Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
The method of automatically controlling the preparation of foundry sand by measuring moisture and compressibility comprising the steps of: establishing a straight line correlation between compressibility and moisture content for an assumed clay content, measuring the actual compressibility of the foundry sand in a first mixing stage, measuring the difference between the actual compressibility and the desired compressibility, adding moisture to said sand in accordance with the theoretical difference between the actual moisture and the calculated moisture for the desired compressibility along said line, subsequently in a second mixing stage remeasuring the compressibility as a countercheck and determining a second difference between the actual compressibility of the sand at the second stage and said desired compressibility, and applying said second difference to adjust said correlation of said first measuring stage in accordance with said second difference to account for an apparent shift in actual clay content of said sand from said assumed clay content.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
The method of automatically controlling the preparation of foundry sand by measuring moisture and compressibility comprising the steps of: establishing a straight line correlation between compressibility and moisture content for an assumed clay content, measuring the actual compressibility of the foundry sand in a first mixing stage, measuring the difference between the actual compressibility and the desired compressibility, adding moisture to said sand in accordance with the theoretical difference between the actual moisture and the calculated moisture for the desired compressibility along said line, subsequently in a second mixing stage remeasuring the compressibility as a countercheck and determining a second difference between the actual compressibility of the sand at the second stage and said desired compressibility, and applying said second difference to adjust said correlation of said first measuring stage in accordance with said second difference to account for an apparent shift in actual clay content of said sand from said assumed clay content.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of determining a predetermined maximum-minimum range for said line correlation, determining whether said compressibility as measured at said second stage falls outside of said range, and redosing said sand with fresh additives calculated to bring the measured compressibility at said second stage back within said predetermined range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 in which said predetermined range is determined as a percentage of the clay content of the sand.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
32 words
The method of claims 2 or 3 in which said foundry sand is of the clay-bonded type and in which said additives include a clay bonding agent, coal dust, and fresh sand.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which said second stage remeasurement also includes the measurement of compressive strength.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
153 words
The method of preparing clay-based foundry sand from previously used sand comprising the steps of: predetermining a set of initial desired characteristics for sand compressibility and moisture in accordance with an assumed clay content, measuring the actual compressibility in a first mixing stage early in the processing of the foundry sand, adding moisture to the sand in accordance with the different between the predetermined moisture for the measured compressibility and the moisture for the desired compressibility in accordance with said set of characteristics, remixing said sand and making a second measurement of compressibility in a second stage as a countercheck near the conclusion of processing and determining a second difference between the compressibility at said second stage and the said desired characteristics for compressibility, and adjusting the value of said set of characteristics in accordance with second difference to account for an apparent difference in actual clay content from said assumed clay content.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
153 words
The method of preparing clay-based foundry sand from previously used sand comprising the steps of: predetermining a set of initial desired characteristics for sand compressibility and moisture in accordance with an assumed clay content, measuring the actual compressibility in a first mixing stage early in the processing of the foundry sand, adding moisture to the sand in accordance with the different between the predetermined moisture for the measured compressibility and the moisture for the desired compressibility in accordance with said set of characteristics, remixing said sand and making a second measurement of compressibility in a second stage as a countercheck near the conclusion of processing and determining a second difference between the compressibility at said second stage and the said desired characteristics for compressibility, and adjusting the value of said set of characteristics in accordance with second difference to account for an apparent difference in actual clay content from said assumed clay content.