US2821164A - Spray device - Google Patents

Description

F. J. INGAL SPRAY DEVICE ram., 28, w58

Filed April A17', 1956 (n/5.27 fr nited This invention relates to a device and method for applying coating material to ingot molds.

For many years, a problem involved in the casting of steel ingots within a metal mold has been the prevention of the adherence of molten metal splashes onto the interior mold surfaces. Such splashes would solidify before the bulk of the ingot metal, with resulting scabs, strains, seams, weak spots, and the like. Moreover, any solidiiied splashes had to be removed from the mold surface before the mold could be reused in casting another ingot.

To meet these problems, various compositions have been tried as protective coatings for the inside surfaces of the mold. It was of course desirable that the coating composition be such that it could be effectively applied to the mold without the necessity of the bothersome and uneconomical cooling down of the mold. One composition 'and method which has been found particularly desirable, due to a great extent to the fact that it may be applied successfully to molds at greatly elevated temperatures, is that disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,578,976, issued December 18, 1951. My present invention has particular 'application to an apparatus and method for applying a composition of that general type.

Thus it is one object of my invention to produce a novel device capable of storing, transporting, and applying a dry pulverulent coating composition to ingot molds.

A more particular object is to provide a novel device which Will initiate its operation of coating such as mold in response to its disposition on the mold.

Another object is to provide a novel and effective apparatus and method for the application of coating composition to the inside surfaces of an ingot mold while the mold is at greatly elevated temperature.

A further object is to provide a novel device having an auxiliary or mixing chamber in which a charge of coating composition may be thoroughly admixed in a turbulent region of functional air or other gas, with a storage hopper operatively associated with the auxiliary chamber but sealed o therefrom during mixing intervals.

In carrying out my invention in a preferred embodiment to attain these and other objects, I provide a portable storage hopper carrying beneath it an auxiliary chamber of much smaller capacity. For permitting communication between the hopper and auxiliary chamber, l provide in the bottom Wall of the hopper an outlet opening tted with a valve plug. Means are provided to operate that plug in response to placement of the device on the ingot mold to be coated, with the plug being operated to a closed position in response to placement of the device on the mold, and to an open position in response to removal of the device from the mold. A compressed air supply means is provided for the auxiliary chamber, to mix and suspend the coating composition, the compressed air supply being likewise operable in response to the placement of the device on the mold. As that air supply is energized, the inrushing air stirs up the coating composition in the auxiliary chamber to create a suspension or mist of the composition in air. That mist is blown through a contates t arent:

ice

duit to a dii'usion nozzle where it is sprayed onto the inside mold surfaces as the protective coating desired.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section through a device according to a preferred embodiment of my invention, indicating the parts in their relative position when the device is resting on an associated ingot mold, that mold being indicated by the chain lines;

Figure 2 is an elevation of such a device, showing the parts in the position they occupy with the device removed from the associated mold; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line lll-lll of Figure l.

As shown in the drawings, a supply of coating composition il) is adapted to be contained in a storage means such as the tank or hopper 12 shown having a conical bottom wall 14 which guides the composition towards an outlet opening 16 provided in that bottom wall. When permitted by a valve means provided for that opening; such as plug i8 yet to be described, the composition may run from hopper 12 through outlet opening i6 into an auxiliary or mixing chamber 2i) carried by the hopper 12.

Coating composition which has thus fallen into mixing chamber 20 is adapted to be thoroughly admixed with air or other gas introduced under pressure, for eventual application as a mist to the mold walls. Toward this end, a compressed air inlet 22 communicates with chamber 2i) through an air conduit 24 from an associated source of compressed air. Air control means such as the valve 26 shown is provided to control the supply of compressed air to the air inlet 22.

For leading the mist of coating composition and air from the mixing chamber, an outlet conduit 28 leads therefrom and extends below that chamber into the interior of the associated ingot mold 39, indicated diagrammatically by the chain lines in Figure l. Suitable diifusion means such as the spray nozzle 32 shown are desirably provided at the free end of the conduit 28 to obtain the desired thorough application to the mold walls. The mist is blown through conduit 28 and nozzle 32 by pressure in the mixing chamber 20.

According to the present invention, plug 1S is caused to open in response to removal of the device from an associated mold, and to close upon placement on a mold; while air valve 26 is caused to open upon placement of the device on the associated mold, and to close upon removal from the mold.

To this end, the plug 18 is connected to and controlled by a motion-transmitting system responsive to disposition of the device on an associated mold 3l). As shown, that system includes an actuating member, such as a base plate 44 shown, carried by the hopper 12 in such a manner that it is adapted to be moved with respect to hopper 12 by the presence of the apparatus on the mold 30. As indicated in Figure 2, when the apparatus is not positioned on a mold 3i), that base plate 44 is supported by tension members such as bolts 46 carried by a frame piece 48 of the chamber 2d. Resilient means such as the compression springs Sti urge the base plate 44 away from the frame piece 48 and chamber 243 to the limit permitted by the bolts 46. When the apparatus is placed on the mold 30, the weight of the apparatus causes the springs S0 to yield and the chamber 20 and frame piece 48 to move relatively closer to the base plate 44. This relative movement is transmitted, by a connecting rod 54, and by levers 56 pivotally mounted on supporting means such as a cover plate 58 carried to the hopper 12, to a control rod 60 slidably extending downwardly i 3 through the 'hopper' and connected to the plug 18. Through such a system, the plug 18 is caused to be closed by disposition of the apparatus on a mold, and to be re-opened by removal of the apparatus from the mold.

For Ythe desired actuation of air valve 26 in response to position of the apparatus on an associated mold 3G, I interrelate the control hand 70 of the valve with a position-responsive control means such as an abutment 72 carried by the relatively movable base plate 44. As shown, the abutment 72 is desirably a screw, and that screw is threaded into plate 44 to permit adjustment of its effective length and thereby of the amount of opening of valve 26 and the intensity of the stream of the incoming air moving into mixing chamber 2i). The engagement of screw 72 with valve handle 7i) opens the valve to admit air to the chamber 20 when base plate 44 is held upwardly while the apparatus rests a mold.

The hopper cover plate SS is provided with a material inlet opening '74 fitted with an openable cover 76. Desirably covering the upper parts of the hopper 12 and hopper cover plate 58, and enclosing the levers 56, is a hood 7S. The hood 7b is shown as carrying the holding means such as eye Si) by which the whole assembly maybe carried for transport to successive molds. Releasable fastening means 32 maintain the hood 78 and hopper 12 assembled.

ln applying coating composition to an ing-ot mold according to the present invention, a reservoir of coating material lit is deposited in hopper 12, some of such material running past the then-open plug 1S into the mixing chamber Zll. The apparatus is carried by eye 80 and deposited on an associated ingot mold, and the Weight of that assembly causes springs Si) to compress to permit hopper 12 and mixing chamber Ztl to drop relatively to the base plate 44. That relative movement actuates the plug 1S to closed position and actuates air control valve 26 to open position. Thus the charge of composition conned in mixing chamber 2i) is mixed with the air into a mist which is blown through conduit 2S and nozzle 32 to apply the coating composition to the ingot mold walls. Removal of the apparatus from the mold permits base plate 44 to again drop under bias of springs Si?, thereby closing air supply 26, and opening plug 18 to permit another charge of powder to drop into the mixing chamber.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description of my invention according to a preferred embodiment considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, that the present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method for the application of coating composition to mold surfaces, with the desired advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinoefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention as disclosed.

Although I have shown and described a specic embodiment of my invention, I intend to cover all changes and modifications of the example herein chosen for purposes of disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. Apparatus for the application of coating composition to inside surfaces of a mold, comprising a storage hopper, an auxiliary chamber therebeneath, an outlet provided in said hopper and opening into said auxiliary chamber, a valve means operable for closing of said outlet, a gas inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with an associated source of gas under pressure, gas valve means in said gas inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, meansassociated with said hopper and chamber and operating in response to disposition of said apparatus on the associated mold to cause said valve means to moveto a closed positionwith respect to said hopper 4 outlet and to cause said gas valve means to open to provide gas in said auxiliary chamber to mix with a charge of coating composition therein and blow the resulting mist through said outlet means to coat the surface of the associated mold.

2. Apparatus for the application of coating composition to inside surfaces of a mold, comprising a storage hopper, and auxiliary chamber therebeneath, an outlet provided in said hopper and opening into said auxiliary chamber, a valve means operable for closing of said outlet, an air inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with an associated source of air under pressure, air valve means in said air inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, means associated with said hopper and chamber and operating in response to disposition of said apparatus on the associated mold to cause said valve means to move to a closed position with respect to said hopper outlet, means associated with said hopper and chamber and operative in response to disposition of said apparatus on the associated mold to cause said air valve means to open to provide air in said auxiliary chamber to mix with a charge of coating composition therein and blow the resulting mist through said outlet means to coat the surface of the associated mold.

3. Apparatus for the application of coating composi-v tion to inside surfaces of a mold, comprising a storage hopper, an auxiliary chamber therebeneath, an outlet provided in said hopper and opening into said auxiliary chamber, a valve means operable for closing of said outlet, an air inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with an associated source of high pressure air, air valve means in said air inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, a member movable with respect tok said hopper and adapted to be engaged by the associated mold to be moved with respect to said outlet and in response to disposition of said apparatus on the associated mold to cause said valve means to move to a closed position with respect to said hopper outlet, and actuating means canied by said member to cause said air valve means to open to provide air in said auxiliary chamber to mix with a charge of coating composition therein and blow theresultingr mist through said outlet means to coat the surface of the associated mold.

4. Apparatus for the application of coating composition to inside surfaces of :a mold, comprising a storage hopper, an auxiliary chamber therebeneath, an outlet provided in said hopper and opening into said auxiliary chamber, a valve means operable for closing of said outlet, an air inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with `an associated source of high pressure air, air valve means in said air inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, a frame member carried by said hopper and supporting a mold-engageable member, air valve actuating means carried by said mold-engageable member, resilient means holding said frame member and said mold-engageable member in a certain space relationship, said frame member and said moldengageable member being adapted to be relatively moved in response to disposi tion of said apparatus on the associated mold to cause said valve means to move to a closed position with respect to said hopper outlet and to cause said air valve actuating means to open said air valve means to provide air in said auxiliary chamber to mix with a charge of coating composition therein and blow the resulting mist through said outlet means to coat the surface of the associated mold.

5. Apparatus for the application of coating composition to inside surfaces of a mold, comprising a -storage hopper having a bottom wall sloping downwardly to an outlet opening provided therein, a plug for closing said opening, an auxiliary chamber carried by said hopper beneath said opening, an air inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with an associated source of high pressure air, air valve means in said air inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, a member carried by said hopper and engageable with an associated ingot mold when said hopper is brought into operating relationship to said mold, said member being relatively movable to said hopper when so engaged by said mold, and plug control means operatively connected with said member for causing said plug to close said hopper outlet opening in response to such relative movement of said member.

6. Apparatus for the application of coating composition to inside surfaces of a mold, comprising a storage hopper having a bottom wall sloping downwardly to an outlet opening provided therein, a plug for closing said opening, an auxiliary chamber carried by said hopper beneath said opening, an air inlet and conduit means communicating said chamber with an associated source of high pressure air, air valve means in said air inlet conduit means, outlet means leading from said auxiliary chamber for operatively extending into the interior of an associated mold, a member carried by said hopper and engageable with an associated ingot mold when said hopper is brought into operating relationship to said mold, said member being relatively movable to said hopper when so engaged by said mold, plug control means operatively connected with said member for causing said plug to close said hopper outlet opening in response to such relative movement of said member, and actuating means carried by said member to open said air valve means, said air valve means in said air inlet conduit means being actuatable to open position by said actuating means in response to such relative movement of said member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,420,888 Straw June 27, 1922 1,534,627 Yoemans Apr. 21, 1925 1,589,014 Lee June 15, 1926 1,634,266 Moore July 5, 1927 2,343,842 Hatcher Mar. 7, 1944 2,454,910 Carr Nov. 30, 1948 2,754,035 Lamb July 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,088,436 France Mar. 7, 1955

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