Claims
- 1. Apparatus for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of molten metal, comprising:
- (a) a casting mold comprising a mold drag having a molten metal inlet adapted for communication with an underlying source of the molten metal and a mold stack disposed atop the mold drag, said mold stack including first and second end mold members defining at least one upright parting line therebetween and at least one mold cavity in communication with said inlet for receiving molten metal therefrom,
- (b) a vacuum box having a ceiling overlying the mold and a peripheral wall extending from the ceiling for defining a vacuum chamber confronting the mold stack, said peripheral wall having a sealing surface for sealingly engaging the mold, and
- (c) stop-forming means disposed in the vacuum chamber adjacent one of the first and second end mold members,
- (d) a cam shaft disposed in the vacuum chamber adjacent the other of the first and second end mold members, said cam shaft being mounted for rotation between the mold drag and the vacuum box and having a cam disposed thereon to so engage said other end mold member upon rotation of said cam shaft as to clamp the mold stack laterally together at the upright parting line between said stop-forming means and said cam shaft, and
- (e) rotator means operatively associated with the cam shaft for rotating said cam into engagement with the second end mold member.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cam shaft includes a lower end portion received for rotation in a recess in the mold drag.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cam shaft includes an upper portion extending through said ceiling above the vacuum box, said ceiling including bushing means for rotatably receiving a length of said upper cam shaft portion to permit rotation relative to said ceiling.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the rotator means is operatively connected to said upper cam shaft portion above the vacuum box for rotating said cam shaft.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including biasing means disposed between the ceiling of the vacuum box and the mold stack to bias the mold stack against the mold drag.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stop-forming means is disposed between the mold drag and the vacuum box.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the stop-forming means comprises a stationary stop member disposed between the mold drag and the ceiling of the vacuum box.
- 8. Apparatus for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of molten metal, comprising:
- (a) a casting mold comprising a mold drag having a molten metal inlet adapted for communication with an underlying source of the molten metal and a mold stack disposed atop the mold drag, said mold stack including first and second end mold members defining at least one upright parting line therebetween and at least one mold cavity in communication with said inlet for receiving molten metal therefrom,
- (b) a vacuum box having a ceiling overlying the mold and a peripheral wall extending from the ceiling for defining a vacuum chamber confronting the mold stack, said peripheral wall having a sealing surface for sealingly engaging the mold, and
- (c) first and second cam shafts disposed in the vacuum chamber adjacent the respective first and second end mold members, said first and second cam shafts being mounted for rotation between the mold drag and the vacuum box and having respective first and second cams disposed thereon to so engage the respective first and second end mold members upon rotation of said cam shafts as to clamp the mold stack laterally together at the upright parting line, and
- (d) rotator means operatively associated with each of the first and second cam shafts for rotating the first and second cams into engagement with the respective first and second end mold members.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first and second cam shafts each include a lower end portion received for rotation in a recess in the mold drag.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first and second cam shafts each include an upper portion extending through said ceiling above the vacuum box, said ceiling including bushing means for rotatably receiving a length of each upper portion to permit rotation relative to said ceiling.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said rotator means comprises linkage means operatively connected to said upper portions above the vacuum box for rotating the first and second cam shafts and an actuator means coupled to the linkage means for actuating said linkage means to rotate the first and second cam shafts in unison.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first and second cams are disposed on the respective first and second cam shaft between said lower end portion and said length of said upper portion.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 8 further including biasing means disposed between the ceiling of the vacuum box and the mold stack to bias the mold stack against the mold drag.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said biasing means includes a hold-down plate disposed atop the mold stack in a direction transverse to the parting line and spring means between the hold-down plate and the ceiling of the vacuum box.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 07/547,940, filed on July 3, 1990, and now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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547940 |
Jul 1990 |
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