Method and apparatus for conveying sand molds

{
  "publication_number": "US11161174B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method and apparatus for conveying sand molds",
  "abstract": "Method and apparatus for feeding sand molds laterally and/o between stations of differing heights. The method and apparatus of this invention utilize walking-beam-type conveyors having spaced apart fixed outboard rails and a central reciprocating rail. Walking-beam conveyors can be disposed in perpendicular directions with a junction therebetween that allows for a perpendicular change in direction. The method and apparatus of this invention include lift, leveling, and/or lateral transfer mechanisms for lateral placement of the stations relative to the conveyance path.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for conveying a sand mold, the apparatus comprising: an accumulating conveyor including a transfer rail movable with respect to at least one fixed rail, wherein the accumulating conveyor comprises an adjustment mechanism in combination with the transfer rail, the adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a horizontal alignment of the transfer rail with respect to the at least one fixed rail; and a device for moving the sand mold onto and/or off of the accumulating conveyor in a direction lateral to a conveying direction of the accumulating conveyor and/or at different vertical heights.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a pusher that travels in the direction lateral to the conveying direction.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a leveling cylinder that moves vertically in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the leveling cylinder of the adjustment mechanism is connected on a conveyor frame and under a rail frame of the transfer rail.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transfer station at an end of the accumulating conveyor, and including the device for moving the sand mold.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transfer station comprises a mold lift that moves vertically in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, wherein the mold lift raises the sand mold to a pusher of the device for the moving the sand mold.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mold lift comprises a cross-shape or X-shape lift platform with two extensions that extend between pairs of four corner pads of an accumulating conveyor end.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mold lift comprises a lift platform adapted to lower below the at least one fixed rail to allow the transfer rail to move the sand mold into position over the lift platform.",
    "9. An apparatus for conveying a sand mold, the apparatus comprising: an accumulating conveyor including a transfer rail movable with respect to at least one fixed rail; and a transfer station at a downstream end of the accumulating conveyor, the transfer station including a mold lift platform and a pusher, wherein the mold lift platform is configured to raise the sand mold off the at least one fixed rail into a position adjacent the pusher.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mold lift platform is adapted to lower below the at least one fixed rail to allow the transfer rail to move the sand mold into position over the mold lift platform.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transfer station comprises a frame extending above the accumulating conveyor, the mold lift platform moves vertically along the frame, and the pusher is pivotably connected to an upper section of the frame.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the accumulating conveyor comprises an adjustment mechanism in combination with the transfer rail, the adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a horizontal alignment of the transfer rail with respect to at least one fixed rail.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the transfer rail comprises a rail frame and a plurality of sand mold carrier plates each connected to the rail frame by a corresponding pressurized fluid lift mechanism; and the adjustment mechanism comprises a leveling cylinder on a conveyor frame and under the rail frame of the transfer rail, and the leveling cylinder is configured to lift the rail frame relative to the conveyor frame.",
    "14. A method for conveying a sand mold with the apparatus according to claim 9, the method comprising: moving the sand mold with the accumulating conveyor via the transfer rail reciprocating with respect to the at least one fixed rail; and moving the sand mold onto and/or off of the accumulating conveyor in a direction lateral to a conveying direction of the accumulating conveyor and/or at the different vertical heights.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, further comprising pushing the sand mold with the pusher, wherein the pusher travels in the direction lateral to the conveying direction.",
    "16. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting a horizontal alignment of the transfer rail with respect to the at least one fixed rail, wherein the adjusting comprises moving a leveling cylinder under the transfer rail vertically in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.",
    "17. The method of claim 14, further comprising: moving the sand mold to the transfer station at the downstream end of the accumulating conveyor; and lifting the sand mold to the pusher.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mold lift platform comprises a cross-shape or X-shape lift platform with two extensions that extend between pairs of four corner pads of the downstream end of the accumulating conveyor.",
    "19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: lowering the mold lift platform below the at least one fixed rail; and moving the transfer rail with the sand mold into position over the mold lift platform.",
    "20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mold lift platform comprises a cross-shape or X-shape lift platform with two extensions that extend between pairs of four corner pads of an accumulating conveyor end."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention is directed to conveyors for feeding sand molds for metal casting from one machine, such as a forming machine, to a second machine, such as a metal pouring station. The invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically and continually feeding prepared sand molds using walking beam-type mold conveyors.\n\nMolded metal castings are commonly manufactured at foundries through a matchplate molding technique which employs green sand molds comprised of prepared sand and additives which are compressed around cope and drag patterns mounted on opposite sides of a matchplate. The sand mold is thus formed in upper and lower matching portions, an upper cope mold, and a lower drag mold. The cope mold is formed in a separate cope flask which is filled with prepared sand and compacted onto the matchplate. The matchplate is then removed leaving an indentation in the cope mold of the desired shape for the upper portion of the casting. Simultaneously, the drag mold is formed in a separate drag flask. Usually the matchplate is in the form of a planar member with the pattern for the cope mold on one side and the pattern for the drag mold on the other. After the cope and drag molds have been formed, they are placed together to form a unitary mold having an interior cavity of the desired shape. The cavity can then be filled with molten metal through an inlet or “sprue” provided in the cope mold to create the desired casting. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,2 issued to Hunter, herein incorporated by reference.",
  "cpc": [
    "B22D 33/00",
    "B22C 11/08",
    "B22C 19/00",
    "B22C 23/00",
    "B22C 25/00",
    "B22D 33/005",
    "B22D 47/02",
    "B65G 25/04",
    "B65G 47/68",
    "C07K 2319/10",
    "C12N 15/8206",
    "C12N 15/8213"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B22D 33/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Hunter Fourndry Machinery Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "William Gary Hunter"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-12-19",
  "publication_date": "2021-11-02",
  "grant_date": "2021-11-02",
  "priority_date": "2018-12-20",
  "application_number": "US-201916720307-A",
  "family_id": "71102357",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "GB1330438A",
    "US4224979A",
    "US4589467A",
    "US5022512A",
    "US4934511A",
    "US20040026061A1",
    "US20020069999A1",
    "US20080029238A1",
    "US7637303B2",
    "US20130146422A1",
    "US20170297091A1"
  ]
}