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US 2014/0190650 A1Published application
Modular casting sprue assembly
AssigneeWiSys Technology Foundation, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Scott McGuire, Eric Emst Hellstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prefabricated sprue assembly provides attachment to independently-produced investment casting molds to substantially reduce the need for pattern material. Installable connections between the prefabricated sprue assembly and the investment mold allow substantial reduction of scrap loss caused by errors in production of individual investment molds by culling defective molds before installation to the sprue assembly.
Claims21
A modular molding system comprising:
- a sprite trunk having walls defining an interior volume and constructed of a hardened refractory material to provide a passageway open at an upper end and closed at a lower end, the walls further including a plurality of openings extending laterally therethrough;
- and
- a multiplicity of hollow branch connectors constructed of a hardened refractory material having outer surfaces and inner walls, the inner walls defining a passageway through the connectors between opposed first and second ends of the connectors, the hardened refractory material of the second ends of the connectors are adapted to mechanically attach to the plurality of openings in the sprue trunk forming fluid tight seals between the sprue trunk and connectors and continuous channels in fluid communication from the passageway of the sprue trunk to the first end of the connectors, and
- wherein the outer surface of the connectors at the first end is adapted to adhere to a refractory shell material subsequently coating a pattern and length of the outer surface at the first end, and
- wherein a length of the outer surface of the connectors at the second end is subsequently substantially devoid of refractory shell material.
2 more elements
A method of casting comprising the steps of:
- (a) pre-fabricating a sprue assembly providing a funnel communicating with an extension with a tubular reservoir channel and constructed of hardened refractory material;
- (b) attaching a first end of the tubular reservoir channel to a pattern of a volatilizable material;
- (c) coating the first end of the tubular reservoir channel and pattern with a flowable refractory material integrally attached to the tubular reservoir channel to create a shell about the pattern and hardening the flowable refractory material about a first length of the outer surface of the tubular reservoir channel adjacent the first end, while maintain a second length of the outer surface of the tubular reservoir channel substantially devoid of flowable refractory material adjacent a second end opposite the first end;
- (d) mechanically attaching the second end of the hardened refractory material tubular reservoir channel to the extension forming a fluid tight seal between the extension and tubular reservoir channel and a continuous channel in fluid communication from the funnel to the first end of the tubular reservoir channel;
- and
- (e) introducing through the funnel a molten material to flow through the tubular reservoir channel and into the shell.
3 more elements
A modular molding system comprising:
- a sprue trunk having walls defining an interior volume and constructed of a hardened refractory material to provide a passageway open at an upper end and closed at a lower end, the walls further including a plurality of openings extending laterally therethrough;
- and
- a multiplicity of hollow branch connectors constructed of a hardened refractory material having outer surfaces and inner walls, the inner walls defining a passageway through the connectors between opposed first and second ends of the connectors, the hardened refractory material of the second ends of the connectors are adapted to mechanically attach to the plurality of openings in the sprite trunk forming fluid tight seals between the sprue trunk and connectors and continuous channels in fluid communication from the passageway of the sprue trunk to the first end of the connectors, and
- a ceramic shell surround a pattern extending from each of the multiplicity of hallow branch connectors, the shells including a hardened refractory material adhered to an outer surface of the pattern and a length of the outer surface at the first end, and wherein a length of the outer surface of the connectors at the second end is subsequently substantially devoid of a ceramic shell.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.