Metal founding – Means to shape metallic material – Including ladle or crucible type melt receptacle
Patent
1992-04-16
1993-08-31
Batten, Jr., J. Reed
Metal founding
Means to shape metallic material
Including ladle or crucible type melt receptacle
164133, 164DIG1, B22D 2304, B22D 2504, B22D 3900
Patent
active
052400638
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to casting apparatus of the type for connecting a battery plate to a metal strap or post.
Such apparatus was described in British Patent No. 2,023,471B. In this arrangement a pump 13 delivers a metered shot of lead through an inlet valve 203 into a feed duct 52 causing lead to overflow into mould cavities 51. A dump valve 82 is then opened and the lead in the feed duct 52 falls back to a datum or constant head level defined by the level of the dump valve. Whilst this was a considerable improvement over existing casting arrangements certain problems have been experienced. First the inlet valve has a tendency to become clogged so that it does not seat properly. This results in the feed duct draining down into the lead pot and as a result the next "shot" of lead delivered by the pump results in insufficient filling of the cavities. Further the shockwave resulting from the delivery of the metered shot of lead causes ripples in the feed duct and hence incomplete filling of the cavities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists in apparatus for connecting a battery plate to a metal strap or post, including a mould having at least one strap or post cavity and a molten-metal feed duct adjacent thereto, a weir between the feed duct and the cavity, means for delivering molten-metal to one end of the feed duct including a pump for substantially continuous operation and a dump valve for allowing metal to flow out of the duct to a predetermined datum level when open and for causing metal to flow through -the weirs into the cavity, when closed.
By running the pump substantially continuously or completely continuously the shockwaves can be removed. In this constant running arrangement the overflowing of the lead from the feed duct into the cavities can be achieved in a number of ways. First the pump can be run at a single speed and overflow is achieved simply by closing the dump valve. This leads to a rather high circulation of lead and hence oxide formation. Secondly the pump may be run at at least two speeds; a first low speed which is designed simply to prevent the feed duct leaking down into the pot and a second high speed which will deliver an appropriate amount of lead into the feed duct for the cavities to be filled By timing the period of the second high speed and the operation of the dump valve the lead could be metered quite precisely. Thirdly the apparatus may include an inlet valve between the pump and the feed duct. In this case if the inlet valve becomes clogged then the pump will prevent any leakage from the feed duct into the pot, whilst the open dump valve will prevent the feed duct overflowing. Fourthly, and indeed preferably the pump may be switched off for a very short period of time after the lead has flowed into the cavities, in order to increase the effective head acting on the lead in the duct and hence the rate at which the predetermined datum level is achieved.
In a preferred embodiment the pump is an impeller pump and means are provided for closing the dump valve only when the cavities are to be filled. The means for closing the dump valve may operate in response or in timed relationship with the opening and closing of the inlet valve. Alternatively in the situation where there is no inlet valve the means for closing the dump valve may operate in relation to the pump speed or some other cyclic element in the casting apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a casting apparatus;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the mould block of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative form of dump valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus generally indicated at 10 comprises a lead pot 11, a pump unit 12 and a mould block 13.
The mould block 13 is essentially identical to that described in the previous Appl
REFERENCES:
patent: 3565162 (1971-02-01), Farmer
patent: 3802488 (1974-04-01), Hull et al.
patent: 3815659 (1974-06-01), Pavlo et al.
patent: 4053012 (1977-10-01), Farmer
patent: 4083478 (1978-04-01), McLane
patent: 4108417 (1978-08-01), Simonton et al.
patent: 4180120 (1979-12-01), Eberle
patent: 4289193 (1981-09-01), Stamp
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