Apparatus and method for sequentially feeding quantities of sand into a mold space and subjecting the space to evacuation and then pressure increase after each feed

An apparatus for feeding molding sand into a mold space defined by a pattern box, the pattern box being located in a predetermined position and having an opening at an upper end of the mold space, said mold space including an upright space below the opening, said upright space providing an entrance to the mold space, and said mold space also including a horizontal space extending transversely with respect to the upright space, the apparatus comprising:

• sand-feeding means having an element defining a molding sand passage, said element being configured to be positioned above the opening of the pattern box so as to direct aliquots of the molding sand downward through the molding sand passage to the opening of the pattern box, the sand feeding means also including a gate positioned and configured to close the molding sand passage when desired thereby closing the mold space, wherein the sand-feeding means is configured to feed the aliquots of the molding sand sequentially into the mold space, the total amount of the aliquots equaling a predetermined amount of the molding sand;
• a vacuum assembly configured to be coupled to the opening of the pattern box so as to evacuate the mold space after each of the aliquots has been fed into the mold space and the gate has closed the molding sand passage;
• and
• air introducing means configured to be positioned in fluid communication with the opening of the pattern box so as to introduce air into the mold space at a time when the vacuum assembly has evacuated the mold space.

An apparatus for producing a mold, comprising:

• a pattern box defining a mold space and having an opening at an upper end of the mold space, the mold space including an upright space below the opening, said upright space providing an entrance to the mold space, and said mold space also including a horizontal space extending transversely with respect to the upright space;
• an element defining a molding sand passage, said element being positioned above the opening of the pattern box in a position for directing molding sand downward through the molding sand passage to the opening of the pattern box, said element also including a gate positioned and configured to close the molding sand passage when desired thereby defining a closed space including the mold space;
• sand-feeding means configured to provide aliquots of the molding sand to the element such that the aliquots of the molding sand fall through the molding sand passage to the opening of the pattern box, the total amount of the aliquots equaling a predetermined amount of the molding sand;
• a vacuum assembly coupled to the opening of the pattern box and configured to evacuate the mold space after each of the aliquots has been fed into the mold space and the gate has closed the molding sand passage;
• and
• air introducing means positioned in fluid communication with the opening of the pattern box so as to introduce air into the mold space at a time when the vacuum assembly has evacuated the mold space.

A molding method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing a filling frame on a pattern box that has a plurality of sand-feeding mouths in an upper surface thereof, said pattern box defining a mold space, wherein the mold space includes an upright space at an upper end of the mold space, the upright space communicates with the sand-feeding mouths and provides an entrance to the mold space, and the mold space also includes a horizontal space extending transversely with respect to the upright space;
• (b) feeding, through the filling frame and the upper end of the mold space into said mold space, one subset of a quantity of molding sand, said quantity of molding sand being sufficient to fill the mold space;
• (c) sealingly closing the filling frame to prevent flow of additional molding sand through the filling frame into the mold space, thereby establishing a closed space containing said subset of the quantity of molding sand;
• (d) reducing the air pressure in the closed space to a pressure in the range from 2 to 100 torr;
• (e) after step (d), causing the filling frame to communicate with ambient air such that the ambient air is introduced into the closed space to cause the pressure in said closed space to rise at a rate in the range from 50 to 600 kg/cm.sup.2 /sec;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (b), (c), (d), and (e) at least twice, wherein a different subset of the quantity of molding sand is fed into the mold space during each repetition of step (b).

A method for filling a mold space with molding sand, comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a pattern box which defines the mold space, the mold space including an upright space at an upper end of the mold space, said upright space providing an entrance to the mold space, the mold space also including a horizontal space extending transversely with respect to the upright space;
• (b) connecting a passage means to the pattern box, the passage means defining a sand passage and including a gate for closing the sand passage;
• (c) measuring an aliquot part of an amount of molding sand, said amount of molding sand equaling a filling amount that fills the mold space of the pattern box;
• (d) feeding the aliquot part of the molding sand into the sand passage while the gate is open;
• (e) closing the sand passage and the mold space by closing the gate, thereby defining a closed space;
• (f) evacuating the closed space, thereby establishing an evacuated space;
• (g) introducing air into the evacuated space at an air-pressure rising rate of 30--to 500 kg/cm.sup.2 /sec;
• (h) repeating steps (c)-(g) for another aliquot part of said amount of molding sand, until the total amount of each said aliquot part in the mold space reaches the filling amount.