METHOD OF SUPPLYING SAND TO BLOW HEAD OF BLOW TYPE MOLDING MACHINE

Abstract: A method of blowing molding sand into a molding space forming device having a blow port from a blow type blow head provided with a blowoff port and preventing the molding sand flowing out of the blowoff port of the blow head from being scattered outside. Prior to supplying the molding sand into a blow head, a blow port is connected to a blowoff port of a blow head so that the molding sand flowing out of the blowoff port of the blow head is received by a molding space forming device when the molding sand is supplied to the blow head.

Description: Technical Field This invention relates to a method of blow charging molding sand by means of compressed air into a blow head of a blow type molding machine as defined in the preamble of the appended claim. Background Art Such a method and machine is known from JP-A-7-16 705 . In another conventional blow type molding machine ( EP 0 465 930 A2 ) where molding sand is blow charged by means of compressed air into the device that defines a mold space, a part of the molding sand flows out of the blow-off port, which is mounted an the lower part of a blow head, when the mold sand is supplied into the empty blow head, and is scattered outside, thereby contaminating the working environment. This invention was created to resolve this drawback. Its purpose is to provide a method of supplying molding sand into a blow head wherein the molding sand does not flow out of a blow-off port when disconnected from the blow-in port of the device that defines the mold space and is prevented from being scattered when it is supplied to the blow head. Summary of the Invention To this end, In the method of the present invention of blow charging molding sand from a blow-off port of a blow head of a blow type molding machine into a blow-in port of a device that defines a mold space comprising (a) connecting the blow-off port of the blow head to the blow-in port of said device that defines a mold space in that the device is rotated about a horizontal axis such that the blow-in port of the device engages with the blow-off port of the blow head, (b) blowing molding sand contained In the blow head into the device through the blow-off and blow-in ports, and then (c) squeezing the molding sand in the mold space, the improvement that after step (a) a predetermined amount of molding sand is introduced into the blow head, and in that after a mold is produced to some degree the molding sand in the blow-off port of the blow head is hardened and blocks the blow-off port, so that after a first mold is produced molding sand does not flow out when it is supplied to the blow head. The device that defines the mold space can receive any of the molding sand which flows out of the blow-off port of the blow head when the molding sand is supplied into the blow head for the production of the first sand mold. Thus the part of the molding sand flowing out of the blow-off port is not scattered in the environment. Thereafter, molding sand does not flow out of the blow-off port when disconnected from the blow-in port of the device that defines the mold space. Brief Description of the Drawings Figs. 1 - 4 are explanatory drawings to show the steps of the present invention using a molding machine suitable to execute this invention. Preferred Embodiment of the Invention By reference to Figs. 1 - 4 the preferred embodiment of the present invention is now explained. As shown in Fig. 1, a match plate 3 is introduced between an upper flask 1 and a lower flask 2. Then, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper flask 1, the match plate 3, and an upper squeeze plate 4, are lowered to superimpose the match plate 3 and upper flask 1 on the lower flask 2. Then, as shown in Fig. 3, the superimposed upper and lower flasks 1, 2 and match plate 3 are rotated by a rotary device 10 through 90° about a horizontal axis of rotation to connect two blow-in ports 5, 5 of the upper and lower flasks 1, 2 with blow-off ports 6, 6 of a blow head 7, and a lower squeeze plate 8 is inserted just a little into an end opening of the lower flask 2. A device that defines a mold space, comprising the upper and lower flasks 1, 2, match plate 3, and upper and lower squeeze plates 4, 8, defines a mold space 9. As shown in Fig. 4, a predetermined amount of molding sand S is then supplied into the empty blow head 7. Although a part of the molding sand S flows out of the blow-off ports 6, 6 of the blow head 7, it enters the device (i.e., mold space 9) through the blow-in ports 5, 5. Thus it is not scattered outside the blow-off ports. Compressed air is then supplied into the blow head 7 by a known means (not shown) to blow the molding sand in the blow head 7 into the mold space, and the molding sand in the mold space is then squeezed by the upper and lower squeeze plates 4, 8. Thus a cope and a drag are produced by this molding machine in the normal molding operation. After a mold is produced in this way, since to some degree the molding sand in the blow-off ports of the blow head 7 is hardened, it blocks the ports. Therefore, the molding sand in the blow head 7 does not flow out unless compressed air is supplied into it. Thus, after the first mold is produced, molding sand does not flow out when it is supplied to the blow head 7. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiment is exemplary, and this invention can be carried out in other modified forms without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention attached to this specification.

Claims: Method of blowing molding sand from a blow-off port of a blow head of a blow type molding machine into a blow-in port of a device that defines a mold space, comprising the steps of (a) connecting the blow-off port of the blow head to the blow-in port of said device that defines a mold space in that the device is rotated about a horizontal axis such that the blow-in port of the device engages with the blow-off port of the blow head, (b) blowing molding sand contained in the blow head into the device through the blow-off and blow-in ports, and then (c) squeezing the molding sand in the mold space, characterized in that after step (a) a predetermined amount of molding sand is introduced into the blow head, and in that after a mold is produced to some degree the molding sand in the blow-off port of the blow head is hardened and blocks the blow-off port, so that after a first mold is produced molding sand does not flow out when it is supplied to the blow head.

Inventors: KOMIYAMA TAKAYUKI, MORIBE YASUO, KOMIYAMA, TAKAYUKI, MORIBE, YASUO
Applicants: SINTOKOGIO LTD, SINTOKOGIO, LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B22C15
IPC codes: B22C11, B22C15