International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC

Navistar International Transportation Corporation

Caterpillar Inc.

Billy J Cagle

Edward A Reelfs

Paul T Cody

Paul E Flick

Arthur D Parks

D Gary Wildrick, Ii

Alan Ray Stockner

James J Grinsteiner

Patrick M Kelley

Martin J Hower

William H Shapiro

The use of green sand is eliminated by replacing green sand molds with all core sand assemblies that provide, during casting, both the internal and external surfaces of a casting, such as a cylinder head or engine block. In the process, a mold is formed from the same core sand that is used to form the core elements defining the internal passageways of the casting. A mold-core carrier is constructed with downwardly converging sides that hold assembled mold and core elements together, without fasteners, during transportation and pouring of the molten iron alloy into the mold-core assembly and the cooling period to form the casting. After the casting is formed, the core sand from both the mold elements and core elements is recovered, and may be recycled and processed to form further mold elements or core elements or both.

Casting method and apparatus

The use of green sand is eliminated by replacing green sand molds with all core sand assemblies that provide, during casting, both the internal and external surfaces of a casting, such as a cylinder head or engine block. In the process, a mold is formed from the same core sand that is used to form the core elements defining the internal passageways of the casting. A mold-core carrier is constructed with tapered sides that hold the assembled mold and core elements together during pouring of the molten iron alloy into the mold-core assembly and the cooling period to form the casting. Although the carrier sides can use a refractory liner, preferably the sides are made of replaceable sheet metal backed by an open structural framework to enhance cooling of the casting. After the casting is formed, the core sand from both the mold elements and the core elements is recovered, and may recycled and processed to form further mold elements or core elements or both.

Irregularly shaped mold-core assemblies are retained for casting within a thin-wall container by solid particulate material. In the process, the mold and core elements are formed from the core sand. After the mold and core elements, both of which are formed from core sand, are assembled, the assembly is placed in a container large enough to provide space around the assembled mold and core elements, and solid particulate material is placed in the space around the mold-core assembly to hold the assembled mold and core elements together during pouring of the molten iron alloy into the mold-core assembly and the cooling period, during which the molten iron alloy solidifies to form the casting. After the casting is formed, the solid particles and the core sand from the mold elements and core elements are recovered, processed and reused in further casting operations.

Iron alloy casting method and apparatus

The present invention permits reliable lifting and inverting of one or more casting core elements and positioning the one or more casting core elements in a mold flask. The invention generally includes an outer frame and an inner frame assembly, which are coupled such that they may move vertically relative to each other. The invention further includes apparatus which engage the casting core and invert the casting core, and further align the casting core to a mold to which the core is transferred. The present invention also allows for simultaneous engaging, inverting and aligning of a plurality of core elements. The present invention allows cores to be inventoried and located for automatic handling in a position that permits visual inspection and reliable handling and placement at high production rates therefor.

Method and apparatus for setting foundry core assemblies

An improved arrangement of a hydraulically-actuated injector fuel system is disclosed for an engine having an engine member such as a cylinder head. The system comprises a hydraulically-actuated injector positioned in a injector bore defined in the cylinder head and apparatus for supplying hydraulically actuating fluid to each injector. A hydraulically-actuated injector fuel system requires apparatus for communicating fuel and actuating fluid to each injector. An engine equipped with externally disposed actuating fluid and fuel lines exhibits a complicated and costly construction which is difficult to service. The present invention provides separate actuating fluid and fuel manifolds or passages which are internally disposed in the engine. This hidden and integrated arrangement is not only esthetically pleasing but simplifies assembly and disassembly of the engine and also permits a reduction in cost of the engine.

Hydraulically-actuated fuel injector system having separate internal

A one-piece cylinder head casting, including reliably located passageways for fuel-air intake, for exhaust and for coolant, is formed by a plurality of interengaging one-piece core elements including a one-piece coolant jacket core, a one-piece exhaust core and a one-piece fuel-air intake core, all reliably positioned and held together in an integral core assembly. Preferably, a further core element having a plurality of core supporting and positioning surfaces provides surfaces that mate interfacing surfaces of the one-piece water jacket core, one-piece exhaust core and one-piece intake core and support such cores in position with respect to one another, and the intake core may be provided with a plurality of interfacing surfaces to lock the plurality of core elements into a unitary core assembly. Such cylinder head casting may also be provided with integral walls forming a long, open intake manifold cavity in the side of the cylinder head. Castings, including such cylinder heads, may be provided with long, narrow, open cavities, having lengths many times their widths, formed by uniform walls of casting metal, without foreign elements, through the use of a two-piece, long, narrow core element including an inner core element-supporting portion that is adapted to permit the escape to atmosphere of gas generated during casting. Such long, narrow open cavities are formed with casting metal walls that permit their use as hydraulic fluid reservoirs reliably containing pressures in excess of 3,000 psi.

Cylinder head casting

A closed mold for a cylinder head is provided having two widely spaced wall portions, at least one of the widely spaced wall portions being in communication with the atmosphere through an opening in the closed mold. The widely spaced wall portions define the ends of a long open cavity within the mold and provide core supporting portions for a long, narrow core element adapted to form an elongated, narrow open cavity within the casting. A narrow core element is provided between the core supporting portions of the widely spaced wall portions of the mold without intervening support. The long narrow core element comprises an outer portion of casting sand adapted to form the walls of the elongated, narrow open cavity of the casting extending between the core supporting portions. The narrow core element further comprises an inner portion for supporting the long, narrow core element and for providing a gas passage extending to the one wall portion. Molten metal is poured into the closed mold and the long open mold cavity while permitting gas emitted from the casting sand to escape to the atmosphere by carrying the gas to the atmosphere with the inner portion of the long, narrow core element and the opening in the closed mold.

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Billy J Cagle