US20020069999A1 - Apparatus for handling foundry castings - Google Patents
Apparatus for handling foundry castings Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020069999A1 US20020069999A1 US09/729,522 US72952200A US2002069999A1 US 20020069999 A1 US20020069999 A1 US 20020069999A1 US 72952200 A US72952200 A US 72952200A US 2002069999 A1 US2002069999 A1 US 2002069999A1
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- Prior art keywords
- mold
- conveyor
- section
- jacket
- weight
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- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 36
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 40
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 36
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 238000005058 metal casting Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 abstract description 8
- 238000007711 solidification Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 230000008023 solidification Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002441 reversible effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009412 basement excavation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001186 cumulative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D47/00—Casting plants
- B22D47/02—Casting plants for both moulding and casting
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D33/00—Equipment for handling moulds
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the field of foundry operations and more particularly to the field of castings wherein conveyors are utilized to move sand molds to various stations along a casting line.
- the present invention relates to a casting line utilizing a weight and jacket about the sand molds and a pouring line as well as a discharge line.
- the present invention relates to a conveyor system wherein the pouring line and discharge line are at different elevations and to the mechanism for handling castings and molds on said conveyor.
- a conveyor has to have sufficient length to allow a molten casting to solidify before the casting can be discharged, thus a continuously operated conveyor has a finite number of incremental movements between the time the casting is poured and the casting is discharged.
- the cumulative dwell time of a casting on the incremental positions must equal the length of time required before the casting can be discharged.
- the casting line could be any length needed, however, space is generally a problem.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a system, which permits ready access to the various stations for maintenance and repair.
- an offset conveyor system wherein a lower section of the conveyor is positioned adjacent a pouring station where molten metal is poured into weighted and jacketed sand molds. Molds are transported on carriers along the lower section from a mold loading station to a weight and jacket placement station to the pouring station. After pouring, the carrier with jacketed mold is moved upwardly to an offset upper conveyor section that is parallel the lower section and may overlap the lower section partially. Molds are transported in an opposite linear direction relative to the lower section, to a weight and jacket removal station and to a mold dump station, where the sand mold and casting are removed from the conveyor. The carrier is returned to the lower conveyor section to receive another mold.
- the weight and jacket removed from the upper section is placed on a mold on the lower section, therefore only a minimum number of weights and jackets are used.
- the mold carriers may be dimensioned to carry sand molds in side by side relation, thus castings may circulate more than one circuit on the conveyor to permit additional cooling and solidification if necessary.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the system
- FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the system
- FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the elevator system
- FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a second embodiment of the elevator system
- FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a third embodiment of the elevator system
- FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a fourth embodiment of the elevator system
- FIG. 7 is a view of the drive system
- FIG. 8 is a view of the jacket shift and frame.
- the present invention is a conveyor system on which molds are transported, filled with molten metal and discharged after the molten metal has sufficiently cooled to permit removal of the mold and subsequent handling.
- the present invention permits pouring of the molten metal at a lower location and discharging the metal at an upper location, hence eliminating the need for an excavated pit at the discharge location.
- the conveyor 10 includes a lower conveyor section 11 defined by a set of parallel linear tracks 12 of a selected length and an upper conveyor section 13 defined by a set of parallel linear tracks 14 of an equivalent length.
- tracks 12 and 14 must be long enough to permit cooling.
- Supported on the tracks are a plurality of mold carriers 16 , each defined by an upper platform 17 supported on a plurality of wheels 18 which are positioned to ride along tracks 12 and 14 .
- the wheels may be flanged or may be caster wheels with rail guides as are known in the art. It is possible that the tracks could be replaced with roller conveyors with appropriate flat-bottomed carriers. Such a system would require appropriate side guides and stops in the various stations.
- the upper surface of the platforms is substantially flat to receive formed sand molds 21 thereon at a loading station 31 .
- the sand molds 21 are formed with any suitable mold making machinery and are slid onto platform 17 in position on the carrier to subsequently be filled with molten metal.
- the carriers 16 are not interconnected but rather abut at their forward and trailing ends.
- Platform 17 may be dimensioned to receive a single sand mold, however, it is often desirable to retain more than one mold on the carrier to enable a longer cooling time for the molten metal. Therefore the platform dimension is preferentially sufficient to accommodate three molds thereon without interference between the molds.
- the carriers 16 on lower section 11 are all moved concomitantly by a linear or rotary actuator 19 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, which will be described hereinafter, such that each carrier 16 may be brought into alignment with loading station 31 to receive a fresh sand mold 21 .
- actuator 19 typically is used to move the carriers one carrier length at a time.
- the molds Prior to pouring molten metal into the sand molds 21 , the molds must be encased within a weight and jacket assembly as is well known in the art.
- a weight and jacket assembly 22 is removed from a sand mold 21 on upper conveyor 13 and placed on a waiting mold 21 on lower conveyor 11 .
- a weight and jacket shifter 41 including a frame 42 extending transverse to conveyor 11 and 13 at a height sufficient to allow a weight and jacket 22 to be lifted off a sand mold 21 on conveyor 13 and moved laterally.
- Frame 42 extends over conveyor 11 sufficiently to allow the weight and jacket removed from conveyor 13 to be lowered to encase a sand mold 21 supported on conveyor 11 .
- weight and jacket 22 have a formed aperture 23 therein to permit pouring of molten metal into mold 21 .
- a cross shuttle 43 is mounted to frame 42 and moves linearly on a set of rails or guides 44 engaged by either shuttle wheels 45 or a slide.
- the shuttle may be conventionally driven in any suitable manner, such as by a controllable linear actuator that provides accurate positioning, by a worm gear or by a stepper motor mounted to shuttle 43 . Since the drive mechanisms are all well known, the drive is shown generically in FIG. 1.
- Mounted to shuttle 43 is a gripping assembly or magnetic engagement assembly 50 which is movable vertically under the control of a hydraulic cylinder 46 to engage, lift, lower, set, and release the weight and jacket 22 .
- Such assemblies 50 are well known in the art and may be of any commercially acceptable configuration, which can engage and support the weight and jacket assembly.
- the line of carriers 16 is advanced to bring the next empty mold to the pouring station 61 .
- a manual or if automated pouring process introduces molten metal through the formed aperture into the empty sand mold.
- Commercially available robotic ladle handling units 62 can be used to repetitively pour molten metal obtained from a furnace, shown schematically for illustrative purposes only. If manual pouring is desired, an appropriate platform 64 and ladle track may be constructed adjacent lower conveyor section 11 at the pouring station 61 . Once the metal has been poured into the mold, the conveyor is indexed, bringing a fresh mold to the pouring station and moving cooling molds away from the pouring station.
- an elevator 71 which receives a mold carrier 16 , mold 21 , and weight and jacket 22 on an elevator platform 72 on which a cooperative track 73 is supported.
- a set of stops 74 secures the mold carrier against inadvertent movement while on the elevator.
- the elevators preferably, take the form of a parallelogram linkage 75 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, having a horizontally disposed platform 72 movable selectively between positions adjacent the conveyors 11 and 13 for receiving and discharging mold carriers therefrom.
- Parallelogram linkage 75 is selectively movable between the conveyors by a linear actuator 75 a as shown in FIG. 3 or by a rotary actuator 75 b, partially shown in FIG. 6.
- Rotary actuator 75 b includes a reversible motor 103 of any suitable type, which has an output shaft 104 which rotates through an arc B and concomitantly moves an attached arm 104 through the same arc. Arm 105 is attached to linkage 75 to selectively move the linkage between upper and lower conveyors.
- the elevator platform 72 may move on an inclined guide track 76 between a lower position aligned with conveyor 11 and an upper position aligned with conveyor 13 .
- a linear actuator 78 or a worm gear 79 , or any suitable source of motive power which can supply a smooth and repeatable movement between the upper and lower positions. It will be appreciated that platform 72 and track 73 must accommodate the carriers on conveyors 11 and 13 , thus the elevator may need to transport three castings at once on a mold carrier.
- a carrier 16 is elevated to conveyor 13 , the driver mechanism urges the carrier from the elevator platform onto track 14 , thereby indexing the carriers on the track.
- a lowering elevator 81 at the opposite end of conveyor 14 having the same features as elevator 71 , must be in position to receive a carrier 16 on a set of rails 83 supported on a platform 82 when the carriers are indexed along conveyor 14 . Elevators 71 and 81 must therefore move concomitantly between upper and lower positions to ensure that the mold carriers are properly indexed to and from the conveyors.
- the lateral movement urges the sand mold and metal casting off the conveyor onto a shake out conveyor 101 wherein the sand and casting are separated with the sand sent to a reclaim process and the casting conveyed for further processing such as deburring and spur removal. If the carrier 16 is wide enough to accommodate more than one mold 21 , then the lateral movement moves one mold off the conveyor 13 onto shakeout conveyor 101 and moves the remaining mold and casting laterally sufficiently to accommodate a new mold when the carrier is returned to the mold loading station.
- the mold shifter 91 is designed to accommodate the width of the carrier, however, shifter 91 will be essentially a movable panel 92 urged across the top of the carrier by a cylinder 93 such that substantially all of the sand is moved by a lateral force applied to the mold. It will be appreciated that the same type mold shifter will be used to load sand molds and that such mold shifters are of conventional design.
- rotary actuator 102 is similar to actuator 75 b and comprises a motor 103 which may be hydraulic or electrical.
- Motor 103 is reversible and controllable.
- Motor 103 has an output shaft 104 , which rotates through an arc A and concomitantly moves an attached arm 105 through the same arc.
- Arm 105 carries a cross bar 106 which abuts carrier 16 .
- Arc A is intended to move cross bar 105 and carrier 16 one carrier length, thereby moving the entire sequence of carriers on the conveyor one carrier length.
- an actuator 102 is associated with each conveyor 11 and 13 .
- a cylinder 110 is mounted vertically adjacent elevator platform 72 to move assembly 111 concomitantly with and adjacent elevator platform 82 .
- the cylinders may be mounted on a frame 114 , 114 ′.
- Each assembly has a cylinder 112 and rod 115 , 115 ′ that engages a pivotally mounted substantially dogleg frame 116 , 116 ′.
- the frame 116 , 116 ′ is supported at an upper end 1 16 a for rotation about a horizontal axis, with the lower end affixed to a horizontally disposed pusher bar 117 , 117 ′.
- Bar 117 engages a carrier 16 on lowering elevator platform 72 to urge carrier 16 and each adjacent carrier on conveyor 11 horizontally responsive to downward movement of rod 115 .
- rod 117 ′ moves horizontally responsive to the upward movement of piston rod 115 ′.
- the rods 117 , 117 ′ may thus stabilize the line of carriers and assist in positioning the carriers in the various stations.
- rod 117 ′ engages the carrier 16 and urges the carrier and adjacent carriers horizontally along conveyor 13 responsive to downward movement of rod 113 ′.
- Alternative triangular frame 116 and cylinder 113 may be supported on platform 72 , 82 .
- the mold carriers are circulated from the lower carrier to the upper carrier and back again, and those sand molds initially enter the circulating carrier loop on the lower carrier. If each carrier had more than one mold thereon, then a mold with a cooling casting therein moves on conveyor 11 from the pouring station to elevator 72 to conveyor 13 to mold shift station 91 at which point the mold is moved laterally, then to lowering elevator 82 to carrier 11 , to elevator 72 , to conveyor 13 to the shift station, whereupon the mold and casting are discharged to shakeout conveyor 101 . If more than two molds are supported on each carrier then each mold may be carried through another cycle for extended cooling. In the multimold per mold carrier arrangement, the inboard mold on the mold carrier could be partially or completely subjacent the inboard mold carrier of the upper conveyor, thus affording a savings of installation space.
- each carrier supports two sand molds in side by side relation.
- the molds are loaded at the mold loading station in tandem.
- the pouring station utilizes two pouring robots, such that both molds are filled with molten metal.
- the inboard mold may be filled first and the outboard mold filled second or the inboard and outboard molds on adjacent carriers may be filled.
- the outboard mold inboard on lower conveyor
- the pouring station and weight and jacket station can operate without interference from the upper conveyor.
- the dual filling capability effectively doubles the capacity of the system with minimal increase in space and equipment.
- the height of the upper conveyor can be such that no excavation is needed to install the shakeout conveyor.
- Use of the articulated drivers likewise reduces the space required to install the system. Accordingly, a much smaller footprint and much less costly installation is possible with the present invention.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Casting Devices For Molds (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to the field of foundry operations and more particularly to the field of castings wherein conveyors are utilized to move sand molds to various stations along a casting line. In greater particularity, the present invention relates to a casting line utilizing a weight and jacket about the sand molds and a pouring line as well as a discharge line. In still further particularity, the present invention relates to a conveyor system wherein the pouring line and discharge line are at different elevations and to the mechanism for handling castings and molds on said conveyor.
- The art of casting metal objects in sand molds is ancient. Numerous advances have been made in the art including the automation of the process and the integration of conveyors into the process. Certain elements of casting are invariable, thus one of the problems is to adapt the environment in which the castings are made to fit the available resources. One increasingly evident factor is cost. As the cost per square foot of building space increases, the casting line becomes more expensive. Likewise, the greater cost of installation yields a reduced likelihood of adoption of a particular line. Numerous patents have addressed the problems associated with the space limitation as well as the time limitation. That is to say, a conveyor has to have sufficient length to allow a molten casting to solidify before the casting can be discharged, thus a continuously operated conveyor has a finite number of incremental movements between the time the casting is poured and the casting is discharged. The cumulative dwell time of a casting on the incremental positions must equal the length of time required before the casting can be discharged. Where space is not a problem, the casting line could be any length needed, however, space is generally a problem.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated casting line having minimal floor space requirements and minimal installation requirements in terms of site preparation.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a system, which permits ready access to the various stations for maintenance and repair.
- These and other objects of the invention are provided by an offset conveyor system wherein a lower section of the conveyor is positioned adjacent a pouring station where molten metal is poured into weighted and jacketed sand molds. Molds are transported on carriers along the lower section from a mold loading station to a weight and jacket placement station to the pouring station. After pouring, the carrier with jacketed mold is moved upwardly to an offset upper conveyor section that is parallel the lower section and may overlap the lower section partially. Molds are transported in an opposite linear direction relative to the lower section, to a weight and jacket removal station and to a mold dump station, where the sand mold and casting are removed from the conveyor. The carrier is returned to the lower conveyor section to receive another mold. The weight and jacket removed from the upper section is placed on a mold on the lower section, therefore only a minimum number of weights and jackets are used. The mold carriers may be dimensioned to carry sand molds in side by side relation, thus castings may circulate more than one circuit on the conveyor to permit additional cooling and solidification if necessary.
- Apparatus embodying the features of my invention are depicted in the accompanying drawings which form a portion of this disclosure and wherein:
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the system;
- FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the system;
- FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the elevator system;
- FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a second embodiment of the elevator system;
- FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a third embodiment of the elevator system;
- FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a fourth embodiment of the elevator system;
- FIG. 7 is a view of the drive system; and
- FIG. 8 is a view of the jacket shift and frame.
- Referring to the drawings for a clearer understanding of the invention it will be seen in FIG. 1, that the present invention is a conveyor system on which molds are transported, filled with molten metal and discharged after the molten metal has sufficiently cooled to permit removal of the mold and subsequent handling. The present invention permits pouring of the molten metal at a lower location and discharging the metal at an upper location, hence eliminating the need for an excavated pit at the discharge location. Accordingly, the
conveyor 10 includes alower conveyor section 11 defined by a set of parallellinear tracks 12 of a selected length and anupper conveyor section 13 defined by a set of parallellinear tracks 14 of an equivalent length. As will be understood, the cooling of metal poured into a mold requires a certain passage of time, thustracks mold carriers 16, each defined by anupper platform 17 supported on a plurality ofwheels 18 which are positioned to ride alongtracks sand molds 21 thereon at aloading station 31. As will be understood, thesand molds 21 are formed with any suitable mold making machinery and are slid ontoplatform 17 in position on the carrier to subsequently be filled with molten metal. Thecarriers 16 are not interconnected but rather abut at their forward and trailing ends.Platform 17 may be dimensioned to receive a single sand mold, however, it is often desirable to retain more than one mold on the carrier to enable a longer cooling time for the molten metal. Therefore the platform dimension is preferentially sufficient to accommodate three molds thereon without interference between the molds. - The
carriers 16 onlower section 11 are all moved concomitantly by a linear or rotary actuator 19, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, which will be described hereinafter, such that eachcarrier 16 may be brought into alignment withloading station 31 to receive afresh sand mold 21. Thus, actuator 19 typically is used to move the carriers one carrier length at a time. Prior to pouring molten metal into thesand molds 21, the molds must be encased within a weight and jacket assembly as is well known in the art. In the preferred embodiment, a weight andjacket assembly 22 is removed from asand mold 21 onupper conveyor 13 and placed on awaiting mold 21 onlower conveyor 11. Thus, a weight andjacket shifter 41 is provided including aframe 42 extending transverse toconveyor jacket 22 to be lifted off asand mold 21 onconveyor 13 and moved laterally.Frame 42 extends overconveyor 11 sufficiently to allow the weight and jacket removed fromconveyor 13 to be lowered to encase asand mold 21 supported onconveyor 11. As is understood, weight andjacket 22 have a formedaperture 23 therein to permit pouring of molten metal intomold 21. To accomplish the movement of the weight and jacket assembly, across shuttle 43 is mounted toframe 42 and moves linearly on a set of rails orguides 44 engaged by eithershuttle wheels 45 or a slide. The shuttle may be conventionally driven in any suitable manner, such as by a controllable linear actuator that provides accurate positioning, by a worm gear or by a stepper motor mounted toshuttle 43. Since the drive mechanisms are all well known, the drive is shown generically in FIG. 1. Mounted toshuttle 43 is a gripping assembly ormagnetic engagement assembly 50 which is movable vertically under the control of ahydraulic cylinder 46 to engage, lift, lower, set, and release the weight andjacket 22.Such assemblies 50 are well known in the art and may be of any commercially acceptable configuration, which can engage and support the weight and jacket assembly. - After the weight and
jacket 22 are placed on themold 21, the line ofcarriers 16 is advanced to bring the next empty mold to thepouring station 61. At this station a manual or if automated pouring process introduces molten metal through the formed aperture into the empty sand mold. Commercially available roboticladle handling units 62 can be used to repetitively pour molten metal obtained from a furnace, shown schematically for illustrative purposes only. If manual pouring is desired, anappropriate platform 64 and ladle track may be constructed adjacentlower conveyor section 11 at thepouring station 61. Once the metal has been poured into the mold, the conveyor is indexed, bringing a fresh mold to the pouring station and moving cooling molds away from the pouring station. At the end ofconveyor 11 is an elevator 71 which receives amold carrier 16,mold 21, and weight andjacket 22 on an elevator platform 72 on which a cooperative track 73 is supported. A set ofstops 74 secures the mold carrier against inadvertent movement while on the elevator. The elevators, preferably, take the form of aparallelogram linkage 75, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, having a horizontally disposed platform 72 movable selectively between positions adjacent theconveyors Parallelogram linkage 75 is selectively movable between the conveyors by alinear actuator 75 a as shown in FIG. 3 or by a rotary actuator 75 b, partially shown in FIG. 6. Rotary actuator 75 b includes areversible motor 103 of any suitable type, which has anoutput shaft 104 which rotates through an arc B and concomitantly moves an attachedarm 104 through the same arc.Arm 105 is attached tolinkage 75 to selectively move the linkage between upper and lower conveyors. - Alternatively, the elevator platform72 may move on an
inclined guide track 76 between a lower position aligned withconveyor 11 and an upper position aligned withconveyor 13. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, alinear actuator 78, or aworm gear 79, or any suitable source of motive power which can supply a smooth and repeatable movement between the upper and lower positions. It will be appreciated that platform 72 and track 73 must accommodate the carriers onconveyors - Once a
carrier 16 is elevated toconveyor 13, the driver mechanism urges the carrier from the elevator platform ontotrack 14, thereby indexing the carriers on the track. It will be appreciated that a lowering elevator 81 at the opposite end ofconveyor 14, having the same features as elevator 71, must be in position to receive acarrier 16 on a set of rails 83 supported on a platform 82 when the carriers are indexed alongconveyor 14. Elevators 71 and 81 must therefore move concomitantly between upper and lower positions to ensure that the mold carriers are properly indexed to and from the conveyors. - When a
mold carrier 16 bearing a weighted and jacketed mold and casting onconveyor 13 reaches a position parallel the weight andjacket station 41 ofconveyor 11, it will be in position beneath the upper reach ofstation 41 such that theengagement assembly 50 can engage and lift the weight and jacket from the mold for placement on a fresh mold onlower conveyor 11. After the carrier is indexed beyond this station, amold shifter 91 is employed to move the mold and internal casting laterally. If thecarrier 16 is dimensioned to support only one mold, then the lateral movement urges the sand mold and metal casting off the conveyor onto a shake outconveyor 101 wherein the sand and casting are separated with the sand sent to a reclaim process and the casting conveyed for further processing such as deburring and spur removal. If thecarrier 16 is wide enough to accommodate more than onemold 21, then the lateral movement moves one mold off theconveyor 13 ontoshakeout conveyor 101 and moves the remaining mold and casting laterally sufficiently to accommodate a new mold when the carrier is returned to the mold loading station. Accordingly, themold shifter 91 is designed to accommodate the width of the carrier, however,shifter 91 will be essentially a movable panel 92 urged across the top of the carrier by a cylinder 93 such that substantially all of the sand is moved by a lateral force applied to the mold. It will be appreciated that the same type mold shifter will be used to load sand molds and that such mold shifters are of conventional design. - The indexing of the
carriers 16 onconveyors hydraulic cylinder assembly 111 or arotary actuator 102. In FIG. 6 it may be seen thatrotary actuator 102 is similar to actuator 75 b and comprises amotor 103 which may be hydraulic or electrical.Motor 103 is reversible and controllable.Motor 103 has anoutput shaft 104, which rotates through an arc A and concomitantly moves an attachedarm 105 through the same arc. Arm 105 carries across bar 106 which abutscarrier 16. Arc A is intended to movecross bar 105 andcarrier 16 one carrier length, thereby moving the entire sequence of carriers on the conveyor one carrier length. It will be appreciated that anactuator 102 is associated with eachconveyor cylinder 110 is mounted vertically adjacent elevator platform 72 to move assembly 111 concomitantly with and adjacent elevator platform 82. In fact the cylinders may be mounted on a frame 114, 114′. Each assembly has a cylinder 112 and rod 115, 115′ that engages a pivotally mounted substantially dogleg frame 116, 116′. The frame 116, 116′ is supported at anupper end 1 16a for rotation about a horizontal axis, with the lower end affixed to a horizontally disposed pusher bar 117, 117′. Bar 117 engages acarrier 16 on lowering elevator platform 72 to urgecarrier 16 and each adjacent carrier onconveyor 11 horizontally responsive to downward movement of rod 115. Concomitantly, rod 117′ moves horizontally responsive to the upward movement of piston rod 115′. The rods 117, 117′ may thus stabilize the line of carriers and assist in positioning the carriers in the various stations. Likewise, when elevator 72 has conveyed acarrier 16 toupper conveyor 13, rod 117′ engages thecarrier 16 and urges the carrier and adjacent carriers horizontally alongconveyor 13 responsive to downward movement of rod 113′. Alternative triangular frame 116 and cylinder 113 may be supported on platform 72, 82. - It will be appreciated that the mold carriers are circulated from the lower carrier to the upper carrier and back again, and those sand molds initially enter the circulating carrier loop on the lower carrier. If each carrier had more than one mold thereon, then a mold with a cooling casting therein moves on
conveyor 11 from the pouring station to elevator 72 toconveyor 13 tomold shift station 91 at which point the mold is moved laterally, then to lowering elevator 82 tocarrier 11, to elevator 72, toconveyor 13 to the shift station, whereupon the mold and casting are discharged toshakeout conveyor 101. If more than two molds are supported on each carrier then each mold may be carried through another cycle for extended cooling. In the multimold per mold carrier arrangement, the inboard mold on the mold carrier could be partially or completely subjacent the inboard mold carrier of the upper conveyor, thus affording a savings of installation space. - In yet another embodiment, each carrier supports two sand molds in side by side relation. The molds are loaded at the mold loading station in tandem. The pouring station utilizes two pouring robots, such that both molds are filled with molten metal. If necessary the inboard mold may be filled first and the outboard mold filled second or the inboard and outboard molds on adjacent carriers may be filled. When the carriers are moved to the upper conveyor the outboard mold (inboard on lower conveyor) is off loaded first onto the shakeout conveyor. Since the upper and lower conveyors are offset, the pouring station and weight and jacket station can operate without interference from the upper conveyor. For castings that are amenable to shakeout after one pass on the conveyor, the dual filling capability effectively doubles the capacity of the system with minimal increase in space and equipment. Further, the height of the upper conveyor can be such that no excavation is needed to install the shakeout conveyor. Use of the articulated drivers likewise reduces the space required to install the system. Accordingly, a much smaller footprint and much less costly installation is possible with the present invention.
- While the apparatus has been disclosed in various forms, these are intended as illustrations rather than limitations, and the intended scope of the invention is set forth in the claims.
Claims (25)
Priority Applications (3)
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US09/729,522 US6457511B1 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2000-12-04 | Apparatus for handling foundry molds |
PCT/US2001/044281 WO2002060617A1 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2001-11-16 | Apparatus for handling foundry molds |
EP01997018A EP1341628A4 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2001-11-16 | Apparatus for handling foundry molds |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US09/729,522 US6457511B1 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2000-12-04 | Apparatus for handling foundry molds |
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US20020069999A1 true US20020069999A1 (en) | 2002-06-13 |
US6457511B1 US6457511B1 (en) | 2002-10-01 |
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US09/729,522 Expired - Fee Related US6457511B1 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2000-12-04 | Apparatus for handling foundry molds |
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CN111136250A (en) * | 2020-01-14 | 2020-05-12 | 合肥工业大学 | Multi-row formwork front-back surface stepped pouring system and pouring method |
WO2020132398A1 (en) * | 2018-12-20 | 2020-06-25 | Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation | Method and apparatus for conveying sand molds |
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US3955613A (en) * | 1975-02-03 | 1976-05-11 | Pettibone Corporation | Foundry mold conveyor system |
US4422495A (en) * | 1981-02-26 | 1983-12-27 | Joseph B. Stinson Co. | Mold handling system |
US4621967A (en) * | 1982-01-18 | 1986-11-11 | Usm Corporation | Automatic board loaders |
US6126384A (en) * | 1995-06-07 | 2000-10-03 | Standard Duplicating Machines Corporation | Paper set feeding |
US5901774A (en) * | 1997-01-15 | 1999-05-11 | Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation | Linear mold handling system with double-deck pouring and cooling lines |
US6145577A (en) * | 1997-01-15 | 2000-11-14 | Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation | Linear mold handling system |
US6052969A (en) * | 1998-02-20 | 2000-04-25 | F. R. Drake | Patty loader and method |
-
2000
- 2000-12-04 US US09/729,522 patent/US6457511B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2001
- 2001-11-16 WO PCT/US2001/044281 patent/WO2002060617A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2001-11-16 EP EP01997018A patent/EP1341628A4/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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CN103962542A (en) * | 2014-05-28 | 2014-08-06 | 滨州海得曲轴有限责任公司 | Automatic ordered moving and fixed-point pouring system for sand coated iron mold casting molds |
EP3088103A1 (en) * | 2015-04-29 | 2016-11-02 | Jöst GmbH + Co. KG | Conveyor device, system and a method for finishing a workpiece |
CN108393471A (en) * | 2017-02-07 | 2018-08-14 | 新东工业株式会社 | The mold conveyer and foudry line of the anti-bias mechanism of casing with board carriage |
WO2020132398A1 (en) * | 2018-12-20 | 2020-06-25 | Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation | Method and apparatus for conveying sand molds |
US11161174B2 (en) | 2018-12-20 | 2021-11-02 | Hunter Fourndry Machinery Corporation | Method and apparatus for conveying sand molds |
CN111136250A (en) * | 2020-01-14 | 2020-05-12 | 合肥工业大学 | Multi-row formwork front-back surface stepped pouring system and pouring method |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US6457511B1 (en) | 2002-10-01 |
EP1341628A1 (en) | 2003-09-10 |
EP1341628A4 (en) | 2005-09-07 |
WO2002060617A1 (en) | 2002-08-08 |
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