Method and device for filling casting sand

An apparatus for introducing molding sand into a mold space and for compacting the molding sand in the mold space, said apparatus comprising;

• a) a mold space defined by a pattern plate having a pattern, a flask placed on the pattern plate for surrounding the pattern, and a filling frame placed on the flask;
• comprising:
• b) a sand hopper located above the mold space, said sand hopper including:
• i) means for introducing a first airflow of compressed air at a low pressure into said sand hopper from an upper part thereof;
• ii) a container located in an upper portion of said sand hopper for containing molding sand;
• iii) a plurality of tapered cavities located in a middle part of the sand hopper and segmented by a plurality of porous plates having a plurality of apertures, wherein each tapered cavity communicates with said container;
• iv) an aeration means mounted on said porous plates for supplying a second airflow of compressed air at a low pressure into said tapered cavities through said apertures so as to fluidize the molding sand in said tapered cavities;
• v) separated nozzles at a lower portion of said sand hopper for blowing and thereby introducing the molding sand into the mold space by the first airflow, wherein said separated nozzles communicate with said tapered cavities, and wherein said separated nozzles are insertable into said filling frame;
• and
• c) vertically movable, multi-segmented squeeze feet mounted on the lower portion of said sand hopper in such a way that said multi-segmented squeeze feet define the top surface of the mold space for compacting the molding sand in the mold space.

A method for blowing and introducing molding sand into a mold space, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing at a predetermined position a pattern plate having a vent hole;
• b) placing a flask on said pattern plate to surround said pattern;
• c) placing a filling frame on said flask;
• d) defining a mold space by causing a combination of a sand hopper located above the mold space and vertically movable, multi-segmented squeeze feet mounted on the lower portion of said sand hopper to approach the filling frame, wherein said sand hopper includes i) a container located in an upper portion of said sand hopper for containing molding sand, ii) a plurality of tapered cavities located in a middle part of the sand hopper and segmented by a plurality of porous plates having a plurality of apertures, wherein each tapered cavity communicates with said container;
• and iii) separated nozzles at a lower portion of said sand hopper in such a way that said separated nozzles communicate with said tapered cavities and are inserted into said filling frame;
• e) introducing a first airflow of compressed air at a low pressure into said sand hopper from an upper part of said sand hopper so as to blow and thereby introduce the molding sand into the mold space from said hopper through said separated nozzles;
• and
• f) supplying a second airflow of compressed air at a low pressure into said tapered cavities through said apertures so as to fluidize the molding sand in said sand hopper in such a way that the amount of said introduced molding sand from the nozzles is controlled.