Abstract: A method of forming a fine grained equiaxed casting by melting metal and removing most of the superheat of the molten metal. The molten metal is placed in a mold and optionally subjected to turbulence whereupon it solidifies to form the casting of the desired microstructure.

Abstract: A vertical injection apparatus for a die casting machine is disclosed. The setting is made such that a timing for vacuum evacuation applied to a portion into which air enters is suitably earlier than that for vacuum evacuation applied to a die cavity. Thus, this allows a solidification layer tightly formed on the end surface of a plunger tip to prevent air from entering into the die cavity, making it possible to desirably carry out injection and to remarkably improve quality of casting products. By improving the structure for holding a vacuum evacuating tube, this apparatus can facilitate repairing word required when the evacuating tube is clogged with hot molten metal.

Abstract: A method of casting a metal article in a mould box comprises locating an expendable pattern in the box, the pattern having a gas permeable refractory coating thereon, placing and compacting unbonded particulate material about the pattern and supplying molten metal into the box so as to vaporize or burn away the pattern and form the article of defined shaped while applying a vacuum during casting. According to this invention, the method is improved by compacting the particulate material to a maximum bulk density where it contacts the coated pattern and applying a vacuum to the compacted particulate material so as to create sufficient pressure gradient in the height of the compacted material to maintain the integrity of the gas permeable refractory coating. In this way, the risk of mould collapse, metal breakout, and pollution are reduced.

Abstract: A die-casting apparatus is used to carry out a die-casting method in which an injection plunger is moved forwardly at a lower speed and then is temporarily stopped at a forward stroke intermediate position in which a space defined by the injection plunger and an injection sleeve is substantially filled with an amount of molten metal. Then, evacuation of a product cavity and the injection sleeve is commenced and, after the lapse of a predetermined time period, the injection plunger is again moved forwardly at a higher speed to inject the molten metal from the injection sleeve into the product cavity. Compared with the prior art, the method provides an increased evacuation time period and assures a reduction in the volume to be evacuated. In addition, the higher injection stroke reduces possibility that air and gases are trapped in the molten metal to provide die-cast products of a high quality.

Abstract: Apparatus for casting in a vacuum has a single evacuable furnace chamber 10 in which the charge melting and mould heating takes place. The charge is melted in a crucible 24 by an induction coil 20, while the mould is heated by resistance heaters 18 which are made from a FECRALLOY (Registered Trade Mark) material and can be operated in air or vacuum. In operation an empty mould 16 and a charged crucible 24 are positioned in the furnace 14 and the furnace chamber is sealed. The heaters 20 and 18 are operated while the furnace is pumped down. A control device 40 ensures that the charge is not melted until the appropriate vacuum level has been reached. After pouring the filled mould is withdrawn into a withdrawal zone 25 and as soon as the casting has solidified to the extent that air can be admitted to the chamber without detriment, the vacuum is released and the mould and charge replaced.

Abstract: A vertical pressure die casting apparatus comprising a stationary member, an air-permeable die detachably mounted on the stationary member and formed with a cavity including a downwardly open runner portion and a casting cavity portion communicating with the runner portion, a die clamping member to clamp the die vertically between the stationary member and the die clamping member, a sleeve held in position with respect to the stationary member and having a bore upwardly communicating with the runner portion of the cavity in the die, and a power cylinder provided below the die and having a cylinder body fixedly held in position with respect to the stationary member and a piston rod extending upwardly into the sleeve and vertically slidable in the sleeve.

Abstract: A diecasting process for producing cast pieces for metals or their alloys by means of a horizontal cold chamber diecasting machine. The diecasting machine includes a diecasting mold held under a vacuum, a fill chamber coupled to the diecasting mold, a holding furnace containing metal melt, a suction pipe partially immersed in the holding furnace and coupled to the fill chamber, means for transporting metal melt from the holding furnace through the suction pipe into the fill chamber under a vacuum, and means for moving the metal melt from the fill chamber into the diecasting mold. During the dosaging phase when the fill chamber is filled with metal melt, gases and lubricant vapors are developed upon entry of the melt into the fill chamber.

Abstract: A method of preparing a charge of super alloy material for use in metal casting is disclosed. Thin wall tubes consisting of one of the metallic elements of the alloy material, or an alloy of such element are provided. If an alloy tube is selected, all elements in the tube alloy must also be materials included in the overall formulation of the alloy material. The type and quantity of the materials contained in the tubes is deducted from the quantities set forth in the overall formula and the balance of the formula is melted and poured under vacuum as a core in the tube using the tube as a mold. The resulting master charge is cut into unit charges each of a predetermined weight. These unit charges are then used in a subsequent casting operation by melting the entire unit charge under vacuum to cast precision products of an alloy which consists of the mixed and alloyed materials of both the tube and the core.

Abstract: Casting metal in rigid, self supporting, gas permeable molds with one or more mold cavities for molding one or more parts, in which the mold cavities have gate passages with their lower open ends at the lower surface of the mold, by submerging the lower ends of the gate passages beneath the surface of molten metal and applying a reduced pressure to the upper surface of the mold to fill the mold cavities with molten metal to produce unconnected metal parts or groups of parts.

Abstract: The invention relates to metal casting employing a pattern in a sand mold. A thin film of translucent thermoplastic is coated with finely divided graphite and then superimposed on the pattern with the layer of graphite sandwiched in between. Infrared radiation is applied to the film to soften the same with the radiant heat which is absorbed by the graphite serving to speed up the softening process. Then while the film is in soft drawable condition the film is vacuum-formed onto the surface of the pattern with the graphite serving as a lubricant for the plastic film as the film is drawn about irregular or deeply indented surfaces on the pattern to produce a tightly conforming barrier layer. Sand is molded about the pattern and its barrier layer to form a mold, following which the pattern is withdrawn leaving the layer in conforming and supporting contact with the sand.

Abstract: Castings are produced in a bed of production sand susceptible to both fluidizing and vacuumizing. The use of a vacuum at the time the molten metal is poured permits the use of thin shell molds made around styrene patterns, the vacuum maintaining mold shape and drawing out gases produced by the vaporizing pattern and otherwise. The produced casting is rapidly cooled in the bed while it is fluidized, the fluidized sand achieving good heat conduction. The casting is then heat stabilized while the bed is defluidized, the bed then becoming a good insulator. An austempering curve can be followed, thereby having the effect of heat treating in the same bed as used for casting production.

Abstract: In manufacturing of a mold for metal casting via the vacuum molding process, the cover for the original pattern is made of a synthetic film including, at least partly, ionomer resin component and, further preferably, the exposed surface of the cover set to the pattern is coated with a solution of an initial condensate of a thermosetting resin.High fidelity in patterning, excellent vacuum retainability, enhanced surface stability and high resistance against thermal decomposition of the ionomer cover film accompanied with considerably reduced casting defects assures high quality of the castings obtained.

Abstract: Metal alloy filaments having improved surface characteristics and enhanced mechanical properties are extracted from a source of molten metal alloy using a quenching wheel in a partial vacuum.

Abstract: In a method for reduced-pressure mould production, a plurality of mould flasks are simultaneously evacuated by evacuating means, and in which production of the moulds is carried out while moving the mould flasks sequentially through a mould shaping position, a pouring position and a mould disintegrating position. Evacuation is effected by first evacuating means during a period from the beginning of mould shaping to the beginning of mould pouring and a period after pouring, and evacuation is effected more strongly by second evacuating means during the period of pouring.

Abstract: A centrifugal casting machine includes a plurality of split centrifugal molds which are successively brought to a casting station in which the molds are closed, clamped together and rotated rapidly while molten metal is fed through a central sprue to mold cavities therein. For feeding the molten metal, a vacuum chamber is provided at the casting station above the mold, and a feed pipe leading to a reservoir of molten metal extends into the vacuum chamber through a nozzle which discharges into a funnel communicating with the central sprue of the mold. Means are provided to create a vacuum condition within the vacuum chamber, the funnel, nozzle and the mold cavities when the mold is closed and clamped, whereby the molten metal is drawn by a siphoning action through the feed pipe and discharged from the nozzle into the mold cavities. The feed flow of the molten metal is accomplished solely by the vacuum condition which is timed to feed a selected charge of molten metal to the mold cavities.

Abstract: A vacuum casting machine has a rotary table obtaining motion from a self-contained drive and accommodating chambers with casting molds. In turning, the rotary table causes each of the chambers to register in succession with an opening in a melting chamber through which metal is being poured. This arrangement of mold chambers enables partial overlapping in time of such processes as preparing a mold for pouring, the melting of charge and accumulating melt in the melting chamber in a requisite amount, and the cooling of each mold with the casting. This all considerably increases the production rate of the machine.

Abstract: In the casting of metal alloys to form hollow articles, a mold of a desired shape containing a core material fabricated to a desired configuration from a silicon yttrium or silicon lanthanide oxynitride is filled with a molten metal alloy while maintaining the mold under a vacuum or under a blanket of an inert gas after which the mold is allowed to cool slowly to room temperature. The casted metal alloy with the core material exposed at one end is removed from the mold and heated under ambient conditions, thereby causing the silicon yttrium or silicon lanthanide oxynitride to oxidize with a large volume expansion and a concomitant catastrophic failure of the core material. The broken pieces of core material are removed from the casting which has a smooth inner surface, an indication that no chemical reactions have occurred between the alloy and the core material.

Abstract: In a process for casting a plate grid for a lead-acid storage battery comprising the steps of preparing a casting die assembly including two interengagable die halves between which is formed a casting cavity to cast a plate grid therein and pouring a molten metal of lead or lead alloy into said casting cavity to form said plate grid therein, an air in said casting cavity is vented through gaps between said die halves and then through a narrow air passage in at least one venting member received in either of said die halves so that said venting member is flush with the casting surface of the corresponding die half, said venting member at the top surface having cavity forming portions operatively associated with said die halves.

Abstract: A system for centrifugal casting of induction melted metal includes a crucible and a porous mold secured to a casting arm. The casting arm is secured to a hollow rotatable shaft which includes two separate fluid channels extending axially therethrough. The shaft is supported on a rotary valve which provides separate flow communication with each flow channel. One flow channel provides pressurized argon to the crucible to prevent oxide formation during casting. The other channel provides a vacuum to the exterior of the mold to draw gasses out of the metal, aid in the argon flow into the mold, and to augment the centrifugal flow of the molten metal into the mold.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for molding and forming an equalized layer onto a shaping surface of a mold, and also relates to a method for forming the layer onto the shaping surface of the mold which has a hardened layer on the shaping surface of the mold.