US3763925A

US3763925A - Article casting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3763925A
Application number: US00066518A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Sieger
Original assignee: Wean United Inc
Current assignee: UNITED FOUNDRIES Inc; Wean United Inc
Priority date: 1966-06-01
Filing date: 1970-08-24
Publication date: 1973-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-09

Abstract

Casting apparatus which provides an improved gate assembly including a novel mechanical device for positively holding the gate in its operative position.

Description

United States Patent [191 Sieger Oct. 9, 1973 ARTICLE CASTING APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Maurice Paul Sleger, Pittsburgh, Pa. [73] Assignee: Wean United, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. [22] Filed: Aug. 24, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 66,518

Related U.S. Application Data, [62] Division of Ser. No. 554,603, June 1, 1966, Pat. No.

[52] U.S. Cl. 164/341, 164/337 [51] Int. Cl B22d 35/04 [58] Field of Search 164/337, 306, 119,

164/341-342, 339; 74/96, 110; 60/52 CD; 49/363; 220/55 H, 55 E, 55 BC, 55 T; 254/105, 93 A; 222/504 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,963,308 12/1960 Valentyne et a1 74/110 X 3,090,090 5/1963 Woodburn 163/337 X 3,044,764 7/1962 Bonner 60/52 CD X 3,435,884 4/1969 Orris et al. 164/341 2,445,501 7/1948 Vagim 222/504 X 3,651,860 3/1972 Ebeling 164/337 X FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 486,947 12/1929 Germany 25/1 R Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney-Henry C. Westin [57] ABSTRACT Casting apparatus which provides an improved gate assembly including a novel mechanical device for positively holding the gate in its operative position.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED UB1 9 I973 SHU 1 {If 2 HIS ATTORNEY PATENTEUUBT 9x915 SHEEI 2 UP 2 FIG.3

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. MAURICE P. SIEGER ARTICLE CASTING APPARATUS This is a division of U. S. Ser. No. 554,603 filed on June 1, I966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,334 issued Feb. 8, 1972, for Casting Apparatus With Means For Removing lngot On Bottom Mold Elements.

In one form the present invention, with referenceto the improved gate assembly, provides a gate housing having an opening to receive a refractory inner sleeve, means for moving the housing toward and away from the mold with which it is associated, said means comprising a means adapted to exert on the gate assembly a sealable force sufficient to obtain the proper sealing condition between the gate assembly and mold, but characterized in that it is not dependent on auxiliary power means to maintain the sealed condition.

More particularly, the improved gate assembly includes a housing having a passageway therethrough, a first means for urging said housing into the gate operative position, a second means for removing the influence of said first means and allowing the housing to be brought to the gate inoperative position.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to an article casting machine in which, while it may be employed in a number of different types of casting machine, for the purpose of illustration only, it is being described with reference to a bottom pressure pouring casting machine, such as of the type illustrated in U. S. Pat. No. 3,015,863 issued in the name of C. F. Strom et al. on Jan. 9, 1962. It is customary in such casting machines to provide a movable gate that is arranged between the pressure vessel and the mold assembly and through which the molten metal from the vessel passes into the mold assembly. It is important in such a construction that the gate be positively maintained in a sealed relationship with respect to the bottom of the mold assembly so as to prevent any escape of the metal from the mold assembly. Heretofore, this sealing condition was obtained by urging the gate towards the mold assembly under the influence of a fluid pressure means, such as an hydraulic pressure piston cylinder assembly. This arrangement is subject to one serious disadvantage in that on the inadvertent failure of the pressure in the piston cylinder assembly, the sealing condition is lost and the operation must be interrupted.

DRAWINGS These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages of the present invention, will be better appreciated when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a pressure casting arrangement illustrating the portion thereof which involves the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. I, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4--4 of FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated the novel gate assembly and the novel carriage for removing the cast articles. Although not illustrated, it will be appreciated that below the gate assembly, to be yet defined, there is provided a pressure vessel which deliv' ers molten metal to the gate assembly, in which the gate assembly directs the molten metal to a mold cavity having a configuration conforming to the contour of the article to be cast. In the present case, the cast article, for the purpose of illustration, is shown to be a slab which is formed by a cavity defined by side, end, top and bottom graphite mold blocks. One of these blocks, that being the bottom block, is shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the slab whereas FIG. 3 illustrates the two end blocks and the cavity defining the thickness of the slab.

With reference then to FIG. 1, there is shown a gate assembly 9 spaced between the mold assembly and the pressure pouring vessel and through which molten metal passes from the vessel to the mold. The space is sufficient to allow the gate to be moved away from the mold to facilitate the removal of the cast article. As shown in FIG. 3, the gate is comprised essentially of an outer housing or casing 10 that receives in an opening 11 two refractory liners. The first. liner 12 is arranged in the lower portion of the casing, whereas the second liner 13, being conical in shape, is located in the upper portion of the casing. Both liners are held by a cylindrical retainer 14 which is secured to the casing. The casing is adapted to move vertically in a U-shaped frame so as to bring the entire gate assembly to a position in forcible contact with the bottom of the mold from a position remote therefrom. As previously noted, it is important that the gate assembly be forcibly maintained against the bottom of the mold during the pouring procedure and that this means be not subject to inadvertent failure of the source of power. Consequently, there is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of arms 18 which engages the casing 10 at two opposed points, the arms 18 being received in shafts 22, the shafts being rotated by second arms 23, the second arms being connected to spring assemblies 24. The spring assemblies are designed to provide a positive force sufficient to urge the casing upward and establish the proper sealing condition with the mold assembly.

In order to move the gate assembly away from the mold, there is connected to the shafts 22 piston cylinder assemblies 25, which are designed to overcome the force of the spring assemblies 24 and cause the lower portion of the arms 18 to engage the casing, thereby to lower the gate assembly.

It should be mentioned with respect to the novel gate assembly that, instead of the spring and cylinder arrangement, other arrangements can be employed, such as providing a torque motor.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a gate assembly for an article casting machine wherein the gate assembly is pressed into a sealing condition with a portion of the mold of the machine, the improvement comprising:

a housing having a passageway through which molten metal passes into the mold,

a first independent means for holding said housing against said mold under a predetermining sealing force,

wherein second means comprises a piston cylinder assembly adapted to overcome the energy of the spring and cause the gate to move away from said mold.

2. In a gate assembly according to claim 1 wherein,

said pivotally mounted arm is arranged substantially diametrically opposite to a second similar arm with respect to said housing, each arm being secured to a said rotatable shaft and each arm having a said spring and a said piston cylinder assembly.

Claims

1. In a gate assembly for an article casting machine wherein the gate assembly is pressed into a sealing condition with a portion of the mold of the machine, the improvement comprising: a housing having a passageway through which molten metal passes into the mold, a first independent means for holding said housing against said mold under a predetermining sealing force, a second independent means for relieving the influence of said first means and allowing the housing to be moved away from said mold, a pivotally mounted arm associated with said housing for effecting movement thereof towards and away from said mold, a rotatable shaft and means for securing said first and second means to said shaft, said first means comprising a spring adapted to impose a torque on said shaft to maintain the gate against said mold, and wherein second means comprises a piston cylinder assembly adapted to overcome the energy of the spring and cause the gate to move away from said mold.

2. In a gate assEmbly according to claim 1 wherein, said pivotally mounted arm is arranged substantially diametrically opposite to a second similar arm with respect to said housing, each arm being secured to a said rotatable shaft and each arm having a said spring and a said piston cylinder assembly.