US2347226A - Sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

' l l INVENTOR. EdWEu-l H Whifaker Patented Apr. 25, 1944 ,UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE SAND RECONDITININGIAND RETEMPER- ING APPARATUS- Y Edward H. Whittaker,.rersey city, N. J. Y

` Original application July 9, '1941, Serial No. t 401,651. Divided and this application October 24, 1942, Serial N0. 463,231

This invention relates to sandA reconditioning and retempering apparatus which maybe used in foundry plants, and vthis-application is a division of an application for United States patent onl Foundry plants, filed by me on July 9, 1941,

`Serial Number 401,651.

The principal object ofthe invention is to provide a' simplified sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus, employing a spray and an excess water drainage system, with the eiiicient removal of trash andthe like from the sand.

Another object is to'provide a sand,v reconditioning and retempering apparatus wherein the `sand is freed of trash, and the excess water drainage system and trash removal system are independent, so that the trash will not clog the excess water drainage system.

Still another object is to provide anapparatus vas above described, whereby the sand is retempered evenly.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for reconditioning and retempering sand, wherein portions of the mechanism have dual functions, and the number of parts of the mechanism are relatively few, simple, not apt to get out of order and quite easy to` replace. f

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description,

taken in rconnection with the accompanying4 drawing, forming a part of this in which drawing: i

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the mechanism of the sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus, as well as a shake-out station and a conveyor, parts of the latter being in elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View through a portion of a pulverizing and trash separation chamber and a drainage and convey-V ing chamber of the sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus.

specic'ation, and

The apparatus preferably includes a bottcmlessA main body portion or frame I openat its'upper end to provide an vinlet and provided with 4end walls II and I2 and like sidewalls I3, defining, generally, from the upper end downwardly, spray chamber I4, an intermediate or pulverizing and trash separationchamber I5, a lower or drainage and conveying chamber I6 and a ltering chamf ber `I`I to one side'of the chamber` I 6. There may be provided also a spout or way "I8 forthe reconditioned and retemper'ed sandfand' an inclined'water trough I9. Into 'the spray chamber lwextenc'l encor-'more spray pipes or' conduits v2li, perforated' as 'at 2r through which water may be sprayed upon materialfalling from above. The spray pipe 20 may lextend through a slot or peep-hole 22 in lthe wall I I and be free 0f the wall I2, at its closed end 23, thus being movable so that a workman located outside the frame I0, as in the zone 24, may `move the pipe 20 about in the spray chamber I4. With this end in view, the pipe Z is supplied with water through a flexible hose 25 having connection with a manually operable valve yZlin a pipe lineZ'I beneath the conveying chamber I6 and extending in to a zone 28 outsidel the frame I0, where another workman may be `located to control the valve 26. In this pipeline 21 is another va1ve29 which may b 'e used to regulate the maximum flow 'of Water` that may be delivered to valve 25. The control 30 of 'valve 29 may be provided with a lock or seal 3| to prevent tampering. The valve 26 may be conu trolled by afoot lever 32, pivoted at 33, intermediate its ends, tothe Wall I2 of the frame- Ill, with treadle portion 34 projecting at one end outsidethe wall I2 andconnected at its other end, inside the frame I0, with a line 3-5 which is yOpera-tively `connectedwith the lever handle 36 of the valve 26. Aweight 31 may be provided adjacent the lever end of link 35 to normally close valve 26. y

Next, with reference to the drainage and con- 'veying chamber I6; this is dened at its bottom by 'an inclined trough portion 40 semi-circular in cross-section as shown in Figure 2, which trough portion 40 extends upwardly from -the filtering chamber I 1 to the upper end of spout I8. In the chamber I 5, cooperating with the trough portion 4D is a screw conveyor 4I, the shaft 420i which is journaled in bearings 43 carried by the Walls II and I2 of I0. The purpose'of this conveyor is to allow excess water to drain-from the sand and flow to the filtering chamber II while the moist `sand is more or less slowly raised and dumped into spout I8. The shaft 42 maybe slowly rotated by motor 44, through speed reduction gearing 45, located in the zone 24.

In the pulverizing and trash separation chamber `I5 is disposed a vibrating grille 50 through the openings or perforations 5I of which sand and water may ilow, while trash, such as nails, wooden wedges, binding Wire, cores which have freed themselves from the casings, small pieces of broken castings, etcL, will nd egress from the chamber I5 through opening or outlet 52 in the wall of chamber I5, shownf in Figure 2, normally closed -by `a 'yielding `apron Iorf`gat =`53- suspended 55 at their lower ends, and fitting loosely inv sockets 58 open to the under side of grille 50,

forth about' its pivoted -iaxisl' the workman to play the water where needed and the incidental jarring of the spray pipe 20 prevents the accumulation of sand and ne trash thereon, which accumulation would tend to clog the perforations 2l.

Rotation of the conveyor shaft 42 also operates the grille 50 by swinging the latter back and Theconstruction is such that fumes `will not accumulate in the apparatus, nor will it become '-ooded and there are no gears or delicate work- The throws of cams 55 are such that the grille Y. A 1

50 always inclines upwardly from its pivotal axis 54, so that trash and the like,l toolarge to go through the perforations 5I, will gravitate to the.

apron or gate 53 and, whenthere isla'sucient accumulation to overcome the inherent tendency at the gate 53 to remain closed, will quickly iind,-

exit, when the gate opens, sliding through the opening 52, due to gravity. In order toprevent trashcfrom finding its way` to the drainageand conveying chamber I6, the free longitudinal edge 59 of the grille 5D may rub against a flexible wall portion 60 of chamber I5 as shown in Figure 2, this flexible wall portion 60"'being disposed of across suitable opening 60 inthe wall and the main body portion, and is opposite the opening 52. Trash nds an exit at opening 52 and falls into a container 6I, supported o n a shelf 62, which, inv turn, is supported laterally ofirame I0.

In the filtering chamber I1 is disposed a reticulate box or lining 63 containing ltering material 64, such as gravel, to catch any water borne sand, while the water may ijlow through the openings in the box 63 and through the outlet or opening 65 to the trough I9 and be carried away, either for re-use oras waste.

Associated with this novel sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus, are a shake-out station 10 above and a conveyor 1I below the sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus.

The shake-out station may include a grille 12 adapted to support a flask and mold, vibrating or shaking mechanism 13 below the grille 12, both the. grille 'I2 andthe vibrating mechanism 13 being so disposed that the sand or trash will fall into the sand reconditioning and tempering apparatus. A c 4 The conveyor 1I may be of the endless type and include a portion 15 passing through ahousing 16 including the floor 11, upon whichthe sand reconditioning and tempering rapparatus rests. An opening 18 in the iioor 16 communicates between the housing 16 and the spout I8, so that the tempered sand will drop through the opening 18 and into Vthe housing 1G and be conveyed to the next station bythe conveyorrll.

As the sand, broken castings, trash and the like are shaken from the flask at the shake-out station, they will drop into the open-topped sand reconditioning and retempering apparatus, enter the spray-chamber I5, encounter the spray played about by the workman, the sand being whetted and the sand, trash and the like deposited upon the grille 5I), whereupon the sand andwater will drop through the perforations 5I in the grille 50, while trash will move toward the opening 52, as has been explained, and be discharged from the apparatus as it accumulates. The slow upward travel oi the wet sand, urged and turned over and over by the conveyordl, will free it of excess water and discharge it, as properly retempered sand, Ymi@ ,the smut l8- l y:ses

ing parts to be damaged by the trash and sand.

v l I claim:

1. In apparatus for reconditioning sand, a main body portion providing an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber having a lateral opening Vin'said main body portion, and a lower chamber beneath said intermediate chamber, water spray means in said upper chamber, a grille pivoted to said main body portion adjacent said opening, extending across said intermediate chamber and movable `in planes inclined .downwardly toward said opening, means for normally closing said opening, including a gate across said opening, suspended from adjacent the upper. end of said opening and forming, with said grille, an acute angle, movable meansA in said lower chamber for receiVingsand and spray water, dropped through said grille,and means, operated by movement of said last named means, for swinging said grille about its pivotal axis. A

2.1Apparatus fortempering sand, comprising a main body portion providing an upper spray chamber, a pulverizing and trash separation chamber therebeneath and a drainage and conveying chamber beneath said last mentioned chamber, said spray chamber having movable spray means therein, said pulverizing and trash separation chamber provided with a lateral opening and a grille pivoted adjacent the lower portion of said opening, extending across the cham ber and movable in a planeinclining downwardly towardv saidfopening, a conveyor in said drainage vand conveying chamber, said conveyor disposed in a' plane inclining4 from one side of the main body portion upwardly 'toward the other vside thereof, means for operating saidconveyor, means operable by said conveyor for swinging said grille about its pivotal: axis, andayieldable apron or gate atothe lower margin of said grille for normally closing said lateral opening. y

3. In apparatus for tempering sand, a main body portion' providing an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber having a lateral opening through 'said' main body portion, and a lower chamber beneath said intermediate chamber, spray meansin said upper chamber, a grille pivoted adjacent' the lower portion of saidopening, extending across vsaid intermediate chamber 'and movab'lein a 'plane inclined downwardly toward said opening',`a'"rotating conveyor'in said lower chamber, disposed in the path of materials dropped from said grille, means for operating said conveyor, means operableby said conveyoi` ior swinging said grille about its pivotal axis and gate means 'at' the` lower margin of said grille for normallyjclosing said opening.`

4. In apparatus for tempering sand, a mainbody portion providing an vupper chamber, an interme-v diate chamber 4having fa lateral opening through said mainbodyportionl and a lower chamber beneath said intermediate' chamber, spraymeans in said upper 'clfiamben'v a' grille pivot'ed' adjaf n't the lower -Vportion of vsaid opening, extending across 'said'in rmediate' chamber vand movable -in a plane inclined downwardly toward said opening, a rotating conveyor in said lower chamber, disposed in the path of materials dropped from said grille, means for operating said conveyor, means operable by said conveyor for swinging said grille about its pivotal axis including a cam rotatable with said conveyor and a rod with one end riding upon said cam and with its other end in contact with the under side of said grille, and gate means at the lower margin of said grille for normally closing said opening.

5. In apparatus for tempering sand, a main body portion providing an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber having a lateral opening through said main body portion, and a lower chamber beneath said intermediate chamber, spray means in said upper chamber, a grille pivoted adjacent the lower portion of said opening, extending across said intermediate chamber and movable in a plane inclined downwardly toward said opening, a conveyor having a shaft portion in said lower chamber, disposed in the path of materials dropped from said grille, means for operating said conveyor, means operable by said conveyor for swinging said grille about its pivotal axis, including a cam mounted upon said shaft portion and a reciprocating rod with its lower end riding upon the surface of said cam and its upper end in contact with the under side of said grille at a location remote from the pivot of said grille, and `gate means at the lower margin of said grille for normally closing said opening.

6. In sand tempering and retempering apparatus, a main body portion providing an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber, having an outlet to the exterior of said main 'body portion, a lower chamber beneath said intermediate chamber and a ltering chamber at one side of said lower chamber, provided with an outlet to the exterior of said main body portion, spray means in said upper chamber, a movable grille a-cross said intermediate chamber, sloping downwardly toward said outlet, a trough in said lower chamber, extending from said filtering chamber upwardly towards said intermediate chamber and disposed beneath said grille, a screw conveyor in said trough and means to rotate said conveyor to urge material therein upwardly in said trou-gh.

7. In sand tempering and retempering apparatus, a main body portion provi-ding an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber, having an outlet to the exterior of said main body portion, a

lower chamber beneath said intermediate chamber and a ltering chamber at one side of said lower chamber, provided with an outlet to the exterior of said main body portion, spray means in said upper chamber, a movable grille across said intermediate chamber, sloping downwardly toward said outlet, a trough in said lower chamber, extending from said filtering chamber upwardly -towards said intermediate chamber and disposed beneath said grille, a screw conveyor in said trough, means to rotate said conveyor to urge material therein upwardly in said trough, and means operable by said conveyor for moving said grille into various planes inclining downwardly toward said opening.

8. In sand conditioning apparatus a main body portion provided with a sand and trash inlet, a trash separation chamber below said inlet, and a conveying chamber beneath said first-named chamber, said rst-named chamber having a lateral outlet to the exterior of said main body portion, a grille pivoted adjacent the lower end of said outlet, extending across said first-named chamber and movable in planes inclined downwardly toward said outlet, a yieldable apron or gate normally closing said outlet and suspended from the wall above said outlet, a rotatable conveyor in said second-named chamber, means for rotating said conveyor, and means operable by said conveyor for swinging said grille about its pivotal axis.

9. In sand conditioning apparatus a main body portion provided with a sand and trash inlet, a trash separation chamber below said inlet, and a conveying chamber beneath said first-named chamber, said first-named chamber having a lateral outlet to the exterior of said main body portion and a flexible wall portion carried by said main body portion in the wall thereof opposite said lateral outlet, a grille pivoted adjacent the lower end of said outlet, extending across said first-named chamber and movable in planes inclined downwardly toward said outlet, and movable over the surface of said iiexible wall portion, a yieldable apron or gate normally closing said outlet and suspended from the wall above said outlet, a rotatable conveyor in said second-named chamber, means for rotating said conveyor, and means operable by said conveyor for swinging said grille about its pivotal axis.

EDWARD H. W'HI'I'I'AKER.

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