Cutting – With product handling means – Means to move – guide – or permit free fall or flight of product
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2001-04-03
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Cutting
With product handling means
Means to move, guide, or permit free fall or flight of product
C083S013000, C083S157000, C164S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209431
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention finds applicability in the field of molding and casting.
Terms Used Herein:
DIE CASTING MACHINE is a machine that injects molten metal into a die (mold) to form a casting, or castings.
ROBOT is a programmable, automated device that is adapted to unload die casting machines and set the casting assemblage (Gate) down in an organized, predictable fashion.
GATE is the casting assemblage, consisting of the casting or castings, with the runners and the sprue, all tied together.
DEGATING is a process for removing the waste portion or gate remnant from the casting.
DEGATE-AND-TRIM MACHINE is a machine that utilizes a complex punch and die set to separate the good casting or castings from the gate, and then trim away the flash and/or overflow.
CASTING is the desired product resulting after degating.
GATE REMNANT is the portion of the gate that is separated from the castings by the degating and trim process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern die casting plants employ a number of die casting machines with a degate-and-trim machine alongside each casting machine. The die casting machines, in the larger sizes, are usually attended by a robot, and can thus run unmanned. The degate-and-trim machines are rarely automated as to loading and unloading, and thus require labor to operate.
In rare, high volume instances where degate-and-trim machines have been automated, the buildup of scrap (broken-off pieces of the gate, flash and overflows) inevitably hinders the proper working of the machine. This is the main reason that most degate-and-trim machines were never automated.
Objects of the Invention
A main object of this invention is to produce a machine which will automatically and efficiently separate the casting from waste material.
A significant object of this invention is to produce a machine for separating castings from scrap requiring a minimum amount of manpower.
Another object of this invention is to produce an efficient means for determining imperfections in different sets of castings.
A still further object is to produce a machine which will efficiently return scrap separated from the casting for recycling.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.
Problem Solved By This Invention
This invention completely solves the problem of scrap buildup, and permits easy interface with the robot that unloads the die casting machine. This permits seamless, unmanned operation between the two machines, namely, the mold and the degate and trim machine. Additionally, this invention provides a means for progressively removing parts from the gate while the die casting machine is making its next shot, thus the degate-and-trim machine does not have to be as big or expensive as that of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention covers a general purpose machine which will run unmanned to automatically remove die castings from their gates, trim the castings and send the trimmed castings to a parts container or bin. The scrap remnants and trim are automatically removed for remelting and use to manufacture additional castings.
The automated degate-and-trim machine works in the following manner. First, the robot grabs the gate while the gate is still hot and in the casting machine. A typical gate, and the robot's grippers might grab the casting around the sprue. The robot then brings the gate to the automated degate-and-trim machine (A.D. & T.M.) and sets the castings onto lower male fixtures positioned on the degating plate or platform. The A.D. & T.M.'s press then actuates, trimming and separating the castings from the gate. The press then opens, lifting the castings with a female die, and an unloading plate or parts catcher slides in from below to receive the castings released onto it. The unloading plate containing the castings slides and ejects the casting into parts chutes, from whence they slide into the parts bins. After this process the robot picks up a gate again and moves the gate ahead so that the second castings set is degated and trimmed. The process can be repeated until all castings are removed and trimmed. After the castings have been degated and trimmed, the gate plate slides back and tips up, dumping all scrap, i.e., the gate remnant, flash and overflows, into the scrap conveyor, thus leaving the machine clean and clear for the next shot.
In its broadest aspect, the herein disclosed invention involves an automatic degate and trim machine comprising a means for receiving and positioning a gate, for example a male fixture. Said gate comprising a casting and gate remnant. With the gate positioned in registry with a female die having ejecting means disposed therein, said female die along with a ram descend with force onto the gate to yieldably engage the casting, as well as, separate the gate remnant from the casting while leaving the gate remnant on a gate plate. Once the gate remnant is separated from the casting, the ram and the female die yieldably engaging the casting are raised to allow a parts catcher to come into position under the female die. With the parts catcher in position said ejecting means is actuated causing the casting to be ejected from the female die onto said parts catcher which delivers the casting into a parts bin for receiving said casting. With the casting out of the way of said gate remnant, a gate plate containing said gate remnant is tilted causing the gate remnant to fall into a scrap bin. The automatic degate and trim machine can have the casting deposited onto a chute prior to delivery to said parts bin and the gate remnant can be deposited onto a chute or conveyor prior to deposit into said scrap bin. Once the cycle is complete the machine can repeat the cycle.
Viewed another way, the invention encompasses an automatic degate and trim machine having as its main components:
a ram,
a female die with ejecting means disposed therein,
a male die or fixture for receiving a gate comprising a casting,
a gate plate and
a parts catcher,
wherein said gate plate has disposed thereon said with male fixture for receiving a gate, said ram and female die with ejecting means positioned in a raised position over the male fixture being powered and operating reciprocally such that the ram and female die can be lowered with force to cut and separate the casting from said gate leaving a gate remnant and with the female die yieldably retaining said casting within the female portion of the die. With the female die raised the female die can release the casting into a parts catcher and then into a parts bin,
the gate plate having received the gate remnant delivers the gate remnant to a scrap bin for recycling. Once the cycle is complete the machine can repeat the cycle.
In its broadest aspect, this invention involves an automated method for removing and separating castings from a gate containing the same comprising placing a gate onto a gate plate wherein a ram and a female die with ejecting means disposed therein descends with force onto the casting of said gate to yieldable engage the castings to separate and trim away gate remnant form the casting, leaving the gate remnant on said gate plate, with the gate remnant separated from the castings, the castings are separated and deposited into individual groups for deposit into separate bins and the gate remnant is removed from the gate plate for placement into scrap. This method allows for ready determination of imperfections in the different castings.
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Bloom Leonard
Trinh Minh
Young Lee
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