Abstract: The disclosed horizontally divisible furnace shell comprises a spherically shaped bottom section and truncated cone cover-like shaped middle and top wall sections stacked upon the bottom section, the form of the middle and top sections resulting in barrel-shaped shell walls. Each of the three modular sections has a metal casing with a refractory lining which may be made of firebrick or fireclay. Each wall section has an inwardly projecting ledge at its lower end for supporting the refractory lining. For interconnecting and aligning the sections, tapered locating pins and sockets are provided between all sections. Water-cooled flanges are preferably provided at the upper and lower ends of the top wall section. The joint between the middle and top wall sections is stepped upwardly adjacent the pouring spout so that such joint will be above the level of the molten metal, even when the furnace is tilted to pour out the metal.

Abstract: A picker for removing articles from a remote location, including an open frame carrier secured to a molding machine for linear movement along support rods in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of one of the mold platens, i.e., a Y-axis direction, under control of a first fluid cylinder. The carrier, in turn, mounts a carriage for linear movement in a direction normal thereto, i.e. an X-axis direction, under the control of a second fluid cylinder. The carriage includes a third fluid cylinder for controlling linear movement in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, i.e. a Z-axis direction. Depending from the carriage is a gripping unit coupled to the third cylinder, the gripping unit including a picker arm under control of a fourth fluid cylinder for movement in the X-axis direction and which picker arm terminates at its inner end in a pair of jaws or fingers, the opening and closing of which are under control of a fifth cylinder.

Abstract: The disclosed horizontally divisible furnace shell comprises a spherically shaped bottom section and truncated cone cover-like shaped middle and top wall sections stacked upon the bottom section, the form of the middle and top sections resulting in barrel-shaped shell walls. Each of the three modular sections has a metal casing with a refractory lining which may be made of firebrick or fireclay. Each wall section has an inwardly projecting ledge at its lower end for supporting the refractory lining. For interconnecting and aligning the sections, tapered locating pins and sockets are provided between all sections. Water-cooled flanges are preferably provided at the upper and lower ends of the top wall section. The joint between the middle and top wall sections is stepped upwardly adjacent the pouring spout so that such joint will be above the level of the molten metal, even when the furnace is tilted to pour out the metal.