US2873490A - System for producing moulds on foundry machinery with two or more mould forming stations - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1959 E. BUHRER 2,373,490

SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING MOULDS ON FOUNDRY MACHINERY WITH TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS Filed April 14. 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hg 2 40a 68 67 7; 2 74 21, 69 70 5 I/WAE/VTE: f/PW/NBd'flPF? Feb. 17, 1959 HR'ER 2,873,490

E. BU SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING MOULDS 0N FOUNDRY MACHINEZR Y WITH TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS Filed April 14, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 LITA/749M761?" .f/Ph m Bylaws www 2,873,490 ERY Feb. 17, 1959 E. BUHRER SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING MOULDS ON FOUNDRY MACHIN MOULD FORMING STATIONS WITH TWO OR MORE Filed April 14, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 as l 1959 E. BUHRER 2,873,490

SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING MOULDS ON FOUNDRY MACHINERY WITH TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS Filed April 14, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 I16 [/5 5 III 55 I19 III I67 26 169 130 F/g. 5

116 1/2 1/4 1/3 "a lulu Illll Fig. 9

SYSTEM FOR PR C FOUN MACHINERY WITH TWO .MORE MOULD ING TIONS Filed April 14, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 17, 1959 E. BUHRER 2,873,490

ING MOULDS M$ Mg Feb. 17, E BUHRER SYSTEM FOR PRODUCINO MOULDS ON FOUNDRY MACHINERY WITH TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS Filed April 14, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 a 0 0- 153 l 151 [d L5 as 1 174 154 1 y I v 141 Y\ 7\l 146 64 Fig. 13 .F/g./4

IA ViA/j'D/P: fin 0V 80/9986? Fela.1 7,1959 IEBUHRER 2,873,490

SYSTEM FOR PRODUCIN MOULDS ON FOUNDRY MACHINERY WITH TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS Filed April 14, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING. MOULDS N FOUNDRY MACHINERY wlrn TWO OR MORE MOULD FORMING STATIONS The present invention relates to a moulding machine with a mechanically driven, intermittently rotating turntable which carries a plurality of patterns arranged circumferentially of said turntable and equidistantly from one another.

A heretofore well-known method of producing foundry moulds includes arranging, on a continuously rotating turntable, vertically movable patterns and vertically movable squeezing plates and securing moulding boxes or flasks to a conveyor which is suitably guided when passing through the circle formed by the turntable, the said boxes being then filled, squeezed and taken away by the conveyor once the squeezing plates and patterns have been withdrawn. Another well-known method comprises arranging patterns alone on intermittently rotating turntables, the devices for the pre-compressing, compressing and lifting off of the moulds being stationary in this case. The suggestion has also been made to have patterns, shockless jolters and devices for lifting off the moulds also revolving at the same time as intermittently rotating turntables. Also known is the method of using intermittently rotating turntables which carry the patterns and the devices for lifting off the finished moulds, packing being arranged for by the provision of a stationary squeezing cylinder. Other suggestions provide for the arrangement of patterns supported loosely on an intermittently rotating plate, packing being effected by a stationary press and the finished moulds being lifted off by a stationary attachment.

Also well-known is the method of arranging all the devices necessary for the making of moulds, that is to say,

jolter, press and lifting oif mechanism, equal distances apart on an intermittently rotating turntable. Finally, the suggestion has been made to arrange pattern carrying devices on a rotatable and liftable carrier, the said devices being manoeuvrable in the raised revolving position. In this method the carrier conveys the moulding box past four fixed stations which possess means for the filling, precompressing, compressing and lifting off of the finished moulds.

All these suggested methods failed to become generally applied in practice since they either involved too many difliculties in operation, were too complicated, took too little account of the requirements of moulding, or else as far as production was concerned, were too little adaptable to the variations in the number of parts to be made.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages and to provide means facilitating production of foundry moulds in an improved and novel manner and with a high degree of efficiency.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means contributing to greatly simplified and compactly organized foundry mould forming machines which are entirely automatic in operation, require a minimum of supervision, and .efiect valuable savings of time, labor and space in the production of said foundry moulds.

It is still another object of the present invention to ice 2 provide means redounding to an efiicacious and integrated moulding system aflording substantial technical and eco nomic advantages in the manufacture of foundry moulds, said advantages being mainly due to the fact that the operated-upon portions of said system are collocated in one group and are movedas a group past the operating portions of said system which are collocated in another group.

The invention, more particularly, resides in the fact that on the turntable of the machine arelocated, in addition to the patterns, only the appurtenant jolting means for the pre-packing, i. e., the preliminary compression of the moulding material, and that all the other attachments of the moulding machine are grouped round the turntable and are actuated in synchronism with thelatter. The invention will be more fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanyof extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal projection of a moulding machine according to the invention with two pre-compression units, the projection being a partly sectional view taken along the line l-I in Fig. 2, the pre-compression units not being shown;

Fig. 2 isa sectional view taken along the line II-II in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken along the line III-III in Fig. 1 and illustrating the turntable locking device;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the drive for the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9;

Fig. 5 is a partly sectional, horizontal projection of a moulding machine with three pre-compression units, the pre-compression units not being shown;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 7;

Fig. 7 is a partly sectional, horizontal projection of a moulding machine with five pre-compression units, the projection being taken along the line VII-VII in Fig. 6, the pre-compressionunits not being shown;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal projection of a moulding machine with two pre-compression units;

Fig. 9 is a partly sectional, vertical projection taken along the line IXIX in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal projection of a moulding machine with three pre-compression units;

Fig. 11 is a general horizontal projection of a moulding machine with five pre-compression units;

Fig. 12 is a partly sectional, vertical projection taken along the line XII-XII in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of arrow XIII in Fig. 11

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrow XIV in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 15 is a general horizontal projection of a moulding machine with six pre-compression units.

In the following a description is first of all. given of the lower part of the machine and its variations, as well as of. the drive mechanisms built into the said lower part and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the base of the machine includes an upper part 2 secured to a machine bed 1. Located in the latter is a fixed shaft 3 on which a Wheel or gear 4 is positioned and which centers a turntable 5. 'I'helatter is supported on sliding surfaces 6 of the machine bed 1. On the turntable two cylinders 7 and 8 are arranged which carry, respectively, jolt counter pistons 9 and 10. Supported in the latter by means of screws 11 and cushioning bolts 12 are themould tables 13 and 14. The mould table 13 carries a pattern 15 which supports a moulding box or flask 16, while the mould table 14 carries a pattern 17 which supports a moulding box or flask 18. Each pattern plate or means together with its jolting cylinder and .piston constitutes a mould forming station. The fixed shaft 3 possesses current supply leads 19 which are electrically connected to conductors 20 and from which current collectors (not shown) lead the electricity through cables to beneath the patterns 15 and 17 in order to heat them during operation. In operative connection with the turntable 5 is a rotary slide valve 21 which possesses a holder 22 in which air pipes 23 are fitted. The turntable 5 is sealed off from the stationary upper part 2 by an oil packing 24 so that dust-laden air cannot penetrate into the gear parts or into the oil filling 25 in the machine bed 1. The drive (see Fig. 4) is effected by a stop motor 26 of conventional design. The arrangement described in the following serves to produce a movement at a speed varying from zero to maximum and back, vice versa, similar to the movement produced by a rack on a wheel by means of a crank. On the stop motor 26 a gear wheel 27 is arranged and acts on the gear wheel 28 which is firmly connected to the shaft 29. The gear wheel 30 which is rigidly connected to the shaft 29 transmits the turning movement of the latter to the gear wheel 31 which is revolvingly supported on the stationary shaft 32 and on which a shaft 33 is arranged at a distance from the shaft 32 and parallel to it. On the shaft 33 a planet gear is located which, while wheel 31 is turning, hobs with the gear wheel 35 which is firmly connected to the stationary shaft 32. On the gear wheel 34, at a distance from the shaft 33, a bolt 36 is arranged in the manner of a crank, the bolt carrying a guide piece 37. While the planet gear 34, when the wheels rotate, circles round the fixed shaft 32, the guide piece 37 slides at the same time back and forth in a guide 38 which is firmly connected to a gear wheel 39 located on the stationary shaft 32. Parts 33 to 38 are illustrated only in Fig. 4; they are omitted from Fig. 1 for the sake of clarity. 1 The wheel 39 transmits its turning movement to the gear wheel 40. The latter is engaged with the intermediate gear wheel 41, through it with the gear wheel 4, through the latter with the intermediate gear wheel 42 and through this with the gear wheel 43. The wheel has an axial pin or stub 40a which is embedded in the hole 44 of the machine bed 1, the said hole being closed by the cover 45. Firmly connected to the wheel 40 is a ring 46 and a swivel part 47, which belongs to the swivel or revolving unit 130 and which, in its turn, is located in a part 48 that is firmly connected to the upper part 2 of the base of the machine. The swivel part 47 possesses ahole 49 in which a piston 50 and a piston rod 51 forming lifting means for a grab (not shown in Fig. 2) are guided, and also a hole 52 in which a piston 53 with a piston rod 54 are guided. The parts arranged on another part 55, which is firmly connected to the swivel part 47 and possesses a dust shield 56, will be described later. The parts shown in Fig; 4 constitute means to impart relative movement between the turntable 5 and the swivel unit 130, and the swivel unit 131, described below, respectively.

In the machine bed 1 the journal of the wheel 43 is guided .in the hole 57 which is closed by a cover 58. Firmly connected to the wheel 43 by means of a ring 59 is a swivel part 60 which possesses a hole 61. A disc 62, which has a conical pin 63, lies in the hole 61 on the wheel 43. Firmly connected to the upper part2 is a top piece 64, which, in a higher position not shown in the drawing,- guides a swivel part 60 arranged similar to part 55. The swivel part 60 belongs to the swivel or retrated, has three pre-compression units 76.

. 4 volving unit 131. The piston 65 with the piston rod 66 slides in the hole 61. Cast on the lower side of the turntable 5 is a lug 67 in which a power-operated locking device (see Figs. 1 and 3) is located. In the lug 67 there is a bushing 68, and in it a second bushing 69 is inserted in order to locate the locking piston 70 which is under pressure from the spring 71. The feed pipe 72 of a pressure medium, preferably air, leads to the cylinder compartment 73 so that the locking piston 70 is moved in one direction by a pressure medium and in the other by the spring 71. As regards the type of machine with two-precompression units two catches 74are firmly connected to the machine bed 1 and correspond to the catches 75 on the wheel 4.

One end of the locking piston 70 arranged on the turntable 5 engages in the catch 74 (Fig. 3) locks the turntable 5 with the machine bed 1, the drive wheel 4 of the said table being at the same time released from the catch 75, and vice versa.

Turning now to Fig. 5, the turntable, there illus- Since the construction of the arrangement is principally the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 for the arrangement with two pre-compressing devices, only the differences will be described in the following. Adjacent the turntable 77 swivel or revolving units 80 and 81 are arranged at an angle of 120 to each other measured between the radial lines 73 and 79. These units are designed similar to 130 and 131 in Fig. 2 andserve the same purpose.

The drive is effected in similar fashion by means of parts 26 to 39 (42'-43' and 4'), but with the difference that an intermediate wheel 82 is arranged between the wheels 39 and 40". Another difference is that the ratio of the diameters of the Wheels 4 to 40 or 43 is 3:2 instead of, as in Fig. 1, the ratio of the diameters of the wheels 4 to 40 or 43 being 1:1.

Whereas in Fig. 1 two catches 74 are arranged firmly connected to the machine bed 1, three catches 74 are provided in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. Also the wheel 4 carries three catches 75'.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the arrangement there shown includes five precompression units. Since this arrangement is the same in principle as that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, itwill only be described in so far as it differs from the ones previously mentioned. The base of the machine comprises an upper part 84 firmly con-- nected to a machine bed 83. A turntable 85 is located in the manner already described and carries five precompression units 86 to 90. The wheel 92 is driven in the same way as that described in connection with Fig. 5, with the transmission ratios altered accordingly. In contrast to the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the gear wheels 92 to 94 engage directly with each other; The wheel 93 is firmly connected to the turtablc 85. The bearing arrangement and the drive of the turntable 85 are eifected in the same way as that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5. The swivel part 95 possesses two holes 96 and 97 in which the pistons 98 or 99, and the piston rods 100 or 101, are guided. In the hole 96 there is, furthermore, a. cover with a pin 102, and in the hole 97 a cover with a pin 103. Only one piston with a piston rod 106 is slidingly borne in the swivel part 104 which is connected to the gear wheel 94. In contrast to the examples illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, this one possesses no catches since the wheel 93 is firmly connected to the turntable 85.

The superstructure of the machine in its various types is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 15 and described in the following.

In Figs. 8 and 9, 107 designates a roller gear table on which the empty moulding boxes roll to the mould to the stations thereon. The latter, because it does not form the subject of the present invention, is not described in greater detail.

In Fig. 8 the grab is illustrated in itsposition above the pre compression unit 111, and in Fig. 9 it is shown swung out above the roller gear table 107. Furthermore, 112 designates a filling bucket which can remove, in a manner which is not described in detail, certain amounts of granular mass from the bunker 113 which is indicated in Fig. 9 above the said bucket. In Fig. 9 the filling bucket 112, constituting at least part of the said supply means for themolds, is shown in its position above the pro-compression unit .111. Also indicated in Fig. 9 is a spreading device 114 for granular mass or moulding material, the mode of operation of which is not described in detail. Swung in above the pre-compression unit 115 is a press or squeeze means 116 whose mode of operation is not described indetail and which is supported in a holder 117. Above the roller gear table 118 there is a grab 119 which deposits a finished mould 120 on the roller table 118. On the latter and on the machine bed 121 a repeller device 122 is arranged which is not described in detail. On the rollertable 107 acylinder .123 is arranged which keeps the mould box 108 at a distance from the moulding box 109 which, in its turn, is pressed against a stop (not shown) bya cylinder 124. The grab 110 is firmly connected to the piston rod 54 (see Figs. 1 and 2) and secured against turning. about its own axis in the guide 125. The filling bucket 112 is supported on the part 55 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which, in its turn, is firmly connected to the swivel part 47 .and the wheel 40. Since the piston rod 54 is also located in the part 55 and in the swivel part 47, and is kept from turning about its own axis, the filling bucket 112 and the grab 110, when the wheel 40 turns in the direction of the arrow 127 in Fig. 8, also turn in the same direction about the axis of the wheel 40. The holder 117 is firmly connected to the swivel part60 (Fig. 2) and through it to the wheel 43. Since the grab 119 is held rigid on the piston rod .66, which is secured against turning about its own axis, and since the said grab 119 is located in the swivel part 60, both the press 116 and the grab 119, when the wheel 43 turns in the direction of the arrow 129 in Fig. 8, also turn in the same direction about the axis x of the wheel 43.

The moulding machine according to Fig. 10 is provided with three pre-compression units. The parts arranged in operative connection with the swivel or revolving unit 81 (Figs. and are, including the roller table107 for delivering the empty moulding boxes, the same and have the same function as the parts in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9 arranged in operative connection with the swivel or revolving unit 130. The partsarranged in operative connection with the swivel or revolving unit 30 (Figs. 5 and 10) are, including the roller table 118 for taking away the swung out mould, the same and have the same functions as the parts in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9 arranged in operative connection with the swivel or revolving unit 131. The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 10 difiers from that in Fig. 8 in that a third precompression unit 134 is added. The vertical projection in Fig. 9 is therefore also applicable, mutatis mutandis, to the arrangement shown in the horizontal projection in Fig. 10. 7

Figs. 11 to 14 show an arrangement with five pre-compression units. On a roller table 135 there are empty moulding boxes or flasks 136. The roller table 135 is constructed in the same way as the roller table 107 in Figs. 8 and 10. Two grabs 137 and 138 are firmly connected to a common piston rod 106 (see Figs. 6 and 7) and secured against turning in relation to the swivel part 104 by means of a guide 139. The grabs 137, or 138, convey the moulding boxes to the pro-compression unit 140. Above a pro-compression unit 141 (see Fig. 14)

a filling bucket 192 is firmly .attached to a piston rod 143 which is secured against twist. The piston rod 143 is supported in a sliding bearing formed by the column 144 which is secured to the upper part 84. Arranged above the filling bucket 192 is the outlet 145 of a bunker containing granular mass or moulding material. Arranged above a pie-compression unit 146 is a press 147 which is not described in detail. 13) rests on a column 148 which is supported on the upper base part 84 (Figs. 6 and 7). Piston rods 100 and 101 are located and secured against twist in a part 149 which is finnly connected to the swivelpart (Figs. 6 and 7 Arranged on thepiston rod 101isa grab 150 which is positioned above theme-compression unit 151, while the piston rod has a grab .152 which is located above the roller table 153. Arranged on the latter and on the upperpart 84 is a repeller device 154 (Fig. 12) whose mode of operation is not described in detail. An additional pre-cornpression unit 156 is arranged between the pre-compression units and 150. Above thesaid unit 140 a material spreading device .155 (Fig, 1.2) is provided but its mode of operation is not described in detail.

In Fig. 15 there is shown an arrangement with six pro-compression units. This arrangement difiers from the one with five pre-compression units in that two precompression units 157 and 153 are arranged on the circumference of the turntable between the pre=compressi0n unit '151 at which removing the finished mould takes place (Fig. 11) and the pre-compression unit 140 at which delivery of the moulding boxes to the turntable takes place.

In order to explain the mode of operation of the arrangements with two pre-compression units, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, 8 and 9, the mode of operation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 4 will first be described.

Let it be assumed that the parts occupy the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, with the exception of the locking piston 79. The latter is forced into the catch 75 on the wheel 4 by a pressure working against that exerted by the spring 71 and acting via the pipe 72 on the cylinder compartment 73. In this position the turntable 5 is locked with the wheel 4. If the stop motor 26 is set in motion by an electric switch which is not illustrated and which is operated froma distributing cylinder or control drum of a suitable control system, also not illustrated, the said motor drives the wheel 40 by means of wheel 27 via the drive elements 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38 and 39. Since the wheel 40 is also connected to the wheel 4 via the wheel 41, and since the wheel 4 is connected to the wheel 43 via the wheel 42, the wheels 4 and 43 are also driven. The drive of the large masses of the various machine parts must, as in the case of the transformation of a crank movement into a linear one, be efiected with an acceleration from zero to maximum and vice versa. This purpose is served by the already described .gear mechanism (Fig. 4), consisting of the parts 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38 and 39. At the beginning of the turning movement of the wheel 27 the arbor 36 is positioned, as Fig. 4 shows, in a plane including both the axis of the shaft 33 and the axis of the fixed shaft 32, said arbor at the same time being positioned to intersect at line constituting an extension of the pitch diameter of the gear wheel 34. Since, when the planet gear 34 begins to turn in the direction of the arrow 159, the arbor 36, does not yet turn in the direction of the arrow 160, the guide 38 and thus the wheels 39, 40', 41, 4, 42 and 43 also do not turn as yet. Only after the turning movement of the planet gear 34 has substantially progressed, does the. guide 38 slowly begin to turn as Well, to attain its highest rotational speed after planet gear 34 has completed half a revolution. When the planet gear 34 has accomplished a full revolution in the direction of the arrow 159, the rotational speed of the guide 38 is reduced again to zero. Since the planet gear 34 has the same pitch diameter as the wheel 35, the said gear 34 and The press 147 (Fig.

7 with it the shaft 33 has turned once round the fixed shaft 32 in the direction of the arrow 160. The arbor 36 has thus at the same time and together with the guide piece 37, the guide 38 and the wheel 39, also made one turn in the same direction.

Since the diameter of the gear wheel 39 is one quarter that of the gear wheel 40, the latter, after wheel 39 has completed one full. revolution, has turned one quarter revolution in the direction of the arrow 161. At the same time the wheels 4 and 43, because they have the same pitch diameter as the wheel 40, have also turned one quarter revolution in the same direction 162 or 163. At this moment the stop motor 26 is shut down by means of a trip cam 164 (Fig. 4),-via control switch 165. Since the wheel 40 is firmly connected to the swivel unit 130, the latter also has turned a quarter revolution in the direction of the arrows 126 (Fig. l) or 127 (Fig. 8). Since, furthermore, the wheel 4 is locked to the turntable 5, the latter, has also turned one quarter revolution in the direction of arrows 166 in Fig. 1 or 167 in Fig. 8. Since, in addition, the wheel 43 is firmly connected to the swivel unit 131, the latter has also turned one quarter revolution in the direction of the arrows 128 (Fig. l) or 129(Fig. 8).

After a certain time the stop motor 26 is set in motion again by the abovementioned distributing cylinder or control drum via a switch which is not illustrated. In the same manner as that already described, the wheels 40, 4 and 43 are turned another quarter revolution and thus the swivel unit 130, which is firmly connected to the said wheels, the turntable 5 and the swivel unit 131 also make one quarter revolution in the direction of the arrows 127, 167 and 129 respectively in Fig. 8. Now, the abovementioned distributing cylinder controls a slide valve, which is not illustrated, and causes the cylinder compartment 73 to be totally relieved of pressure. The elastic biasing force of the spring 71 pulls the locking piston out of the catch 75 and forces it into the catch 74. In this way the turntable 5 is decoupled from the wheel 4 and connected to the fixed machine bed 1.

After a certain time the motor 26 is set in motion again by the abovementioned distributing cylinder. The drive is not stopped until the wheel 31 (see Fig. 4) has completed two revolutions in the direction of the arrow 160, because although the switch 165 is actuated at the first passage of the trip cam 164, this first actuation is at the same time neutralized by another switch (not shown) operated from the abovementioned distributing cylinder. The result of this is that the wheel 31 is not stopped until it has completed two revolutions. The wheels 40, 4 and 43 make a half turn and thus regain their starting positions. Since, during this half turn, the turntable 5 is not coupled to the wheel 4, it remains locked to the machine bed 1, while the swivel unit 130 makes a half turn in the direction of the arrow 127 (see Fig. 8) and the swivel unit 131 does likewise in the direction of the arrow 129. Pressure is now fed into the cylinder compartment 73 by means of the abovementioned distribution cylinder via the already mentioned slide valve. The locking piston 70 is withdrawn from the catch 74 and forced into the catch 75. In this way the turntable 5 is once again coupled to the wheel 4. Now, the cycle of operations is repeated anew.

I It has been described in the foregoing how the swivel' tional speed ranging from zero to maximum and then back againto zero. It can thus easily be seen that the intermediate positions of the rotating parts after the completion of a quarter or a half turn can be reached almost exactly, even when the stopped position of the wheel 31 is not absolutely accurate.

Having explained the mode of operation of the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, we shall now discuss its relationship to the mode of operation of the total arrangement shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Since the additional devices do not form the subject of the invention, only their task and not their mode of operation is illustrated. Let it be assumed that a roller table 107 delivers moulding boxes 109, or 108, to the moulding machine. The grab or similar transfer arm means 110 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 9. After the moulding box 109 has been gripped by the said grab, it is raised until it reaches the stop 168 by means of the piston 50 and the piston rod 51 in a manner which is not described in detail. During the quarter revolution which now begins, the moulding box 109 is turned into the position 169 in Fig. 8. At the same time the precompression unit is turned into the position 170. In this position 170 work is carried out on the pattern-cleaning, for instance, the positioning of pouring cups, and the insertion of iron chills. After another quarter revolution the empty moulding box 109 passes the pre-compression point 111 and is lowered and released. Shortly after this granular mass is spread over the pattern equipment from the spreading device 114. At the same time the filling bucket 112, which is now in the position shown in Fig. 8, is raised, takes granular mass from the bunker 113 and is lowered again into its lowest position. After the grab 110 has been raised to the stop 168, the swivel unit makes a half turn, the precompression unit 111, the moulding box mounted on it and the spread sand remaining in their positions. While the filling bucket 112 is being swung out over the pre-compression unit 111, the grab 110 is again swivell'ed over the roller table 107. While the open grab is being lowered over the next moulding box, which has in the meantime been advanced into position for the grab by actuating the cylinders 123 and 124, pressure is applied to the compartment be- ;neath the jolt counter piston 10 and the said compartment is raised into the position of the jolt counter piston 9 illustrated in Fig. 2. In doing this the said compartment raises the filling bucket 112, while the latter pours its contents of granular mass over the pattern of the precompression unit 111. The latter is now set in operation in conventional manner by operating the jolting device. After the jolting process has been completed and the excess granular mass returned to the filling bucket 112, the entire pre-compression unit 111 is lowered into the position indicated in Fig. 2 for the jolt counter piston 10. In this way the filling bucket 112, held above the swivel unit 130, is lifted from the pre-compressed mould. Now the swivel unit 130 and the turntable 5 make another quarter turn and thus a new cycle of operations begins comprising the delivering and mounting of the empty moulding boxes, the spreading of the granular mass, the filling and pre-compression of the mould and the lifting off of the filling bucket 112.

The processes for the final compression, the lifting off and repelling of the finished mould will now be described.

The grab or transfer means 119 is located above the pre-compression unit 115 and we shall suppose that the said grab has grasped the finished mould lying on the said unit in the lowered position and in a manner which is not described in detail. The press 116 is in this case in its swung-out position above the roller table 118. Now, in a manner not described in detail, pressure is applied to the piston compartment below the piston 65. The finishpacked mould in its moulding box or flask is now lifted from the pattern and raised into its highest position. The first quarter turn swivels the finished mould into the position 171, the subsequent second quarter turn swivels it into the position illustrated in Fig. 8. At the same time, by means of these two quarter turns the pre- 9 compressedmould lying on the lire-compression unit 111 is swivelledinto the position of the pre compression unit 115, while the press 116 is swung from its position above the roller table 118 into a position above the pre-compression unit 115. While the finished mould 120 is being lowered on to the roller table 118 and released from the grab 119, pressure is applied to the press 116 and at the same time to the jolt counter piston 9. During pressing the latter raises the press 116 fiom the clamp of the holder 117 whereupon a simultaneous jolting takes place. On completion of the finish-packing, the jolt counter piston of the pre-compression unit 115 is lowered and thepressure released from the press 116. The latter is lowered on to the clamp of the holder 117 and releases the pre-compression unit together with the finish-compressed mould. At the same time the grab 119 is raised up and therepell'er device 112-pushes the finished mould 120 across the roller table 118. Now, with the turntable locked in position, the swivel units 130 and 131 make ahalf turn. In this way the press 116 is swung over the roller'table 11S and the open grab 119 over the pre-compression unit 115. After the grab 119 has been lowered and has seized hold ofthe finish-packed mould, the cycle of operations begins anew. I

All these processes are automatically controlled by a distributing cylinder or control drum which is not illustrated. The air pipes 23 lead via a rotary slide valve 21 to thecorrespon'dingparts on the turntable 5. Air pipes are led to the corresponding parts of the swivel unit 130 via the rotary slide valve 172 (Fig. 9) and to the corresponding parts on the swivel unit 131 via the rotary slide valve 173.

The mode of operation of the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and lO diifers from that of the arrangement in,

Figs. 1 to 4, 8 and 9 only in that half turns are carried out all the time. The bridging switch, which was operated by the distributing cylinder and which in the arrangement with two precompression units enabled the half revolution to be completed, is omitted. The necessary work on the pattern is carried out at the pre-packing point 134, while the corresponding work already described, such as delivering and mounting the moulding boxes, filling and pre-compressing the mould, is carried out in the position of the pie-compression unit 132, and the. finishcompression, lifting off and removal of the finished mould is eifected at the pre-compression point 133. Since the remaining processes are all carried out in the same way as those shown in Figs. 1 to 4, 8 and 9, they willnot be described for the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 10.

The arrangement with five pre-compression units, illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, 11 and 12, differs from those described hitherto in that the wheel 4, shown in Figs. 1 to 5 can no longerbe coupled via a locking device to the turntable, but, as wheel 93shown in Fig. 6, is directly and firmly connected to the turntable 85. In this arrangement the following always turn at the same time: the swivel unit 174 with the wheel 94 in the direction 175, the turntable 85 with the wheel 93 in the direction of the arrow 176 and the swivel unit 177 with the Wheel 92 in the direction of the arrow 178. The drive, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is also applicable to this arrangement. The difference consistsin the fact that the wheel 39 has a transmission ratio of 1:2 with the wheel 92 shown in Figs. 6, 7.and 12 and which corresponds to the wheel 40 in Fig. 4. A further difference is that the intermediate wheels 41 and 42 of Fig. 4 are omitted and the wheels 92, 93 and 94 in Figs. 6, 7 and 12 are directly engaged. The transmission ratio of the wheels 92:93:94 is in this case 2:512. The result of this is that when the Wheel 39 in Fig. 7 makes one revolution, the wheels 92 and 94 each make half arevolution, While the Wheel 93 turns one fifth of a revolution. The starting and stopping of a turning movement is effected, as has been previously described, by

means of a distributing cylinder, which is not illustrated,

i 10 or by means of the trip cam 164 via the control switch 165 as shown inFig. 4.

The whole arrangement illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 operates as follows:

Before the turninglmovements, caused by the distributing cylinder via the stop motor 26, are carried out in the direction of the arrows 175, 176 and 178, the following conditions must be fulfilled in respect of the separate devices arranged in operative connection with the precompression units. All the preliminary work must be carried out on the pattern located above the pre-compre'ssion unit 156. A moulding box must bemounted on the pattern above the pre-packing unit and granular mass from the bunker must be spread over it. The empty grab 137 must be open and in its highest position, while the grab 1 38, which is connected to the said grab 137 and is also in its highest position, keeps the moulding box 136 raised. Above the pre-compression unit 141 and the appurtenant pattern equipment 132 there must be a pre-c'ompressedniould 180 (Fig. 14), the pre-compression unit 141 together with the parts lying on. it having to be lowered to such an extent that the filling bucket 192, which in its raised position takes a new filling of granular mass from the bunker 145, clears the passage section of all the parts lying .on the turntable. The moment before the turning movement begins there is a finish-compressed mould 181on the pro-compression .unit 146. The press 147 has been lowered into the clamp of the holder 148. The pre-compression unit 146. is also lowered so that the passage section of all the parts arranged on the turntable 85 is cleared. Above the .pre-compression unit 151 a lifted off, finished mould :lies clamped in the grab 150, while the grab 152 is open, empty and also in the raised position. .T he: finished mould 17 9 which has been lowered on to the roller table 153 has already been pushed across the said roller table by the. repeller device 154.

The turning movements in the direction of arrows 175, 176 and 178, caused by a distributing cylinder which is not illustrated, are elfected in this position. The pre-compression units 140, 141, 146, 151 and 156 are turned another fifth of a revolution in the direction of the arrow 176. The swivel units 174 and 177 are turned half a revolution in the directionof arrows or 178. While theuempty pattern equipment of the pre-compression unit 151 reaches, owing to the turning movement, the position of the pre-compression unit 156, the prepared patternYof the pre-compression unit 156 turns into the position of the pre-compression unit 140. At the same time an empty mouldingtbox is swung over the latter and then deposited on it. While the :pre-cornpression unit 140 together with the patternequipment, moulding box and the granular mass spread on the latter turns towards position 141 beneath the filling bucket, the pre-eompression unit 141 together with the pro-compressed mould 180 is at the same time swung into position 146 beneath the press 147. At the same time the pre-compression unit 140 with the finished mould 181 reaches the position 151 beneath the open grab 150. The previously clamped and lifted off finished mould above the pattern 151 is swung over the rolleritable and. lowered on to the latter.

In this phase the following actions take place simultaneously: above the pre-cornpression unit 156 the pattern equipment is cleaned, above the pre-compression unit 140 the granular mass is spread in, above the roller table 135 an empty moulding box 136 is gripped and raised, above the pro-compression unit 141 a mould 180 is filled and pre-compressed and the excess granular mass is cut oif, above. the pre-compression unit 146 the finish-compression is carried out, above the pre-compression unit 151 a finished mould is gripped and lifted off, while above the roll out table 153 the lowered, finished mould 179 is released, the grab raised and the finished mould 179 repelled.

After all the devices have been returned to the position in which. they allow a clear passage section to all the parts arranged on the turntable 85, a further turning movement takes place and the cycle of operations is repeated.

All these processes are automatically controlled by a distributing cylinder or control drum which is not illustrated, the compressed-air piping, the electric leads etc. being conveyed to the various parts in a manner similar to that described in the case of the previous arrangements.

The arrangement with six pre-compression units, illustrated in Fig. 15, difiers from the one shown in Figs. 11 to 14 only in that between the last operation, the lifting oil of the finished mould, and the first operation, the mounting of the empty moulding box and the spreading of granular mass, two pre-compression units 157 and158 are interposed for the purpose of carrying out the preliminary work on the pattern equipments.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in all embodiments there are: first means constituted by the pattern means 17, the mould box 18, and the mould table 13, second means constituted by the jolting pistons 9 and cylinders on the turntable 5, and a plurality of third means grouped around and adjacent to said turntable, constituted by the swivel units which include the grabs or transfer means 110' and 119 for the mould boxes, the bucket 112 for the moulding sand, and the squeeze means 116 for final compaction, and further the respective swivel parts 47 and 60 therefor.

By reason of the present invention the entire cycle of operations can be completed fully automatically and free of disturbances, all the functions being controlled by a control system.

By providing the turntable with, in addition to the patterns, only the appurtenant means for the pre-compression process, the present invention seeks to eliminate the defects of known'moulding machines. As may be gathered from the foregoing description, this arrangement enables a plurality of solutions to be suggested which are perfect from the point of view of mould making technique and which are readily adaptable to the production requirements of individual factories. The fact that a moulding machine has one turntable with two patterns and can thus make both the lower and upper part, or in other words, an entire mould, or the fact that a moulding machine has one turntable with two, three, five or six patterns which produce only lower parts of moulds, while 'a similar turntable, arranged in operative connection with the one mentioned above, only produces cope halves, or

finally the fact that a turntable with six patterns produces alternately drag and cope halves makes it possible to vary production to the extent of a 1:6 ratio. In addition this ratio can be extended either by enabling the control drum of the control system to be set at different rotational speeds or by stopping it after each revolution for an adjustable period of time, by means of a time switch for instance. With the aid of measures of this sort it is possible to reduce the number of moulds discharged per unit of time.

If two moulding machines are operated together, the working tempo of the one can be suitably attuned to that of the other by making the distributing cylinders or control drums of the two moulding machines operate at a synchronous speed.

Similarly it is possible to make a moulding machine as described in the present invention operate with conveyers, either by having the speed of the distributing cylinder synchronized with the drive of a conveyer or by having the stopping time of the distributing cylinder determined by a conveyer.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A system for producing moulds on foundry machinery which is equipped with two or more mould forming stations; comprising a turntable on which a cyclic mould forming operation is to be carried out, first means constituting mould pattern means on said turntable and adapted f r continuous use in said cyclic forming opercomprising squeeze means supported on said further means 1.22. ation, second means constituting jolting means on said turntable and adapted to be twice placed in operation during said cyclic forming operation, said pattern means and said jolting means being, respectively, coordinated with each other and constituting the respective number of said stations on said turntable, a plurality of devices grouped around and spaced from said turntable and from each other, the angular relationship of said devices to each other being selected in accordance with the number of stations on said turntable, said devices being adapted to be only once actuated during said cyclic forming operation and including means for feeding an empty mould box to the respective station, sand supply means for said mould, squeeze means for final compaction of said mould and cooperable with said jolting means, means for removing said box with a finished mould from the respective station; and means for imparting relative movement between said turntable and at least some of said devices, said jolting means being further operable for precompacting said mould prior to the final compaction thereof by said squeeze means and said jolting means.

2. A system according to claim 1, said means for imparting relative movement including further means located adjacent said turntable for swivelably supporting said devices and permitting a movement thereof between a position relatively remote from said turntable and a position for cooperation with the respective mold station on and above said turntable to contribute to said cyclic mould forming operation.

3. A system according to claim 2, said means for feeding an empty mould box and said means for removing a box with a finished mould to and from the respective mould station, respectively, comprising grab means each swivelable with and supported for upward and downward movement by said further means, and lifting means mounted on said further means and connected to said grab means and adapted to impart said upward and downward movement to said grab means, said grab means being operable to engage a respective mould box in one of said positions, holding it during the movements of said I grab means and disengaging it in the other of said positions.

4.A system according to claim 2, said sand supply means comprising bucket means supported on said fura sand delivery position above a respective mould station, in order to supply said sand into said mould box and onto said pattern means.

5. A system according to claim 2, said squeeze means and swivelable therewith between a non-operative position and an operative position, and engaging means on said squeeze means for rigidly interconnecting the latter with said pattern means of the respective mould station in said operative position. i

6. A system for producing in a continuous cyclic operation composed of a plurality of cycle steps, foundry moulds on a plurality of mould stations, each station having pattern means and a mould box; comprising a turntable arranged for rotation, a plurality of mould tables carried by said turntable and equidistantly spaced from each other, each of said mould tables being adapted to support pattern means and a mould box, jolting means for each of said mould tables mounted on said turntable, each mould table complementing with its pattern means and mould box a mould station, respective operable devices arranged adjacent said turntable for cooperation with said mould stations, swivel means for each of said operable devices and operatively connected thereto for moving the latter between a respective first position and a respective second position; said operable devices including means for receiving an empty mould box in its corresponding first position and transferring said mould box to its corresponding second position, in which a PIQ1 13 determined mould station is located, means for receiving sand in its corresponding first position and feeding said sand into said mould box and onto said pattern means in its corresponding second position, squeeze means inoperative in its corresponding first position and operative for coaction with said mould and said mould table in the corresponding second position, means for receiv ing said box with its finished mould from said predetermined mould station in its corresponding first posi tion and transferring said box for delivery in the corresponding second position; and drive means for imparting movement in a predetermined sequence to said turntable and to said operable devices, to bring each mould station into cooperation with each of said operable devices in one full turn of said turntable and to thereby permit carrying out of said cycle steps in said cyclic operation.

7. A system according to claim 6, said drive means comprising a stop motor, and driven means including crank and planetary gear means operatively interconnecting said turntable and said swivel means with said stop motor.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising a stationary base for said turntable, said turntable being freely rotatable on said base, a gear wheel in operative connection with said crank and said planetary gear means and supported on said base, said gear Wheel being disposed coaxially With respect to said turntable and rotatable independently thereof, and locking means supported by said turntable and movable between two end positions and engageable with said gear wheel in one of said end positions to couple said turntable with said gear wheel for joint rotation therewith, and engageable with said base in the other of said end positions while being dis engaged from said gear Wheel, to interconnect said turn table with said base and prevent rotation of said turntable upon rotation of said gear wheel.

9. A system for producing foundry moulds, comprising a turntable having a plurality of mould forming stations, mould pattern means on said turntable, jolting means on said turntable and coordinated with said mould pattern means, a plurality of devices grouped around and spaced from said turntable and from each other, the angular relationship of said devices to each other being selected in accordance with the number of stations on said tumtahle, said devices being adapted to be onlyonce actuated during a cyclic forming operation and While said jolting means are twice operated, said devices including means for feeding an empty mould box to a respective station, sand supply means for said mould swivelable between a sand receiving position relatively remote from said turntable and a sand delivery position above a respective station in order to supply sand into said mould box and onto said pattern means, squeeze means for final compaction of said mould and cooperable with said jolting means, means for removing said box with a finished mould from a respective station, and means for imparting relative movement between said turntable and at least some of said devices, said jolting means being further operable for precompacting said mould prior to the final compaction thereof by .said squeeze means and said jolting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,522,135 Long Jan. 6, 1925 1,599,151 Vought Sept. 7, 1926 1,707,411 Nicholls Apr. 2, 1929 2,499,209 Balasquide Feb. 28, 1950

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