US3628593A

US3628593A - Mold forming compactor with selectively variable hydraulic pressure means

Info

Publication number: US3628593A
Application number: US35017A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Staley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-05-06
Filing date: 1970-05-06
Publication date: 1971-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-21

Abstract

A mold-forming compactor for compressing and packing a molding material such as sand within a flask containing a pattern to a preselected mold hardness wherein a frame is provided to support a compactor roll and an endless loop conveyor which continually passes beneath the compactor roll provided on its periphery with spaced boss members for purposes of compaction. Means are provided to synchronize the timed correlation of the rotary velocity of the compacting roll and the lineal velocity of the conveyor so that these velocities are equal causing the loose mold-forming material deposited in the flask to be compacted by the engaging boss member therein around the pattern. Hydraulic means is provided to support the compacting roll as well as apply compacting pressure thereto to selectively vary the mold hardness of the molding material within the flask.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor John Staley 281 Franklin Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15241 [211 App]. No. 35,017 [22] Filed May 6, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 21,1971

[54] MOLD FORMING COMPACTOR WITH SELECTIVELY VARIABLE HYDRAULlC PRESSURE MEANS 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 164/208, 25/99 [51] Int. Cl ..B22c 15/08, B28b 5/02 [50] Field of Search 164/208, 210, 40, 207; 25/99 [561 References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 690.716 1/1902 Fletcher 25/99 X Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney-Carothers 81. Carothers ABSTRACT: A moldforming compactor for compressing and packing a molding material such as sand within a flask containing a pattern to a preselected mold hardness wherein a frame is provided to support a compactor roll and an endless loop conveyor which continually passes beneath the compactor roll provided on its periphery with spaced boss members for purposes of compaction. Means are provided to synchronize the timed correlation of the rotary velocity of the compacting roll and the lineal velocity of the conveyor so that these velocities are equal causing the loose mold-forming material deposited in the flask to be compacted by the engaging boss member therein around the pattern. Hydraulic means is provided to support the compacting roll as well as apply compacting pressure thereto to selectively vary the mold hard ness of the molding material within the flask.

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FIGBQ INVENTOF? MOLD FORMING COMPACTOR WITH SELECTIVELY VARIABLE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE MEANS This invention relates to a novel and useful rolling sand mold compactor which can be utilized to compress the forming mold material such as sand around the object pattern, and of desired sand mold hardness by means of roll compacting action. Sand mold as used herein constitutes all material and in gredients and other forming materials used in forming molds forthe purposes ofproducing castings.

The machine of the instant invention is constructed in a manner so as to be readily manufactured from readily available material secured from stock warehouse material, motors, controls and components. Additionally, the machine construction of the instant invention, is adaptable to molding requirements of a wide variety of production demands, with reduced maintenance due to the continuous smooth function of the moving parts. All motion of the machine is uniform and in one direction. Additionally, the rolling sand mold compactor is capable of providing the desired level of mold hardness through automatically controlled pressure cylinders.

An object ofthis instant invention is to provide a sand mold- 'mg device which can automatically produce sand molds of desirable mold hardness on a continuous basis.

An additional object of the invention is to automatically provide satisfactory sand molds in a minimum of time.

Another object is to eliminate the necessity of the complex equipment required now for automatically forming sand molds.

These and other objects with their advantages which will become subsequently apparent from the details of construction and operation of the compactor as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the rolling sand mold compactor with the pattern conveyor comprising this invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the rolling sand mold compactor and pattern conveyor.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rolling sand mold compactor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the pressure regulating device for the compactor roll.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the pressure regulating guides.

FIG. 6a is a side view of the roll and a boss member.

FIG. 6b is an end view of the roll and boss members.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 11 generally designates the rolling sand mold compactor.

From FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the construction of the mold forming compactor 11 comprises two roll support stands 12 with a roll 20 supported between the stands. Attached to the surface of the roll 20 is a raised boss member 13 which is fastened by means of bolts 1. Between the stands 12 and under the roll are two rails 14 of the loop conveyor 16 to convey the patterns 15 and flask 27 and sand material. From FIG. 1, it can be seen that the pattern conveyor 16 is constructed in a closed elongated loop. The patterns 15 are attached to the loop conveyor 16 and serve as the pressure bed ofthe roll compactor 11.

FIG. 4 shows the roll support block 17 with the automatic pressure hydraulic-adjusting cylinders 18. The drive 19 for the roll compactor l1 and the pattern conveyor 16 is driven by motor 2 and the output drives 3 and 4 for the roll 20 and the conveyor 16, respectively, are synchronized at selected speeds to simultaneously deliver a pattern 15 to the roll 20 with the boss member 13 in a bottom position to engage and compact the mold sand material deposited in the flask 27.

The roll stands 12 comprise a rectangular frame made up of structural

rectangular members

21 and 22 and are connected by a cross member 23 at the top. Connected to slidably engage members 21 are roll support guide means in the form of two guides 24 and accompanying support blocks 17 for vertical adjustment of the compactor roll 20 by means of the cylinders 18. There is identical cylinders 18 and support guide means on opposite sides of the roll 20 to support the same. The stands 12 are connected by cross members 23 at the top and cross members 25 at the bottom. Between the roll stands 12 at a low elevation are conveyor rails 14 which. support and deliver and guide the pattern 15 and accompanying flask 27 to the compactor roll 20.

The pattern loop conveyor 16 is a chain-connected type driven by a synchronized sprocket 26 linked to the roll drive 19. The loop conveyor 16 moves continually with the patterns 15 passing beneath conveyor frame 5 and then proceeding around the end of frame 5 to be positioned for receiving a flask 27 and molding material, as indicated in FIG. 1, for subsequent compacting.

The pressure regulating cylinder raises and lowers the compactor roll and boss member by means of guides 24 and hydraulic pressure. Increased hydraulic pressure supplied to cylinders 18 from pressure line 6 lowers the roll and boss member into compacting position to compact more tightly the molding material.

FIG. 6 shows the construction of the roll 20 and the boss members 13 with bolted fasteners l. The boss members 13 can be removed, changed or replaced as determined by requirements of the pattern. Negative pattern boss members can be used to develop satisfactory mold hardness on deep draw patterns.

Mold hardness can also be adjusted by a strike off bar 29 which can be adjusted vertically to remove excess forming material prior to compacting.

OPERATION For purposes ofillustration, it may be assumed that the pattern 15 is in its normal upright position on conveyor 16 moving toward the compactor roll 20. As it assumes upright position at 28 a flask 27, synchronized for position, is inserted over pattern centering pins (not shown) forming a mold unit ready to receive molding material from an overhead molding material conveyor. The mold material conveyor or hopper will fill the flask 27 with a predetermined amount of material as the unit advances to the mold compactor at a uniform rate of movement. As the unit advances to synchronous compactor roll 20, strike off bar 29 removes any excess mold material to a preselected height. The mold unit advances to the compactor roll 20 and the boss members 13 at a uniform and continuous synchronous angular velocity will be equal to the linear velocity of the conveyor 16. The leading edge of the flask 27 passes under the roll 20 approximately one-quarter of an inch ahead of the leading edge of the boss member 13. As the boss member rotates and the flask unit advances with the boss member, the latter of which compresses and compacts the molding material around the pattern 15 to a select and desired hardness as determined by (A).depth and pressure of the boss member and (B) amount of material remaining after passing under the strike off bar 29 prior to reaching the compactor roll 20. The trailing edge of the boss member 13 exits the mold void of the flask 27 approximately one-quarter inch ahead of the trailing edge of the flask.

The boss member dimensions are such as to allow at least onequarter inch edge clearance around the interior flask void to insure uniform compaction and mold hardness and no engagement of the boss member 13 with the sides and edges of the flask 27.

Upon exiting from the compactor roll area the flask-pattern unit is separated at a draw station by removal of the flask and mold unit from the pattern carrying frame and the pattern 15 recycles via the loop conveyor 16. The process of continuous mold forming on a production line basis is obtained with the rate of mold production determined by varying the drive 19.

SUMMARY In review, the mold-forming compactor comprising my invention is designed for compressing and packing a molding material such as molding sand within a flask containing a pattern to a preselected mold hardness wherein the flask and mold units are presented to the compactor roll in a continuous manner through the provision of a loop conveyor while at the same time the compactor roll is supported by hydraulic means which is oflered to selectively vary the desired resultant mold hardness of the molding material placed within the flask prior to compacting. The mold-forming compactor structure comprises upright structural members and cross members connected together to support a roll and boss member for compacting mold-forming material around a pattern present within the flask by means of the rolling action of the compactor roll. The principle of my invention is based on the fact that the boss member of the roll applies pressure to the molding material along a horizontal plane across the face of the moving boss member, that is, parallel to the axis of the compactor roll, and the molding material is compacted as the same moves under the approaching boss member. Maximum compaction is achieved at the lowest diameter point of the periphery of the boss member as the molding material passes therebeneath, this being the lowest point of the boss member of the compactor roll when in engagement with the molding material within the flask and mold unit.

Means are provided on the compactor to adjust the compactor roll peripheral speed or velocity with the lineal velocity of the pattern carrying frame connected to form a loop conveyor. Compacting pressure is regulated by means of a hydraulic cylinder positioned on adjacent sides of the compacting roll by varying the hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinders through operation of the provided pressure control regulators and associated hydraulic pump and motor mechanism.

The boss members may be of any selected number as attached to the main compactor roll suspended between the structural frame members and thereby positioned at various radial points along the roll circumference. Also, various sizes of compactor rolls and boss members may be employed to match and correspond with the flask and pattern-carrying frames to be utilized with the mold-forming compactor.

Thus, it can be seen that the mold-forming compactor comprising this invention incorporates a pattern movement along the loop conveyor from a point where there is joined together the flask and the pattern-carrying frame through the moldmaking process to a point where the flask and mold unit are removed from the pattern-carrying frame with the entire method being repeated through the use of the loop conveyor.

Also, it will be noted that by means of using the fasteners l and other such fastening devices, it is readily easy to provide for fast changeability from one type of boss member to another. Also, the boss member patterns may be varied in geometric configurations for attachment to the compactor roll for producing desired mold hardness and of molding material onto patterns requiring compacting in specific areas relative to the shape of the particular pattern being employed. For example, multiple-footed boss members can be supplied for attachment to the compactor roll to produce desired mold conditions.

Roll support guide means are provided in the form of the guide 24 and the support-bearing block 17 to contain and support the compactor roll and the boss members in correct vertical position over the loop conveyor and passing pattern-carrying frame so that the compactor roll may be raised and lowered to apply the boss members in consecutive fashion to the molding material deposited within the flask to achieve the desired mold hardness.

Guide rails and other mechanisms may be provided to maintain the pattern-carrying frames and flask in proper aligned position relative to the engagement by the boss members of the compactor roll. Also, a variable height strike off bar indicated at 29 may be utilized to level the molding material prior to the compaction process.

I claim: l. A mold-forming compactor for compressing and packing a molding material within a flask containing a pattern to a preselected mold hardness comprising a frame for rotatably supporting a compactor roll, spaced boss members on the cylindrical surface of said roll, a loop conveyor adapted for continuous passage under said roll and including a series of pattern-carrying frames, synchronized position means to apply a mold flask on each of said frames and molding material conveyor means to fill each flask prior to passage of said patterncarrying frames and applied mold flasks under said roll, synchronizing means connected to and driven by motor means for timed correlation of the rotational velocity of said boss members relative to the lineal passage of said applied flask and pattern-carrying frames so that the arcuate surfaces of said boss members are caused to compact the molding material within said flask, hydraulic means operative on said roll to apply compacting pressure to said boss members when compacting the molding material within said flasks and hydraulic regulating means to vary the pressure application of said hydraulic means to selectively vary the mold hardness of the molding material within the flask.

2. The mold forming-compactor of claim characterized by a draw station to withdraw said flask with compacted and molded material therein from said pattern-carrying frames after passage under said compactor roll.

3. The mold-forming compactor of claim 1 characterized by a strike off bar secured to said roll frame forward of said compactor roll and adjustably positioned for height relative to said applied flasks to level the molding material prior to compacting by said roll.

4. The mold-forming compactor of claim 1 characterized by conveyor rails to guide consecutively each of said applied flask and pattern-carrying frames under said roll in aligned relation relative to said boss members.

5. The mold-forming compactor of claim 1 characterized by vertical stands comprising a portion of said roll frame, a vertical slot in said stands to slidably receive roll support guide means, said hydraulic means secured to said roll support guide means to support and selectively vary the vertical height of said compactor roll relative to said pattern-carrying frames.

6. The mold-forming compactor of claim 1 characterized in that said boss members are releasably attached to said roll to permit various sizes of boss members to be attached to said roll corresponding to the size of said mold flasks.

Claims

1. A mold-forming compactor for compressing and packing a molding material within a flask containing a pattern to a preselected mold hardness comprising a frame for rotatably supporting a compactor roll, spaced boss members on the cylindrical surface of said roll, a loop conveyor adapted for continuous passage under said roll and including a series of pattern-carrying frames, synchronized position means to apply a mold flask on each of said frames and molding material conveyor means to fill each flask prior to passage of said patterncarrying frames and applied mold flasks under said roll, synchronizing means connected to and driven by motor means for timed correlation of the rotational velocity of said boss members relative to the lineal passage of said applied flask and patterncarrying frames so that the arcuate surfaces of said boss members are caused to compact the molding material within said flask, hydraulic means operative on said roll to apply compacting pressure to said boss members when compacting the molding material within said flasks and hydraulic regulating means to vary the pressure application of said hydraulic means to selectively vary the mold hardness of the molding material within the flask.