Patents Examined by J. Reed Batten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5749409
    Abstract: Refractory coated gelatin-bonded foundry sand core made by waterproofing the surface of the core and immersing the waterproofed core in an aqueous refractory suspension to deposit the refractory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: June-Sang Siak, Scott William Biederman, William Thomas Whited, Mark Allen Datte
  • Patent number: 5743322
    Abstract: An extension is formed directly on an article by casting a compatible material into a ceramic mold that is attached on an end of the article, followed by cooling of the end under controlled conditions sufficient to cause an integral extension to solidify on the article. A ceramic mold is utilized over the end of the article, with a mold cavity that generally defines the shape of the extension to be formed. The mold may be formed in situ on the mandrel, or preformed and attached to the subject article over the mandrel. Extensions formed by the method of this invention have a microstructure that is continuous and compatible with that of the article. Such microstructures may include epitaxial growth of the extension from the microstructure of the article. The method establishes a temperature gradient within the article during solidification that may be further controlled by auxiliary heating and/or cooling of the article and/or extension during the practice of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melvin Robert Jackson, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Ann Melinda Ritter
  • Patent number: 5743321
    Abstract: A casting mold member is produced from a master which has a section with a spirally symmetrical outer contour such that the casting mold member surrounds the section in an azimuthally closed manner with respect to the axis of symmetry. The casting mold member is used to provide a casting mold. The casting mold member is filled by feeding a cast iron melt, and solidifying the melt by using a graphitization pressure to prevent cavities and pores in the casting and by chilling the melt to obtain shell hardening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Friedrich-W. Joern, Rolf Dieterich, Wolfgang Sandkoetter
  • Patent number: 5735334
    Abstract: Light alloy metal products are cast by introducing the molten metal into a sand mold having a vertical parting line, characterized in that the mold is bottom filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Alloy Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Leonard Sutton, John Campbell, Michael Joseph Flynn, Gary McBain
  • Patent number: 5735336
    Abstract: The investment casting process utilizes an investment assembly that includes one or more vents in each casting mold. Vents facilitate the extraction of the pattern material while preventing expansion of the pattern material to the extent that mold fracture or cracking results. The vents can be formed by incorporating within the patterns of articles to be cast one or more protrusions that cause the pattern to deviate from the size and shape of the article to be cast. After assembly of one or more patterns to a riser to form a cluster, the cluster is coated with a refractory material and the refractory material is removed from the protrusions either before the refractory dries or after the refractory dries, thus producing the vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Professional, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Oti
  • Patent number: 5732762
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a rack containing a casting that includes a core, a heating chamber that includes a vibration structure for vibrating the rack and in a lower portion thereof a first sand discharge structure for discharging sand falling from the casting for removing casting sand and core sand adhering to the casting while heat treating the casting, and a cooling chamber that includes a water tank for immersing the rack containing the casting, an elevator structure for lowering the rack into the water tank and lifting the rack out of the water tank, an oscillation structure for oscillating the rack when the rack is in the water tank, and a second sand discharge structure for discharging sand falling onto a bottom of the water tank for washing off casting sand and core sand adhering to the casting ejected from the heating chamber while cooling the casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Taiho Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Usui, Tamio Okamura
  • Patent number: 5730206
    Abstract: The machine has a vertically oriented open-topped mold cavity having downwardly moving containment surfaces that hold a pool of liquid metal. The cavity is wide at the top-center and tapers to the narrow thickness of the strip (34) being cast at the edges of the sides and at the bottom. The two wide sides of the cavity are each delineated by a matrix of contiguous plates (38) separated by narrow fissures, the surface of each plate being subdivided by narrow expansion joints. Each matrix is a many-facetted approximation of a doubly-curved surface, the dynamic changes in the shape of which being facilitated by small changes in the relative linear and angular orientation of the plates with each other as they proceed downwardly through the matrix. A plate supporting arrangement with arcuately grooved tracks precludes lateral shifting of the plates of a given column with respect to each other and provision is made for adjusting both the thickness and the width of the casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Charles C. Gerding
  • Patent number: 5730198
    Abstract: A temperature profile is determined of a metal sample for the metal to be converted to establish a temperature range indicative of a partially solid and partially liquid state of the metal. With this temperature profile, a metal preform is heated at a controlled rate from a temperature below the temperature range to a temperature within the range defined by the temperature profile to achieve a select percent by volume of liquid in the metal. This controlled heating to a desired temperature, which may be at a uniform rate, followed by holding at the desired temperature, thermally converts a dendritic structure of the material into a globular structure. The thermally converted metal preform is then recovered for subsequent use such as shaping into a desired article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Reynolds Metals Company
    Inventor: Subhasish Sircar
  • Patent number: 5730203
    Abstract: A cylindrical element (14) with a through-going passage (15) is retained in the mold in such a manner that a part of the element (14) protrudes from the outside of the mold, and so that the passage (15) opens into a part of the runner (8) of the mold, the internal terminal surface of element (14) lying opposite a plane surface (16) in the runner (8). During casting, the nozzle (13) of a casting device is brought into tight-fitting abutment against the outer end of the element, and the molten metal alloy is cast into the mold through the nozzle (13), the passage (15) in the element (14) and the runner (8) of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Disa A/S
    Inventor: Vagn Mogensen
  • Patent number: 5730199
    Abstract: The stroke of the shot sleeve plunger is set at a high-volume setting corresponding to the volume of the die. Pre-production articles without an insert are cast within the die. The stroke of the shot sleeve plunger is set at a low-volume setting corresponding to the volume of the die minus the volume of the insert, and production articles each having an insert are cast within the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Nelson Metal Products Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis S. Shimmell
  • Patent number: 5725046
    Abstract: The caster includes a pair of movable opposed belts, each of the belts having a casting surface and a pair of movable opposed dam blocks including a plurality of dam blocks having one end mounted to an orbiting support and a casting surface opposite the mounted end. The casting surfaces of the belts and the casting surfaces of the dam blocks define a bar casting zone for solidifying the molten metal into metallic bar. The caster also includes cooling bars for cooling the belts while the belts pass through the bar casting zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Adam J. Sartschev, Joshua C. Liu
  • Patent number: 5725043
    Abstract: Molten metal is delivered from a master furnace to the molten metal holding chamber of a low pressure casting machine by a launder assembly having a unitary, quickly replaceable, valve assembly including a valve which, when closed, prevents flow of the molten metal from the master furnace to the holding vessel. The valve has a plug mounted for rotation in a valve body which may be made from graphite. In a modification, the valve has a port centered in a valve plate and a movable plug which may be made from aluminum titanate. In operation, the valve is opened to permit the molten metal within the master furnace and the holding vessel to seek a substantially uniform level and closed when the low pressure casting process is initiated. While the valve is closed, a pressurizing gas is introduced into the holding vessel above the level of the molten metal therein so that molten metal will rise up a riser tube into the cavity of a mold or other molten metal-receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Frank W. Schaefer, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Schaefer, Carl W. D. Schaefer, James M. Williamson, Norman L. Miller
  • Patent number: 5715885
    Abstract: The core box includes a cavity therein, a vent in fluid communication with the cavity, ejector members, and apparatus coupled to the ejector members for passing a fluid through the vent into the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Disa, Inc.
    Inventors: Pheroze J. Nagarwalla, Raymond F. Witte
  • Patent number: 5716510
    Abstract: A wall of a four-piece mold is made by machining cooling channels into one side of a steel backup member. The cooling channels are filled with wax which is then covered with conductive paint or tape. A layer of copper is now electroplated onto the side of the backup member with the cooling channels, and nickel and chromium are plated over the copper in succession. Upon completion of plating, the wax is removed from the cooling channels by melting the wax. Alternatively to machining the cooling channels into the backup member, strips of plastic are adhesively secured to the backup member prior to plating. The plastic strips, which have widths and heights equal to the desired widths and depths of the cooling channels, are placed on the backup member at the intended locations of the cooling channels. Copper is plated onto the backup member to the height of the strips which are then removed to form the cooling channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Inc.
    Inventor: Donald P. Lorento
  • Patent number: 5716538
    Abstract: The nozzle (10) preferably, but not only, for the production of blooms, billets and conventional, medium and thin slabs, which is suitable to cooperate with a feeder for liquid steel and to discharge that liquid steel into a mould, has a discharge outlet positioned below the meniscus (20). The discharge nozzle (10) includes a first upper intake pipe (11) defining a conduit having a dimension of its cross-section equal to (S) and a nominal diameter (D), the first upper intake pipe (11) being associated at its lower end with a second introduction pipe (12), this second introduction pipe (12) possessing a nominal dimension of its internal passage having a minimum cross-section of 5S in the event of production of blooms, billets or round bars and of 4S in the event of production of conventional, medium and thin slabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Alfredo Poloni, Milorad Pavlicevic, Nuredin Kapaj
  • Patent number: 5715886
    Abstract: The mold includes a refractory body forming a weld chamber. Exothermic welding material in a crucible above forms molten metal which drops into the weld chamber through a tap hole or open top. The mold includes sleeving passages formed by projecting metal guide tubes extending upwardly at an angle from horizontal to a position above the level of molten metal forming the weld. In this manner, the molten metal is contained within the weld cavity of the mold without packing, adapter sleeves or shims. The guides extend upwardly at an angle from the weld chamber, or as a V with two symmetrical guides. The inside diameters of the guides are larger than normal passages and accordingly accommodate a wide variety of cable sizes without interference with or abrasion of the sleeving passages. This enables one mold to accommodate more sizes, avoids the use of packing, adapter sleeves or shims, and maintains the weld chamber well vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Erico International Corporation
    Inventor: Jean Claude Fuchs
  • Patent number: 5711361
    Abstract: Ready-to-pour shells or core assemblies produced utilizing at least two in-line core shooting machines (1), each core shooting machine (1) having two, at least slightly differing sets of tools (4), each set comprising an upper tool (2) and a lower tool (3), and identical conveyor plates (5) serving, on the one hand, as the lower tool (3) of the first core shooting machine (1) and, on the other hand, as for transporting the core (6) or the core assembly along a transfer path (7) through the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Adolf Hottinger Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Landua, Werner Pichler
  • Patent number: 5711362
    Abstract: A reinforcing phase comprising fly ash is combined with an aqueous medium comprising a binder to produce a slurry. The slurry is then dried to produce a preform of the reinforcing phase. Molten metal is then introduced into the preform, resulting in a metal matrix composites. The reinforcing phase of the subject composites may be present in excess of 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute
    Inventor: Pradeep K. Rohatgi
  • Patent number: 5711367
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a tundish, a nozzle for receiving molten metal from the tundish and discharging molten metal into a mold of a caster and a plurality of tubes interposed between the tundish and the nozzle for transporting the molten metal from the tundish to the nozzle. The apparatus further includes a plurality of wear strips having a first end portion secured to the tundish and a second end portion secured to the nozzle. The wear strips secure the nozzle to the tundish, provide a tight secure fit of the tubes to the nozzle and protect the nozzle from wearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Larex A.G.
    Inventor: Wilhelm F. Lauener
  • Patent number: 5709260
    Abstract: To control the admission of molten metal to a series of mold cavities through a series of valve openings in the downspouts of a trough thereabove, an elongated rack is arranged parallel to the trough, a set of balance beams is pivotally mounted on the rack, a set of valve closure devices is suspended from corresponding first end portions of the beams for throttling the openings, and a set of float sensors is suspended from points on the opposing second end portions of the beams for contact with the surfaces of the molten metal in the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Wagstaff, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Everton Wagstaff, Aaron David Sinden, David Alan Salee