US2610373A

US2610373A - Mixer-muller

Info

Publication number: US2610373A
Application number: US158266A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jules T Parisi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-04-26
Filing date: 1950-04-26
Publication date: 1952-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-16

Description

Sept. 16, 1952 .1.1. PARISI 2,610,373

MIXER-MULLER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 26, 1950 Sept- 16, 195? J. T. PARISI 2,610,373

A MIXER-MULLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1950 Sept. 16, 1952 .1.11 PARISI 2,610,373

MIXER-MULLER Filed April 26, 195o 5 sheets-sheet s 90 @.5 3010502 231mm ,Q/zfw Sept. 16, 1952 J. 1'. PARISI MIXER-MULLER Filed April 26, 1950 III l l. l

.Q J JM? 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y Mixen-MULLER .Jules T.' Parisi, Chicago, Ill.

AApplication April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,266

1 Claim. (Cl. 22-89) The present .invention relates to apparatusfor conditioning granular or pulverulent material and more particularly to an apparatus for conditioning molding sand of the type used in foundries.

In modern foundry practice molding materials, commonly called sand, consist primarily of sand which may be either new or used sand to which certain other materials are added, such as binding and peeling materialsor agents. These materials must be thoroughly intermixed with and uniformly distributed in the-sand if uniform results are to be achieved in casting. The apparatus of the present invention embodies improved continuously operating means for preparing molding sand for use.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for conditioning molding sand for use which operates continuously as distinguished fromA the so-called batch type conditioning apparatus and which is capable ofv conditioning sand in one pass through the apparatus.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved Vapparatus for conditioning molding sand whichsubjects the sand to both mulling and mechanical mixing operations and which delivers the sand thoroughly fluiiedv and aerated in condition for use.

A further object of the` invention is to provide apparatus of the type specified in the preceding objects which Vincorporates improved sand mulling apparatus.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for conditioning molding sand which may readily'be adapted and regulated for varying the amount of conditioning to which the sand is subjected.

' Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus `for conditioning molding sand which may beused in conjunction with an endless conveyor that vtransportssand from a place of storage to a place of use and which apparatus conditions thel sandk while it is being so transported.

A further object of thezinvention is to provide new and improved apparatus for conditioning molding sand in which the generation of heat is greatly reduced without impairing the eectiveness of the apparatus. v

A still further object of the invention is to .provide new and improved apparatus for conditioning molding sand which' is capable of much greater output than known apparatus of comparable cost, and which produces a 'mol'ding'sand of uniform texturev that is cooler and hasgreater permeability and nowabuity than the 'sands produced by conventional mulling apparatus.

A more general object of the invention is toA provide new and improved apparatus for conditioning molding sand which may be constructed at relatively low cost Yand is easy tofinstall`v and maintain but which nevertheless may be operated for extended periods ywithout requiring-adjustment, repair or cleaning. v-

These and other objects, advantages and capa? K bilities of the invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is aside elevational view of the improved apparatus of the present invention; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe sand conditioning apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale with parts of the apparatus broken away and parts in section more clearly to-disclose the invention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan viewrof a portion of the apparatus of the present invention on thesame scale as Fig. 3 and with portions of the apparatus broken away more clearly to disclose the structure thereof;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of the muller forming part, of the sand conditioning apparatus of the present Vinvention; and j Y Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational View showing a chain drive for the muller of the present invention. f

Referring tothe drawings, it will be seen Athat y the improved sand conditioning apparatus of the .present invention may be installed along a section of endless conveyor such as a standard endless belt having an upper reach I2 anda lower reach I4. In describing the invention'it will. be assumed in reference to the drawings that the upper reach l2 of the conveyor moves from left to right (Figs. 1 to 3). It will further be assumed that the left hand end of the conveyor is located adjacent a place of storage for the sandv to be conditioned such as a hopper (not shown) from which the conveyor is supplied, or it maybe supplied from a place of storage by another yconveyor belt (not shown). The sand to:be conditioned may be either raw or spent molding sand,

conditioninggapparatuslof the present invention comprises a plurality of separate stages or stations, each of which includes an agitator or cutter Y stage I6 comprising a pair of rotatable cutters I8 of duplicate construction and a mullerstage 20 including a supporting roller 22 below the upper reach I2 of the conveyor and a muller roll or Wheel 24 above the upper-reach ofthe conf-l veyor. Since these stages are of duplicate. construction, only one willfbe described in detail. n Figs. 1 to 3 the cuttersI I8 and muller rolls 24 are arranged for an endlessconveyorwhose upperl reach I2gis traveling from4 leftto right -as'seen in those views. Threes-tagesare shown in Figs. 1 and 2'but thenumber ofthese stages may be increasedor decreased as required properly" to condition a particular kind ofv moldingsand or asandfo'r a particular use,

Support for the sand-conditioning elements is provided by a main iraniens-structural irons comprising aY plurality of vertically extending angle Yironsf2'6` interconnected by a plurality'ofv longitudinally extending

horizontal angle members

28, 30; 32-and134, and a pluralityof `transversely extending horizontal angle iron-members 36. These frame-members-arejoinedto each other by Welding, boltingo1-'anyA other suitable means. This mainframe extendselongitudinally of the endless conveyor-anduside and top-wall plates r38 and 40,-- respectively, extending the length of the mainframe are secured thereto vto form a housing enclosing the cutters-*mandat least a portionfof the mullerv wheels-V24.- However, the top wall 4U-and the side walls 38Y at the muller stages are provided with apertures for apurpose to be described. End Wall plates 42 may be vpro-- vided toclose theoppesite'ends. of Athe housing formed byf-the top andsidewall plates. This housing is somewhat narrower than the endless conveyor and the lower -edges Yof -the sidewall plate 38 extend into close proximity -to the top side of the upper reach- I Zof the conveyor as indicated at 44- (Fig.- 6)` so as to tend -tovprevent material onfthel conveyorv-.from Vspilling.oir-the A'sides thereon 1 Preferably doorsV 46v (Figs. 1 and-4)` are-hinged to openings 4B in the side wall plates-38-opposite the cutters I8 sothat access may readily Vbe had to these cutters. Openings SII-inthe side-walls 33 to the rear of the muller rolls 24 do not necessari-ly lhaveto be'closed because the sand*A is lbeing compacted on theconveyorat lthe .muller stages and thus will not be likely: turbe` scattered through the openings` 50.

Circulation of airfthrough the housing for the purpose of coolingfthe sand onthe conveyor and to prov-ide ventilation may be had through branchv pipes52V communicating at one end with the` upper end ofthe housing for the cutters and mullers. over the cutters I8 at each stageand at theother, end with an exhaust duct54 connectedto-a suitable source of suction.

The cuttersrl'8-in`feaoh stage preferably each comprisey three lmetal discs -56ifnxed1ly mounted in spacedrrelation upon atsupporting: and driveT shaftitll (Figs. and 6) which'discs support two;

4 sets of blades 60 in angularly disposed relation to each other. These blades each preferably comprise a relatively heavy band or ribbon helically curved from end to end thereof. o At their opposite ends the blades are received in radially extending notches or slots 62 in adjacent discs 56 and they may be fixed thereto by welding or other means.- The cutter shafts 58 are rotatably supported. adjacent Oppositelendstinfsuitable pillow blocks 64 :fixed to, the longi'fudinally extending horizontal frame members 28 so as to support the periphery of the cutters spaced approximately 9e of an inch above the top side of the upper f reach -I2 of the conveyor.

' second cutter ineach-stageI--is-:drivenl fromthe.

shaft -ofthe -rst by-meansfot alVz-,belt 1241 '('Fig. 5) whichY passes-overduplicate pulleys lxxed. on thecutter-shafts` 51k for. the` two` cutters in eachstage -I6. Thus.- the twoy cutters1..ineachi stage are driven.. in they same.directiQn.-.and1 at the Asame speed` The -peripheryof-l these cutters;-

preferably move. in-- the. same.` directiang assthe. direction of linear movement. of. the -upperareachf I2 yof the conveyor-on that.'sidelofythel-cuttersf whichlis being carried toward'theconveyors.. The cutters therefore.- rotate. .in-f. a... counterclockwise. direction 'as seen1inFig.'3.:. Itrfhas 'beenefoundf that best results are obtained-immoist.casesrwhen; the peripheral speed ofthecutters .-l8s'zisgapproximately eight Ytimesgtheslinear. speed? offthe;` con:y veyor `although l othersspeedsrmay A: begused gif@ cir.,- cumstancesmake it. desirable.V`

Each ofthe muller. rolls .Zltcomprisesahollom cylindrical. drum 18`: Fig.16) prefegrablytofstain;Y less steel having enclosing end walls'gto lfllcl circular flanges 82; ori-hubs. 8,4 Aarefboltedfp therwise xedly secured: The. hubs-8.41am fixed uDQrl;

drive and supportingi--shafts lBI-fby means'. 0f. Sefascrews Bain the hubs.84..i

The muller roll shafts:8I5.are;rotatably.supev ported adjacent opposite-end ull'fblebcar: ingsv SUcarried adjacenlzthe redes@ :af-Deir of rocker v,arms` Il2vjgvvhi rishts welded r otherwissuitably secured adr!7 jacent their ylovvev A, ends.,to-vthefree-lends the rocker;@1111151.92and1 cross piece. ,Slcennccting thegupplT/ends-,oflthes .vertica ame members. 94 tubular space Essl-.mayb prov/idedfber. tween the anchore p `,ends of .thegrolcerss 52,..v to rigidify the .entiremuller ,roll ,trama A, connection between 5 the ,mai-n. frame,.-and muller roll frame to adapt theflattenzand;the; mullerroll for rockinggmovementrelatiyettq; the main-.frame may beinrvided ferxample. .by oppositely extendingztrunnions-IIIl i urnal'ed: n`- Suitable'. pillow blvcks 102 xed imonflonsitudi 1.V frame members 30. A sha A w verselv of the-flecken through etheispscer 98 mih'l'rfb'ued' QIJheiSame i 1 -uDarights ,9A-inthe; mul exbendrthrousbi the.apertureslprcvieusl. desa .bed in thetcewalll 40. sof the heusnesgand the apertures 50; in the.:

rens.suelav ex.. ,ladina-transe of the mullerv wheel frame relative to these side walls. t t

Adjacent their free ends the rocker arms 92 are provided with stops in the form of cap screws |04 which are 'adapted to engage upon cooperating stops |06 fixed to certain of the vertically extending members 26 in the main frameto limit movement of the rocker arms 92, and muller roll 24 toward the upper reach I2 of the conveyor. The distance the muller roll is supported above the conveyor by these cooperating stops can be Varied by turning the adjusting screws |04 one way or theother and then locking the same at a position of adjustment by means of lock nuts IIS. A scraper H0. is provided for each muller roll 24 which scraper may be secured to the muller roll framework in any suitable manner (Figs. 3 and 7).

Like the cutters I8, each of the muller rolls 24 has its own source of power which may com- Prise a conventional electric motor H2 mounted on' the cross member 96 in the muller roll frame (Fig. 6). Through a gear reduction unit enclosed in a housing H4 this motor drives a relatively small sprocket H6 drivingly connected by means .of a sprocket chain H8 to a relatively large sprocket fixed on the muller roll shaft 86. An idler sprocket |22 carried by a rockably mounted arm-|24 which may be locked at various positions of adjustment maintains the sprocket chain H8 taut. Preferably a suiiicient reduction c in speed is provided by the motor driven gear reduction and the sprockets H6 and |20 so that the peripheral velocity of the muller roll 24 is substantially the same as the linear velocity of the upper reach of the conveyor. The mullerl roll preferably rotates in the same direction as' the cutters, namely, counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 3.

By reason of this mounting of the motor H2 on the muller roll frame, it weights the muller roll frame and the muller roll 24. If desired or necessary additional weights (not shown) may be placed on the cross frame member 66 to hold the muller roll 24 against the sand on the conveyor. Additional weight may also be supplied by providing the muller roll 24 with a lling opening |26 through which sand or liquid may be supv plied tothe interior of the roll to thus weight the same the Aamount desired. This opening is closed by a suitable screw threaded cap or Plug |28.

Subjacent' support for the upper reach I2 of the conveyor to relieve strainthereon during mulling and to improve the mulling action of the muller roll 24 vis provided by the supporting roller 22 which is supported below the conveyor and is freely rotatable on an axis extending transversely of the conveyor in a plane extending substantially vertically vthrough the axis of the `muller roll 24. Roller 22, which may be of conventional construction, has trunnions |30 (Fig. 6) at opposite ends thereof rotatable `in suitable pillow blocks |32 supported onV longitudinally extending channels |34 in the main frame by means of pedestals or brackets |36. Subjacent support for the upper 'reach |2 of the conveyor to prevent sagging is also provided by a plurality of conventional supporting rollers |38 rotatably supported in suitable brackets or standards |46 carried by the longitudinal channel members |34. Preferably one of these rollers |38 is located at a point intermediate the two cutters I3 in each cutter stage |6 as indicated in Fig. 3.

Subjacent support for the lower reach |4 of the conveyormay be provided by a plate |42 |46 between the muller rolls 24 and the cutters i8 adjacent thereto -in the direction of forward movement of the conveyor. The shovels |44 may be made from a relatively heavyplate attached at one end to any suitableV rigid support such as the inner side of the sidewall plates 38 with their lower edges in close proximity to the upper reach I2 of the conveyor. These plates are inclined inwardly so that they extend inwardly of the lateral edges of the conveyor. Sand is therefore stripped from these edges of the conveyor and is directed or plowed toward the .center thereof. Each divider |46 may consist of a triangular shaped metal plate and the dividers (are supported above the conveyor from any Briefly to describe the .operation of the im.

proved mixer-muller, the unconditioned molding sandalong with the additional ingredients necessary to form a finished molding material or sand are supplied to the left hand end of the rconveyor (Figs. l to-3) as previously explained in a layer which may be from one to three inches thick.

rAs the material on the conveyor is carried past the relatively rapidly rotating cutters I8 in the rst cutter stage |6, it is thoroughly agitated, thus tending to reduce 'any lumps therein and to mix the several ingredients thoroughly and at the same time aerate and viiuff thel material. Furthermore, due to the helical curvature of the blades 60 in the cutters I8 the material on the conveyor is plowed toward the center of the conveyor. This and the fact that the housing plates 38 enclose the cutters and extend into close proximity to the topside ofthe upper reach |2 of the conveyor prevent the-material from being scattered from the conveyor during mixing.l Any material which by chance happens `to remain nearthe edges of the conveyor as it is moved. past the shovels |48 by the conveyor is plowed inwardly of the edges of the conveyor.

Material is then moved by the conveyor under the'muller roll 24 and is thoroughly mulled thereby during the course of which it is spread across the conveyor and compacted intov a layer of substantially even thickness. From the muller roll 24 the sand is carried past the dividers |46 vand shovels 44 located ahead of the succeeding cutter aereas-2 7' Y Y the sand is movedto 'the succeeding'cutter stage I6 and the process described above is repeated;A

In order that the sand shall'be in'conditionfor use when it leaves the last mixer-muller stage vin the conditioning apparatus, a cutterstage |50 (Figs. l and 2) similarY to the cutter stages I6 is provided following thelast'muller stage 20. operation to the cutters I8 previously described are provided in` this cutterstage- 150:- YFor this reason Athe sand 'leaving' thisv cutter 4'stage yis thoroughly fluffed and aerated to ithuscool the same. It therefore' is. ready 'for use,"and` vtothe 1 extreme Vright of th'ezportion'l oi the 'conveyor' shown` in Figs. 1 and12: means maybe 'provided' for Yremovingjthe preparedmoldingjsand A,at a station or stations .Where it is to' beused; crit may be conveyed tov a .place of'storage Byvirtue of the cooperative actionofithe mix ers and mullers molding sand roperated uponby the apparatus ofthe present-invention not' only' is lump-free `and more `permeable but "also is more fiowable Aandappreciably cooler'thanV sandv conditioned by the ordinary batch.l type muller.A As a matter of fact', YVentilation for cooling pur; poses, is hardly necessary.'

The improved conditioning" apparatus de-l scribed herein mayNV be' :operated continuouslyV because it is not necessary tov stop :the sarnefor loading and unloading. The. entire operationtis therefore expedited and a'mixer-mullermof; the type described herein is capable 'of an Voutput at least double that of afbatchxtype' muller'of comparable cost YIn additionysince 'thelo'ading and unloading j operationsy incidenti4 to the use' of a .batchxtype /mullerj are 'eliminated' in the use of the presentmixer-muller', there less- Wastage and'v fewer` attendants; 'are' requiredjto operateV the conditioner.` y

Another advantage`4 ofthe mixer-muller-"de-r scribed lhereinisthe fact that' in many instances it may'readilybeinstalled along existing conveyorlines Without requiring extensive rearrangement or modification thereof; thus' reducing thecost of` installation'.V It is also to beA notedth'at the presentY apparatus' may be` fabricatedlfa'lmost en*- tirely from'standardstru'ctura'l' irons or other.' standard parts and thereforeiits cost ofL manu'- facture is relatively'loun By'virtu'e otheirconstruction the vvarious"parts"of 'the' apparatus' Y..

tend to vbe self'A cleaning4v andA have; a long life'. Maintenance after initial adjustment of' the' apparatus therefore ls` negligible because' it con#4 sists mainly of. the lubrication' of-thebearingsin the various pillow blocks:V

It will be' observed thatadditi'onalstages may readily be added toy theapparatus' if required"*by*l the state of the m'aterial'whi'chis4 being condi;- tioned, or the amount ofconditioning to-vvhi'cl'rit is desired to subjectthematerial'. Thusthe ap?-v paratus can be organized. so` that the materia is completely conditionedinonepass; Furthei'rn'i'ore,y

since the mixers and 'mullers haveindiviiiuai' sources of power, one. orm'ore'. oft thestagesina conditioning apparatus, may bev readily cutout"if" that becomes desirable. Moreover the; apparatus'A of thepresent invention is also adaptable foriuse' with conventionall batch type equipmentowhere: conditioning additional" t'o that provided bythe conventional equipment is desired.

Although it is contemplated thatthe sand;bein"gj, conditioned` shall" be. sulcljjectedy to" .theY actionro'f Cutters 152, similar4 in construction and s' both' the cutters and mullers, in some instances or with particular sands a sufficient conditioning maybe achieved by merely subjecting the'sand to the operation of themullerwheels orv the cut ters vand such operationA can readily' be had in view of the factV thatv each of the muller Vand each ofthe `:cutter stages has'an'individual source of power. This' also' allows less than all ofthe cutter stages ormuller stages to bel placed in operation" when the operation of all is not necessary'.

While preferred embodiments of the vinvention have been'shown and described, itV willbe appar ent that numerous Yvariations and modifications thereof maybe made without departing 'from the underlying principlesof 'the invention. Itis desired, therefore, 'by the following 'claiinto include within the scope of the invention all such vari;4 ations and modifications by which' substantially the results of the invention may be obtained Y through the use of substantially rthe same or equivalent means.

Iclaim:

A conditioner for granular or pulverulentmaterial having a driven conveyor belt for carrying said, material. along the upper. reach thereof through the. conditioner, means for supporting the movement of said belt' including a plurality ofv subjacent support rollers spaced apart beneath said reach, a mixer for said materialV comprisinga-.pair of rotating cutters having helically curved blades successively carried into Close proximity to thev upper reach, said pair of bladeslbeingarranged above the saidbelt in position along said reach and adjacent to but between subjacent support rollers, whereby thev belt between said support rollers will yield. when pressed downward by the blades engaging said Vmaterial thereon, means drivingly connected with said cutters adaptedA to rotate the same so that the peripheral speed thereof. is substantially greater than the belt speed; and in the same directiony at theA bottom of the cutters Wherebyisaid cutters will'cut into sai-dj material and throw the'v same into the air to mix and aerater the same as thematerial moves along said conveyor,V a plurality of Walls on theV conditioner arranged toencloseithe mixer,l a mixer roll positioned to operate. on. the material afterfit has beenagitated by said cutters,` a motor geared tosaid mullerrroll toi drive the' same', saidv motori being mounted in association withsaidl muller rollso as to Weight the roll additionally, said ro'll and@ motor being freely movable together' toward'v said upper reach fori holdingv the`v m'uller roll against thel material.

fhefollowing"references are"`of record inthe ille' `ofi this" patentz' UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept.- 10;.1931