Patent ID: 7392835
Filing Date: 2008-07-01
Classification: B22C,F01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for automatically fastening together two sets of assembled sand cores, each set comprising a water jacket core and a slab core for an internal combustion engine block, comprising a table adapted to support two sets of assembled sand cores, which each include a water jacket core and a slab core for an internal combustion engine vehicle, at a fastening position, a plurality of movable carriers for a plurality of staple guns, each of said plurality of movable carriers being adapted to be driven between a retracted position and a staple insertion position adjacent the core assemblies at the fastening position, a plurality of carrier drivers for driving the plurality of movable carriers between their retracted positions and staple insertion positions, each of the plurality of staple guns being located at its staple insertion position so that each of the plurality of staple guns inserts a single staple into both the water jacket core and slab core, each such single staple having one tine inserted into the water jacket core and one tine inserted into the slab core with the crown of the staple crossing the interface between the water jacket core and slab core to retain the two sets of assembled sand cores together, each of the movable carriers carrying for each staple gun, a supply of staples, an actuator for operating the staple gun, and a staple insertion sensor for sensing the insertion of staples from the staple gun, core assembly sensing means for sensing the presence of the two sets of assembled sand cores at the fastening position, and a control having first control means triggered by said core assembly sensing means for operating the plurality of carrier drivers when two sets of assembled sand cores are present at the fastening position and moving the plurality of movable carriers to locate the plurality of staple guns at their staple insertion positions, second control means for operating the staple gun actuators when the movable carriers have stopped at their staple insertion positions, and third control means triggered by signals from the plurality of staple sensors for operating the plurality of carrier drivers and moving the plurality of movable carriers to their retracted positions.