Patent GB-794296-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the automatic casting of metal parts such as batteryparts
Inventor: WINKEL HERBERT CARL
IPC: H01M4/84
Filed: 1956-04-09
Abstract: 794,296. Casting-machines. WINKEL MACHINE CO., Inc. April 9, 1956, No. 10803/56. Class 83 (1). A foundry mould body and chain-type conveyer construction, in which the mould body may be quickly mounted on and removed from the conveyer, includes a horizontally-extending slot on each side of said mould body at one end thereof, and a vertically-extending slot on each side of said mould body at the other end thereof, said conveyer having pins secured thereto and extending into said slots. Mould bodies 23, Figs. 1, 6 and 11, comprising ejector-pins 154, are supported between a pair of endless-chains 24, 26 by the engagement of slots 204, 206, with pins 207, 208, and the chains are intermittently driven from a motor 43 through a continuouslyrotating shaft 48 and a Geneva-wheel 46. The weight of the moulds is taken by rails 104, 106, &c. and they are prevented from dropping from the chains in the region of the sprockets by discs 181-184, Fig. 2. The mould-covers 51 containing the sprue-openings 216 are supported between chains 52, 53, which are moved by the interengagement of pins 244, 246, between the mould-bodies and covers. Each cover is capable of limited sideways movement against a spring, for shearing the sprue from the cast-part, such sideways movement being effected at the sprue cut-off station by vertical movement of a cam-bar. 94, Fig. 6. Guards 241, 401 and discs are positioned to prevent the covers falling from the chains during their travel from the upper course of the chains to the lower. A sprue knock-out mechanism 111, Figs. 1, 13, comprises knock-out pins 116 in a block 114 carried by straps 112, 115, pivoted to the machine-frame at one end and to a vertically-movable member 122 at the other. Guidepins 118, 119 lead the knock-out pins and enter openings 403 in the mould cover. A trough 121 collects and conducts the sprues, e.g. to a melting-pot 78, Fig. 1. A pouring-pot 66, Fig. 4, has an outlet 68 closed by a valve 69, opened against a spring 74 by vertical movement of a mechanism 76. The pot is supplied with molten-metal from the melting-pot 78, through a conduit 77, metal returning to the pot 78 through a conduit 79 to maintain a constant circulation. The mechanism for actuating the sprue-cut-off, sprue-knock-out, and cast-partejection mechanism and the pouring-pot valve, comprises a frame 120 having longitudinal members 123, 124, Figs. 1 and 9, and pivoted at one end 126 to the machine-frame. The vertical member 122 is fastened to the frame 120 at 122a, and the cam-bar 94, Fig. 6, is connected to the member 124. A cam-shaft 127, Figs. 1, 9, mounted between side-plates of the machine-frame, is chain-driven from the continuously-rotating shaft 48, and carries a cam 131 which acts against followers 133, 134, mounted on the frame 120, so that the frame 120 is moved downwardly to actuate both the sprue-knock-out and the sprue-cut-off mechanism. A yoke 135 is engaged by the cam to move the frame 120 upwardly. A cam 141 on the shaft 127 engages a follower 143 mounted on a pivotally-mounted parallelogram-linkage 147-149, 404, to cause vertical movement of the pouring-pot valve-actuated bar 76. The ejector pins 154 are carried by a plate 150 which is actuated by a spring-loaded plate 156, Fig. 9, carried by the frame 120, on downward movement of said frame. Should the ejector-pins not return to their normal position under the action of gravity, they are returned by striking with a member 165, Fig. 17, connected through a linkage to the frame 120. The moulds are cooled after leaving the filling-station by a water-spray 303 controlled by a valve 304, which is held open for a period of time proportional to the amount of material within the mould cavity, by controlling it by a solenoid 309, Fig. 4, which in turn is controlled by a limit-switch 307 which is closed by movement of the actuating-mechanism of the valve 69. The period of time the valve 69 is held open may be varied by changing the cam 141. In a modification to enable this time to be varied during the operation of the machine, to enable it to simultaneously handle moulds having cavities of different capacity, the valve-actuating-mechanism is removed or rendered ineffective and the valve 69 connected directly to the plunger of a solenoid 252, Fig. 18. A wheel 253 geared to one of the intermittently-driven shafts, to rotate once for a complete cycle of the machine, has radially-adjustable cams 256, each corresponding to a particular mould on the machine, and adjusted to hold the solenoidactuating-switch 257 open for the period of time required to fill that mould. Switch 307a is actuated by the same cams 256 to direct cooling-water on to the filled mould for the appropriate period. A circular table 171, driven in synchronism with the arrival of moulds at the ejection station, carries a series of receptacles. Ports from multi-cavity moulds may be directed into multiple-receptacles by positioning a cross-member 302, Fig. 19, beneath the mould.