Apparatus for casting hollow articles

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY SUPPORTING AND ROTATING A MOLD ABOUT A PLURALITY OF AXES WHILE CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING THE ANGULAR POSITION OF ONE OF THE AXES TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF FLOW OVER THE MOLD SURFACE OF A LIQUID ENCLOSED BY THE MOLD, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING SHAFT HAVING A HOLLOW FIRST PORTION ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS AND A HOLLOW SECOND MOLD SUPPORTING PORTION EXTENDING THEREBEYOND AT AN ANGLE ACUTE TO THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST PORTION, A MOLD ROTATING SPINDLE MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID MOLD-SUPPORTING PORTION WITH ITS AXIS ACUTELY INCLINED TO THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST PORTION AND INTERSECTING THE AXIS OF THE FIRST PORTION, A NONROTATABLE SHAFT EXTENDING COAXIALLY THROUGH SAID FIRST PORTION, DRIVING MEANS CONNECTING SAID MOLD-ROTATING SPINDLE IN DRIVING RELATION TO SAID NONROTATABLE SHAFT FOR ROTATING SAID SPINDLE UPON ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT, A CLOSABLE MOLD MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE AND HAVING A MOLD CAVITY RADIALLY OUTWARD OF THE AXIS OF SAID SPINDLE, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT AT A SPEED PERMITTING GRAVITATIONAL FLOW OF A LIQUID CONTAINED IN SAID MOLD CAVITY OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID MOLD CAVITY, AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE SUPPORTING SHAFT AND MOLD TO AND FROM A HEATING ZONE.