US 4,095,643 AGranted

Agent feeder for pipe casting apparatus

AssigneeAmerican Cast Iron Pipe Company

InventorsCarl P. Farlow, Joel P. Sutherland, William E. Snow

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Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for feeding an inoculating or nucleating agent or particle to a trough of a pipe casting apparatus or beneath the surface of molten metal within a ladle. In particular, the agents are introduced by a hopper into a sealed chamber by selectively actuatable valves. A gas compatible with the agent to be used in the casting process, is introduced into the sealed chamber, whereby a relatively low pressure is established therein. An agent feeder, such as a vibratory feeder, is provided for directing a measured charge of the agent into a funnel leading to an outlet conduit. The pressure established within the chamber forces the agent through the conduit which is in turn connected to a delivery tube by which the agent is used to coat the mold surface directly or is fed into a stream of metal in a centrifugal tube casting apparatus. An outlet valve in the outlet tube is provided for selectively permitting the passage of the agent and gas mixture to the casting apparatus.

Claims9

Dependent claims

Apparatus for casting pipe comprising:

(a) a rotatable mold;
(b) a trough for delivery of molten metal from a source thereof to the interior of said mold;
(c) means for imparting a relative motion between said rotatable mold and said trough, whereby the molten metal is discharged from a discharge end of said trough as said trough moves with respect to said mold;
(d) a tube supported in a fixed relationship with respect to said trough for delivery of a mixture of solid, fine agents to said discharge end of said trough, whereby the fine agents are delivered to the interior of said mold;
said tube having an inlet and an outlet;
(e) a feeder assembly for providing a measured charge of the solid, fine agents to said tube inlet and including a pressure-tight chamber, a first agent-introducing conduit and associated first valve means for selectively regulating the introduction of the fine agents into said chamber, a second gas-introducing conduit and associated second valve means for selectively introducing pressurized carrier gas within said chamber, and maintaining the pressure within said chamber in the range of 10 to 15 psi, feeding means disposed within said chamber including a first hopper positioned to receive the introduced fine agents, a first vibratory sloped try disposed beneath said hopper and selectively energizable for controlling the rate of flow of the charge of the agents at a measured rate, and a third exit conduit disposed to receive the measured charge of particles and associated third valve means for selectively controlling the flow of the mixture of the measured charge of agents and the carrier gas to said tube inlet.

3 more elements

Apparatus for casting pipe comprising:

(a) a rotatable mold;
(b) a trough for delivery of molten metal from a source thereof to the interior of said mold;
(c) means for imparting a relative motion between said rotatable mold and said trough, whereby the molten metal is discharged from a discharge end of said trough as said trough moves with respect to said mold;
(d) a tube supported in a fixed relationship with respect to said trough for delivery of a mixture of solid, fine agents to said discharge end of said trough, whereby the fine agents are delivered to the interior of said mold;
said tube having an inlet and an outlet;
(e) a feeder assembly for providing a measured charge of the solid, fine agents to said tube inlet and including a pressure-tight chamber, a first agent-introducing conduit and associated first valve means for selectively regulating the introduction of the fine agents into said chamber, a second gas-introducing conduit and associated second valve means for selectively introducing pressurized carrier gas within said chamber, and maintaining the pressure within said chamber in the range of 10 to 15 psi, feeding means disposed within said chamber including a first hopper positioned to receive the introduced fine agents, a first vibratory sloped tray disposed beneath said hopper and selectively energizable to provide the measured charge of the agents, a third exit conduit disposed to receive the measured charge of particles and associated third valve means for selectively controlling the flow of the mixture of the measured charge of agents and the carrier gas to said tube inlet and
(f) said tube outlet including a main discharge opening immediately adjacent an end thereof for permitting a flow of the mixture of the fine agents and gas therethrough, and a plurality of openings disposed from said discharge opening remotely of said end of said conduit for permitting the escape of the gas therethrough, whereby the pressure and velocity of the mixture flow through said discharge opening is reduced each of said plurality of openings being of reduced diameter with respect to the diameter of the main opening.

4 more elements

Apparatus for casting pipe comprising:

(a) a rotatable mold;
(b) a trough for delivery of molten metal from a source thereof to the interior of said mold;
(c) means for imparting a relative motion between said rotatable mold and said trough, whereby the molten metal is discharged from a discharge end of said trough as said trough moves with respect to said mold;
(d) a tube supported in a fixed relationship with respect to said trough for delivery of a mixture of solid, fine agents to said discharge end of said trough, whereby the fine agents are delivered to the interior of said mold;
said tube having an inlet and an outlet;
(e) a feeder assembly for providing a measured charge of the solid, fine agents to said tube inlet and including a pressure-tight chamber, a first agent-introducing conduit and associated first valve means for selectively regulating the introduction of the fine agents into said chamber, a second gas-introducing conduit and associated second valve means for selectively introducing pressurized carrier gas within said chamber, and maintaining the pressure within said chamber in the range of 10 to 15 psi, feeding means disposed within said chamber including a first hopper positioned to receive the introduced fine agents, a first vibratory sloped tray disposed beneath said hopper and selectively energizable to provide the measured charge of the agents, a third exit conduit disposed to receive the measured charge of particles and associated third valve means for selectively controlling the flow of the mixture of the measured charge of agents and the carrier gas to said tube inlet,
(f) a third agent-introducing conduit and associated third valve means for selectively regulating the introduction of agents into said chamber,
(g) said feeding means disposed within said chamber including a second hopper positioned to receive the agents introduced into said chamber from said third conduit,
(h) a second vibratory sloped tray disposed beneath said second hopper and selectively energizable to provide a measured charge of said agent,
(i) said third exit conduit being positioned with respect to said sloped trays so as to form a common discharge outlet for said agents and
(j) said tube outlet including a main discharge open immediately adjacent an end thereof for permitting a flow of the mixture of the fine agents and gas therethrough, and a plurality of openings disposed from said discharge opening remotely of said end of said conduit for permitting the escape of the gas therethrough, whereby the pressure and velocity of the mixture flow through said discharge opening is reduced each of said plurality of openings being of reduced diameter with respect to the diameter of the main opening.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/528,442Filed 29 Nov 1974
Granted: 20 Jun 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B22D 13/02
Centrifugal casting; Casting by using centrifugal force: of elongated solid or hollow bodies, e.g. pipes, in moulds rotating around their…
B22D 1/00
Treatment of fused masses in the ladle or the supply runners before
B22D 13/107
Accessories for centrifugal casting apparatus, e.g. moulds, linings therefor, means for feeding molten metal, cleansing moulds, removing castings:…
C21C 7/0037
Treating molten ferrous alloys, e.g. steel, not covered by groups C21C1/00 - C21C5/00: by injecting powdered material