Patents Examined by Erik R. Puknys
  • Patent number: 5445212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a casting wheel of a strip casting machine. The casting wheel comprises a casting ring (30) mounted and borne internally on freely rotatable rollers (31a, b, 33a, b). In the zone of the position at the start of casting, the rollers (31a, b) are rigidly mounted via a supporting element (32), while on the opposite side they are radially adjustable via a-supporting element (34a, b). In this way deformations of the casting ring (30) due to heating during casting can be absorbed without a change in the position of the casting ring (30) as at the start of casting. The casting ring (30) is driven from outside via at least one driving element (30b) which is connected via a transmission member (30a) to the casting ring (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Sundwiger Eisenhutte Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Armin Frauenkron, Volker Ilchmann, Erhard Vogt, Herbert Gellenbeck
  • Patent number: 5427173
    Abstract: An apparatus for melting and rapid solidification casting of metal alloys has a crucible for molding a metal charge. The crucible has side walls, a top and a bottom having an orifice therein. Collectively, the side walls, top and bottom define an interior of the crucible. A portion of the dimensions of the side walls of the side walls and bottom is divided by longitudinal slits into at least two segments. A nozzle is disposed partially within the crucible and extends through the orifice. The nozzle has a first end in communication with the interior of tune crucible. A second end of the nozzle has a nozzle orifice therein for defining a stream of molten metal alloy. A cooling mechanism cools the top, side walls and bottom of the crucible. The apparatus has mechanisms for inducing alternating electrical currents within the metal charge and within the nozzle, and for establishing and maintaining pressure within the interior of the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Santosh K. Das, Richard L. Bye, Alexander Loboysky
  • Patent number: 5402843
    Abstract: A cast composite material is made from particles and a matrix alloy of preselected composition that is difficult to wet to the particles. A wetting alloy having a composition that readily wets the particles is first mixed with the particles under conditions that wet the wetting alloy to the particles. The wetting alloy is selected so that it has no alloying elements in excess of that in the preselected matrix alloy, and preferably with wettability inhibiting elements reduced. After wetting and mixing have been achieved, the remaining alloying ingredients are added to the melt to adjust the matrix to the desired composition. The approach is applicable to cast composite materials containing both reactive and nonreactive particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Alcan Aluminum Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Skibo
  • Patent number: 5394930
    Abstract: The invention discloses an improved method for forming metal matrix composite castings. The method achieves the casting having increased mechanical properties by using a selectively permeable mold in conjunction with pressurized gas. This allows a greater degree of metal infiltration within the interstices of a suspended preform. The method teaches the use of whiskered, fibered and particulated ceramic constituents for use in the preform, as well as various embodiments of casting methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Inventor: Steven Kennerknecht
  • Patent number: 5394928
    Abstract: A cast composite material is formed from about 5 to about 35 volume percent of particulate reinforcement, preferably silicon carbide particles, embedded in an aluminum alloy matrix having from about 8.5 to about 12.6, most preferably about 9.5 to about 11.0, weight percent silicon. The cast composite material is particularly well suited for use as a foundry alloy for remelting purposes. Other alloying elements may be added without interfering with the beneficial effects of the silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Alcan International Ltd.
    Inventors: Donald E. Hammond, Michael D. Skibo
  • Patent number: 5394929
    Abstract: The invention relates to subjecting boron carbide to a heat treatment at a temperature within a range of 1250.degree. C. to less than 1800.degree. C. prior to infiltration with a molten metal such as aluminum. This method allows control of kinetics of metal infiltration and chemical reactions, size of reaction products and connectivity of B.sub.4 C grains and results in cermets having desired mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Aleksander J. Pyzik, Jack J. Ott, Dniel F. Carroll, Arthur R. Prunier, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5388633
    Abstract: An automatic ladling system is described for delivering a molten metal to the mold or die of a molding or casting machine. The ladling system comprises a programmable logic controller (PLC) for monitoring and controlling the sequential delivery of shots of a precise quantity of molten metal from a furnace or holding pot to a shot delivery apparatus of the casting machine. In the preferred system, the PLC also monitors and/or controls the temperature of the molten metal in the holding pot, the temperature of the molten metal in a metal transfer system, the operation of a pump for pumping molten metal from the holding pot to the shot delivery apparatus, the level of molten metal in the pot, and the operation of the casting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: William E. Mercer, II, Carl F. Baker, Harvey L. King
  • Patent number: 5388630
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a core and a mold for manufacturing a core or a mold using self-hardening molding sand or gas-hardening molding sand, wherein the self-hardening molding sand or the gas-hardening molding sand is charged in a core pattern or a flask while applying three-dimensional jolt, and a method of manufacturing a core and a mold for manufacturing a core or a mold using self-hardening molding sand, wherein air flow is precipitated by sucking the self-hardening molding sand in a core pattern or a flask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kao Quaker Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Sano, Takashi Yasukuni, Masaaki Ohata, Kiyotaka Nagai, Hiroshi Matsuura, Kunio Koshiishi, Yasuyoshi Hirama, Kyozaburo Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5388632
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for the production of piston castings, and, in particular, a die construction and method of use thereof are described, the die having a crown forming part (18) separable from a skirt forming part (12). In the method, when solidification of the casting occurs to an extent at least enabling the separation of the skirt forming die part therefrom to be allowed, and the die parts (20, 22) are separated, the casting is retained by the crown forming part (18) of the die. After a subsequent process step, such as the solidification of the remainder of the piston casting, and or the cooling of the piston casting by an air blast (64), the solidified piston is removed from the crown forming part of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: T & N Technology Limited
    Inventor: Colin R. Bayliss
  • Patent number: 5385200
    Abstract: A casting method wherein casting cycles are continuously performed with respective molds and a common mass of molten metal accommodated in a container, such that in each casting cycle, the mold cavity is filled with the molten metal through a pouring tube connected at one end to a sprue hole of the mold and immersed at the other end in the molten metal mass, due to a difference between pressures to which the mold and the container are exposed, and wherein the molten metal temperature is estimated from the detected amount of consumption of the immersed tube, and the actual molten metal temperature is regulated, on the basis of a difference between a predetermined desired temperature of the molten metal, and the estimated temperature which changes with the actual temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Yuki, Minoru Uozumi
  • Patent number: 5383513
    Abstract: A method for impregnating a metal product with a hard wear-resistant surface area comprises providing a wear-resistant layer in the form of a sintered sheet having a pattern which facilitates metallurgical bonding with a metal melt and optionally, at least one "pin" integrally attached onto a surface of the sheet. This wear-resistant layer is attached onto the sand core and a metal melt is cast so as to produce the final product. This method can be used to produce a variety of metal products although cast iron is preferred. Moreover, this process can effectively employ any of the hard phases which can be sintered, e.g., tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Gopal S. Revankar
  • Patent number: 5383514
    Abstract: A vacuum casting apparatus includes a molten metal passage for delivering molten metal into a sprue of a casting die encapsulated in a enclosure, a cylindrical stoke for communicating the molten metal passage with a reservoir tank, a stoke connecting member for biasing the stoke to a member on which the molten metal passage is formed, an auxiliary flange positioned around the stoke connecting member and contacting a surface of said enclosure, and a flexible plate member for air tightly closing a space between the stoke connecting member and the auxiliary flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Taguchi, Yoshiro Hayashi, Ryuichi Masuda, Yoshio Ekino
  • Patent number: 5381851
    Abstract: A low pressure chill casting method for casting metal components such as cylinder heads or engine blocks of combustion engines or the like, which cast components have wall portions which are locally predominently thinner than in their other regions. In this method, by means of gas pressure, liquid metal is forced from a melt container through a riser tube into a mold. According to the invention, the mold is so arranged that therein the thicker wall portion of the cast component is cast upwardly remote from the gating and the thinner wall portion is cast downwardly in the vicinity of the gating, the liquid metal being introduced at or near the lower region of the mold in the vicinity of the gating into the mold cavity region forming the thinner wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Alcan Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Bilz, Hans Lammermann, Alfred Dobner, Klaus Sterner, Klaus Riess
  • Patent number: 5381854
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for pneumatically controlling the velocity of flow of liquid metal from a tundish into a continuous casting machine through a nozzle. A chamber encloses the nozzle outlet, and at least a portion of the continuous casting machine, and a pressurized gas is supplied to the chamber. The flow velocity of the liquid metal at the nozzle outlet is controlled by controlling the gas pressure in the chamber in response to the level of the liquid metal in the tundish, and the measured atmospheric pressure acting on the liquid metal in the tundish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resoruces
    Inventors: Robert Thomson, Flhachmi Essadiqi, James Barry
  • Patent number: 5381852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for casting novel motor vehicle wheels from metal, such as from an aluminum alloy, which wheels have a rim ring and a hub part connected by supporting radial elements. According to the present process the casting mold is formed by a plurality of molded core parts that are mainly ring- and/or disk-shaped and which are axially assembled while still attached to their mold sections and are centered relative to each other by the relative adjustment of the mold sections. The parting plane of the core parts runs perpendicularly to the wheel axis. This permits one-piece wheels to be cast with great accuracy, which wheels have few, if any, visible mold seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: EB Bruhl Aluminiumtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Herbert Schilling
  • Patent number: 5381850
    Abstract: Composite casting process for making castings, consisting in particular of light metal alloys reinforced by fiber or foamed material inserts, in particular motor parts such as pistons, cylinders, cylinder heads and motor blocks of internal combustion engines. In this process, firstly, a preform reinforced by the fiber or foamed material inserts is made by embedding and the penetration of a fiber bundle or a foamed material body in molten matrix metal or by a molten matrix metal and subsequently solidifying it. Then, the preform is immersed in a molten metal bath and subsequently inserted into a casting mould for integrally casting or casting around the final casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Alcan Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Otte, Rudolf Schwarz
  • Patent number: 5379827
    Abstract: A die casting machine having a frame comprising two connecting rods, two side platens, a moving platen, connecting rod apertures in said moving platen, a moving platen drive and two dies, wherein one side platen is connected to the two connecting rods, the other side platen is connected to the opposite ends of the two connecting rods, the moving platen is guided by said two connecting rods for movement towards or away from respective side platens by said moving platen drive, one die mounted on one face of the moving platen and the other die mounted on the inside face of one side platen, all said platens being located in parallel planes at right angles to the centerline of the machine, the two connecting rods, the moving platen drive and the dies being in a common plane passing through the longitudinal centerline of the die casting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: DBM Industries Limited
    Inventors: Guido Perrella, Nicolas Bigler
  • Patent number: 5377741
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method for forming metal matrix composite bodies. Particularly, a permeable mass of filler material is formed into a preform. An infiltration enhancer or an infiltration enhancer precursor or an infiltrating atmosphere are also in communication with the preform, at least at some point during the process, which permits molten matrix metal to spontaneously infiltrate the preform when the preform is placed into the molten matrix metal. A means for maintaining the preform at least partially below the surface of the molten matrix metal can also be utilized. In a preferred embodiment a reservoir may be employed to supply a second metal which has a different composition from the first source of matrix metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Lanxide Technology Company, LP
    Inventor: John T. Burke
  • Patent number: 5377744
    Abstract: Apparatus consists of an articulated continuous casing machine (1) in which a mould for casting bar (18) moves endlessly from an upstream end to a downstream end of a path on the urging of an engine (15). To enable the cast bar to be fed directly into a continuous extrusion machine (2), the engine (15) engages the mould via a slipping clutch (15A) so that in operation an axial compressive force is applied to the cast bar in the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Holton Machinery Limited
    Inventor: Brian Maddock
  • Patent number: 5374142
    Abstract: A cutter blade for use with a face hob type cutter for producing the teeth of spiral bevel and hypoid gear members by a continuous index, face hobbing process comprises a cutter blade shank having a cutting member provided at one end thereof. The cutting member includes a tooth cutting edge having a given axial pressure angle, and a relief edge adjacent the tooth cutting edge having an axial pressure angle greater than the axial pressure angle of the tooth cutting edge. The relief edge of the cutting member simultaneously forms a relief on the tip of the tooth of the gear member as the tooth is cut by the tooth cutting edge of the cutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Masseth