Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
A process of casting molten metal, comprising the steps of securing in side-by-side relationship a number of mould sections to form a mould, each formed with generally vertically disposed cavity means having ingate means communicating with an integral part of the mould section adapted to form part of a runner-feeder having a horizontally disposed axis throughout its length, and the generally vertical mould cavities are disposed in side-by-side relationship in the horizontal direction, providing a weir in the runner-feeder between longitudinally adjacent mould cavity means, side walls of of longitudinally adjacent weirs facing each other and combining to form a well in the runner-feeder above said ingate means and in close proximity to the top of the cavity means so that the depth of the mould material between the well and the cavity means is as small as possible thereby ensuring vertical feeding of said cavity means, each weir being set at a height so that it is above the uppermost part of said mould cavity means and such that the minimum cross-sectional area of said runner-feeder above the weir is not less than the cross-sectional area of the ingate means of one mould, providing a downstream side wall of each weir with a slope large enough to provide a significant venturi effect to molten metal flowing over said weirs to minimize turbulence in the molten metal as it flows into said wells, and pouring molten metal into the runner-feeder such that molten metal flows into a well associated with a first mould cavity, from where it flows through said ingate means into the cavity means including filling molten metal in the well until it flows with minimum turbulence over the weir and into the well associated with the second mould cavity, and whereby incoming molten metal is supplied across a longitudinally preceeding well as a longitudinally succeeding well and cavity means is being filled, and so on until all the successive wells and cavities have been filled with molten metal, a pool of molten metal being maintained in said wells above said ingate means during filling and solidification of molten metal in said cavity means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
A process of casting molten metal, comprising the steps of securing in side-by-side relationship a number of mould sections to form a mould, each formed with generally vertically disposed cavity means having ingate means communicating with an integral part of the mould section adapted to form part of a runner-feeder having a horizontally disposed axis throughout its length, and the generally vertical mould cavities are disposed in side-by-side relationship in the horizontal direction, providing a weir in the runner-feeder between longitudinally adjacent mould cavity means, side walls of of longitudinally adjacent weirs facing each other and combining to form a well in the runner-feeder above said ingate means and in close proximity to the top of the cavity means so that the depth of the mould material between the well and the cavity means is as small as possible thereby ensuring vertical feeding of said cavity means, each weir being set at a height so that it is above the uppermost part of said mould cavity means and such that the minimum cross-sectional area of said runner-feeder above the weir is not less than the cross-sectional area of the ingate means of one mould, providing a downstream side wall of each weir with a slope large enough to provide a significant venturi effect to molten metal flowing over said weirs to minimize turbulence in the molten metal as it flows into said wells, and pouring molten metal into the runner-feeder such that molten metal flows into a well associated with a first mould cavity, from where it flows through said ingate means into the cavity means including filling molten metal in the well until it flows with minimum turbulence over the weir and into the well associated with the second mould cavity, and whereby incoming molten metal is supplied across a longitudinally preceeding well as a longitudinally succeeding well and cavity means is being filled, and so on until all the successive wells and cavities have been filled with molten metal, a pool of molten metal being maintained in said wells above said ingate means during filling and solidification of molten metal in said cavity means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the forward velocity of molten metal is checked as it passes across a weir and into a well.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as in claim 1 including the step of continuously feeding each well with fresh molten metal by flowing molten metal through one well and over the weir into the next successive well.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
282 words
A mould for use in the casting of molten metal, comprising a plurality of mould sections in abutting side-by-side relationship defining a plurality of generally vertical mould cavity means having ingate means, said ingate means communicating with an integral part of the mould sections forming a portion of a runner-feeder, said part being so formed as to form a well and a weir, said parts of said abutting mould sections form a runner-feeder having a horizontal longitudinal axis throughout its length, each said weir being located between the ingate means of longitudinally successive adjacent cavity means, and being of a height such that the minimum cross-sectional area of the runner-feeder above the weir is not less than the cross-sectional area of the ingate means, and the top of the weir is above the uppermost part of the cavity means of each mould, facing side walls of longitudinally adjacent weirs combining to form a well lying above said ingate means and lying in close proximity to the top of the cavity means of each mould, a downstream side wall of each weir having a slope large enough to provide a significant venturi effect to molten metal flowing over said weir, said ingate means vertically feeding said cavity means, minimum turbulence flow of molten metal thereby being established into said cavity means at a flow rate related to the rate at which molten metal flows over said weirs, with a pool of the molten metal being maintained in said well during filling and subsequent solidification of molten metal in said cavity means, and with incoming molten metal being supplied across a longitudinally preceeding well as a succeeding well and cavity means are being filled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
282 words
A mould for use in the casting of molten metal, comprising a plurality of mould sections in abutting side-by-side relationship defining a plurality of generally vertical mould cavity means having ingate means, said ingate means communicating with an integral part of the mould sections forming a portion of a runner-feeder, said part being so formed as to form a well and a weir, said parts of said abutting mould sections form a runner-feeder having a horizontal longitudinal axis throughout its length, each said weir being located between the ingate means of longitudinally successive adjacent cavity means, and being of a height such that the minimum cross-sectional area of the runner-feeder above the weir is not less than the cross-sectional area of the ingate means, and the top of the weir is above the uppermost part of the cavity means of each mould, facing side walls of longitudinally adjacent weirs combining to form a well lying above said ingate means and lying in close proximity to the top of the cavity means of each mould, a downstream side wall of each weir having a slope large enough to provide a significant venturi effect to molten metal flowing over said weir, said ingate means vertically feeding said cavity means, minimum turbulence flow of molten metal thereby being established into said cavity means at a flow rate related to the rate at which molten metal flows over said weirs, with a pool of the molten metal being maintained in said well during filling and subsequent solidification of molten metal in said cavity means, and with incoming molten metal being supplied across a longitudinally preceeding well as a succeeding well and cavity means are being filled.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A mould as in claim 4 wherein each mould section defines a complete mould cavity in itself together with a part adapted to form part of a runner-feeder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A mould as in claim 4, wherein mould cavities are formed in opposite external faces of abutting mould sections, adjacent faces of adjacent mould sections co-operating to form a complete mould cavity, with an upper part adapted to form part of a runner-feeder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A mould as in claim 4 wherein the well is in close proximity to the cavity, whereby the depth of mould material between the well and the cavity is as small as possible. thereby creating a hot-spot around the ingate means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A mould as in claim 4, wherein the weir is so formed as to gradually decrease the cross-sectional area of the runner-feeder in the direction of metal flow, and/or gradually increase the cross-sectional area beyond the top of the weir.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A mould as in claim 8, wherein, at least towards its upper end the weir has walls of arcuate configuration to form a generally venturi shape across the weir by having the walls of convex configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mould as in claim 8, wherein at least towards its upper end the weir has walls of arcuate configuration to form the wells of generally spherical shape by having the walls of concave configuration.