WO2008140518A1

WO2008140518A1 - A casting shake-out unit and a vibratory conveyor

Info

Publication number: WO2008140518A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/068612
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Paul Musschoot; Richard Kempf
Original assignee: Thomas Paul Musschoot; Richard Kempf
Priority date: 2007-05-09
Filing date: 2007-05-09
Publication date: 2008-11-20

Abstract

A material reclaiming casting shake out unit and vibratory conveyor comprises a single rotary media drum (1) formed out of a multiplicity of interlocking circular or polygonal geometric shape segments (2), connected by connectors, having an inner (12) and outer surface (13), inner surface (12) being a helical vane (8), and side edges with the media drum (1) being supported upon a base, rotated by a drive motor (3). After sand and media exit from a perforated hole, the materials are directed by a fixed structure (5) which funnels the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor (28, 29) located directly below. Directly below the single rotary medi drum (1) is a vibratory conveyor (28) which captures and carries claimed material away from the single shell rotary media drum (1). Multiple vibratory conveyor troughs (6, 19) are employed, placing each conveyor trough (6, 19) at different locations below the single rotary media drum.

Description

Invention Title

Material Reclaiming Cast Shake Out by a Single Rotary Shell Media Drum and Vibratory Conveyor.

Background of the Invention

(Para 1) 1. Field of the Invention.

(Para 2) This invention relates to a single barrel casting shake-out unit wherein sand and other materials are reclaimed using a vibratory conveyor. There are a variety of apparatuses available for aiding in the separation of embedded core and cling sand that holds onto and remains within a casting after it is molded. This device reclaims material using a single rotary shell drum then reclaiming materials using a vibratory conveyor.

(Para 3) 2. Description of the Related Art

(Para 4) The design uses a single rotary shell drum then reclaiming material using a vibratory conveyor. The design is a single rotary shell drum, as opposed to other devices in the art. Other devices in the art use a drum with an inner and outer shell, the inner shell consisting of a removable liner and the outer as a method of product retention. Instead of using complicated and expensive liners, the drum body uses the modular sections, which are easy to remove and can easily be swapped for different configurations.

(Para 5) This device eliminates the need for a laborer to spend excessive hours repairing and cleaning the casting by hand. In addition, this device is more energy efficient by using a single rotary shell drum. Since the device weighs far less than the prior art, less energy is required to rotate the drum. In addition, this device produces lower casting temperatures. Such prior art inner and outer shell devices are readily shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,998,262, 4,674,691 , 4,981 ,581 , 5,016,827, 5,095,968, and 5,267,603 all of which are incorporated herein by reference. These patents disclose a double shelled machine that are very expensive to maintain, as their inner liner design is not easy to repair or replace, and if one section breaks in the double shelled devices, the entire liner has to be removed to repair that one section.

(Para 6) In this device there is a single rotary shell drum, as opposed to other devices, which use an inner and outer shell, the inner consisting of a removable liner and the outer as a method of product retention. Instead of using such a complicated apparatus, this apparatus uses modular sections, which are easy to remove and can easily be swapped for different configurations, including, but not limited to perforated or solid sections. Underneath the single rotary shell to this drum portion of the apparatus is a vibratory conveyor consisting of a primary and secondary trough. A vibratory conveyor removes funneled material exiting the drum. A vibratory conveyor provides a cost efficient and more productive apparatus to separate reside sand and sediment from castings.

Brief Summary of the Invention

(Para 7) Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below. A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C. F. R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. All U.S. patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirely.

(Para 8) The invention contemplates a number of embodiments where any one, any combination of some, or all of the embodiments can be incorporated into a single rotary shell to this drum then reclaiming material using a vibratory conveyor or a method of use. At least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a single rotary shell to this drum constructed out of a multiplicity of interlocking geometric shape segments consisting of different configurations, having an inner and outer surface, inner surface being a helical vane, from being just a blank piece of steel to having various sized openings within for removal of product, then reclaiming material using a vibratory conveyor. These geometric shapes of interlocking segments including but are not limited to circles, rectangles, trapezoids, octagons, and hexagons. The single rotary shell then reclaiming material using a vibratory conveyor comprises two or more geometric shape segments connected by a connector. (Para 9) The principal object of this invention is to provide a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor to separate residue sand from the castings. This and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the follow disclosures in light of the accompanying drawings.

(Para 10) In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a single rotary shell drum media constructed out of a multiplicity of interlocking geometric shape segments and vibratory conveyor is provided which separates surface disposed core sand from fresh castings by tumbling the castings in the presence of adhesive media. The drum includes a single rotary media constructed out of multiplicity of interlocking geometric shape segments, having an inner and outer surface, inner surface being a helical vane. The drum is defined of modular bolted sections of a predetermined length. Each section could consist of a variety of different configurations, from being just a blank piece of steel to having various sized openings within for removal of product. The drum is defined by two or more segments, including an entrance segment wherein the surface disposed mold sand is removed from the castings by tumbling, an exit segment through which materials are removed from the single rotary media drum and placed onto a vibratory conveyor, and an exit segment through which cleaned castings exit the drum. The entrance segment defines an entrance to the drum and may include rifling for moving the castings longitudinally therelong. The surface of the single rotary media constructed out of a multiplicity of interlocking geometric shape segments have a plurality of openings, said openings have a plurality of diameters and dimensions, through which removed sand may pass. An exit segment defines a series of openings in the multiplicity of interlocking geometric segments, through which allows for the passage of the abrasive members and any residue loosened sand from the castings to be placed on a vibratory conveyor.

(Para 11) At the entrance, the single rotary shell drum includes an annular wheel at said entrance which rotates with said drum. The annular wheel has a plurality of spaced paddles which receive the abrasive particles and lift them upwardly to reintroduce them into said drum.

(Para 12) The geometric shape of the segments and how they are connected determines the length of the single drum. In at least one embodiment, the shape of the segments is round. The segments could consist of a variety of different lengths.

(Para 13) At least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a single rotary media drum made up of two or more geometrically shaped segments that can be placed together. Each segment with an inner and outer surface, inner surface being a helical vane, could consist of a variety of different configurations, from being just a blank piece of steel to having various sized openings within for removal of product. A connector pulls the segments together and the connector tension pulls the segments closely together, specially shaped locking points on the segments fit into each other and cause the segments to become "locked." The locking points can be similarly shaped surfaces or edges of the segments laying flush against each other or they can be highly complex locking mechanisms. As the segments lock together they form a single rotary media drum.

(Para 14) The device is driven at low revolutions per minute by a commonly available drum drive package. (Para 15) At least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a single rotary media drum made up of one or more vibratory conveyors. Underneath the rotary portion of the apparatus is at least one or more vibratory conveyors. The primary deck collects the sand and media that is rejected from the rotary device, and separates the sand from the media. The rotating drum is surrounded by a non-rotating fixed structure which funnels the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor below. (Para 16) Directly below the single rotary shell to this drum, is a vibratory conveyor with a primary deck which collects the sand and/or media that is rejected from the rotary device, and separates the sand from the media. The rotating drum is surrounded by a fixed structure which funnels the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor below.

(Para 17) In foundry applications, the vibratory conveyor bed typically will be formed of metal to stand up to the continued abrasion of sand and media. A conveying apparatus is disclosed and which includes a supporting frame, an article transporting bed which orientated in spaced relation relative to the supporting frame, a plurality of resilient supports mounted on both the supporting frame and the article transporting bed and which supports the article transporting bed, a drive which provides force to move the transporting bed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

(Para 18) The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with accompanying drawing, in which:

(Para 19) Fig. 1 shows a partial perspective isometric view of a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor in accordance with the preferred embodiment.

(Para 20) Fig. 2 shows a partial perspective isometric view of a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor in accordance with the preferred embodiment.

(Para 21) Fig. 3 shows an isometric view of the interconnecting single rotary media drum.

(Para 22) Fig. 4 shows a view of a side of a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor in accordance.

(Para 23) Fig. 5 shows a view from top plain view of the single rotary media drum.

(Para 24) Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of the interconnecting single drum segment in accordance.

(Para 25) Fig. 7 shows a cross section view of the single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor, more specifically, after sediment is removed from the single rotary media drum, the material is immediately removed via the conveyor located directly below the single media drum.

(Para 26) Fig. 8 shows an isometric view of a side of a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor.

(Para 27) Fig. 9 shows a cross section view of the single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor, more specifically, after sediment is removed from the single rotary media drum, the material is immediately removed via the conveyor located directly below the single media drum.

(Para 28) Fig. 10 shows a view of a side of a single rotary media drum and vibratory conveyor in accordance.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

(Para 29) The invention will next be illustrated with reference to the figures wherein, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers indicate similar segments in all figures. Such figures are intended to be illustrative rather than limited and are included herewith to facilitate the explanation of the apparatus of the present invention. (Para 30) The invention, in one or more embodiments, is directed to a material reclaiming cast shake out single rotary shell drum and vibratory conveyor. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. (Para 31) The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a single rotary shell drum and vibratory conveyor.

(Para 32) Referring now to Figure 1- A tumbling mill is shown generally in Figure 1. The tumbling mill constructed and operated to remove sand from casting by tumbling the casts. As shown, the mill generally includes a single rotary shell media drum (1). The single rotary shell media drum (1) is made up of a plurality of interlocking segments (2) which fit together to form the cylinder, and motor (3) and a drive ring (4) is enclosed, as well as a funnel (5) opening to deposit sand and media to the sand trough (6) located on the vibratory conveyor (7).

(Para 33) The segments (2) work in cooperation with the drum (1) to move sand and media along the drum (1) longitude from an inlet (9) to an outlet (10) or to a perforated hole so the sand and media fall from the media drum (1) into a fixed structure which funnels (5) the extracted sand and media into a vibratory conveyor (7). The segments (2) positively lock together so that segments (2) will not fall out of as they wear. The segments (2) positively unlock from each other so that segments will come apart when a laborer specifically seeks to change or repair one section of the drum. This advantage decreases the cost of repair to the mill in the prior art, and decreases the amount of time to repair the single rotary media drum.

(Para 34) As seen in figure 6, the drum is defined of modular bolted (11) sections of a predetermined length. Each section could consist of a variety of different configurations, from being just a blank piece of steel to having various sized openings within for removal of product.

(Para 35) Castings initially enter the fabricated single rotary shell media drum from an inlet (9) of modular bolted sections through use of a vibratory feeder or the like. The casting is then placed into a solid section of single rotary shell drum (10). As shown the mill 1 generally includes a single rotary shell media drum (1). The single rotary shell has an inner surface (12), inner surface having helical vanes (8), outer surface (13), as seen in Fig. 9, and side front (14) and side back (15) edges as seen in Fig. 3. The side front (14) and side back (15) edges are interlocking segments. The side front (14) of one segment interlocks with the side back edge (15) of a second interlocking segment. The segments work in cooperation with the drum to move sand along the drum. Importantly, as shown in Figure 6, the segments positively lock bolted (11) together so that segments will not fall out of the lining as they wear.

(Para 36) Referring to Figure 9, the device contains a control panel (16) connected to a gear reduction motor (3). The gear reduction motor (3) controls the drive pinion (18) speed. The drive pinion (18) rotates and torques the drive ring (19). The perforated sections of the single shell rotary media drum (1) is enclosed as a funnel opening (19) to deposit sand and media to the sand trough located on the vibratory conveyor (7).

(Para 37) Sand and media enter the perforated sections, and based on the size of sand and media, proportional material will sieve through the perforated sections, and be contained by the dust hood (20), a fixed structure which funnels (19) the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor (7) below. The dust hood (20) has an inner surface (23), outer surface (24), and duct collection port (17), as seen in Fig. 9. By gravitational force, sand and media will fall directly through the funnel (19) and land on the vibratory conveyor (7).

(Para 38) The rotary drum (1) is mounted, supported and rotated are two additional wheels (20, 21) found on both sides of the drum. One wheel (20) found proximately and underneath the first interlocking section, and a second wheel (21) found on the opposite side of the mill. Directly above the wheel (20) can be found an access panel (22) into the perforated section.

(Para 39) Referring to figure 9, the rotary drum (1) is driven at low revolutions per minute ("RPM") by a commonly available drum drive package motor (17). The drum drive package and motor (11 , 17) is placed in the outer surface (24) of a fixed structure (20) which funnels (19) the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor (7) below.

(Para 40) While the solid section rotates, the rotary action gently tumbles the castings, while the media helps scrub them clean. The material is conveyed through section 1 (25) to the remaining sections where the sand is removed from the drum through small perforations. The material continues over these remaining sections (26, 27) where the media then is removed from the drum using large perforations and is discharged onto a vibratory conveyor (27), as seen in figure 10. The sand and media previously discharged fall onto a primary vibratory conveyor (7).

(Para 41) The segments (25) located closest to the opening is preferred to possess more perforations so that the sand which is separated from the castings may fall into a fixed structure(20) which funnels (19) the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor (7) below.

(Para 42) The vibratory conveyor (7) directs the sand and media in the opposite longitude direction as the movement found in the single rotary drum (1) to be either returned to the tumbling mill or for further separation purposes.

(Para 43) The vibratory conveyor is comprised of two conveyors troughs, the primary trough (28) and secondary trough (29) conveyors. The primary (28) and secondary (29) vibratory conveyor trough lies underneath the fixed structure (20) which funnels (19) the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor troughs (28) below. The duality of vibratory conveyor (7) troughs extends underneath the mill opening (9) in a longitude direction. The duality of vibratory conveyor troughs (28, 29) are of an adjustable, predetermined distance traveling distal from the mill opening (9). (Para 44) The secondary vibratory conveyor trough (29) lies underneath the primary vibratory conveyor trough (28). The primary vibratory conveyor trough (28) is concurrently located along the longitudinal direction, and specifically placed so the primary conveyor trough (28) collects sand and media material under an initial select section of the drum (19). The primary vibratory conveyor trough (28) is constructed with additional perforations for separation of sand or the like from the media extracted from the perforated sections in the single shell rotary media device (1). The secondary vibratory conveyor trough (29) collects sand, which is displaced from primary vibratory conveyor trough (28), and conveys said material beyond the length of the primary vibratory conveyor (28). The primary vibratory conveyor trough (28) conveys the media remaining in said trough back to the entrance (9) of the single shell rotary media device (1), where it deposits the media into an annular wheel attached to the rotary shell, consisting of paddles which elevate the media and distribute said media back into the single shell rotary media device (1).

Claims

ClaimsWe Claim:

1. A casting shake-out unit apparatus for use in separating surface disposed core sand from fresh or dirty castings by tumbling said castings in the presence of adhesive members, and vibratory conveyor comprising:

A single rotary shell drum, said single rotary shell has an cylindrical inner surface, outer surface, and front and back edges, formed of a series of two or more interfitting segments; said segments can be locked together where the adjacent segments form a tight interfit among the segments in a row, segment having an inner surface, an outer surface, mutually parallel side edges, a front edge, a back edge, and two parallel vanes extending from said out surface; said single rotary shell drum including an entrance segment wherein the surface disposed mold sand is removed from the castings by tumbling, an exit segment, and perforations located on the segments through which materials are removed from the single rotary media drum, proceed through a fixed structure to funnel the sand and material placed onto one or more vibratory conveyors.

2. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said single rotary shell drum has an entrance segment through which mixed castings enter the single rotary shell drum, and an exit segment through which cleaned castings exit the single rotary shell drum, and interconnecting segments which contain varied predetermined perforated sizes.

3. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said single rotary shell drum is surrounded by a non-rotating fixed structure which funnels the extracted sand and media into a vibratory conveyor below.

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4. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 where a vibratory conveyor consisting of a supporting frame, an article transporting bed which is oriented in spaced relation relative to the supporting frame; a plurality of resilient supports mounted on both the supporting frame and the article transporting bed and which supports the article transporting bed in the spaced relation relative to the supporting frame, located in a longitude direction of an adjustable, predetermined distance extending distally from the single rotary shell drum entrance, underneath the fixed structure which funnels the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor below.

5. A vibratory conveyor apparatus of claim 4 consisting of a primary and a secondary vibratory conveyor trough; having a primary vibratory conveyor trough located in a longitude direction of an adjustable, predetermined distance, a secondary vibratory conveyor trough extending equal distally than the primary vibratory conveyor trough from the single rotary shell drum entrance, underneath the fixed structure which funnels the extracted sand and media into the vibratory conveyor below.

6. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said primary vibratory conveyor trough is constructed with additional perforations for separation of sand or the like from the media extracted from the perforated sections in the single shell rotary media device.

7. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said secondary vibratory conveyor collects sand, which is displaced from primary vibratory conveyor trough, and conveys said material beyond the length of the primary vibratory conveyor.

8. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said primary vibratory conveyor trough conveys the media remaining in said trough back to the entrance of the

17 single shell rotary media device, where it deposits the media into an annular wheel attached to the rotary shell, consisting of paddles which elevate the media and distribute said media back into the single shell rotary media device.

9. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said segment side front and back edges are interlocking segments.

10. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drum is defined of modular bolted sections of a predetermined length.

11. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 1 wherein said segments inner and outer surface having various sized and geometric openings penetrating from the inner surface to outer surface perforated or solid sections.

12. The single rotary shell drum apparatus of claim 7 wherein two or more interlocking segments include complete circles, rectangles, trapezoids, octagons, and hexagons.

13. The method of use of a casting shake-out unit apparatus for use in separating surface disposed core sand from fresh or dirty castings by tumbling said castings in the presence of adhesive members, and vibratory conveyor comprising:

A single rotary shell drum, said single rotary shell has an cylindrical inner surface, outer surface, and front and back edges, formed of a series of two or more interfitting segments; said segments can be locked together where the adjacent segments form a tight interfit among the segments in a row, segment having an inner surface, an outer surface, mutually parallel side edges, a front edge, a back edge, and two parallel vanes extending from said out surface; said single rotary shell drum including an entrance segment wherein the surface disposed mold sand is removed from the castings by

18 tumbling, an exit segment, and perforations located on the segments through which materials are removed from the single rotary media drum, proceed through a fixed structure to funnel the sand and material placed onto one or more vibratory conveyors.

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