US2385250A

US2385250A - Centrifugal casting machine

Info

Publication number: US2385250A
Application number: US472025A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrews Harold
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-08-01
Filing date: 1943-01-11
Publication date: 1945-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 1962-09-18

Description

Sept. 18, 1945. ANDREWS 2,385,250

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE m Filed Jan. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 h. o d g u.

HAROLD Aunruzws INVENTOR BYW ATTORNE Sept. 18, 1945. ANDREWS CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 11, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet .4

llbll OUDZFPZOU Wm W HAROLD ANmuws INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1945. H. ANDREWS CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE.

Filed Jan. 11. 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 HAROLD ANDREWS Armnugy Sept.'18, 1945. H. ANDREWS 2,335,250

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 11, 1943 4 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Ii I I l INVENTOR f/fiwz 17 flA PKE ATTOR EY atented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE Harold Andrews, Halesowen, England 1, 1943, Serial N0. 472,025

Application anuary 1 In Great Britain August 1, 1941 2 Claims. (Cl. 22-65) I invention relates to improvements in cenbeingconsiderable since the hand-wheels must be mifugal casting machines of the type in which cylindrical articles, such as cylinder liner castlngs or piston-ring pots. are cast centrifugally in a mould rotating about a horizontal axis.

In one design of machine of this type described in U. S. patent specification mould assembly is carried by a face-plate mounted on the forward end of a hollow shaft which is rotatably mounted in spaced bearings and is driven by a motor or other source of power to rotate the mould about its axis during the casting operation. Concentric sleeves or a concentric sleeve or sleeves and a central rod extend axially through the shaft and are axially movable by screwand-nut mechanism at their rear ends to actuate an ejector for ejecting the finished casting and an end ring which is held against the outer end of the mould during the casting operation and is displaced while the casting is being N0. 2,023,562, the

withdrawn. The screw-and-nut mechanism comprises internally screwed rotatably anchored threads on the axially movable sleeves or sleeve and rod and are fitted with hand-wheels by which they can be manually rotated. Where a split mould is used the mechanism which operates the end ring may also serve to open and close the mould.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved centrifugal casting machine of this kind which has a number of advantages in use and in which the amount of time and labour required between casting operations is substantially reduced.

According to my invention in a centrifugal castdescribed above the actuating mechanism for the end ring and ejector, and also for opening and closing the mould if necessary, which is located at the rear of the mould is geared or coupled to operating or control means located at one side of and adjacent to the front Thus when a casting operation has been completed the operator instead of having to go round to the back of the machine to manipulate the hand-wheels for displacing the end ring and advancing the ejector can effect these operations and also the return of the end plate and ejector from the front of the machine without moving appreciably from the position he normally occupies during the casting operation and there is a considerable saving in time.

Another advantage is that the hand-wheels do not rotate with the mould assembly so that their inertia does not have to be considered, this inertia of considerable diameter to give the necessary leverage, particularly for the operation of the elector.

One preferred practical design of centrifugal casting machine embodying my invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of tion.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the front part of the mechanism for raising and lowering the end the machine partly in secring.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the control mechanism.

. Figure 5-is anism side elevation of the control mechre 6 is a top plan view of the machine.

The machine itself need only be described briefly as it is similar in general construction to that described in U. S. patent speciflcation'No. 2,023,562, referred to above.

A hollow main shaft Ill rotatable about a horizontal axis is mounted in heavy spaced roller journal bearings ii and is adapted to be driven by an electric motor through a belt running over a pulley It on the shaft. A face-plate I! on the forward end of the shaft has secured to it a number of forwardly projecting arms ll forming a carrier adapted to carry a readily interchangeable mould indicated in dotted lines at ll.

During the casting operation the front end of the mould is partially closed by an end ring I! carried by a air of arms ll pivoted at their rear ends by pins ll on slides II.

The rear end of each slide enters a spring box 20 on a cross-head i2 and a compression spring 22 is arranged between the front end of the box and a collar 23 on the rear end of the slide. This arrangement allows the end ring to yield under axial expansion of the mould. The cross-head 2| is secured to the front end of a tubular sleeve 24 which extends axially through the shaft II and is axially movable therein to draw the end plate against and move it away from the front end of the mould. In the operative position of the end ring shown in dotted lines is in axial alignment with and is held against the end of the mould and is ositively located by the engagement of bushed holes 25 with the reduced ends it of rods 21 extending forwardly from the face plate l3. when the casting is finished the cross-head 2| is advanced by axial movement of the sleeve 21 which disinl igurelthering' in the end ring engages brackets 28 on the arms I! from slides 29 carried by the face-plate. The end-ring can then swing down into the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 in which it is clear of the end of the mould so that the casting can be withdrawn. The end ring when released from the mould is adapted to be supported and moved up into the operative position again by a yoke formed by a cross-member 30 and a pair of arms 3| pivoted on brackets 32 extending forwardly from the frame of the machine. This yoke is moved angularly by a link 33 pivotally connected to'the centre of the yoke and to a longitudinally movable rod 34 below and parallel to the main shaft.

Ejection of the casting is effected by an ejector 35 on the forward end of a plunger coaxial with and axially movable in the sleeve 24.

A collar on the rear end of the sleeve 24 is rdtatably anchored by means of a bearing 31 in a transverse crosshead 38 which is held against angular movement.by means of a lugon the crosshead engaging slidably with a fixed rod 39. Internally screw-threaded nut members 40 secured in the orosshead adjacent each end engage with parallel screw-threaded spindles H which ar geared together by a chain connecting the sprockets 42. Thus rotation of the spindles 4| moves the cross-head and the sleeve 24 axially to draw the end plate against or move it away from the end of the mould.

The rear end of the plunger 36 which extends beyond that of the sleeve is similarly rotatably anchored by means of a bearingv 43 in a crosshead 44. The bearing is mounted on a short collar or sleeve 45 which has a limited sliding movement on the plunger against the action of a spring 48 to allow for expansion.

Nut members 47 anchored in the ends of the crosshead engage with parallel screwed spindles 48 which are geared together by a chain connecting sprockets 49 so that rotation of the spindles 48 moves the crosshead and the plunger 36 to advance and retract the ejector.

The sprockets 42 on the spindle 4! are coupled by a chain to a sprocket ii on the rear end of a shaft 62 rotatably mounted in a control frame 53 arranged at one side of the machine. The front end of the shaft which is adjacent the front of the machine as shown in Fig. 6, is fitted with a hand-wheel 4 for rotating the shaft to rotate the spindles and so actuate the end ring.

The sprockets 49 on the spindles 48 are coupled by a chain to a sprocket 55 on the rear end of a parallel shaft 56. At its front end theshaft 56 carries a pinion 51 meshing with a gear-wheel 58 on a sleeve concentric with the shaft 52 and this sleeve is fitted with a handwheel or capstan 59 for rotating the shaft 56 to rotate the spindles 48 and so advance and retract the ejector.

The control frame also provides a mounting for a switch 60 for the motor 6| driving the main shaft l0 and a brake lever 62 actuating a brake 63 for bringing the main shaft to rest after a casting operation. A cam member 64 associated with the brake lever actuates a switch 65 in the main motor circuit to prevent the motor from being energised when the brake is on. v

A further switch 66 in the main motor circuit is mounted on the frame of the machine and is controlled by a collar 61 on the sleeve 24 to prevent the motor from being energised until the end ring has been drawn back against the end of the mould. A still further switch 58 may be controlled by a collar on the rod 35 to prevent anism for actuating the ejector should be manuaily operable as shownin the drawings as considerable force may be necessary to initiate the movement of the casting from the mould and this force can be applied through the capstan hand-wheel 69. However, the movement of the end ring does not require excessive force at any time and instead of operating this manually it may be operated by an auxiliary motor coupled by chain or other gearing to the screwed spindies 48 or to the spindle 56, the motor being controlled by a main switch adjacent the handwheel 59 and by limit switches actuated by c0llars on the sleeve 24 to stop it when the end ring has reached its two limiting positions. These collars would of course be adjustable to allow for moulds of different lengths.

I claim:

l. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a hollow rotatable main shaft, a mould carrier mounted on the front end of the shaft, an axially movable end ring for closingthe front end i of the mould during casting, an axially movable ejectorfor ejecting the finished casting, members axially movable within the shaft for actuating the end ring and ejector and projecting from the rear end of the shaft, collars on said movable members, crossheads engaging said collars, nuts anchored in the crossheads, rotatable screwed shafts parallel to the main shaft and working through the nuts, rotatable spindles parallel to the screwed shafts, gearing connecting the spindles to the screwed shafts, and means at the front ends of the spindles for rotating them.

2. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a hollow rotatable main shaft, a motor drivably connected to said shaft, a brake for said shaft, a mould carrier mounted on the front end of the shaft, an and ring for closing the front end of the mould during casting and axially movable members axially, rotatable spindles at one side of and parallel to the main shafts, gearing connecting said spindles to the screw-and-nut mechanisms, handwheels on the front ends of said spindles, means mounted adjacent said handwheels for respectively operating said brake and controlling said motor, and means included in the circuit of said motor'and actuated by the brake control and by the axially movable'memher which advances and retracts the end ring for preventing energization of the motor unless the brake is off and the end ring is in position against the end of the mould.

HAROLD ANDREWS.