Method and apparatus for assisting removal of sand moldings from castings
AssigneeConsolidated Engineering Company, Inc.
InventorsJames Lewis, Jr., Ian French, Volker Knobloch, Scott Crafton, Paul Crafton, James Garrett, John Dalton
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for dislodging a mold from a casting formed within the mold. The mold may be removed from the casting by scoring the mold and applying a force sufficient to cause the mold to fracture and break into pieces. Additionally, the mold may be fractured by either explosive charges placed in the mold pack or by high energy pulsations directed at the mold. Once the mold is fractured and broken into various pieces it may then be dislodged from the casting.
Claims22
A method of dislodging a mold from a casting formed therein, comprising:
- moving the mold along a processing path with the casting therein;
- directing a recurring or intermittent pulsed wave at an exterior wall of the mold, the pulsed wave comprising at least one of a compressed air pulse, a fuel fired gas and air mix, or a mechanically generated gaseous pulse, the pulsed wave generated by a wave source;
- orienting the mold in a first known, indexed position relative to the wave source;
- orienting the mold in a second known, indexed position relative to the wave source by means of a transfer mechanism,
- applying mechanical force directly to the mold by means of the transfer mechanism to assist in separating sand from the casting;
- and
- dislodging the mold from the casting.
A method of removing a mold from a casting formed therein, comprising:
- orienting the mold in a first known, indexed position;
- directing a recurring or intermittent pulsed wave at an exterior wall of the mold when the casting is partially solidified, the pulsed wave comprising at least one of a compressed air pulse, a fuel fired gas and air mix, or a mechanically generated gaseous pulse, the pulsed wave generated by a wave source;
- orienting the mold in a second known, indexed position relative to the wave source by means of a transfer mechanism;
- applying mechanical force directly to the mold by means of the transfer mechanism to assist in separating sand from the casting;
- and
- dislodging at least a portion of the mold from the casting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.