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AssigneeGrede Foundries, Inc.
InventorsJames J. Allread, Donald C. Lenz
Estimating the term…
A central mixer is coupled to a transport bucket which moves from a home position to anyone of a number of core machines. An automated computer-based logic controller monitors the state of all core machines and responds to an appropriate demand signal from each core machine, with a priority response. The controller selects the proper mix recipe and prepares a sand mix of sand, binder and other additives in timed relation to the position of the transport bucket. The bucket is moved to receive the sand mix and delivers it to the proper core machine, and then activates the core machine, with maximum and efficient usage of the system. The available sand mix recipes are placed in the controller memory for the particular core box machines. The controller operates a series of timers to deliver sand weight, powder additives in sequence, and the necessary binder. Internal checks insure that the sand, powder additive and binder timers have properly operated before a "mull" timer establishes thorough mixing. The sand mixer continues to cycle to introduce an appropriate batch into the transport bucket. The bucket initiates a timer which is preset to the estimated return time to the mixer, and a mixer cycle starts only when the mixer time is less than or equal to such return time.
Apparatus for making cores or molds for sand casting comprising a plurality of core machines located in a predetermined array, a mixer adapted to create a sand mix of a core sand and a sand binder in accordance with anyone of a plurality of predetermined recipes, each of said core machines having a demand signal source operable to create a demand for one of the recipes, transport means movable in a pattern between the mixer and all of said core machines, and a logic controller coupled to said core machines to respond to a demand for a recipe and having means to identify the recipe for a particular core machine and to actuate the mixer to develop a sand mix in accordance with said recipe and thereafter deliver said sand mix to the appropriate core machine.
Automated apparatus for making a sand core or sand mold for sand casting comprising
Apparatus for making sand casting cores or molds comprising a plurality of core machines located in an in-line array, each of said core machines having a demand signal source, a mixer unit adapted to create a sand mix of a core sand and at least one powder additive and a sand binder in accordance with anyone of a plurality of predetermined recipes, said mixer unit being centrally located along said array of core machines, transport means movable between the mixer unit and all of said core machines, said core machines being coupled to at least one activating gas source for activating said binder, a logic controller having means to continuously read a demand signal from said machine demand signal sources and operable to respond to a demand signal from each machine and having means to identify the recipe for a particular core machine and to actuate the mixer unit to develop a sand mix in accordance with said recipe and transfer the mix to thereafter actuate the transport means to deliver said sand mix to the appropriate core machine, said logic controller controlling said gas source to supply actuating gas to a core machine upon delivery of the sand mix to the core machine.
Automated apparatus for making a sand core or mold for sand casting comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.