Metal founding – Means to shape metallic material – Continuous or semicontinuous casting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-06
2001-06-19
Lin, Kuang Y. (Department: 1722)
Metal founding
Means to shape metallic material
Continuous or semicontinuous casting
C164S484000, C164S421000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247520
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the casting of molten metals, and more particularly to the continuous vertical ascendant casting of metal components, such as cast iron pipes. Although the present invention applies to the casting of various types of metal components, it is particularly advantageous for the casting of thin-walled, cast iron pipes. The expression “thin-walled pipes” refers to pipes having a small thickness/diameter ratio, e.g., less than 10%, rather than the thickness considered by itself in isolation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention relates more specifically to a device for positioning a die block in a machine for the continuous vertical ascendant casting of cast iron pipes with respect to a vertical extraction axis. Such a casting machine incorporates a die block and a device for the supply of liquid iron which feeds the die block through the lower end thereof. Such a supply device is, for example, described in document FR-A-2 705 259 in the name of the Applicant. This device for the supply of liquid iron comprises a U-shaped siphon unit manufactured from cast refractory concrete, on which outlet the die block rests.
Given the high temperatures involved in the casting of molten metals, such a siphon unit becomes progressively worn and/or consumed by the molten iron which is in contact with it during the continuous casting process. In addition to this, when casting is stopped, solidification of the cast iron bursts the siphon unit.
As a consequence, this siphon unit must be replaced as a whole as soon as a particular number of pipes have been cast, i.e., is at every shut-down.
Given that the siphon unit is a relatively massive component, and given its location on the casting table of a casting machine in a pipe production system, in-situ replacement of the siphon unit is very difficult, if not impossible. For this reason, the entire casting table has to be removed from the pipe production system in order that it can be dismantled and the siphon easily replaced.
Furthermore, to shorten the length of the interruption in the manufacture of pipes several identical casting tables are used alternately. When a siphon unit on one of the casting tables has to be replaced, another is installed in the pipe manufacturing system.
However, when a casting table is replaced, alignment between the die and the vertical axis along which the pipes are extracted gives rise to a problem. In fact, the die block must be precisely aligned with the vertical extraction axis if the pipe manufacturing system to operate correctly. Now, given that the casting table has been completely dismantled, this alignment between the die block and the extraction axis is difficult and takes up a great deal of time, in particular on account of the uncertain geometry of the refractory material parts used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention is to overcome this problem of positioning the die block with respect to the vertical extraction axis by providing a die block positioning device through which rapid and precise alignment between the die block and the vertical extraction axis can be achieved in order to reduce the length of interruptions in pipe manufacture.
With this object the invention relates to a device for positioning a die block of a casting table of a machine for the continuous vertical ascendant casting of parts, in particular, pipes of cast iron, with respect to a vertical extraction axis, in which machine the die block is fed via its lower end by a device for the supply of liquid iron and bears thereupon, a positioning device characterized in that it comprises a retractable support in which the die block is fixed, a movable frame on which the device for supply of the liquid iron is placed, means for relative positioning of the support with respect to the frame, immobilizing means intended to immobilize the relative position between the support and the frame in such a way that the support and the frame form an integral assembly, a base arranged in a predetermined way with respect to the vertical extraction axis, which is designed to support the integral assembly, and means for aligning the axis of the die block and the vertical extraction axis.
The device according to the invention comprises one or more of the following features:
the positioning means comprise at least two elongated members which are integral with the support and corresponding guide members which are attached to the frame and which are each designed to receive an elongated member, or vice versa, the said members forming in particular short column and ball-bearing socket assemblies,
at least one immobilizing member is a jack, in particular a fluid-operated jack, connected to both the support and the frame,
at least one end of each jack is connected to the support and/or the frame by means of a mounting and a removable gudgeon to fix the end of the jack in the mounting,
the alignment means comprise means for relative positioning of the frame with respect to the base and means for adjusting the integral assembly horizontally,
the means for relative positioning of the frame with respect to the base comprise at least a centering member, which is integral with the base, and projects therefrom in the direction of the frame, and a corresponding receiving member which is integral with the frame, or vice versa,
the member for centering or integral acceptance of the frame is aligned with the axis of the die block and the member associated integrally with the base is aligned with the vertical extraction axis,
the means for horizontal adjustment comprise several supporting jacks distributed over the lower surface of the integral assembly,
at least one supporting jack is a screw jack.
The invention also relates to a casting table for a machine for the continuous vertical ascendant casting of parts, in particular, pipes of cast iron, a casting table in which the die block is fed via its lower end by a device for the supply of liquid iron and bears thereupon, characterized in that it comprises a positioning device as defined above.
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Arnould Fabien
Girardin Denis
Morcel Yvan
Kerns Kevin P.
Lin Kuang Y.
Pont -A-Mousson S.A.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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