US3605869A - Support means for ceramic shell moulds - Google Patents

Support means for ceramic shell moulds Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3605869A
US3605869A US868528A US3605869DA US3605869A US 3605869 A US3605869 A US 3605869A US 868528 A US868528 A US 868528A US 3605869D A US3605869D A US 3605869DA US 3605869 A US3605869 A US 3605869A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
bed
lift
tank
ceramic shell
track
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US868528A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Roland P Chapman
Barry F Irving
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Meakers Realisations Ltd
Original Assignee
Meakers Realisations Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Meakers Realisations Ltd filed Critical Meakers Realisations Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3605869A publication Critical patent/US3605869A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22C—FOUNDRY MOULDING
    • B22C13/00—Moulding machines for making moulds or cores of particular shapes
    • B22C13/08—Moulding machines for making moulds or cores of particular shapes for shell moulds or shell cores
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22C—FOUNDRY MOULDING
    • B22C9/00—Moulds or cores; Moulding processes
    • B22C9/02—Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings
    • B22C9/04—Use of lost patterns

Definitions

  • This invention relates to methods of, and means for, supporting ceramic shell moulds while molten metal is poured into them, as in the process of investment casting.
  • a wax pattern of the article which is to be cast in metal is first produced in an injection-moulding die, and is then subjected to a sequence of operations which result in its receiving (in addition to repeated coatings of slurry) several coatings of powdered ceramic material.
  • the ceramic shell progressively formed in that way is dried, the wax is removed by melting, and then the shell is fired to produce the finished shell mould which is now ready for receiving its charge of molten metal.
  • the ceramic shell mould is rather thin-walled, it is necessary to arrange for it to be adequately supported so that it is able to withstand the charge of molten metal. This may be accomplished by manually packing a granular refractory material around the mould, but this expedient is hardly appropriate in the case of an automatic flow-production investment casting plant.
  • a method of supporting a ceramic shell mould while it receives a charge of molten metal comprises: fiuidizing a bed of a granular refractory material, partially immersing the shell mould in the fluidized bed, and then de-fiuidizing the bed so that the shell mould is held firmly embedded in readiness to receive the charge of molten metal. More specifically, the preferred method comprises initially positioning the ceramic shell mould above the fluidized bed, and then raising the bed to effect the partial immersion of the shell mould.
  • a fluidized bed conveyor incorporating the invention has been devised. It comprises: two pairs of horizontal rails spaced apart vertically to form top and bottom rail tracks; a plurality of tanks, each containing a bed of granular refractory material, mounted for indexing movement along the tracks; a pair of automatic lifts, each incorporating a section of the rail tracks, located at opposite ends of the tracks and arranged to operate in phase with each other; separate indexing means pertaining to the respective tracks; and means effective automatically to fluidize the bed in a tank while it is being raised from the bottom track by one of the lifts.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic broken side elevation of a fluidized bed conveyor incorporating the invention, and enabling it to be employed in an automatic flow-production investment casting plant;
  • FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views depicting various stages in the operation of the fluidized bed conveyor shown in FIG. 1.
  • the fluidized bed conveyor illustrated which consistitutes part of an automatic investment casting plant, has an open frame 1 of rectangular box-like form.
  • This frame incorporates two pairs of horizontal rails 2 and 3, spaced apart vertically to form top and bottom tracks 4 and 5 upon which tanks 6 containing sand are individually supported by rollers 7 that run on the respective rails.
  • At the loading end of the conveyor there is an automatic lift 8 by which each of the tanks 6, in turn, is raised from the bottom track 5 to the level of the top track 4.
  • an automatic lift 9 by which each of the tanks 6, in turn, is lowered from the top track 4 to the level of the bottom track 5.
  • the two lifts 8 and 9 are of identical construction, each comprising a section of the rail tracks supported by a pair of struts 10, and are operated pneumatically. Each lift is mounted on one end of a chain 11 that passes around idler sprockets 12, the other end of the chain being coupled to the piston of a pneumatic cylinder 13. Although the lifts 8 and 9 are operated by separate pneumatic cylinders 13, and separate chains 11, they are arranged to work in phase with each other. That is to say, they rise and descend together and are at the same level at any time.
  • the conveyor indexes the tanks 6 along the top track 4 from left to right in FIG. 1, and along the bottom track 5 from right to left. 'Either of the lifts 8 and 9 can only receive one of the tanks 6 when another tank is simultaneously moved out of the other lift.
  • each of the tanks 6 has a false bottom which is constituted by a porous ceramic tile 14 (FIG. 1).
  • a bed of sand 15 rests upon this tile, and the left hand end of the tank has an air inlet located below the tile 14.
  • This air inlet through a taper union connection 16, becomes automatically connected to a flexible compressed air line 17 by the final stage of movement of the tank 6 onto the lift 8.
  • the bed of sand is now fluidized by the air bubbling through it. The air escaping from the top of the bed tends to create tiny mounds on the surface of the sand, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • FIG. 1 indicates (at 21) part of the mechanism for operating the mechanical hand 18, this mechanism need not be described as it is not relevant to the invention.
  • FIG. 3 depicts the lift 8 during its ascent from the bottom track (FIG. 2) to the top track.
  • this lift reaches the top of its travel (FIG. 1)
  • the shell mould 20 has become partially immersed in the fluidized sand.
  • the bed of sand 15 is then de-fluidized, by shutting off the air supply to the line 17, and the mechanical hand 18 releases and withdraws (see FIG. 4).
  • the shell mould 20, which is held embedded in, and firmly supported by, the sand immediately the aeration of the bed has been stopped, is now ready to receive its charge of molten metal (which is poured at another station on the top track 4).
  • the conveyor now indexes the tanks 6 on the top track 4. This is accomplished by a pair of pneumatic cylinders 22 disposed at opposite sides of the top track 4; a piston rod 23 of each cylinder having at its outer end an L- shaped bracket 24 that embraces the corresponding corner at the trailing end of the tank 6 which is on the lift 8. As that tank is moved, by the brackets 24, it releases itself from the air-connection 16 and pushes the other tanks on the top track 4 one stage forward, so that the endmost tank is moved onto the lift 9 simultaneously with the lift 8 becoming empty. Upon completion of the indexing, the pneumatic cylinders 22 return the brackets 24 to their starting position. The charged shell mould 20 is now removed from the tank on the lift 9, and transferred to a cooling conveyor (not shown). Both lifts 8 and 9 are then lowered to the level of the bottom trackS.
  • the next operation is that the tanks 6 on the bottom track are indexed from right to left in FIG. 1.
  • This is effected by a pneumatic cylinder 25 that has the outer end of its piston rod 26 fitted with an upright plate-like bracket 27 which is engageable with the outer end of the tank 6 that has been lowered by the lift 9.
  • the bracket 27 As that tank is moved, by the bracket 27, it pushes the other tanks on the bottom track 5 one stage forward, so that the endmost tank is moved onto the lift 8 simultaneously with the lift 9 becoming empty.
  • the final stage of movement of that tank onto the lift 8 results in the bed of sand becoming fluidized.
  • the pneumatic cylinder 25 Upon completion of the indexing of the tanks 6 on the bottom track 5, the pneumatic cylinder 25 returns the bracket 27 to its initial position.
  • the arrangement is such that the total of the tanks 6 must be an odd number, and, upon completion of each indexing movement, there must always be two superposed vacant places at one end of the conveyor and a third vacant place at its other end. It is also to be noted that if, for example, the total number of the tanks 6 is nine then, at any given time, five of them are located on either the top track 4 or the bottom track 5 (as the case may be).
  • Means for supporting a ceramic shell mould while it receives a charge of molten metal comprising: two pairs of horizontal rails spaced apart vertically to form top and bottom rail tracks; a plurality of tanks, each containing a bed of granular refractory material, and
  • a pair of automatic lifts each incorporating a section of the rail tracks, located at opposite ends of the tracks and arranged to operate in phase with each other; separate indexing means for each track; means for automatically fluidizing the bed in a tank while it is being raised from the bottom track by one of the lifts; mechanical means Which holds the shell mould above the ascending fluidized bed so that the shell mould becomes partially immersed therein when the corresponding lift reaches the top of its travel; and means for automatically de-fluidizing the bed after the shell mould has been partially immersed therein.
  • Supporting means comprising at least one pneumatic cylinder for operating said lifts, each lift being mounted on one end of a chain that passes around idler sprockets, the other end of the chain being coupled to the piston of a pneumatic cylinder.
  • each tank has, near its bottom, an air inlet which, through a taper union connection, becomes automatically connected to a flexible compressed air line by the final stage of movement of the tank onto that lift by which the tank ascends from the bottom to the top track.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Casting Devices For Molds (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Conveyors (AREA)
US868528A 1968-11-09 1969-10-22 Support means for ceramic shell moulds Expired - Lifetime US3605869A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB5320168 1968-11-09

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3605869A true US3605869A (en) 1971-09-20

Family

ID=10466976

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US868528A Expired - Lifetime US3605869A (en) 1968-11-09 1969-10-22 Support means for ceramic shell moulds

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3605869A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4813210B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE741145A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH516959A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1953880A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES372874A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2022954A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1225529A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL144505B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4314790A (en) * 1978-08-22 1982-02-09 Arbed S.A. Method of and device for shipping hot metal goods
US4422495A (en) * 1981-02-26 1983-12-27 Joseph B. Stinson Co. Mold handling system
WO1998026888A1 (es) * 1996-12-19 1998-06-25 Inversiones Iglor, S.L. Sistema de transporte de moldes o motas de arena
US5901774A (en) * 1997-01-15 1999-05-11 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Linear mold handling system with double-deck pouring and cooling lines
US6145577A (en) * 1997-01-15 2000-11-14 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Linear mold handling system
US6571860B2 (en) 1997-01-15 2003-06-03 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Two tiered linear mold handling systems
CN108480574A (zh) * 2018-03-27 2018-09-04 安徽全柴天和机械有限公司 一种全自动化发动机砂芯模的砂芯立体库系统

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE789565A (fr) * 1971-10-02 1973-01-15 British Leyland Austin Morris Coulee centrifuge

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4314790A (en) * 1978-08-22 1982-02-09 Arbed S.A. Method of and device for shipping hot metal goods
US4422495A (en) * 1981-02-26 1983-12-27 Joseph B. Stinson Co. Mold handling system
WO1998026888A1 (es) * 1996-12-19 1998-06-25 Inversiones Iglor, S.L. Sistema de transporte de moldes o motas de arena
US5901774A (en) * 1997-01-15 1999-05-11 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Linear mold handling system with double-deck pouring and cooling lines
US5927374A (en) * 1997-01-15 1999-07-27 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Manufacturing sand mold castings
US5971059A (en) * 1997-01-15 1999-10-26 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Molding and casting machine
US6145577A (en) * 1997-01-15 2000-11-14 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Linear mold handling system
US6571860B2 (en) 1997-01-15 2003-06-03 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Two tiered linear mold handling systems
US20030178170A1 (en) * 1997-01-15 2003-09-25 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Two tiered linear mold handling systems
US6779586B2 (en) 1997-01-15 2004-08-24 Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation Two tiered linear mold handling systems
CN108480574A (zh) * 2018-03-27 2018-09-04 安徽全柴天和机械有限公司 一种全自动化发动机砂芯模的砂芯立体库系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6916478A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-05-12
FR2022954A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-08-07
ES372874A1 (es) 1972-03-16
JPS4813210B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-04-26
BE741145A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-04-01
NL144505B (nl) 1975-01-15
GB1225529A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-17
CH516959A (de) 1971-12-31
DE1953880A1 (de) 1971-06-24

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4589467A (en) Mold handling system
US3605869A (en) Support means for ceramic shell moulds
EA004445B1 (ru) Способ и устройство для литья металла
US3503435A (en) Apparatus for use in the manufacture of shell moulds
US3508598A (en) Process for making and assembling shell molds
US6216767B1 (en) Mold handling apparatus
GB2189417A (en) Automated line for production of castings
US6457511B1 (en) Apparatus for handling foundry molds
US2696646A (en) Method and apparatus for semicontinuous casting
JPS5924570A (ja) 注湯済み鋳型の二次冷却ライン
US3348605A (en) Method and apparatus for forming cast objects using expendable patterns
US972108A (en) Pipe-foundry plant.
US2999281A (en) Apparatus for making castings
CA1123571A (en) Wheel casting method and apparatus
US2985927A (en) Foundry mold forming apparatus
US2918711A (en) Foundry plant
US745649A (en) Molding and casting apparatus.
US3152371A (en) Method and apparatus in shell molding
US6460600B1 (en) Apparatus and method for producing cast products
US3171171A (en) Mold forming and centrifugal casting apparatus
US3284861A (en) Jolt de-sanding machine for mould flasks
JPS61235042A (ja) シエル鋳型の造型装置
CN219402229U (zh) 立体造型工部
US2993247A (en) Method and apparatus for handling foundry flasks
CN220196315U (zh) 一种高效换板的落砂机