US3614977A

US3614977A - Casting method and mold with cavity portions in end walls

Info

Publication number: US3614977A
Application number: US850970A
Authority: US
Inventors: Yasar Karabek
Original assignee: Schloemann AG
Current assignee: Schloemann AG
Priority date: 1968-08-28
Filing date: 1969-08-18
Publication date: 1971-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-26
Also published as: GB1271139A; DE1758882A1; FR2016498A1

Abstract

IN PARTICULAR WHEN CASTING SMALL METAL BILLETS, AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CASTING AND HANDLING THE CAST PRODUCT IS PROVIDED BY USE OF A MOULD HAVING A NUMBER OF CASTING CHAMBERS FORMED BY TWO END WALLS AND PREFERABLY TWO REMOVABLE SIDE WALLS. GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS REGISTER TO PROVIDE A CHANNEL WHICH REGISTERS WITH CORRESPONDING RECESSES IN THE END WALLS, SO THAT AFTER CASTING THE SIDE WALLS ARE REMOVED LEAVING THE RIGID CAST MEMBERS SUPPORTED BY THE END WALLS. AN INLET DUCT IS PROVIDED IN ONE END WALL, AND THE END WALLS ARE CONNECTED RIGIDLY BY PREFERABLY TWO SPACERS, SO THAT THE END WALLS, SPACERS AND CAST MEMBERS CAN EASILY BE REMOVED FOR FURTHER PROCESSING SUCH AS COOLING.

Description

Oct. 26, 1971 g, RABE 3,614,977

CASTING METHOD ANIS MOLD WITH CAVITY PORTIONS IN END WALLS Filed Aug. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-

Sheet

1 ,23 Fig. 7 3 5 Fig.2

/ /f// I// ////l 27 22 1' 79 IN V EN TOR. YASAR KARABEK ATfoRn/EYS Oct. 26,1971

Y. KARABEK CASTING METHOD AND MOLD WITH CAVITY PORTIONS IN END WALLS Filed Aug. 18, 1969 r 2 Sheets-Sheet Z IN V EN TOR.

YASAR KARABEK B'Y M114, 194M United States Patent O US. Cl. 164-129 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In particular when casting small metal billets, an improved method of casting and handling the cast product is provided by use of a mould having a number of casting chambers formed by two end walls and preferably two removable side walls. Grooves in the side walls register to provide a channel which registers with corresponding recesses in the end walls, so that after casting the side walls are removed leaving the rigid cast members supported by the end walls. An inlet duct is provided in one end wall, and the end walls are connected rigidly by preferably two spacers, so that the end walls, spacers and cast members can easily be removed for further processing such as cooling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates in particular to a casting mould having a number of elongated hollow casting or mould chambers which are arranged to be filled with fluid material such as hot metal through a common casting duct. The mould is intended particularly for the casting of billets, bars and similarly shaped pieces of metal.

When casting billets, because of the small size of the billet and the generally substantial size of the casting ladle, it is economically advantageous to cast as many billets as possible in a single operation, in order to prevent the metal cooling while in the ladle or to avoid the necessity of heating it continually. After casting, the billets can be removed singly from the mould and transported to cooling 'beds, although this is a complicated, time consuming operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a mould for casting members of generally elongated form from fluid material, the mould comprising two end walls arranged to be releasably connected by spacing means, each end wall having a recess for forming a corresponding end portion of each member so that the end walls alone can support the member when it is sufficiently rigid, removable side walls for forming mould chambers between the end walls, and an inlet duct.

This invention can provide a casting mould by means of which it is possible to simplify and reduce the work in a casting plant. It is also possible to construct a casting mould in such a manner that only portions thereof have to be renewed for the following casting operation, thereby speeding up the sequence of casting operations.

In a preferred embodiment for casting from molten metal, the inlet duct is arranged in one end wall, the duct being formed by a lining of refractory material as. are the recesses in that end wall. The metal sets in the inlet duct and recesses, it being intended that the refractory lining be discarded after use, the metal contained therein being scrap metal.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3,614,77 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a casting mould, along the line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the casting mould in its assembled state, along the line IIII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 when the side walls have been moved apart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The casting mould shown in FIG. 1 is for casting metal billets and comprises two

end walls

2 and 3 which are releasably connected together by spacers 5. In the em bodiment shown, the spacer 5 has abutment shoulders 6 and a portion of reduced cross-section which is passed through bores in the

end walls

2 and 3 until the end walls strike against the abutment shoulders 6. The end portions of the spacers 5, which project from the outside of the

end walls

2 and 3 are secured by wedges 7 which act to urge the

walls

2 and 3 against the abutment shoulders 6. Between the

end walls

2 and 3 there are provided two side walls 4 which can be moved apart and which contain a number of elongated mould chambers 1, arranged in such a manner that the walls may be moved apart once casting is completed. The side walls 4 are preferably blocks of graphite but other materials may be used if they are suitable for repeated casting without requiring repair.

The individual mould chambers 1 are fed with molten metal through a common inlet duct '9 and inlet apertures 8. This inlet duct 9 is located on the inside of the end wall 3 and has a refractory lining 10 which is inserted in a suitable channel in the end wall 3 in such a manner that the lining 10 has to be discarded after each casting operation and is renewed by another. The molten metal is poured from a casting ladle (not shown), which is preferably a pressure or vacuum operated casting ladle, through a pipe 11 which is connected in a suitable manner to the inlet duct 9 from below. A slide member 12 serves to block the inlet duct 9 once casting is completed, in order to enable excess molten metal to return through the pipe 11 and back into the ladle.

The mould chambers 1, which are cut in the side walls 4, are inclined slightly upwards in this preferred embodiment and extend to form recesses 13 in the upper end wall 2; the recesses 13 have a depth that is greater than the amount by which the cast members contract on cooling.

In order to provide an exit for the air which is forced during the casting operation through the melt in the mould chamber 1, an aperture 14 is provided in the end wall 2, with this aperture being so narrow that any metal flowing into the aperture immediately solidifies and closes the hole. It is, however, also possible, to arrange a refractory brick which is permeable to air in the mould, the refractory brick fulfilling the same function as the aperture 14.

The side walls 4, which are made of blocks of graphite, are held by frames 15 by means of clamps 1-6, with the lower surface of the frames 15 being provided with rails 17 in the form of I-bears, by means of which the frames are able to move on a number of sets of rollers 18 secured to the base 19, transverse to the mould chambers 1. This sliding movement is achieved by the use of hydraulic cylinders 20 which are also secured to the base 19 and are connected, through piston rods 21 and fishplates 22 to the frame 15.

The billets are cast into the mould of the invention in the following manner:

The two

end walls

2, 3, which are firmly wedged to the spacers 5, are arranged with a built-in casting duct 9 between the side walls 4 which have been moved apart in such a manner that the casting duct 9 is connected to the casting pipe 11 (already in position) and the side walls 4 may then be moved towards each other between the

end walls

2 and 3. The moving together of the side walls 4 is efilected by means of the hydraulic cylinders which act on the frames 15. In order to facilitate movement of the side walls between the

end walls

2 and 3, the wedges 7 are first removed from the end wall 2 and the wall 2 displaced slightly. The wedges are now again secured in position so that the side walls 4 are clamped firmly between the

main walls

2 and 3.

Since it is not feasible to make the hydraulic cylinders 20 strong enough to urge the side Walls 4 together with sufficient strength to overcome the casting pressure, it is advisable, after the walls have been brought together, to clamp the frames 15 using suitable clamping members for casting moulds. Such clamping members are not shown in the drawing. The clamping means ensures that the side walls 4 abut firmly against each other at their surface of contact. The mould is now ready for casting.

As soon as the metal, which is poured from the ladle (not shown) through the pipe 11 and the inlet duct 9, fills all the mould chambers 1, the slide 12 is closed and the remaining melt left below the slide member flows back through the pipe 11. After a certain time, when the metal has solidified sufficiently to form a substantial skin so that the cast member has some rigidity, the clamps (not shown) which hold the side walls 4 together and the wedges 7 are released. The side walls 4 are then retracted to their outermost position by means of the hydraulic cylinders 20.

The main wall 2, which is only slightly displaced is now pressed firmly against the abutment shoulders 6 by inserting the wedge 7 so that the end walls again form a rigid unit with the spacers 5. By means of lugs 23 provided on the

end walls

2 and 3, this rigid unit may be gripped by a crane and conveyed elsewhere until cooling is complete. The billets 24 are held in the end wall 3 during this operation by means of the solidified melt formed in the casting duct 9 and the holes 8, and in the end wall 2 by means of the ends of the cast members which even after cooling are still located in the recesses 13 of the mould chamber 1.

As soon as the billets have cooled, the

end walls

2 and 3 are moved apart once the wedges 7 have all been removed; the refractory lining 10 is removed from the end wall 3. Once a new refractory lining 10 has been provided and the two

end walls

2 and 3 have been assembled, the unit may again be used for casting.

A further advantage of the invention lies in the fact that as long as the cast members are held in the

end walls

2 and 3, they are accessible for an inspection for surface defects and any portions of the mould adhering thereto may be easily removed.

In the case of the casting mould described above, the casting or mould chambers are located one above the other. It is, however, possible for the mould to be provided with chambers which are located horizontally adjacent one another. In this case, the side walls 4 may be moved laterally apart by pivoting the uppermost side wall about a horizontal axis. In the same way, the mould chambers may be located vertically adjacent one another, an arrangement which, in the case of relatively short billets, may be of greater advantage.

I claim:

1. A mould having at least one generally horizontal mould chamber for casting members of generally elongated form from fiuid material, the mould comprising two movable end walls, spacing means for spacing the end walls, releasable securing means for securing the spacing means to the end walls, removable side walls between the end walls, and an inlet duct communicating with said chamber, the portion of the mould chamber lying between the end walls being formed in the side walls, and each end portion of each mould chamber being formed by a recess in an end wall whereby the end portions of each cast member engage and are supported by a corresponding recess in each end wall when the side walls are removed.

2. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein each mould chamber is slightly inclined to the horizontal.

3. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet duct is arranged in one of the end walls.

4. A mould as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inlet duct is arranged to introduce fluid material into each recess of one of the end walls.

5. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet duct has a refractory lining.

6. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet duct opens downwardly to receive the fluid material from a pressure casting ladle.

7. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end wall remote from the inlet duct has gas release apertures extending from each recess.

8. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sides are arranged to be removed by hydraulic means and arranged to be clamped by clamping means when together.

9. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end wall has a lifting lug, so that the end walls, spacers and cast members can be lifted together for transport by a crane.

10. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer means comprises two shafts having end portions of reduced cross-section to provide shoulders for abutting and spacing the end walls, said portions passing through the corresponding end wall and arranged to be secured by a wedge.

11. A mould as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side walls are of graphite.

12. A method of casting members of generally elongated rigid form comprising forming a generally horizontal mould having two removable side walls and two movable spaced end walls having recesses for supporting the members when formed and rigid, charging fluid material into the mould, allowing the members to become sufiiciently rigid to be supported by the end walls, and removing the removable side walls to provide access to substantially the whole of the member.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 in which the fiuid material is molten metal and the recesses in each end wall exceed the longitudinal contraction of the cast member during cooling.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,124 10/1892 Stone 249-117 X 3,196,503 7/1965 Sylvester 164306 X 3,296,665 l/1967 Fenzan 164-343 3,370,823 2/1968 Sylvester 249165 X 3,454,254 7/1969 Nelson 1644l0 X ROBERT D. BALDWIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.