Patent GB-661519-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in pump operating and control mechanism for stereotype plate casting machine
IPC: B41D3/04
Filed: 1949-08-26
Abstract: 661,519. Casting stereotype plates. WOOD NEWSPAPER MACHINERY CORPORATION. Aug. 26, 1949 [July 16, 1949], No. 22279/49. Class 100 (ii). A stereotype plate casting machine of the type including two mould forming members relatively movable to form a mould space therebetween comprises a power operated pump for delivering molten metal thereto, and a pump control device having a handle which is prevented from operative movement unless the mould forming members have been moved to mould-space forming position. The two mould forming members comprise a casting box 2 slidable on rollers in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 1, away from the second member consisting of a vertical core 1 rotatable about a central shaft by a motor 4 through a clutch 8, 8'; shaft 5, pinion 6 and crown wheel 7 effecting half revolutions of the core to carry the cast plate to an exposed unloading position. The clutch 8, 8<SP>1</SP> is automatically disconnected at each half-cycle by means of a roller 36, fitted on an extension of a spring biased clutch operating lever 33, engaging in either of two notches 38, 38<SP>1</SP> in a cam surface 35 on the crown wheel 7. Molten metal is delivered by a spout 29, Fig. 3, to the mould space 27 between members 1, 2 from a pot 9 by a pump-mechanism 12- 15 operated by a lever 16 pneumatically operated by a cylinder 21 but which has an emergency handle 20. The operation of the piston is controlled by a valve V which is locked against operation if the core 1 has not rotated to remove a previously cast core. The operation of a lever 53 of valve V admits compressed air to a hose 24, Fig. 10, leading to the upper end of cylinder 21 operating the pump mechanism 12-15, and the movement of the lever 53 engages a latch 56, Fig. 6, releasing the stop bar 54 which moves, by the bias of a spring 55, into a vertical position when lever 53 is released so that subsequent operation thereof is blocked. If however a half revolution of the core 1 is now effected, indicating that the cast core is removed, a cam 63 on the crown wheel 7 engages a pin 61 coacting with the stop bar 54 moving it anti-clockwise to be rehooked by latch 56 and so permitting subsequent operation of the valve V. The compressed air for the valve V is cut off by an electrically operated valve 80, Fig. 10, if (a) a matrix is not in place, since the absence of a matrix breaks the vacuum in the usual matrix holding chamber thus allowing a piston 70 to move leftwardly to open contacts 71 and (b) if the box 2 is not in fully closed position thus allowing an arm 75 to open switch contacts 74. In a modification, Fig. 11, the control device is applied to a machine having a vertical casting box 86 and a core 81 movable by links 85 and rollers 82 from a vertical casting position to a horizontal plate removing position, a foot-pedal 88 being provided to start the core in its travel away from the box 86 and a handle 88<SP>1</SP> being provided to tilt and return the core to the dotted line position. The return movement of the core 81 permits operation of a valve V<SP>1</SP>, operating a pump 91 supplying molten metal from a pot 89, by displacing a stop bar 112, Fig. 13, the stop bar being operated by the return movement of the hub 119 of the rollers 82, engaging an adjustment 108 of a rod 107 attached to a slide 106 carrying a latch 115. The end of the latch engages a pin 118 of the stop bar 112 and turns it clockwise to the position shown so that operation of valve handle 104 is unobstructed. Operation of the handle 104 depresses the latch 115 and the stop bar 112 is returned by a spring 116 to a position engaging the side of the handle 104 which when returned to effect a return stroke of the pump 91 allows the stop bar to snap underneath the handle 104. A compressed air valve controlled electrically by the presence of a matrix is also provided in a similar manner to that of the first embodiment.