US2415620A - Centrifugally casting machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11,1947. H. J. woocK 2,415,620

' CENTRIFUGALLY CASTING MACHINE Fil'ed Jan.22, 1943 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

'. I 81% {i M ATTORNEY.

"Feb. 11; 1947;

CENTRIFUGALLY CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22" 1943' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3519350 (I WOCK,

INVENTOR.

BYWQf' H. J. wbocK 15 5 0 I Patented Feb. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGALLY CASTING MACHINE 2 Herbert John Woock, Alhambra, Calif.

Application January 22, 1943, Serial No. 473,214

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a centrifugal casting 7 machine and may be regarded as a continuationin-part of my copen-dlng application filed January 22, 1943, Serial No. 473,213.

An object of the present invention is to provide a casting machine wherein there are drag and cope retaining elements rotatable about a central axis and to provide means for conveniently separating them which will facilitate the removal of the completed casting.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a casting machine wherein there are a cope and drag retaining elements having disposed therebetween, the copes and drags of individual dies which provide the mold cavities.

These dies may be, but usually are not, so formed as to produce castings of the same size and shape and for any given die other corresponding dies may be substituted therefor.- By means of the present machine a number of various dies may be assembled together with the cope and drag-- retaining elements, simultaneously poured centrifugally, and simultaneously opened to remove a spider-like casting of which the desired castings form parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a casting machine having the above-mentioned characteristics which is so designed that the individual mold cavities may be vented to permit the air initially present in the mold cavities to be expelled therefrom by the metal as it fills the molds,'the arrangement being such that when the cope and drag retaining elements are separated that the metal which follows the air into the vent passages will not lock or prevent separation and opening of the mold. 7

Still another object of the invention is to Provide a casting machine of the centrifugal type which has a, surrounding shield that effectivelyconfines any metal which may leak from the dies or overflow through the vent passages and to provide a means for removing the shield simultaneously and automatically on openin the mold.

-With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in upon the line 5-5 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved casting machine comprises a suitable base 10 mounted on a suitable foundation II in which there is preferably formed a sump H to receive a cylinder l3. Within the cylinder l3 there is reciprocable a piston l4 and fluid pressure may be admitted to either end of the cylinder and exhausted therefrom such as by the conduits l5 and It to effect a raising and lowering of the piston. The piston rod supports a housing I8 for a thrust bearing ID to the inner race of which there is secured a Vertical central shaft 20 that is connected to the drag support or drag retainin element 2|. The vertical central shaft 20 slidably extends through V bushings in the ends of a surrounding sleeve 22 that is rotatably supported in bearings 23 provided on a cylindrical housing 24 on the base I0. A pulley 25 is mounted on the sleeve and one or more belts 26 are trained thereover and extend laterally through an opening in the housing 24 to any suitable source of power, not shown.

0n the top of the sleeve 22 there is mounted a spider 21 which carries upstandin rods 28 located diametrically opposite each other and which extend through apertures 29 in the drag support 2|. secured to the cope retaining element 30. Thus, as the pulley 25 is driven the sleeve 22 rotates therewith and the spider 21 with the rods 28 is likewise rotated. This causes both the cope retaining element 3|] and the dra support 2| to also rotate around a vertical axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 20. As the shaft 20 is secured to the drag support it likewise is rotated but this rotation however is not transmitted to the piston M or the piston rod ll due to the presence of the thrust bearing I9.

the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the casting machine embodying the present invention illustrating the mold in closed position;

Fig. 2 a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 2-2 upon Fig. 1 in the-direction indicated;

Between the cope and drag retaining elements there are positioned individual dies generally indicated at 3|. Each die is so'formed and shaped as to provide a, mold cavity for the desired casting.

Each die has a cope 32 and a drag 33 and in addition thereto, there may be associated with the dies suitable spacers 34 serving to properly elevate it and hold the parts of the die between the master 6! cope and the master drag.

The upper ends of these rods are In the preferred form of construction each die comprises merely a cope and a drag. However, in certain types of castings the size and shape of the casting will require that the die be made of three, four, or more parts to enable opening of the mold. For purposes of simplicity however I have illustrated each die as being provided merely by a cope and adrag and appropriate spacers 34. The, cope 32 of the individual dies and the spacers 34 thereon are illustrated in Fig. 3 in a position wherein they are supported on their drags before being attached to the cope retaining element 30. Inthe center of the cope retaining element 30 ther is detachably secured a replaceablegate providing member 35 which provides a central gate 36. Centrally of the drag support there is detachably secured a baille plate 31 which provides a bottom for the gate 36 and preferably provides runners 38 .leading outwardly toward the individual dies.

When the mold is in closed position baflle plate 31 is designed to abut against the opposed face of the gate providing member 35 on a plane 33 that is located in the same plane as the parting The copes of the individual dies provide vent passages 42 leading from the forward inner corners of the mold cavities and these connect with leading to the atmosphere. As the mold is rocope retaining element.

then be removed as a single unit similar to a spider. These castings can then be separated from. the metal of the runner and the metal of the vent passages.

It will be noted that with the vent passages arranged as shown that the metal therein as well as the .metal in the runners does not interfere with the opening of the entire mold.

As the drag support 2| is forced to descend by the piston l4 the links 52 are pulled downwardly and cause the levers topull the shield 48 downwardly. The links 52 being connected to the levers 50 at about their centers, themovement of the shield downwardly is approximately at double the rate of that at which the master drag 2| descends. Consequently, when the mold is fully open as shown in Fig. 3, the shield descends to a position facilitating removal of the castings. By varying the points at which the links 52 are pivotally connected to the levers'5l the rate at which the shield descends may be varied and the shield may be caused to descend to agreater extent than that illustrated in Fig. 3, if desired. When the mold has been opene and the casting removed pressure is again applied through conduit lli and released throughconduit I5 causing the machine to return to the position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that each individual die is separated from adjacent dies,.it being advantageous to leave small spaces 54 therebetween. Apertures may be formed in the drag support and if desired, similar apertures may be formedin the In machines of this character a quick succession of casting operations is apt to heat the die considerably rendering it subject to damage or injury from burning or surface corrosion. By having spaces 54 present betated and metal is poured into the gate 36 it is l0 and provide vertical guides for the slides 4'| on a shield 48 that surrounds the cope and drag retaining elements. This shield is connected by links 49 to levers 50 which are pivoted as at 5| to the housing 24. Links 52 are pivotally connected to the levers 53 intermediate their ends and to arms 53 on the housing l8.

In the preferred form of construction all parts of the individual dies above the parting line 40 are fastened to the cope retaining element 30 such as by screws or bolts and all parts of the individual dies below this parting line may be fastened to the drag support 2|. With the machine in the position shown in Fig. 1, the metal is poured into the central gate 36, flows outwardly through the runners and fills the mold cavities. Some of the metal eventually flows into the vent passages and may overflow from the apertures 25 where it is thrown outwardly against the shield 48. When the metal has sufficiently cooled to justify opening the mold, pressure is admitted through conduit l5 and released from conduit I6 causing the piston l4 to descend. This causes the drag support 2l to slide downwardly on the upstanding rods 28 and the mold to be opened on the parting plane 39, 40. The various castings which will be connected to each other ordinarily by the metal in the runners can wear.

tween the individual dies the rotating mold functions somewhat similar to a centrifugal blower the air being thrown outwardly between the individual dies and cooling them. Thus, the dies can be kept adequately cooled to permit a quick succession of casting operations.

There seldom is occasion to replace either the cope or the drag retaining elements. However, the size and shape and the number of desired castings may require a frequent replacement of the individual dies as explained in my copending application. In the event that any die becomes damaged this die can readily be replaced without involving any great expense. The size and shape of the castings will to a large extent govern the position and arrangement of the mold cavity in the die.

A feature of the machine resides in the fact machine is rotating if desired. Inasmuch as the thrust bearing I3 is interposed between the piston l4 and the drag supporting shaft 20, such a movement can take place during rotation as well as while the machine is stationary. In this way the piston is not caused to rotate with the machine and consequently it is not'subject to great wnn e the machine isillustrated as being rotatable about a vertical central axis this is not essential. The machine may, if desired, be rotated about a horizontal axis and in some in-.

stances such an arrangement is preferable in'that when the mold is open the casting may be allowed-to ,drop out. Conventional electors may be incorporated in the copeand drag retaining elements and in the die copes and drags for electing the solidified casting. Such electors be- I be quickly performed.

ing common and well known in the art are not illustrated on thedrawings From the above described construction it will be appreciated that a novel, simple, and highly eiiicient centrifugal casting machine hasbeen developed wherein replaceable and substitutable dies can be used and centrifugally cast. Provision is made for-eventing the mold cavities to permit the air initially present therein to" be expelled therefrom so that it will not be included in the casting. When the pouring operation has been completed and the molten metal has adequately solidified the mold and all of the individual dies can be ,simultaneouslyopened and the castings removed therefrom. Thereafter, the mold and the individual dies can be easily and quickly closed and as the dies are adequately cooled a succession of succeeding casting operations may Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing-from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a cope and a drag, means for rotating the cope, guide means for causing the drag to rotate with the cope but enabling the drag to be moved toward and away from the cape, means for raising and lowering the drag,and a shield normally disposed about the cope and the drag, and means for causing the shield to be lowered when the drag is lowered relatively to the cope. 2. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a cope and a drag, means for rotating the cope,

guide means for causing the drag-to rotate with cope and a drag, means for rotating the cope, a

drag support, and links connecting the mentioned links to thespider on the drag support. I

6. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a base, asleeve rotatable in the base, a drag support having a portion slidable through the sleeve,

means for rotating the sleeve, a cope retaining element, a drag supportedon the drag support,

a spider on the sleeve, rods connecting the spider with the cope retaining element through the drag support, means for raising and lowering the drag support, a shield surrounding the cope retaining element and drag support, guide means for slid- -ably supporting the shield, levers pivotallyconnected to the base, links pivotally connecting the shaft supporting the drag, means for raising and lowering said shaft to move the drag toward and away from the cope, guide means for causing the drag to rotate with'the cope, a spider within.

levers t'o the'shield, aspider on the dragsupport relatively to which the drag support may rotate,

and links connecting the levers intermediate their ends to the spider on the drag support.

7. A centrifugal casting machinevcornprising two mutually engageable and disengageable mold-providing elements rotatable about the same axis, oneof said elements providing a gate for ingress of material to be cast in the mold, a sleeve on the other side of the other element from the gate-providing element, means for rotating said sleeve, means connecting the sleeve to said elements to cause them to rotate therewith, a

shaft slidable through the sleeve and connecting,

to said other element, and means for sliding said shaft to cause said elements to engage and disengage.

8. A centrifugal casting machine comprising two mutually engageable and disengageable mold-providing elements rotatable about the same axis, one of said elements providing a gate for ingress of material to be cast in the mold, a sleeve on the other side of the other element from the gate-providing element, means for rotating said sleeve, means connecting the sleeve to said elements to cause them to rotate therewith, a

shaft slidable through the sleeve and connecting to said other element, and means including an anti-friction thrust bearing on the shaft for sliding said shaft through the sleeveto cause said elements to engage and disengage.

9. A centrifugal casting machine comprising.

two mutually engageable and disengageable mold-providing elements rotatable about the same axis, one of said elements providing a gate for ingress of material to be cast in the mold, a sleeve on the other side of the other element from the gate-providing element, means for rotating said sleeve, means connecting the sleeve element, a drag supported on the drag support,

a spider on the sleeve, rods connecting the spider with the cope retaining element through the drag support, and means for raising and lowering the drag support.

5. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a base, a sleeve-rotatable in the base, a drag support having a portion slidable through the sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, a cope retaining element, a drag supported on the drag support, a, spider on the sleeve, rods connecting the spider with the cope retaining element through the drag support, means for raising and lowering the drag support, and a shield surrounding the cope retaining element and drag support, links pivotally connecting the shield to the base, a spider on the to said elements to cause them to rotate therewith, a shaft .slidable through the sleeve and con necting to said other element, and means including an anti-friction thrust bearing on the shaft located on the opposite side of the sleeve from said elements for sliding said shaft through the sleeve to cause said elements to engage and disengage.

10. A centrifugal casting machine comprising two opposed mold-carrying elements adapted to have the copes and drags of individual molds detachably secured thereto, said mold-carrying elements being rotatable about the same axis, one of said mold-carrying elements providing a gate for ingress of material to be cast in the molds, a sleeve on the other side of the other element from the gate-providing element, means for rotating said sleeve, a spider on the sleeve, means connecting the spider to the gate-providslidable through the sleeve and connected to said other element. andmeansrorslidlnssaidshatt to cause said other elements to move toward and away from the gate-providing element.

11. A centriiuzal casting machine comprising two opposed mold-carrying elements adapted to have the copes and drags of individual molds detechably secured thereto, said mold-carrying elements being rotatable about the same axis, one of said mold-coming elements providing a said shaft through the sleeve to cause said other elementto move toward and away providing element "1' J. WOOCK.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED s'm'ms m'mm's Number Name Date 1,329,179 Hflty "Jan. 27, 1920 1,693,283 Mix Nov. 27, 1928 1 012.net; PATENTS Number Country Date 689,906 French June 3, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES The Principles of Iron Founding, Moldenke.

2nd edition, McGraw-Hiil Book 00., pp. 548-49. Copy in Div. 3-

from the :ate-

Images