US2011955A - Centrifugal casting machine - Google Patents

Description

2,011,955II` i Aug. 20, 1935. E. G. TouCEDA CENTRIFUGAL CSTING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1954v I C I r w Iliff?" A IN EN R M5 W 7-, ATTcNEY v inthe casting of prosthetic articles, suchas den-f Altman;

. This invention relates to/{metalfounding} liarticularly to casting, and more especiallyto centrifugal casting.

A principal object of this invention-is. the ductionl of a method 'and means wherebymore", .with an orifice G--through which astop rod 'I 5 perfect results may be' more conveniently obtained selected to illustrate the invention progresses, and

- the novel features will be particularly pointedlvout 'In describing the invention in detail and the particularphysical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention; vreference willbe had to the accompanying drawing, and the several views thereon, in which likecharacters of reference Ydesignate like parts throughout the several views,

' g Figurel is anfelevational view, with some parts fin section'andsome parts broken away to more v clearly showzhe'construction, of a device embodying 'applicantsinvention usable for practicing his method; Figi. 2 is a sectional view on the plan'e r :indicatedby the line II--II of Fig. 1 viewed in ll the 'directions of the arrows at theends of the line; Fig. 3 isA ay sectional view on the plane indicated fis a perspective view of 'a formed material used. in applicantsinvention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form ofmaterial used in appli- 35.,

by the line III- III of Fig. l; Fig. 4.is anenlarged cross-'sectional view corresponding to a portion of the'cross-sectional view shown in Fig.- 1; Fig. 5

cants method; Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a detrated'gezierally by R. After the metal has been received inthe receptacle R, itis thrown by cenvtrifugal force into a mold, illustrated generally l'by M. This lcentrifugal action is obtained by mountingthe receptacle R. and the mold M upon an arm designated generally by BA mounted revolvably upon a vertically positioned axis.

In the practice of applicants method, it is necessary to whirl a member. In Figure 1, applicant has shown a suitable form of apparatus for producing the whirling motion. The device, in

the selected form includes a hollow pedestal like member I vprovided with a broad iiat base and withspaced oriced ears 2 in which bolts, as l 2.011.955 caNmIr'UGAI'. 'cas'rmc moms Enrique Garanten, Albany, N. Y., assigner to Consolidated., (lar-Heating Company, l Inc., l T Y., a corporation of New York Applicator-apra `4, 1934, sensi Na '118,902

j aclaihisa (cl. :tz-65.1).

may be placed to fasten the pedestal to a suitable support. u l I'he'pedestal I is preferablyprovided with a when free..

tail; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view on the plane' OFFICE.

horizontalpartition 4 formed with a well 5 and `is slidableivertically when manipulated bythe handle: 8 upwardly or by gravity downwardly,

yThe'v' .fell 5 serves as a bearing for a vertically positioned shaft 9. This shaft 9 is preferably 10 rovidedwithmeans for preventing its longitu- Vdinal movement as by a groove I Il into which the end of -a set screw I I may be positioned. The set screw II being screwed into the wall of the well 5 lallows the shaft 9 to rotate but prevents longil5 'tudinal movement.

In order to get the whirling motion necessary,

applicant provides a helical spring I2 coiled about the shaft 9 and having one end I3 attached to the pedestal I, asby screw I4, and the other end I5 20 attached to the shaft 9, by inserting the same in an orifice as I6 This construction is such that when the shaft 9 is rotated in the direction of the arrow I1, that is, clockwise, the spring I2 will be wound up, so vthat if the shaft 9 is then free, it will 25 be rotated in a direction contrary to the arrow II.

As the body to be whirled by the rotation of the shaft 9 is of some considerable size, and as it is not desired to have the spring I2 unwound by the rotation oi' shaft 9 in a direction contrary 3.0 to the arrow I1, it is necessary to provide the body to be whirled and the shaft 9 with cooperating means, which will allow relative movement therebetween so 'that after the wound spring has become completely unwound in'whirling the body, 35

fthe-body may then continue to whirl free from spring I2 and the shaft 9. Applicants construction whereby the `desired result is obtained includes a shaft I8 positioned with its axis in line with the axis of shaft 9. The shaft I8 is provided 40 lwith a reduced bearing portion I9 seated in an asm bearing ermee in the shaft s. The shafts s and I8 are each provided with mutually-engaging projections, as 20 and 2| on shaft 9, and 22 and After the spring has becne completely unwound, 50

shaft I'Blcontinues to rotate in the same direction, Ithat is, in av counterclockwis'e direction, due to the -momentum of the parts, but thelmembers 22 y and 23 dueto the springs, as 2l, back of them are pushed upwardly, aided bythe sloping faces s o that the members 22 and 23 move by the members 20 and 2l until the momentum of the bodies con-y nected to the shaft is dissipated.

In practice, the spring I8 is wound up by turning arm BA in a clockwise direction. This causes pins 20, 2I, 22 and 23 to engage and move shaft Ilv and so spring I2. When the spring has been sufficiently wound rod 1 is projected upwardly sufficiently to contact with the side of arm BA. 'I'he contact exerted by the arm BA against rod 1 is sufficient to keep the rod 1from falling. When it is desired to allow arm BA to whirl, it is simply moved so as to be out of contact with rod 1 whereupon rod 1 drops and then the arm BA is free.

In order to cover the inner mechanism of the pedestal I and to provide a steadying bearing for shaft I8, applicant provides the cover member 25 which is screwed to the lower portion of the pedestal I as by screws 26 and has a bearing 21 in its upper portion for receiving the shaft I8 and steadying the same.

Applicant prefers to make the arm BA of rectangular cross-section, and to hold it in a slot 28 formed in the end of the shaft I8. The arm BA is held in the slot 28 both by the nut 29 screw threaded upon the end of the shaft I8 and by the set screw 30 screwed into and through one of the bifurcated portions.

One end of the arm BA supportsan adjustable balancing weight 3| slidable along the arm BA and secured in an adjusted position by any suitable or appropriate means, as by the threaded screw 32, which is threaded into the mass 3| and bears against the arm BA.

The mold forthe` prosthetic, denture or similar articleis mounted upon the arm BA. In the preferred form, a support 33 is provided. This support is preferably formed integral with the em-` bracing member 34 which surrounds the arm BA, is slidable therealong, and is held in adjustable position by the wing screw 35. This flask or mold abutting member 33 is provided with a-ilange 36 which serves to receive and position the end of the mold M.

The other end of the mold M is supported and clamped by the mold end plate 31 provided with a flange 38 for receiving and positioning the endA of the mold M. The end plate 31 cooperates with a threaded screw,39 passing through the end plate bracket 40 which is provided with anembracing portion 4I which surrounds and embraces the arm BA, and which is s'lidable therealong, and which is heldin adjusted position by the thumb screw 42.

After member 34 is fastened in position by thumb screw 35, the mold M is placed `in position with one end against plate 33, and then the end plate 31 is brought against the other end of. the

mold by moving member 4I along the arm BA.4

'I'he thumb screw 42 is then tightened, andthen thumb screw 39 is tightened sumciently to securely hold the mold M between the flanges 36 and 38 and the plates 33 and 31.'

In order to provide the molten metal to fill the cavity 43A of the mold' M, applicant provides a crucible C. This crucible maybe made of any suitable or appropriate material of a refractory with a channel 45 opening into a receptacle R. The channel 45 is preferably formed of an alundum tube. At any rate, both the channel 45 and the receptacle R should be such that they may withstand the heat of the molten alloy and have no substance therein which may be taken up by the molten alloy to its detriment.

The receptacle R is preferably somewhat contracted, as at 46, and is in alignment with the pouring orice 41 of the flask or mold M.

When molten metal is present in the receptacle R, a rotation of arm BA about the axis of shaft I8 will cause this molten metal, as 48, to flow from the left hand end of the receptacle-R as viewed in Figs. l and 4 and flow into the mold and cavity therein producing the cast form desired, corresponding to the cavity 43.

In order to support the crucible C and the receptacle R, applicant provides a receptacle support 49 formed with a ange 50 by which the receptacle container 49 may -be attached, as by bolts I, to the plate 33. The receptacle container 49 also supports the crucible container 52 which is provided with flange 53 which may be bolted, as by bolts 54, to the receptacle container 49.

The receptacle container 49 and the crucible container 52 are-both made, preferably, of metal such as iron, but are made sufliciently large so that a considerable body of heat insulating material 55, such as asbestos, may be positioned between the receptacle R and the walls of the receptacle container 49, and between the crucible C an'd .the walls of the crucible container 52.

In order to provide means for easily inspecting and cleaning the receptacle R, applicant pro.

vides an end closing plate 56, made preferably of alundum, held in place by a threaded end plug 51, threaded into the end of the receptacle container 49.

In order to produce a body of molten metal 48 in the receptacle R, applicant places the requisite quantity of metal .oxides mixed with the proper amount of powdered aluminium together with a suiciently large strip of magnesium ribbon with its end projecting from the mixture to give the requisite quantity of molten alloy. In

oxides to take place so that molten metal is produced in lthe crucible which when sinking to the bottom causes .the reaction to take place in the plug 58 so that it is destroyed and the molten metal flows into the receptacle R. Any slag which is formed will naturally float upon the top of the molten metal and would be displaced by the molten metal when ywhirled Vso that theA molten metal being the heavier would ilow into the mold.

The mixture which applicant uses for producing.

his molten alloy corresponds in general to the well known thermite mixture commonly used'to produce molten metal in situ by the action of powdered aluminium upon appropriate metal oxides. v

Applicant prefers to provide the mixture in the form of pellets, as 59, as shown by'Fig. 5, or as small cylinders, as shown in Fig. 6, each of a denite known weight, and compounded to give a definite weight of' molten metal, andto ignite these pellets or cylinders when charged into the crucible either by a short length of magnesium wire or by Oxy-hydrogen flame directed upon the pellets or cylinders.

' A complete practice of applicants method by the use of the machines shown in the figures would consist in first making a cavity, as Il, in a suitable mold; then positioning that mold as shown in Fig. 1;" then charging the crucible C with the necessary amount of thermite mixture;

then balancing by means of the weight II so that the arm BA is substantially level; then the spring I2 would be wound by turning the arm BAina clockwise vdirection and held in wound'position by moving the rod 1 upwardly so as to contact arm BA; then the heat would be applied to the thermite mixture so as to start the reaction', pref'- erably by preliminarily igniting a piece of magnesium ribbon buried in the mixture; then when the mixture has sufficiently reacted to destroy the plug 58 and the molten metal Il has flowed into the receptacle R, the rod 1 would be depressed by pressing down on the handle 8 whereupon the arm BA would be whirled about by the rotation of shaft 9; and then when the spring I2 had become entirely unwoundthe arm BA with shaft I8 would continue to rotate. independently of the shaft 9 until the momentum previously generatedhas been dissipated; thenwhen'the contents of the mold have become suiiiciently cold it wouldberemoved from its position and the cast article secured therefrom.

Of course, it is to be understood that if applicant doesnot desire to centrifugally cast, then the metal may be allowed to ilow by gravity into the mold from the receptacle. t

Although I have particularly described one paricular physical embodiment of my invention andexplained the operation, construction and principle, thereof, nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical' embodiments of the idea of means underlying my.

invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by f utters Patent of the United stmt. is:

Y nation: a rotatable member; means for rotating 4 50 tioned on ythe member; a receptacle on the meml. In a centrifugal casting machine. in combithe member; a mold provided' with an inlet posiber formed with a receiving inlet and with an outlet communicating with the inlet of the mold; a crucible formed of inert material on the meni-v ber and having an outlet communicating with the receiving inlet of the receptacle; said elements constituting a self-contained. organization whereby a plug composed of a thermite mix- -receptacle provided with an inlet and with an outlet communicating with the inlet of the mold; and a crucible having a bottom outlet communciating with the inlet of the receptacle, and

stituting a self-contained organization `whereby a plug composed of a thermite mixture may be placed in the said outlet of thecrucible and Aa. thermite mixture may be reacted in the'crucible causing a reaction in the plug and a ow of' metal into the receptacle and thence into the `mold, thus eiecting the complete casting operation by an exclusively exothermic' reaction, gravity and centrifugal force.

- 3. The method of casting articles of the class described.- in centrifugal apparatus including a a mold-disposed laterally with relation to said receptacle, said receptacle having anoVerhead open port to receive the contents of said crucible and. a lateral port communicating with said mold-said method comprising the step of charging saidcrucible with a fusible thermite mixture and maintaining saidmixture in said crucible by' a fusible closure of thermite reagents insaidportleadingtosaid receptacle, thestep of initiating a thermite reaction to fuse' the mixture and closure whereby the fused mixture and closure descend' by gravity from ,said crucible through said-'port into said receptaclepand the step of applying centrifugal force to said receptacle, 'whereby it discharges said fused charge the closure material into said mold through said lateral aperture.

ENRIQUE G. TOUCEDA.

- receptacle, a crucible superimposed thereon and means to apply centrifugal force to said com- 'bined elements; said assembly of 'elements con-

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