US3848659A

US3848659A - Apparatus for handling molds

Info

Publication number: US3848659A
Application number: US00303376A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Keagy
Original assignee: Kaiser Industries Corp
Current assignee: Jeep Corp
Priority date: 1972-11-03
Filing date: 1972-11-03
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19

Abstract

A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly comprising a portable fixture having adjustable hooks to lift a flask and including a motor actuated screw jack assembly operating vertically with a cross-beam thereon adapted to engage an arbor or an ingot mold to separate each from the flask and having a second motor actuated jack assembly operating horizontally to rotate the cross-beam on the first screw jack between two positions where the cross-beam engages either the arbor or ingot mold respectively.

Description

United States Patent 119 Keagy 1' Nov. 19, 1974 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MOLDS Prima ExaminerJ. S encer Overholser N 11. P [75] Inventor Edward Kea gy, apervllle, Assistant Examiner john S. Brown [73] Assigneet Kaiser Industries Corporation, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mann, Brown, McWilliams Oakland, Calif. & Bradway 2 [2 Filed Nov 3, 1972 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 303,376 A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly comprising a portable 52] us. or. 164/405 fixture having adjustable hooks to lift a flask and 51 1111. c1 B22d 29/04 cluding a motor actuated screw j assembly p 58 Field 61 Search 164/401, 402, 405, 406, ing vertically with a cross-beam thereon adapted I0 164/407, 408, 403, 404, 409, 412, 180 engage an arbor or an ingot mold to separate each from the flask and having a second motor actuated 5 References Cited jack assembly operating horizontally to rotate the UNITED STATES PATENTS cross-beam on the first screw jack between two posi- 2 017 385 0/1935 A d 164/405 tions where the cross-beam engages either the arbor n erson 2,302,631 11/1942 Hively 164/407 or mgot mold respecnvely" 3,469,722 9/1969 Burrows 164/405 X 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEL, xov 1 9 I974 sum 2 or 3 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MOLDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore in ingot mold foundries the arbor has been removed from the flask by means of a hydraulically operated piston arrangement which acted to drive the arbor downwardly while the flask was lifted by an overhead crane. The removal of the ingot mold casting was accomplished by a completely separate operation. As practiced previously it has been necessary to remove the ingot mold casting by disassembling the flask or by placing the flask in a shake out machine for separation of the ingot mold casting and removal of sand. In the use of either such method multiple handling operations were necessary and where shake out machines were used these machines are notoriously high with respect to maintenance requirements. Where the flask was disassembled to release the ingot mold casting it was necessary that the flask be constructed in at least two pieces thus increasing the labor involved both in assembling and disassembling the flask.

The present invention overcomes these prior drawbacks and represents substantial savings in both labor and equipment which will run to several hours per day in the use of each device. The invention combines both the operation of separating the arbor and that of separating the ingot mold casting from the flask in a single apparatus which performs both operations automatically and eliminates any need for the time consuming separate removal of the arbor and then the manual disassembly of the flask to remove the ingot mold casting. Both operations are accomplished by the one apparatus utilizing two positions of the mechanism to separate the arbor in one position and separate the ingot mold casting in the other position.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of the invention to provide an apparatus which combines the mechanism for separating the arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a flask.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a portable fixture incorporating vertically actuated jack means for separating the arbor and cast iron ingot mold from a flask and horizontally acting jack means to position a member on the vertical jack means for removing the arbor or the ingot mold casting.

Another object of the invention is to provide vertically acting jack means in a combined arbor and cast iron ingot mold separating apparatus wherein the jack means incorporates a device to engage only the arbor in one position and in another position engage only the cast iron ingot mold with means to move such device from one position to the other.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for separating arbor and cast iron ingot molds from the flask incorporating motor actuated jack assemblies, one having a cross-beam for engaging either the arbor or the ingot mold respectively and one for positioning the cross-beam on the first jack assembly to separate either the arbor or the cast iron ingot mold.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a portable fixture incorporating means for both separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a flask with hook means on the fixture for lifting the flask and motor driven means for adjusting the hook means to various width flasks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by the structure and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the device for separating an arbor and an ingot mold from a pouring assembly show-ing the mechanism as supported from a crane and detachably secured to the trunnions of a flask containing the central arbor and ingot mold as well as the molding sand;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the mechanism and assembly with parts broken away to reveal details of the arrangement of the drive for the adjustable carrying hooks and the engagement of the cross-beam on the vertical jack with the arbor inside the ingot mold;

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improvement represented by this invention provides a combined device for removing arbor and cast iron ingot molds from pouring assemblies wherein a portable fixture is provided with' lifting hooks for supporting a flask by means of a crane carrying the fixture with the hooks being adjustable to accept flasks of varying widths by means of a turnbuckle mechanism actuated by a motor driven reducer. The fixture incorporates vertically acting jack means adapted to exert a downward force either on an arbor or on the cast iron ingot mold. The vertical jack is adaptable to both. the arbor and ingot mold by means of a cross-beam at its lower end which bridges the central opening of the ingot mold in one position to engage the mold and transfer the downward force of the jack thereto for separation thereof from the flask. In another position the cross-beam passes inside the central opening of the cast iron ingot mold to exert the downward force of the jack only on the arbor for separation from the flask. In practice the arbor is separated first from the flask and the cross-beam assembly is then rotated to the position for separating the cast iron ingot mold. The cross-beam assembly is rotated between the two operative positions thereof by means provided on the portable-fixture in the form of a horizontally acting jack means actuated by a motor which positions the cross-beam in accordance with the particular element to be separated from the flask. Suitable controls effect the operations of the motors driving the vertical jack, the horizontal jack and that driving the turn buckle mechanism for adjusting the lifting hooks, all in accordance with the require ments dictated by the particular operations performed.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the several drawings, represents the general mechanism utilized to remove either an arbor or a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly 11, which comprises a flask 12, having lifting trunnions 13 located adjacent to both top and bottom edges of the flask whereby the flask may be lifted from either end or turned end-for-end. The flask is adapted to contain a central arbor 14 which extends full height thereof and includes a bottom wall '15 that forms the bottom of the pouring assembly when the arbor is assembled into the flask 12 with the bottom wall 15 secured to the bottom peripheral flange 16 on the flask by suitable clamping means. Molding sand 17 is shaped into the flask l2 and around the central arbor 14 to form the space into which the cast iron ingot mold 18 is poured and formed. This much of the arrangement disclosed is more or less typical of general practice. The ingot mold casting 18 is formed in the pouring assembly and then must be removed therefrom.

Adjustable Lifting Hooks The mechanism for lifting and handling the assembled flask arrangement comprising the pouring assembly is combined with the device for removing both the arbor 14 and the ingot mold 18 from the assembly. The device 10 includes a pair of lifting hooks 20 formed and adapted to engage the trunnions 13 on the flask 12. These hooks are each pivotally mounted in the device 10 by means of an axle 21 passing through a bearing 22 in the hook and supported at opposite sides of each hook in the vertical side walls 25 of the device 10. The hooks 20 are disposed between the side walls 25 which are spaced apart by substantially the width of the hook members. A bottom wall 26 connects the side walls 25 and forms a generally U-shaped or channel structure. The axles 21, as shown, are suitably secured in the side walls 25 by washers and cotter keys to provide a very simple means of assembling or disassembling the hooks in relation to the side wall supports.

The pivoted mounting of the hooks in the device 10 enables the hooks 20 to be readily adjusted to take flask and pouring assemblies of various sizes. A top rod assembly 27, as best shown in FIG. 2, extends between and through the upper ends of the hooks 20 and is provided with a conical bearing nut 28 on each side of each of the hook members so that oppositely disposed bearing engagement is had on both sides of the respective hooks which are thus captively held at their upper ends in these bearings. An upwardly opening slot 29 enables assembly of the top red assembly into the upper ends of the hook members after which the conical bearing members 28 may be adjusted to ensure proper engagement. The top rod assembly is supported in a central bearing 30 mounted between the side walls 25 for support thereon.

Adjustment of the spacing between the carrying hooks 20 is obtained by changing the length of the top rod assembly to pivot the hooks about the pivot axles 21 and thus move the lower ends of the hooks inwardly or outwardly and thereby adapt the mechanism for use with pouring assemblies of various sizes. This change in length of the top rod assembly is obtained through the use of a turnbuckle assembly 33 that is oppositely threaded and upon rotation, moves the two top rod sections inwardly or outwardly in accordance with the direction of rotation. The turnbuckle includes a sprocket 34 which is driven by a chain 35. The chain 35 is driven by a pinion 36 mounted on the shaft of a motor driven reducer 40. The chain 35, the sprocket 34 and the pinion 36 are enclosed by a protective housing 37. The turnbuckle mechanism thus is actuated by the reversible motor drive 40 and suitable controls are provided whereby the operation of the motor may be regulated according to the adjustments to be effected on the hooks 20. The motor driven reducer 40 is fixedly mounted on the bottom wall 26 of the channel shaped device 10.

The spaced side walls 25 at their uppermost central portions are rigidly connected by an assembly comprising a pair of spaced plates 41 having a bottom connecting plate 42 secured therebetween and a generally inverted V-shaped bar 43 also secured therebetween to form a ready means by which the entire device may be handled by an overhead crane, as by the crane hook 44. This structure is best revealed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. It is the bottom connecting plate 42 that the central bearing 30 for the top rod shaft is secured to for the purpose of finding support from the side walls 25.

Vertical lacking Device A vertically acting jack mechanism is mounted on the upper side of the bottom wall 26 of the device. This jack mechanism includes a housing 52 rigidly mounted on the bottom wall 26. The housing 52 encloses a worm and gear mechanism for actuating a jackshaft 53 vertically. The upper portion of the jackshaft is threaded as at 54 and an internally threaded ring gear 55 rotates about the jackshaft on these threads 54. The ring gear is confined against vertical displacement by

bearings

56 and 57 disposed at the top and bottom sides of the ring gear and reacting against the top and bottom walls of the housing structure 52 so that as the ring gear 55 is rotated on the jackshaft threads 54 the jackshaft is pro pelled downwardly and upon reversal of the direction of rotation of the ring gear the jackshaft 53 is retracted upwardly onto the cap 58. The ring gear 55 is of the worm driven type and is actuated by a worm 59 driven from the shaft of motor 60. It should be noted that while the bottom wall 61 of the housing structure 52 is integral therewith, the top wall 62 is formed separately and is threaded into the housing structure, as shown in FIG. 5. This makes for ready assembly and disassembly of the jack mechanism, including the mounting and adjustment of the ring gear 55 between the upper and

lower bearings

56 and 57.

The jackshaft 53, below the level of the ring gear 55 is splined vertically, as at 65, which serves to hold the shaft against rotation. This is accomplished by means of a spline plate 66 having corresponding splines closely interengaging the shaft splines 65. The spline plate 66 is rigidly maintained against rotation as fol- 4 lows: the bottom plate 26 is provided with a central internal depending housing defined by circular walls 67 entirely surrounding the jackshaft. The spline plate 66 closes the bottom of this internal housing and is secured to the depending walls 67 by means of bolts 68. Thus, with the splined opening 69 in the spline plate closely engaging the splined shaft portion and the spline plate being rigidly fixed, the jackshaft 53 is prevented from rotating, so that upon turning the internally threaded gear wheel 55 on the upper threaded portion 54 of the jackshaft, the shaft is cause to move vertically with the shaft positively prevented from turning by the engagement of the splined opening 69, in fixed spline plate 66, with the vertical splines 65 on the lower portion of the jackshaft. The shaft portion 65 slides up and down freely in the splined opening 69 when actuated by the operation of the ring gear 55 rotating on the upper threaded portion, as driven by the worm gear 59 when the motor 60 is caused to drive the worm either in a direction to propel the jackshaft downwardly or retract the shaft upwardly under the direction of suitable electrical controls provided for the purpose. It should be noted that the driving motor 60 is rigidly mounted by bolting it to a vertical bracket flange 70 integral with the jack housing 52.

Cross-beam Structure At the lower end of the jackshaft 53 a cross-beam structure 75 is mounted thereon adapted to engage either an arbor 14 or an ingot mold 18 to push them, one at a time, out of the flask 12 when the jack 50 is actuated' downwardly. The cross-beam comprises a hollow structure including a bottom plate 76, a top plate 77 and spaced side walls 78. The top plate 77 is provided with an elongated slot 79 for the passage of the jackshaft therethrough into the cross-beam. The jackshaft at its bottom end is provided with a pressure foot 80 secured thereto by a pin 81. This foot member bears against the bottom plate 76 and applies the downward pressure of the vertically acting jack to the cross-beam and serves also to secure the cross-beam on the jackshaft. This securement necessarily is very loose, allowing a relatively large amount of play between the crossbeam and its mounting on the jackshaft whereby the cross-beam is allowed to more or less float free to adapt and adjust its position relative to the arbor or the ingot mold to compensate for any variations that may occur and ensure full and equalized engagement of the crossbeam therewith. The pressure foot 80, of course, forces the cross-beam downwardly when the jack 50 is so actuated, but the foot member also lifts the cross-beam when the jack is retracted, by the engagement of the upper side of the foot member with the under side of the top plate 77 at opposite sides of the slotted opening 79. The cross-beam is provided with a pair of spaced, vertically disposed guide rods 82 for a purpose hereinafter to appear.

ROTATING MECHANISM push either the arbor or the ingot mold out of the flask 12. The cross-beam 75 is rotatable between these two positions, 90 apart, by the arrangement and mechanism now to be described. At the under side of the bottom plate 26 of the channel shaped structure 10, a rotatable housing assembly 85 is suspended beneath the bottom plate 26 for this purpose.

The housing 85 is supported on an annular bearing 86 and rotates on this ring-like bearing guided by an annular thrust bearing 87 about which the housing rotates to provide a freely rotatable arrangement. The bearing 87 encircles the internal housing wall 67 immediately beneath the bottom plate 26 so that in effect the housing 85 rotates around the fixed internal housing 67 and the spline plate 66 secured thereto. The housing 85 is provided with an outstanding top flange 88 which overlies and is carried on the bearing 86 thus rotatively supporting the housing on this bearing. The bottom plate 26 is provided with an outer depending annular wall 89 with an outwardly extending horizontal bottom flange 90 extending continuously thereabout. A ringlike horizontal plate 91 formed of two or more segments, is secured to the under side of the flange 90 by bolts 92 and extends inwardly of the annular wall 89 so that a removable support for the bearing 86 is provided.

The housing assembly 85 includes a bottom closure wall 93 having oppositely disposed outwardly extending integral brackets 94. These brackets are each provided with a hole 95 through which the upwardly extending guide rods 82 are disposed so that when the housing assembly 85 is rotated the cross-beam is rotated with the housing. The guide rods 82 are of sufficient height to accommodate the relative vertical movement between the cross-beam and the housing as the jack 50 is actuated.

HORIZONTAL JACK DEVICE Rotation of the housing assembly and cross-beam is obtained by means of a horizontally disposed jack mechanism 96. This jack mechanism includes a housing 97 rigidly mounted on the bottom closure wall 93 within the housing 85 and the housing 97 encloses a worm and gear mechanism for effecting the rotating movements of the housing 85 with the connected crossbeam 75.

A worm type gear 98, mounted in bearings 99 and 100 at the upper and lower sides respectively of the gear, is disposed in the housing 97 and is internally splined vertically for receiving the correspondingly splined jackshaft portion 65 which slidingly reciprocates through the splined gear 98 during the vertical movements of the jackshaft. The gear 98, being splined for close interfitting engagement with the splined jackshaft does not rotate but is maintained in this fixed nonrotative position by this splined relationship and is held against vertical displacement by the upper and lower bearings 99 and 100. A worm gear 101 operatively engages the gear 98 but, because of the fixed position of that gear, does not rotate the gear. The worm gear 101 is driven by a motor 102 and this motor is rigidly mounted outwardly of the housing 85, but on a bracket structure 103 projecting outwardly from and integral with the bottom closure plate 93. Thus, when the motor 102 is operated by means of suitable controls provided for this purpose, the worm gear 101 is rotated in the teeth of the gear 98 which does not turn, so that, in effect, the worm gear travels around the gear 98 in a direction dictated by the direction of rotation of the worm, either forward or back, as initiated by the controls.

The motor 102 driving the worm is fixedly mounted relative to the rotatable housing 85 by means of the integral bracket structure 103 extending outwardly of the housing so that the entire assembly moves around the vertical jackshaft 53 as a unit when the worm 101 travels around the gear 98 and the cross-beam 75, of course, is carried with the rotating assembly by means of the vertical guide rods 82 engaged in the brackets 94 on the rotatable housing. The entire assembly rotates in either direction a maximum of ninety degrees between the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and that shown in FIG. 3. In the first position the cross-beam engages only the arbor 14, and when the jack mechanism 50 actuates the jackshaft 53 downwardly the crossbeam 75, in engagement with the arbor, passes downwardly within the central opening of the cast iron ingot mold and dislodges the arbor from the flask assembly. The controls are then actuated to retract the crossbeam and rotate it 90 to the second position bridging the ingot mold and when the jack mechanism is again caused to actuate the jackshaft and crossbeam in a downward direction the ingot mold is dislodged from the flask. The positioning of the rotatable assembly is stopped at the respective positions by means of limit switches 104 and 105(see FIG. 2) which stop the motor 102 as the opposite positions are reached. The

motors

60 and 102 actuating the jack mechanisms each include a flexible coupling 106 in the operating shaft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a single mechanism has been provided that combines the heretofore separate operations of removing an arbor and an ingot mold from a flask assembly into a device that will perform both operations without disassembly and without separate handling of the two operations. The combination mechanism incorporates a vertical jacking device for dislodging and separating the arbor and ingot mold from a flask assembly and a mechanism for rotating at least a part of the jacking device to engage either the arbor or ingot mold. The device also includes lifting hooks adjustable to flasks of various widths by motor actuated mechanism.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly including a flask comprising a portable fixture including vertical jack means operatively mounted on said fixture, a motor on the fixture operatively connected with said jack means to cause the jack means to operate in a downward direction, a cross-beam mounted adjacent the lower end of the vertical jack means, and means to rotate said cross-beam between two positions at substantially ninety degrees from each other whereby to engage an arbor in one position and to engage a cast iron ingot mold in the other position, said jack means and crossbeam by the downward movement thereof causing said arbor to separate from the flask in one position of the cross-beam and causing said ingot mold to separate from said flask in the other position of the cross-beam.

2. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set fourth in Claim 1 wherein said flask includes outer lifting lugs, and said portable fixture is provided with hook means engaging said lugs, said portable fixture being carried by crane means to lift said flask.

3. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said hook means includes turnbuckle mechanism to adjust the spread thereof to fit flasks of various widths, and motor means driving said tumbuekle mechanism.

4. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein-said vertical jack means comprises a screw jack assembly including drive means actuated by said motor to move said screw jack vertically.

5. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means to rotate said beam comprises a horizontal jack means, and a motor actuating said horizontal jack means.

6. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means to rotate said vertical jack means comprises a horizontally operating screw jack, drive means operative between said horizontally operating screw jack and said vertical screw jack assembly, and a motor actuating said horizontally operating screw jack.

7. A device for removing an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly comprising a portable fixture having hook means adapted-to engage outer lifting lugs on a flask, said fixture being carried by crane means to lift said flask, a screw jack assembly operatively mounted on said fixture, a motor on said fixture operating said jack assembly to actuate said screw jack in a downward direction, said jack assembly including a cross-beam operatively mounted adjacent the lower end of said screw jack, and means to rotate said cross-beam ninety degrees whereby said crossbeam in one position engages an ingot mold in said flask and in the other position engages an arbor in the flask, said screw jack and cross-beam by the downward movement thereof causing said arbor to separate from the flask in one position of the cross-beam and causing said ingot mold to separate from the flask in the other position thereof.

8. A device for removing an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means to rotate said cross-beam comprises a horizontally operating screw jack, and motor means actuating said last-named screw jack.

9. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said drive means to move said screw jack vertically comprises a worm type screw driving a ring type gear operating around the jack screw to propel the jack screw vertically, said jack screw having a vertically splined portion, a spline plate engaging said splined portion and secured to said fixture to prevent said jack screw from rotation, and said drive means between the horizontally operating screw jack and the vertical screw jack assembly including a worm type screw operatively engaging said vertically splined portion of the vertical screw jack.

10. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said horizontally operating screw jack and motor actuating the horizontally operating jack are operatively mounted on a carriage rotatively mounted on said fixture, said carriage being rotated about said vertical jack screw by the operation of said worm type screw engaging said vertically splined portion, and

guide means rotating said beam with said carriage.

Claims

1. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly including a flask comprising a portable fixture including vertical jack means operatively mounted on said fixture, a motor on the fixture operatively connected with said jack means to cause the jack means to operate in a downward direction, a cross-beam mounted adjacent the lower end of the vertical jack means, and means to rotate said cross-beam between two positions at substantially ninety degrees from each other whereby to engage an arbor in one position and to engage a cast iron ingot mold in the other position, said jack means and crossbeam by the downward movement thereof causing said arbor to separate from the flask in one position of the cross-beam and causing said ingot mold to separate from said flask in the other position of the cross-beam.

3. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in cLaim 2 wherein said hook means includes turnbuckle mechanism to adjust the spread thereof to fit flasks of various widths, and motor means driving said turnbuckle mechanism.

4. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said vertical jack means comprises a screw jack assembly including drive means actuated by said motor to move said screw jack vertically.

7. A device for removing an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly comprising a portable fixture having hook means adapted to engage outer lifting lugs on a flask, said fixture being carried by crane means to lift said flask, a screw jack assembly operatively mounted on said fixture, a motor on said fixture operating said jack assembly to actuate said screw jack in a downward direction, said jack assembly including a cross-beam operatively mounted adjacent the lower end of said screw jack, and means to rotate said cross-beam ninety degrees whereby said cross-beam in one position engages an ingot mold in said flask and in the other position engages an arbor in the flask, said screw jack and cross-beam by the downward movement thereof causing said arbor to separate from the flask in one position of the cross-beam and causing said ingot mold to separate from the flask in the other position thereof.

10. A device for separating an arbor and a cast iron ingot mold from a pouring assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said horizontally operating screw jack and motor actuating the horizontally operating jack are operatively mounted on a carriage rotatively mounted on said fixture, said carriage being rotated about said vertical jack screw by the operation of said worm type screw engaging said vertically splined portion, and guide means rotating said beam with said carriage.