Abstract: A mold package for casting a wheel assembly includes a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber and a metal chill received in the support chamber. The mold package further includes at least one sand printed mold insert received in the cavity of the sand printed drag mold and a sand printed cope mold coupled to the sand printed drag mold such that a casting cavity for the wheel assembly is created by the exterior inner surfaces of the cope mold, the drag mold and the at least one insert.

Abstract: A mold package for casting a wheel assembly includes a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber and a metal chill received in the support chamber. The mold package further includes at least one sand printed mold insert received in the cavity of the sand printed drag mold and a sand printed cope mold coupled to the sand printed drag mold such that a casting cavity for the wheel assembly is created by the exterior inner surfaces of the cope mold, the drag mold and the at least one insert.

Abstract: A mold package for casting a wheel assembly includes a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber and a metal chill received in the support chamber. The mold package further includes at least one sand printed mold insert received in the cavity of the sand printed drag mold and a sand printed cope mold coupled to the sand printed drag mold such that a casting cavity for the wheel assembly is created by the exterior inner surfaces of the cope mold, the drag mold and the at least one insert.

Abstract: A mold assembly for a liquid metal cooled directional solidification furnace having a cooling chamber provided with liquid metal and a heating chamber includes a mold member having a main body portion that defines an interior mold cavity. The mold member is adapted to be positioned in the heating chamber. The mold assembly also includes a chill-plate formed from a material having a thermal diffusivity a 600° K greater than approximately 10 E-6 m2/s, inert to at least one of molten tin and molten aluminum and adapted to be at least partially immersed in the liquid metal. The chill-plate includes a main body portion having a first surface extending to a second surface through an intermediate portion. The chill-plate is adapted to establish a thermal gradient between the mold member and the heating chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is both a process and apparatus for forming a molded article. The molded article is formed in a vertically potted flaskless mold. The flaskless mold is closed having an opening in the top portion that receives a chill for directing the cooling of the molten metal introduced into the mold cavity. After the molten metal solidifies and before the mold is broken down, the chill is removed for reuse in the process.

Abstract: Method and device for casting cast iron including a metal chill mold (100) having outer walls (206, 208, 210) and inner walls (212, 213, 220). The inner walls are in contact with a mold (300). The device further includes pressurizing means (400) for applying a variable pressure on the outer walls (206, 208, 210) of the chill mold, in order to control changes in volume of molten material enclosed by the chill mold, and chill mold cooling means (500) for variable cooling of the inner walls (212, 213, 220) of said chill mold.

Abstract: Disclosed is both a process and apparatus for forming a molded article. The molded article is formed in a vertically potted flaskless mold. The flaskless mold is closed having an opening in the top portion that receives a chill for directing the cooling of the molten metal introduced into the mold cavity. After the molten metal solidifies and before the mold is broken down, the chill is removed for reuse in the process.

Abstract: A casting apparatus, comprising: a heating chamber having an open lower end defined by a periphery; a chill plate having a peripheral region for supporting one or more casting molds thereon and being in movable to move the molds from within the heating chamber to below the lower end of the heating chamber to withdraw the casting molds from the heating chamber; a cooling spool disposed at the periphery of the open lower end of the heating chamber and including a surface area for receiving heat energy radiated from at least one of the heating chamber and the casting molds; and a spool shield disposed at the cooling spool and movable to control an amount of the surface area of the cooling spool available for receiving the heat energy. In another embodiment there is an additional inner cooling spool movable inside the area surrounded by the casting molds for receiving radiant energy. A second spool shield at the inner spool controls its available surface area.

Abstract: A casting apparatus includes a substantially stationary heating chamber having an upper pouring opening and a substantially open lower end; an outer cooling spool disposed at a periphery of the open lower end of the heating chamber; a chill plate having an aperture therethrough and movable through the lower end of the heating chamber; a mold assembly receivable in the chamber and movable through the lower end of the chamber and including peripherally disposed mold cavities defining a substantially interior space accessible through the open lower end of the chamber, an inner cooling spool movable through the aperture of the chill plate and the open lower end of the mold assembly; a first actuator for vertically displacing the chill plate and mold assembly; and a second actuator for vertically displacing the inner cooling spool.

Abstract: Mold heating vacuum casting furnace system comprising a mold preheating chamber located above and connected to a vacuum casting chamber via an intermediate isolation valve. A mold elevator is provided in the casting chamber and can be moved into the mold preheating chamber to lower the mold onto an annular rotary chill member residing in the casting chamber. The elevator includes an upstanding elevator shaft that moves in the opening of the annular chill member in a manner that the preheated mold is deposited or set on the annular chill member as the elevator is lowered into the casting chamber. The chill member includes an upwardly diverging mold engaging surface onto which the preheated mold is set by the elevator as it is lowered.

Abstract: Chill plates are integrated into a cassette to save the time which has been required to rearrange chill plates scattered at the time of output of castings. Each chill plate 1 is formed, on four corners thereof, with cavities 4 and 7 each corresponding to a quarter of a member to be chilled and with a center hole 9 through which a fixed shaft 7 is inserted in the center thereof.

Abstract: A method of producing a chilled iron camshaft is described, wherein the iron has a white iron structure adjacent chill inserts in a casting mould and a grey iron structure in substantially all other regions remote from the chills. The method comprises the steps of assembling a sand casting mould having a camshaft shaped cavity and also having chill inserts adjacent the cavity regions where while iron is desired, preparing a molten metal charge of cast iron having a carbon equivalent lying in the range from 3.3 to 3.85 wt % and adding sufficient nucleant prior to pouring to fill the mould cavity to ensure that undercooling of residual liquid remaining after solidification of the white iron structure adjacent the chills remains above the iron-cementite eutectic temperature prior to solidfication into grey iron.

Abstract: A mold within which molten metal is sand cast, is provided with strategically located chill plates which shape and rapidly cool the molten metal at predetermined locations for hardening those locations relative to the hardness of the remainder of the casting. The mold is formed of a cope and drag frame type flask within which sand is compacted to form the sand cavity. Plates are arranged transversely of the casting cavity and are secured to portions of the flask frame for dissipating heat through the plates and out through the frame. The plates are fixed to portions of the flask and are arranged in opposing pairs which are aligned, coplanar, in abutting relationship. Each plate of each pair is provided with a notch, aligned with its opposite plate, for encircling the portion of the casting to be chill hardened. The pattern used for forming the cavity extends through the aligned notches and between the plates to form the composite sand and metal plate casting surface in the cavity.

Abstract: A long thin metal article having a thick portion is cast with a stress free interconnection between the thick and thin portions of the article. A heat transfer wall is provided around at least a portion of a mold in which the article is cast. To preheat the mold, heat is radiated from an inner side surface of a furnace wall to an outer side surface of the heat transfer wall. Heat is radiated from an inner side surface of the wall to the mold. Molten metal is conducted into the long thin portion of the article mold at a location other than along the length of the long thin portion of the article mold. During solidification of the molten metal, heat is radiated from the thick portion of the article mold to the inner side surface of the heat transfer wall. As the mold structure is withdrawn from the furnace chamber during solidification of the molten metal in the article mold cavity, heat is radiated from the outer side surface of the heat transfer wall to locations outside of the furnace.

Abstract: Molten metal is differential pressure, countergravity cast into a casting mold having a heat conductive chill meter disposed in the ingate to the mold cavity. The chill member accelerates solidification of a plug of the metal in the ingate in the vicinity of the chill member after the mold cavity is filled with molten metal. The plug prevents run-out of molten metal from the mold cavity when the ingate and an underlying molten metal source are disengaged after casting. Accelerated solidification of the plug in the ingate permits early disengagement of the ingate and the molten metal source to shorten casting cycle time.

Abstract: Molten metal is poured in an open top basin that communicates via a sprue with a cavity or expendable pattern in a mold to fill the cavity and partially fill the basin. After the casting metal has solidified through the gating that connects the sprue to the cavity, a tapered heat transfer member is introduced into the molten metal in the basin. A cooling medium is passed through the heat transfer member to extract heat from the metal in the basin and correspondingly cool the metal casting, thereby decreasing the cooling period prior to shakeout.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling radial solidification in cast turbine wheel or nozzle assembly so as to produce an equiaxed fine grain structure in a hub portion and a directionally solidified grain structure in an integral blade portion by means of adjustable heat shields and heating elements disposed above and below the mold.

Abstract: A selector for use in allowing only one crystal from a directionally-solidified initiating mould cavity to grow into a main casting cavity is described. The selector comprises a ceramic member with a curvilinear groove formed in its surface. The selector is positioned in a two part ceramic shell mould which cooperates with the groove in the selector to form a curvilinear passage which selects the single crystal required.