US3470940A - Conveyorized die casting machine having biasing and ejection apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 v H. M. CANNER 3,470,940

CONVEYORIZED DIE CASTING MACHINE HAVING BIASING AND EJECTION APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HERMAN M. CANNER 6 %Wd4a ATTO RNEYS TIM-0'. 2

Oct. 7, 1969 Filed March 29, 1967 W 3 a W M M s a w M y n 4 C N v R A M m A 3 W A J 2 j Q L E T|M u A l/ H 1. U .i m w l i 4 i 01 F L W 1 B h 7 Z Z 6 g .0 ,M 7 A 2 g, E G 2 ll i H a w m K A 5 A w 5 A A a A w a 5 I) M Q 0 m A United States Patent O US. Cl. 164-269 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a conveyorized die casting machine, a novel biasing and ejection apparatus comprising a fixed die; a transversely advancing and transversely retracting movable die; and means for so moving the die; and also means for biasing a casting from the fixed die and ejecting it from the movable die.

CROSS REFERENCES This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Ser. No. 402,843, filed Oct. 9, 1964, now Patent No. 3,333,628 of Aug. 1, 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art I A prior US. Patent 3,118,196 of Jan. 21, 1964, discloses conveyorized die casting machinery wherein a conveyor carriescasting carriers successively into and out of a die casting machine.

Field of the invention In this application, there is disclosed a conveyorized die casting machine with particular emphasis upon the novel biasing and ejection mechanism of the present invention.

SUMMARY A primary object of the present invention is to provide a power actuated biasing and ejection mechanism, external of the dies, and directly operating on a carrier which is transversely and slidably mounted on the conveyor and which carries a casting out of the die casting machine.

The mechanism biases the casting from the fixed die and ejects it from the movable die thereafter.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The mechanism hereof operates generally as follows:

(1) A casting operation starts with the carrier in contact with the two dies, these being against each other. Casting takes place.

During the casting, great force is exerted on the free end of the carrier. To resist such force, there is provided a positive block between the mounted end of the carrier and fixed structure, and movable into and out of blocking position.

(2) The the movable die moves away from the fixed die. With it are moved the carrier and casting, here positively biased by novel biasing means later to be described (3) Then, by means which is conventional and is not here shown, and acting in the movable die and upon the casting, ejections called primary and secondary take place casting, ejections called primary and secondary take place-to loosen the casting from the movable die.

(4) Then, by novel means here shown, and called trinary ejection means, not incorporated in the dies, and acting upon the carrier, the latter and the casting are moved a distance sufficient to clear all obstructions in the dies for longitudinal transfer.

3,470,940 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 ice (5) Such transfer takes place while the dies are separated and readies the machine for closing the dies and for a next casting operation.

THE DRAWINGS A CONVENTIONAL MACHINE A conventional die casting machine (FIG. 1) includes a die casting apparatus comprising a stationary platen 10 mounting a fixed die 12 and a movable platen 14 mounting a movable die 16. In the casting position, these are held in abutting engagement along a parting line 18 about a casting carrier 21A including a plate 23 mounting a free spud or peg 20 onto whose end the casting is die cast in surrounding and facing die cavities 21 in the dies.

In a conveyorized apparatus, numerous carriers 21A comprising plates 23 and pegs 20 are mounted on transverse support and guide plates 24 extending transversely between and movably supported and carried by links 26 of the diagrammatically shown spaced parallel longitudinally extending endless conveyor chains by which the pegs 20 and the castings attached thereto are moved longitudinally as units from between the then separated die halves. The chains formed of the links 26 are slidably supported on parallel spaced rails 30 of a conveyor system and the chains 26 are thus connected by and support and longitudinally move the transverse plates 24 and the transversely movable slide plates 23 which slide transversely on plates 24 away from and towards the fixed die 12. Plates 23 and pegs 20 in effect form the casting carriers 21A.

The die casting die set, as is conventional, includes primary and secondary means such as ejection pins, which are conventional except as to length, and are shown schematically at 34. These operate to engage the casting directly and loosen the casting and the peg as a unit from the movable die 16.

Except for the transversely slidable plates 23 of car-' Novel biasing and trinary ejector mechanism Such mechanism 40 is external of the dies and is mounted above the dies on the stationary platen 10 by an attachment means including mounting plate 42, a bracket plate 44, side support plates 46 and a bottom plate 49, above the dies and extending transversely between the stationary platen and the movable platen.

Such mechanism 40 includes a fluid operable power cylinder 50, controlled by external means not shown, and mounted on the bottom plate 49 between the side plates 46 and having a piston rod 51 (FIG. 1) operatively attached to a vertically extending control plate 52 (FIG. 3) which projects downwardly through a slot 54 in the bottom plate 49 and is attached to a movable slide block 56 slidably supported for transverse movement between guides 58.

On the end of rod 51 is an adjustable stop 59 engaged by movable die platen 14.

A biasing dog 62 (FIG. 2) is connected to an attachment block 64 adjustably keyed in a slot 72 at the other slide block 56.

A trinary ejector dog 68 is connected to an attachment block 70 adjustably keyed in a slot 72 at the other end of slide block 56.

Biasing dog 62 has a part or block 63 between the mounted end of peg and fixed structure, slide 56, for acting as a backup block during casting.

Dogs 62 and 68 abut and move, for biasing or trinary ejection, the slide block 23, transversely moving it and with it the peg 20 and a casting on it as a unit, when the parts 23-20 and the casting are in the die cast machine. Dog 62 moves to the right for biasing the peg 20 from the fixed die 12. Dog 68 then moves to the left for trinary ejection of peg 20 from the movable die 16.

The upper portion of the vertical plate 52 carries an actuating pin 78 mounted for engagement with an actuating arm 80 of a limit switch 82 which controls the conveyor.

Cylinder 50 is controlled by external means not here shown.

Backup block 63.This provides a positive block between the mounted or upper end of carrier 20 and fixed structure, against which reacts the casting force, applied to the free or lower end of peg 20.

Operation Biasing-After a casting has been die cast onto the free end of peg 20 with the dies in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, the movable die 16 is moved transversely away from the fixed die 12, retreating from stop 59 on rod 51. Cylinder 50 moves rod 51, plate 52, and slide 56 to the left. Thus, peg 20 and a casting on it as a unit are biased from the die casting position, to move with the movable die 16, away from the fixed die 12 to an ejection position shown at 90.

As the dies open, power cylinder 50 biases rod 51 and moves plate 52 and slide block 56 away from fixed die 12, as much and as permitted by movement of movable die 16 from stop end 59 of rod 51. Biasing dog 62 engages peg carrier 23 and synchronously moves the latter,

with the movable die 16, out of casting position. In such action the power cylinder 50 acting through its piston 51 operates, not on the casting nor on the peg 20 but rather on the peg carrier 23, through parts 52, 56 and 62.

At the end of such biasing movement, the primary and secondary die ejection pins 34, operating directly on the casting in the die cavity, loosen the casting in the die cavity 21 of the movable die 16. These pins 34, as is conventional, operate not on the peg 20 nor on carrier 23 which mounts peg 20 on the conveyor, but rather operate directly on the casting itself and only for loosening the casting, shifting the latter out of the die cavity a very short distance just enough for loosening the casting in the die cavity. This is called primary and secondary ejection. It is conventional and not novel.

Trinary ejecti0n.After the casting is loosened, power cylinder 50 is operated in the opposite direction by external means not shown to retract piston rod 51 and pull parts 525662-68 away from movable die 16 and towards fixed die 12. Trinary ejection block 68 abuts slide 23. Peg 20 and the casting are now moved towards the fixed die to clear the movable die 16 and move to a transfer position between the then separated dies.

7 When such transfer position is reached, operating pin 78 actuates limit switch 80 for operation of the conveyor mechanism.

The biasing and trinary ejection movements of the casting are performed by direct thrust of the power actua tion part 51, not upon the casting, but upon the slide block 23, acting through parts 51, 52, 56 and either 62 for biasing or 68 for trinary ejection. Such slide 23 carries peg 20 and the casting.

This contrasts from loosening of the casting which is done by die pins 34 acting directly on the casting, rather than by any thrust on parts 23 or 20.

The novel biasing and trinary ejection mechanism, comprising parts 40-50-51-52-56 and 62, acting through parts 23 and 20, causes carrier 23 and peg 20 and the casting thereon, all as a unit, to be positively moved in one direction out of the die cavity 21 in the fixed die along with the movable die 16 from the casting position to an ejection position. Then the casting is positively displaced or loosened by pins 34 a relatively short distance in the opposite direction away from the die cavity 21 in the movable die to loosen the casting in the movable die cavity 21. After that, the parts 23-20 and the casting are positively moved from the primary and secondary ejection position to a trinary ejection position between and clear of the dies by the power mechanism 50-51-52-56 and 68.

Now having described the illustrative embodiment of the invention here shown, reference should be had to the claims which follow.

I now claim:

1. In a conveyorized die casting machine of the type having a fixed die; a transversely movable die; and a longitudinally extending conveyor provided with a series of longitudinally spaced casting carriers; and having means for properly and with proper index longitudinally moving the carriers and transversely moving the movable die, first to advance the movable die transversely away from the fixed die for die opening, thereafter to move a carrier longitudinally into the die space between the then separated dies; then move the movable die transversely towards the fixed die' into casting position for casting; then cause a casting to be cast onto the carrier in the facing die cavities; then move the movable die transversely away from the fixed die; then loosen the casting from the movable die cavity; then transversely move the casting and its carrier as a unit from the movable die and towards the previously occupied casting position; then move the casting and its carrier longitudinally as a unit out of the die casting position; and wherein there are included loosening means comprising ejector pins in the movable die acting upon the casting directly;

in such machine the improvement comprising power actuated apparatus fixedly mounted external of the dies and acting upon the carrier directly for biasing the casting and its carrier as a unit from the fixed die, to move with the movable die away from the fixed die, after casting.

2. In a conveyorized die casting machine of the type having a fixed die; a transversely movable die; and a longitudinally extending conveyor provided with a series of longitudinally spaced casting carriers; and having means for properly and with proper index longitudinally moving the carriers and transversely moving the movable die, first to advance the movable die transversely away from the fixed die for die opening, thereafter to move a carrier longitudinally into the die space between the then separated dies; then move the movable die transversely towards the fixed die into casting position for casting; then cause a casting to be cast onto the carrier in the facing die cavities; then move the movable die transversely away from the fixed die; then loosen the casting from the movable die cavity; then transversely move the casting and its carrier as a unit from the movable die and towards the previously occupied casting position; then move the casting and its carrier longitudinally as a unit out of the die casting position; and wherein there are included loosening means comprising ejector pins in the movable die acting upon the casting directly;

in such machine the improvement comprising a power actuated apparatus fixedly mounted external of the dies and acting upon the carrier directly for moving it and a loosened casting thereon as a unit from the movable die, then remote from the fixed die, and ejecting the unit back towards the fixed die into casting position, ready for longitudinal conveyorized transfer movement of the unit out of the space between the then separated dies.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus also acts upon the carrier directly for moving it and a loosened casting thereon as a unit from the movable die, then remote from the fixed die, and ejecting the unit back towards the fixed die into casting position, ready for longitudinal conveyorized transfer movement of the unit out of the space between the then separated dies.

4. A die casting machine according to claim 1 wherein said power actuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning but spaced from an separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stop actuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movable die during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away from the fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movement of the movable die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected to said stop to be moved by and with it away from the fixed die; and a biasing dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of the casting carrier and thus biasing it away from the fixed die.

5. A die casting machine according to claim 2 wherein said power actuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning but spaced from and separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stop actuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movable die during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away from the fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movement of the movable die; said actuator also operating to move the stop towards the fixed die; said actuator also operating to move the stop towards the fixed die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected to said stop to be moved by and with it away from and towards the fixed die; and a trinary ejector dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of the casting carrier after it had moved away from the fixed die with the movable die and after the casting had become loosened from the movable carrier and thus ejecting it from the movable die.

6. A die casting machine according to claim 3 wherein said power actuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning but spaced from and separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stop actuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movable die during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away from the fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movement of the movable die; said actuator also operating to move the stop towards the fixed die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected to said stop to be moved by and with it away from and towards the fixed die; a biasing dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of the casting carrier and thus biasing it away from the fixed die, and a binary ejector dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of the casting carrier and after the casting had become loosened from the movable carrier and thus ejecting it from the movable die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,131 1/1950 Morin et al. 164-113 X 2,581,854 1/1952 Gries et a1. 164131 X 3,118,196 1/1964 Hall et al. l64-262 3,268,961 8/1966 Clark 164-344 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,891 6/ 1947 Switzerland.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner R. SPENCER ANNEAR, Assistant Examiner

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