Stopper module device for a casting machine furnace apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6627146
  • Patent Number
    6,627,146
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, December 28, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 30, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
This invention relates to a casting machine furnace apparatus including a casting machine furnace, a supply furnace in fluid communication with the machine furnace and operative to supply a molten metal to the machine furnace, and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between the casting machine furnace and the supply furnace. The stopper module device includes a block housing and a stopper assembly. The block housing includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and is disposed in the fluid path. The stopper assembly is supported for movement relative to the inlet opening of the block housing between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from the supply furnace to the casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates in general to a casting machine furnace apparatus and in particular to an improved stopper module device for use with such a casting machine furnace apparatus.




Pressure pouring of molten metal from a casting machine furnace to fill a mold cavity has been used for several decades. At room temperature, the metals are solid and become fluid when melted with sufficient heat. It is known to use a low pressure countergravity casting apparatus to cast molten metal into a mold. One example of such an apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,141. Basically, in a low pressure countergravity casting apparatus, molten metal is supplied to a casting apparatus by a machine furnace under pressure. The molten metal is first received into a crucible of the machine furnace. The molten metal in the crucible is then transported to a mold through a feed tube. One problem in managing the molten metal has been optimally replenishing the machine furnace with molten metal. Thus, it would be desirable to develop an apparatus to be used in the replenishing of the machine furnace with molten metal and method for the same which is simple and reliable.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to a casting machine furnace apparatus including a casting machine furnace, a supply furnace in fluid communication with the machine furnace and operative to supply a molten metal to the machine furnace, and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between the casting machine furnace and the supply furnace. The stopper module device includes a block housing and a stopper assembly. The block housing includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and is disposed in the fluid path. The stopper assembly is supported for movement relative to the inlet opening of the block housing between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from the supply furnace to the casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented.











Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a partial sectional elevation view of a casting machine furnace apparatus according to the invention.





FIG. 2

is a sectional view of a portion of the casting machine furnace apparatus illustrated in

FIG. 1

, showing a stopper module device of the system, the stopper module device being shown in a closed position.





FIG. 3

is sectional view similar to

FIG. 2

with the stopper module device being show in a raised position.





FIG. 4

is a top plan view of a portion of the stopper module device taken along line


4





4


of FIG.


2


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1

illustrates a casting machine furnace apparatus, indicated generally at


10


, in accordance with the present invention. As shown therein, the illustrated casting machine furnace apparatus


10


includes a casting machine furnace


12


in fluid communication with a supply furnace


16


which supplies the casting machine furnace


12


with molten metal


15


through a passageway


14


. The passageway


14


may include one or more suitable heating coils


17


proximate thereto, which are operative to generally prevent the molten metal


15


from cooling excessively as it passes through the passageway


14


. The molten metal


15


is supplied to the supply furnace


16


by a holding furnace


20


.




The machine furnace


12


preferably supplies the molten metal


15


to a casting apparatus (partially shown at


12


A) thereof through a stalk tube


21


to produce a molded part (not shown); however, the machine furnace


12


can supply the molten metal


15


to any other suitable device or location. An example of a casting apparatus


12


A which can be supplied with the molten metal


15


is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,141 to Kuhn et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Thus, it can be seen that in the illustrated embodiment, the molten metal


15


generally flows in a “downstream” direction from the holding furnace


20


through the supply furnace


16


to the casting machine furnace


12


and to the casting apparatus


12


A.




The illustrated casting machine furnace


12


includes a crucible


22


having an outer wall


24


covered by an intermediate insulation layer


28


. The insulation layer


28


is preferably made of a material that does not transfer heat well. The insulation layer


28


is covered by and supports an inner liner


32


. The inner liner


32


is preferably made of a material that does transfer heat well. Preferably, the inner liner


32


is made of a silicon carbide material. Alternatively, the inner liner


32


can be made from other suitable materials.




The casting machine furnace


12


further includes a cover


36


made of a suitable type of material, preferably an insulating type of material. The casting machine furnace


12


is provided with a fluid inlet


40


to allow a suitable fluid


42


to be selectively added to the casting machine furnace


12


. The fluid inlet


40


can be provided in the cover


36


as shown, or can be provided in the cover


36


at any suitable location. Preferably, the fluid


42


is a gas that does not interfere with the physical or chemical properties of the molten metal


15


in the casting machine furnace apparatus


10


. A suitable fluid


42


which can be used is nitrogen gas. In

FIG. 1

, a dotted line A is provided and is used to illustrate the associated levels of the molten metal


15


and the gas


42


in the casting machine furnace


12


.




The illustrated casting machine furnace


12


preferably includes one or more heating elements


44


(two of such heating elements


44


being illustrated in FIG.


1


). As shown in

FIG. 1

, at least a portion of each of the heating elements


44


preferably extends into the molten metal


15


in the casting machine furnace


12


.




The holding furnace


20


is a suitably shaped vessel designed to hold the molten metal


15


. The illustrated holding furnace


20


includes a pump


48


. The pump


48


is provided to pump the molten metal


15


from the holding furnace


20


to the supply furnace


16


. Any suitable pump


48


can be used for this purpose. One pump


48


which can be used is a Lindberg Varco 100 pump, manufactured by Lindberg/MPH of Riverside, Mich. The pump


48


is operative to move the molten metal


15


from the holding furnace


20


to the supply furnace


16


through a conduit


52


.




The illustrated conduit


52


is a generally L-shaped pipe and includes a first generally vertical portion


56


in fluid communication with a second downwardly extending portion


60


. Preferably, the conduit


52


is a ceramic lined discharge elbow and is available from Lindberg/MPH of Riverside, Mich. The downwardly extending portion


60


is operatively joined to a tube


62


. Preferably, the tube


62


is a silicon carbide ceramic tube. Alternatively, the tube can be made from other suitable materials.




The conduit


52


includes a fluid inlet


64


provided therein to allow a suitable fluid


68


to be added to the conduit


52


. Preferably, the fluid


68


is a gas that does not interfere with the physical or chemical properties of the molten metal


15


. A suitable fluid which can be used is nitrogen gas.




The illustrated supply furnace


16


includes the outer wall


24


covered by the intermediate insulation layer


28


. The insulation layer


28


is covered by and supports the inner liner


32


. The tube


62


extends through the outer wall


24


, the insulation layer


28


, and the inner liner


32


of the supply furnace


16


to allow the molten metal


15


to be supplied from the holding furnace


20


to the supply furnace


16


. In

FIG. 1

, a dotted line B is provided and is used to illustrate the associated levels of the molten metal


15


and the gas


42


in the supply furnace


16


. The illustrated supply furnace


16


further includes a cover


72


made of a suitable type of material, preferably an insulating type of material. In the preferred embodiment, the casting machine furnace


12


and the supply furnace


16


include common components, namely the outer wall


24


, the insulation layer


28


, and the inner liner


32


. Alternatively, the construction of the casting machine furnace


12


and the supply furnace


16


can be other than illustrated if so desired.




The inner liner


32


of the supply furnace


16


is operative to define a receptacle


76


. The receptacle


76


includes a first or upper opening


80


and a second or lower opening


84


. The top opening


80


is defined by a side wall


94


of the receptacle


76


. The bottom opening


84


is formed in an end wall


98


of the receptacle


76


. The top opening


80


is covered by the cover


72


. The supply furnace


16


includes a stopper moving device


86


for a purpose described herein.




Referring now to

FIG. 2

, the lower end


98


of the receptacle


76


includes a stopper seating block housing


102


. The illustrated stopper seating block housing


102


includes a first contact surface


106


, a bottom surface


110


, a second contact surface


118


, a raised surface


126


, a downwardly sloping transition surface


130


, and a third contact surface


140


. The first contact surface


106


is oriented at an angle


114


relative to the bottom surface


110


, and the second contact surface


118


is oriented at an angle


122


relative to bottom surface


110


. Preferably, in the illustrated embodiment, the third contact surface


140


and the second contact surface


118


are aligned along an axis A. The second contact surface


118


, the raised surface


126


, and the transition surface


130


form a protrusion


134


located above the bottom surface


110


. A notch


138


is formed in the stopper seating block housing


102


by the first contact surface


106


, the bottom surface


110


, and the second contact surface


118


.




The supply furnace


16


includes a stopper seating block


144


. The stopper seating block


144


is preferably removable to facilitate maintenance and cleaning of the supply furnace


16


. The stopper seating block


144


is preferably made of a material that does transfer heat well. The illustrated stopper seating block


144


includes a first orifice


148


and a second orifice


152


. The first orifice


148


is formed in an upper end portion


154


of the stopper seating block


144


. The upper end portion


154


of the stopper seating block


144


is located above the end wall


98


of the receptacle


76


to define a receptacle


156


. The receptacle


156


is operative to receive or collect sludge


160


or other heavy impurities from the molten metal


15


in the supply furnace


16


.




The upper end portion


154


defines a stopper module seat surface


166


. The illustrated stopper module seat surface


166


is defined by a generally inwardly curved or rounded surface. The stopper seating block


144


defines a fluid chamber


168


in fluid communication with the first orifice


148


and the passageway


14


via the second orifice


152


.




The stopper seating block


144


seats in the stopper seating block housing


102


. In this position, a lower end surface


164


of the stopper seating block


144


is preferably slightly spaced from contact with the bottom surface


110


of the stopper seating block housing


102


. Also, a tapered side wall


167


of the stopper seating block


144


contacts the first contact surface


106


, the second contact surface


118


, and the third contact surface


140


of the stopper seating block housing


102


. The notch


138


and the protrusion


134


cooperate to support the lower portion


164


of the stopper seating block


144


.




The casting machine furnace apparatus


10


further includes a stopper module, indicated generally at


170


. In

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the stopper module


170


is shown in a closed or seated position in the stopper seating block


144


. In

FIG. 3

, the stopper module


170


is shown in a raised or unseated position in the stopper seating block


144


. The stopper module


170


includes a stopper housing


174


and a stopper


178


. The illustrated stopper housing


174


includes four inlet or feed orifices


182


, shown in FIG.


4


. The orifices


182


are preferably equally spaced circumferentially around the stopper housing


174


. The illustrated stopper housing


174


further includes four shoulders or protuberances


186


. The illustrated shoulders


186


are located at a lower end


190


of the stopper housing


174


and extend generally radially inwardly relative thereto. As shown in

FIG. 4

, the shoulders


186


are slightly spaced apart from contact with the stopper


178


. The illustrated stopper


178


is generally rod-like cylindrical structure and defines a longitudinal axis B. As will be discussed, the stopper


178


is movable relative to the stopper housing


174


along the axis B by the stopper moving device


86


.




The stopper housing


174


further includes an inner surface


194


and an outer surface


198


. The stopper housing


174


includes a lower curved or rounded outer end surface


197


having an outer surface profile which generally corresponds to the surface of the stopper module seat


166


. The stopper housing


174


includes a lower curved or rounded inner surface


199


having an inner surface profile which generally corresponds to the outer surface profile of a tip


204


of the stopper


178


adjacent a lower orifice


202


of the stopper housing


174


. Thus, it can be seen that when the stopper


178


is in the lowered position shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, it substantially prevents molten metal


15


from flowing from the supply furnace


16


to the passageway


14


and the machine furnace


12


.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the illustrated shoulders


186


of the stopper housing


174


define a height H


1


. The stopper housing


174


also includes a seat surface


208


proximate the lower orifice


202


. In the illustrated embodiment, the seat surface


208


of the stopper housing


174


is preferably rounded and the height H


1


is defined from about an upper ledge


212


of the shoulder


186


to about the valve seat


208


. It will be appreciated that in

FIG. 3

the tip


204


of the stopper


178


is spaced apart from the seat surface


208


. In the illustrated embodiment of the stopper module


170


, the tip


204


of the stopper


178


is preferably not movable above the upper ledge


212


of the shoulders


186


. Thus, the tip


204


of the stopper


178


is not movable along the axis B by a distance of more than the height H


1


.




The stopper


178


in the raised position of

FIG. 3

is operative to allow the molten metal


15


to flow from the supply furnace


16


to the chamber


168


. To accomplish this, the molten metal


15


flows through the feed orifices


182


of the stopper housing


174


, past the shoulders


186


, through the lower orifice


202


of the stopper housing


174


(as indicated by the arrows


216


), and through the orifice


148


into the chamber


168


(as indicated by the arrow


220


). From the chamber


168


, the molten metal


15


flows into the passageway


14


(as indicated by the arrow


224


).




The stopper module


170


in the supply furnace


16


provides for a more desirable use of the casting machine furnace apparatus


10


. It will be appreciated that when the stopper


178


is in the lowered position, the machine furnace


12


can be pressurized. The machine furnace


12


is pressurized by the addition of the fluid


42


through the fluid inlet


40


. The added fluid


42


allows the molten metal


15


in the machine furnace


12


to travel through the stalk tube


22


to the casting apparatus


12


A. The addition of the fluid


68


through the fluid inlet


64


allows the supply furnace


16


to be pressurized. Pressurization of the supply furnace


16


is desirable in that the pressure in the machine furnace


12


is better maintained when the supply furnace


16


is pressurized and the stopper


178


is raised. When the pressure in the machine furnace


12


and the pressure in the supply furnace


16


are similar, the pressure in the machine furnace


12


is not as likely to fluctuate. Fluctuations in the pressure in the machine furnace


12


can lead to problems in the resultant molded part which is produced by the casting apparatus


12


A.




In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of this invention have been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from the scope or spirit of the attached claims.



Claims
  • 1. A casting machine furnace apparatus comprising:a casting machine furnace; a supply furnace in fluid communication with said machine furnace, said supply furnace operative to supply a molten metal to said machine furnace; and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between said casting machine furnace and said supply furnace, said stopper module device including a stopper seating block and a stopper assembly, said stopper seating block including an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said stopper seating block disposed in said fluid path, said stopper assembly supported for movement relative to said inlet opening of said stopper seating block between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from said supply furnace to said casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented; wherein said stopper assembly includes an outer housing and an internal stopper supported relative to said outer housing for movement relative thereto, and wherein a lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of shoulders including an upper ledge, said internal stopper including a lower tip, and said tip not movable relative to said housing above said upper ledge of said shoulders.
  • 2. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said inlet opening of said stopper seating block is located above a lower wall of said supply furnace.
  • 3. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of orifices formed therein.
  • 4. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stopper seating block of said stopper module device is a removable component.
  • 5. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lower portion of said outer housing includes four orifices formed therein.
  • 6. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower inner portion of said outer housing includes four shoulders.
  • 7. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shoulders extend generally radially inwardly relative to said outer housing.
  • 8. A casting machine furnace apparatus comprising:a casting machine furnace; a supply furnace in fluid communication with said machine furnace, said supply furnace operative to supply a molten metal to said machine furnace; and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between said casting machine furnace and said supply furnace, said stopper module device including a stopper seating block and a stopper assembly, said stopper seating block including an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said stopper seating block disposed in said fluid path, said stopper assembly supported for movement relative to said inlet opening of said stopper seating block between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from said supply furnace to said casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented; wherein said stopper assembly includes an outer housing and an internal stopper supported relative to said outer housing for movement relative thereto, and wherein a lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of shoulders, said shoulders spaced apart from contact with said internal stopper.
  • 9. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said inlet opening of said stopper seating block is located above a lower wall of said supply furnace.
  • 10. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said shoulders include an upper ledge, said internal stopper includes a lower tip, and said tip is not movable relative to said housing above said upper ledge of said shoulders.
  • 11. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of orifices formed therein.
  • 12. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said stopper seating block of said stopper module device is a removable component.
  • 13. A casting machine furnace apparatus comprising:a casting machine furnace; a supply furnace in fluid communication with said machine furnace, said supply furnace operative to supply a molten metal to said machine furnace; and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between said casting machine furnace and said supply furnace, said stopper module device including a removable stopper seating block and a stopper assembly, said stopper seating block including an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said stopper seating block disposed in said fluid path, said stopper assembly supported for movement relative to said inlet opening of said stopper seating block between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from said supply furnace to said casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented; wherein said stopper assembly includes an outer housing and an internal stopper supported relative to said outer housing for movement relative thereto, and wherein a lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of shoulders spaced apart from contact with said internal stopper, said shoulders including an upper ledge, said internal stopper including a lower tip, and said tip not movable relative to said housing above said upper ledge of said shoulders.
  • 14. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said inlet opening of said stopper seating block is located above a lower wall of said supply furnace.
  • 15. The casting machine furnace apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said lower inner portion of said outer housing includes a plurality of orifices formed therein.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
1486751 Hult Mar 1924 A
3206301 Daubersy Sep 1965 A
5215141 Kuhn et al. Jun 1993 A
5662859 Noda Sep 1997 A
5700422 Usui et al. Dec 1997 A
5948352 Vender Jagt et al. Sep 1999 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
357094463 Jun 1982 JP