Mold handling system

An apparatus for handling molds supported on cars which have pairs of wheels for permitting rolling displacement of the cars, said apparatus comprising:

• first elongated guide rail means for permitting empty mold cars to be rollingly moved therealong in a first direction from one end of said first rail means toward its other end, said first rail means extending approximately horizontally;
• second guide rail means positioned above and approximately vertically aligned with said first rail means for permitting mold-bearing cars to be rollingly moved therealong in a second direction which is opposite said first direction, said second rail means being horizontally elongated and having a first end thereof disposed substantially directly over said other end of said first rail means, and said second rail means having a second end thereof disposed substantially directly over said one end of said first rail means;
• first elevator means positioned directly adjacen said other end of said first rail means for vertically lifting mold cars from said first rail means adjacent said other end to said second rail means adjacent said first end;
• means for positioning a preformed mold on each empty mold car when the latter is supported by said first elevator means;
• said second rail means including a first horizontally-elongated rail section which extends from said first end through a selected distance to a first location for permitting mold-bearing cars to be rollingly supported thereon;
• horizontal pouring deck means positioned vertically above at least a portion of said first rail section so that the mold-bearing cars pass under said deck means as the cars move toward said first location, said deck means being positioned directly adjacent said first location and extending therefrom in a direction upstreamm of said first rail section;
• second elevator means disposed at said first location for vertically raising the mold-bearing cars from said first rail section into a raised position adjacent said deck means for permitting molten metal to be poured into the mold;
• said second rail means including a second horizontally-elongated rail section which extends from said first location downstream to a second location, said second rail section being vertically spaced upwardly relative to said first rail section so as to receive thereon the mold-bearing car when the second elevator means is in said raised position;
• pouring means positionable adjacent said second elevator means for pouring of the mold when the mold-bearing car is in said raised position at said first location;
• handling means for positioning a sleevelike jacket on the mold prior to pouring of the mold when the mold-bearing car is in said raised position at said first location, and for removing the jacket from the mold after the mold-bearing car has been moved along said second rail section into said second location;
• said handling means including elongated trolley rail means extending horizontally between said first and second locations and vertically above said second rail section, driving means for vertically raising and lowering the trolley rail means between upper and lower positions, a trolley rollingly supported on the trolley rail means and means to drive the trolley horizontally back-and-forth along the trolley rail means between said first and second locations, engaging means attached to the trolley to engage the mold jackets to raise and lower the mold jackets in response to the respective raising and lowering of the trolley rail means by said driving means, and said driving means and said means to drive the trolley being arranged downstream in said second direction of said pouring means;
• said second rail means including a third horizontally-elongated rail section which extends from said second location downstream to said second end, said third rail section permitting the mold-bearing cars to be rollingly moved therealong for permitting cooling of the molds;
• third elevator means located at the second end of said second rail means for vertically lowering the car from said second rail means downwardly for engagement with said first rail means adjacent said one end thereof;
• and
• means for removing the mold from the car prior to the car being returned to said first rail means.