Sleeve for die casting shot tube

Abstract

A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity has a casing with a first end, a second end and a bore extending through the casing. The first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity and a sleeve protrudes from the second end of the casing. The sleeve has a pour opening for the introduction of molten metal. A hard lubricious coating may also be applied to the interior surface of the shot tube to reduce sticking of cooled metal within the shot tube. A method for producing the shot tube described above is also disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the present invention, as well as the advantages derived therefrom, will become clear from the following detailed description made with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a first embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a second embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a third embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sectional view illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a shot tube in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the subject invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a permanent hard surface coating that may be applied to the wall of any of the shot tubes heretofore described.

Claims

1. A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, where the tube is comprised of: a) a casing having a first end, a second end and a bore extending therethrough, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity;b) a sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing, wherein the sleeve has a pour opening for the introduction of molten metal and wherein the pour opening is proximate to the second end of the casing; andc) wherein the sleeve is made of a material from the group consisting of cemented carbide and ceramic.

2. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve additionally extends within and along the length of the casing.

3. The shot tube in accordance with claim 2, wherein the portion of the sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing is removably secured to the second end of the casing.

4. The shot tube in accordance with claim 3, wherein the sleeve is mechanically secured to the second end of the casing.

5. The shot tube in accordance with claim 2, wherein the casing has a casing outer diameter and wherein the casing tapers so the casing outer diameter reduces in the region of the second end.

6. The shot tube in accordance with claim 5, wherein the sleeve has a sleeve outer diameter and the casing outer diameter proximate to the second end reduces continuously until the casing outer diameter is approximately equal to the sleeve outer diameter.

7. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve begins at a location proximate to the second end of the casing and extends away from the casing.

8. The shot tube in accordance with claim 7, wherein the portion of the sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing is removably secured to the second end of the casing.

9. The shot tube in accordance with claim 8, wherein the sleeve is mechanically secured to the second end of the casing.

10. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve extends from the casing a distance of up to five times the casing outer diameter.

11. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of cemented carbide.

12. The shot tube in accordance with claim 11, wherein the cemented carbide is one from the group consisting of tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, chromium carbide, niobium carbide, and silicon carbide.

13. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of a ceramic material.

14. The shot tube in accordance with claim 13, wherein the ceramic material is one from the group consisting of silicon nitride, alumina, SiAion, boron carbide, titanium diboride, zirconia, and aluminum nitride.

15. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, further including a lubricious coating applied to the interior surface of the bore.

16. The shot tube in accordance with claim 15, wherein the lubricious coating is one from the group consisting of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, titanium carbo-nitride, titanium diboride, molybdenum disulfide, diamond materials and synthetic diamond materials.

17. A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, where the tube is comprised of: a) a casing having a first end, a second end and a bore extending therethrough, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity; andb) a sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing, wherein the sleeve has a pour opening for the introduction of molten metal; wherein the sleeve begins at a location proximate to the second end of the casing and extends away from the casing; wherein the sleeve is removably secured to the second end of the casing; and wherein the sleeve is made entirely of cemented carbide.

18. A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, where the tube is comprised of: a) a casing having: i) a first end, a second end, a bore extending therethrough, and a casing wall defining an interior surface with a profile, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity; andii) a forward section with a pour opening extending through the casing wall for the introduction of molten metal into the casing, wherein the interior surface has a recess extending therein, wherein the recess is positioned diametrically opposite to the pour opening and extends within the interior surface no higher than midway up the interior surface of the casing; andb) a protective insert having a shape of the recess such that the insert may be placed within and fills the recess such that the profile of the interior surface will be uninterrupted along the bore within the casing.

19. The shot tube in accordance with claim 18, wherein the protective insert is made of cemented carbide.

20. The shot tube in accordance with claim 19, wherein the cemented carbide is from one of the group consisting of tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, chromium carbide, niobium carbide, and silicon carbide.

21. The shot tube in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of a ceramic material.

22. The shot tube in accordance with claim 21, wherein the ceramic material is one from the group consisting of silicon nitride, alumina, SiAion, boron carbide, titanium diboride, zirconia, and aluminum nitride.

23. The shot tube in accordance with claim 18, wherein the forward section of the casing is removably secured to the remainder of the casing.

24. The shot tube in accordance with claim 24, wherein the forward section is mechanically secured to the remainder of the casing.

25. The shot tube in accordance with claim 18, wherein the recess extends around the entire interior surface.

26. The shot tube in accordance with claim 18, further including a lubricious coating applied to the interior surface of the bore.

27. The shot tube in accordance with claim 26, wherein the lubricious coating is one from the group consisting of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, titanium carbo-nitride, titanium diboride, molybdenum disulfide, diamond materials and synthetic diamond materials.

28. A method of manufacturing a shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, comprising the steps of: a) producing a casing having a first end, a second end and a bore extending therethrough, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity; andb) securing a sleeve within the casing so that the sleeve protrudes from the second end of the casing, wherein the sleeve has a pour opening outside of the casing for the introduction of molten metal, wherein the pour opening is proximate to the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the sleeve is made of cemented carbide.

29. The method in accordance with claim 28, further including the step of depositing upon the interior surface a layer of a lubricious coating.

30. A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, where the tube is comprised of: a) a casing having a first end, a second end and a bore extending therethrough, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity; andb) a sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing, wherein the sleeve has a wall with a pour opening for the introduction of molten metal, wherein when viewed from the side, the depth of the pour opening is approximately equal to the thickness of the sleeve wall.

31. A shot tube for the introduction of molten metal into a die cavity, wherein the tube is comprised of: a) a casing having a first end, a second end and a bore extending therethrough, wherein the first end is adapted to be connected to the die cavity;b) a sleeve protruding from the second end of the casing, wherein the sleeve has a pour opening for the introduction of molten metal;c) wherein the sleeve begins at a location proximate to the second end of the casing and extends away from the casing; andd) wherein the sleeve is made of a material from the group consisting of ceramic and cemented carbide while the casing is made of steel.