Title of Invention	APPARATUS FOR MOLDING FLASK-FREE UPPER CASTING MOLD AND LOWER CASTING MOLD
Abstract	This invention provides a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that can produce molds comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density, the apparatus, comprising a match plate held between a cope flask and a drag flask, a squeezing mechanism having a plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are opposite to the match plate, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask can be perpendicular or horizontal, and a means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the means can control the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding spaces, according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate.

Title of Invention

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING FLASK-FREE UPPER CASTING MOLD AND LOWER CASTING MOLD

Abstract

This invention provides a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that can produce molds comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density, the apparatus, comprising a match plate held between a cope flask and a drag flask, a squeezing mechanism having a plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are opposite to the match plate, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask can be perpendicular or horizontal, and a means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the means can control the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding spaces, according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate.

Full Text	A Flaskless Molding Apparatus for an Upper and a Lower Mold Technical Field [0001] This invention relates to a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold. Particularly, it relates to a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold which apparatus can produce the flaskless upper and the lower mold that are stacked and have a uniform density of molding sand. [0002] Conventionally, as one of the molding machines of this type, there is a type of apparatus that comprises the following: a first station, which is disposed above a base, for compressing molding sand in a molding space by squeezing the sand in a horizontal direction, a second station, which is disposed near a lower surface of the base, for stacking an upper and a lower mold in a perpendicular direction against the lower surface of the base and for stripping flasks, wherein two pairs each of cope flasks and drag flasks are alternately and intermittently reciprocated between the first and the second station, and wherein a flaskless upper mold and a flaskless lower mold that are stacked are produced. (See Patent Document 1.) Patent Document 1: Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S62-16736 Disclosures of Inventions [0003] However, the conventional flaskless molding machine for molding an upper and a lower mold, which machine is constituted as explained in the above paragraph, has problems to be solved, such as the flaskless upper mold and the flaskless lower mold made by the machine do not have enough uniformity in density of the molding sand. 1 [0004] The present inventions have been conceived to solve the problems. Namely, the purpose of them is to provide a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold, which apparatus can produce a flaskless upper mold and a flaskless lower mold comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density. [0005] The flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold of this invention is comprised of: (a) a cope flask and a drag flask, wherein each flask has openings at its both ends and has a sand-filling port at its side wall, (b) a conveying mechanism for inserting a match plate between the cope flask and the drag flask and for taking it out from therebetween, (c) a squeezing mechanism to squeeze molding sand, comprising an upper squeezing means having a plurality of upper segmented-squeeze feet and a lower squeezing means having a plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the plurality of upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are positioned on the opposite side of the flask from the match plate, wherein the squeezing mechanism allows the match plate to be held between the cope flask and the drag flask, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask holding the match plate therebetween can be perpendicularly or horizontally positioned, (d) a driving mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism clockwise or counterclockwise, and (e) an sand-supplying mechanism to fill the molding spaces defined by the match plate and the plurality of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate with the molding sand, through the sand-filling ports of the cope flask and the drag flask perpendicularly positioned by the driving mechanism, the apparatus further comprising a means for moving the 2 segmented-squeeze feet so that the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet (which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding spaces when the spaces are filled with the molding sand), can be controlled according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate and so that after squeezing the molding sand, the molds have a substantially uniform density of the molding sand. [0006] According to this invention, the flaskless upper mold and the flaskless lower mold which have enough uniform density of the molding sand can be produced. [0007] Further, this invention allows the surface of each of the upper and the lower mold facing the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet respectively to be substantially flattened. Preferred Embodiments of the Invention [0008] Preferred embodiments of this invention for a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold are now explained in detail based on Figs. 1 - 5. As shown in Figs. 1-4, the flaskless molding apparatus of this invention for the upper and the lower mold comprises: a base 1 having an internal space and a rectangular parallelepiped shape, two pairs each of cope flasks 2 and drag flasks 3, a conveying mechanism 4 for inserting a match plate 5 between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 and for taking it out from therebetween, a squeezing mechanism 9 to squeeze molding sand, a cylinder 10, disposed in the horizontal direction as a driving mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism 9 clockwise or counterclockwise, a sand-supplying mechanism 11 to fill molding spaces with the molding sand, and a stripping mechanism 12 to strip the upper and the lower mold. [0009] 3 For each pair of cope flasks 2 and drag flasks 3 of the two pairs of them, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of connecting rods 14 are provided and vertically extend near the front outer surfaces of the cope flask 2 and the rear outer surface of cope flask 2 (the right and the left side of the cope flask 2 shown in Fig. 3). The drag flask 3 is sliderably connected to the pair of connecting rods 14 and disposed therebetween. The drag flask 3 can be grappled by the lower ends of the pair of connecting rods 14. Protuberances (not shown, and which are used for holding the flasks by the connecting rods) are disposed at the centers of the front and rear outer surfaces of the cope flask 2 and are also disposed at those of the drag flask 3 respectively. [0010] As shown in Fig 2, the conveying mechanism 4 for transferring the match plate 5 into and out of the position, comprises the following: a ring member 15 disposed around the surface of the supporting shaft 8 of the squeezing mechanism 9, a cylinder 16 containing a piston rod and connected to a rotating frame 18, which is explained below, at its base end, and rotatably connected to a portion of the ring member 15 at the distal end of the piston rod of the cylinder 16, a pair of arms 17 fixed to the ring member 15 at its one end in a cantilevered structure, and a carrier plate 45 hung from rails so as to be able to hold the match plate 5 and reciprocate from side to side. [0011] Since the pair of arms 17 can rotate upward or downward by the telescopic motion of the cylinder 16, the carrier plate 45 can insert the match plate 5 between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 and take it out from therebetween, which flasks are located at the squeezing mechanism 9 and are horizontally positioned, through rails 46, 47, which are explained below (see Figs. 8-10). Further, when the match plate is changed, by rotating the pair of the arms 17 upwardly and downwardly while the carrier plate 45 is slightly lowered by the downward movement of the cope flask 2, the arms 17 can be connected to or disconnected from the carrier plate 45. [0012] As shown in Figs 1 and 2, the squeezing mechanism 9 is designed so that the mechanism 9 can hold the match plate 5 between the cope flask 2 4 and the drag flask 3 and so that the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 can be insertable into each of the openings of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which openings are opposite to the match plate 5, respectively. In the squeezing mechanism 9, the rotating frame 18 is connected at a section near its center portion to the supporting shaft 8, which shaft 8 is disposed at the center of the upper portion of the base 1, so that the rotating frame 18 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about the supporting shaft 8. A pair of guide rods 19 extending vertically are disposed, with a predetermined interval therebetween, at the right side of the rotating frame 18 and at the front and rear sides of the apparatus (the right and the left side in Fig. 3). An upper lifting and lowering frame 20, having a reverse Lrshaped configuration, is slidably disposed at upper portions of the guide rods 19 through holder portions fixed to the upper lifting and lowering frame 20. Also, a lower lifting and lowering frame 21, having an L-shaped configuration, is slidably disposed at lower portions of the guide rods 19 through holder portions fixed to the lower lifting and lowering frame 21. The upper and the lower lifting and lowering frames 20, 21 can move toward or away from each other by extending or contracting an upwardly-facing cylinder 22 and a downwardly-facing cylinder 23, which cylinders are disposed at the rotating frame 18. The rails 46 are disposed at the rotating frame 18 for guiding the carrier plate 45 when the pair of cope flasks 2 and drag flasks 3 are positioned horizontally. Further, the rails 47 are disposed at each of the cope flasks 2 for guiding the carrier plate 45 so that the height of the rails 47 corresponds to that of the rails 46 when the cope flasks 2 are lifted. (See Figs. 8 - 10.) [0013] As shown in Fig. 2, the upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 are disposed at the upper and the lower lifting and lowering frame 20, 21, respectively. The upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 have a plurality of cylinders 24, 25 driven by hydraulic pressure as a means for driving the segmented-squeeze feet, namely for moving the plurality of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a forward or backward. These means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet can control the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a, which positions determine the condition such as density of the molding sand in the 5 molding space when the space is filled with the molding sand, according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate. The means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet is operated based on commands from a memory means (not shown) that stores the data on the configuration of the patterns on the match plate 5, while the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned from horizontal to perpendicular state. Each of the upper and the lower lifting and lowering frame 20, 21 has a proper and horizontal flat surface so as to be able to engage and push the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, respectively. [0014] Where the wording of "the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet is operated while the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned from horizontal to perpendicular state" is defined as the state that includes the following: (1) it is operated when the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned horizontally, (2) it is operated when the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned perpendicularly, (3) it is operated while the cope flask and the drag flask are rotating from horizontal to perpendicular position, (4) it is operated starting from the position where the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned perpendicularly and while the cope flask and the drag flask rotate from the perpendicular to horizontal position, (5) it is operated starting from the position where the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned horizontally and while the cope flask and the drag flask rotate from the horizontal to perpendicular position, and (6) it is operated during the entire period of rotation from the position where the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the position where the cope flask and the drag flask complete their rotation and take their perpendicular to horizontal position, respectively. [0015] For an embodiment of this invention, a plurality of the cylinders driven by hydraulic pressure is used as the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet. For this invention, however, other actuators, such 6 as a plurality of cylinders driven by air pressure or electrically powered actuators, can be used. If the electrically powered actuators are used as the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, no big piping would be required and molding speed can be increased since it would be possible to define the molding space and to squeeze the molding sand while the squeezing mechanism 9 is rotating. [0016] The sand-supplying mechanism 11 is disposed at the upper-left side portion of the base 1. The sand-supplying mechanism 11 has two means for fluidizing molding sand by the compressed air, which means are disposed at its lower portion and near sand-filling ports for supplying the molding sand. When the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are filled with the molding sand, the molding sand is projected through the sand-filling ports by compressed air supplied above the molding sand while the compressed air injected the two sand fluidizing means is fluidizing the molding sand. The preferable pressure of the compressed air injected from the two means for fluidizing molding sand is 0.05 Mpa -0.18 Mpa. The two means for fluidizing molding sand can be driven simultaneously or based on the same control signal, instead of being driven independently. [0017] In the stripping mechanism 12, a stripping plate 28, which is insertable into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 that are stacked and positioned in the horizontal state, is connected to the lower end of the piston rod of a downwardly-facing cylinder 29 which is fixed to the top portion of the base 1. The stripping plate 28 can ascend and descend by the extending and contracting motion of the cylinder 29. Further, a receiving device 30 for supporting an upper and a lower mold that are stripped from the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 is disposed just below the stripping plate 28. The receiving member 30 is provided with an ascending and descending table 42 that can ascend and descend by a pantograph that is driven by the extending and contracting motion of the cylinder 31 and a table 44 for supporting molds, which table 44 can ascend and descend by the extending and contracting motion of the cylinder 43. The table 44 is disposed on the ascending and descending table 42. The use of the pantograph 32 allows the apparatus to dispense with a pit under the pantograph 32 (see Figs. 3 and 4). Further, the pantograph 32 can be applied to the stripping mechanism 12 in order to 7 downsize the molding apparatus. [0018] In a swiveling mechanism 13 to swivel the flasks, a rotating shaft 33, which perpendicularly extends and can rotate around its axis, is disposed at the base 1. The upper end of the rotating shaft 33 is connected to an output shaft of a motor 34 disposed at the top portion of the base 1. The rotating shaft 33 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise for the range of 180 degree by driving the motor 34. A supporting member 35 is disposed at an upper portion of the rotating shaft 33. Two pairs of guide rods 36, which pair is comprised of two rods 36 that are disposed at the front and rear side of the rotating shaft 33 with a predetermined interval therebetween and extend downwardly, are fixed to the supporting member 35 so that the rods 36 are suspended from the supporting member 35. The two pairs of the guide rods 36 are opposed to each other and disposed at the right and the left side of the rotating shaft 33 so that the shaft 33 is located at the center of the pairs. Upper hooking members 37, which can hook the protuberances of the cope flasks 2, are mounted to each of the two pairs of the guide rods 36 and are sliderable upwardly and downwardly. The distal ends of the piston rods of upwardly-facing cylinders 38 that are disposed at the rotating shaft 33 are connected to the upper hooking members 37. The upper hooking members 37 can ascend and descend by extending and contracting the cylinders 38. Further, lower hooking members 39, which can hook the protuberances of the two drag flasks 3, are mounted to each lower end of the two pairs of the guide rods 36. Also, a number 40, shown in the figures, denotes an apparatus for pushing out the upper and the lower mold from the table 44, which molds are stripped from the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3. [0019] Below, a method for producing a flaskless upper mold and a flaskless lower mold is explained, starting from the state shown in Fig. 1, wherein the method uses the flaskless molding apparatus explained in the above paragraphs. First, a match plate 5 is inserted between a pair of horizontally positioned cope flask 2 and drag flask 3 by a pair of arms 17 by extending the cylinder 16 of a conveying mechanism 4. [0020] Next, upper and lower lifting and lowering frames 20, 21 are made to move toward each other by contracting the upwardly-facing cylinders 22 and 8 the downwardly-facing cylinder 23 of the squeezing mechanism 9. Simultaneously, the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are made to move toward each other by lowering the upper hooking members 37 caused by the contraction of the cylinder 38. Then, while a match plate 5 is being held between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, a plurality of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing means 6, 7 are inserted into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 respectively to define the upper and the lower molding space by extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25 of the squeezing mechanism 9 for a predetermined length. Simultaneously, the pair of cope flask 2 and drag flask 3 and the match plate 5 are rotated so as to become perpendicular by rotating the squeezing mechanism 9 clockwise about the supporting shaft 8 by extending the cylinder 10. Also, the sand-filling ports of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are moved upwardly and are communicated with the lower ends of the sand-supplying mechanism 11 respectively (see Fig. 5 (a)). During the clockwise rotation of the squeezing mechanism 9, the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 are inserted into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 for a predetermined length respectively by extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25 of the squeezing mechanism 9. [0021] Next, the intervals between the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate 5 and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a opposed to the match plate 5 are adjusted by extending the plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b of the upper and lower squeezing means 6, 7 for a predetermined length so that the ratio of the intervals before squeezing to the ratio after squeezing become almost equal. Namely, when the intervals between the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate 5 and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a opposed to the match plate 5 before squeezing molding sand are defined as "A" and "B" respectively as shown in Fig. 5(b), and those after squeezing molding sand are defined as "a" and "b" respectively as shown in Fig. 5(c), the intervals are adjusted so that the ratios of "a/A" and "b/B" become near the relationship of "a/A=b/B." In other words, at the part where the surface of the pattern is higher than other parts, the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are extended so that the quantity of the molding sand to be compressed decreases. In 9 contrast, at the part where the surface of the pattern is lower than other parts, the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are kept still so that the quantity of the molding sand to be compressed increases. [0022] Then, the upper and the lower molding spaces are filled with the molding sand by the sand-supplying mechanism 11 through the sand-filling ports of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3. Next, while the pair of the cope flask 2, the drag flask 3 and the match plate 5 are being rotated from the perpendicular state to the horizontal state, the molding sand in the upper and the lower molding space is squeezed by moving the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a further forwardly by extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25. Then, after the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a that are projected forwardly are moved backwardiy by contracting the plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b, the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are moved forwardly by further extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25. As a result of these processes, the density of the molding sand of the molded upper and lower molds becomes substantially uniform. Also, the surfaces of the upper and the lower molds that face the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing means become substantially flat. (See Fig. 5(c).) [0023] Next, the upper and the lower lifting and lowering frame 20, 21 are moved apart from each other by extending the upwardly-facing cylinder 22 and the downwardly-facing cylinder 23. Then, the cope flask 2, which contains the mold formed by squeezing the molding sand, is lifted via the upper hooking members 37 by extending the cylinder 38 of the swiveling mechanism 13 and is separated from the match plate 5. The drag flask 3 is placed on the lower hooking members 39 of the swiveling mechanism 13. Next, the match plate 5 is transferred from between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 by the pair of arms 17 put in action by contracting the cylinder 16. Then, the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which contain the molded molds, are swiveled and moved to the position of the stripping mechanism 12 by rotating the rotating shaft 33 for a predetermined angle by driving the motor 34 of the swiveling mechanism 13. Next, after setting a core in the mold if it is necessary, the cope flask, which contains the molded mold, is 10 lowered via the upper hooking members 37 lowered by contracting the cylinders 38 and is stacked on the drag flask 3. [0024] Next, by lifting the table 44 for supporting molds by extending the cylinder 43 of the receiving member 30, and by further lifting it through the ascending and descending table 42 by extending the cylinder 31, the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which contain the molded molds, are placed on the table 44. Then, after the stripping plate 28 is abutted on the upper surface of the mold in the cope flask 2 by extending the cylinder 29, the upper and the lower mold are stripped from the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 by simultaneously lowering the stripping plate 28 and the table 44 by extending and contracting the cylinders 29 and 43 respectively. Next, the upper and the lower mold are further lowered through the ascending and descending table 42 and the table 44 by contracting the cylinder 31. Then, the apparatus 40 for pushing out molds pushes out the upper and the lower molds on the table 44. [0025] In the process explained above, before the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which contain the molded molds, are swiveled and moved to the position of the stripping mechanism 12, the core may be set in the molds that have been already molded if it is necessary, and then, in the same way as explained above, the pair of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are stacked, and then the molds are stripped from these flasks. [0026] For the preferred embodiment explained above, when the intervals between the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate 5 and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing means 6, 7 opposed to the match plate 5 before squeezing molding sand are defined as "A" and "B" respectively, and those after squeezing molding sand are defined as "a" and "b" respectively, the locations of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are adjusted so that the ratios of "a/A" and "b/B" become close to the relationship of "a/A=b/B." However, this invention is not limited to this method. In this invention, the any method that can produce the molds having a substantially uniform density of the molding sand after squeezing it, can be used based on the concept that the positions of a plurality of upper and lower 11 segmented-squeeze feet, which determine the state of the molding sand filled in the molding spaces, are controlled according to the intervals between the surfaces of patterns of a match plate and the surfaces of a plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet opposed to the match plate. [0027] For example, as shown in Fig. 7(a) -7(f), after an upper and a lower molding space are defined by a match plate 5, a cope flask 2 and a drag flask 3, and an upper and a lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing means 6, 7 at the perpendicular position, the molding spaces are filled with molding sand through the sand-filling ports of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3. Then, the molding sand in the upper and the lower molding spaces is squeezed by forwardly moving the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a driven by extending each of the plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b. Next, once the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are moved backwardly by contracting the plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b. Then, the upper and the lower molding spaces are further filled with molding sand through the sand-filling ports. After the squeezing surfaces of the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are uniformly positioned on a plane, the molding sand in the upper and lower molding spaces may be further squeezed by moving forwardly in unison the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a, driven by extending the plurality of cylinders 24,25. [0028] Here, for the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a, it is possible to make two or more of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet integrated. [0029] As shown in Figs. 6(a) -6(c), for the purpose of improving fiowability of molding sand between the pattern of the match plate 5 and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 opposed to the match plate 5, slanted surfaces 51 are formed on the part of the plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet. Here, although the slanted surfaces 51 are formed only on the lower segmented-squeeze feet, they may be formed on the part of the plurality of upper segmented-squeeze feet or on the part of each of the plurality of upper 12 and lower segmented-squeeze feet. [0030] Further, the molding apparatus of this invention may have an air relief mechanism on the match plate 5 so that a portion of the bottom of the molding space, behind the corners of the pattern of the match plate 5 can be completely filled with the molding sand. [0031] Next, for the flaskless molding apparatus for molds explained in the above paragraphs, a procedure for changing a match plate 5 is explained below. First, as shown in Fig. 8(a), cope flasks 2, 2 are hooked by lifting upper hooking members 37, 37, which are lifted by extending cylinders 38, 38 of a swiveling mechanism 13. Then, a carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5 (A) is transferred from rails 46 to rails 47 of the cope flask 2 by rotating a pair of arms 17 counterclockwise which rotation is caused by- extending a cylinder 16 of a conveying mechanism 4. Then the match plate 5(A) is placed below the left cope flask 2. Next, as shown in Fig. 8(b), while the cope flask 2 is slightly being lifted and lowered by extending and contracting the cylinders 38, the pair of the arms 17 is disconnected from the carrier plate 45 by rotating the pair of the arms 17 clockwise, which rotation is caused by contracting the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4. Then, the pair of arms 17 are returned to the initial position. The carrier plate 45 having a match plate 5 (B) to be substituted is suspended from rails disposed on a suitable transferring device and is ready and waiting at the side of the stripping mechanism 12. The carrier plate is moved to the position opposed to the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 placed at the stripping mechanism 12. [0032] Next, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the carrier plate 45, which is placed at the position opposed to the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 placed at the stripping mechanism 12, is manually transferred onto the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2. As a result of this operation, the right match plate 5(B) is placed below the right cope flask 2. Then, as shown Fig. 9(b), the swiveling mechanism 13 is rotated by driving a motor 34, and the left match plate 5(A) placed at the squeezing mechanism 9 is moved to the stripping mechanism 12, and the right match plate 5(B) placed at the stripping mechanism 12 is moved to the squeezing mechanism 9. 13 [0033] Next, as shown in Fig. 10(a), while the left cope flask 2 is slightly being lifted and lowered by extending and contracting the cylinders 38, the pair of arms 17 is connected to the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(B) by rotating the pair of the arms 17 counterclockwise, which rotation is caused by extending the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4. Simultaneously, the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(A) is moved from the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 onto the rails of the suitable transferring device. Next, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(B) is moved from the rails 47 of the left cope flask 2 onto the rails 46 by rotating the pair of the arms 17 clockwise, which rotation is caused by contracting the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4. As the result of this operation, the match plate 5(B) is transferred from the cope flask 2. Further, the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(A), placed at the suitable transferring device, are moved to a suitable place by moving a suitable transferring device. By these operations explained above, the procedure for changing a match plate is completed. [0034] For this embodiment, to handle two pairs of cope flask and drag flask, the apparatus is comprised of: a stripping mechanism to strip an upper and a lower mold from the pair of cope flask and drag flask, which have already been subjected to squeezing operation, are stacked, horizontally positioned, and contain the upper and the lower mold, and a swiveling mechanism to alternately and intermittently swivel the two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, which are stacked perpendicularly, aligned horizontally, and are maintained horizontally, between the place of the stripping mechanism and that of the squeezing mechanism, which holds an other pair of cope flask and drag flask maintained horizontally, wherein the swiveling mechanism can also lift and lower the cope flasks. However, this invention is not restricted to this constitution. A molding apparatus that has a constitution that has no swiveling mechanism and that handles just a pair of cope flask and drag flask can be used. Brief Description of the Drawings 14 [0035] [Fig. l] Fig. 1 shows an elevational view of a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold of the preferred embodiment of the invention. [Fig. 2] Fig. 2 shows a partially sectional view of Fig. 1. [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken along the "A-A" line of Fig. 1 [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 shows a partially sectional plain view of Fig. 1 [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold shown in Fig.l. [Fig. 6] Fig. 6 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold shown in Fig.l. [Fig. 7] Fig. 7 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold shown in Fig.l. [Fig. 8] Fig. 8 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 8, and an elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 8. [Fig. 9] Fig. 9 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 9, and an elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 9. [Fig. 10] Fig. 10 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 10, and an elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 10. 15 What we claim is: 1. A flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that are stacked, comprising: (a) a cope flask and a drag flask, wherein each flask has openings at its both ends and has an sand-filling port at its side wall, (b) a conveying mechanism for inserting a match plate between the cope flask and the drag flask and for taking it out from therebetween, (c) a squeezing mechanism to squeeze molding sand, comprising an upper squeezing means having a plurality of upper segmented-squeeze feet and a lower squeezing means having a plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are at the opposite side from the match plate, wherein the squeezing mechanism allows the match plate to be held between the cope flask and the drag flask, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask holding the match plate therebetween can be perpendicular or horizontal, (d) a driving mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism clockwise or counterclockwise, and (e) a sand-supplying mechanism to fill the molding spaces defined by the match plate and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate with the molding sand, through the sand-filling ports of the cope flask and the drag flask perpendicularly positioned by the driving mechanism, the apparatus further comprising a means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet so that the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding space when the space is filled with the molding sand, can be controlled according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate and so that after squeezing the molding sand, the molds are 16 comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet controls the position of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet so that the ratios of the intervals between the surfaces of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet and the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate before squeezing the molding sand to those after squeezing the molding sand become substantially equal respectively. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the molding sand is squeezed by moving forward the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet after the molding spaces are filled with the molding sand, wherein the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet is moved backwardly, and thereafter the molding spaces created by said backward movement are filled with additional molding sand, and wherein each squeezing surface of the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet is controlled so that the surfaces form a plane. 4. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 3, further comprising a slanted surface formed at the squeezing surface of a part of the plurality of upper and/or lower segmented-squeeze feet to improve flowability of the molding sand in the molding spaces. 5. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 4, further comprising an air relief mechanism disposed at the match plate so as to completely fill a cornered bottom portion of the molding space formed by the pattern on the match plate with the molding sand. 6. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 5, wherein the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet is operated while the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned from horizontal to perpendicular state. 7. The apparatus of any of claims 1 -6, wherein the means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet is operated based on commands from a memory means that stores the data on the configuration of the patterns of the match 17 plate. 8. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7, wherein the flasks are constituted of two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, the apparatus further comprising: a stripping mechanism to strip an upper and a lower mold from the pair of cope flask and drag flask, which have already been subjected to squeezing operation, stacked, maintained horizontally, and containing the upper and the lower mold, and a swiveling mechanism to alternately and intermittently swivel the two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, which are stacked perpendicularly, aligned horizontally, and are maintained horizontally, between the stripping mechanism and the squeezing mechanism, which holds the other pair of cope flask and drag flask maintained horizontally, wherein the swiveling mechanism can lift and lower the cope flasks. 18 This invention provides a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that can produce molds comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density, the apparatus, comprising a match plate held between a cope flask and a drag flask, a squeezing mechanism having a plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively, which openings are opposite to the match plate, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask can be perpendicular or horizontal, and a means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the means can control the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding spaces, according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate.

Full Text

A Flaskless Molding Apparatus for an Upper and a Lower Mold
Technical Field
[0001]
This invention relates to a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper
and a lower mold. Particularly, it relates to a flaskless molding apparatus
for an upper and a lower mold which apparatus can produce the flaskless
upper and the lower mold that are stacked and have a uniform density of
molding sand.
[0002]
Conventionally, as one of the molding machines of this type, there is
a type of apparatus that comprises the following:
a first station, which is disposed above a base, for compressing
molding sand in a molding space by squeezing the sand in a horizontal
direction,
a second station, which is disposed near a lower surface of the base,
for stacking an upper and a lower mold in a perpendicular direction against
the lower surface of the base and for stripping flasks,
wherein two pairs each of cope flasks and drag flasks are alternately
and intermittently reciprocated between the first and the second station, and
wherein a flaskless upper mold and a flaskless lower mold that are stacked
are produced. (See Patent Document 1.)
Patent Document 1: Examined Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. S62-16736
Disclosures of Inventions
[0003]
However, the conventional flaskless molding machine for molding an
upper and a lower mold, which machine is constituted as explained in the
above paragraph, has problems to be solved, such as the flaskless upper mold
and the flaskless lower mold made by the machine do not have enough
uniformity in density of the molding sand.
1

[0004]
The present inventions have been conceived to solve the problems.
Namely, the purpose of them is to provide a flaskless molding apparatus for
an upper and a lower mold, which apparatus can produce a flaskless upper
mold and a flaskless lower mold comprised of molding sand with a
substantially uniform density.
[0005]
The flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold of
this invention is comprised of:
(a) a cope flask and a drag flask, wherein each flask has openings at its
both ends and has a sand-filling port at its side wall,
(b) a conveying mechanism for inserting a match plate between the cope
flask and the drag flask and for taking it out from therebetween,
(c) a squeezing mechanism to squeeze molding sand, comprising an upper
squeezing means having a plurality of upper segmented-squeeze feet and a
lower squeezing means having a plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet,
wherein the plurality of upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet
are insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask
respectively, which openings are positioned on the opposite side of the flask
from the match plate,
wherein the squeezing mechanism allows the match plate to be held
between the cope flask and the drag flask, and
wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope
flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the
drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular
plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask
holding the match plate therebetween can be perpendicularly or horizontally
positioned,
(d) a driving mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism clockwise or
counterclockwise, and
(e) an sand-supplying mechanism to fill the molding spaces defined by the
match plate and the plurality of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze
feet opposite to the match plate with the molding sand, through the
sand-filling ports of the cope flask and the drag flask perpendicularly
positioned by the driving mechanism,
the apparatus further comprising a means for moving the
2

segmented-squeeze feet so that the positions of the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet (which positions determine the condition of the
molding sand in the molding spaces when the spaces are filled with the
molding sand), can be controlled according to the intervals between the
match plate and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet
opposite to the match plate and so that after squeezing the molding sand, the
molds have a substantially uniform density of the molding sand.
[0006]
According to this invention, the flaskless upper mold and the
flaskless lower mold which have enough uniform density of the molding sand
can be produced.
[0007]
Further, this invention allows the surface of each of the upper and
the lower mold facing the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet
respectively to be substantially flattened.
Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
[0008]
Preferred embodiments of this invention for a flaskless molding
apparatus for an upper and a lower mold are now explained in detail based
on Figs. 1 - 5. As shown in Figs. 1-4, the flaskless molding apparatus of
this invention for the upper and the lower mold comprises:
a base 1 having an internal space and a rectangular parallelepiped
shape,
two pairs each of cope flasks 2 and drag flasks 3,
a conveying mechanism 4 for inserting a match plate 5 between the
cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 and for taking it out from therebetween,
a squeezing mechanism 9 to squeeze molding sand,
a cylinder 10, disposed in the horizontal direction as a driving
mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism 9 clockwise or
counterclockwise,
a sand-supplying mechanism 11 to fill molding spaces with the
molding sand, and
a stripping mechanism 12 to strip the upper and the lower mold.
[0009]
3

For each pair of cope flasks 2 and drag flasks 3 of the two pairs of
them, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of connecting rods 14 are provided
and vertically extend near the front outer surfaces of the cope flask 2 and the
rear outer surface of cope flask 2 (the right and the left side of the cope flask
2 shown in Fig. 3). The drag flask 3 is sliderably connected to the pair of
connecting rods 14 and disposed therebetween. The drag flask 3 can be
grappled by the lower ends of the pair of connecting rods 14. Protuberances
(not shown, and which are used for holding the flasks by the connecting rods)
are disposed at the centers of the front and rear outer surfaces of the cope
flask 2 and are also disposed at those of the drag flask 3 respectively.
[0010]
As shown in Fig 2, the conveying mechanism 4 for transferring the
match plate 5 into and out of the position, comprises the following:
a ring member 15 disposed around the surface of the supporting shaft
8 of the squeezing mechanism 9,
a cylinder 16 containing a piston rod and connected to a rotating
frame 18, which is explained below, at its base end, and rotatably connected
to a portion of the ring member 15 at the distal end of the piston rod of the
cylinder 16,
a pair of arms 17 fixed to the ring member 15 at its one end in a
cantilevered structure, and
a carrier plate 45 hung from rails so as to be able to hold the match
plate 5 and reciprocate from side to side.
[0011]
Since the pair of arms 17 can rotate upward or downward by the
telescopic motion of the cylinder 16, the carrier plate 45 can insert the match
plate 5 between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 and take it out from
therebetween, which flasks are located at the squeezing mechanism 9 and
are horizontally positioned, through rails 46, 47, which are explained below
(see Figs. 8-10). Further, when the match plate is changed, by rotating the
pair of the arms 17 upwardly and downwardly while the carrier plate 45 is
slightly lowered by the downward movement of the cope flask 2, the arms 17
can be connected to or disconnected from the carrier plate 45.
[0012]
As shown in Figs 1 and 2, the squeezing mechanism 9 is designed so
that the mechanism 9 can hold the match plate 5 between the cope flask 2
4

and the drag flask 3 and so that the plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower squeezing means 6,
7 can be insertable into each of the openings of the cope flask 2 and the drag
flask 3, which openings are opposite to the match plate 5, respectively. In
the squeezing mechanism 9, the rotating frame 18 is connected at a section
near its center portion to the supporting shaft 8, which shaft 8 is disposed at
the center of the upper portion of the base 1, so that the rotating frame 18
can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular plane about
the supporting shaft 8. A pair of guide rods 19 extending vertically are
disposed, with a predetermined interval therebetween, at the right side of
the rotating frame 18 and at the front and rear sides of the apparatus (the
right and the left side in Fig. 3). An upper lifting and lowering frame 20,
having a reverse Lrshaped configuration, is slidably disposed at upper
portions of the guide rods 19 through holder portions fixed to the upper
lifting and lowering frame 20. Also, a lower lifting and lowering frame 21,
having an L-shaped configuration, is slidably disposed at lower portions of
the guide rods 19 through holder portions fixed to the lower lifting and
lowering frame 21. The upper and the lower lifting and lowering frames 20,
21 can move toward or away from each other by extending or contracting an
upwardly-facing cylinder 22 and a downwardly-facing cylinder 23, which
cylinders are disposed at the rotating frame 18. The rails 46 are disposed at
the rotating frame 18 for guiding the carrier plate 45 when the pair of cope
flasks 2 and drag flasks 3 are positioned horizontally. Further, the rails 47
are disposed at each of the cope flasks 2 for guiding the carrier plate 45 so
that the height of the rails 47 corresponds to that of the rails 46 when the
cope flasks 2 are lifted. (See Figs. 8 - 10.)
[0013]
As shown in Fig. 2, the upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 are
disposed at the upper and the lower lifting and lowering frame 20, 21,
respectively. The upper and the lower squeezing means 6, 7 have a
plurality of cylinders 24, 25 driven by hydraulic pressure as a means for
driving the segmented-squeeze feet, namely for moving the plurality of the
upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a forward or backward.
These means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet can control the
positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a, which
positions determine the condition such as density of the molding sand in the
5

molding space when the space is filled with the molding sand, according to
the intervals between the match plate and each of the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate. The means for moving
the segmented-squeeze feet is operated based on commands from a memory
means (not shown) that stores the data on the configuration of the patterns
on the match plate 5, while the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned
from horizontal to perpendicular state. Each of the upper and the lower
lifting and lowering frame 20, 21 has a proper and horizontal flat surface so
as to be able to engage and push the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3,
respectively.
[0014]
Where the wording of "the means for moving the segmented-squeeze
feet is operated while the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned from
horizontal to perpendicular state" is defined as the state that includes the
following:
(1) it is operated when the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned
horizontally,
(2) it is operated when the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned
perpendicularly,
(3) it is operated while the cope flask and the drag flask are rotating from
horizontal to perpendicular position,
(4) it is operated starting from the position where the cope flask and the drag
flask are positioned perpendicularly and while the cope flask and the drag
flask rotate from the perpendicular to horizontal position,
(5) it is operated starting from the position where the cope flask and the drag
flask are positioned horizontally and while the cope flask and the drag flask
rotate from the horizontal to perpendicular position, and
(6) it is operated during the entire period of rotation from the position where
the cope flask and the drag flask are positioned horizontally or
perpendicularly to the position where the cope flask and the drag flask
complete their rotation and take their perpendicular to horizontal position,
respectively.
[0015]
For an embodiment of this invention, a plurality of the cylinders
driven by hydraulic pressure is used as the means for moving the
segmented-squeeze feet. For this invention, however, other actuators, such
6

as a plurality of cylinders driven by air pressure or electrically powered
actuators, can be used. If the electrically powered actuators are used as the
means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, no big piping would be
required and molding speed can be increased since it would be possible to
define the molding space and to squeeze the molding sand while the
squeezing mechanism 9 is rotating.
[0016]
The sand-supplying mechanism 11 is disposed at the upper-left side
portion of the base 1. The sand-supplying mechanism 11 has two means for
fluidizing molding sand by the compressed air, which means are disposed at
its lower portion and near sand-filling ports for supplying the molding sand.
When the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are filled with the molding sand,
the molding sand is projected through the sand-filling ports by compressed
air supplied above the molding sand while the compressed air injected
the two sand fluidizing means is fluidizing the molding sand. The
preferable pressure of the compressed air injected from the two means for
fluidizing molding sand is 0.05 Mpa -0.18 Mpa. The two means for
fluidizing molding sand can be driven simultaneously or based on the same
control signal, instead of being driven independently.
[0017]
In the stripping mechanism 12, a stripping plate 28, which is
insertable into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 that are stacked and
positioned in the horizontal state, is connected to the lower end of the piston
rod of a downwardly-facing cylinder 29 which is fixed to the top portion of the
base 1. The stripping plate 28 can ascend and descend by the extending and
contracting motion of the cylinder 29. Further, a receiving device 30 for
supporting an upper and a lower mold that are stripped from the cope flask 2
and the drag flask 3 is disposed just below the stripping plate 28. The
receiving member 30 is provided with an ascending and descending table 42
that can ascend and descend by a pantograph that is driven by the extending
and contracting motion of the cylinder 31 and a table 44 for supporting molds,
which table 44 can ascend and descend by the extending and contracting
motion of the cylinder 43. The table 44 is disposed on the ascending and
descending table 42. The use of the pantograph 32 allows the apparatus to
dispense with a pit under the pantograph 32 (see Figs. 3 and 4). Further,
the pantograph 32 can be applied to the stripping mechanism 12 in order to
7

downsize the molding apparatus.
[0018]
In a swiveling mechanism 13 to swivel the flasks, a rotating shaft 33,
which perpendicularly extends and can rotate around its axis, is disposed at
the base 1. The upper end of the rotating shaft 33 is connected to an output
shaft of a motor 34 disposed at the top portion of the base 1. The rotating
shaft 33 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise for the range of 180
degree by driving the motor 34. A supporting member 35 is disposed at an
upper portion of the rotating shaft 33. Two pairs of guide rods 36, which
pair is comprised of two rods 36 that are disposed at the front and rear side
of the rotating shaft 33 with a predetermined interval therebetween and
extend downwardly, are fixed to the supporting member 35 so that the rods
36 are suspended from the supporting member 35. The two pairs of the
guide rods 36 are opposed to each other and disposed at the right and the left
side of the rotating shaft 33 so that the shaft 33 is located at the center of the
pairs. Upper hooking members 37, which can hook the protuberances of the
cope flasks 2, are mounted to each of the two pairs of the guide rods 36 and
are sliderable upwardly and downwardly. The distal ends of the piston rods
of upwardly-facing cylinders 38 that are disposed at the rotating shaft 33 are
connected to the upper hooking members 37. The upper hooking members
37 can ascend and descend by extending and contracting the cylinders 38.
Further, lower hooking members 39, which can hook the protuberances of
the two drag flasks 3, are mounted to each lower end of the two pairs of the
guide rods 36. Also, a number 40, shown in the figures, denotes an
apparatus for pushing out the upper and the lower mold from the table 44,
which molds are stripped from the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3.
[0019]
Below, a method for producing a flaskless upper mold and a flaskless
lower mold is explained, starting from the state shown in Fig. 1, wherein the
method uses the flaskless molding apparatus explained in the above
paragraphs. First, a match plate 5 is inserted between a pair of
horizontally positioned cope flask 2 and drag flask 3 by a pair of arms 17 by
extending the cylinder 16 of a conveying mechanism 4.
[0020]
Next, upper and lower lifting and lowering frames 20, 21 are made to
move toward each other by contracting the upwardly-facing cylinders 22 and
8

the downwardly-facing cylinder 23 of the squeezing mechanism 9.
Simultaneously, the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are made to move
toward each other by lowering the upper hooking members 37 caused by the
contraction of the cylinder 38. Then, while a match plate 5 is being held
between the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, a plurality of the upper and
the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing
means 6, 7 are inserted into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 respectively
to define the upper and the lower molding space by extending the plurality of
cylinders 24, 25 of the squeezing mechanism 9 for a predetermined length.
Simultaneously, the pair of cope flask 2 and drag flask 3 and the match plate
5 are rotated so as to become perpendicular by rotating the squeezing
mechanism 9 clockwise about the supporting shaft 8 by extending the
cylinder 10. Also, the sand-filling ports of the cope flask 2 and the drag
flask 3 are moved upwardly and are communicated with the lower ends of
the sand-supplying mechanism 11 respectively (see Fig. 5 (a)). During the
clockwise rotation of the squeezing mechanism 9, the plurality of upper and
lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower squeezing
means 6, 7 are inserted into the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 for a
predetermined length respectively by extending the plurality of cylinders 24,
25 of the squeezing mechanism 9.
[0021]
Next, the intervals between the surfaces of the patterns of the match
plate 5 and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a
opposed to the match plate 5 are adjusted by extending the plurality of
cylinders 6b, 7b of the upper and lower squeezing means 6, 7 for a
predetermined length so that the ratio of the intervals before squeezing to
the ratio after squeezing become almost equal. Namely, when the intervals
between the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate 5 and the plurality of
upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a opposed to the match plate 5
before squeezing molding sand are defined as "A" and "B" respectively as
shown in Fig. 5(b), and those after squeezing molding sand are defined as "a"
and "b" respectively as shown in Fig. 5(c), the intervals are adjusted so that
the ratios of "a/A" and "b/B" become near the relationship of "a/A=b/B." In
other words, at the part where the surface of the pattern is higher than other
parts, the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are extended
so that the quantity of the molding sand to be compressed decreases. In
9

contrast, at the part where the surface of the pattern is lower than other
parts, the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are kept still so
that the quantity of the molding sand to be compressed increases.
[0022]
Then, the upper and the lower molding spaces are filled with the
molding sand by the sand-supplying mechanism 11 through the sand-filling
ports of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3. Next, while the pair of the
cope flask 2, the drag flask 3 and the match plate 5 are being rotated from
the perpendicular state to the horizontal state, the molding sand in the
upper and the lower molding space is squeezed by moving the plurality of
upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a further forwardly by
extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25. Then, after the plurality of
upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a that are projected forwardly
are moved backwardiy by contracting the plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b, the
plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are moved
forwardly by further extending the plurality of cylinders 24, 25. As a result
of these processes, the density of the molding sand of the molded upper and
lower molds becomes substantially uniform. Also, the surfaces of the upper
and the lower molds that face the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze
feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower squeezing means become substantially
flat. (See Fig. 5(c).)
[0023]
Next, the upper and the lower lifting and lowering frame 20, 21 are
moved apart from each other by extending the upwardly-facing cylinder 22
and the downwardly-facing cylinder 23. Then, the cope flask 2, which
contains the mold formed by squeezing the molding sand, is lifted via the
upper hooking members 37 by extending the cylinder 38 of the swiveling
mechanism 13 and is separated from the match plate 5. The drag flask 3 is
placed on the lower hooking members 39 of the swiveling mechanism 13.
Next, the match plate 5 is transferred from between the cope flask 2 and the
drag flask 3 by the pair of arms 17 put in action by contracting the cylinder
16. Then, the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which contain the molded
molds, are swiveled and moved to the position of the stripping mechanism 12
by rotating the rotating shaft 33 for a predetermined angle by driving the
motor 34 of the swiveling mechanism 13. Next, after setting a core in the
mold if it is necessary, the cope flask, which contains the molded mold, is
10

lowered via the upper hooking members 37 lowered by contracting the
cylinders 38 and is stacked on the drag flask 3.
[0024]
Next, by lifting the table 44 for supporting molds by extending the
cylinder 43 of the receiving member 30, and by further lifting it through the
ascending and descending table 42 by extending the cylinder 31, the cope
flask 2 and the drag flask 3, which contain the molded molds, are placed on
the table 44. Then, after the stripping plate 28 is abutted on the upper
surface of the mold in the cope flask 2 by extending the cylinder 29, the
upper and the lower mold are stripped from the cope flask 2 and the drag
flask 3 by simultaneously lowering the stripping plate 28 and the table 44 by
extending and contracting the cylinders 29 and 43 respectively. Next, the
upper and the lower mold are further lowered through the ascending and
descending table 42 and the table 44 by contracting the cylinder 31. Then,
the apparatus 40 for pushing out molds pushes out the upper and the lower
molds on the table 44.
[0025]
In the process explained above, before the cope flask 2 and the drag
flask 3, which contain the molded molds, are swiveled and moved to the
position of the stripping mechanism 12, the core may be set in the molds that
have been already molded if it is necessary, and then, in the same way as
explained above, the pair of the cope flask 2 and the drag flask 3 are stacked,
and then the molds are stripped from these flasks.
[0026]
For the preferred embodiment explained above, when the intervals
between the surfaces of the patterns of the match plate 5 and the plurality of
upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a lower
squeezing means 6, 7 opposed to the match plate 5 before squeezing molding
sand are defined as "A" and "B" respectively, and those after squeezing
molding sand are defined as "a" and "b" respectively, the locations of the
upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are adjusted so that the
ratios of "a/A" and "b/B" become close to the relationship of "a/A=b/B."
However, this invention is not limited to this method. In this invention, the
any method that can produce the molds having a substantially uniform
density of the molding sand after squeezing it, can be used based on the
concept that the positions of a plurality of upper and lower
11

segmented-squeeze feet, which determine the state of the molding sand filled
in the molding spaces, are controlled according to the intervals between the
surfaces of patterns of a match plate and the surfaces of a plurality of upper
and lower segmented-squeeze feet opposed to the match plate.
[0027]
For example, as shown in Fig. 7(a) -7(f), after an upper and a lower
molding space are defined by a match plate 5, a cope flask 2 and a drag flask
3, and an upper and a lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of an upper and a
lower squeezing means 6, 7 at the perpendicular position, the molding spaces
are filled with molding sand through the sand-filling ports of the cope flask 2
and the drag flask 3. Then, the molding sand in the upper and the lower
molding spaces is squeezed by forwardly moving the plurality of upper and
lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a driven by extending each of the
plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b. Next, once the plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are moved backwardly by contracting the
plurality of cylinders 6b, 7b. Then, the upper and the lower molding spaces
are further filled with molding sand through the sand-filling ports. After
the squeezing surfaces of the plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a are uniformly positioned on a plane, the
molding sand in the upper and lower molding spaces may be further
squeezed by moving forwardly in unison the plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a, driven by extending the plurality of cylinders
24,25.
[0028]
Here, for the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a,
7a, it is possible to make two or more of the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet integrated.
[0029]
As shown in Figs. 6(a) -6(c), for the purpose of improving fiowability
of molding sand between the pattern of the match plate 5 and the plurality of
upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet 6a, 7a of the upper and the lower
squeezing means 6, 7 opposed to the match plate 5, slanted surfaces 51 are
formed on the part of the plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet. Here,
although the slanted surfaces 51 are formed only on the lower
segmented-squeeze feet, they may be formed on the part of the plurality of
upper segmented-squeeze feet or on the part of each of the plurality of upper
12

and lower segmented-squeeze feet.
[0030]
Further, the molding apparatus of this invention may have an air
relief mechanism on the match plate 5 so that a portion of the bottom of the
molding space, behind the corners of the pattern of the match plate 5 can be
completely filled with the molding sand.
[0031]
Next, for the flaskless molding apparatus for molds explained in the
above paragraphs, a procedure for changing a match plate 5 is explained
below. First, as shown in Fig. 8(a), cope flasks 2, 2 are hooked by lifting
upper hooking members 37, 37, which are lifted by extending cylinders 38,
38 of a swiveling mechanism 13. Then, a carrier plate 45 having the match
plate 5 (A) is transferred from rails 46 to rails 47 of the cope flask 2 by
rotating a pair of arms 17 counterclockwise which rotation is caused by-
extending a cylinder 16 of a conveying mechanism 4. Then the match plate
5(A) is placed below the left cope flask 2. Next, as shown in Fig. 8(b), while
the cope flask 2 is slightly being lifted and lowered by extending and
contracting the cylinders 38, the pair of the arms 17 is disconnected from the
carrier plate 45 by rotating the pair of the arms 17 clockwise, which rotation
is caused by contracting the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4.
Then, the pair of arms 17 are returned to the initial position. The carrier
plate 45 having a match plate 5 (B) to be substituted is suspended from rails
disposed on a suitable transferring device and is ready and waiting at the
side of the stripping mechanism 12. The carrier plate is moved to the
position opposed to the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 placed at the
stripping mechanism 12.
[0032]
Next, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the carrier plate 45, which is placed at
the position opposed to the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 placed at the
stripping mechanism 12, is manually transferred onto the rails 47 of the
right cope flask 2. As a result of this operation, the right match plate 5(B) is
placed below the right cope flask 2. Then, as shown Fig. 9(b), the swiveling
mechanism 13 is rotated by driving a motor 34, and the left match plate 5(A)
placed at the squeezing mechanism 9 is moved to the stripping mechanism
12, and the right match plate 5(B) placed at the stripping mechanism 12 is
moved to the squeezing mechanism 9.
13

[0033]
Next, as shown in Fig. 10(a), while the left cope flask 2 is slightly
being lifted and lowered by extending and contracting the cylinders 38, the
pair of arms 17 is connected to the carrier plate 45 having the match plate
5(B) by rotating the pair of the arms 17 counterclockwise, which rotation is
caused by extending the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4.
Simultaneously, the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(A) is moved
from the rails 47 of the right cope flask 2 onto the rails of the suitable
transferring device. Next, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the carrier plate 45
having the match plate 5(B) is moved from the rails 47 of the left cope flask 2
onto the rails 46 by rotating the pair of the arms 17 clockwise, which rotation
is caused by contracting the cylinder 16 of the conveying mechanism 4. As
the result of this operation, the match plate 5(B) is transferred from the cope
flask 2. Further, the carrier plate 45 having the match plate 5(A), placed at
the suitable transferring device, are moved to a suitable place by moving a
suitable transferring device. By these operations explained above, the
procedure for changing a match plate is completed.
[0034]
For this embodiment, to handle two pairs of cope flask and drag flask,
the apparatus is comprised of:
a stripping mechanism to strip an upper and a lower mold from the
pair of cope flask and drag flask, which have already been subjected to
squeezing operation, are stacked, horizontally positioned, and contain the
upper and the lower mold, and
a swiveling mechanism to alternately and intermittently swivel the
two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, which are stacked perpendicularly,
aligned horizontally, and are maintained horizontally, between the place of
the stripping mechanism and that of the squeezing mechanism, which holds
an other pair of cope flask and drag flask maintained horizontally, wherein
the swiveling mechanism can also lift and lower the cope flasks.
However, this invention is not restricted to this constitution. A
molding apparatus that has a constitution that has no swiveling mechanism
and that handles just a pair of cope flask and drag flask can be used.
Brief Description of the Drawings
14

[0035]
[Fig. l] Fig. 1 shows an elevational view of a flaskless molding apparatus for
an upper and a lower mold of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 shows a partially sectional view of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken along the "A-A" line of Fig. 1
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 shows a partially sectional plain view of Fig. 1
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for
molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower
mold shown in Fig.l.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for
molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower
mold shown in Fig.l.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for
molding a mold by the flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower
mold shown in Fig.l.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for
changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is
constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 8, and an
elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 8.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes for
changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is
constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 9, and an
elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 9.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 shows an operational view explaining some of the processes
for changing a match plate by using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 10
is constituted of a pair of a plane view of an upper portion of Fig. 10, and an
elevational view of a lower portion of Fig. 10.
15

What we claim is:
1. A flaskless molding apparatus for an upper and a lower mold that are
stacked, comprising:
(a) a cope flask and a drag flask, wherein each flask has openings at its
both ends and has an sand-filling port at its side wall,
(b) a conveying mechanism for inserting a match plate between the cope
flask and the drag flask and for taking it out from therebetween,
(c) a squeezing mechanism to squeeze molding sand, comprising an upper
squeezing means having a plurality of upper segmented-squeeze feet and a
lower squeezing means having a plurality of lower segmented-squeeze feet,
wherein the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet are
insertable into each opening of the cope flask and the drag flask respectively,
which openings are at the opposite side from the match plate,
wherein the squeezing mechanism allows the match plate to be held
between the cope flask and the drag flask, and
wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope
flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the
drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular
plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask
holding the match plate therebetween can be perpendicular or horizontal,
(d) a driving mechanism to rotate the squeezing mechanism clockwise or
counterclockwise, and
(e) a sand-supplying mechanism to fill the molding spaces defined by the
match plate and the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet
opposite to the match plate with the molding sand, through the sand-filling
ports of the cope flask and the drag flask perpendicularly positioned by the
driving mechanism,
the apparatus further comprising a means for moving the
segmented-squeeze feet so that the positions of the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet, which positions determine the condition of the
molding sand in the molding space when the space is filled with the molding
sand, can be controlled according to the intervals between the match plate
and each of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the
match plate and so that after squeezing the molding sand, the molds are
16

comprised of molding sand with a substantially uniform density.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for moving the
segmented-squeeze feet controls the position of the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet so that the ratios of the intervals between the
surfaces of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet and the surfaces
of the patterns of the match plate before squeezing the molding sand to those
after squeezing the molding sand become substantially equal respectively.
3. The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the molding sand is squeezed by moving forward the
plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet after the molding
spaces are filled with the molding sand,
wherein the plurality of upper and lower segmented-squeeze feet is
moved backwardly, and thereafter the molding spaces created by said
backward movement are filled with additional molding sand, and
wherein each squeezing surface of the plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet is controlled so that the surfaces form a plane.
4. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 3, further comprising a slanted
surface formed at the squeezing surface of a part of the plurality of upper
and/or lower segmented-squeeze feet to improve flowability of the molding
sand in the molding spaces.
5. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 4, further comprising an air
relief mechanism disposed at the match plate so as to completely fill a
cornered bottom portion of the molding space formed by the pattern on the
match plate with the molding sand.
6. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 5, wherein the means for moving
the segmented-squeeze feet is operated while the cope flask and the drag
flask are positioned from horizontal to perpendicular state.
7. The apparatus of any of claims 1 -6, wherein the means for moving
the segmented-squeeze feet is operated based on commands from a memory
means that stores the data on the configuration of the patterns of the match
17

plate.
8. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7, wherein the flasks are
constituted of two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, the apparatus further
comprising:
a stripping mechanism to strip an upper and a lower mold from the
pair of cope flask and drag flask, which have already been subjected to
squeezing operation, stacked, maintained horizontally, and containing the
upper and the lower mold, and
a swiveling mechanism to alternately and intermittently swivel the
two pairs of cope flasks and drag flasks, which are stacked perpendicularly,
aligned horizontally, and are maintained horizontally, between the stripping
mechanism and the squeezing mechanism, which holds the other pair of cope
flask and drag flask maintained horizontally, wherein the swiveling
mechanism can lift and lower the cope flasks.
18

This invention provides a flaskless molding apparatus for an upper
and a lower mold that can produce molds comprised of molding sand with a
substantially uniform density, the apparatus, comprising
a match plate held between a cope flask and a drag flask,
a squeezing mechanism having a plurality of upper and lower
segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the upper and the lower
segmented-squeeze feet are insertable into each opening of the cope flask
and the drag flask respectively, which openings are opposite to the match
plate, and wherein the squeezing mechanism can support and rotate the cope
flask and the drag flask so that the mechanism allows the cope flask and the
drag flask to be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a perpendicular
plane about a supporting shaft and so that the cope flask and the drag flask
can be perpendicular or horizontal, and
a means for moving the segmented-squeeze feet, wherein the means
can control the positions of the upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet,
which positions determine the condition of the molding sand in the molding
spaces, according to the intervals between the match plate and each of the
upper and the lower segmented-squeeze feet opposite to the match plate.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=Ubra4gsdKqbpXUVaRTdbJA==&loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==

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Patent Number

279348

Indian Patent Application Number

4816/KOLNP/2007

PG Journal Number

03/2017

Publication Date

20-Jan-2017

Grant Date

18-Jan-2017

Date of Filing

11-Dec-2007

Name of Patentee

SINTOKOGIO, LTD.

Applicant Address

28-12, MEIEKI 3-CHOME, NAKAMURA-KU NAGOYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	KOMIYAMA TAKAYUKI	C/O SINTOKOGIO, LTD. TOYOKAWA SEISAKUSHO, 1, HONOHARA 3-CHOME, TOYOKAWA-SHI, AICHI-KEN 442-0061
2	HIRATA MINORU	C/O SINTOKOGIO, LTD. TOYOKAWA SEISAKUSHO, 1, HONOHARA 3-CHOME, TOYOKAWA-SHI, AICHI-KEN 442-0061

PCT International Classification Number

B22C 15/02

PCT International Application Number

PCT/JP2006/310763

PCT International Filing date

2006-05-30

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	2005-171962	2005-06-13	Japan