Abstract: A tool 100 having a forming surface 102 being formed from a contiguous material 101 and including, within the contiguous material 101 into which the forming surface 102 is operatively resident, a cylinder 150, 170 or other selectively movable member which may be selectively used to remove an object from the tool 100.

Abstract: A mold making machine has a pattern plate and a pair of flasks which are superposed on each other such that the pattern plate is interposed between the two flasks. The pattern plate has an integrally formed pattern and cooperates with the flasks to define two mold cavities for forming two sections of a casting mold. The mold making machine includes at least one pattern-plate removing mechanism each of which has a vibrator which is supported by one of the two flasks such that the vibrator is movable in a direction in which the pattern plate and the flasks are superposed on each other. The mechanism further has a biasing member for biasing the vibrator against the pattern plate, so that the vibrator vibrates the pattern plate upon operation thereof, to thereby remove the pattern plate from the sections of the casting mold prepared.

Abstract: Sand bales containing castings are removed from poured foundry molds by clamping together in a horizontal position the molding boxes containing the sand bales, by supporting the sand bales from below independently of the molding boxes, and by applying to the molding boxes jarring or accelerative forces acting in a vertical direction with a magnitude exceeding the static frictional forces which exist between the sand bales and the molding boxes, with these forces being applied while the sand bales are supported thereby to cause the sand bales to move out of the molding boxes. In one aspect, the sand bales are supported from below by a force lower than the weight of the bales thereby to permit the bales to drop out of the molding boxes while the accelerative forces are applied to the molding boxes in an upward direction. Conversely, the sand bales may be lifted upwardly out of the molding boxes with accelerative forces being applied to the molding boxes in a downward direction.

Abstract: A system for automatically forming flaskless sand molds, and preparing them for metal pouring. Cope and drag flasks are alternately filled with chemically bonded sand on an indexing turntable, and the sand is allowed to cure or set up while still on the turntable. The copes and drags are then automatically removed from their respective flasks and placed on a conveyor belt by a rollover draw machine. The above is accomplished automatically, with little or no supervision required.