Patent GB-1500420-A (GB)
Title: Anode casting machine
IPC: B22D25/04
Filed: 1975-12-29
Abstract: 1500420 Casting metals B J KNIGHT 29 Dec 1975 [16 Jan 1975] 52989/75 Heading B3F A machine for casting metal anodes comprises a first open faced mould plate 112 operably connected to a first backing plate 111, a second open faced mould plate 131 operably connected to a second backing plate 132, means 102, 136 attached to a base means 100 to unite and secure the mould plates into a mould configuration, ladle means 160 for introducing molten metal into the mould formed by the mould plates, means to stabilize the temperature of the mould plates, means for separating the mould plates, and means for transferring molten metal from a melting pot to the ladle. The machine described is for casting lead or lead alloy anodes for use with a copper cathode in a copper bearing liquid for depositing copper on the cathode. The first open faced mould plate 112 is secured by L- shaped brackets to the backing plate 111 which has jack bolts 114 for pressing against the back of the mould plate. The backing plate is mounted by webs 110 on the piston 102 of an hydraulie cylinder 101 attached to support means 100a. The second open faced mould plate 131 is likewise secured by L-shaped brackets 133 to the second backing plate 132 which is mounted on webs 136 on the base 100, jack bolts 134 extending through the backing plate to engage against the back of the mould plate 131. The mould plate 112 is advanced by the piston 102 of cylinder 101 to engage the second mould plate 131 and is aligned therewith by pins 135 on plate 131 engaging apertures 117 in plate 112. When the plates are engaged to form the mould, the jack bolts 114, 134 are adjusted to ensure that the mould will produce an anode of uniform thickness. The mould plates are also forced together by grappler arms 142 which are swung by hydraulic cylinder and piston devices 140, 141 to positions behind the mould plate 111, the devices being mounted on an assembly 144 which is acted upon by a further piston-andcylinder device 150, 151 to cause the grappler arms 142 to press the mould plates together. Hoses 115, 137 are connected to passages 116 in the backing plates for the supply of an airwater mixture to the back of the mould plates 112, 131 to stabilize the temperature thereof. Each mould plate consists of a steel plate on the face of which are runners 116 defining the shape of the anode, the runners being formed with gaps for positioning of a hanger bar 117 of copper onto which the anode is cast. Alternatively, the anode may be cast without the hanger bar. The mould plates may have square or circular mounds 118 so that the anode is formed with like shaped openings. The mounds and the runners are tapered to ensure easy removal of the cast anode from the mould plates. The ladle 160 is in the form of a horizontal cylinder from which a sector has been removed and is mounted by an axle 167 on a cradle 161 movable to a position above the mould by an hydraulic piston-and-cylinder device 162, 163, a handle 164 being provided for the operator to roll the ladle so that the molten material is poured through holes 165, 166, the holes 166 at the ends of the ladle being larger than holes 165 because of the extra metal to be east around the hanger bar. Metal is supplied to the ladle from a melting pot 170 having a pouring tube 171 which extends close to the bottom of the pot.