Abstract: A cylinder liner or a cylinder block's bore portion formed of a composite alloy material reinforced with fibers and dispersed with ceramic particles. In the cylinder liner or the bore portion of the cylinder block, ceramic particles and alumina short fibers are uniformly dispersed in a light metal matrix. For producing the cylinder liner and the cylinder block, a preform having a shape identical with the cylinder liner or the bore portion is produced by mixing together the ceramic particles and the alumina short fibers. Molten light metal is infiltrated into voids of the preform during casting.

Abstract: A combination of a device for producing a closed deck type cylinder block and a sand core to be used in the device, the combination being capable of producing the block having high dimensional accuracy and eliminating precise dimensional control to the end face portion of the sand core. The sand core has a configuration identical with a water jacket formed in the engine block. Holding projections extending in an axial direction of a cylinder liner integrally protrude from a slide core of a movable die, and complementary holding bores are formed in the sand core, the bores being open at a top deck end face of the sand core. In one preferred embodiment, the top deck end face of the sand core is of a planner arrangement, and an end face of the slide core is formed with recesses for forming bridge portions therein. Casting is performed while maintaining a surface contact between the planner end face and the end face of the slide core. The contacting areas will become windows of the water jacket.

Abstract: A molten metal supply device capable of supplying molten metal with high precision to an injection sleeve of a die-casting machine, and capable of reducing molten metal leakage and damage to a molten metal conduit bridging between a holding furnace and the injection sleeve. The holding furnace is divided into a holding chamber and a supply chamber in fluid connection with the injection sleeve through the conduit. Both chambers can be selectively brought into and out of fluid connection by a stopper. First and second immersion bodies are immersibly provided to the chambers, respectively. The laser sensor detects a predetermined level of the molten metal. The first immersion body is immersed until the sensor detects the surface of the molten metal, whereupon the stopper blocks fluid communication between the chambers. By then lowering the second immersion body, molten metal is pushed out of the supply chamber and a predetermined amount of molten metal is supplied to the injection sleeve.

Abstract: A laminar flow injection molding apparatus and a laminar flow injection molding method capable of directly judging flow mode of molten metal flowing into a metal mold, either laminar flow mode or turbulent flow mode. An injection molding apparatus includes metal molds in which a runner portion, a cavity, and a gas vent passage are formed in communication with a casting sleeve. Molten metal detection members are provided in confrontation with at least one of the runner portion, the cavity and the gas vent passage. In a single injecting operation, molten metal detection signal is generated each time the molten metal is brought into contact with the detection member. The molten metal detection member is connected to a counter circuit where numbers of the detection signals are stored as a count value. A judgment circuit to which a preset value is inputted is electrically connected to the counter circuit so as to compare the count value with the preset value.

Abstract: The horizontal type casting machine is capable of facilitating installation of a water jacket core and providing sufficient fluidity of the molten metal without generation of gas defect in casting a water-cooled type cylinder block. In the horizontal type casting machine, a cavity for the cylinder block is oriented vertically in which a cylinder bore portion of the cylinder block is positioned up and a crank chamber is positioned down. The cavity is defined by a stationary die, a movable die and movable cores. A movable slide core is provided movable relative to the movable die. When the movable slide core is moved to its retracted position, large working space is provided for installing the water jacket core at a given position. By the retracted movement of the movable slide core, large working space can be provided, thereby facilitating installation of the water jacket core. Further, since the water jacket core is set in its suspended fashion, easy positioning of the water jacket core results.