US3411479A - Applicator including vibratory dispenser with charger - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 K.-HUTCHIINSON 3,411,479

APPLICATOR INCLUDING VIBRATORY DISPENSER WITH CHARGER Filed June 16, 1966 Sheets-Sheet l pksss 82/ /9 PPA/?A s 92 C if 90 LLI I IIV/ENTOR! THOMAS KHuTcH/Mscw Z/// 3054 444 albu mgdw Nov. 19, 1968 T, K. HUTCYHINVSON 3,411,479

APPLICATOR INCLUDING VIBRATORY DISPENSER WITH CHARGER Filed June 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 42 62 0 A. g A 24 jfi 2 4 RES QPPA RATUS m VENTOQ: I THOMAS K. Hu rcuuvsolv,

65 BY .2 I z %TZR-/5 1968 'r. K. HUTCHINSON 3,411,479

APPLICATOR INCLUDING VIBRATORY DISPENSER WITH CHARGER Filed June 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNl/EA/TOR: THO MAS K. Hurc H/MS 0N,

HTTOENE/S United States Patent 3,411,479 APPLICATOR INCLUDING VIBRATORY DISPENSER WITH CHARGER Thomas K. Hutchinson, 4649 Levis Lane, Godfrey, Ill. 62035 Filed June 16, 1966, Ser. No. 558,104 6 Claims. (Cl. 118-7) This inventionrelates to improvements in the manufacture of shell molds, and, in particular, is concerned with gluing machines for dispensing droplets of glue in a highly controlled manner of bonding together of shell molds.

In the manufacture of shell molds, droplets of liquid glue are applied to the drag section of a mold followed by the positioning of the cope section in proper relation to the drag portion of the mold, and subsequently placing the assembled mold in a press to clamp the mold together for a sufficient period of time to allow the glue to bond to the two drag and cope sections of the mold. The bonded mold is subsequently transferred to the pouring floor where molten metal is cast into the mold.

In the past a variety of methods and apparatus have been devised for applying droplets of glue to the top surface of the drag section of a mold in a predetermined pattern. One such type of apparatus employs an open bottom glue container wiped across the upper surface of a glue pattern plate. As the container passes over the holes in the plate, droplets of glue fall onto the top surface of the drag section of the mold. The location of these holes controls the location of the droplets as they fall on to the mold surface, while the size of the hole and the Viscosity of the glue control the amount of glue in the droplet. Difliculty has been encountered in the application of glue as described above due to improper control causing occasional drops of glue to fall into the mold cavity. This causes the ultimate casting to be defective. Such improper applications of droplets of glue arise due to the requirement of reasonably rapid operation, which necessitates a relatively low viscosity of glue. In such operation, droplets tend to spread and cling to the undersurface of the gluing plate, and subsequently fall when the mold is being removed and fall into a mold cavity.

It is a principal feature of this invention that apparatus has been provided to insure the dispensing of glue droplets in a highly controlled manner to insure that they fall only during a specified period of time, and whereby haphazard dripping or falling of droplets of glue is avoided. In this invention a vibrator is employed which causes the droplets of glue in the dispensing operation to fall immediately in a free manner upon the selected area of the drag portion of the mold, whereby hanging and spreading of the glue on the undersurface of the gluing plate is avoided. Further, the gluing plate is provided with a special hole configuration which is cylindrical at the top and conical at the bottom with a downward diverging flare to insure the free fall of the glue. Additionally, the viscosity of the glue is relatively high, as related to conventional glues used in this art.

The features of the vibrator, the special gluing plate with the particularly configured holes, and the proper viscosity of the glue are combined with an automatic timing cycle, which is actuated by moving the drag section of the mold upon a carriage into proper registry underneath the gluing machine to a limiting position where a contact actuates a timer switch to start the cycle of the gluing operation. Pneumatic control means are provided to move a glue container over the gluing plate to dispense glue, followed by a timing cycle to vibrate the gluing plate and cause droplets of glue to fall through the specially configured holes into a selected pattern on the drap sec- 3,411,479 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 ice tion of the mold. At the conpletion of the cycle, the vibrator is stopped and the carriage can be withdrawn from the gluing apparatus for further conventional operations in the shell mold manufacture.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objects will appear in the detailed description which follows and will be otherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration of this invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof. It is to be understood that these drawings are for the purpose of example only, however, and that the invention is not limited thereto.

FIGURE 1 is a generally diagrammatic view in front elevation of the gluing machine and its work environment showing a mold carriage situated above a mold table and with the mold press;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the left side of FIGURE 1 with the tank omitted and showing the carriage underneath the gluing apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view taken similarly to FIGURE 2 but showing only the left hand side of the apparatus, and showing the completion of a cycle after the drag section of the mold has been applied with droplets of glue and withdrawn from the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, showing in broken lines the process of application of the cope half of the mold after the gluing operation has been completed;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view in section of the drag half of the mold with the droplets of glue applied and the cope half about to be positioned in registry thereon;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged top plan view of the gluing apparatus showing the glue trough half way through an operation;

FIGURE 8 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 showing the construction of the gluing apparatus and the mounting of the vibrator;

FIGURE 9 is a view in vertical section taken on line 99 of FIGURE 7 showing the mounting of the gluing apparatus; I

FIGURE 10 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 7 showing further details of the mounting of the gluing apparatus and the structure of the glue trough;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged view in vertical cross section, taken on the line 1111' of FIGURE 7, and showing the relationship of the glue trough and the gluing plate and the structure of the glue hole;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one-half of the mold carriage with the drag section of the mold shown in position in dotted lines;

FIGURE 13 is a view in front elevation of the mold carriage; and

FIGURE 14 is a schematic diagram of the limit switch and timer arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the gluing apparatus of this invention, generally identified by the reference numeral 20, positioned at the left side of a work table 22. A press apparatus, designated by the reference numeral 24, is situated at the right side of the work area. A pair of carriage rails 26 extend between the gluing apparatus and the press apparatus, and receive a carriage 28, which is fashioned to support the shell mold in the manufacturing process and apparatus of this invention. -FIGURE 1 shows a drag half 30 of a shell mold about to be positioned upon the carriage with conventional shell cores 32 to be positioned inside the drag. The gluing apparatus is best shown in FIGURES 7 through 11. It is comprised of front vertical supports 34 which are bolted to the work table and rear vertical supports 36,

likewise bolted to the Work table. The vertical supports straddle the rails and are bolted to a perforated gluing plate 38, as best shown in FIGURE 10. A frame member 40, best shown in FIGURES 7 and 10, is in turn bolted upon the top portion of the gluing plate to define a reservoir or controlled area for the dispensing of glue through the plate. The frame serves in the nature of a guard when glue container 42 is moved over the plate, as will be further described hereinbelow. The frame has upstanding side walls 44 to define a rectangular configuration and are provided with flanges 46, whereby the frame maybe bolted to the gluing plate.

The gluing plate is provided with a plurality of gluing holes, generally identified by the reference numeral 48. The construction of these gluing holes is best shown in FIGURE 11 Where it will be seen that these holes have a top cylindrical bore portion and a bottom downwardly diverging conical portion 52, which has approximately an 8 taper. For purpose of example only, the cylindrical portion may be about one-third as long as the conical portion where a perforating plate of one-quarter inch thickness is employed. The perforating plate is preferably made of a plastic material, such as rigid Plexiglas, but it will be understood that other materials of construction may be similarly employed.

The glue container 42 is generally in the nature of a trough having a reinforced bottom section 56 defining a restricted throat section 58, as shown in FIGURE 11. The glue container is connected by connecting rod 60 to an air cylinder 62, which is adapted to move the container from the position shown in FIGURE 7 backwards and forwards to limiting positions at the front and rear of the frame 40, it being understood that a complete operation constitutes one pass in either direction from front to rear or in the reverse.

The vibrator used to vibrate the gluing apparatus is best shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9. As shown in FIGURE 7, it is generally indicated by the reference numeral 70, and is mounted upon an angle iron 72 bolted to the underside of the gluing plate at the left hand border thereof. It is controlled by front normally open limiting switch 74 having a contact button 76 adapted to be actuated by contact with the gluing container, and a rear normally open limiting switch 78 having a contact button 80 actuated in like manner on the reverse movement of the gluing container.

A glue hopper 82, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 10 is positioned over the gluing apparatus and is adapted to feed glue into the container 42 when the container is positioned at the rear of the apparatus. The dispensing can be by means through a control valve 84. A catch hopper is positioned underneath the gluing apparatus and receives excess glue fed through the perforating plate in front slot 86 and rear slot 88 at the completion of the sweeping or squeegee stroke of the container as it moves across the glue perforated plate.

The carriage 28 is best shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. As there shown, it is comprised of a frame 89, which supports wheels 90 which ride upon the triangular rails 26. The frame is further provided with a plurality of mold supporting fingers 92, which receive the flanges of the mold in supporting position.

The press apparatus may be of any conventional type and it will be understood that the carriage is adapted to wheel the drag and cope sections of the mold after they have been placed together upon the completion of the gluing operation. As shown in FIGURE 1, the press is comprised of a top portion 94 and a bottom portion 96, with it being understood that the two portions are adapted to be pressed or clamped together to hold the flanges of the mold in clamped position to insure bonding of the glue. Upon the completion of a specified period of time, the press is opened :and the mold with the joined drag and cope sections bonded together is removed for storing and ultimate pouring, as is conventional in this art.

In FIGURE 14 there is shown a schematic diagram of the limit switch and timer arrangement. A toggle switch provides for general on and off control of the electrical circuit. The toggle switch is connected in parallel with limit switches 74 and 78, which are normally open and are closed by the contact of the glue container 42. These switches are connected in parallel with a delay timer 102 connected to the vibrator and :a normally closed timer 104. A two-way air valve 105, which controls the air cylinder 62, is connected in series with the timer 104. The normally closed timer 104 and the delay timer 102 are connected in parallel to a ground 106.

OPERATION 'In the operation of this invention the drag portion of the shell imold, as shown in FIGURE 1, is first placed upon the carriage 28 with shell cores 32 of one type or another positioned in the usual fashion. The carriage is then wheeled underneath the gluing apparatus 20 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 2 to registry position as shown in FIGURE 3. This registery position is held by the contact of the carriage with a pair of magnets 33 shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 at the left end portion of the carriage rails.

The gluing plate 38 is chosen so that its perforated holes 48 are in a proper pattern position to dispense glue droplets 98- in a carefully selected fashion upon the drag portion of the mold. It Will be understood that different gluing plates with different glue hole arrangements may be employed, or certain of the holes may be plugged, as will be well understood in the art. With the drag portion of the mold in proper registry, the gluing operation is commenced by operation of the toggle switch 100. This causes the operation of the two-way air valve 105 through the timer 104, and the pneumatic cylinder 62 moves the glue container 42 in a complete path from front to rear, or from the rear to the front of the gluing frame 40, depending upon its starting position. As the container moves over the gluing plate, glue falls down and fills the openings 48, but no glue is dispensed due to the relatively high viscosity of the glue employed.

At the completion of the pass of the glue container, either the micro-switch 74 or 78 will be contacted through the contact of the glue container with the contact buttons of the appropriate micro-switch. It will be noted that no glue is dispensed through the perforations, although they are filled with the glue, until the operation of the micro-switch operating through the timer 102 causes the vibrator 70 to operate. The vibratory movement of the gluing plate 38 then causes the droplets of glue 98 to fall through the glue openings 48 to immediately fall free into the desired position upon the top surface of the drag portion of the mold. There is no hanging or spreading of the glue on the undersurface of the plate, since all of the glue is in effect shaken loose by the vibratory movement and the special configuration of the glue holes through their conical portions 52 and top cylindrical portions 50. Y

After the glue droplets are dispensed upon the completion of the cycle, the carriage is removed with the drag section to the middle portion of the table, as shown in FIGURE 5. The top or cope portion of the mold is then placed upon the bottom drag portion and the assembled mold is rolled into the press apparatus 24. The two halves of the mold are then pressed or clamped together in conventional fashion, and the operator can commence another gluing operation.

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are Within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto. 1

What is claimed is:

1. A gluing device for dispensing droplets of liquid glue in a controlled pattern upon an article to be glued comprising a station receiving said article, a perforated glue pattern plate overlying said station in registry with said article, a glue container including means to pass said container over the plate whereby to feed a controlled amount of glue to openings in said perforated pattern plate, said openings being of a size to normally retain the glue fed thereto, means for vibrating said pattern plate to dispense the glue in a controlled path through the pattern plate openings upon the article to be glued, and switch means operatively connected to said means for vibrating and disposed in the path of said container whereby at the terminus of the container movement said switch is operated to thereby actuate the vibrator.

2. The gluing device of claim 1 in which the gluing container is a trough having an opening at the bottom and means are provided to move the container across the pattern plate in a sweeping action to fill the glue openings while leaving no excess glue on the top surface of the pattern plate.

3. The gluing device of claim 1 in which carriage means are provided to support said article, and track means are provided guiding said carriage to said station underneath the pattern plate.

4. The gluing device of claim 3 in which magnet means are provided to hold the carriage means at said station during the gluing operation.

5. The gluing device of claim 1 in which the pattern plate has openings which are divergent at the bottom surface of the plate to prevent the glue spreading and clinging 0n the bottom surface of the plate beyond the openings, carriage means are provided to support said article, and track means are provided guiding said carriage to said station underneath the pattern plate, magnet means are provided to hold the carriage means at said station during the gluing operation.

6. The gluing device of claim 1 in which the pattern plate has openings which are divergent at the bottom surface of the plate to prevent the glue spreading and clinging on the bottom surface of the plate beyond the openings, car-riage means are provided to support said article, and track means are provided guiding said carriage to said station underneath the pattern plate, magnet means are provided to hold the carriage means at said station during the gluing operation, and switch means are provided responsive to contact by said glue container after it has moved across the pattern plate to a limiting position after the glue openings are filled with glue to actuate a vibrator connected to said pattern plate to vibrate the plate and shake droplets of glue therefrom in a controlled pattern upon the article to be glued.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.514,186 11/ 1924 Van Houten 107-7.1 2,165,068 7/ 1939 Protzeller 209-397 X 21,301,514 11/ 1942 Brewster 209397 2,754,555 7/1956 Young 164-399 2,899,726 8/ 1959 Hackett 156580 X 2,961,946 11/1960' Quist 10'1123 3,059,610 10/1962 Mintz 118-7 3,262,419 7/1966 Knight 118-7 3,285,413 11/ 1966 Taylor-Smith 209-397 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. MORRIS KAPLAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A GLUING DEVICE FOR DISPENSING DROPLETS OF LIQUID GLUE IN A CONTROLLED PATTERN UPON AN ARTICLE TO BE GLUED COMPRISING A STATION RECEIVING SAID ARTICLE, A PERFORATED GLUE PATTERN PLATE OVERLYING SAID STATION IN REGISTRY WITH SAID ARTICLE, A GLUE CONTAINER INCLUDING MEANS TO PASS SAID CONTAINER OVER THE PLATE WHEREBY TO FEED A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF GLUE TO OPENINGS IN SAID PERFORATED PATTERN PLATE, SAID OPENINGS BEING OF A SIZE TO NORMALLY RETAIN THE GLUE FED THERETO, MEANS FOR VIBRATING SAID PATTERN PLATE TO DISPENSE THE GLUE IN A CONTROLLED PATH THROUGH THE PATTERN PLATE OPENINGS UPON THE ARTICLE TO BE GLUED, AND SWITCH MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MEANS FOR VIBRATING AND DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF SAID CONTAINER WHEREBY AT THE TERMINUS OF THE CONTAINER MOVEMENT SAID SWITCH IS OPERATED TO THEREBY ACTUATE THE VIBRATOR.

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