Title of Invention	A DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR CASTING METAL MELT TO FORM A CAST PART IN A CASTING MOULD
Abstract	The present invention relates to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a mould cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into the mould cavity (5) and also to a device and a process for casting metal melts of this type. The casting mould according to the invention provides further optimised casting results even under hard practical operating conditions. In addition, the use or application of the device according to the invention and the process minimises the risk of jamming during casting. This is achieved in that the casting mould has at least one compensation chamber (8, 9) which is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8a, 9a) which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the casting mould (1) during solidification of the metal melt (S).

Title of Invention

A DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR CASTING METAL MELT TO FORM A CAST PART IN A CASTING MOULD

Abstract

The present invention relates to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a mould cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into the mould cavity (5) and also to a device and a process for casting metal melts of this type. The casting mould according to the invention provides further optimised casting results even under hard practical operating conditions. In addition, the use or application of the device according to the invention and the process minimises the risk of jamming during casting. This is achieved in that the casting mould has at least one compensation chamber (8, 9) which is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8a, 9a) which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the casting mould (1) during solidification of the metal melt (S).

Full Text	2. Casting mould, device and process for casting metal melt The present invention relates to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt which is, for example, a light metal melt, especially an aluminium melt.In addition, the invention relates to a device and a process for casting metal melts of this type to form a cast part using a casting mould of this type. One possibility for producing cast parts using casting moulds of the above-mentioned type is what is known as 'contact casting' ' . In this casting process, the casting moulds, each of which is to be filled with melt, are gradually moved below a melt container containing the metal melt. Formed in the base of the melt container is an outlet which merges with a supply channcl , to the free end of which the inlet in each casting mould is docked. The outflow of melt out of the melt container is in this case conventionally regulated via a stopper which can be moved from a completely lowered position, in which it seals the outlet, into a raised position, in which the outlet is released and melt is able to flow into the casting mould via the supply channel. Another casting process which has enjoyed practical success is what is known as '1ow-pressure casting'. In this process, the melt is conveyed counter to gravity from a melt container docked to the bottom of the casting mould into the mould cavity in the casting mould via an inlet arranged on the bottom of the casting mould. For this purpose, there is a pressure applied to the melt contained in the melt container, which forces the melt to flow into the mould cavity in the casting mould via a riser pipe which acts in this case as the supply channel. 3 Regardless of the manner in which the mould is filled, there is the problem that what is known as 'jamming' occurs once the mould has been completely filled. This jamming is manifested in a sudden rise in static pressure acting on the walls of the casting mould. It is a result of the kinetic energy with which the melt flows into the casting mould suddenly being converted, once the mould has been completely filled, into static energy and, at the same time, the amount of melt which has accumulated in each supply channel exerts a pressure on the melt which is already present in the casting mould. This pressure surge not only presses the melt into the gaps which are inevitably present between the individual moulded parts of the casting mould; the casting mould walls surrounding the mould cavity are also penetrated to a greater extent. This has proven especially problematic in the case of casting moulds which are made of a porous moulding material and are destroyed for demoulding the cast part once the melt has solidified. In the case of 'expendable' casting moulds of this type, in particular, jamming causes the cast parts obtained to have a rough surface and necessitates increased effort for releasing the cast parts, once they have solidified, from the moulding material of the casting mould. To minimise the extent to which the metal melt penetrates a casting mould made of sandy moulding material, the filling level in the mould cavity in the casting mould is, in the case of a device known from DE 196 23 720 A1 for contact casting, monitored while the melt is being poured out and, on reaching a provided filling height, the filling process is terminated prematurely to the extent that the superfluous amount of melt which still burdens the melt once the mould has been completely filled is minimised and the risk of jamming is thus reduced. For this purpose, the casting moulds used in the known device have in their lid an inspection opening which 4 leads rectilinearly into the mould cavity and through which a laser beam is directed onto the surface of the melt introduced into the casting mould. The beam reflected by the melt is intercepted by a sensor which forwards its measurement signal to a control and evaluation means which, based on the laser beam transmitted and received, determines the respective filling level of the casting mould and, on reaching a critical filling height, issues a control signal to seal the outlet in the melt container. The critical filling height is in this case adjusted in such a way as to avoid any undesirable jamming even if any melt; continues to flow in the supply channel. In practice, it has been found that, under the rough conditions provided in practical casting operation, monitoring the height of the filling level and prematurely terminating the flow of melt on the model of the procedure described in DE 196 23 720 A1 still do not rule out the undesirable penetration of the inner walls of the casting mould with the requisite degree of certainty. The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a casting mould in which further optimised casting results are ensured even under hard practical operating conditions. In addition, there are to be disclosed a device and a process, the use or application of which minimises the risk of jamming during casting. With regard to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part by casting a metal melt, which mould has a mould cavity for reproducing a cast part and an inlet for pouring metal melt into the mould cavity, this object has, in accordance with the invention, been achieved in that a casting mould of this type was provided with at least one compensation cavity which is 5 linked to the mould cavity via a channel and comprises at least one portion which is arranged above the maximum filling level, of: the casting mould during solidification of the metal melt. With regard to a device for casting metal melt to form a cast part in a casting mould configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims and is equipped with a melt container, comprising an outlet, for the metal melt, with a supply channel connected to the outlet, with a means for docking the casting mould to the melt container in such a way that the inlet in the casting mould is connected to the supply channel when docked, with a measuring means for detecting the amount of melt introduced into the casting mould, with a regulating means for regulating the flow of melt from the melt container into the casting mould and with a control and evaluation means which evaluates the amount of melt detected by the measuring means and issues a control signal for sealing the outlet in the container once a specific filling level in the casting mould has been reached, the above-mentioned object has, in accordance with the invention, been achieved in that the control and evaluation means issues the control signal once the amount of melt poured into the casting mould has reached a limit value at which the amount of metal melt which is then still present in the supply channel is sufficient to fill the mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity. With regard to a process for casting metal melt to form a cast part in a casting mould, wherein the metal melt is guided in a regulated manner from a container into the casting mould via a supply channel and the inflow of metal melt into the supply channel is interrupted once a specific amount of metal melt has been introduced into the mould cavity, the above-mentioned 6 object was finally achieved by the invention in that use is made of a casting mould configured in accordance with the invention and the inflow of melt into the supply channel is interrupted once the metal melt in the mould cavity has reached a filling level at which the amount of metal melt which is still present in the supply channel is sufficient to fill the mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity. To avoid as far as possible penetration of a casting mould as a result of jamming, the invention proposes the formation in the casting mould of a compensation cavity which is designed to absorb, as a buffer, the amount of excess melt which is no longer required for complete filling of the casting mould and, as a result of this process, inevitably remains, oven after the melt container has been sealed, in the supply channel via which the melt flows into the casting mould. The racta 1 "I ostatic pressure, which would otherwise prevail, of the amount of melt present in the supply channel is thus prevented from acting on the melt present in the casting mould. At the same time, in the event of pressure peaks in the casting mould, the compensation cavity acts as a damper by which, for example, jamming, which is especially critical in the prior art with regard to the surface quality and subsequent processability of the cast part obtained, is effectively buffered. The melt infiltrating the mould cavity in the casting mould is able to escape into the compensation cavi ty, thus preventing, in particular, the sudden r i se in pressure which occurs in conventional casting moulds, once the mould has been completely filled, as a result of the conversion of the kinetic energy, inherent to the melt during filling, into static energy. 7 In terms of the process and device, the embodiment according to the invention of a casting mould allows the inflow of melt into the supply channel to be interrupted as soon as the casting mould is filled, the tolerance range within which this interruption is carried out being widened by the buffering effect of the compensation cavity. It is thus ensured, even under crude practical operating conditions, that the flow of melt is in each case terminated in good time in such a way as reliably to rule out, with incorporation of the effect of the compensation cavity, the production of pressure peaks in the casting mould. The linking of the compensation cavity via a channel firstly serves, in this case, the purpose of allowing the casting compound remaining in the region of the compensation cavity to be easily separated from the cast part after solidification. The channel is therefore preferably formed in such a way that the webs remaining in the region of the channels after solidification are thin and easily separable. The surface area of the passage of the melt to the chambers is in this case preferably selected so as to be as large as possible in that the linking of the channel is as broad as possible at a given low linking height. A particular advantage of the embodiment according to the invention of a casting mould is that the compensation chamber is formed in the casting mould itself, so the casting mould as a whole remains closed. This allows the casting mould easily to be turned in order, for example, to cause purposefully, oriented solidification of the cast part. The amount of melt which remains unused in the compensation chambers is negligible compared to the overall volume of melt required for the cast part. A suitably sophisticated 8 configuration of each connecting channel between the mould cavity and compensation chamber allows the casting material which collects in the chamber easily to be broken off from the finished cast part. It has been found to be especially beneficial for the practical application of the invention that casting moulds configured in accordance with the invention may easily be inserted into existing casting devices and that these existing casting devices may easily be retrofitted to devices according to the invention or be operated in the manner according to the invention. The cast parts obtained using the invention have a much smoother surface than those manufactured in the known manner. Especially in the field of sophisticated moulded elements of the cast part, such as, for example, the oil channels of engine units, the levels of surface roughness are much lower, as is accordingly the flow resistance as liquids flow through. The cast parts obtained in accordance with the invention are especially simple to clean, as little moulding material clings to them after demoulding. The effort required for cleaning the finished cast part is therefore greatly reduced. Finally, the reduced penetration of pressure of the inner surfaces by the melt lowers the requirements placed on the quality of the moulding material used for manufacturing the casting mould. More economical coarse-grain moulding materials may thus be used without detracting from the surface quality. The invention therefore provides a casting mould, a casting device and a casting process which provide, even under hard practical operating conditions, casting results which not only ensure optimised surfaces but also allow simplified removal from the casting mould once the cast part has solidified. 9 The options for use of casting moulds according to the invention may be extended in that the cross section of the channel is delimited in such a way as to be sealed, as soon as the mould has been filled with metal melt which has already solidified. This can be achieved in that the cross-sectional course of the channel is adapted to the heat dissipatod via the casting mould in the region of the channel in such a way that the solidification of the melt contained in the channel is completed very rapidly. It is thus very easy to prevent cast metal from flowing out of the compensation chamber into the mould cavity and back once the mould has been filled. This has been found to be especially beneficial for casting processes of the type in which the casting mould, once filled with melt, is rotated about a longitudinal or transverse axis to bring about purposefully oriented solidification of the cast part. In principle, the advantages of the invention may be utilised in all casting moulds and casting processes, regardless of the material from which the casting mould is made. However, the good demouldability makes the invention especially suitable for expendable casting moulds which are usually made of a moulding sand and a moulding material comprising a binder. An especially uniform effect of the configuration according to the invention of a casting mould may be achieved in that there are provided a plurality of compensation chambers which are connected to mould cavity regions which are, in each case, critical with regard to the effect of pressure peaks. However, it is also conceivable to provide a larger chamber which is connected to the mould cavity via a suitably configured connecting channel or via a plurality of channels leading into the eritica1 regions . 10 The casting mould may, in principle, be provided for all known casting processes. Examples include contact casting or else rising casting. The casting mould according to the invention may be provided for the manufacture of cast parts for the automotive industry, especially of engine components such as, for example, cylinder blocks. A constructionally simple embodiment of a casting mould according to the invention is obtained if the compensation chamber is linked to a portion of the mould cavity that is located on top while the metal melt is being poured in. In the case of casting moulds composed of a plurality of moulded parts, the compensation chamber may for this purpose be incorporated, for example, into the casting mould lid which is arranged on top during filling. The amount of melt guided into the casting mould can, in principle, be detected by a weight measurement or other known processes. The amount of melt may in this case be detected, in a particularly reliable manner adapted to the actual conditions, in that the measuring means monitors the filling level in the casting mould and the evaluation means issues the control signal once the metal melt in the mould cavity has reached a filling height at which the volume of metal melt which is still present in the supply channel is sufficient to fill the mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity. In order, for this purpose, to be able to utilise the possibility, known from DE 196 23 720 A1, of an especially precise and practical measurement of the filling level of a casting mould, the casting mould is advantageously provided with an inspection opening leading to the mould cavity for inspecting the filling level of the metal melt in the mould cavity. The compensation chamber and the inspection opening are in this case preferably oriented in such a way 11 that the inspection opening to the mould cavity and the compensation cavity intersect a common horizontal plane. The filling level of the chambers may thus be gauged, in each case, via the inspection opening. If the casting mould has an inspection opening of the type described hereinbefore, the measuring means of the device according to the invention may comprise, in a manner known from DE 196 23 720 A1, a laser, which directs a laser beam through the inspection opening onto the surface of the melt introduced into the casting mould, and a sensor which detects the laser beam reflected by the surface of the melt. The risk of the occurrence of a pressure surge may be further reduced in that the filling speed is reduced toward the end of the mould-filling process by reducing the flow through the outlet in the melt container. For this purpose, in the case of a device according to the invention, the regulating means may, in a manner known per se, comprise a stopper for sealing the outlet in the container and an adjustment means for raising the stopper out of and lowering it into its sealed position, the adjustment movement of the stopper preferably being regulated by the regulating means stopper, especially when the approaches the outlet. The invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to drawings which illustrate an embodiment and in which: Fig. 1 i s a schematic cross section of a casting mould for casting a cast part of an internal-combustion engine Fig. 2 is a schematic cross section of a device for casting an A1/Si melt in a first operating position; and 12 Fig. 3 shows the device) according to Fig. 2 in a second operati.ng position. The casting mould 1 is composed, as a core packet, from a plurality of lateral moulded parts 2, 3, a base part and a lid moulded part 4 which is arranged at the top, in the casting mould filling position shown in the figures, and covers the top of the mould cavity 5 surrounded by the moulded parts 2, 3, 4. The moulded parts 2, 3, 4 are made from a moulding material mixed from a moulding sand and a binder and are destroyed on demoulding of the cast part G formed in the mould cavity. The cast part G may, for example, be a cylinder block for an internal-combustion engine. Incorporated into the cover moulded part 4 of the casting mould 1 are an inlet 6, which runs toward the mould cavity 5 in the manner of a funnel and merges therewith, and a cylindrical inspection opening 7 which also leads rectilinearly from the top of the cover moulded part 4 into the mould cavity 5. The cover moulded part 4 comprises a peripheral edge portion 4a which is thicker toward the bottom of the cover moulded part 4 than the inner portion 4b, surrounded by the edge portion 4a, of the cover moulded part 4. The edge portion 4a of the cover moulded part 4 rests on the lateral parts 2, 3, whereas the bottom of its inner portion 4b defines the top of the cast part and thus the height at which the casting mould 1 is completely filled with melt. Incorporated into the edge portion 4a of the cover moulded part 4 are a large number of small-volume compensation chambers 8, 9 which are arranged in rows along the lateral 13 parts 2, 3. One row of compensation chambers 8 are in this case associated with one lateral part 2, whereas the other row of compensation chambers 9 are positioned above the other lateral part 3 of the casting mould 1. Within their rows, the compensation chambers 8 or 9 are set apart from one another in such a way that each compensation chamber 8, 9 is associated with a region which is especially critical with regard to the effect of pressure peaks. Alternatively, the compensation chambers 8, 9 may also be arranged in their rows at uniform intervals so as to ensure a distribution of their effect that is as uniform as possible over the length of the casting mould. The compensation chambers 8, 9 take up little space compared to the mould cavity 5. The total volume of all of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is thus approximately 2 % to 3 % of the volume of the mould cavity 5. The base 8a of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is arranged, in each case, below the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting mould 1 defined by the bottom of the inner portion 4b of the cover moulded part 4, whereas the roof 8b of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is positioned, in the direction of the top of the cover moulded part 4, in each case well above the bottom of the inner portion 4b. The upper portion 8c, 9c of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is thus located in each case above the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting mould 1. The portion 8d, arranged below the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting mould 1, of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is connected to the mould cavity 5 in the casting mould 1 in each case via a horizontally extending channel 10, 11 incorporated into the lid core 4. The opening, associated with the mould cavity 5, of the channels 10, 11 is in each case arranged on 14 the inside, facing the mould cavity 5, of the edge portion. The channels 10, 11 have a low height and width which is designed in such a way that the opening cross section of the channels 10, 11 is sufficiently large to allow melt to enter the compensation chambers 8, 9 unimpeded but at the same time sufficiently small for the volume of melt contained in the channels 8, 9 to solidify, as a result of the dissipation of heat into the volume of the cover moulded part 4 that surrounds the channels 10, 11, as soon as the mould cavity 5 has been filled. For casting of the cast part G, the casting mould 1 i s positioned by a conveying and lifting device 12 below the opening of a supply channel 13 in such a way that the inlet 6 in the casting mould 1 is docked tightly at the opening of the supply channel 13. In this position, the inspection opening 7 in the casting mould 1 is arranged below a laser 14 which directs its laser beam through the inspection opening 7 into the mould cavity 5 in the casting mould 1. The supply channel 13 is configured in a connector 15 which is configured on the bottom of a melt container 16 and connected to the outlet 17 in the melt container 16, which outlet may be sealed and opened using a stopper 18. For this purpose, the stopper 18 can be raised by an adjustment means 19 from a closed position, in which its thickened end seals the outlet 17, into an open position, in which it releases the outlet .17, thus allowing the A1/Si melt S contained in the melt container 16 to flow into the supply channel 13. In the same way, the stopper 18 may be lowered by the adjustment means 19 to seal the outlet 17. Both the raising process and the lowering process are carried out in this case in a regulated manner in that the adjustment means 19 is able to stop the stopper 18 in 15 any position in order to regulate the volume flow of melt S passing through the outlet 17. The adjustment means 19 receives the control signals for raising and lowering the stopper 18 from a regulating and control, means 20. The regulating and control means 20 is coupled to a measuring and evaluation means 21 with which there are associated, in turn, the laser 14 and a sensor 22 which detects the laser beam L reflected at the surface of the melt S passing into the mould cavity 5. During filling of the casting mould 1 with melt S (stopper 18 raised to the maximum degree), the measuring and evaluation means 21 continuously calculates, from the laser beam I issued by the laser 14 and detected by the sensor 22, the filling level F in the mould cavity 5 and delivers the corresponding measured results to the regulating and control means 20. If the filling level F reaches a filling height Fkritl, the regulating and control means 20 issues to the adjustment means 19 a first control signal in response to which the adjustment means lowers the stopper 18 into a position in which, although the outlet 17 in the melt container 12 is still open, the flow of melt S is nevertheless slowed down. The filling height Fkritl is sufficiently remote from the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting mould 1 that the filling of the casting mould is slowed down toward the end of the filling process. As soon as the filling level F has thus reached a second critical filling height Fkrit2, the regulating and control means 20 issues to the adjustment means 19 a second control signal in response to which the adjustment means presses the stopper 18 fully into the outlet 17, thus preventing any further melt S from entering the supply channel 13. The position of the filling height Fkrit2 is in this case designed in such a way 16 that the amount of melt Sz still present in the supply channel 13 is sufficient to fill with melt S the mould cavity 5 completely and the compensation cavities 8, 9 at most in their lower region 8b, 9b. Depending on the configuration of the casting mould 1, the filling height Fkrit2 may correspond to the maximum filling level Fmax Alternatively, the regulating and control moans may issue merely one control signal to the adjustment means 19, i.e. when the critical filling height is reached, so the stopper 18 is completely closed. If the times required for filling the mould are substantially constant, the stopper may be partially lowered in advance in a time-controlled manner, thus also slowing down the filling of the casting mould toward the end of the filling process. On account of its low volume, the amount of melt which passes into the channels 10, 11 when the casting mould 1 is filled with melt S solidifies almost immediately after the end of the filling process, thus sealing the connection between the compensation chambers 8, 9 and the mould cavity 5 in the casting mould 1. The casting mould 1 may then easily be forwarded for subsequent processing by being rotated, for example, through 180° about its longitudinal axis in order to allow the cast part G purposefully to solidify with solidification oriented counter to the direction of introducti on. 17 Reference numerals 1 Casting mould 2, 3 Lateral moulded parts 4 Cover moulded part 5 Mould cavity G Cast part 6 Inlet 7 Inspection opening 4a Edge portion of the cover moulded part 4 4b Inner portion of the cover core 4 8, 9 Compensation chambers 8a Base of the compensation chambers 8, 9 8b Roof of the compensation chambers 8, 9 8c, 9c Upper portions of the compensation chambers 8, 9 8d Lower portion of the compensation chambers 8, 9 10, 11 Channels 12 Conveying and lifting device 13 Supply channel 14 Laser 15 Connector 16 Melt container 17 Outlet in the melt container 16 18 Stopper 19 Adjustment means 20 Regulating and control means 21 Measuring and evaluation means 22 Sensor Fmax Maximum filling level of the casting mould 1 F Filling level in the casting mould 1 Fkrit1 First critical filling height Fkrit2 Second critical filling height L Laser beam S A1/Si melt 18 Sz Amount of melt still present in the supply channel 13 after the outlet 17 has been closed 19 Claims 1. Casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a mould cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into the mould cavity (5), characterised in that it has at least one compensation cavity (8, 9) which is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8c, 9c) which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the casting mould (1) during solidification of the metal melt (S). 2. Casting mould according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross section of the channel (10, 11) is delimited in such a way as to be sealed, immediately after completion of the mould filling process, with metal melt (S) which has already solidified. 3. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is made of a moulding sand and a moulding material comprising a binder. 4. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the compensation cavity (8, 9) is linked to a portion of the mould cavity (5) that is located on top while the metal melt (S) is being poured in. 5. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it has an inspection opening (7) to the mould cavity (5) for inspecting the filling level (F) of the metal melt (S) in the mould cavity (5). 6. Casting mould according to claim 5, characterised in that the inspection opening (7) to the mould cavity (5) and the compensation cavity (8, 9) intersect a common horizontal plane. 7. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is composed of a plurality of moulded parts (2, 3, 4). 8. Casting mould according to claim 7, characterised in that the compensation cavity (8, 9) is incorporated into a lid moulded part (4). 20 9. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that more than one compensation cavity (8, 9) is provided. 10. Device for casting metal melt (S) to form a cast part (G) in a casting mould (1) configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, - comprising a melt container (16), comprising an outlet (17), for the metal melt (S), - comprising a supply channel (13) connected to the outlet (17), - comprising a means (12) for docking the casting mould (1) to the melt container (16) in such a way that the inlet (6) in the casting mould (1) is connected to the supply channel (13) when docked, comprising a measuring means (21) for detecting the amount of melt introduced into the casting mould (1), - comprising a regulating means (20) for regulating the flow of melt from the melt container (16) into the casting mould (1) and - comprising a control means (20) which evaluates the amount of melt detected by the measuring means (21) and issues a control signal for sealing the outlet (17) in the melt container (16) once a specific filling level in the casting mould (1) has been reached, characterised in that the control means (20) is configured to issue a control signal once the amount of melt poured into the casting mould (1) has reached a limit value (Fkrit2) which the amount of metal melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould cavity (1) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9). 11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that the measuring means (21) monitors the filling level in the casting mould (1) and the control means (20) issues the control signal once the metal melt in the mould cavity (5) has reached a filling height (Fkrit2) at which the volume of metal melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9). 12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the casting mould (1) is configured in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 9 and the measuring means (21) comprises a laser (14), which directs a laser beam (L) through the inspection opening (7) onto the surface of the melt (S) introduced into the casting mould (1), and a sensor (22) which detects the laser beam (L) reflected by the surface of the melt (S). 21 13. Device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the regulating means (20) comprises a stopper (18) for sealing the outlet (17) in the melt container (16) and an adjustment means (19) for raising the stopper (19) out of and lowering it into its sealed position. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the regulating means (20) regulates the adjustment movement of the stopper (18). 15. Process for casting metal melt (S) to form a cast part (G) in a casting mould (1), wherein the metal melt is guided in a regulated manner from a melt container (16) into the casting mould (1) via a supply channel (13) and the inflow of metal melt (S) into the supply channel (13) is interrupted once a specific amount of metal melt has been introduced into the mould cavity (1), characterised in that the casting mould (1) used is a casting mould (1) configured in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9 and the inflow of melt (S) into the supply channel (13) is interrupted once the metal melt (S) in the mould cavity (5) has reached a filling level (Fkrit2) at which the amount of metal melt (Sz) which is still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9). 16. Process according to claim 15, characterised in that the filling level (F) in the casting mould (1) is monitored and the inflow of metal melt (S) into the supply channel (13) is interrupted once the filling level (F) has reached a height (Fkrit2) at which the volume of metal melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9). The present invention relates to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a mould cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into the mould cavity (5) and also to a device and a process for casting metal melts of this type. The casting mould according to the invention provides further optimised casting results even under hard practical operating conditions. In addition, the use or application of the device according to the invention and the process minimises the risk of jamming during casting. This is achieved in that the casting mould has at least one compensation chamber (8, 9) which is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8a, 9a) which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the casting mould (1) during solidification of the metal melt (S).

Full Text

2.
Casting mould, device and process for casting metal melt
The present invention relates to a casting mould for
manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt which is, for
example, a light metal melt, especially an aluminium melt.In
addition, the invention relates to a device and a process for
casting metal melts of this type to form a cast part using a
casting mould of this type.
One possibility for producing cast parts using casting moulds
of the above-mentioned type is what is known as 'contact
casting' ' . In this casting process, the casting moulds, each
of which is to be filled with melt, are gradually moved below
a melt container containing the metal melt. Formed in the base
of the melt container is an outlet which merges with a supply
channcl , to the free end of which the inlet in each casting
mould is docked. The outflow of melt out of the melt container
is in this case conventionally regulated via a stopper which
can be moved from a completely lowered position, in which it
seals the outlet, into a raised position, in which the outlet
is released and melt is able to flow into the casting mould
via the supply channel.
Another casting process which has enjoyed practical success is
what is known as '1ow-pressure casting'. In this process,
the melt is conveyed counter to gravity from a melt container
docked to the bottom of the casting mould into the mould
cavity in the casting mould via an inlet arranged on the
bottom of the casting mould. For this purpose, there is a
pressure applied to the melt contained in the melt container,
which forces the melt to flow into the mould cavity in the
casting mould via a riser pipe which acts in this case as the
supply channel.

3
Regardless of the manner in which the mould is filled, there
is the problem that what is known as 'jamming' occurs once
the mould has been completely filled. This jamming is
manifested in a sudden rise in static pressure acting on the
walls of the casting mould. It is a result of the kinetic
energy with which the melt flows into the casting mould
suddenly being converted, once the mould has been completely
filled, into static energy and, at the same time, the amount
of melt which has accumulated in each supply channel exerts a
pressure on the melt which is already present in the casting
mould. This pressure surge not only presses the melt into the
gaps which are inevitably present between the individual
moulded parts of the casting mould; the casting mould walls
surrounding the mould cavity are also penetrated to a greater
extent. This has proven especially problematic in the case of
casting moulds which are made of a porous moulding material
and are destroyed for demoulding the cast part once the melt
has solidified. In the case of 'expendable' casting moulds
of this type, in particular, jamming causes the cast parts
obtained to have a rough surface and necessitates increased
effort for releasing the cast parts, once they have
solidified, from the moulding material of the casting mould.
To minimise the extent to which the metal melt penetrates a
casting mould made of sandy moulding material, the filling
level in the mould cavity in the casting mould is, in the case
of a device known from DE 196 23 720 A1 for contact casting,
monitored while the melt is being poured out and, on reaching
a provided filling height, the filling process is terminated
prematurely to the extent that the superfluous amount of melt
which still burdens the melt once the mould has been
completely filled is minimised and the risk of jamming is thus
reduced. For this purpose, the casting moulds used in the
known device have in their lid an inspection opening which

4
leads rectilinearly into the mould cavity and through which a
laser beam is directed onto the surface of the melt introduced
into the casting mould. The beam reflected by the melt is
intercepted by a sensor which forwards its measurement signal
to a control and evaluation means which, based on the laser
beam transmitted and received, determines the respective
filling level of the casting mould and, on reaching a critical
filling height, issues a control signal to seal the outlet in
the melt container. The critical filling height is in this
case adjusted in such a way as to avoid any undesirable
jamming even if any melt; continues to flow in the supply
channel.
In practice, it has been found that, under the rough
conditions provided in practical casting operation, monitoring
the height of the filling level and prematurely terminating
the flow of melt on the model of the procedure described in DE
196 23 720 A1 still do not rule out the undesirable
penetration of the inner walls of the casting mould with the
requisite degree of certainty.
The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a
casting mould in which further optimised casting results are
ensured even under hard practical operating conditions. In
addition, there are to be disclosed a device and a process,
the use or application of which minimises the risk of jamming
during casting.
With regard to a casting mould for manufacturing a cast part
by casting a metal melt, which mould has a mould cavity for
reproducing a cast part and an inlet for pouring metal melt
into the mould cavity, this object has, in accordance with the
invention, been achieved in that a casting mould of this type
was provided with at least one compensation cavity which is

5
linked to the mould cavity via a channel and comprises at
least one portion which is arranged above the maximum filling
level, of: the casting mould during solidification of the metal
melt.
With regard to a device for casting metal melt to form a cast
part in a casting mould configured in accordance with any one
of the preceding claims and is equipped with a melt container,
comprising an outlet, for the metal melt, with a supply
channel connected to the outlet, with a means for docking the
casting mould to the melt container in such a way that the
inlet in the casting mould is connected to the supply channel
when docked, with a measuring means for detecting the amount
of melt introduced into the casting mould, with a regulating
means for regulating the flow of melt from the melt container
into the casting mould and with a control and evaluation means
which evaluates the amount of melt detected by the measuring
means and issues a control signal for sealing the outlet in
the container once a specific filling level in the casting
mould has been reached, the above-mentioned object has, in
accordance with the invention, been achieved in that the
control and evaluation means issues the control signal once
the amount of melt poured into the casting mould has reached a
limit value at which the amount of metal melt which is then
still present in the supply channel is sufficient to fill the
mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the
compensation cavity.
With regard to a process for casting metal melt to form a cast
part in a casting mould, wherein the metal melt is guided in a
regulated manner from a container into the casting mould via a
supply channel and the inflow of metal melt into the supply
channel is interrupted once a specific amount of metal melt
has been introduced into the mould cavity, the above-mentioned

6
object was finally achieved by the invention in that use is
made of a casting mould configured in accordance with the
invention and the inflow of melt into the supply channel is
interrupted once the metal melt in the mould cavity has
reached a filling level at which the amount of metal melt
which is still present in the supply channel is sufficient to
fill the mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the
compensation cavity.
To avoid as far as possible penetration of a casting mould as
a result of jamming, the invention proposes the formation in
the casting mould of a compensation cavity which is designed
to absorb, as a buffer, the amount of excess melt which is no
longer required for complete filling of the casting mould and,
as a result of this process, inevitably remains, oven after
the melt container has been sealed, in the supply channel via
which the melt flows into the casting mould. The racta 1 "I ostatic
pressure, which would otherwise prevail, of the amount of melt
present in the supply channel is thus prevented from acting on
the melt present in the casting mould.
At the same time, in the event of pressure peaks in the
casting mould, the compensation cavity acts as a damper by
which, for example, jamming, which is especially critical in
the prior art with regard to the surface quality and
subsequent processability of the cast part obtained, is
effectively buffered. The melt infiltrating the mould cavity
in the casting mould is able to escape into the compensation
cavi ty, thus preventing, in particular, the sudden r i se in
pressure which occurs in conventional casting moulds, once the
mould has been completely filled, as a result of the
conversion of the kinetic energy, inherent to the melt during
filling, into static energy.

7
In terms of the process and device, the embodiment according
to the invention of a casting mould allows the inflow of melt
into the supply channel to be interrupted as soon as the
casting mould is filled, the tolerance range within which this
interruption is carried out being widened by the buffering
effect of the compensation cavity. It is thus ensured, even
under crude practical operating conditions, that the flow of
melt is in each case terminated in good time in such a way as
reliably to rule out, with incorporation of the effect of the
compensation cavity, the production of pressure peaks in the
casting mould.
The linking of the compensation cavity via a channel firstly
serves, in this case, the purpose of allowing the casting
compound remaining in the region of the compensation cavity to
be easily separated from the cast part after solidification.
The channel is therefore preferably formed in such a way that
the webs remaining in the region of the channels after
solidification are thin and easily separable. The surface area
of the passage of the melt to the chambers is in this case
preferably selected so as to be as large as possible in that
the linking of the channel is as broad as possible at a given
low linking height.
A particular advantage of the embodiment according to the
invention of a casting mould is that the compensation chamber
is formed in the casting mould itself, so the casting mould as
a whole remains closed. This allows the casting mould easily
to be turned in order, for example, to cause purposefully,
oriented solidification of the cast part.
The amount of melt which remains unused in the compensation
chambers is negligible compared to the overall volume of melt
required for the cast part. A suitably sophisticated

8
configuration of each connecting channel between the mould
cavity and compensation chamber allows the casting material
which collects in the chamber easily to be broken off from the
finished cast part. It has been found to be especially
beneficial for the practical application of the invention that
casting moulds configured in accordance with the invention may
easily be inserted into existing casting devices and that
these existing casting devices may easily be retrofitted to
devices according to the invention or be operated in the
manner according to the invention.
The cast parts obtained using the invention have a much
smoother surface than those manufactured in the known manner.
Especially in the field of sophisticated moulded elements of
the cast part, such as, for example, the oil channels of
engine units, the levels of surface roughness are much lower,
as is accordingly the flow resistance as liquids flow through.
The cast parts obtained in accordance with the invention are
especially simple to clean, as little moulding material clings
to them after demoulding. The effort required for cleaning the
finished cast part is therefore greatly reduced. Finally, the
reduced penetration of pressure of the inner surfaces by the
melt lowers the requirements placed on the quality of the
moulding material used for manufacturing the casting mould.
More economical coarse-grain moulding materials may thus be
used without detracting from the surface quality.
The invention therefore provides a casting mould, a casting
device and a casting process which provide, even under hard
practical operating conditions, casting results which not only
ensure optimised surfaces but also allow simplified removal
from the casting mould once the cast part has solidified.

9
The options for use of casting moulds according to the
invention may be extended in that the cross section of the
channel is delimited in such a way as to be sealed, as soon as
the mould has been filled with metal melt which has already
solidified. This can be achieved in that the cross-sectional
course of the channel is adapted to the heat dissipatod via
the casting mould in the region of the channel in such a way
that the solidification of the melt contained in the channel
is completed very rapidly. It is thus very easy to prevent
cast metal from flowing out of the compensation chamber into
the mould cavity and back once the mould has been filled. This
has been found to be especially beneficial for casting
processes of the type in which the casting mould, once filled
with melt, is rotated about a longitudinal or transverse axis
to bring about purposefully oriented solidification of the
cast part.
In principle, the advantages of the invention may be utilised
in all casting moulds and casting processes, regardless of the
material from which the casting mould is made. However, the
good demouldability makes the invention especially suitable
for expendable casting moulds which are usually made of a
moulding sand and a moulding material comprising a binder.
An especially uniform effect of the configuration according to
the invention of a casting mould may be achieved in that there
are provided a plurality of compensation chambers which are
connected to mould cavity regions which are, in each case,
critical with regard to the effect of pressure peaks. However,
it is also conceivable to provide a larger chamber which is
connected to the mould cavity via a suitably configured
connecting channel or via a plurality of channels leading into
the eritica1 regions .

10
The casting mould may, in principle, be provided for all known
casting processes. Examples include contact casting or else
rising casting. The casting mould according to the invention
may be provided for the manufacture of cast parts for the
automotive industry, especially of engine components such as,
for example, cylinder blocks.
A constructionally simple embodiment of a casting mould
according to the invention is obtained if the compensation
chamber is linked to a portion of the mould cavity that is
located on top while the metal melt is being poured in. In the
case of casting moulds composed of a plurality of moulded
parts, the compensation chamber may for this purpose be
incorporated, for example, into the casting mould lid which is
arranged on top during filling.
The amount of melt guided into the casting mould can, in
principle, be detected by a weight measurement or other known
processes. The amount of melt may in this case be detected, in
a particularly reliable manner adapted to the actual
conditions, in that the measuring means monitors the filling
level in the casting mould and the evaluation means issues the
control signal once the metal melt in the mould cavity has
reached a filling height at which the volume of metal melt
which is still present in the supply channel is sufficient to
fill the mould cavity completely and at most a portion of the
compensation cavity. In order, for this purpose, to be able to
utilise the possibility, known from DE 196 23 720 A1, of an
especially precise and practical measurement of the filling
level of a casting mould, the casting mould is advantageously
provided with an inspection opening leading to the mould
cavity for inspecting the filling level of the metal melt in
the mould cavity. The compensation chamber and the inspection
opening are in this case preferably oriented in such a way

11
that the inspection opening to the mould cavity and the
compensation cavity intersect a common horizontal plane. The
filling level of the chambers may thus be gauged, in each
case, via the inspection opening.
If the casting mould has an inspection opening of the type
described hereinbefore, the measuring means of the device
according to the invention may comprise, in a manner known
from DE 196 23 720 A1, a laser, which directs a laser beam
through the inspection opening onto the surface of the melt
introduced into the casting mould, and a sensor which detects
the laser beam reflected by the surface of the melt.
The risk of the occurrence of a pressure surge may be further
reduced in that the filling speed is reduced toward the end of
the mould-filling process by reducing the flow through the
outlet in the melt container. For this purpose, in the case of
a device according to the invention, the regulating means may,
in a manner known per se, comprise a stopper for sealing the
outlet in the container and an adjustment means for raising
the stopper out of and lowering it into its sealed position,
the adjustment movement of the stopper preferably being
regulated by the regulating means stopper, especially when the
approaches the outlet.
The invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail
with reference to drawings which illustrate an embodiment and
in which:
Fig. 1 i s a schematic cross section of a casting mould for
casting a cast part of an internal-combustion engine
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross section of a device for casting an
A1/Si melt in a first operating position; and

12
Fig. 3 shows the device) according to Fig. 2 in a second
operati.ng position.
The casting mould 1 is composed, as a core packet, from a
plurality of lateral moulded parts 2, 3, a base part and a lid
moulded part 4 which is arranged at the top, in the casting
mould filling position shown in the figures, and covers the
top of the mould cavity 5 surrounded by the moulded parts 2,
3, 4. The moulded parts 2, 3, 4 are made from a moulding
material mixed from a moulding sand and a binder and are
destroyed on demoulding of the cast part G formed in the mould
cavity. The cast part G may, for example, be a cylinder block
for an internal-combustion engine.
Incorporated into the cover moulded part 4 of the casting
mould 1 are an inlet 6, which runs toward the mould cavity 5
in the manner of a funnel and merges therewith, and a
cylindrical inspection opening 7 which also leads
rectilinearly from the top of the cover moulded part 4 into
the mould cavity 5.
The cover moulded part 4 comprises a peripheral edge portion
4a which is thicker toward the bottom of the cover moulded
part 4 than the inner portion 4b, surrounded by the edge
portion 4a, of the cover moulded part 4. The edge portion 4a
of the cover moulded part 4 rests on the lateral parts 2, 3,
whereas the bottom of its inner portion 4b defines the top of
the cast part and thus the height at which the casting mould 1
is completely filled with melt.
Incorporated into the edge portion 4a of the cover moulded
part 4 are a large number of small-volume compensation
chambers 8, 9 which are arranged in rows along the lateral

13
parts 2, 3. One row of compensation chambers 8 are in this
case associated with one lateral part 2, whereas the other row
of compensation chambers 9 are positioned above the other
lateral part 3 of the casting mould 1. Within their rows, the
compensation chambers 8 or 9 are set apart from one another in
such a way that each compensation chamber 8, 9 is associated
with a region which is especially critical with regard to the
effect of pressure peaks. Alternatively, the compensation
chambers 8, 9 may also be arranged in their rows at uniform
intervals so as to ensure a distribution of their effect that
is as uniform as possible over the length of the casting
mould.
The compensation chambers 8, 9 take up little space compared
to the mould cavity 5. The total volume of all of the
compensation chambers 8, 9 is thus approximately 2 % to 3 % of
the volume of the mould cavity 5.
The base 8a of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is arranged, in
each case, below the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting
mould 1 defined by the bottom of the inner portion 4b of the
cover moulded part 4, whereas the roof 8b of the compensation
chambers 8, 9 is positioned, in the direction of the top of
the cover moulded part 4, in each case well above the bottom
of the inner portion 4b. The upper portion 8c, 9c of the
compensation chambers 8, 9 is thus located in each case above
the maximum filling level Fmax of the casting mould 1.
The portion 8d, arranged below the maximum filling level Fmax
of the casting mould 1, of the compensation chambers 8, 9 is
connected to the mould cavity 5 in the casting mould 1 in each
case via a horizontally extending channel 10, 11 incorporated
into the lid core 4. The opening, associated with the mould
cavity 5, of the channels 10, 11 is in each case arranged on

14
the inside, facing the mould cavity 5, of the edge portion.
The channels 10, 11 have a low height and width which is
designed in such a way that the opening cross section of the
channels 10, 11 is sufficiently large to allow melt to enter
the compensation chambers 8, 9 unimpeded but at the same time
sufficiently small for the volume of melt contained in the
channels 8, 9 to solidify, as a result of the dissipation of
heat into the volume of the cover moulded part 4 that
surrounds the channels 10, 11, as soon as the mould cavity 5
has been filled.
For casting of the cast part G, the casting mould 1 i s
positioned by a conveying and lifting device 12 below the
opening of a supply channel 13 in such a way that the inlet 6
in the casting mould 1 is docked tightly at the opening of the
supply channel 13. In this position, the inspection opening 7
in the casting mould 1 is arranged below a laser 14 which
directs its laser beam through the inspection opening 7 into
the mould cavity 5 in the casting mould 1.
The supply channel 13 is configured in a connector 15 which is
configured on the bottom of a melt container 16 and connected
to the outlet 17 in the melt container 16, which outlet may be
sealed and opened using a stopper 18. For this purpose, the
stopper 18 can be raised by an adjustment means 19 from a
closed position, in which its thickened end seals the outlet
17, into an open position, in which it releases the outlet .17,
thus allowing the A1/Si melt S contained in the melt container
16 to flow into the supply channel 13. In the same way, the
stopper 18 may be lowered by the adjustment means 19 to seal
the outlet 17. Both the raising process and the lowering
process are carried out in this case in a regulated manner in
that the adjustment means 19 is able to stop the stopper 18 in

15
any position in order to regulate the volume flow of melt S
passing through the outlet 17.
The adjustment means 19 receives the control signals for
raising and lowering the stopper 18 from a regulating and
control, means 20. The regulating and control means 20 is
coupled to a measuring and evaluation means 21 with which
there are associated, in turn, the laser 14 and a sensor 22
which detects the laser beam L reflected at the surface of the
melt S passing into the mould cavity 5.
During filling of the casting mould 1 with melt S (stopper 18
raised to the maximum degree), the measuring and evaluation
means 21 continuously calculates, from the laser beam I issued
by the laser 14 and detected by the sensor 22, the filling
level F in the mould cavity 5 and delivers the corresponding
measured results to the regulating and control means 20. If
the filling level F reaches a filling height Fkritl, the
regulating and control means 20 issues to the adjustment means
19 a first control signal in response to which the adjustment
means lowers the stopper 18 into a position in which, although
the outlet 17 in the melt container 12 is still open, the flow
of melt S is nevertheless slowed down. The filling height Fkritl
is sufficiently remote from the maximum filling level Fmax of
the casting mould 1 that the filling of the casting mould is
slowed down toward the end of the filling process.
As soon as the filling level F has thus reached a second
critical filling height Fkrit2, the regulating and control means
20 issues to the adjustment means 19 a second control signal
in response to which the adjustment means presses the stopper
18 fully into the outlet 17, thus preventing any further melt
S from entering the supply channel 13. The position of the
filling height Fkrit2 is in this case designed in such a way

16
that the amount of melt Sz still present in the supply channel
13 is sufficient to fill with melt S the mould cavity 5
completely and the compensation cavities 8, 9 at most in their
lower region 8b, 9b. Depending on the configuration of the
casting mould 1, the filling height Fkrit2 may correspond to the
maximum filling level Fmax
Alternatively, the regulating and control moans may issue
merely one control signal to the adjustment means 19, i.e.
when the critical filling height is reached, so the stopper 18
is completely closed. If the times required for filling the
mould are substantially constant, the stopper may be partially
lowered in advance in a time-controlled manner, thus also
slowing down the filling of the casting mould toward the end
of the filling process.
On account of its low volume, the amount of melt which passes
into the channels 10, 11 when the casting mould 1 is filled
with melt S solidifies almost immediately after the end of the
filling process, thus sealing the connection between the
compensation chambers 8, 9 and the mould cavity 5 in the
casting mould 1. The casting mould 1 may then easily be
forwarded for subsequent processing by being rotated, for
example, through 180° about its longitudinal axis in order to
allow the cast part G purposefully to solidify with
solidification oriented counter to the direction of
introducti on.

17
Reference numerals
1 Casting mould
2, 3 Lateral moulded parts
4 Cover moulded part
5 Mould cavity
G Cast part
6 Inlet
7 Inspection opening
4a Edge portion of the cover moulded part 4
4b Inner portion of the cover core 4
8, 9 Compensation chambers
8a Base of the compensation chambers 8, 9
8b Roof of the compensation chambers 8, 9
8c, 9c Upper portions of the compensation chambers 8, 9
8d Lower portion of the compensation chambers 8, 9
10, 11 Channels
12 Conveying and lifting device
13 Supply channel
14 Laser
15 Connector
16 Melt container
17 Outlet in the melt container 16
18 Stopper
19 Adjustment means
20 Regulating and control means
21 Measuring and evaluation means
22 Sensor
Fmax Maximum filling level of the casting mould 1
F Filling level in the casting mould 1
Fkrit1 First critical filling height
Fkrit2 Second critical filling height
L Laser beam
S A1/Si melt

18
Sz Amount of melt still present in the supply channel 13
after the outlet 17 has been closed

19
Claims
1. Casting mould for manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a mould
cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into
the mould cavity (5), characterised in that it has at least one compensation cavity (8, 9) which
is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8c,
9c) which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the casting mould (1) during
solidification of the metal melt (S).
2. Casting mould according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross section of the
channel (10, 11) is delimited in such a way as to be sealed, immediately after completion of
the mould filling process, with metal melt (S) which has already solidified.
3. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is
made of a moulding sand and a moulding material comprising a binder.
4. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the
compensation cavity (8, 9) is linked to a portion of the mould cavity (5) that is located on top
while the metal melt (S) is being poured in.
5. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it
has an inspection opening (7) to the mould cavity (5) for inspecting the filling level (F) of the
metal melt (S) in the mould cavity (5).
6. Casting mould according to claim 5, characterised in that the inspection opening (7) to
the mould cavity (5) and the compensation cavity (8, 9) intersect a common horizontal plane.
7. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is
composed of a plurality of moulded parts (2, 3, 4).
8. Casting mould according to claim 7, characterised in that the compensation cavity (8,
9) is incorporated into a lid moulded part (4).

20
9. Casting mould according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that
more than one compensation cavity (8, 9) is provided.
10. Device for casting metal melt (S) to form a cast part (G) in a casting mould (1)
configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims,
- comprising a melt container (16), comprising an outlet (17), for the metal melt (S),
- comprising a supply channel (13) connected to the outlet (17),
- comprising a means (12) for docking the casting mould (1) to the melt container (16) in
such a way that the inlet (6) in the casting mould (1) is connected to the supply channel (13)
when docked,
comprising a measuring means (21) for detecting the amount of melt introduced into the
casting mould (1),
- comprising a regulating means (20) for regulating the flow of melt from the melt container
(16) into the casting mould (1) and
- comprising a control means (20) which evaluates the amount of melt detected by the
measuring means (21) and issues a control signal for sealing the outlet (17) in the melt
container (16) once a specific filling level in the casting mould (1) has been reached,
characterised in that the control means (20) is configured to issue a control signal once the
amount of melt poured into the casting mould (1) has reached a limit value (Fkrit2) which the
amount of metal melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to
fill the mould cavity (1) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9).

11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that the measuring means (21) monitors
the filling level in the casting mould (1) and the control means (20) issues the control signal
once the metal melt in the mould cavity (5) has reached a filling height (Fkrit2) at which the
volume of metal melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to
fill the mould cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9).
12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the casting mould (1) is configured
in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 9 and the measuring means (21) comprises a laser
(14), which directs a laser beam (L) through the inspection opening (7) onto the surface of the
melt (S) introduced into the casting mould (1), and a sensor (22) which detects the laser beam
(L) reflected by the surface of the melt (S).

21
13. Device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the regulating means
(20) comprises a stopper (18) for sealing the outlet (17) in the melt container (16) and an
adjustment means (19) for raising the stopper (19) out of and lowering it into its sealed
position.
14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the regulating means (20) regulates
the adjustment movement of the stopper (18).
15. Process for casting metal melt (S) to form a cast part (G) in a casting mould (1),
wherein the metal melt is guided in a regulated manner from a melt container (16) into the
casting mould (1) via a supply channel (13) and the inflow of metal melt (S) into the supply
channel (13) is interrupted once a specific amount of metal melt has been introduced into the
mould cavity (1), characterised in that the casting mould (1) used is a casting mould (1)
configured in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9 and the inflow of melt (S) into the
supply channel (13) is interrupted once the metal melt (S) in the mould cavity (5) has reached
a filling level (Fkrit2) at which the amount of metal melt (Sz) which is still present in the supply
channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the
compensation cavity (8, 9).
16. Process according to claim 15, characterised in that the filling level (F) in the casting
mould (1) is monitored and the inflow of metal melt (S) into the supply channel (13) is
interrupted once the filling level (F) has reached a height (Fkrit2) at which the volume of metal
melt (Sz) which is then still present in the supply channel (13) is sufficient to fill the mould
cavity (5) completely and at most a portion of the compensation cavity (8, 9).

The present invention relates to a casting mould for
manufacturing a cast part from a metal melt (S) comprising a
mould cavity (5) for reproducing a cast part and comprising an
inlet for pouring metal melt (M) into the mould cavity (5) and
also to a device and a process for casting metal melts of this
type. The casting mould according to the invention provides
further optimised casting results even under hard practical
operating conditions. In addition, the use or application of
the device according to the invention and the process
minimises the risk of jamming during casting. This is achieved
in that the casting mould has at least one compensation
chamber (8, 9) which is linked to the mould cavity (5) via a
channel (10, 11) and comprises at least one portion (8a, 9a)
which is arranged above the maximum filling level (Fmax) of the
casting mould (1) during solidification of the metal melt (S).

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=v+CRNRnk6yaOKylhIwK8Zw==&loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==

« Previous Patent

Next Patent »

Patent Number

271508

Indian Patent Application Number

3083/KOLNP/2007

PG Journal Number

09/2016

Publication Date

26-Feb-2016

Grant Date

24-Feb-2016

Date of Filing

22-Aug-2007

Name of Patentee

HYDRO ALUMINIUM ALUCAST GMBH

Applicant Address

INDUSTRIEPARK STAUSTUFE, 66763 DILLINGEN

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	MICHAEL STOLZ	AM HANFBERG 4, D-66399 MANDELBACHTAL
2	KLAUS LELLIG	IM STEINECKEN 11 D-66798 WALLERFANGEN

PCT International Classification Number

B22C 9/02,B22D 39/02

PCT International Application Number

PCT/EP2006/060171

PCT International Filing date

2006-02-22

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	102005010838.5-24	2005-03-07	Germany