US3063583A - Shell mold dump - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1962 o. v. MURPHY 3,063,583

SHELL MOLD DUMP Filed June 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3o 54 so 27 I 11 I 38 i5? 24 0M! 40 will! .Iilllfl ."HT

ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1962 o. v. MURPHY 3,063,583

SHELL MOLD DUMP Filed June 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IO l I I 4 INVENTOR OSCAR VNURPHY ATTORNEY}? v Nov. 13, 1962 o. v. MURPHY 3,063,583

SHELL MOLD DUMP Filed June 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR OSCAR V. MURPHY QM MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oilfice 3,963,583 Patented Nov.13, 1952 3,063,583 SHELL MOLD DUMP Oscar V. Murphy, Newaygo, Mich., assignor to Newaygo Engineering Company, Newaygo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,448 13 Claims. ((Jl. 214-4622) This invention relates to foundry equipment. More particularly, it relates to a foundry shell mold dump which is travelable from one dumping station to another.

In large scale foundry operations, it is customary to use production line techniques, especially in casting small parts. The basis for such operations is a tray car and a track system on which the tray car is moved from one foundry station to another on each production line. Each production line usually involves a mold-folding station, a casting or pouring station, a dumping station Whereat, when the metal is sufficiently cooled, the mold with casting in place is removed from the car and placed on a conveyor which leads to a shake-out station whereat the sand and casting are separated. Upon removal of the mold from the car, it is returned to the mold-forming station via a return track.

In large scale foundry operations, it is not uncommon to have a number of such production lines arranged parallel to one another and usually transversely of the building. Moreover, each line will usually involve a number of shell mold and tray cars. The conveyor will usually be found at the end of the production lines, arranged longitudinally in relation to the building and transversely to the production lines. It is also usual for the .rails of the tracks to be downwardly inclined from the mold-forming station to the dumping station and from the dumping station to the mold-forming station in order to facilitate movement of the cars from one station to another.

The problem :to which this invention is directed is that of unloading the poured molds from the cars onto the conveyor and then placing the unloaded cars on the return tracks.

One approach to the problem is a stationary mold dumping apparatus such as shown in US. Patent No. 2,830,716Murphy. This approach, however, is not practical when a large number of foundry production lines are involved. It is not practical because such equipment, being stationary, must be installed at each mold dumping station of each production line. This, obviously, involves a large capital investment. It is also impractical because the rate of production on each line and the times of production on each line vary considerably in most foundry operations. Hence, the actual time of operation of such dumping equipment may be quite small. Yet the auxiliary equipment necessary for the operation of each individual dumping machine must usually be kept in readiness.

Another approach to the problem, and one on which this invention is based, is that of a movable mold dumping machine which can be moved from one mold dumping station to another as the need for desirability arises.

A general object of this invention is to provide a movable, mold dumping machine.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a travelable machine which will receive a loaded tray car, unload it and place it on the tray car return tracks.

These and other objects which may appear as this specification proceeds are achieved by this invention which shall be described in relation to the drawings which form a material part of the disclosure. A brief listing of the drawings is as follows.

FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of the mold dumping machine of this invention in position relative to the conveyor, which conveyor has been partially broken away to reveal internal structure of the machine. FIG. 2 is a side view of the mold dumping machine of FIG. 1, which view is taken as indicated by the lines 22 of FIG. 1 with a portion of the outer structure removed to reveal inner structure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the travelable mold dumping machine of FIG. 1 with a portion thereof removed to reveal the carriage assembly in mold dumping position.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mold dumping machine of FIG. 1 with portions thereof removed to reveal the car carriage assembly in car return position and to reveal a shell mold tray car on the auxiliary car return tracksJ This view also shows in phantom the tray car prior to its emergence from the carriage frame assembly.

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary view of a manual control valve for operating the mold dumping machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a shell mold :tray car especially useful with the shell mold dumping machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the car of FIG. 5.

The drawings in general broadly disclose a movable, shell mold dumping machine comprising a frame straddling the conveyor and mounted on wheels. The mold dumping machine comprises a rotatable carriage assembly mounted on the frame and having track means in register with the loaded tray car delivery track. The carriage assembly also comprises car retaining track means which engage the wheels of the tray car topwise when a car is positioned in the carriage assembly in car receiving position. Furthermore, the carriage assembly comprises stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of a tray car in the carriage assembly. Means are provided for rotating the carriage assembly in the direction of forward travel of the loaded tray car. Also mounted on the frame of the mold dumping machine is a downwardly inclined, auxiliary track adapted to be in register with the car retaining track means of the carriage assembly when it is rotated into car return position and to engage the stop member to release an unloaded car from the carriage assembly onto said downwardly inclined track. This track is adapted to be in alignment with the tray car return track at the mold dumping station.

The drawings also broadly disclose a shell mold tray car which can be used regardless of whether it be bottom side up or bottom side down. Such a tray car generally comprises a box frame with an intermediate partition member. On the two side walls of the frame are exteriorly mounted wheel means which are preferably flanged.

Specifically, the drawings disclose a travelable mold dumping machine 10. The machine 10 comprises a supporting frame 11 on which are mounted a rotatable carriage assembly 12, an upper, auxiliary, tray car delivery track 13 and a lower, auxiliary, tray car return track 14. The auxiliary tracks 13 and 14, as mounted on the frame 11, are at the proper heights for alignment and registration with the corresponding, stationary, tray car delivery and return tracks 16 and 17 at each foundry dumping station.

Before proceeding further, it should be noted that in all description herein the front of the machine is taken to be the end thereof facing the stationary, car delivery and return tracks at each mold dumping station.

The support frame 11 in side view (FIG. 2) has a generally inverted U-shape design. The purpose of this inverted U-shape design is to enable the machine 10 to straddle a conveyor 19 extending through each of the mold dumping stations at the end of each foundry production line. The front and back ends of the support frame 11 are mounted on flanged wheels 20 for sidewise movement on the rails of a suitable track 21 disposed 3 from one end of the foundry to the other transversely to the permanent, tray car tracks at each mold dumping station.

The rotatable carriage assembly 12 is mounted on top of the support frame 11. It comprises a rotatable carriage frame 23 secured on each side to pivot mountings 24, one of which is linked with the horizontally disposed shaft of a prime mover 25. The pivotal axis of the rotatable carriage frame 23 is horizontally disposed. The carriage frame 23 on each side comprises a channel member 27 with the web vertically disposed and facing inwardly. The outside of the web is secured to a horizontal pivotal shaft in each case. Extending between the channel members 27 and secured thereto on the normally bottom side thereof are cross beams 23 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Mounted on the carriage frame 23, especially on the channel members 27 are the rails of a bottom track 29 and the rails of a car retaining or top track 3%) (FIG. 1). The bottom track 29, when the carriage frame is in position for receiving a tray car from the auxiliary car delivery track 13 as in FIG. 2, is in registration with the car delivery track 13. The top track 30 is in alignment with the bottom track 2% but vertically spaced apart therefrom. When the carriage frame 23 is in car release position, as shown in FIG. 4, the top track 30 is in register with the auxiliary car return track 14 on the support frame 11. Preferably both the top track 36 and the bottom track 29 have a small downward slope toward the back of the machine 10 when the carriage frame 23 is in car receiving position.

The rotatable carriage assembly 12 also comprises car stop and release means 32 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). These means comprise a horizontally disposed bracket 33 secured to one of the rails of the top track 30 and extending rearwardly of said rail. The bracket 33 is provided with a front hole 34 and a back hole 35. As shown in FIG. 1, the axis of the back hole 35 is vertically disposed on the inside of said rail while the axis of the front hole 34 is vertically disposed on the outside of said rail. The car stop and release means 32 also comprises an inverted U- shape, vertically movable member 36 having a front leg member 37 and a rear leg member 38. The leg members 37 and 38 extend through the holes 34 and 35, respectively, of the bracket 33. The front leg member, however, is longer than the rear leg member 38. Indeed, its length is suflicient when in normally extended position and its position is such to enable it to abut a tray car on the carriage frame 23 and stop travel of the car toward the back of the machine. The position of the rear leg member 38 is such that, when the carriage frame 23 is in car release position as shown in FIG. 4, the end thereof abuts the horizontal flange of the corresponding rail of the auxiliary car return track 14. As indicated in FIG. 2, in normally extended position, the length d of the rear leg member 38 from its end to the bracket 33 is equal to the distance a which the end of the front leg member 37 must be moved in order to clear a tray car in the carriage frame 23. Spring means are also provided to bias the inverted U member legs into normally extended position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring means comprise a tension spring 39 coiled about the front leg member 37 between the bracket member 33 and the bottom end thereof. Pin means 40 are provided for keeping the tension spring in place and for transmitting the tension of the spring to the inverted U member 36.

The bracket member 33 in the embodiment shown also functions, as shown in FIG. 4, to limit the extent of rotation of the carriage frame 23 in its rotation from car receiving position to car release position.

To limit the extent of reverse rotation of the carriage frame 23 from car release position to car receiving position, there may be provided (see FIGS. 3 and 4) a limit bar 49. One end of the limit bar is secured to the top of the horizontal flange of one of the rails of the bottom track 29, The other end of the limit bar 49 extends 4 forwardly and, when the carriage frame 23 is in car receiving position, rests on top of the corresponding horizontal flange of the corresponding rail of the car delivery tracks 13. This limit bar 49 functions to prevent the carriage frame 23 from being rotated past its car receiving position.

The auxiliary car delivery track 13 on the support frame 11 is provided in order to bridge the gap between the permanent or stationary car delivery track 16 and the bottom track 29 on the carriage frame 23 when the carriage frame is in car receiving position. This gap or spacing is desired in order to facilitate movement of the machine from one mold dumping station to another. Otherwise, the limit bar 49 would have to be raised by rotating the carriage frame 23 every time that the machine 10 is moved. Preferably, the auxiliary car delivery track 13 has a slight downward slope toward the back of the machine.

The auxiliary car return track 14' mounted on the support frame 11 underneath the auxiliary car delivery track '3 is likewise provided to bridge the gap between the permanent or stationary car return track 17 and the top track 3t on the carriage frame 23 when the carriage frame is in car release position. The rails of the auxiliary car return track 14 are adapted to be in register with the rails of the permanent car return track 17 and the rails of the top track 30 on the carriage frame 23. In addition, it will be observed that the auxiliary car return track 14 from the receiving end thereof to the discharge end thereof adjacent the permanent car return track 17 rapidly declines downwardly. Moreover, when the carriage frame 23 is in car release position, the top track 30 is downwardly inclined. Such downward declination enables a tray car on the carriage frame 23 to move rapidly therefrom and from the machine It under the influence of gravity.

The prime mover 25 selected for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention is an air motor. It can also be an oil-air or a hydraulic motor. lowever, in the embodiment shown, it is actuated by compressed air. The flow of compressed air to the air motor 25 can be controlled automatically by limit switches and the like in conjunction with the rotatable carriage assembly 12 and it can be controlled by manually manipulated means. For purposes of illustration the machine 10 is shown in the drawings as a manually operated machine.

The machine It is provided with a manually operated, conventional air valve 43 mounted on the support frame 11 of the machine 10. Connected to the air valve is one end of a pressure air supply hose 44 which trails along with the machine It and which has its other end connected to a source of pressure air. Between the air valve 43 and the pressure air motor 25 are a pair of pressure air delivery conduits 45 and 46 for conveying pressure air from the air valve 43 to the motor. The pressure air or unload turn air conduit 45 leads to that side of the motor 25, whereat pressurized air will cause the motor to rotate in the desired direction for rotating the carriage frame 23 from the car receiving position to the car release position. The other pressure air conduit or reverse turn conduit 46 leads from the air valve 43 to the other side of the air motor 25, whereat the pressure air will cause the motor to turn in reverse direction and thus rotate the carriage frame 23 from car release position to car receiving position. By turning the crank 47 on the air valve 43, pressure air from the supply hose 44 can be introduced into the unload turn air conduit 45 or into the reverse turn air conduit 46, whichever is appropriate. As already indicated, the extent of rotation of the carriage frame 23 in the unload turn thereof is limited by the bracket 33 and in the reverse turn is limited by the limit bar 49 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Manual manipulation of the crank 47 can be used to control the extent of rotation within these limits.

Other means, such as, for example, limit switches, may

be used in conjunction with the air motor to establish and maintain a range of rotation and to prevent damage to the air motor and shaft thereof by excess rotation.

Although not shown, it is within the concepts of this invention to provide manually manipulated means, such as a latch assembly, for locking the machine in position at a mold dumping station until such time as it is desired to move the machine 10 to another mold dumping station.

A tray car especially suitable for the mold dumping machine 10 and for most foundry production lines is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In these views there is illustrated a tray car 50 comprising a box frame 51 open at the top and bottom. Intermediate the top and bottom there is provided a partition member 52. On each side of the tray car 50 there are mounted a set of upper, flanged wheels 54 and a set of lower, flanged wheels 55, which are in alignment with, and travelable upon, the stationary car delivery track 16 and car return tracks 17.

Operation To use the mold dumping machine 10, it is manually moved on the track 21 into position at a foundry mold dumping station. If a rail block is erected at the end of the stationary car delivery track 16 to prevent loaded tray cars from rolling off the end of the car delivery track, the rail block is removed.

As indicated in FIG. 1, a loaded tray car 50 is moved either manually or by gravity over the auxiliary delivery track 13 on the support frame 11 onto the bottom track 29 on the carriage frame 23. As the tray car 50 enters the carriage frame 23, the lower wheels 55 will travel on the rails of the bottom track 29. In addition, the upper wheels 54 will engage the rails of the upper track 3% on the carriage frame 23. The tray car moves forwardly in the carriage frame 23 until it strikes the end of the leg 47 of the inverted U member 36 of the car stop and release means 32. At this point further forward movement of the tray car 50 is blocked.

An operator then turns the crank 47 on the air valve 43 to its unload turn position whereupon pressure air enters the conduit 45 and causes the air motor 25 to rotate. The rotatable carriage frame 23 with the tray car 50 seated therein turns over until the bracket 33 of the car stop and release means contacts the horizontal flange of the auxiliary car return track 14. As the can riage frame 23 turns over, the shell mold on the tray car falls off as indicated by the arrow 57 in FIG. 3 into the conveyor 19 which conveys the shell mold and casting to the shake-out station of the foundry.

When the bracket 33 reaches the flange of the track 14, the rear leg 38 of the inverted U member is depressed, as shown in FIG. 4, by a distance d whereupon the tray car 50 is released from the carriage frame 23. Because of the downward inclination of the top track so and auxiliary car return track 17, the unloaded tray car, bottom side up, shoots out of the rotatable carriage as sembly 12 over the auxiliary car return track 14 onto the main car return track 17.

The operator thereupon turns the crank 47 of the air valve 43 to its reverse turn air position whereupon pressure air moves through conduit 46 to rotate the air motor 25 in reverse, turning the carriage frame 23 back to car receiving position.

When enough tray cars on the particular production line have been unloaded, the the rail block for that station may again be erected, the machine 10 unlatched from its position, if latching means are used, and then pushed into position at another mold dumping station and the procedure repeated.

Thus, there is presented a mold dumping machine of relatively few parts. It is positive in operation and requires no skill to operate. Moreover, because of its inherent simplicity of structure and function, it requires relatively little maintenance. Moreover, it does not represent a safety hazard to operating personnel. Further- 6 more, it can be readily moved from one foundry mold dumping station to another foundry mold dumping station.

Other advantages and features will be apparent to those in the exercise of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing disclosures. Moreover, this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiment just described is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: rotatable car riage means over said conveyorhaving a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track; said carriage being rotatable through more than degrees to a partially inverted position, said rotation being about an axis normal to both said car delivery and return tracks; retaining means for preventing disengagement of said tray car from said carriage means during rotation thereof; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position aligned with said car return track and back to said car receiving position; said carriage moving in one direction only through said car dumping position to said car return position; and car stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, said car stop means being automatically released when said carriage means reaches said car return position.

2. A machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means extending over said conveyor; rotatable carriage means mounted on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track; said carriage being rotatable more than 90 degrees to a partially inverted position, said rotation being about an axis normal to both said car delivery and return tracks; retaining means for preventing disengagement of said tray car from said carriage means during rotation thereof; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means in one direction from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position aligned with said car return track and back to said car receiving position; and car stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, said car stop means being automatically released when said carriage means reaches said car return position.

3. A machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means extending over said conveyor; rotatable carriage means mounted on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said axis of rotation being normal to both said car delivery and return tracks; said carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage means having first and second track means for engaging said loaded tray car at both the top and the bottom thereof, said first track means being below said second track means when said carriage means is in car receiving position; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position aligned with said car return track and back to said car receiving position; said second track means being aligned with said car return track when said carriage is rotated to said car return position; and car stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, said car stop means being automatically released when said carriage means reaches said car return position.

4. A machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: a rotatable carriage disposed above said conveyor for rotation about an axis normal to both said car receiving and return tracks, said carriage having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage having first and second car securing elements for engaging both the top and bottom of said loaded tray car, said first car securing element being below said second car securing element when said carriage is in car receiving position; a prime mover for rotating said carriage from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position aligned With said car return track and back to said car receiving position; means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage at said car return position and for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage at said car receiving position; said second car securing element being aligned with said car return track when said carriage is rotated to car return position; and a car stop for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage from said car receiving position to said car return position, said car stop being automatically released when said carriage reaches said car return position.

5. A machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: a carriage rotatably mounted to discharge onto said conveyor, said carriage being rotatable about an axis normal to both said car delivery and return tracks, said carriage having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage having first and second car supporting elements for engaging both the top and bottom of said loaded tray car, said first car supporting element being below said second car supporting element when said carriage is in car receiving position; means for rotating said carriage from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position aligned with said car return track and back to said car receiving position; and a car stop for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage to said car return position, said car stop being 8. automatically released when said carriage reaches said car return position.

6. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means mounted on wheel members and straddling said conveyor; auxiliary car delivery track means on said frame means adapted to be in registration with said car delivery track; auxiliary car return track means on said frame means below said auxiliary car delivery track means and adapted to be in registration with said car return track; rotatable carriage means on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said rotatable carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said auxiliary car delivery track means, said carriage means having first and second track means for engaging bottomwise and topwise the wheels of said loaded tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means and in registration with said auxiliary car delivery track means with said carriage means in car receiving position, said second track means being in registration with said auxiliary car return track means with said carriage means in car return position; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position over said conveyor to said car return position and back to said car receiving position; bracket means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage means; limit bar means for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage means at said car receiving position; and car stop and release means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, and for releasing said tray car when said carriage means is at said car return position.

7. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means mounted on wheel members and straddling said conveyor; auxiliary car delivery track means on said frame means adapted to be in registration with said car delivery track, one of the rails of said auxiliary track means being characterized by a horizontal flange member; auxiliary car return track means on said frame means below said auxiliary car delivery track means and adapted to be in registration with said car return track; rotatable carriage means on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said rotatable carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said auxiliary car delivery track means, said carriage means having first and second track means for engaging bottomwise and topwise the wheels of said loaded tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means and in registration with said auxiliary car delivery track means with said carriage means in car receiving position, said second track means being in registration with said auxiliary car return track means with said carriage means in car return position; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position over said conveyor to said car return position and back to said car receiving position; bracket means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage means; limit bar means for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage means at said car receiving position, said limit bar means being secured to, and extending frontwardly of, said first track means on said carriage means for engaging said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary car delivery track means when said carriage means is in car receiving position; and car stop and release means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, and for releasing said tray car when said carriage means is at said car return position.

8. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means mounted on wheel members and straddling said conveyor; auxiliary car delivery track means on said frame means adapted to be in registration with said car delivery track; auxiliary car return track means on said frame means below said auxiliary car delivery track means and adapted to be in registration with said car return track, one of the rails of said car return track means being characterized by a horizontal flange member; rotatable carriage means on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said rotatable carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said auxiliary car delivery track means, said carriage means having first and second track means for engaging bottomwise and topwise the wheels of said loaded tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means and in registration with said auxiliary car delivery track means with said carriage means in car receiving position, said second track means being in registration with said auxiliary car return track means with said carriage means in car return position; a prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position over said conveyor to said car return position and back to said car receiving position; bracket means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage means, said bracket means being secured to said carriage means and in position to abut said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary return track means when said carriage means is in car return position; limit bar means for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage means at said car receiving position; and car stop and release means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, and for releasing said tray car when said carriage means is at said car return position.

9. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded, shell mold, tray car and the like from an upper car delivery track, for dumping the load on said tray car into a conveyor below said car delivery track and for placing said tray car after its load has been dumped on a car return track below said car delivery track, which comprises: frame means mounted on wheel members and straddling said conveyor; auxiliary car delivery track means on said frame means adapted to be in registration with said car delivery track, one of the rails of said auxiliary car delivery track means being characterized by a horizontal flange; auxiliary car return track means on said frame means below said auxiliary car delivery track means and adapted to be in registration with said car return track, one of the rails of said car return track means being characterized by a horizontal flange member; rotatable carriage means on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation disposed parallel to, and above, said conveyor, said rotatable carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said auxiliary car delivery track means, said carriage means having first and second track means for engaging bottomwise and topwise the wheels of said loaded tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means and in registration with said auxiliary car delivery track means with said carriage means in car receiving position, said second track means being in registration with said auxiliary car return track means with said carriage means in car return position; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position over said conveyor to said car return position and back to said car receiving position; bracket means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage means, said bracket means being secured to said carriage means and in position to abut said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary return track means when said carriage means is in car return position; limit bar means for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage means at said car receiving position, said limit bar means being secured to, and extending frontwardly of, said first track means on said carriage means for engaging said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary car delivery track means when said carriage means is in car receiving position; and car stop and release means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, and for releasing said tray car when said carriage means is at said car return position, said car stop and release means comprising an inverted U-shape member with one leg thereof longer than the other, said longer leg being disposed through a vertical opening through said bracket member and extending downwardly a distance sufiicient to abut a rearwardly facing por tion of said tray car, the shdrter leg of which is disposed through another vertical opening through said bracket means and extends downwardly by a distance from the underside of said bracket means equal to the distance the longer leg must be moved to clear said front portion of said tray car and disposed in alignment with said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary car return track and spring means urging said longer leg member into fully extended position.

10. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded shell mold comprising a tray car, said tray car being characterized by a box frame with an intermediate partition and on each side at least a pair of top wheels and at least a pair of bottom Wheels; an elevated tray car delivery track; a lower tray car return track; a frame; a carriage mounted on said frame for rotation about a horizontal axis from a car receiving position to a car return position aligned with said car return track, said carriage having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage having a first track means for engaging the bottom wheels of a loaded tray car and a second track means for engaging the top wheels of said tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means when said carriage is in car receiving position; a prime mover for rotating said carriage from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position and back to said car receiving position; in car return position said second track means being aligned with said car return track; and car stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage from said car receiving position to said car return postion, said car stop means being automatically released when said carriage reaches said car return position.

11. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded shell mold comprising a tray car, said tray car being characterized by a box frame having an open top and an open bottom with an intermediate partition 11 and on each side at least a pair of top wheels and at least a pair of bottom wheels; an elevated tray car delivery track; a lower tray car return track; frame means auxiliary car delivery track means on said frame means adapted to be in registration with said car delivery track, one of the rails of said auxiliary car delivery track means being characterized by a horizontal flange member; auxiliary car return track means on said frame means below said auxiliary car delivery track means and adapted to be in registration with said car return track, one of the rails of said auxiliary car return track means being characterized by a horizontal flange member; rotatable carriage means mounted on said frame means with a horizontal axis of rotation, said carriage means having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage means having first track means for engaging bottomwise the bottom Wheels of a loaded tray car on said carriage and second track means for engaging topwise the top wheels of said tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means with said carriage means in car receiving position; prime mover means for rotating said carriage means from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position relative to said car return track and back to said car receiving position; bracket means for limiting the extent of rotation of said carriage means, said bracket means being secured to said carriage means and in position to abut said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary return track means when said carriage means is in car return position; limit bar means for limiting the extent of reverse rotation of said carriage means at said car receiving position, said limit bar means being secured to, and extending frontwardly of, said first track means on said carriage means for engaging said horizontal flange member of said auxiliary car delivery track means when said carriage means is in car receiving position; and car stop and release means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage means in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage means from said car receiving position to said car return position, and for releasing said tray car when said carriage means is at said car return position, said car stop and release means comprising an inverted U-shape member with one leg thereof longer than the other, said longer leg being disposed through a vertical opening through said bracket member and extending downwardly a distance sufiicient to abut a rearwardly facing portion of said tray car, the shorter leg of which is disposed through another vertical opening through said bracket means and extends downwardly by a distance from the underside of said bracket means equal to the distance the longer leg must be moved to clear said front portion of said tray car and disposed in alignment with said horizontal member of said auxiliary car return track and spring means urging said longer leg member into fully extended position.

12. A foundry mold dumping machine according to claim 11 wherein said auxiliary car return track means is downwardly inclined from the end thereof adjacent said second track means of said carriage when said carriage means is in car return position.

13. A foundry mold dumping machine for receiving a loaded shell mold comprising, a tray car, said tray car being characterized by a pair of top wheels and a pair of bottom wheels; an elevated tray car delivery track; a lower tray car return track; a frame; a carriage mounted on said frame for rotation about a horizontal axis from a car receiving position to a car return position aligned with said car return track, said axis of rotation of said carriage being normal to both said car delivery and return tracks; said carriage having a car receiving position for receiving said loaded tray car from said car delivery track, said carriage having a first track means for engaging the bottom wheels of a loaded tray car and a second track means for engaging the top wheels of said tray car on said carriage, said first track means being below said second track means when said carriage is in car receiving position; a prime mover for rotating said carriage from said car receiving position through a car dumping position to a car return position and back to said car receiving position; in car return position said second track means being aligned with said car return track; and car stop means for limiting the extent of forward travel of said tray car on said carriage in car receiving position and during rotation of said carriage from said car receiving position to said car return position, said car stop means being automatically released when said carriage reaches said car return position.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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