Foundry sand molding apparatus

An apparatus comprising a cope molding means for molding a cope mold section, a drag molding means for molding a drag mold section, and a stripping means for removing said cope and drag mold sections from their respective flasks and for assembling said cope and drag mold sections, said cope molding means, said drag molding means and said stripping means each being laterally spaced from each other and arranged in a side-by-side relationship such that the centerlines of said cope molding, drag molding and stripping means lie in a common vertical plane, said drag molding means being located between said cope molding means and said stripping means, said cope and drag molding means substantially simultaneously molding said cope and drag mold sections, a cope flask holding means and a drag flask holding means for holding a cope flask and a drag flask respectively, and a support means for supporting said cope flask holding means and said drag flask holding means, respectively, and for moving said cope flask holding means laterally along a straight path and said drag flask holding means laterally and downwardly along an arcuate path from said cope molding means and said drag molding means, respectively, into vertical alignment at said stripping means to effect alignment of said cope and drag mold sections at said stripping means, said straight path and said arcuate path lying in said common vertical plane, and said support means effecting inverting of said drag flask holding means while moving said drag flask holding means from said drag molding means to said stripping means.