Patent ID: 8132613
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: B22C

Abstract:
1. A molding apparatus for producing an upper and lower mold having a core set therebetween comprising: a main body; a cope and a drag flask mounted for movement toward and away from each other on the main body; a match plate; a transferring mechanism for transferring the match plate to and from a position between the cope and drag flask; upper and lower squeezing members insertable into the cope and drag flask to define upper and lower molding spaces in the cope and drag flasks, respectively, when the match plate is in position between the cope and the drag flask, each space having a predetermined volume; a sand-supplying mechanism for filling the molding spaces with sand; a pair of cylinders for driving the upper and lower squeezing members to squeeze the molding sand in the upper and lower molding spaces after they are filled to produce an upper and lower mold in said spaces; a core-setting apparatus for setting a core in the lower mold of the drag flask after the upper and lower molds have been produced and the cope and drag flask are separated from each other and the match plate, the core-setting apparatus including: a handling tool having vacuuming means or clamping means for removably holding the core to the handling tool; a rotatable rod for supporting the handling tool for rotation about an axis of the rod; a carrier that supports the rotatable rod for transferring the handling tool and the core to and from a location above the lower mold in the drag flask; and an actuator mounted on the main body of the molding apparatus for lowering the cope flask together with the carrier and the handling tool holding the core when the handling tool is located above the lower mold to set the core in the lower mold and for lifting the cope flask together with the carrier and the handling tool after the core has been set in the lower mold.