Abstract: An example insulation enclosure includes a support structure having at least an inner frame and providing a top end, a bottom end, and an opening defined in the bottom end for receiving a mold within an interior of the support structure, and a radiant barrier positioned within the interior of the support structure, the radiant barrier including a front surface arranged to face the mold and a back surface facing the support structure, wherein the radiant barrier interposes the mold and the support structure to redirect thermal energy radiated from the mold back towards the mold.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing a wheel includes a cope mold portion with internal cope mold walls and a drag mold portion with internal drag mold walls. The internal cope mold walls and internal drag mold walls define at least in part perimeter boundaries of a wheel cavity. The wheel cavity includes a cavity center portion configured to form a wheel center portion of a wheel after solidification of a molten alloy in the cavity center portion, a cavity plate portion configured to form a wheel plate portion of the wheel after solidification of a molten alloy in the cavity plate portion, and a cavity flange portion configured to form a wheel flange portion of the wheel after solidification of a molten alloy in the cavity flange portion. The system includes a chill component positioned within the wheel cavity adjacent the cavity flange portion. The chill component is configured to provide directional solidification from the cavity flange portion toward the cavity plate portion of molten alloy in the wheel cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed are a brake disc manufactured from heterogeneous materials and a method of manufacturing the brake disc. In particular, the brake disc manufactured from heterogeneous materials, in which the number of bridges may be optimized to improve castability and relieve stress, thereby eliminating occurrence of a crack and the like which may be generated due to a difference in a thermal expansion coefficient between a friction part and a hat part.

Abstract: A method for controlling a boride distribution in a metal matrix compost includes controlling a distribution of the boride particles are controlled during a solidification of a molten composite material. The controlling of the redistribution of the boride particles includes applying a heat to the composite material to form a molten composite material. The method includes, holding, by a mold (120, 715), the molten composite material. The method also includes focusing, by a reinforcement particle unit (100, 700), a location of the boride particles during a cooling of the molten composite material. The reinforcement particle unit could include a directed solidification unit (100). The reinforcement particle unit could also include centrifugal casting system (700). The arm includes a center mounting point (725).

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating near-surface porosity and surface tear defects in metal castings. The system includes a complex casting mold having at least one core pin or other regions susceptible to new surface porosity and surface tears. The system further includes a copper rod fused internally to the core pin to extract heat from a molten metal introduced in the mold. The copper rod extracts heat at a low thermal flux, preventing near surface porosity and surface tears. Moreover, the copper rod extracts heat from the hotter regions of the casting causing it to solidify at a rate comparable to the rate of solidification of other portions of the casting, thereby allowing uniform solidification of the casting.

Abstract: In the casting of a single crystal component, such as a turbine blade, by the lost wax casting technique, one or more ceramic pieces are positioned on a wax pattern at locations corresponding to parts of the cast component where relatively quick solidification of molten metal may occur during casting. A coating is subsequently formed around the wax pattern to define a mould, whereupon the wax is removed to leave the one or more ceramic pieces within the formed mould.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a Si bulk polycrystal ingot with high quality and high homogeneity, which has no significant crystal defects and is free from diffused impurities with a high yield. An upper face of a Si melt is locally cooled by bringing coolant close to a surface of the Si melt from an upper part of a crucible in the crucible containing the Si melt or by inserting the coolant into the Si melt. A dendrite crystal is formed in the vicinity of the surface of the Si melt. Cooling is performed thereafter while maintaining a proper temperature distribution, and a Si bulk crystal is grown from an upper part toward a lower part using a lower face of the dendrite crystal as a fresh growth face.

Abstract: A casting chamber configured to form a casting from molten material includes an outer mold, a plurality of inner core elements, and a surface portion of a thermal chill device. The thermal chill device includes first and second interchangeable elements with the surface portion of the thermal chill device including one of a first surface portion of the first interchangeable element and a second surface portion of the second interchangeable element. The first surface portion of the first interchangeable element includes an insulating material and the second surface portion of the second interchangeable element comprising a metallic material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of co-casting metal ingots in direct-chill casting apparatus. The apparatus and method employs at least one divider (divider member or divider wall) that separates a casting mold into two or more chambers for receiving molten metal that is combined into a single ingot. The divider may be moved, angled and/or flexed during casting to produce ingots that are designed primarily for rolling into thin plate or sheet. The ingot has at least one outer layer that is thicker adjacent to the side (width) edges than in the center, and/or thicker adjacent to the butt or head regions. This compensates for wiping of the outer layer from the ingot core during rolling. Also, the divider may be outwardly bowed outwardly towards one of the mold walls during the casting run.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for casting a part made of metal alloy such as an aluminum alloy comprising the following steps: forming a core (N, PNC) having at least one shaft (PC) designed to form in the part a cylinder and at least one cavity (P) designed to form in the part a support and/or retaining zone for a working member, and at least a cooling unit (RE) proximate to the cavity; positioning the core in a metal mould cavity, and feeding the mould lined with its liquid alloy core by gravity. The invention is particularly useful for casting internal engine cylinder blocks with aluminum cylinders with improved geometrical and mechanical properties of the crankshaft bearing zones.

Abstract: A mold design is disclosed for precision sand casting of engine cylinder blocks, such as engine cylinder V-blocks, having chills disposed therein, wherein an expansion and contraction caused by changes in temperature during the casting operation are accommodated by the chills.

Abstract: A chill assembly for chilling a molten material during formation of a part is disclosed. The chill assembly includes an upper platform and a mold platform for receiving a mold package to be filled with the molten material to form the part. The upper platform has a first platen moveable in a vertical direction relative to the molding platform. A plurality of chills are moveably supported by the first platen for quenching the molten material. Each of the chills are moveable between a pre-chill position and a post-chill position. An alignment sub-assembly engages the chills and aligns the chills in the pre-chill position. The alignment sub-assembly re-aligns the chills after the chills have quenched the molten material and moved to the post-chill position. The alignment sub-assembly is capable of precisely aligning and re-aligning the chills after each successive quenching of the molten material.

Abstract: A chill assembly for chilling a molten material during formation of a part is disclosed. The chill assembly includes an upper platform and a mold platform for receiving a mold package to be filled with the molten material to form the part. The upper platform has a first platen moveable in a vertical direction relative to the molding platform. A plurality of chills are moveably supported by the first platen for quenching the molten material. Each of the chills are moveable between a pre-chill position and a post-chill position. An alignment sub-assembly engages the chills and aligns the chills in the pre-chill position. The alignment sub-assembly re-aligns the chills after the chills have quenched the molten material and moved to the post-chill position. The alignment sub-assembly is capable of precisely aligning and re-aligning the chills after each successive quenching of the molten material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the semisolid forming of alloys to enable shaped parts having a fine-grained, spherical thixotropic structure to be produced in a convenient, easy and inexpensive manner without relying upon the conventional mechanical or electromagnetic agitation. In the method, a molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than the liquidus temperature or a partially solid, partially molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than a molding temperature is fed into an insulated vessel and is maintained in the insulated vessel for 5 seconds to 60 minutes as it is cooled to the molding temperature where a specified liquid fraction is established, thereby crystallizing fine primary crystals in the alloy solution, and the alloy is fed into a forming mold, where it is shaped under pressure.

Abstract: Molten aluminum alloy at a temperature between Tl and Tl+60° C. is contacted with a cooling unit to form a semi-solid melt portion containing primary particles, and is maintained at a temperature between (Tl−Ts)/2+Ts and Tl+40° C. by the cooling unit. The semi-solid melt portion is conveyed to a holding furnace where it is maintained at a solid-liquid coexisting temperature for a time that allows the primary particles to grow and stabilize in a globularized state.

Abstract: Disclosed is both a process and apparatus for forming a molded article. The molded article is formed in a vertically potted flaskless mold. The flaskless mold is closed having an opening in the top portion that receives a chill for directing the cooling of the molten metal introduced into the mold cavity. After the molten metal solidifies and before the mold is broken down, the chill is removed for reuse in the process.

Abstract: A process for molding a casting made of light alloy comprises the steps consisting in: preparing a mold with a print made of physically setting sand, incorporating a movable closure means in the mold near a feed runner of the mold, placing the mold in such a way that its feed runner is in the lower part, connecting the feed runner of the mold to a tube for feeding with a pressurized molten alloy, filling the mold with said alloy, before any substantial solidification of the casting, moving the closure means in order to close off the feed runner, then rotating the mold through approximately 180° in order to ensure solidification in gravity mode. Application especially to the manufacture of engine blocks for motor vehicles.

Abstract: The system of coolers is foreseen for its use in sand moulds in which cast pieces are obtained. The coolers are constituted by several units or modules (5) which are mounted in a support (4), with certain play and are fastened to this by means of a bar (7), forming a multiple cooler that, arranged on a pallet (3) on which in turn is superimposed a support pallet (1) of the mould, allows the displacement of the whole in the casting production line. That is, the assembly of the multiple cooler on the mould, as well as its extraction and separation with regard to the casting that is obtained, is carried out in an automatic way. Each unit or module (5) of the cooler is capable of being constituted by a single piece, by two pieces (5′) or by three pieces (5″), and assembly thereof on the corresponding support (4) will be carried out with play (6) to absorb the expansions and contractions caused by the heat transmitted by the molten metal.

Abstract: Apparatus for the producing workpieces and blocks from meltable materials in which a liquid starting material is solidified in a directional manner in a casting mold using a cooling device. For the controlled guiding of the solidification front during cooling of the molten material a cooling structure having a plurality of heat conducting bodies is introduced from below into a corresponding recesses of a body assigned to the bottom of the casting mold.

Abstract: Disclosed is both a process and apparatus for forming a molded article. The molded article is formed in a vertically potted flaskless mold. The flaskless mold is closed having an opening in the top portion that receives a chill for directing the cooling of the molten metal introduced into the mold cavity. After the molten metal solidifies and before the mold is broken down, the chill is removed for reuse in the process.

Abstract: A method of casting an engine block of aluminum whose working surfaces, after milling the interiors of the cylinders, are coated with a harder metal, particularly nickel, includes inserting permanent molds in the sand mold and manufacturing the cylinder interiors of a metal which has a thermal expansion coefficient of greater than 18.times.10.sup.-6 K.sup.-1.

Abstract: Mold heating vacuum casting furnace system comprising a mold preheating chamber located above and connected to a vacuum casting chamber via an intermediate isolation valve. A mold elevator is provided in the casting chamber and can be moved into the mold preheating chamber to lower the mold onto an annular rotary chill member residing in the casting chamber. The elevator includes an upstanding elevator shaft that moves in the opening of the annular chill member in a manner that the preheated mold is deposited or set on the annular chill member as the elevator is lowered into the casting chamber. The chill member includes an upwardly diverging mold engaging surface onto which the preheated mold is set by the elevator as it is lowered.

Abstract: A retractable metal insert assembly for a core sand mold having at least one sand core element provided with walls to define an opening communicating with a molding cavity, the walls presenting a stepped neck which is dimensionally accurate within .+-.0.002 inches, the mold further including a metal support associated with the core element. The insert assembly comprises: (a) a metal guide detachably secured to the metal support; (b) a metal chill element extendible through the opening to present a metal molding surface which insert has walls mateable with the stepped neck for accurate alignment; and (c) biasing means acting between the guide and insert to urge the mating walls together for self positioning of the insert. The insert assembly can be repeatedly reused in a method of making castings.

Abstract: A method of producing a chilled iron camshaft from a chromium containing cast iron is described. The cast iron material contains between 0.5 wt % to 1.2 wt % of chromium. The camshaft having a white iron structure adjacent chill inserts in a casting mold and a grey iron structure in substantially all other regions remote from the chills. The method comprising the steps of assembling a sand casting mold having a camshaft shaped cavity and also having chill inserts adjacent the cavity regions where white iron is desired. Preparing a molten metal charge of cast iron having a carbon equivalent lying in the range from 3.5 up to 4.0 wt % and adding sufficient nucleant prior to pouring to fill the mold cavity, to ensure that under cooling of residual liquid remaining after solidification of the white iron structure adjacent the chills remains above the iron-cementite eutectic temperature prior to solidification into grey iron.

Abstract: A mold and method for making castings having variable hardness is disclosed. The mold assembly includes a cope and drag captured between a pair of carrier plates. Chill members depend from the carrier plates and are received in appropriate apertures formed in the cope and drag. The chill members are inserted into the cope and drag after formation thereof and are removed therefrom prior to shake-out of the molded article. The chill members are used to control the cooling of the molded article.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making molds for use in injection molding wherein a cement replica is made of a pattern by curing the cement in a silicon rubber negative of the pattern, then pouring molten zinc or zinc alloy into a frame containing the cement replica. The cooling of the mold metal is controlled by the direct application of flame and frequent adjustments of clamps which firmly contact the mold to a solid surface.

Abstract: The apparatus for casting comprises a pressure vessel and a device for pressurizing the vessel. The pressurizing device is in fluidic connection with the vessel. The apparatus is also comprised of a chamber disposed in the pressure vessel within which material is melted. There is a mold adapted to contain a preform disposed in the vessel and in fluidic connection with the chamber by a passage such that melted material in the chamber can be forced down into the mold through the passage as the pressurizing device pressurizes the vessel. A heating device is disposed in the vessel. There is also a device for directionally solidifying the material in the mold. Additionally, there is a method comprising the steps of loading the pressure vessel by disposing a material within the chamber whereby the material is in fluidic connection with the mold adapted to contain a preform through the passage. The passage has a filter disposed therein.

Abstract: A porous preform is placed in a nonporous mold chamber of a pressure vessel. A material is placed in a crucible of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is evacuated through a snorkel fluidically connected to the mold chamber and extending therefrom out of the pressure vessel. The material in the crucible is melted. The crucible is placed in fluidic communication with the mold chamber such that the melted material fluidically seals the inside of the mold chamber and the snorkel from the interior of the pressure vessel to fluidically isolate the mold chamber from the interior of the pressure vessel so that a pressure differential exists therebetween.

Abstract: Methods are known for producing a body from a material susceptible to thermal cracking, in particular from an alloy, by casting a melt of the material in a mold with thermally insulated side walls and a bottom of material with good thermal conducting properties and cooling the melt in the casting mold, where the solid-liquid interface forming as the border between the melt and the already solidified material essentially extends parallel to the bottom and, in the course of the solidification of the melt, moves from the bottom in the direction of the exposed surface of the melt.

Abstract: A method of eliminating solidification shrinkage porosity defects in cast metal articles includes disposing an expanded polystyrene chill (36) within a preformed mold cavity (26) and thereafter introducing molten metal into the cavity (26) and vaporizing the chill member (36), whereby the heat of vaporization rapidly cools a localized region of the molten metal adjacent the chill member and accelerates solidification thereof enabling remote still-molten metal to feed solidification shrinkage in this region and prevent the formation of porosity defects that would otherwise result.

Abstract: A permanent metal mold (12) has a casting cavity (18) within which variable thickness molten metal articles (20) are cast. Portions (26) of the casting cavity walls (16) are formed oversized and lined with sand (44) to conform with the external size and shape of certain thick (46) and thin (48) sections of the cast article (20). The thickness of the sand liner (44) is reversely correlated to the thick (46) and thin (48) sections of the article (20) to cause these sections (46, 48) to cool at different rates in order to achieve an approximately equalized cooling time of these sections (46, 48). Other portions (50, 52) of the casting cavity walls (16) are formed bare of the sand liner (44) and conform with the external size and shape of other corresponding sections (54, 56) of the cast article (20).

Abstract: A method of producing a chilled iron camshaft is described, wherein the iron has a white iron structure adjacent chill inserts in a casting mould and a grey iron structure in substantially all other regions remote from the chills. The method comprises the steps of assembling a sand casting mould having a camshaft shaped cavity and also having chill inserts adjacent the cavity regions where while iron is desired, preparing a molten metal charge of cast iron having a carbon equivalent lying in the range from 3.3 to 3.85 wt % and adding sufficient nucleant prior to pouring to fill the mould cavity to ensure that undercooling of residual liquid remaining after solidification of the white iron structure adjacent the chills remains above the iron-cementite eutectic temperature prior to solidfication into grey iron.

Abstract: A porous preform is placed within a permanent, nonporous, thin walled mold chamber. The mold chamber is disposed within a pressure vessel. A material is placed in a crucible of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is evacuated through a snorkel fluidically connected to the mold chamber. There is means for cooling the snorkel in thermal communication with the snorkel. The material is melted within the crucible. The crucible is placed in fluidic communication with the mold chamber such that the melted material seals the inside of the mold chamber from the pressure vessel to isolate a vacuum within the mold chamber.

Abstract: The apparatus for casting comprises a pressure vessel and a device for evacuating and pressurizing the vessel. The evacuating and pressurizing device is in fluidic connection with the vessel. The apparatus is also comprised of a chamber disposed in the pressure vessel within which material is melted. There is a mold with a passage such that the melted material in the chamber can be forced down into the mold through the passage as the pressurizing device pressurize the vessel. The passage contains a filter such that the melted material is prevented from entering the interior of the mold prior to pressurization. Additionally, the apparatus is comprised of a device for heating material in the chamber and the mold such that material is melted in the chamber and stays melted as it is forced down into mold while the pressurizing device pressurizes the vessel. The heating device is disposed in the vessel.

Abstract: Molten metal is cast in a cavity formed within a permanent, metal mold. The major portion of the cavity is lined with a sand liner whose thickness is reversely correlated to the thickness of the integral sections of a varying thickness cast metal article. However, portions of the metal cavity are bare and such portions form a part of the interior casting surface defined by the sand liner. Thus, the cast metal contacting the bare metal portions of the mold uniformly and rapidly chills to produce harder surface areas on the finished cast article, while the remaining portions of the cast article tend to cool at a generally equalized cooling rate corresponding reversely to the thickness of the sand liner. A vacuum is applied to the casting cavity during filling with molten metal for rapidly filling the sand lined cavity and insuring complete contact between the molten metal and the bare metal portions of the casting cavity.

Abstract: A long thin metal article having a thick portion is cast with a stress free interconnection between the thick and thin portions of the article. A heat transfer wall is provided around at least a portion of a mold in which the article is cast. To preheat the mold, heat is radiated from an inner side surface of a furnace wall to an outer side surface of the heat transfer wall. Heat is radiated from an inner side surface of the wall to the mold. Molten metal is conducted into the long thin portion of the article mold at a location other than along the length of the long thin portion of the article mold. During solidification of the molten metal, heat is radiated from the thick portion of the article mold to the inner side surface of the heat transfer wall. As the mold structure is withdrawn from the furnace chamber during solidification of the molten metal in the article mold cavity, heat is radiated from the outer side surface of the heat transfer wall to locations outside of the furnace.

Abstract: A mold within which molten metal is sand cast, is provided with strategically located chill plates which shape and rapidly cool the molten metal at predetermined locations for hardening those locations relative to the hardness of the remainder of the casting. The mold is formed of a cope and drag frame type flask within which sand is compacted to form the sand cavity. Plates are arranged transversely of the casting cavity and are secured to portions of the flask frame for dissipating heat through the plates and out through the frame. The plates are fixed to portions of the flask and are arranged in opposing pairs which are aligned, coplanar, in abutting relationship. Each plate of each pair is provided with a notch, aligned with its opposite plate, for encircling the portion of the casting to be chill hardened. The pattern used for forming the cavity extends through the aligned notches and between the plates to form the composite sand and metal plate casting surface in the cavity.

Abstract: A mold used in centrifuge casting is cooled by taking advantage of inherent characteristics of the centrifugal casting process, and in particular the shape of the remaining sprue. The sprue has a conical profile and a conical depression formed by a vortex which results from the spinning mold. The cooling apparatus comprises a housing and plunger which engage the surface of the sprue and draw heat from the mold. Thermal conduction from the hot metal through the runners and sprue to the cooling head allows a mold to cool faster than traditional methods.

Abstract: Molten metal is differential pressure, countergravity cast into a casting mold having a heat conductive chill meter disposed in the ingate to the mold cavity. The chill member accelerates solidification of a plug of the metal in the ingate in the vicinity of the chill member after the mold cavity is filled with molten metal. The plug prevents run-out of molten metal from the mold cavity when the ingate and an underlying molten metal source are disengaged after casting. Accelerated solidification of the plug in the ingate permits early disengagement of the ingate and the molten metal source to shorten casting cycle time.

Abstract: A long thin article having an enlarged end portion, such as a vane having a long thin airfoil and a shroud at the end of the airfoil, is cast by using a chill at the enlarged end portion of an article mold cavity. The chill is engaged by molten metal at the enlarged end portion of the article mold cavity. The molten metal quickly solidifies adjacent to the chill to eliminate the formation of defects. The chill is advantageously located in a pocket disposed at one end of the article mold cavity. The chills are placed in the pockets with the molds in an up-side-down orientation. The mold is then turned right-side-up and placed on a chill plate. The chills project from the mold and support the mold above the chill plate. During casting of an article, heat is transmitted from the enlarged end portion of the article through chill to the chill plate.

Abstract: Spherical graphite cast iron utilized to prepare a lapping tool is manufactured by casting a molten composition into a mold cavity, and by chilling one side of the resulting casting thereby causing unidirectional solidification, the one side being used as the operating surface of the lapping tool. The molten composition consists essentially of 3.0-3.8 wt. % of carbon, 2.0-2.9 wt. % of silicon, 0.3-0.9 wt. % of manganese, less than 0.05 wt. % of phosphorus, less than 0.03 wt. % of sulfur, 0.2-1.0 wt. % of nickel, 0-0.8 wt. % of copper, 0.05-0.5 wt. % of molybdenum, 0.03-0.09 wt. % of magnesium and the balance of iron. The lapping tool made of this casting has a percentage of sphericity of higher than 80%, graphite particle diameter of less than 100 microns, a density of graphite particles of larger than 70/mm.sup.2, and a Vickers hardness of larger than 200.

Abstract: Molten metal is poured in an open top basin that communicates via a sprue with a cavity or expendable pattern in a mold to fill the cavity and partially fill the basin. After the casting metal has solidified through the gating that connects the sprue to the cavity, a tapered heat transfer member is introduced into the molten metal in the basin. A cooling medium is passed through the heat transfer member to extract heat from the metal in the basin and correspondingly cool the metal casting, thereby decreasing the cooling period prior to shakeout.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling radial solidification in cast turbine wheel or nozzle assembly so as to produce an equiaxed fine grain structure in a hub portion and a directionally solidified grain structure in an integral blade portion by means of adjustable heat shields and heating elements disposed above and below the mold.

Abstract: A long, thin article or portion of an article of an equiaxed metal is cast without providing gates along the length of a portion of a mold cavity in which the long thin portion of the article is cast. Prior to casting the article, the lower half of the long thin portion of the article mold is heated into a temperature range in which the highest temperature is close to but less than the solidus temperature of the metal of the article. Molten metal is conducted into the long thin portion of the article mold cavity at a location other than along the length of the long thin portion of the article mold cavity. During solidification of the molten metal, molten metal is simultaneously solidified along surface areas in the lower half of the long thin portion of the mold cavity and along surface areas in the upper half of the long thin portion of the mold cavity.

Abstract: During conventional directional solidification of a single crystal article having a large overhanging flange lying along its length, crystal nucleation defects and shrinkage occur in the flange. To form articles without such defects, the part is cast so that the solidification front moves transverse to the length of the article, and essentially parallel to the flange surfaces where the defects tend to occur. The solidification front is initiated at a seed crystal oriented to produce the desired crystal structure in the cast article. Dendritic effects produce somewhat different properties in articles cast in accord with the invention, compared to those cast with prior art techniques.

Abstract: A chill plate moves the mold structure into a furnace, A baffle is supported in an open central portion of an array of article molds by a plurality of support elements. The support elements extend through spaces between the article molds into engagement with a furnace to support the baffle during withdrawal of the article molds from the furnace. In one embodiment of the invention, the support elements are engaged with the furnace by rotating the chill plate through a small arc. When the article molds have been almost completely withdrawn from the furnace, the baffle plate is disposed adjacent to the upper ends of the article molds. At this time, the chill plate is again rotated to disengage the support elements from the furnace. When this happens, the baffle drops downwardly onto the chill plate.

Abstract: Metal forming process and apparatus are described.The process comprises directing a stream (4) of atomized droplets of molten metal onto a chill surface (5) such that the metal is partially solidified to form a slurry of solidified metal suspended in liquid metal. The slurry is then collected (for example, in a casting mold 7) and then cast or otherwise formed before solidification is complete. It is particularly preferred that the stream of atomized droplets is directed onto a fully solidified layer (6) of the same metal on the chill surface.

Abstract: The accumulations of molten lead which correspond to the lugs and frames of molded starter battery plates can be caused to solidify at the same rate as the much thinner grids of the plates by providing a mold having inserts made from a material whose thermal conductivity is higher than that of the base material of the mold in the regions of the mold which are used to form the lugs and frames, provided these inserts are disposed as close as possible to a system of cooling channels. The ratio of the thermal conductivity of the material from which the inserts are made to the thermal conductivity of the base material of the mold should approximate the ratio of the material accumulations on the lugs and frames to that on the rest of the grid.

Abstract: An improved mold includes an upper mold section having a primary distribution system which is connected with a furnace and a lower mold section which is withdrawn from the furnace on a chill plate. A baffle plate is supported from the primary distribution system. The lower mold section includes a secondary distribution system which is connected in fluid communication with the primary distribution system at separable joints. The secondary distribution system is connected in fluid communication with article molds which are disposed in an annular array. During pouring of molten metal, reaction forces are transmitted to the chill plate from the pour cup through a support post and baffle plate. Once the article molds have been filled with molten metal, the chill plate is lowered. The primary distribution system which is connected to the furnace, remains stationary.

Abstract: In order to maintain fluid tight seals between open ended article mold cavities and a chill plate and to prevent cracking of article molds at connections with a base plate, the base plate has sections which can be moved relative to each other under the effect of thermal expansion forces transmitted from a molten metal distribution system connected with the upper ends of the article molds. The base plate may be formed as one piece with stress concentration areas. During the casting of articles, stresses in the base plate crack the base plate at the areas of stress concentration to form the separate sections of the base plate. The areas of stress concentration can be formed by slots or grooves in the base plate. The areas of stress concentration can also be formed by bodies of expansion material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the ceramic material of the base plate.