Molding machine

A molding machine to mold a pair of flaskless molds, comprising:

• a first flask and a second flask;
• a carrier plate for holding an exchangeable match plate, said match plate having a first face and a second face corresponding to the first flask and the second flask respectively, wherein said match plate is adapted to be held between the first flask and the second flask in a sandwich relationship;
• a pivotable frame mounted for rotation on the machine, the second flask being mounted on a lower part of the frame;
• a pair of guide rods attached to the pivotable frame and on which said first flask and carrier plate are slidably supported and means for relatively moving the first flask and the carrier plate on said guide rods with respect to each other and said second flask so that the first and second flasks can hold and release said match plate being held therebetween;
• a first squeeze member having a first pressure-applying plane, wherein the first squeeze member is insertable into the first flask while the first pressure-applying plane is opposed to the first face of said match plate, and first inserting means for inserting the first squeeze member into the first flask when the first flask and the second flask hold said match plate therebetween in a sandwich relationship to define a first mold cavity by the first pressure-applying plane, the first face of the match plate, and the first flask, said first squeeze member and first inserting means being supported on the pivotable frame for movement with the first flask;
• means for rotating the pivotable frame between a first position in which the first flask and the second flask are in a horizontal position and hold said match plate therebetween in the sandwich relationship while the first pressure-applying plane of the first squeeze member is oriented vertically and facing downward and a second position in which the first flask and the second flask are in a vertical position and hold said match plate therebetween in the sandwich relationship and the first pressure-applying plane is oriented horizontally;
• a filling frame located to abut the second flask in a perpendicular position of said filling frame when the first and second flasks hold said match plate therebetween in the sandwich relationship at said second position of the pivotable frame;
• a second squeeze member having a second pressure-applying plane that is oriented horizontally, and wherein the second squeeze member is insertable into said filling frame, and second inserting means for inserting the second squeeze member into the second flask through said filling frame when the first and second flasks hold said match plate therebetween while the second pressure-applying plane is opposed to the second face of said match plate at said second position of the pivotable frame to define a second mold cavity by the second pressure-applying plane, the second face of said match plates, said filling frame, and the second flask;
• means for introducing molding sand into said defined first and second mold cavities while the first and second flasks hold said match plate therebetween at said second position of the pivotable frame, wherein the first and second flasks have sand filling ports on side walls thereof for introducing the molding sand into the mold cavities, and wherein said means for introducing the molding sand includes a fluidizing mechanism for fluidizing the molding sand with an airflow of compressed air;
• a first actuator to move the first squeeze member to the first face of said match plate such that molding sand within the first mold cavity is squeezed by the first pressure-applying plane of said inserted first squeeze member;
• and
• a second actuator to move the second squeeze member to the second face of said match plate such that molding sand within the second mold cavity is squeezed by the second pressure-applying plane of the inserted second squeeze member.