Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a clamp lock to secure a clamp around a pressure vessel, such as a split tank pool filter. The clamp lock includes a drive rack with at least one notch, and a housing with a rotatable drive gear, a locking pawl, and a receiving hole. The rotatable drive gear is capable of laterally moving the drive rack through the receiving hole, and the locking pawl is capable of engaging the at least one notch when the drive rack has been inserted a distance into the receiving hole. The distance correlates to a diameter of the clamp sufficient to secure the clamp around the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A foundry flask includes at least three discrete corner sections and at least three discrete side sections wherein the yield strength of the corner sections is greater than the yield strength of the side sections. Each one of the corner sections is connected to a pair of the side sections so as to form a foundry flask section that has at least three sides. The foundry flask further includes a bottom member that is connected to the foundry flask section.

Abstract: Flask-bound molds include two molding-flask halves, which have means (15) for the transport thereof on automatic mold systems. The molding flask receives a bound sand mold (8), which has cores (13), a pouring funnel (6) and a feeder passage (9). In order to be able to cast complicated castings also out of aluminum in such molds and to avoid the expensive finish work for the feeder and pouring funnel and in order to guarantee at the same time good core ventilation, the molding flask (4) has in the area of its parting plane a recess extending over at least a portion of the length and width of one side of the molding flask, whereby the pouring funnel (6) and the feeder (9) end in the area of the recess and the feeder is constructed within the sand mold (8) of the mold (1).

Abstract: The drag flask has at least two opposed sides which include recesses proximate the matchplate. Manifolds are provided in the recesses to communicate compressed air from a source of compressed air to air inlets provided in the manifold. The manifolds are separated from the recesses using an elastomeric seal which is contoured to direct the compressed air between an air passage disposed between the drag mold and the matchplate. When incorporated into a sand mold forming machine, sensors are positioned on the sand mold forming machine to detect when the drag flask has reached a releasing position to thereby cause the source of compressed air to inject air into the manifold and air passage for release of the drag mold from the drag flask.

Abstract: A relatively hard sand cake, containing a metal casting cavity, is formed in a flask comprising cope and drag frame sections by filling and compacting sand in the drag against the drag half of a cavity-forming pattern, then arranging the drag with the cavity opening upwards, applying the cope upon the drag and filling and compacting sand in the cope against the cope half of the cavity-forming pattern. The sand-filled cope is lifted from the drag for removal of the pattern and is re-applied to form the casting cavity in the sand cake. Next, selected wall corner joints of both the cope and the drag frames are separated and opened to laterally expand the walls of the frames away from the sand cake surfaces. This releases the sand cake from the cope and drag so that it may be removed from the flask for later casting molten metal in its casting cavity. At least two of the corners of each of the cope and drag frames include a separate corner piece against which the adjacent ends of the frame walls are abutted.

Abstract: Means are provided for joining a pair of foundry flasks which includes in combination one half of a V-shaped dove tail flange along each adjacent edge to be joined so as to form a V-shaped dove tail clamp and generally C-shaped clamp member having a jaw at each end adapted to slidably engage the dove tail flange and having a central depending tongue between the jaws adapted to bear on the two adjacent flanges at this juncture.