cylinder 60 through the following passages: 231, 241, 247, 256, 255, 243, and 237, andair will be discharged from the rear end of the cylinder 60 through the following passages: 235, 242, 248,261, 244a, 244 and 238. The lever 276 will be maintained in down position shown in Fig. 14 due to v the fact that4 the pin 275 is located toward the right of a plane passing through the axis of the fulcrum pin 277 and the points of application of pressure between the latch lever 271 and the valve stems 264 and 259.

In order that the pairs of molds will Vbe automatioally closed successively as they approach the station indicated at D in Fig. 1 where the metal is poured intothe molds, rollers 280, each mounted on the end of a-lever 276, are caused successively to engage the inclined surface 281 of a triangular plate 282 mounted on a stationary bracket 283 as shown in Fig. 11. In order that the pairs of molds will be automatically opened successively as they approach the station indicated at E in Fig. 1 wherethe castings are ejected from the molds, these rollers successively engage the inclined surface 284 of atriangular plate 285 mounted on-a stationary bracket 286. The plate 282 is engaged by the roller 280 to cause the levers automatically closed and opened in succession as the turn-table conveyor rotates to move the molds to the metal pouring station and then to the casting ejecting station. But obviously levers 276 may ,also be operated manually, for example, before they are operated by the inclined surface 284. It is evident that the turn-table and parts mounted thereon have considerable mass,`there fore the turn-table attains considerable momentum during its intermittent movements. In order to bring the turn-table quickly to rest without unduly straining the operating mechanism the present machine provides for applying a brake to the turn-table before it has completed any one of its intermittent movements. In order to accomplish this the turn-table carries on its rim a number of equally spaced brake shoes 300 equal in number to the number of pairs of molds. These shoes are secured to the rim plates 53 by bolts 301 and nuts 302. 'I'he shoes 300 are successively engaged by a brake member 303 comprising a plate 304 carrying a strip of brake material 305 secured by screws 306 passing through clamping bars 307. The plate 304 is connected by pins 308 with rods 309 passing through guides 310 provided by a frame 311. The rods 309 are threadedly connected with a plate 312 having an apertured lug 313 which receives an arm 314 of a bell-crank lever 315 fulcrumed on a pin 316 supported by a bracket 317 carrying the bracket 311 and an air cylinder 318 which cooperates with a piston, not shown, in order to move a connecting rod 319 which is connected with the lever 315 by a forked block 320 carrying a pin 321 received by a slot 322 in the lever 315. The brake plate 303 is urged upwardly against the brake shoes 30.0 by springs 325 conned between the plate 312 and discs 326 attached to screws 327threadedly engaging a cross bar 328 of the bracket 311. By turning the screws 327 the compression of the springs 325 and hence the braking pressure between the brake member 303 and the brake shoe 300 may be adjusted.

Means are provided for automatically releasing the brake when it is desired to begin the pe riod of motion of the turn-table conveyor in order that the driving mechanism will not be resisted by unnecessary friction which would be present if the brake remained engaged with the brake shoe. This is accomplished by automati-v cally operating the valve which controls the passage of air from a source of air pressure to the cylinder 318. Fig. 20 shows a valve body 330 having a port 331 connected by a pipe 332 with an air compressor and a port 333 connected by a pipe 334 with the head end of the cylinder 318. The valve body 330 is provided with an exhaust port 335. These ports are controlled by a valve rod 336 having a groove 337 to provide an annular passage between the ports 333 and 335 when the valve 336 is in closed position shown in Fig. 20, or between ports 331 and 333 when the valve 336 has been moved toward the right into open position 336e shown in dot-and-dash lines. In the open position of the valve air will ow from a source of compressed air into the cylinder 318 in order to cause the lever 315 to move into the dot-and-dash line position 315:1 thereby causing the plate 312 to move downwardly and the brake member 303 to be released from the brake shoe 300. The valve 336 is urged into position as shown in Fig. 20 by a spring 338 located between a shoulder 339 of the valve 336 and a collar 340 threaded into one end of the valve body 330. This spring 338 urges a cam roller 341, pivoted upon a forked block 342 attached to the valve 336, into engagement with a cam 343 mounted upon a disc 344 attached tn the shaft 155. The cam 343 is provided with'A arcuate slots 345 through which pass screws 346 for securing the cam 343 to its driving disc 344 in the desired position of angular adjustment. The cam 343 which rotates in the direction'of the arrow 347 in Fig. 20 is provided with a lobe 348 extending from a cylindrical periphery 349. When the roller 341 is engaged by the peak of the lobe 348 the valve 336 will be opened to permit air to pass to the cylinder 318 in order to release the brake. When the roller 341 engages the cylindrical periphery 349 the valve 336 will be moved into closed position tocut of! the port 331 from the port 333 and to connect the port 333 with the exhaust port 335 so that the springs 325 may be released to cause the brake member 303 to be in a position for engagement with a brake shoe 300.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the roller 170, which moves in a counterclockwise direction, is just about to engage a block 171 in order to begin a period of motion of the turn-table conveyor. At the same time the cam lobe 348 will be located at position 348a in order to cause the valve 336 to begin to open so that the brake will be released at the time the period of motion of the turn-table begins. By the time that the cam 343 shall have moved away from the roller 341 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 20, to allow the valve 336 to move into closed position, the brake shoe 300, which had been engaged by the brake member 303 at the beginning of the period of motion of the turn-table, will have moved away from the brake member 303. While the brake member 303 is not vertically under any brake shoe 300 its upper surface is maintained by the springs 325 above the horizontal plane of the lower surfaces of the brake shoes. Therefore, as the next brake shoe 300 swings over the brake member 303 a bevel surface 300a of the brake shoe will engage iirst with the right hand end of the brake member 303 causing the latter to move downwardly so as to be engaged by the under horizontal surface of the brake shoe. Therefore, the brake will have operated to bring the turn-table to rest by the time that the roller 170 shown in Fig. 2 will have passed away from that block 171 which it had been engaging While it was moving the turn.

table.

Rsum of operation Referring to Fig. 1 the letter A indicates the station where the separated molds are cleaned out with an air blast preparatory to receiving a coating of soot applied by a smoky flame issuing from burner pipes 400. At station C or at the station immediately to the left of station C the sand cores are inserted in the mold cavities. By the time that the molds have arrived at station D they will have been closed so as to receive the molten metal poured from the ladle 25. By the time the molds have reached station E they will have been separated to permit the castings to be ejected. The molds are being cooled continuously so that the castings will be substantially solidified by the time they have arrived at station E and so that the molds will be fairly cold by the time that they have arrived at station B where the soot is applied.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A casting machine comprising, in combination, a conveyor, mechanism for intermittently moving the conveyor, a brake for stopping the conveyor, springs for applying the brake, uid pressure means for retracting the brake, and means for automatically controlling the uid pressure means so that by the time the conveyor starts its movements, the brake will have been released, and so that before the end of its movements the brake will have been app1ied, a plurality of pairs of coacting molds supported by the conveyor, at least one mold of each pair being movable relative to the other, and means for operating the movable molds.

2. A casting machine comprising, in combination, a turn-table conveyor, a plurality of pairs of coacting molds supported by the conveyor and located adjacent the rim oi the conveyor, at least one mold of each pair being movable relative to the other, independent fluid pressure mold operating devices supported by the conveyor between the rim and hub thereof and each operatively connected with a movable mold, individually operable valves for controlling the mold operating devices, and means for automatically operating said valves as the conveyor is rotated, said valves also being adapted for manual operation.

3. A permanent mold casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a hub rotatably supported by the base, spaced arms extending radially from the hub, tie bars attached to the outer ends of the arms and to each other, relatively stationary molds supported by the tie bars, relatively movable molds cooperating respectively with the stationary molds, actuating devices for each of the relatively movable molds, and brackets mounted upon said arms, each bracket supporting a movable mold and its actuating device.

4. A permanent mold casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a hollow hub rotatably supported by the base and serving as a cooling fluid distributing manifold, spaced arms extending radially from the hub, tie bars attached to the outer ends of the arms and to each other, relatively stationary molds supported by the tie bars, relatively movable molds cooperating respectively with the stationary molds, actuating devices for each of the relatively movable molds, each of said relatively movable molds together with its actuating device being supported by and between a pair of said arms, means for conducting the cooling fluid from the hub to the stationary molds, yand means for conducting the cooling fluid from the hub to the movable molds, each of said last-named means including a rigid pipe having a slidable connection with the hub.

5. A permanent mold casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a hub rotatably supported by the base, spaced arms extending radially from the hub, tie bars attached to the outer ends of the arms and to each other, relatively stationary molds supported by the tie bars on the inner side thereof, ejector pin supporting plates located adjacent to the outer sides of said tie bars and each supported by a stationary mold upon means extending through an aperature in a tie bar, and each carrying ejector pins which ,extend through an aperture in a tie bar and into a stationary mold, and relatively movable molds and actuating devices therefor supported by and between said radially extending arms.

6. A permanent mold casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a hub rotatably supported by the base, spaced arms extending radially from the hub, tie bars attached to the outer ends of the arms and to each other, relatively stationary molds supported by the tie bars, relatively movable molds cooperating respectively with the stationary molds, 'an actuating device for each movable mold, brackets supported by the arms adjacent to the hub, each bracket carrying l an actuating device on the side of the bracket azijacent to the hub and carrying guiding and supporting rods extending toward the molds, a carrier supported by the rods` of each bracket and guided thereby for substantially radial movement, each carrier supporting a relatively movable mold, ejector platesfor the movable molds, each ejector plate being housed by the carrier and being supported by its movable mold and carrying ejector pins extending into its movable mold, ejector plate actuating rods carried by the said brackets, said carriers having apertures to permit engagement of the ejector plates by said ejector plate actuating rods when the movable molds are separated from the stationary molds.

7. A permanent mold casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a hub rotatably supported by the base, spaced arms extendingradially from the hub, tie bars attached to the outer ends of the arms and to each other, relatively stationary molds supported by thetie bars on the inner side thereof, ejector pin supporting plates located adjacent to the outer sides of said tie bars and each supported by a stationary mold upon means extending through an aperture in a tie bar, and each carrying ejector pins which extend through an aperture in a tie bar and into a stationary mold, relatively movable molds cooperating respectively With the stationary molds,

a carrier for each movable mold, an actuating device for each carrier, said actuating device and said movable mold carriers being supported by said arms, ejector plates for the movablemolds, each ejector plate being housed by a movable mold carrier and being supported by its movable mold and carrying ejector pins'extending into its movable mold, pairs of axially aligned hollow bolts, the bolts of each pair respectively securing mold members to their supports (the movable mold to its carrier and the stationary mold to its tie bar) and pairs of aligned ejector plate positioning rods extending through pairs of aligned bolts, the positioning rods of each pair being attached respectively to the respective ejector-pin-carrying plates of the stationary and movable molds.

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