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 core or mold machine utilizes a horizontally extending frame pivoted at one end which fixedly supports one box half or cope and movably supports the other box half or drag. A power actuator pivots the frame to clamp the box halves closed against a blow head or gassing head which may be shuttled thereabove. The drag box half is mounted on a cradle on the frame for movement toward and away from the cope or fixed box half and for pivoting movement to bring the box to a core or mold discharge or an inspection or disassembly position when the box halves are not clamped against the blow head or gassing head. Each box half includes a machine actuated stripping mechanism to insure removal of the core or mold both from the cope and drag with the latter then placing the core on a discharge conveyor. The conveyor may be of the flat belt type canted slightly to present a flat surface to receive the core or mold.

Abstract: A foundry molding machine of the horizontal stack type such as shown in Hatch U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,621 employs a programmable solid state electrical control system operating in conjunction with a closed-loop hydraulic servo-system to obtain greater flexibility of set-up and higher mold uniformity and precision with fewer reject molds. Each of four of the major moving components of the machine may be provided with an encoder or position, velocity and direction monitoring device, such components being the two opposed squeeze rams, the mold traction device, and the pusher. Such monitors not only measure the final position of one squeeze ram, but also enable the calculation or measurement of the mold thickness so that the pusher cylinder can be controlled during its movement to contact a formed cake at a null condition and to move that cake into contact also at a null condition with a horizontally formed stack.

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: A foundry molding machine of the horizontal stack type such as shown in Hatch U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,621 employs a programmable solid state electrical control system operating in conjunction with a closed-loop hydraulic servo-system to obtain greater flexibility of set-up and higher mold uniformity and precision with fewer reject molds. Each of four of the major moving components of the machine may be provided with an encoder or position, velocity and direction monitoring device, such components being the two opposed squeeze rams, the mold traction device, and the pusher. Such monitors not only measure the final position of one squeeze ram, but also enable the calculation or measurement of the mold thickness so that the pusher cylinder can be controlled during its movement to contact a formed cake at a null condition and to move that cake into contact also at a null condition with a horizontally formed stack.

Abstract: Differentiation between grinding wheels which are dimensionally stable in use and which remove stock to specification tolerances and polishing wheels which are flexible and which primarily do not remove stock but which "fill the valleys with the hills" call for different development. This invention is directed to a polishing tool (wheel) comprising selected abrasive, filler and plastic elastomeric bond to produce a non-rigid solid tool (wheel) of minimum voids content, the cured elastomeric bond alone characterized by a Shore hardness of 45-55 but the completed tool face hardness is not in excess of about 96 "Shore A" hardness. The so limited polishing wheel is characterized by non-chattering, non-loading, aggressive and is yet non-smearing. It is arrived at by accurate volume control ratios of the components essentially present in the product.

Abstract: A horizontal stack foundry molding machine having opposed high pressure horizontally aligned rams adapted to close and then move into the open ends of a mold box filled with sand to make a high quality sand mold, such box being formed by opposed L-shape parts, the L-shape part forming the lower side of the box being horizontally movable after the rams have been retracted to shift the mold formed in the box from between said rams to a position in alignment with a pouring conveyor, a pusher being provided to move such mold from the movable L-shape part onto the pouring conveyor into juxtaposition with previously formed molds to form the horizontal stack.