Abstract: The invention relates to mechanical arm material distribution equipment capable of realizing consistence between a whole-body texture and surface decoration patterns of a ceramic tile and a control method thereof. The mechanical arm material distribution equipment consists of a block-shaped pattern material distribution mechanism assembly, a texture pattern material distribution mechanism assembly, and a press which are arranged in order. The control method comprises the following steps: (1) supplying power to start the mechanical arm material distribution equipment; (2) detecting whether a material level signal exists; (3) if YES, stopping operating stepless variable speed motors; (4) if NOT, operating the stepless variable speed motors; (5) detecting again whether a material level signal exists; (6) if YES, stopping operating the stepless variable speed motors; (7) if NOT, operating the stepless variable speed motors; and (8) repeating steps (2)-(7) until the equipment stops.

Abstract: A modular spruing system apparatus contains a base section, a main sprue cone, a center rod, a plurality of trunk sections, a plurality of arm sections, and an end cap. The main sprue cone is mounted onto the base section. The center rod centrally traverses through the base section and the main sprue cone so that the user can design a spruing tree of desired height. A center rod receiving hole of each of the plurality of trunk sections allows the center rod to traverse through the plurality of trunk sections when removably attached to each other. Next, the plurality of arm sections is attached to the plurality of branch sections. The plurality of arm sections can be fixed or removably attached to the plurality of branch sections. When the desired height is reached, the plurality of trunk sections is fastened together with the end cap.

Abstract: A sprue for use in investment casting may comprise a pin and a shell enclosing a part of the pin. A method for creating a sprue may comprise partially enclosing a pin in a shell.

Abstract: A method of making a barbed suture by varying the blade geometry and/or the movement of the blade when cutting a suture is disclosed. The method can also be accomplished with a cutting device to create a plurality of barbs on the exterior of surgical suture. The barbs produced using the method with the cutting device can be the same or random configurations.

Abstract: A casting includes a wall thickness check feature for measuring thickness of a wall second aside an in-wall cooling passageway. The thickness is determined by observing the existence and/or size of an opening formed by the feature. The casting is cast from a pattern including portions forming the feature. To manufacture the pattern, a pattern-forming die is assembled with a ceramic feedcore and a refractory metal core (RMC). The assembling leaves an inlet portion of the RMC engaged to the ceramic feedcore and leaves an outlet portion of the RMC engaged to the die. A pattern-forming material is molded in the die at least partially over the ceramic feedcore and RMC. The die is disengaged from the pattern-forming material. The assembling engages a stepped projection of the RMC with a mating surface of the die.

Abstract: A method for designating a representative color which is expressed based on a reliability that a representative color of an image region expresses an image region is disclosed. This method includes a step for expressing a reliability of the representative color value as a color information of the image region together with a representative color value which represents the image region in a method using a color value as an information with respect to an image region, for thereby expressing a color information of an image region using a reliability and a color segmentation method of an image region.

Abstract: An apparatus for shelling an investment casting pattern has a tank containing a coating material. There are means for holding the pattern immersed in the coating material. There may be means for vibrating the pattern during immersion of the pattern and a vacuum source coupled to the tank to withdraw air from at least one headspace of the tank.

Abstract: A rotary drive system is provided that can rotate any object or a die holding assembly up to 270 degrees of rotation that uses both air and oil along with a oil/air pressure transferring device to smooth out each rotary cycle. The rotary drive system also utilizes a combination of air and oil in combination with a flow control device and an oil recovery reservoir to provide an impact cushion at the end of each rotational cycle.

Abstract: A machine for forming and fitting core support pins into wax (70) surrounding a core (68) prior to covering the wax (70) with a frit (76), includes one or more punch devices (30), (82) within its structure, so as to enable the forming of one or more indentations in each pin, intermediate its ends, thereby providing a designed weakness in the pin to cause it to more reliably follow slight relative movement which occurs between the pins and the part being cast, thus reducing stresses in the surface of the part.

Abstract: A mold sand feeding tank 4 is provided for feeding mold sand S into a hollow core molding portion 2 defined by a pair of molds 1a and 1b mating with each other. A switching valve 7 is disposed within the mold sand feeding tank 4 and has a mold sand feeding opening 5, through which the mold sand S is fed into the mold sand feeding tank 4 from the outside, and a mold sand discharging opening 6, through which non-hardened mold sand Sb within the hollow core molding portion 2 is directly and externally discharged.

Abstract: A paper receptacle is disclosed designed to improve the investment casting process in vacuum machines. The paper acts as both a vacuum liner and splash guard. It is fabricated as a perforated paper sheet having hooks, which is inserted in a cylindrical manner into casting flasks in order to provide a liner for congealing islands of solid investment plaster onto the surface of the casting flask resulting from the plaster slurry entering the holes; and a splash guard for investment slurry. After burnout, the liner facilitates the production of high-density metal porosity free castings at lower temperatures and in less time and with easy break away of investment plaster from the flask. The splash guard feature eliminates congealed slurry cleanup and prevents vacuum slurry boilover. The space saving resulting from this prevention enables more wax modules to be inserted into flasks increasing production.

Abstract: A pattern plate carrier releasably mounts a pattern plate. The pattern plate carrier is rotatable to an inverted position, and a pattern plate changing device is provided for removing a pattern plate from the inverted carrier and replacing the removed pattern plate with a pre-heated substituting pattern plate.

Abstract: A shell mold includes a plurality of sleeve forming portions. Of the sleeve forming portions, at least an endmost sleeve forming portion located adjacent to a subrunner portion has a modified shape for compensating for deformation of cast sleeves caused by solidification and contraction of molten metal. A shell molding apparatus includes an upper die and a lower die which constitute a die set for molding a shell mold. The lower die is composed of shell molding inserts, each having the shape of a halved cylinder, spiny insert receiving recesses formed in the shell molding inserts, and spiny inserts retractably provided in the spiny insert receiving recesses. In a casting method using a shell mold, many protrusions of a spiny insert are reversely copied to the inner surface of a halved shell mold at the undercut portion of the inner surface, thereby forming many depressions at the undercut portion. The halved shell mold is parted from the lower die.

Abstract: A shell molding apparatus includes a lower die and an upper die. The lower die includes a plurality of shell molding inserts, each having the shape of a halved cylinder, spiny insert receiving recesses which are formed in undercut portions formed by curved surfaces of adjacent shell molding inserts, and spiny inserts retractably provided in the spiny insert receiving recesses, each spiny insert having a curved surface of the same curvature as the curved surface of the shell molding insert and provided with many protrusions on the curved surface. The upper die has a plurality of continuously formed recesses corresponding to the plurality of shell molding inserts of the lower die.

Abstract: Ski tow assembly for being secured to the transom of a boat. The ski tow fixture has an elongated vertically aligned body. Legs at the opposed ends of the fixture body secure the fixture to the transom. The body is further formed so as to define an elongated generally elliptically shaped opening through which a tow line is inserted. The tow line is coupled over a finger that extends diagonally upwards toward the transom from a small tap attached to a lower part of the fixture and that projects inwardly toward the transom. The assembly includes opposed rails that are mounted to the transom that are coupled to the opposed ends of the fixture by ears that extend outward from the ends of the fixture.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for manufacturing cast parts by means of a lost wax process which is fully automated and unmanned. The wax tree coating processes, ranging from after a wax tree manufacturing step to immediately before a dewaxing step comprises a handling device for handling wax trees, a pair of slurry fluid dipping baths disposed with the handling device in between, a pair of sanding fluidized bed tanks disposed with the handling device in between, and a pair of conveyors for suspending and transferring the wax trees for not less than given drying time, wherein the handling device chucks the wax tree suspended and transferred by the conveyor at a given transfer position by means of a clamp unit of the handling device, moves the wax tree to the slurry fluid dipping bath and then to the sanding fluidized bed tank to coat the wax tree with a slurry fluid and sand, and returns the coated wax tree to the hanger conveyor again, with the sequence of operations automatically controlled by a controller.

Abstract: Making a tire mold by spraying molten atomized metal on a model to form a metal shell and then reinforcing the shell with a resin backing to form a mold segment for the tire mold. Modular shoe container assemblies have replaceable backing members for making different size molds and flat plate spacers for providing different thicknesses of the mold segment. In one embodiment a slide block is used for one side of the cavity whereby a sole plate is eliminated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the dumping of shells, having a dumping station and pattern carriers in which the dumping station is combined with several pattern carriers transported in a circle and their pattern device. By means of this device, it is possible to carry out the dumping of shells without non-productive times, that is, without taking into account the hardening times of the shells and without stoppage of the machine, which results in a considerable saving in time.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making hollow shell cores wherein a core box assembly is provided including a vented pattern. Baffles are provided in the core box in the space between the pattern and the core box walls whereby a catalyst gas flowing into the core box through an entry port will be caused to enter the pattern and to flow along the outer layer of a sand and binder change in the pattern. The gas will then be caused to flow out of the pattern into a trapped gas vent and out of an outlet port of the core box. The continuous flow of catalyst gas through only the outside layer of the sand and binder charge in the pattern will only cause the outer layer of the charge to be cured and to form a hardened shell. After formation of the shell, the uncured sand and binder mixture in the shell will be discharged and reused. The shell is then transferred from the core box assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing one or more hollow sand cores suitable for casting moulds using a bipartite core box defining a mould cavity into which sand and a catalyst or a curing agent are introduced. The method includes the steps of establishing a pressure gradient which decreases from the interior to the exterior of a non-heated core box of porous material; introducing sand and a catalyst or a curing agent into the mould cavity defined by the non-heated core box; and directing the introduced sand and catalyst or curing agent against the interior surface of the non-heated core box, which step of directing, at least in part, is obtained by the pressure gradient established between the interior and exterior of the non-heated core box. The apparatus provides structure for accomplishing the above described method.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing ceramic shell molds characterized in that a plurality of pattern set-ups are arranged with their longitudinal axes transverse to an axis of rotation and are rotated as a group while applying fluent refractory material to produce either a multiple number of molds or a single mold. A ceramic shell mold characterized by a main sprue passage, a plurality of transverse sprue passages extending therefrom, and casting cavities gated into the transverse passages.

Abstract: An assembly and method of operation of forming hollow foundry products such as shell molds from a granular material utilizing a substantially automated structure including a mold box assembly having at least two box sections pivotally mounted and supported on a frame wherein each box section has a gas permeable pattern with a preconfigured working surface mounted therein. Each box section is oriented to pivot about a vertically oriented separating plane into and out of sealing engagement with one another so as to expose the interior of the mold box assembly to a catalyst gas, under pressure and in direct communication through the pattern sections with the binder coated sand or granular material in a manner which will cause formation of a core or mold of a predetermined thickness which, during its formation, is disposed directly contiguous the working surface of the pattern section.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for heatless production of hollow items, such as foundry shell cores, from the mixture of granular mineral and synthetic binder, as provided by the principal process described in the patent application Ser. No. 22,170, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,726 issued Nov. 11, 1980.Two permeable-to-gas patterns form an inner cavity of desirable configuration and are enclosed by non-permeable halves of the pattern box, forming an outer cavity or flow space. The pattern box is mounted on two plates of the rotatable cage assembly, selectively positionable in at least three positions: charge, discharge, and transfer. Above the pattern box are pivotally mounted material supply means, sealing means, and a trimmer. Below the pattern box is a receiver of an air-less conveyor for recirculation of the discharged unhardened material. The pattern box is connected to two manifolds: one for consecutive supply of catalyst gas and the compressed air, another for exhaust and venting.

Abstract: Investment casting mold forming apparatus including a vertically extending housing (10) having a top (22), a bottom (28) and an access opening (20) intermediate the top and the bottom, a diffuser (26) within the housing below the opening and above the bottom, a pressure fluid inlet (32) in the housing between the bottom and the diffuser for providing fluid so that a fluidized bed and particulate material may be generated above the diffuser, and a distributor (50,52,60) introducing particulate material into the housing at its top and above a fluidized bed therein such that the particulate material so introduced may descend, by gravity, within the housing towards the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process for cold forming of a shell core foundry product comprising the introduction of a first supply of binder coated granular material, hardening this first supply into the shape of separated and movably disposed core portions and subsequently introducing a second supply of binder coated granular material into spaced apart sections of the core portions and subsequently hardening this second supply in a manner which will cause fusion between the already formed core portions and the newly introduced supply of granular material in a manner which will join the previously formed core portion and thereby define an integral one piece shell core with a substantially continuous outer surface eliminating the existence of an investment hole in the formed shell core.

Abstract: A process for producing hollow items, for instance foundry cores by reacting a catalyst gas with binder coated on mineral granular material includes providing a core box having a pattern formed of microporous material and investing binder-coated granular material into a volume defined by the pattern. The core box is then sealed so that the volume encloses a gas, for instance air at atmospheric pressure, within the granular material. A catalyst gas is applied at a predetermined pressure through the pattern so that the catalyst gas exerts a uniform pressure from the interior surface of the pattern against the enclosed air volume. The catalyst gas will penetrate a distance through the granular material for curing same determined by an equilibrium condition being reached between the applied catalyst gas pressure and air pressure which results from contraction of the volume.

Abstract: Investment casting molds embodying a material comprising Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 flour with an average particle size less than 100 microns and silica binders exhibit superior physical properties at elevated temperatures up to about 1800.degree. C. The superior physical properties, including an excellent resistance to sag at about 1800.degree. C., are attributed to the formation of a metastable mullite phase. When the average particle size of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is less than the order of 10 microns, resistance to sag is present up to about 1900.degree. C.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed for producing rigid sand cores from a molding mixture of a refractory granular material such as sand and a hardenable binder. These rigid sand cores then are used in foundries for metal casting. The machine of the present invention is capable of producing several different types of rigid sand cores including hollow shell sand cores, hot box cores and cold box cores. The machine includes means for curing the molding mixture used to produce shell sand cores and hot box cores by applying heat to the molding mixture after it is placed in a core or molding box. Other means are provided in the machine for curing cold box cores by applying a gas catalyst to the molding mixture after it is placed in the core box. The machine of the present invention is automatically controlled by a circuit arrangement which can be programmed by the machine operator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming foundry cores and molds of superior hardness and uniformity in a wide range of sizes includes staging hoppers for storing a first mass of sand coated with a catalyst-polymerizable resin film, and a second mass of sand coated with a catalyst film for polymerizing the resin. In forming the cores or molds these masses are evenly dispersed into a high velocity carrier air-sand stream and directed through a static mixer, wherein the resin and catalyst-coated sand particles are intermingled and at least a partial integration of the films takes place, into a shaping mold cavity, wherein the sand mixture hardens into a desired shape. Control circuitry is provided to independently control the dispersal of the catalyst and resin sand masses to enable the system to be fine tuned to produce cores of improved quality and uniformity.