GB2028197A - Improvements in moulding machines - Google Patents

Abstract

Improvements in moulding machines wherein a flask having moulding material therein is compacted by co-operating ram means, and wherein the flask is closed by an apertured pallet through which means protrude during the compacting step to prevent subsequent shifting of the mould with respect to another mould formed in a co- operating flask.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in moulding machines This invention relates to moulding machines.

The structure disclosed herein finds particular application in machines for match-plate moulding such as are exemplified in Hunter U.S. Patent No. 3,406,738 issued October 22, 1 968 for Automatic Matchplate Moulding Machine. While the invention structure herein is adapted for use in such machines, it also finds use in machinery of the type wherein cope and drag moulds are formed in cope and drag flasks, and where the drag moulds are moved against the cope moulds in such a fashion that the proper register of the drag mould with respect to the cope mould is had when the two moulds are closed.

According to the present invention, there is provided, in a moulding machine wherein a mould is formed in a flask by compaction of moulding material therein between co-operating ram means having at least one movable ram member; a) a platen forming a closure for said flask and the moulding material in said flask; b) said platen impinging against one of said ram members; c) means for preventing shifting of said mould on said platen during operation of said ram means comprising: d) at least one aperture in said platen providing an opening for means protruding into moulding material being compacted within said flask; e) means for moving said protruding means with respect to said ram means into said flask for compaction of said moulding material and for removing of said protruding means after completion of the moulding material within said flask.

In the preferred manner of practising the invention, a filled drag flask with a matchplate thereon is closed against a cope flask filled with moulding material, and the two flasks then having the moulding material compacted therein by co-operating ram means, one of which is movable with respect to the other.

The ram means co-operating with the drag flask co-operates with means protruding into the moulding material of the drag flask and through apertures in a platen closing the bottom of the drag flask. After retreat of the filled drag flask from the filled cope flask, the apertured platen remains upon the ram means, and the drag flask is removed from its drag mould. Thereafter when the drag mould moves against the cope mould, the presence of the means protruding into the drag mould prevents the unintended shifting of the drag mould. When the cope mould is released from the cope flask after such contact of the drag mould with the cope mould, the cope and drag moulds are then resting upon the retracted ram means, the means protruding into the drag mould being then withdrawn for removal of the finished mould resting upon the platen.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevational view of a match plate moulding machine in which the structure according to the present invention may be employed; Figure 2 is a plan view of an apertured platen providing a closure for a moulding flask, said platen forming a part of the invention structure; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of structure associated with the ram means and protruding through the apertured platen of Fig.

2, and into the moulding material within a drag mould during compaction of such material, showing such structure in the retracted position thereof; Figure 4 is a front elevation view showing the structure protruding into the moulding material within the drag mould; Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The structure according to the present invention is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10 as seen particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and is adapted for use with an automatic matchplate moulding machine seen in Fig.

1, denoted by reference numeral 15, although the invention structure is by no means limited to use with a moulding machine of that kind.

Moulding machine 1 5 has a stage 1 7 for a ram device 18, there being corner frame members 1 9 extending upward from stage 1 7.

Moulding machine 15, which is shown schematically for purposes of illustrating the invention herein, can be considered as having a first moulding station denoted Station I for filling an inverted drag flask, and a second moulding station denoted Station II for receiving an erect and filled drag flask from Station I for filling a cope flask, placing pressure against the filled drag and cope flasks, subsequently separating the filled drag flask from the filled cope flask, separating the drag flask from the drag mould, and finally lightly pressing the drag mould against the cope mould while the latter is released from the cope flask to provide a finished mould at Station II.

Station I has located thereat an inverted drag flask 21 having a matchplate 20 secured thereto in any convenient fashion. Matchplate 20 is provided with pattern halves P1 and P2, and drag flask 21 is arranged to be held in position as seen in Patent No. 3,406,738. As seen also in Fig. 1 drag flask 21 is in its upright position after it has filled. Prior to being in its upright position flask 21 is inverted for filling, and is rotated with a chute 22 surmounted thereon, chute 22 lying under a filling hopper 23 for the moulding sand.

The moulding sand is adapted to fall by gravity into a metering hopper 24. When drag mould 21 and chute 22 are in the inverted position, a charge of moulding sand is dropped by gravity from, the metering hopper 24 into chute 22 surmounting drag flask 21 to fill the same against half pattern P1.

A platen 30 is provided for striking off drag flask 21 after it is filled with sand. Following said operation flask 21 is rotated with platen 30 to the erect position seen in Fig. 1 and flask 21 is moved separately from chute 22 to Station II. At Station II flask 21 is placed atop ram device 1 8 consisting of a movable ram member 26 and a fixed ram member 27 mounted on a movable carriage 28 also supporting filling hopper 23.

A cope mould 29 is guided on ways 31 and is adapted to be positioned atop drag flask 21 with matchplate 20 therebetween.

Filling hopper 23 is then brought over cope flask 29 to place a charge of moulding material therein, it thereafter retreating to a position where fixed ram member 27 is in position over filled cope flask 29. Thereafter, movable ram member 26 moves up with filled drag flask 21 against filled cope flask 29 with matchplate 20 therebetween, and against fixed ram member 27. Platen 30 acts with movable ram member 26 to compact the material in both flasks.

Platen 30 is provided with apertures 32 for keying of the moulding material within flask 21 with platen 30.

According to the invention herein structure is provided for insuring that the mould formed within flask 21 and situate upon platen 30 is not displaced thereon during removal of flask 21 from the mould therein. Such mould is withdrawn from flask 21 upon retractive movement of ram member 26, flask 21 being separated from the mould therein and withdrawn from station II to station I. Details of such operation are to be found in the aforementioned Hunter Patent.

After such withdrawal of flask 21 the mould formed therein is raised by ram member 26 against the mould formed in cope flask 29, the cope mould in cope flask 29 being released to rest atop the drag mould, ram member 26 being then retracted with the cope and drag moulds in position for removal from machine 1 5.

The structure for preventing unintended movement of the drag mould on platen 30 is denoted generally by reference numeral 40 as seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. Such structure is mounted to each of a hydraulic ram 41 connected to ram member 26 for raising and lowering the same.

Each structure 40 is mounted on ram member 26, and includes a depending generally U-shaped yoke 42 having laterally spaced arms 43 held to ram member 26 by Allen screws 44 extending through ram member 26 and threaded into members 46 welded to the arms 43, so that yoke 42 extends below ram member 26.

Structure for raising pins 47 extending through ram member 26 and through a wear plate 48 on ram member 26 and through platen 30 overlying wear plate 48 consists of an hydraulic cylinder 49 having a movable crosshead 51 to which the pins 47 are secured.

Cross head 51, in raising the pins 47, moves into a cavity 52 on the underside of ram member 26. It is to be noted that the pins 47 move in apertures 53 and 54 in the respective ram member 26 and wear plate 48. Additionally, when the pins 47 are raised by cylinder 49 they move through apertures 56 in platen 30.

When the filled drag flask 21 and platen 30 are placed on ram member 26 and wear plate 48 for the compacting of the mould material in flask 21, hydraulic cylinder 49 is actuated to raise the pins 47 and cause same to protrude into the moulding material within flask 21. The position of the pins 47 is maintained when the ram member 26 is raised to provide compaction of the moulding material within the cope flask 26 and drag flask 21.

The position of pins 47 within the material of flask 21 is maintained when flask 21 together with matchplate 20 is removed from the drag mould at Station II and withdrawn to Station I.

The position of the pins 47 is also maintained when the drag mould is raised against the cope mould formed in cope flask 29.

When the cope mould is released from cope flask 29, the cope and drag moulds move with ram member 26 to a return position at which time the pins 47 are retracted, the finished mould being then removed together with platen 30 from ram member 26.

Claims (9)

1. In a moulding machine wherein a mould is formed in flask by compaction of moulding material therein between cooperating ram means having at least one movable ram member; a) a platen forming a closure for said flask and the moulding material in said flask; b) said platen impinging against one of said ram members; c) means for preventing shifting of said mould on said platen during operation of said ram means comprising: d) at least one aperture in said platen providing an opening for means protruding into moulding material being compacted within said flask; e) means for moving said protruding means with respect to said ram means into said flask for compaction of said moulding material and for removing of said protruding means after completion of the moulding material within said flask.

2. In a moulding machine according to claim 1 wherein said means protruding into said moulding material comprises a support secured to said ram means and a cross head supporting pins extending into said moulding material.

3. In a moulding machine according to claim 2 wherein said cross head is moved by hydraulic means supported on said yoke.

4. In a moulding machine according to claim 2 wherein said yoke depends from said ram means.

5. In a moulding machine wherein a mould is formed in a flask by compaction of moulding material therein between cooperating ram means: a) a platen for said flask upon which the moulding material in said flask rests; b) said platen resting upon a ram member of said ram means; c) means for preventing shifting of said mould on said platen during operation of said ram means comprising; d) at least one aperture in said platen; e) means supported on said ram means and protruding into said aperture and into the moulding material within said flask during compaction of moulding material within said flask; f) means for moving said last named means into said moulding material during compaction thereof and for removing said last named means after such compaction.

6. In a moulding machine according to claim 5 wherein said protruding means comprises a support secured to said ram means and a cross head supporting pins extending into the moulding material.

7. In a moulding machine according to claim 6 wherein said cross head is moved with respect to said support by hydraulic means mounted on said support.

8. In a moulding machine according to claim 6 wherein said support depends from said rams means.

9. A moulding machine structure substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.