US3253304A - Mold and core blowing machine and process - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH BYObMm'mukH& Dummy ATTORNEYS FIG I May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH 3, 5

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 SheetsSheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 27, 1961 QIIQ ilvvllrllldllnlll INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH Oberlin, My; 4 Dommllg ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E.K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 I J L INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH Oberlm. 0kg 311ml FIG 4 ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG 5 IN VEN TOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS l4 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 27, 1961 FIG 6 INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH ObadMhk dmll ATTORNEYS y 1, 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 75 TIN lll'l S /so I Mr E@/3I I l l 9|\,L' -il 83 82 LJ -92 32 J l I V ..J MAJ a4 gr 1 78 5 l L r 76 2 as 36 04 l0 %1 Y3) w ,1 r ,1 VA IVA/p98 263 INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH 0mm; (Toma ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG 8 IN VEN TOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH FIG 9 May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 27, 1961 FIG IO FIG ll INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 FIG l2 INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH FIG l3 Obedmmukydlomellg ATTORNEYS y 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 START PUVIP CYCLE START COPE-STRlP-UP CARRlAGE-TO- BLOW UP-FAST CLAMP- UP BLOW DOWN FAST CLAMP- DOWN CURE CARRIAGE- TO- FILL HG 5 a COPE-STRlP-DOWN PUNCH HEAD GAS ON DRAG STRIP 452 -4s| 4/150 4 274 x T 436 I J- 4s3 434 6,? BLOWER START was .5. 635 q 459 l L262 448 V 33 245 figfi m 452 INVENTOR. k 276 EDMOND K. HATCH 275 BY Oberfin. [Mg 4 [lomwug ATTORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 IN VEN TOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH Oberlin milky [lormdlg ATTORNEYS y 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 15 INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH FIG I? m5 & 09mg KI'TORNEYS May 31, 1966 E. K. HATCH 3,253,304

MOLD AND CORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 27, 1961 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 l l g i i I 4592 59s l 560*! -56! l l 600 598 o sse 5oo- -4505 1222? I o ri I I 2 i i J 602 f fflfi i ii 520* 15,4 :ii 0 :5: 524 i 1'5 544 .I if g 5 fi 59s 597 FIG l8 INVENTOR.

EDMOND K. HATCH MR. mukg UNIQUE,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,253,304 MOLD AND GORE BLOWING MACHINE AND PROCESS Edmond K. Hatch, Brecksville, Ohio, assignor to The Osborn Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, ()hio, a corporation of Ghio Filed July 27, 1961, Ser. No. 127,300 22 Claims. (Cl. 221tl) This invention relates generally, as indicated, to a mold and core blowing machine and more particularly-to a machine for making foundry molds or cores at high speed enabling completely automated production.

Heretofore, it has been difficult to produce rapidly molds or cores made by the Furan or Shell process, or even the CO process, since the heat required in the Furan or Shell process and the carbon dioxide required in the CO process tend to contaminate or set up foundry sand in the reservoir adjacent that portion of the machine in which the mold is cured. Accordingly, the curing zone has required to be substantially spaced from the sand source in order to preclude this premature set up of the sand. Moreover, when blowing sand for the Furan, Shell or CO process, it is also diflicult to maintain the blow openings free of prematurely set sand.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a mold or core blowing machine wherein the reservoir for the sand mix will be removed from the final cure area of the mold or core, and wherein the formed mold or core will then be cured in an area of the machine remote from the sand mix reservoir.

In semi-automated high-speed mold or core bloWing machines, the operator generally has to remove manually the formed mold or core and place the same on a conveyor or the like to be carried away from the machine. This requires the operator to reach into the zone of the machine provided with heat' or carbon dioxide to effect the final cure. Accordingly, a further important object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will automatically deposit the formed cores or molds on an external receiver, properly stripping the formed core or mold from the cope and drag after the sand mix has I cured sufficiently to enable it to be stripped therefrom.

It is another important object to provide a mold or core blowing machine in which all the components are readily accessible and in which a roll-over mechanism gives easy access to the core or mold box for cleaning and spraying.

It is yet a further object to provide a mold or core blowing machine having an improved sand reservoir giving excellent blow and How action.

It is another object to provide a mold or core blowing machine having a unique blow and exhaust valve arrangement.

It is a still further object to provide a cope punch-out which automatically cleans the blow openings therein as well as to ensure that the mold or core will be properly drawn therefrom.

It is still another object to provide a roll-over mechanism for the drag half of the mold box which includes a drag punch-out which will automatically deposit the mold or core on an external receiving means.

It is yet another object to provide such roll-over device which will include a passageway into the mold box for the introduction of heat energy.

It is still another object to provide such mold or core blowing machine provided with peripheral and top and bottom gas burners which will move with the mold or core from blowing to curing position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds,

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinice after fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of one form of mold or core blowing machine in accordance with the present invention more particularly adapted for use with Furan sand mixes;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the right thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the sand mix reservoir using one form of blow plate with parts of the machine broken away;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the machine of FIG. 1 on a somwhat enlarged scale as seen from the leftcf FIG. 1 with certain portions of the machine removed for clarity of illustration;

FIG 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the sand reservoir and punch-out head mounted for shuttling movement at the top of the machine with a slightly modified sand reservoir below the plate being employed;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of FIG. 5 showing the details of the punch-out head;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail view showing the arrangement of the gas heaters for the drag portion of the mold box;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of such gas heating arrangement as seen from the bottom of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the blow plate adapted to seal the upper peripheral portion of the sand mix reservoir shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of such blow plate;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit for actuating the clamping cylinders of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic system for operating the various components and the blow ing mechanism of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a schematic piping diagram of the gas heating system of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic wiring diagram of the machine of FIG. 1 by which completely automatic control may be obtained;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary side elevation of another form of the present invention more particularly adapted to produce molds or cores by the CO process;

FIG. 17 is an end elevation of the machine of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.

The FIG. 1 machine general arrangement Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 6, it will be seen that the machine is mounted on a frame having four upstanding legs I, 2, 3 and 4 of rectangular sectional tubular configuration. Bed plates 5 may be positioned beneath the legs 1 through 4, firmly to mount the machine on floor 6. Cross-frame members 7 and 8 extend between the legs I and 4 and 2 and 3 respectively. Side frame members 9 and 10 at the same elevation as the frame members 7 and 8 having outwardly bowed portions 11 and 12 provide a rigid rectangular frame for the machine in the lower portion thereof.

The top of the frame is provided with transverse frame sections 13 and 14 and such sections 13 are joined by plates and 16 and the tubular sections 14 are joined by the plates 17 and 18. Each of the plates is provided with an upstanding central portion 19 (note FIGS. 1 and 2). The pairs of plates 15 and 16, 17 and 18, then bridge the short tubular sections to provide central vertically extending openings 20 and 21. Extending through such openings are clamping piston- cylinder assemblies 22 and 23, the blind ends of which are provided with pivots 24 and 25 respectively which are secured to the tops of the pairs of members 15, 16 and 17, 18. In this manner, the pivots for the clamping cylinder assemblies 22 and 23 are supported at the extreme top of the machine frame in order that such assemblies may firmly clamp the mold or core enclosing shell properly in position to have the sand mix blown therein.

Spaced slightly below the top frame members and extending generally parallel thereto are two elongated roller supporting members and 31 having inwardly facing support rollers 32 thereon. Support rollers 32 on each of the members 30 and 31 support the interconnected water-cooled reservoir 35 and the punch-out head 36 for shuttling movement into and out of operative position. The reservoir and punch-out head are interconnected by a pair of links 37, shown more clearly in FIG. 5. The shuttling movement of the reservoir and punch-out head is obtained by means of a pair of piston- cylinder assemblies 38 and 39 with the respective rods 40 and 41 thereof being connected as shown at 42 and 43 to the sand reservoir. The piston- cylinder assemblies 38 and 39 are pendently pivotally mounted beneath a U-shape tubular section frame 45 by means of the brackets 46 and 47. A pair of sand mix receiving chutes or hoppers 48 and 49 are mounted on the top of frame member 45 by means of brackets 50 and 51.

Extendingbetween the inside plates 16 and 17 of the mounting plates for the blind or upper end of the clamping cylinders 22 and 23 are two transverse tubular frame members and 56 which support the blow head shown generally at 57 centrally within the machine. The blow head 57 comprises two blow valves 58 and 59 and two exhaust valves 60 and 61. The blow valves are mounted on a top plate 62 to blow air under pressure through the framing member 56 which is provided with a deflector plate 63 and then through the blow plate shown generally at 64 to enter the sand mix reservoir to fluidize the sand therein and force it outwardly through blow nozzles 65 into the mold or core box. It will, of course, be understood that the illustrated machine is provided with a double chambered sand reservoir which allows the blowing of multiple cavities and/or two separate boxes and thus the distribution of the sand mix over a wider area.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the top of the frame of the machine is quite rigid with the U-shape frame 45 interconnecting the legs 1 and 4 at one end of the machine and the tubular frame members 55 and 56 interconnecting the plates 16 and 17 in the middle of the machine so that the legs will be properly vertically spaced by means of the lower transverse frame members 8, 9, 10 and 11 as well as the upper frame sections 13, 14, 45, 55 and 56. As shown in FIG. 5, the brackets on which the roller supporting members 30 and 31 are carried may be provided with adjusting screws 71 bearing against the underside of the members 30 and 31 properly to control the horizontal alignment and elevation thereof.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5 and 7, it will be seen that the punch-out head 36 is mounted on a carriage 75 which includes a transverse U-shape frame member 76 terminating in V- shape end plates 77 and 78. (See FIG. 2.) Horizontally extending flanges 79 secured to the top edges of the side plates 77 and 78 are provided with roller engaging rails 80 which ride on the tops of rollers 32 provided on thehorizontally extending members 30 and 31. The vertically extending pistoncylinder assembly 81 has the face of its rod end secured to the bottom plate of the channel-shape frame 76 as shown at 82 and the rod 83 extends through an aperture 84 in such bottom plate and is fastened as shown at 85 to a gas manifold and punch-out frame 86. Vertically extending guide pins 87 and 88 are also secured to the frame 86 as shown at 89 and 90, such pins extending through sleeve bearings 91 and 92 mounted on the bottom plate of frame 76. Thus reciprocation of the rod 84 of the piston-cylinder assembly 81 will cause vertical reciprocation of the manifold and punch-out frame 86. As seen more clearly in FIG. 5, adjustable stop screws 93 and 94 may be secured in ears 95 and 96 extending from the frame 76 to provide the adjusted upper limit of movement of the frame 86 caused by the rod 84 of the piston-cylinder assembly 81.

Secured to the bottom of the frame 86 by means of screws 97 is a reticulate plate 98 having a series of openings 99 therein as well as the transversely extending bars 100 on which punch-out pins 101 are mounted. The openings 99 are strategically arranged in the plate 98 to permit passage therethrough of gas flames originating in gas burner nozzles 102 which are mounted on the gas manifolds 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107 all of which are interconnected by manifold 108. Adjusting screws 109 extending through the side walls of the frame 86 may be employed properly to position the gas nozzles in register with the openings 99 to ensure that the gas flames produced thereby will be properly directed toward the blown core.

As seen in FIG. 7, when the carriage 75 is brought into position by the two piston- cylinder assemblies 38 and 39 to strip the core from the cope and also to clean the holes in the cope as well as to direct the gas flame on the core box, such carriage will be held from upward movement by means of the brackets 112 fastened to the outside of the members 30 and 31. Adjusting screws 113 are mounted in the top portion of the bracket and bear against an extension 114 of the horizontal shelves or flanges 78 and 79, and such may be held thereto by screws 115. Thus when the piston- cylinder assemblies 38 and 39 have positioned the carriage 75 in the proper position to make the gas jets 102 and punch-out pins 101 operative, the extension 114 will underlie the tip of adjusting screw 113 to provide a back-up or stop for the carriage so that the piston-cylinder assembly 81 will not lift the carriage from the rollers 132.

Referring now to the sand reservoir, herein shown as a ganged or dual reservoir 35, it will be seen that the link 37 interconnects the carriage 75 of the head 36 and the carriage for the sand reservoir. Such carriage is provided with horizontal flange portions 121 and 122 which are provided with rails which ride on the tops of rollers 132 in the same manner thatthe rails 80 of the carriage 75 ride on the tops of the rollers 32. The top or main plate 123 of the carriage structure is provided with two orifices 124 and 125 adapted to be aligned with the exhaust orifices 126 and 127 in the blow plate 64 of the blow head. Mounted on top of the plate 123 is a wear or cut-off plate 128 which has two openings therein aligned with the openings 124 and 125 in the plate 123. As seen more clearly in FIG. 5, this plate 128 extends in'the direction of travel of the reservoir to underlie the fill rings 129 and 130 (see FIG. 4) positioned beneath the hopper chutes 48 and 49.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plate 123 which supports the wear plate 128 has a frame portion 131 which extends beneath .the wear plate 128. It will be seen as in FIG. 4 that the flange supports 121 and 122 extend the entire length of theplate 123 and its frame extension 131 firmly to support the reservoir structure on the rollers 32. Secured beneath the openings 124 and 125 in the reservoir carriage frame. plate 123 are upper reservoir members 133 and 134 of a generally cylindrical configuration, such being held to the member 123 by screws 135. These reservoir members have .flaring upper ends as shown at 136 and 137, the inside diameters of which closely conform to annular grooves 138 and 139 respectively in the frame member 123. These grooves surround the apertures 124 and 125 respectively. Bottom reservoir members 140 and 141 are held to the respective upper reservoir members by means of screws 142. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom reservoir members 140 and 141 enlarge in the direction of travel'of the reservoir to spread the sand mix blown therefrom over a larger area.

Mounted on the top of the bottom reservoir members 140 .and 141 are sleeves 143 and 144 which are of the same inside diameter as the diameter of the openings 124 and 125. The upper reservoir and sleeves held therein by the lower reservoir membersprovide an air jacket surrounding thereservoirs as shown at 145 and 146. A number of screen vents 147 may be provided within the sleeve members 143 and 144 to provide air communication between the air jackets 145 and 146 and the sand reservoirs.

Bottom blow plates 150 and 151 are secured to the bottom reservoir members 140 and 141 and such plates are provided with conical apertures 152 which communicate with blow nozzles 65 through which the sand mix is discharged from the reservoir. In FIG. 3, situated between the plates 150 and 151 and the blow nozzles, there is provided water-jacket plates 154 and 155. FIG. 5, the water-jacket is incorporated in the blow plates, with water being circulated through the plate openings 156. The entire reservoir structure is surrounded by further water jackets 157 and 158 at the front and back of the reservoir as well as jackets 159 and 160 at the sides of the reservoir.

Since the rods 40 and 41 of the shuttling cylinders are pivotally connected to the extensions 161 and 162 mounted on the carriage of the reservoir, it can readily be seen that reciprocation of the piston- cylinder assemblies 38 and 39 will cause tandem reciprocation of the reservoir 35 and the punch-out head 36 moving the reservoir from its full line blow position in FIG. 1 to its phantom line fill position shown at 163. When the reservoir is thus positioned, the punch-out head 36 will be brought directly over the cope to direct gas flame on the top of the mold box as well as to strip the core from the cope simultaneously cleaning the blow openings therein.

As seen in FIGS. 4' and 5, each of the chutes 48 and 49 for the same mix is also provided with water jackets 165 and 166 as are the respective fill rings provided with water jackets 167 and 168. In this manner, sand mixed within the chutes or hoppers 48 and 49 as well as the sand mixed within the reservoirs will always be protected by a protective water jacket. This, of course, precludes the heat employed in the curing of the sand mix cores from prematurely setting any sand mix remaining in the reservoir of such mix in the hoppers 48 and 49. Also, the movement of the reservoir from the heated mold box to a laterally removed fill position while the box is being heated to the sand mold therein further ensures that the sand within the reservoir will not prematurely set.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, transversely extending tubular frame members 175 and 176 may be secured to the legs 1, 2, 3 and 4 and such frame members support brackets 177 and 178 which receive aligning pins 179 and 180 of the cope C which in the illustrated embodiment forms the cover or top portion of the mold box. Patterns 182 may be positioned on the cope to be received in core boxes 183 and 184- or the drag half of the mold box assembly, such drags being positioned in a roll-over cradle assembly shown generally at 185. The plate like cope C is provided with blow apertures 186 which receive the blow nozzles 65.

The roll-over mechanism 185 provides a cradle for the drag and includes two oppositely extending trunnions or pivots 190 and 191. The rods 192 and 193 of the respective clamping cylinders 22 and 23 are connected to such trunnions through a leveling or squaring assembly 194. This assembly ensures that the clamping cylinders 22 and 23 will operate in unison properly to elevate the drag to engage the cope and then move the assembled mold box into engagement with the sand reservoir properly clamping the drag, cope and reservoir as an assembly against the blow plate 64. The leveling assembly 194 includes a clevis frame 195 having parallel arms provided with offset end portions 196 and 197. The tips of such offset portions are pivotally connected to the clevises 198 and 199 on the ends of the rods 192 and 193. (See FIG. 2.) The proximal ends of the short offset portions 196 and 197 provide bearings pivotally engaging the trunnions and 191 with the squaring assembly. The bight portion of the U-shape squaring assembly is mounted on parallel links 200 and 201 which are pivotally connected to the frame member 8 as shown at 202 and 203 respectively.

Secured directly to the machine frame on each side thereof, there is provided cam and guide plates 205 and 206, each containing a cam slot 207 therein. Such plates may be mounted directly on the side framing members from the framing members may be employed firmly ver- 9 and 10. Brackets 208 and 209 extending inwardly tically to support the plates in their proper positions. (See FIGS. 4 and 8.) The configuration of the cam slot is shown more clearly in FIG. 1 and such slot comprises an upper vertical portion 210, an intermediate rebent portion 211 and a lower vertical portion 212. The intermediate rebent portion of each slot bypasses an inwardly directed pivot roller 213 which rides within the slot 214 in cradle guide plate 215. Each side of the cradle is thus provided with such guide plate 215 rigidly secured thereto enclosing a pivot roller 213 in the respective slot therein.

It can now be seen that reciprocation of the clamping piston- cylinder assemblies 22 and 23 will cause movement of the horizontally extending trunnions 190 and 191 through the extent of the cam slots 207. Since the guides 215 are rigidly secured to the cradle 185, the vertically aligned position of rollers 213 will serve to maintain the drag in its proper vertical position as the trunnions move through the extent of the upper vertical portions 210 of the slots 207. The pivot also serves to cause the cradle to invert or rock over as the trunnions ride through the rebent portions 211 of the cam slots around the roller or pivot 213. Thus as the horizontal pivot or the aligned trunnions of the cradle moves downwardly and forwardly through the rebent portions 211 of the cam slots, the guide plates 215 will be constrained by the rollers 213 and the cradle and drag supported thereby will be pivoted through an angle of up to 180. A pair of pistoncylinder assemblies 218 and 219 mounted on the cradle will be actuated when the drag is in its inverted position to strip or push the cores from the drag half of the mold to deposit them on carry-away device such as conveyor C. When the piston- cylinder assemblies 22 and 23 extend to place the drag in its inverted position, the squaring shaft assembly will rock forward about the pivots 202 and 203 maintaining movement of the rods of the clamping cylinders uniform. The design of the illustrated machine permits the employment of an endless conveyor 220 automatically to receive the cores to be removed from the machine.

It can now be seen that by a single stroke of the clamping cylinders 22, 23, the drag will be placed in an upright position, raised to engage the cope C which will then cover or enclose the mold box and the mold box assembly will then be raised to engage the sand reservoir with the orifices in the cope aligned with the blow nozzles 65 and the entire mold box and reservoir will then be raised to press the wear plate 128 firmly against the gaskets 225 and 226 mounted in the blow plate 64 peripherally sealing both the blow and exhaust openings to the sand reservoir.

Reference may be had to the copending application of Robert W. Ellms, Serial No. 38,307, filed January 23, 1960 entitled Mold and Core Blowing Machine now Patent No. 3,089,205, for an illustration of a roll-over mechanism of the type that may be employed with the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, there is illustrated one form of blow plate and gasket assembly that may be employed with the machine of the present invention. Gasket 225 is provided with a dovetail base portion adapted to fit within a dovetail annular groove 227 formed in the blow plate 64. Such groove is formed by clamping plate 228 held to such blow plate by screws 229. Exhaust opening 126 is formed in the center of the clamping ring and the blow opening 230 is of the arcuate shape shown more clearly in FIG. 11 and such blow opening is concentric with the exhaust opening 126 i.e. the arcuate center axis of the opening is struck from the center of opening 126. The gasket may be provided with a slight reinforcing bridge 231 at the center of the blow opening. The blow opening 230 communicates through opening 232 in the reservoir frame with the annular groove 138 which in turn communicates with the jacket 145 surrounding the reservoir chamber.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 5, the blow openings for each of the dual reservoirs are offset to the side so that they will not underlie the chutes 48 or 49 in the fill position. This, of course, avoids getting sand into the outer shell of the reservoir. Thus with this arrangement, it is then possible to place the exhaust valves directly above the reservoirs which minimizes the carrying of waste sand out of the reservoir when they are exhausted. Moreover, this arrangement tends to flufl the sand in the reservoir when the air pressure is exhausted straight up in the manner indicated. Also, the exhaust valves need not then ride with the reservoir.

The clamping cylinders 22 and 23 will then assemble the mold or core box beneath the reservoir and clamp the box against the blow plate side thereof lifting the reservoir slightly off the rolls clamping it firmly in position against the blow gaskets 225 and 226 to enable sand to be blown from the reservoirs into the mold box.

If desired, a backup screen 233 may be clamped in the exhaust opening 126 between clamping rings 234 and 235 as shown more clearly in FIG. 10. Such clamping rings together with gasket 236 may be held in the exhaust opening by screws 237.

As shown, for example, in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9, each of the trunnions 190 and 191 is hollow and provided with a swivel type coupling in the form of elbows 240 and 241. Such elbows are connected to a source of gas, for example, under pressure by flexible hoses 242 and 243. The hollow trunnion 190 is connected to peripheral gas manifolds 245 and 246 each of which has a series of inwardly directed gas nozzles 247. Manifolds 245 and 246 completely surround each of the drags and gas conduits 248 and 249 extend beneath the drags to communicate with respective manifolds 250 and 251 with the hollow trunnions 190 and 191, each of which has a series of gas nozzles 252 and 253 therein which project a gas flame upwardly through slots 254 and 255 in the respective bottom plates 256 and 257 of the respective drags. The piston- cylinder assemblies 218 and 219 may have the rods thereof connected directly to the plate 256 and 257 to move the same downwardly with respect to the cradle properly to strip the core from within the drag when the cradle is in its inverted or up-side-down position as seen in FIG. 4.

It can now be seen that the outwardly bowed portions 11 and 12 of the side frames 9 and 10 accommodate the swivel couplings 240 and 241 connecting the gas supply to the roll-over mechanism through the hollow trunnions 190 and 191. As seen in FIG. 9, the cope C may also be provided with a gas manifold 258 having inwardly directed gas nozzles 259. 1

8 Heat supply Referring now more particularly to FIG. 14, it will be seen that gas may be supplied to the machine through a convenient source 260 through a manual gas cock 261 and a high pressure gas safety switch 262, solenoid operated gas safety valve 263, solenoid operated gas valve 264 and an atmospheric regulator 265. A branch outside vent line 266 may be provided with a gas solenoid valve 267. From the atmospheric regulator 265, gas is then supplied through line 268 and 269 to manual supervising gas cocks 270 and 271. From the supervising gas cocks 270 and 271 the gas is fed into multi-flow mixers 272 and 273 to be mixed with air supplied from a combustion air blower 274. A control motor 275 operated by temperature control 276 having thermostatic sensing element 277 regulates a suitable linkage air control valve 278. The air is then supplied to the mixers through manual butterfly valves 279 and 280. Gas may also be supplied through line 281 to a supervising manual cock 282 to be fed into multi-flow mixer 283 there to be mixed with air supplied through manual butterfly valve 284 through solenoid operated cutoff valve 285 from the blower 274. From the multi-flow mixer 283 gas is supplied through line 286 to the manifolds 103 through 107 in the punch-out head 36. From the multi-flow mixer 272 and 273 gas can be supplied through the trunnions and 191 into the drag manifolds 245 and 246 and through manual butterfly valves 287 and 288 to the cope gas manifolds 258. A branch line 289 may be supplied with a pilot torch 290.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, for example, the gas may be supplied from the multi-flow mixers to the cope and drag manifolds through the flexible lines 300 and 301 which may be mounted on brackets 302 at the sides of the machine frame. The flexible hoses leading to the trunnions 190 and 191 may be arched as shown in FIG. 1 readily to flex with the movement of the trunnions through the cam slots 207.

Clamping controls Referring now more particularly to FIG. 12, the clamping cylinders 22 and 23 may be operated hydraulically by means of the hydraulic circuit schematically illustrated. Hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic reservoir 310 may be pumped through strainer 311 by a hydraulic double pump, with a seven gallon per minute pump 312 and a seventy-five gallon per minute pump 313 both being driven by a 20 H.P. 1800 rpm. 286 volt motor 314. The pump discharge lines each may be provided with pressure gauges and gauge cocks 315 and 316 respectively. Pumps 312 and 313 are then low volume, high pressure' and high volume, low pressure pumps respectively and the discharge line 317 of pump 312 is provided with a 1200 p.s.i. unloading valve 318 and the discharge line 319 of high volume pump 313 is provided with a 300 p.s.i. unloading valve 320. It will be understood that when the pressure in the discharge linesreaches such indicated pressures, the unloading valves will open returning the fluid flow to the reservoir 310. Lines 317 and 319 continue through check valves 321 and 322 respectively to a closed center, four way, double solenoid valve 323. Such valve is operated by an up solenoid 324 and a down solenoid 325. -An open center four way double solenoid valve 326 may be controlled by an upfast solenoid 327 and a down-fast solenoid 328.

Discharge lines 317 and 319 of the respective pumps merge into supply line 330 with the fluid pressure being directed either to the lines 331 leading to the blind ends of the cylinders 22 and 23 or to the lines 332 leading through counterbalance valve 333 to the rod ends of such cylinders. Accordingly, in operation, the up solenoid 324 may be energized to interconnect line 330 with line 334 which is connected to the line 332 through the valve 326 to supply fluid under pressure to the rod ends of the cylinders to raise the cradle mechanism. If the down solenoid 325 is energized, the fluid in line 330 would be connected directly to lines 331 to supply fluid to the blind ends of such cylinders 22 and 23 to lower the cradle assembly. Energization of the up-fast solenoid 327 interconnects the lines 334 and 332 in the same manner as the valve center, but connects the line 331 from the blind end of the cylinders directly to the reservoir as shown at 335. The counterbalance valve is provided with a check valve 336 and a valve mechanism 337 designed to unload at, for example, 200 p.s.i. Discharge line 338 leads through a heat exchanger 339 and then back to the reser- V011. vided in the reservoir 310 to control a temperature controlled water valve 341 to supply water through line 342 to the heat exchanger 339. A spring loaded check valve 343 may branch from the line 338. A safety pressure switch 344 may be provided in the supply line 330 to prevent excessive pressure being supplied through the flexible lines to the cylinders 22 and 23.

It can now be seen that the clamping cylinders will move rapidly through the clamping cycle to assemble and clamp the mold box against the said reservoir which will then be clamped against the gasketed blow plate and the high volume pump will then be unloaded when the pressure increases to 300 pounds per square inch so that the low volume and high pressure pump will take over firmly to clamp the components together providing the proper air seals. Moreover, with the use of the up-fast solenoid 327, it is possible to increase the rate of travel of the rods 192 and 193 in the clamping operation and with the use of the down-fast solenoid 328, it is possible to increase the speed of the draw. The down-fast solenoid connects line 332 with line 331 which is connected to the pressure supply line 330 by means of the down solenoid 325 so that the pressure difference in area on each side of the pistons will move the pistons rapidly downwardly. Such cylinders 22 and 23 may, for example, have a five inch bore, a 41 inch stroke and a 2 /2 inch rod.

The pneumatic control system Referring now more particularly to the schematic diagram of FIG. 13, it will be seen that air may be supplied through convenient sources 350 and 3 51 to conventional gate valves, filters and line lubricating devices with the air from source 350 being employed to operate the components of the machine through various controls and with the air from source 351 being employed primarily to supply air to the blowing mechanism to blow sand from the sand reservoirs 13-3 and 134.

A four way double solenoid valve 352 is connected to such source with lines 353 and 354 leading from such valve to the rod and blind ends of shuttle cylinders 38 and 39 respectively. Such valve 352 is controlled by a carriage-to-blow solenoid 3-55 and a carriage-to-till solenoid 356. Energization of the carriage-to-blow solenoid 355 will supply air to line 354 to extend the rods 40 and 41 of the cylinders 38 and 39 to position the reservoirs and the punch-out head in the position shown more clearly in FIG. 5. However, energization of the carriage-to fill solenoid 356 will supply air through line 353 to the rod ends of the cylinders to retract the rods 40 and 41 to position the reservoirs under chutes 4'8 and 49. This will, of course, simultaneously position the punch-out head 36 above the blown cores with the assembled core box directly therebeneath.

A four way double solenoid valve 358 supplies air to operate the cope strip or punch out cylinder 81 mounted on the punch-out head 36. Such valve is operated by a cope-strip-up solenoid 35-9 and a cope-strip-down solenoid 360. An air regulator 36-1 and check valve 362 may be employed in the line leading to the blind end of the cylinder 81 properly to control the downward movement of the punch out pin. If desired, air may be exhausted from the rod end of the cylinder 81 and bled A temperature sensing element 340 may be prointo the blind end so that the punch out pins 101 will gravitationally extend into the holes in the cope C as the cores are lowered therefrom thus ensuring that they remain in the drag. The drag strip piston- cylinder assemblies 218 and 219 mounted on the cradle mechanism 185 may be controlled by a four way single solenoid valve 363 operated by solenoid 364 which when energized extends the punch out mechanism of the drag. The valve will automatically return to the position shown to retract the punch out mechanisms upon the deenergization of the solenoid 364.

The blow control valve 365 is a four way sing-1e solenoid valve, which when energized supplies pressure to line 366 to hold exhaust valves 60 and 61 in the closed position. Simultaneously, the line 367 is vented to move the blow valves 58 and 59 into the blow position connecting the reservoirs 133 and 134 through lines 368 and 369 to the source of air under pressure 351. A reservoir safety valve 370 may be employed in the vent line which is physically contacted by the reservoir when in blow position to ensure the proper positioning of the reservoir before the blow operation can commence. In the normal position of the valve 365, the solenoid 371 will be deenergized to permit air to hold the blow valves closed and the exhaust valves open.

Electrical controls and operation Referring now more particularly to FIG. 15, it will be seen that the hydraulic pump motor 314 is controlled through three phase, 440 volt, 60 cycle lines 380, 381 and 382 with suitable disconnect switch 383 being employed and also overload switches 384. A transformer 385 is employed taking power from lines 381 and 382 to operate the components of the machine through mains 386 and 387. The pump may be started through switch 388 and stopped with switch 389, which switches control motor relay 390 opening and closing control switches 391 in the motor circuit and additionally controlling holding switch 392 bypassing the start switch push button 388. Disconnect switches .383 may also have contacts 393 in series with the motor control relay 390 to ensure that the disconnect switches have been closed prior to the operation of the motor control.

With the core box disassembled and the clamping cylinders 22 and 23 in a lowered position, the cycle of the machine may be started by pressing cycle start switch 394 which energizes the cycle relay 395 as well as a signal lamp 396. The cycle relay then closes switches 397 and 398 in the mains 386 and 387. The automatic position of switches 399 having been selected, the solenoids 359, 327 and 324 will be energized to raise the cope strip piston 84 through piston-cylinder assembly 81, and the clamping cylinders begin to assemble the core box. The raising of the cope strip mechanism closes switch 400 to energize solenoid 355 to extend piston rods 40 and 41 to position the carriage including the reservoir in the blow position. This movement also removes the stripping head 36 from the path of the vertically moving core box.

When the carriage reaches the blow position, it will close limit switch 401 which Will energize relay 482 which will in turn close normally open switch 483. The closing of contact 403 energizes signal lamp 404 to indicate that the carriage is at blow position, however, the blow timer relay 405 and the blow solenoid 371 will not be energized until the pressure switch 344 is closed which ensures that the predetermined full clamp pressure has been obtained in the hydraulic supply line 330 (note FIG. 12). -It will be understood that the cradle has now moved upwardly to lift the cope from its support moving the aligning pins 179 and 180 in their respective brackets 177 and 180 to position the assembled cope and drag against stops S on the bottom of the blow plate of the reservoir 35 (note FIG. 1). At this time, the blow nozzles 65 will have entered the openings or orifices in the cover plate or cope C and continued lifting pressure exerted by the clamping cylinders 22 and 23 will raise the reservoir firmly against the blow plate 64 until the pressure switch 344 is closed. This will simultaneously energize the blow solenoid 371 to commence the blowing operation and also the blow timer 405. At the end of a sufficient time interval to permit the blowing operation to proceed to conclusion, i.e. one or two seconds, the timer opens switch contacts 406 and closes switch contacts 407. This deenergizes the blow solenoid 371 and energizes the exhaust timer 40 8. After a suitable time delay, the exhaust timer closes switch 409 to energize relay 410. This relay opens normally closed contacts 411 to deenergize the solenoids 359, 355, 327 and 324. Such relay 410 also opens switch contacts 412 to ensure that the blow solenoid 371 is deenergized and, more importantly, such relay closes contacts 413 immediately to energize relay 328 to start the unclamping operation. The down solenoid 325 will also be energized through the closed contacts of cure position limit switch 414. As soon as the cope and drag obtain the cure position which is slightly below the blow position which enables the reservoir and punch-out head to be reciprocated thereabove, the limit switch contacts 414 will open and the cure position limit switch contacts 415 will close simultaneously. This in efiect stops the unclamping operation to hold the core box with the cores blown therein in the proper cure position and the closing of contacts 415 energizes the cure timer 416 and also solenoid 356 which positions the valve 352 to retract the rods 40 and 41 of the cylinders 38 and 39 to move the carriage to the fill position at which the reservoirs will be vertically aligned with the fill hoppers 48 and 49. When the carriage reaches its fill position, the limit switch contacts 417 will close energizing the cope strip down solenoid 360 which will permit extension of the piston-cylinder assembly '81 so that the punch out pins 101 will enter the blow openings in the cope C and such switch will also energize solenoid 418 to open valve 285 (see FIG. 14) to supply the gas flame through the burners 102 in the punch-out head 36. In this manner, the gas flame in the punch-out head need only be provided during the actual curing cycle and the heat will not otherwise be generated thus prematurely to set the sand mix in the reservoirs. When the cure timer 416 times out, it will close switch contacts 419 again to energize the down solenoid 325 to continue the unclamping or drawing operation. It will, of course, be understood that the extension of piston-cylinder assembly 81 can carefully be cushioned to coincide gravitationally with the further drawing operation so that the punch out pins do not in any Way damage the cores being withdrawn from the cope C by continued drawing of the drag cradle 185. When the cradle reaches a position nearly down after being inverted, it will close limit switch 420 energizing the full down time, 421 which on delay will close switch contacts 422 which will energize solenoid 364 to extend the drag punch- out pistoncylinder assemblies 218 and 219 to strip the cores from the drags to place them on the conveyor 220 to be carried away from the machine. The end of the cycle will open limit switch contacts 422 which can stop the cycle of the machine depending upon the setting of switch contacts 423, both of which are in parallel to the start switch 394 and act as a holding circuit therefor. The cycle can always be stopped by the push button switch 424.

Roughly recapitulating the. cycle, the drag rises and engages the cope and they both move up as a unit against the reservoir and the mold box is then blown. The box moves down to the cure area which is just above the supporting brackets for the cope where the cure takes place. The reservoir moves to the fill position bringing the punch out pins 101 over the cope and as the box continues downward after the curing, the cope is deposited upon the support brackets 177 and 178. The drag moves on with the core therein and is rolled over by the rollover mechanism while at the same time, the punch-out penetrates the cope blow holes and cleans them while thus assuring that the core or mold has stayed within the drag. The pneumatic drag stripping cylinders 218 and 219 are then energized so that when the drag half of the mold starts upward on the return stroke, the core or mold is deposited positively on the receiving conveyor 220 and the machine is then ready for another cycle. The elapsed time during such a cycle which is accomplished during a complete stroke of the clamping cylinders is approximately 15 to 20 seconds depending upon the cure time required. The burners in the punch-out head 36 will be in operation only during the cure portion of the cycle, thus precluding premature setup of the sand within the reservoir. However, the burners in the cope and drag as optionally employed may operate continuously in a completely automatic operation.

Referring now to the lower portion of FIG. 15 which illustrates the gas burner controls, it will be seen that the blower motor 274 may be a 2 HJP. high rpm. motor operated by the three phase circuit shown. Disconnect switches 430, overload switches 431, and relay operated switches 432 may be employed in such three phase circuit. The blower may bestarted by switch 433 energizing the blower start relay 434 to close switches 432 and also holding switch contacts 435. A signal light 436 may be employed to indicate that the blower motor is in operation. The closing of switch contacts 433 also energizes relay 437 to close switch contacts 438 and 439. The mains 440 and 441 will be connected respectively at 442 and 443 in the electrical control system for the other components. An air pressure switch 444 is connected in series with a low gas pressure switch 445 and the high gas pressure switch 262 (see' FIG. 14). -In parallel with the switch 445, there is a supervising pressure switch 446 and a gason push button switch 447. The proper closing of such switches energizes solenoid 448 for the safety valve 263, such valve closing limit switch 449 energizing solenoids 450 and 451 for gas solenoid valves 264 and 267 respectively.

A transformer 452 can be employed to provide a stepdown voltage of, for example, from to 24 volts to operate the air control valve motor 275. Also, the transformer 385 can step down the three phase, 440 volt, three wire circuit to the 110 volts required to operate the components of the present invention. It can now be seen that the machine disclosed can readily be adapted to 'be employed with a gas heating system with the hollow trunnions and 191 providing a convenient heating access to the drag cradle 185. It will, of course, be understood that electrical heating may be employed with the machine of the present invention.

Suitable jog switches may be employed where required properly to position the basic parts of the machine for setup purposes and additionally indicating lights-may be used where desired.

The machine heretofore illustrated is specifically designed for use in the hot box process employing an acid or F process binder. A sand binder used in preparing a mix especially suitable for use with the illustrated machine would be a urea-formaldehyde resin modified with furfural alcohol. The binder is mixed with sand and a mild acid such as muriatic or oxalic acid which acts as a hardening agent. The presence of the furfural alcohol in the resin makes possible a mild exothermic reaction between the acid catalyst and the alcohol in the presence of heat. Other catalysts being used are phosphoric acid, ferric chloride, and ammonium phosphate. The acid binder reaction generally takes place quite slowly at room temperature, but when the mix is blown into a hot core box, the thermosetting exothermic chemical reaction is initiated which binds the sand grains into a hard core. Thus the cores produced by the machine of the present invention may actually continue the curing process after having left the machine, such cores being set only sufliciently hard to

Claims (1)

19. A FOUNDRY MOLDING MACHINE COMPRISING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING FRAME, VERTICALLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A FLASK SUPPORT MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEANS ADAPTED FIRMLY TO HOLD A FLASK, MEANS TO FILL SUCH FLASK WITH SAND, A SQUEEZE HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SUCH FLASK, SQUEEZE PISTON MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID SUPPORT AND THUS SUCH FLASK IN A DIRECTION DETERMINED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS OPERATIVE THUS TO ELEVATE SUCH SAND FILLED FLASK AGAINST SAID SQUEEZE HEAD TO PRODUCE A FOUNDRY MOLD, A CONVEYOR EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BENEATH SAID FLASK SUPPORT, AND MOLD INVERTING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE LOWERING OF SUCH

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