US3600756A

US3600756A - Indexing and brake apparatus for rotational casting machines

Info

Publication number: US3600756A
Application number: US795899A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alden C Boyce
Original assignee: Rota Matic Inc
Current assignee: Rota Matic Inc
Priority date: 1969-02-03
Filing date: 1969-02-03
Publication date: 1971-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-24

Abstract

In a rotational casting machine, a stop means is provided adjacent a support arm used in the casting machine for support of and rotation of the mold-carrying means, and such stop means is movable to and from engagement with the support arm. Power means are present to force the stop means to move to engage the support arm to prevent rotation thereof and to control the stop position of molds operatively carried by the support arm.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Alden C. Boyce Stow, Ohio Appl. No. 795,899

Filed Feb. 3, 1969 Patented Aug. 24, 1971 Assignee Rota-Made, Inc.

Cuyahoga Folk, Ohio INDEXING AND BRAKE APPARATUS FOR ROTATIONAL CASTING MACHINES 6 can-,4 Drawlngflgs. I US. Cl. 18/26 RR lm. CL B29c 5/04 Field olSearch 123/26 R, 26

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,472 6/1954 Rempel 18/26 (R) 2.811.747 11/1957 Belz 18/26 (R) Primary Examiner-J Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-L. R. Frye Anomey-Oldham 8: Oldham ABSTRACT: In a rotational casting machine, a stop means is provided adjacent a support am used in the casting machine for support of and rotation of the mold-carrying means, and such stop means is movable to and from engagement with the support arm. Power means are present to force the stop means to move to engage the support arm to prevent rotation thereof and to control the stop position of molds operatively carried by the support arm.

Patented Aug. 24, 1971 3,600,756

Q s Sheets-Sheet 1 a k INVENTOR.

ALDEN C.BOYCE ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 24, 1911 3,600,756

- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALDEN C.BOYCE M? w z ATTORNEYS.

v Patented Aug. 24, 1971 3,600,756

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y///////l////////l I INVENTOR. ALDEN C. BOYCE ATTORNEYS.

INDEXING AND BRAKE APPARATUS FOR ROTATIONAL CASTING MACHINES The present invention relates to rotational casting machines, and particularly to improved means for controlling the position of moldcarrying means operably associated with the double-spindle rotative support means for the mold-carrying means in a rotational casting machine for multiaxis rotation and casting actions.

Heretofore there have been many different types of rotational casting machines provided and it always has been a problem to stop the drive of these machines, and particularly the rotational support arms for the mold-carrying means, so that the molds can be stopped orv positioned in a desired horizontal, vertical or other position for mold-stripping and/or mold-filling actions. While efforts have been made to-index these mold-carrying arms in rotational casting machines, none of such prior members, insofar as I am aware, have been fully and completely satisfactory and have not provided the desired positive indexing action together with ready control of the stop position for the mold-carrying members in the machine. Manual adjustment of the mold positions has frequently been required.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved indexing and/or braking means in association with a support arm in a rotational casting machine to stop or lock the mold-carrying arm in a predetermined position to locate the mold means on such arm in selected positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a powered, controllable stop means in a rotational casting machine for movement to and from engagement with a support ann to index and/or lock the. support arm in an inoperative position for mold opening and other actions.

Another object of the invention is to index a mold support arm and associated means in a rotational casting machine in a predetermined position when the support arm and mold-carrying means are substantially in -a predetermined desired inoperative position at the article removal station.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a rotational casting machine having improved mechanical properties in the means used to index or position the mold support members on a support arm in the machine when such arm is inoperative; to provide an indexing machine or apparatus in a rotational casting machine to lock a mold-carrying member in a predetennined position; and to provide relatively sturdy, easily actuated index and/or brake means in a casting machine to improve the functioning and control of the individual mold support arms.

The present invention, as one embodiment thereof, relates to a rotational casting machine where a plurality of support arms are journaled on a turntable positioned by the machine frame and usually protrude from the turntable. A rotatable mold support means is operably carried by each of the support arms on axes perpendicular to the axis of the support arm and the machine has one article removal and mold filling station. The novel apparatus includes a stop means positioned adjacent the support arm at the said station and movable to and from engagement with such support arm. Power means are provided to control the stop means and forcibly move it to and from engagement with the support arm for indexing the same and/or looking it in a desired inoperative position.

Reference now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FlG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a rotary casting machine embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with some members broken away and/or shown in section; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, like FIG. 3, of a modification of the apparatus of the invention.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

The machine of the invention is particularly suited for the casting of articles from liquid, or powdered plastic materials that will solidify when heated.

In the accompanying drawings, a portion of a substantially conventional rotational casting machine 10 is shown, and this machine 10 includes a frame 11, on which a suitable turntable 12 is journaled, as by a bearing 120, and is driven by any conventional means. This turntable 12 positions a plurality of support arms 13 thereon, only one of which is shown, as by a pair of spaced

bearing blocks

14 and 15. Conventional drive means comprising a motor 16 is operably engaged with a peripheral portion of the support arm 13 as by a drive chain and sprocket assembly 17 so that the support arm can be rotated on its longitudinal axis in a controlled manner. This support arm 13 protrudes beyond the periphery of the turntable 12 and normally an inner drive shaft 18 is suitably journaled within the support arm 13 and extends from both ends thereof. Drive means 19, connecting to a motor 20, positioned on the turntable 12 operatively engages the drive shaft 18 to rotate it internally of the support arm 13 and independently thereof.

While details of the connecting means are not fully shown in the attached drawings, a mold support means 21 is operably attached to the radially outer end of the drive shaft 18 and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of such drive shaft 18. A mold or mold support plate 22 normally is attached to each operable end of the mold support means 21 for rotation around the axis of such mold support means. Any suitable or conventional means are used for securing the mold support means 21 to the end of the support arm 13 and such means include a drive assembly for the mold support means. Thus, such support means are adapted to rotate the mold support means 21 on its own support axis while the entire unit of the mold and mold support means are in turn being rotated about the axis of the support arm 21 as a unit for a multiaxis article casting action.

The details of the novel and improved indexing and/or braking apparatus of the invention are best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and a stop means indicated as a whole by the numeral 30 is provided. These stop means 30 include a pair of

plates

31 and 32 positioned in parallel relationship to each other and where a plurality of guide and/or support rolls or

rollers

33, 34, 35 and 36 are present. Each of these rollers 33 through 36 is mounted, as by a suitable bolt, shaft or pin 37 extending between the

plates

31 and 32, and operably secured thereto to form a unit therewith. As shown in FIG. 3, the rolls 33 through 36 are positioned to have short arcuate peripheral portions protrude beyond the margins of the'associated

plates

31 and 32 and with the

rolls

33 and 34 being in vertical alignment in one margin of the plates and the rolls 35 and 36 being in vertical alignment in opposite margins of the plates. A subframe 38 is provided and is suitably secured to the frame 11. This subframe 38 may include a plurality of vertically directed members such as channels, angles, or the like, and which include vertically extending, parallel spaced

members

39 and 40 that are positioned immediately adjacent and below the sup port arm 13 in its inoperative position in the machine of the invention at the mold-filling station. That is, when drive for the turntable of the machine 10 is terminated, a support arm is adapted to be positioned directly above the centerline provided for the stop means 30 by an indexing action on the turntable.

Power actuation for the unit formed from the

plates

31 and 32 is provided by a conventional member, such as an air cylinder 41 that has air inlet and

outlet tubes

42 and 43 connecting thereto for drive of a piston (not shown) in the cylinder through a vertical path whereby a piston rod 44 at-' tached to the piston and which extends upwardly from the air cylinder 41 can be used for controlling the position of the

plates

31 and 32. The piston 44 is shown engaged with an upper portion of the associated

plates

31 and 32 by a pin and clevis means 45, or equivalent device.

At the upper ends of the

plates

31 and 32, an additional pair of

rollers

46 and 47 are provided supported to protrude beyond the upper margins of the

plates

31 and 32, as by support bolts, pins or shafts 48. Thus, the

rollers

46 and 47 are adapted toengage some diametrically extending or protruding member, such as the member 50, shown on the support arm 13 in FIG. 3. This member 50 has a pair of diametrically

opposed ears

51 and 52 extending therefrom. The drive means associated with the support arm 13 to rotate it in normal casting operations may include members such as a control cam 60, shown in FIG. 2, and a limit or stop switch 61 that connect to the drive means by members (not shown), whereby the switch will terminate drive for the support arm 13 when the member 50 is in at least an approximately horizontal position. At such time, the mold'support means 21, on an axis usually perpendicular to the axis defined by the

cars

51 and 52 of the member 50 isin predetermined position whereby the positions of the molds carried by the mold support means 21 can thus be accurately predetermined in relation to the axis of the support arm 13 'at the article removing and mold filling station. FIG. 3

indicates in dotted lines a position for the, member 50 when it is stopped but is not exactly in a horizontal plane, but the stop means 30 will automatically index or rotate the support arm 13 slightly in its support means when the

rollers

46 and 47 engage with one or both of the

cars

51 and 52 whereby a slight out-of-positioning of the support arm for mold opening or filling action will be automatically corrected by the apparatus of the invention. Naturally any conventional power or control means can be provided for control of air supply to and from the air cylinder 41 to cause vertically upward movement thereof for engaging the stop means' with the member 50 on the supportarm 13 at proper times.

The drawings show that the member 50 is diametrically split and it has two pairs of key slots 55 formed therein whereby keys 56 can engage with slots 57 in the periphery of the support arm and'either pair of the two sets of diametrically opposed lrey slots 55 to secure the member 50 to the support arm 13. Hence, the

ears

51 and 52 thus can be positioned in a horizontal plane when the molds on the mold support means 21 are positioned in either, for example, horizontal plane or planes or when the molds are invertical planes. Capscrews 58 secure the member 50 toithe support arm 13 to encompass the same.

FIG 4 shows a slight modification of the machine of FIG. 1 wherein a support arm 13a is provided and in this instance, preferably a collar 70 is secured to the support arm 13 by any conventional capscrews or equivalent means 71 to provide an increased circumference by this member 70 on the support arm.

In thisinstance, a modified stop means 30a is provided by the invention and plates 314 or equivalent member in the apparatus suitably support a strip or block of brake lining means 80 on the upper surface of the stop unit. Such brake lining or brake block means 80 is contoured to a concave shape complementary to the peripheral surface of the member 70. Thus, when an air cylinder 41a orequivalent means is actuated to force the stop means 300 up into engagement with the support arm 13a and/or the member 70 thereon, such support arm can be stoppedor braked to a substantially instantaneous stop position. Therefore, the rotary position of the support arm in its journal means can be varied whereby the molds operatively carried thereby can be stopped in any desired position in relation to the axis of the support arm 13a.

From the foregoing, it is believed thata novel and improved indexing and brake means has been provided in a rotational casting machine so that these members will provide an automatically indexed or stopped position for molds carried in the machine so that these molds can be readily opened, serviced,

cleaned, filled and reused' Naturally the remainder of the casting machine 10, not shown, can be of any known construction. The apparatus of the invention is sturdy and will have good operative life. Thus the objects of the invention have been v achieved.

While two complete embodiments of the invention have 7 been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of theseparticular embodiments of. the invention may be a stop means adjacent said support arm when at said mold processing station, a subframe means positioning said stop means for movement to and from engagement with a peripheral portion of said support arm, a member having an irregular periphery on said support arm, roller means operatively carried by said stop means at spaced, top portions thereof for engagement with portions of said member to prevent rotation of said support arm when said stop means is engaged therewith, and power means operatively engaging said subframe means to move it and said stop means to and from engagement with said support arm; 2. In a rotational casting machine as in claim I, the improvement comprising said member including diametrically extending means on the periphery thereof and extending therefrom in opposite directions perpendicular to the axis of said support arm, and said roller means comprising a pair of rollers positioned to be engageable with said diametrically extending means to stop rotation of said support arm and to position said mold support means in predetermined relation to the axis of said support arm.

3. In a multiaxis rotational casting machine including a frame, a driven turntable operably carried by said frame, a

driven support arm joumaled on-said turntable and extending therefrom, and mold support means operably carried by said support arm, the improvement comprising a stop means adjacent said support arm at one position thereof, a subframe means positioning said stop means for movement to and from engagement with a peripheral portion of said support arm, I i

a member having projections on theperiphery thereof secured to said support arm, p engaging means operatively carried by said stop means at a top portion thereof for engaging at least one of said projections on said member to prevent rotation of said support arm when said stop means is engaged therewith, and

power means operatively engaging said subframe means to move it and said stop means to and from engagement with said support arm. 1 I

4. In a rotational casting machine as in claim 1, the improvement comprising said member being a diametrically split band member secured to and encompassing said support arm and having diametrically opposed ears thereon, said stop means being positioned in radial alignment with said band member, said engaging means having laterally spaced members thereon for engaging said ears to move said support arm arcuately to a predetermined position and lock it therein.

5. In a rotational casting machine as in claim 3, the improvement comprising said engaging means including a pair of laterally spaced roller means thereon for engaging projections on said member to index said support arm in a predetermined, fixed, arcuate position.

6. In a rotational casting machine including a frame, a turntable operably carried by said frame, a driven support arm joumaled on said turntable and extending therefrom, and mold support means operably carried by said support arm on a diametrically split band member secured to and encompassing said support arm and having diametrically opposed ears thereon, said stop means being positioned in radial alignment with said band member, said stop means having laterally spaced members thereon for engaging said ears to move said support arm arcuately to a predetermined position and lock it therein.

Claims

1. In a multiaxis rotational casting machine including a frame, a driven turntable operably carried by said frame, a driven support arm journaled on said turntable and extending therefrom, said turntable being indexed to stop at a mold-processing station, an inner drive shaft journaled in said support arm and extending therefrom, and mold support means operably carried by said support arm on an axis perpendicular to the axis of said support arm and rotatable on such axis, the improvement comprising a stop means adjacent said support arm when at said mold processing station, a subframe means positioning said stop means for movement to and from engagement with a peripheral portion of said support arm, a member having an irregular periphery on said support arm, roller means operatively carried by said stop means at spaced, top portions thereof for engagement with portions of said member to prevent rotation of said support arm when said stop means is engaged therewith, and power means operatively engaging said subframe means to move it and said stop means to and from engagement with said support arm.

2. In a rotational casting machine as in claim 1, the improvement comprising said member including diametrically extending means on the periphery thereof and extending therefrom in opposite directions perpendicular to the axis of said support arm, and said roller means comprising a pair of rollers positioned to be engageable with said diametrically extending means to stop rotation of said support arm and to position said mold support means in predetermined relation to the axis of said support arm.

3. In a multiaxis rotational casting machine including a frame, a driven turntable operably carried by said frame, a driven support arm journaled on said turntable and extending therefrom, and mold support means operably carried by said support arm, the improvement comprising a stop means adjacent said support arm at one position thereof, a subframe means positioning said stop means for movement to and from engagement with a peripheral portion of said support arm, a member having projections on the periphery thereof secured to said support arm, engaging means operatively carried by said stop means at a top portion thereof for engaging at least one of said projections on said member to prevent rotation of said support arm when saiD stop means is engaged therewith, and power means operatively engaging said subframe means to move it and said stop means to and from engagement with said support arm.

6. In a rotational casting machine including a frame, a turntable operably carried by said frame, a driven support arm journaled on said turntable and extending therefrom, and mold support means operably carried by said support arm on an axis perpendicular to the axis of said support arm, the improvement comprising a stop means adjacent said support arm, means positioning said stop means for movement to and from engagement with said support arm, power means operatively engaging said stop means to move it to and from engagement with said support arm to prevent rotation of said support arm when said stop means is engaged therewith, and a diametrically split band member secured to and encompassing said support arm and having diametrically opposed ears thereon, said stop means being positioned in radial alignment with said band member, said stop means having laterally spaced members thereon for engaging said ears to move said support arm arcuately to a predetermined position and lock it therein.