Method and apparatus in shell molding

Claim 1

IN A MOLDING APPARATUS UTILIZING COPE AND DRAG BACKING MEMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A FIRST CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO RECEIVE UPWARDLY FACING COPE AND DRAG BACKING MEMBERS IN ALTERNATE SEQUENCE, WHEREBY TO RECEIVE ANY NECESSARY CORES OR THE LIKE, MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FIRST CONVEYOR TO ASSEMBLE SAID BACKING MEMBERS INTO FLASKS, EACH FLASK INCLUDING A COPE BACKING MEMBER AND A DRAG BACKING MEMBER, A SECOND CONVEYOR LEADING FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR TO A POURING ZONE, SAID SECOND CONVEYOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF TROLLEY-SUPPORTED PENDENT CARRIERS HAVING UPWARDLY FACING FLASKRECEIVING PORTIONS MOVABLE AWAY FROM THE ADJACENT END OF SAID FIRST CONVEYOR, MEANS TO SHIFT EACH FLASK FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR ONTO THE FLASK-RECEIVING PORTION OF THE ASSOCIATED PENDENT CARRIER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING FLASK-ENGAGING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FIRST CONVEYOR TO MOVE EACH FLASK TOWARD THE ADJACENT PENDENT CARRIER, RELEASABLE FLASKLOCKING MEANS TO RETAIN FLASKS ON SAID FIRST CONVEYOR, AND MEANS OPERATED BY THE INITIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FLASKSHIFTING MEANS TO RELEASE SAID FLASK-LOCKING MEANS.