US1024755A - Wheel-casting machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. B. WALKER.

WHEEL CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1912.

1 24,755. Pa dtented Apr. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. B. WALKER.

WHEEL CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

3 BHEET8SHEET-2.

J. B. WALKER.

WHEEL'OASTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

1,024,755. Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-.WASNINGTON. D. cv

JOHN B. WALKER, OF ENSLEY, ALABAMA.

WHEEL-CASTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 6, 1912.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912. Serial No. 669,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. lVALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ensley, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVheel-Gasting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to casting apparatus and has particular reference to a novel machine for producing car wheels.

It is common practice to cast certain arti cles in metal molds, which molds serve as a chill, producing a casting having an outer surface or skin which is relatively hard.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a machine for the production of car wheels or similar castings which shall be exceedingly simple in construction and practically automatic, or at least semi-automatic in operation.

The principal idea in the present construction is that of providing a rotatable frame having one member, preferably the cope, attached thereto, and having a check and drag arranged for limited movement toward and from the cope member, the three parts being bodily movable with the frame as desired. In this arrangement the movable parts are brought into operative relation to the rigid cope while the frame is in substantially horizontal position. The frame is then given a quarter turn and the chill members are ready to receive the molten metal. After the casting operation and while the chill members are in their pouring position, the movable parts are tripped and they with the casting fall by gravity a short distance, a rigid projection extending through an opening in the drag contacting the casting, causing its ejection from the cheek. The frame is then given a quarter turn at which time the casting will fall onto the casting floor.

The advantage in the present construction lies in its simplicity and its adaptability to operation by one man, no auxiliary power being necessary to secure the desired functions.

A further object lies in the construction of the check. This cheek casting as will be seen is encircled by a metallic band having tightening means, which means in this case is a bolt and nut cooperating with outturned flanges at the ends of the band. It is customary to employ a retaining band but such bands are usually shrunk in place and due to successive variations in heat the expansion and contraction will loosen the band and permit cracks in and disintegration of the cheek.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel casting machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section showing the chill members separated, and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the chill members separated and the frame rotated to permit the discharge of the previously formed wheel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that I provide a base 10, having upwardly projecting standards 11, carrying bearings 12 at their upper ends. lVithin these bearings are seated trunnions 13 of a rotatable frame, having bottom member 14, side members 15 and top member 16. These members 14, 15 and 16 are rigidly secured together at their ends and also by means of bolts or st-andards 17, which parts also serve as guiding means for the movable members of the chill, later to be described.

Rigidly secured to or integral with the member 16 is the cope member 18 of the chill. This has an opening 19 therein within which is seated the pouring gate 20 formed of core material and having a pouring opening 21 therein. This opening, as shown in Fig. 2, may be circular and concentric at the top, the sides of the opening converging and terminating at the lower end in a contracted semi-circular discharge mouth 22. A downward projection 23, also of sand, forms the core for the axle opening of the wheel. The bottom face 24 of the cope 18 -is shaped to correspond. to one face of the casting to be formed. The check casting 25 is preferably annular in form and is shaped on its interior to conform to the outline of the casting to be made. This cheek securely fits the cope 18 when the parts are assembled. The lower edge is also arranged to fit and be carried by the drag member 26, by means of the beveled engaging faces 27. This drag member has its upper face 28 shaped to correspond to the opposite face of the casting to be formed and is provided with a concentric enlarged opening 29 and a smaller opening 30. Within the enlarged opening 29 is seated a disk of core material 31, so arranged that the fluid metal will be directed onto this core material instead of the metal forming the drag. This is done to prevent the cutting away of the metal as is well understood. Projecting into the smaller opening 30 is a plunger or ejector 32, rigidly secured to the bottom member 14;. This part is adapted to be contacted by the casting as it descends with the cheek and the drag and cause the ejection of the casting from the grasp of the said parts. As shown in Fig. 3, when the cheek and drag reach their lowermost positions, the casting is supported on the top of the ejector The cheek 25 and drag 26 are provided with alined openings 33, by means of which they are guided on the bolts or standards 17. in order to provide for the cushioning of the drag and cheek as they descend, l mount coiled springs 3 f at the bases of the standards.

For securing the movable parts in their casting relation and permit their falling by gravity, I arrange on two sides of the drag, cam members mounted on shafts carried in bearings 36 on the side members 15, and rigidly connected to cranks 3'7. These cranks are connected by links 38 to a rocker 39 mounted on a shaft 4:0, carried in bear ings 11 on the lower member l t of the frame. To this shaft 4:0 is connected an operating handle 42 adapted for manual operation. It will be seen that by shifting this handle 42, the cam members may be simultaneously displaced to permit the fall of the drag and cheek after the casting has been made. In order to provide for the shifting of the frame within which is carried the parts heretofore described, I secure to one of the trunnions 13, a large handwheel 4:3 of any suitable construction. This hand-wheel is provided with notches ist on its periphery, with which notches a foot lever 45 is adapted to cooperate in order to secure the wheel and the frame in adjusted position. This foot lever held in engagement by means of a coiled spring 16.

It is customary in the employment of a cheek casting such as 25, to encircle the same with a band of steel, this band being usually shrunk in place. In my construction I provide the band 47 but instead of shrinking the same in place, I provide ears 48, the band being tightened by means of a bolt and nut d9. By this construction there is provided a band which has a certain degree of elasticity thus permitting expansion and contraction at all times keeping the chill from fracture. After extended use the cheek will become cracked but its utility is still unimpaired because of the use of the slightly elastic band.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position of Fig. 1, that is, with the pouring gate in place and the disk of core material 31 properly seated, metal is poured through the pouring gate in'ipinging on the disk of core material and the casting is thus formed. After a short period of time, sullicient to permit the casting to set, the hand lever 42 is moved thus shifting the cams 35 from beneath the drag 26, permitting the drag including the cheek and casting to fall by gravity. Hmvever, the descent of the casting is checked by contact with the ejector 32, the cheek and drag continuing their fall, being cushioned by s 'n'ings 34-. The casting being thus supported upon. the ejector, shown in Fig. 3, the operator releases the handwheel til by means of the foot lever l t, and turns the frame into the position of Fig. at, at which time the casting will fall from the machine onto the casting floor. After the insertion of a new pouring gate and disk, the parts are brought into casting relation while in the horizontal position of Fig. 4-. The machine is then righted and the operations heretofm'e described repeated.

It is obvious that many modifications may be made in the exact structure herein shown and such modifications are considered to be within the scope of my invention.

1 claim:

1. A casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a frame pivoted on said base, chills carried by said frame, said chills having a casting space therebetween, one of said chills being immovable and the other movable with relation to said frame, fastening means for securing said chills in casting relation and for permitting the separation thereof under the action of gravity, means for ejecting the casting formed between said chills and means for rotating said frame to discharge said casting, substantially as described.

2. A. casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a frame rotatably mounted on said base, chills, one thereof being rigid with said frame and the other being movable toward and from the rigid chill, a plunger normally projected in a vertical line and adapted to extend through the movable chill, means for permitting said movable chill to fall by the action of gravity and means for rotating said frame to discharge a finished casting from the machine, substantially as described.

A casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a frame rotatably mounted on said base, said frame having the cope member of a chill formed as a part thereof, a movable drag constituting the other member of the chill, a plunger secured to said frame and projecting through an opening in said drag said plunger acting as an ejector, and means for rotating said frame into a horizontal position to cause the discharge of a casting formed in said chills, substantially as described.

4. A casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a frame rotatably mounted on said base and carrying two opposed chill members, one of which is rigid with the frame and the other movable in a vertical line when said frame is in its normal upright position, triggers adapted to hold said movable member in elevated position and permit the fall thereof by gravity after a casting has been formed, a plunger projecting through said movable member and adapted to cause the ejection of a casting, and means for rotating said frame, substantially as described.

5. A casting machine comprising, in combination, a base, a frame rotatably mounted on said base, a chill formed in three parts, one part being rigidly secured to said frame and the other part being movable toward and from said rigid part, said chills having a casting space therebetween, one of said movable parts having a perforation therethrough, which perforation is enlarged at its upper end to form a seat for a core, a plunger projected into said perforation, means for tripping said drag and allowing the same to fall by gravity with a casting formed in the casting space and means for rotating said frame to discharge said casting, substantially as described.

6. In a casting machine, the combination of chill members, one of said chill members being encircled by a comparatively thin metallic band, fastening means for securing the ends of said band, said fastening means permitting a small amount of elasticity to said band and means for supporting and separating said chill members, substantially as described.

JOHN B. WALKER. Witnesses:

.P. V. KoLB, C. F. BRYANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent!- Washington, D. C.

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