Installation for handling socket cores for a centrifugal casting machine

An installation for the mechanical handling of a socket core which is of revolution about an axis and intended to be fixed in a socket end of a centrifugal casting mold which is rotatable about an axis, the installation comprising, in combination with said mold, a first support having an axis for carrying the core in a position coaxial with the first support and pivotable about a fixed pivot axis between a horizontal first position in which first position the axis of the first support is vertical and a vertical second position in which second position the axis of the first support is horizontal, means for positioning the core coaxially with the first support in said horizontal first position of the first support and releasable means for maintaining the core on the first support in said coaxial position, mechanical core carrying means for conveying the core along from a core producing station to the first support and placing the core on the first support to engage said means for positioning the core, annular core-backing means for mounting on the socket end of the mold and retaining the core in position on the socket end during casting, releasable holding means combined with the socket end of the mold for engagement with and holding the core-backing means on the socket end during casting, transferring means for combining the core and the core-backing means and transferring the core combined with the core-backing means from the first support to the socket end of the mold for mounting the core and core-backing means on the socket end by the action of said holding means and leaving the core-backing means on the socket end during casting, returning to the core-backing means after casting and transferring the core-backing means to a position for receiving a new core alone from the first support, said transferring means consisting essentially of a second support having a horizontal axis for supporting the core and the core-backing means in a removable manner in positions substantially coaxial with the second support, means guidingly carrying the second support and allowing the second support to the movable between a first position in which the second support is adjacent and coaxial with the first support in said second position of the first support to permit transferring the core alone from the first support to the second support and putting it in abutment with the core-backing means on the second support and a second position in which the second support is adjacent said socket end and the axis of the second support is in axial alignment with said axis of rotation of the mold for transferring the core and the core-backing means to said socket end, first releasable gripping means carried by the second support for retaining the core on said second support and second releasable gripping means carried by the second support for retaining the core-backing means on the second support during the movement of the second support between said first and second positions of the second support, the two supports being provided with interengageable centering means operative independently of the core in said first position of the second support and said second position of the first support, said means carrying the second support allowing the second support to be movable transversely of said axis of rotation of the mold.