Abstract: A core molding method is a method of molding a core using a metal mold that is pressure-fed with mulled sand, and includes heating the metal mold such that the temperature of the metal mold reaches a temperature higher than a predetermined baking temperature, pressure-feeding the heated metal mold with the mulled sand, holding the temperature of the metal mold having been pressure-fed with the mulled sand at the baking temperature, and removing the core from the metal mold after the holding.

Abstract: An opening portion that is formed so as to pass-through an opening/closing plate portion of a gate, can be disposed at a region overlapping a lower end opening of a hopper. The opening portion is structured by a first pass-through portion, and a second pass-through portion that is formed so as to be continuous with the first pass-through portion. A width, in a direction orthogonal to a lined-up direction in which the first pass-through portion and the second pass-through portion are lined up, is narrower than the first pass-through portion. Further, a driving mechanism moves the gate such that the opening/closing plate portion moves in the lined-up direction as seen in a plan view. Based on a preset target value of weight of sand, a control section controls the driving mechanism so as to decrease an amount of overlap of the opening portion of the gate and the lower end opening of the hopper in a stepwise manner in accordance with an increase in the weight of the sand measured by a scale.

Abstract: A core molding method is a method of molding a core using a metal mold that is pressure-fed with mulled sand, and includes heating the metal mold such that the temperature of the metal mold reaches a temperature higher than a predetermined baking temperature, pressure-feeding the heated metal mold with the mulled sand, holding the temperature of the metal mold having been pressure-fed with the mulled sand at the baking temperature, and removing the core from the metal mold after the holding.

Abstract: When molding surfaces (50A) of a pair of dies (50) are to be cleaned by air-blowing, air is blown towards the molding surfaces (50A) from blowing nozzles (22A) of a cleaning blowing function portion (22) while a moving body (16) is reciprocatingly moved by driving force of a driving mechanism (18). When a parting agent is to be applied to the molding surfaces (50A) of the pair of dies (50), the mold release agent is jetted out towards the molding surfaces (50A) from spraying nozzles (24A) of a parting agent application function portion (24) while the moving body (16) is reciprocatingly moved by the driving force of the driving mechanism (18). In both of these situations, at the same time as the treatment of the molding surfaces (50A), a cleaning brush (32) reciprocatingly moves together with the moving body (16) and sweeps a device floor surface (12).

Abstract: An opening portion (34) that is formed so as to pass-through an opening/closing plate portion (32) of a gate (30), can be disposed at a region overlapping a lower end opening (24A) of a hopper (20). The opening portion (34) is structured by a first pass-through portion (34A), and a second pass-through portion (34B) that is formed so as to be continuous with the first pass-through portion (34A). A width, in a direction orthogonal to a lined-up direction in which the first pass-through portion (34A) and the second pass-through portion (34B) are lined up, is narrower than the first pass-through portion (34A). Further, a driving mechanism (40) moves the gate (30) such that the opening/closing plate portion (32) moves in the lined-up direction as seen in a plan view.

Abstract: Disclosed is a binder supply apparatus for supplying a liquid binder to foundry sand. The binder supply apparatus comprises: a reservoir tank for reserving the binder therein; a first pump for supplying the binder to the reservoir tank; a temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the binder in the reservoir tank to a given temperature; a second pump for circulating the binder such that the binder is discharged from the reservoir tank to a circulation passage and then re-suppled to the reservoir tank; a flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of the binder flowing through the circulation passage; and a binder ejection port for ejecting the binder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a sheet conveyance path, a toner containing unit, a fixing unit, a fixing housing, a heat insulation member, a first hot air exhaust passage, a second hot air exhaust passage and a third hot air exhaust passage. The fixing housing houses the fixing unit and includes a wall portion facing the toner containing unit. The heat insulation member shields between the wall portion and the toner containing unit. The first hot air exhaust passage is arranged between the heat insulation member and the toner containing unit. The second hot air exhaust passage communicates with the first hot air exhaust passage. The third hot air exhaust passage is arranged between the wall portion and the heat insulation member and includes an opening facing the sheet conveyance path and a communication port communicating with the second hot air exhaust passage.

Abstract: A drawer mechanism includes a plate-shaped frame, a first roller and a second roller disposed in a rotatable manner on a surface of the frame at a specific interval, and a rail movable between a first state where the rail is mounted on the surface of the frame and a second state where the rail is pulled out from the frame in a predetermined pull-out direction. Each roller includes a guide peripheral surface formed in an outer peripheral portion in a radial direction and a lower surface opposing the surface of the frame at a specific interval. The rail includes a first pinched portion and a second pinched portion extending linearly in the pull-out direction and pinched between the surface of the frame and one of the lower surfaces and the guide peripheral surfaces of the first roller and the second roller, respectively.

Abstract: A drawer mechanism includes a plate-shaped frame, a first roller and a second roller disposed in a rotatable manner on a surface of the frame at a specific interval, and a rail movable between a first state where the rail is mounted on the surface of the frame and a second state where the rail is pulled out from the frame in a predetermined pull-out direction. Each roller includes a guide peripheral surface formed in an outer peripheral portion in a radial direction and a lower surface opposing the surface of the frame at a specific interval. The rail includes a first pinched portion and a second pinched portion extending linearly in the pull-out direction and pinched between the surface of the frame and one of the lower surfaces and the guide peripheral surfaces of the first roller and the second roller, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming unit for applying an image transferring process to a sheet-like recording material, a fixing unit for applying a heat fixing process to the recording material after the image transferring process by the image forming unit, a first conveyance path for conveying the recording material via the image forming unit and the fixing unit, a second conveyance path for returning the recording material after the fixing process by the fixing unit to an upstream side of the image forming unit from a side of the first conveyance path downstream of the fixing unit in the case of applying the image transferring process to both sides of the recording material, and a fan disposed between the first and second conveyance paths for taking air across the first conveyance path and exhausting air across the second conveyance path to form an air stream.