U.S. patent application number 10/371733 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-26 for dual core forming machine.
Invention is credited to Gould, Alan, McKibben, Kenneth D., Minor, Daniel D..
Application Number | 20040163793 10/371733 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32868400 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040163793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McKibben, Kenneth D. ; et
al. |
August 26, 2004 |
Dual core forming machine
Abstract
A machine for production of cores for use in castings includes a
platform for supporting two core boxes and a split filler head
having dual discharge channels for simultaneously injecting core
sand into two core boxes and for simultaneously applying curing gas
to core sand injected the two into core boxes.
Inventors: |
McKibben, Kenneth D.;
(Defiance, OH) ; Gould, Alan; (Tawas City, MI)
; Minor, Daniel D.; (Cadillac, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Peter Visserman
VARNUM, RIDDERING, SCHMIDT & HOWLETTLLP
Bridgewater Place
P.O. Box 352
Grand Rapids
MI
49501-0352
US
|
Family ID: |
32868400 |
Appl. No.: |
10/371733 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
164/228 ;
164/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22C 9/123 20130101;
B22C 15/24 20130101; B22C 7/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
164/228 ;
164/028 |
International
Class: |
B22C 007/06; B22C
009/10; B22C 013/12 |
Claims
1. A core forming machine for simultaneously forming a plurality of
cores for use in a casting process, the core forming machine
comprising: a core box support platform having an upper surface and
having a center position and first and second opposite ends; a
first pressure application unit disposed adjacent the first
opposite end; a second pressure application unit disposed adjacent
the second opposite end; a first core box for forming a first core
and disposed adjacent the first pressure application unit; a second
core box for forming a second core and disposed adjacent the second
pressure application unit; said pressure application units operable
to apply forces to the first and second core boxes for urging the
first and second core boxes toward each other.
2. The core forming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the
first and second core boxes each comprise an upper surface and a
filler opening in each upper surface and wherein the core forming
machine further comprises a sand magazine movable to a position
adjacent the first and the second core boxes for simultaneously
depositing core sand in the first and second core boxes.
3. The core forming machine in accordance with claim 2 and further
comprising a split filler head disposed between the sand magazine
and the first and second core boxes, the filler head having a first
discharge channel for depositing core sand in the filler opening of
the first core box and a second discharge channel for depositing
core sand in the filler opening of the second core box.
4. The core forming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the
first and second core boxes each comprise an upper surface and a
filler opening in each upper surface and wherein the core forming
machine further comprises a gas magazine movable to a position
adjacent the core boxes for simultaneously injecting a curing gas
in the first and second core boxes.
5. The core forming machine in accordance with claim 4 and further
comprising a split filler head disposed between the gas magazine
and the first and second core boxes, the split filler head having a
first discharge channel for directing a curing gas into the filler
opening of the first core box and a second discharge channel for
directing a curing gas into the filler opening of the second core
box.
6. The core box forming machine in accordance with claim 1 and
further comprising an upstanding post disposed between the first
the second core boxes.
7. The core box forming machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein
the upstanding post is mounted to the support platform.
8. The core box forming machine in accordance with claim 3 and
further comprising an upstanding post disposed between the first
and the second core boxes.
9. The core box forming machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein
the upstanding post is mounted to the support platform.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to method and apparatus for the
production of cores used for the creation of cavities in an object
formed by casting.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] In forming an object by casting, a mold with an inner cavity
defining the outer contour of a product to be cast is commonly
used. To form a cavity within the casting, a core shaped in the
form of the cavity to be formed is typically positioned within the
mold. Such cores are commonly produced by a molding process using a
core-forming machine. The core forming machine typically includes a
core box formed by two opposing mold plates, each provided with a
cavity shaped in the form of one half of the core to be formed. The
two mold plates are forced together and held together under
pressure, to create a cavity defining the core. Core forming
machines typically include a sand magazine that is temporarily
positioned over the opening in the core box in the core forming
process, and sand is forced from the magazine into the opening in
core box, typically by compressed air or the like, to form the
desired core. The sand magazine is then moved away and a gas
magazine is moved into position over the opening and a suitable
curing gas is injected into the mold under pressure to cure the
sand in the core cavity. Certain additional steps such as
vibrating, pressing, vacuum drawing of the core sand, or the like,
all well known in the art, may be performed to assure that the core
sand flows into all of areas of the mold. The mold plates are then
separated to allow the core to be removed.
[0005] A problem with known core forming machines is that they are
typically complex and expensive to build and operate and, since
each of the necessary core production steps has to be performed
individually for each core, it tends to be a time consuming
process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] These and other problems in the prior art are overcome in
accordance with the invention by core making apparatus wherein core
forming steps, such as filling, injecting curing gas, etc. are
applied to multiple core boxes, simultaneously and in parallel, by
the use of a single sand magazine and a single gas magazine, under
control of a single control complex that controls the core making
process and that may perform such additional steps as vibrating,
pressing, etc. of the multiple core boxes, simultaneously. In a
particular embodiment of the invention, multiple core boxes are
disposed adjacent each other and are provided with filler openings.
A multi-channel, filler head is provided adjacent upper filler
openings of the core boxes, whereby the multiple core boxes are
filled simultaneously. Furthermore, a curing gas may be applied
simultaneously to the multiple core boxes, via a multi-channel
gassing head.
[0007] Advantageously, by the use of a core forming machine
incorporating the principles of this invention, a plurality of
casting cores may be formed in a time period not substantially
greater than typically required for the forming of a single core.
Furthermore, modifications to existing core forming apparatus in
accordance with the present invention for increasing the output of
the core forming apparatus, are relative inexpensive to
implement.
[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a center
section is mounted between two core boxes to be filled
simultaneously. Advantageously, the center section serves to assure
proper alignment of two core boxes with the multi-channel filler
and gassing heads.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a core forming machine
incorporating principles of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway view of the core-forming machine
of FIG. 1 showing the sand magazine in a discharge position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG.
2;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a top elevational view along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;
and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Shown in FIG. 1 is core-forming apparatus 100 arranged for
simultaneously forming two cores for use in castings. The core
forming apparatus includes a table 104 having a table top 105,
supported on legs 106. Resting on the table top 105 are two
separate core boxes 101, 102. The two core boxes are separated by a
center section 130 extending in a direction perpendicular to the
table top 105. The center section 130 is mounted to table top 105
via one or more bolts 139 and serves as an upstanding support for
separating the two core boxes 101, 102. As depicted in the
drawings, the core boxes 101, 102 each comprise two separate core
box halves 101A, B and 102A, B, respectively. Further supported on
the table top 105 are pressure application units 131, 132. Each of
the pressure application units includes: a pressure unit 131A,
132A; a pressure application head, 131B, 132B; and a piston rod
131C, 132C. A piston rod extends from each pressure unit to the
corresponding pressure application head. Such pressure units are
well known in the art and may be hydraulic or pneumatic pressure
units, or the like, adapted to apply sufficient pressure to hold
the separate halves of core boxes tightly together during the core
forming process. The center section 130 is preferably made of steel
or similar material, sufficient to withstand pressure applied by
the pressure application units 131, 132. Alignment rods 140A,B and
141A,B extend between the pressure units 131A, 132A and through the
box halves 101A, B and 102A,B, as well as through the center
section 130, and serve to align the core boxes 101, 102.
[0015] Further shown in FIG. 1 is a sand hopper 150, supported on
an upstanding support 153. Disposed in alignment with the sand
hopper 150 is sand magazine 110 supported on brackets 156, 157
mounted on a rotatable shaft 155. The sand magazine 110 is provided
with a filler head 111. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a gas magazine 120
provided with a gassing head 121 and supported on brackets 166, 167
mounted on a rotatable shaft 165. A control unit 160 controls the
filling of the sand magazine 110 from the hopper 150 and the
charging of the gas magazine 120 from a gas supply, in a standard
and well-known fashion. Furthermore, the control unit 160 controls
movement sand magazine 110 and the gas magazine 120 from a filling
position, as depicted in FIG. 1, to an unloading position in
alignment with the core boxes 101, 102. Sand magazines and gas
magazines and control units, such as the control unit 160, are well
known in the art and commercially available.
[0016] Further shown in FIG. 1, are a filler head 111, attached to
the sand magazine 110, and a gassing head 121, attached to the gas
magazine 120. Shown in FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the
core boxes 101, 102 and a partial cut-away view of the sand
magazine 110, rotated 90 degrees from a sand loading position
depicted in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the split filler head 111
has two separate discharge channels, i.e. conduits 111A, 111B. A
cross-sectional view of the split filler head 111, along line 3-3
of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 3. In the present embodiment, the gas
magazine 120 is provided with a split filler head 121 having a
configuration identical to the split filler head 111.
[0017] During core forming operation, the sand magazine 110 is
initially disposed in alignment with a sand hopper 150, as depicted
in FIG. 1, and is supported on a support bracket 155 in a standard
fashion. The control unit 160 controls operation of the sand hopper
150, as well as movement of the sand magazine head 110 and charging
and moving of the gas head 120, in a standard fashion. The control
unit 160 also controls the rotatable shafts 155 to which sand
magazine support brackets 156 and 157 are mounted, as well as the
rotatable shaft 165, to which the gas head support brackets 166,
167 are mounted. In a normal sequence of operations, the control
unit 160 moves the sand head 110 from the loading position of FIG.
1 to a position wherein the sand magazine 110 is in alignment with
the sand hopper 150 and controls the sand hopper 150 to discharge a
specified amount of core sand into the sand magazine 110.
Thereafter, the control unit 160 moves the sand magazine 110 from
the loading position to an unloading position by rotating the shaft
155 by 90 degrees and lowering it such that the filler head 111 is
adjacent upper surfaces of the two core boxes 101, 102, as depicted
in FIG. 2. In this position, the sand magazine 110 is positioned
for filling the two core boxes 101, 102, simultaneously. The
simultaneous transfer of sand from the single sand head to the two
core boxes via the filler head 111, is controlled in a standard
fashion by the control unit 160 by opening an internal valve (not
shown in the drawing) in the sand magazine 110. In this manner, the
split filler head 111 allows the two core boxes 101, 102 to be
filled simultaneously via the two separate legs 111A, 111B depicted
in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a top elevational view along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows the upper surface of the core boxes 101, 102 separated
by the center section 130. As depicted in FIG. 4, the core boxes
101, 102 are provided with filler openings 145, 146, respectively.
When the split filler head 111 is properly aligned with the core
boxes 101, 102, the openings 145, 146 of the core boxes are aligned
with the openings 111A, 111B, respectively, of the filler head 111
shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, when the split gas head 121 is aligned
with the core boxes 101, 102, the openings 145, 146 are aligned
with the openings 111A, 111B. Further shown in FIG. 4 are support
rods 140 and 140A. Support rod 140A is disposed behind the support
rods 140 and is not visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0019] In the core forming process, two cores are formed
simultaneously by depositing core sand, specifically formulated for
use in forming cores, in the two core boxes 101, 102. The core box
halves 101A, 101B are forced together and against the center
section 130 by pressure applied by the hydraulic unit 131A to
application head 131B. Similarly, the core box halves 102A, 102B
are forced together and against center section 130 by the pressure
applied by the hydraulic unit 132A to application head 132B. The
pressure applied by the hydraulic units 131A, 132A is preferably
applied simultaneously and with substantially equal pressure.
[0020] After completion of the filling of the core boxes 101, 102
with core sand, the sand magazine 110 is removed to the position
shown in FIG. 1 and the gas magazine 120 is moved into the position
previously occupied by the sand magazine 110. All under control of
the control unit 160. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 5, the gas
magazine 120 is provided with a split gassing head 121 having two
separate discharge openings 160, 161. The openings 160, 161 are to
be aligned with the openings 145 and 146 of the core boxes 101,
102, respectively. In this manner, a curing gas is applied
simultaneously to the two core boxes 101, 102 from the gas magazine
120.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of gassing head 121 along
line 5-5, showing openings 160, 161 for discharging a well-known
curing gas, or the like into the core boxes 101, 102. When
positioned adjacent the core boxes 101, 102 the two separate legs
of the filler head 121 are in alignment with openings 145, 146 of
the core boxes 101 and 102, respectively. An appropriate curing gas
is forced from the gas magazine 120 into the core boxes 101, 102 in
a standard fashion to solidify the sand deposited in the core boxes
from the sand magazine 110. Thereafter, the gas magazine 120 is
removed to the position depicted in FIG. 1 and the pressure plates
131B, 132B are retracted by operation of the hydraulic cylinders
131C, 132C, respectively. The newly formed cores may then be
removed from the core boxes 101 and 102 in a standard fashion.
[0022] To prepare the core boxes for a next cycle of core forming,
the hydraulic units 131A and 132A are again activated to return the
core boxes to the closed position depicted in FIG. 1. Furthermore,
the gas magazine 120 is moved to a position over the core boxes
101, 102, in the manner depicted for the sand magazine 110 in FIG.
2, and a purging gas is applied to the core boxes in preparation
for a next cycle of core forming. Thereafter, the gas magazine 120
is once again returned to the position shown in FIG. 1 and a new
cycle of core forming, described above, may be initiated.
* * * * *