Apparatus and method for controlling the countergravity casting of molten metal into molds
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A countergravity casting apparatus for countergravity casting molten metal articles within a mold, said apparatus comprising:
- a mold (12) having a cavity (24) therein and at least one bottom inlet (28) into said cavity (24);
reservoir means (14) for holding a supply of molten metal to be cast into said mold cavity (24), said mold (12) being supported above said reservoir means (14);
pump means (66) operatively associated with said reservoir means (14) for pumping molten metal against gravity from said reservoir means (14) into said mold (12) through said bottom inlet (28) thereof;
and feedback pressure control means (98) including a fluid pressure-detecting sensor (100) for continuously and directly sensing and measuring the actual pressure of the pumped metal during the casting cycle and controlling the output of said pump means (66) for conforming the actual metal pressure with a preselected reference metal pressure versus casting cycle time mold filling schedule associated with said control means (98).
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Abstract
A countergravity low-pressure casting apparatus (10) includes a feedback control system (98) which continuously measures the actual pressure of metal being pumped into a mold (12) and controls the voltage applied to an electromagnetic pump (66) to conform the actual metal pressure with the ideal metal pressure versus casting cycle time fill schedule (96).
37 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A countergravity casting apparatus for countergravity casting molten metal articles within a mold, said apparatus comprising:
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a mold (12) having a cavity (24) therein and at least one bottom inlet (28) into said cavity (24); reservoir means (14) for holding a supply of molten metal to be cast into said mold cavity (24), said mold (12) being supported above said reservoir means (14); pump means (66) operatively associated with said reservoir means (14) for pumping molten metal against gravity from said reservoir means (14) into said mold (12) through said bottom inlet (28) thereof; and feedback pressure control means (98) including a fluid pressure-detecting sensor (100) for continuously and directly sensing and measuring the actual pressure of the pumped metal during the casting cycle and controlling the output of said pump means (66) for conforming the actual metal pressure with a preselected reference metal pressure versus casting cycle time mold filling schedule associated with said control means (98). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for controlling the counter gravity casting of molten metal into a mold (12) situated above a reservoir (14) of the molten metal and having a bottom inlet (28) for admitting the molten metal into the mold (12), the underlying reservoir (14) having a pump (66) accommodated therein for pumping the molten metal upwardly into the mold (12), said method comprising the steps of:
- pumping the molten metal against gravity from the reservoir (14) into the mold (12) with the pump (66); and
continuously and directly sensing and measuring the actual pressure of the pumped metal utilizing a fluid pressure-detecting sensor during the casting cycle and controlling the output of the pump (66) to conform the actual metal pressure with a preselected reference metal pressure versus casting cycle time mold filling schedule. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
- pumping the molten metal against gravity from the reservoir (14) into the mold (12) with the pump (66); and
Specification