Claims
- 1. A vacuum valve apparatus for use in a die casting means, the die casting means being of the type which utilizes a source of vacuum pressure and a die body having internal surfaces which define an internal die cavity for making a casting, said apparatus comprising:
- a valve body adapted to be mounted to the die body, said valve body having at least one face that is generally coextensive with an internal surface of the die cavity, said valve body having a first internal port means adapted to receive a valve means, a second internal port means communicating said first port means to the source of vacuum pressure, said first port means terminating at said one face and being in communication with said die cavity;
- an openable and closeable valve means housed in said first internal port means of said valve body and communicating said first port means with the die cavity when said valve means is open and isolating the first port means from the die cavity when said valve means is closed;
- said valve body having at least two body components that are separable from one another along a split line, said split line being located along at least said first internal port means, so that separating said valve body components enables any casting material to be removed from said first and second internal port means.
- 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a conduit means located within at least a portion of said second internal port means for communicating a source of positive air pressure to said first internal port means.
- 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said split line is also located along said second internal port means.
- 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said valve body includes a third internal port means for communicating said first port means to the exterior of said valve body, said conduit means being located in said third internal port means and a portion of said second port means.
- 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said valve body components includes a plurality of threaded apertures, other of said valve body components having cooperative apertures aligned with said threaded apertures so that threaded bolt means can be inserted through said cooperative apertures into said threaded apertures to secure the valve body components together.
- 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including at least two sets of locating apertures in each of said valve body components with one locating aperture of each set being positioned in each valve body component and being aligned with the other locating aperture of each set, the other locating aperture being positioned in an adjacent valve body component, and means adapted to be inserted into each set of aligned apertures to accurately position the valve body components relative to one another prior to insertion of said threaded bolt means.
- 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second port means extends to an exterior surface of said valve body.
- 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a poppet valve having an elongated valve stem and an enlarged valve head located at one end thereof, said valve means having a biasing means operatively connected to the end portion opposite said one end, said biasing means biasing said poppet valve toward a closed position.
- 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said apparatus includes a valve seat means located in said first port means adjacent said one face, said seat means having a sealing surface adapted to seat said poppet valve head, said apparatus having a fourth port means in a second face of said valve body opposite said one face, said fourth port means receiving said biasing means, and a fifth port means communicating said first and fourth port means.
- 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further including a valve guide means located in said fifth port means, said guide means having a generally cylindrical bore with an inside diameter sized to receive said valve stem in close fitting relation to enable sliding movement thereof while generally preventing fluid communication therethrough.
- 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said first, fourth and fifth port means are generally concentrically aligned, said split line being located to intersect each of said first, fourth and fifth port means.
- 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said valve sealing surface has a conical shaped bevel, and said valve head has a similar cooperatively fitting shape.
- 13. A vacuum valve apparatus for use in a metal die casting machine, the die casting machine being of the type which has a die body having internal surfaces which define an internal die cavity for making a metal casting, the machine utilizing a source of vacuum pressure for evacuating the die cavity immediately before a casting operation, said apparatus comprising:
- a valve body adapted to be attached to said die body, said valve body having at least a front face that is generally coextensive with an internal surface of the die cavity, said valve body having a first internal port means adapted to receive a valve means, a second internal port means communicating said first port means with the source of vacuum pressure, said first port means terminating at said front face and being in communication with said die cavity;
- an openable and closeable valve means housed in said first internal port means of said valve body and communicating said first port means with the die cavity when said valve means is open and isolating the first port means from the die cavity when said valve means is closed;
- said valve body having at least two body components that are separable from one another along a split line, said split line being located along at least said first internal port means whereby the same is formed in each of said valve body components, so that separating said valve body components exposes a substantial portion of at least said first internal port means to enable any casting material to be removed therefrom.
- 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said valve body includes a third internal port means for communicating at least said first port means to the exterior of said valve body.
- 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said third internal port means is connected to a source of positive air pressure for providing a blast of air for the purpose of blowing metal flash from said valve means and for cooling the valve means following a casting operation.
- 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 further including a conduit means located within a portion of said second port means and extending to a location near said first port means for communicating a source of positive air pressure to said first internal port means.
- 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein one of said valve body components includes a plurality of threaded apertures, other of said valve body components having cooperative apertures aligned with said threaded apertures so that threaded bolt means can be inserted through said cooperative apertures into said threaded apertures to secure the valve body components together.
- 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 including at least two sets of locating apertures in each of said valve body components with one locating aperture of each set being positioned in each valve body component and being aligned with the other locating aperture of each set, the other locating aperture being positioned in an adjacent valve body component, and means adapted to be inserted into each set of aligned apertures to accurately position the valve body components relative to one another prior to insertion of said threaded bolt means.
- 19. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said valve means comprises a poppet valve having an elongated valve stem and an enlarged valve head located at one end thereof, said valve means having a biasing means operatively connected to the end portion opposite said one end, said biasing means biasing said poppet valve toward a closed position.
- 20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said apparatus includes a valve seat means located in said first port means adjacent said one face, said seat means having a sealing surface adapted to seat said poppet valve head, said apparatus having a fourth port means in a rear face of said valve body opposite said front face, said fourth port means receiving said biasing means, and a fifth port means communicating said first and fourth port means.
- 21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 further including a valve guide means located in said fifth port means, said guide means having a generally cylindrical bore of a size to receive said valve stem in close fitting relation to enable sliding movement thereof while generally preventing fluid communication therethrough.
- 22. Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said split line intersects each of said first, fourth and fifth port means.
- 23. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said valve sealing surface has a conical shaped bevel, and said valve head has a similar cooperatively fitting shape.
- 24. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said second internal port means extends from said first internal port means to the outside surface of said body, said second internal port means having a gradually increasing size from one end thereof to the other.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 874,629 filed Apr. 27, 1992, and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,396.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
62-214861 |
Sep 1987 |
JPX |
63-93462 |
Apr 1988 |
JPX |
2-192866 |
Jul 1990 |
JPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
874629 |
Apr 1992 |
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