Abstract: A flask unit for producing a cope and a drag that are stacked, comprising at least two uprightly disposed connecting rods (4), a cope flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods and formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of its sides, and a drag flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods so that it is located under the cope flask to mate it, the drag flask being formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of the sides thereof.

Abstract: A flask unit for producing a cope and a drag that are stacked, comprising at least two uprightly disposed connecting rods (4), a cope flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods and formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of its sides, and a drag flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods so that it is located under the cope flask to mate it, the drag flask being formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of the sides thereof.

Abstract: This invention teaches an improved method and apparatus to make metal alloy castings, such as railroad car connector knuckles. One embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of core mold assembly units contained within a single molding flask, wherein the mold units are filled with molten metal by way of a common runner and riser system. The said core mold assembly elements may be further comprised of a mold and core assembly formed of the same material, such as phenolic urethane impregnated sand, which is used to accurately replicate the desired shape of a final desired product. This invention eliminates the need to carefully gauge a plurality of part patterns within a single mold flask and reduces the potential for loss of parts, for example by cold shunting, by segregating each part to its own mold isolated mold unit.

Abstract: A mold flask assembly is provided with a novel clamping mechanism for clamping a pattern plate in the mold flask assembly of an automated molding machine. The clamping mechanism comprises a first clamp abutment and a clamping head extending along an axis. The clamping head provides a second clamp abutment. The first and second clamp abutments engage each other in a clamped position. The first and second clamp abutments are spaced along the axis and angularly displaced in a released position. A combination rotary and linear actuator is operative to facilitate relative linear translation and rotation between the rod and the bushing to move between the clamped and released positions.

Abstract: A mold flask assembly is provided with a novel clamping mechanism for clamping a pattern plate in the mold flask assembly of an automated molding machine. The clamping mechanism comprises a first clamp abutment and a clamping head extending along an axis. The clamping head provides a second clamp abutment. The first and second clamp abutments engage each other in a clamped position. The first and second clamp abutments are spaced along the axis and angularly displaced in a released position. A combination rotary and linear actuator is operative to facilitate relative linear translation and rotation between the rod and the bushing to move between the clamped and released positions.

Abstract: A resurfacing for a worn interior wall of a cope or drag of a metal foundry flask includes a layer of thermal conducting substance between the outer surface of the liner plate and the inner wall surface of the flask.

Abstract: A paper receptacle is disclosed designed to improve the investment casting process in vacuum machines. The paper acts as both a vacuum liner and splash guard. It is fabricated as a perforated paper sheet having hooks, which is inserted in a cylindrical manner into casting flasks in order to provide a liner for congealing islands of solid investment plaster onto the surface of the casting flask resulting from the plaster slurry entering the holes; and a splash guard for investment slurry. After burnout, the liner facilitates the production of high-density metal porosity free castings at lower temperatures and in less time and with easy break away of investment plaster from the flask. The splash guard feature eliminates congealed slurry cleanup and prevents vacuum slurry boilover. The space saving resulting from this prevention enables more wax modules to be inserted into flasks increasing production.

Abstract: A mold box has a cavity for receiving molding sand. The cavity is defined by the bottom wall of the box, by an outer peripheral wall, and a central part having a top wall disposed in a lowered plane relative to the top wall of the box. Pouring opening shaping discs and rings are releasably supported on the top wall of the central part wherein different shapes and structures of these shaping discs and rings can be substituted one for another to vary the size and shape of the sand basin pouring opening. The discs and rings also are shaped and sized whereby to provide for riser metal for the mold. A sand saver insert is capable of being employed in mold box structures that incorporate waste areas of molding sand.

Abstract: The pattern plate of a matchplate molding machine is attached to a drag flask by spring-loaded clamps which may be rapidly opened to enable the plate to be quickly and easily removed from the flask and replaced by another plate. Locating members are attached to the flask in laterally opposed relation with the clamps and coact with the clamps to fixture the pattern plate accurately on the flask. A removable operating handle is provided for opening the clamps and carries a latch for releasably holding the clamps in their open positions during changing of the pattern plates.

Abstract: An integral casting flask/vacuum chamber combination is disclosed in which an inner tube forming the casting flask is disposed coaxially inside of an outer tube thus forming a vacuum chamber between the two tubes. The inner tube has holes formed in its circumference to provide for uniform evacuation of air from the investment for pulling the casting material into the mold. A shoulder portion integrally connects the inner tube with the outer tube in such a way that the bottom edge of the inner tube is suspended above the bottom edge of the outer tube and the top edge of the inner tube is suspended above the top edge of the outer tube. This device is used in combination with a vacuum table and does not require the complex and expensive conventional vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A relatively hard sand cake, containing a metal casting cavity, is formed in a flask comprising cope and drag frame sections by filling and compacting sand in the drag against the drag half of a cavity-forming pattern, then arranging the drag with the cavity opening upwards, applying the cope upon the drag and filling and compacting sand in the cope against the cope half of the cavity-forming pattern. The sand-filled cope is lifted from the drag for removal of the pattern and is re-applied to form the casting cavity in the sand cake. Next, selected wall corner joints of both the cope and the drag frames are separated and opened to laterally expand the walls of the frames away from the sand cake surfaces. This releases the sand cake from the cope and drag so that it may be removed from the flask for later casting molten metal in its casting cavity. At least two of the corners of each of the cope and drag frames include a separate corner piece against which the adjacent ends of the frame walls are abutted.

Abstract: Foundry molding system, apparatus and methods are characterized by horizontally reciprocating flask shuttles located beneath and at entry and exit ends of a molding line conveyor which is operative to support horizontally aligned cope and drag flask sets for indexing along the conveyor in abutting relation through a plurality of stations for production of cope and drag molds in the cope and drag flasks, respectively. The entry and exit flash shuttles respectively operate positively to locate and transfer along the conveyor one flask of cope and drag flask sets out of and into alignment with a flask separate/set-on and flask take-off/close to permit set-on and take-off of the other flask at high production rates.

Abstract: A foundry molding system for molding and closing cope and drag molds includes a linear idler molding line conveyor adjacent a cooling conveyor. Short powered sections are provided at each end of the molding line conveyor for set-off from the cooling conveyor to form the assembled cope and drag flasks into horizontally abutting drag and cope sets on the molding line conveyor and for closing and setting on the cooling conveyor the assembled cope and drag molds. Reciprocating index and control means are provided at each end of the molding line conveyor for indexing the sets therealong in abutting relationship. Powered roller detents or locaters are provided along the conveyor to hold the flasks to separate, center and retain the flasks for a variety of operations such as set-down, molding, drag rollover, coring, closing and set-on. The roller detents at the drag rollover are located in the trunnions of the rollover for operation therewith.

Abstract: An adjustable filler means for molds and method thereof which comprises a molding flask adapted to adjustably receive and support a plurality of mold-contouring fingers arranged to be functionally held in spaced relation to a pattern within the flask, so as to be readily moved and adjusted to conform to any irregular contour of such pattern or core print disposed within the flask, and wherein a contour medium is provided between the fingers and the surface of the pattern to establish a contoured space between the fingers and pattern, whereby molding sand is provided therein to form the face of a mold or core.

Abstract: A deflector for use on an automatic molding machine deflects incoming sand downwardly onto the drag table and then upwardly into deep recesses in the pattern. The sand deflector is formed as a rectangular prism from a single block of metal, and has two deflecting channels separated by a strengthening septum. The channels are arranged at a predetermined angle in relation to the mounting surface of the deflector.

Abstract: A molding method comprising steps of bringing a shielding mold member into contact with the shaping surface of a shaping mold member to provide a mold assembly, filling a charge of a heat resisting particulate material in space disposed opposite the shaping mold member with respect to the shielding mold member, rendering negative the internal pressure of the space containing the charge so as to draw the shielding mold member toward the charge and cause the same to adhere thereto, removing the shaping mold member from the mold assembly so as to form a cavity defined by the shielding mold member, and pouring a molten metal into said cavity.