Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.

Other

Cmi International, Inc.

Cmi-equipment & Engineering

Hayes Lemmerz Equipment & Engineering, Inc.

Cmi-schneible Company

Daniel D Minor

Kenneth D McKibben

Robert L Macheske

Alan P Gould

Mark T Salgat

William W Seaton

David Good

Karl D Voss

Thomas J H Rozich

Rick Van Horn

Diane M Zekind

Dave Good

Tom Rozich

Larry Richard Erdman

Brandon Schnettler

Aaron Thomas Russick

Richard D McKibben

Khushal Wardak

Jeffrey Boyd Grimshaw

Steven Mark Sunday

Thomas E Wuepper

Richard A Gillette

Philip L Bond

Miroslav Jaksic

Kenneth D Mc Kibben

Dean VanderJagt

Thomas J Rozich

Charles Simpson

Patrick M McGraw

David J Gillette

David Marthaler

Darrell Rentfrow

Aleksandar A Filipov

Roger Mucci

Tracy William Erickson

Larry M Stevens

Dallas V Bicknell

Rodney W Peters

Jackie M Speaks

Donald C Coyle

Brooks Lucas

Michael A Coffman

Gary David Mason

Thomas O Stiens

John Starks

Tom Duane Rabe

Aleksander A Filipov

Steven Ronald Erdman

Michael Thompson

John Richard Snyder

The present invention relates to a method of removing a gate remnant from a casting comprising the steps of: providing a gating including a casting and a gate remnant, the gate remnant including a riser and at least two in-gates, wherein the at least two in-gates are attached to the riser and to the casting; weakening one of the at least two in-gates; and applying a first force to one of the at least two in-gates, wherein the first force severs the one of the at least two in-gates and thereby urges the riser away from the casting such that the other one of the at least two in-gates is severed, thereby separating the gate remnant from the casting.

Method of removing a gate remnant from a casting

This invention relates to a mold rollover apparatus including a wheel member defining an axis and selectively rotatable about the axis and at least one carrier member carried by the wheel member and adapted to carry at least one mold member having a cast part disposed therein. The at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable at least from a first position, wherein the cast part is generally retained in the at least one mold member, to a second position, wherein the cast part is generally free to fall or drop from the at least one mold member. According to the present invention, the at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable about the axis at least from the first position to the second position independent of the rotation of the wheel member about the axis.

Mold rollover apparatus

A casting machine furnace apparatus that includes a furnace adapted to receive molten metal is described herein. The furnace includes an outer wall structure, a cover adapted to seal the furnace, a source of fluid, and a casting apparatus in fluid communication with the molten metal. The fluid is supplied into the furnace for applying fluid pressure on the molten metal. The application of fluid pressure on the molten metal causes the molten metal to supply the casting apparatus. The outer wall structure of the furnace is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports where the ports are provided in the outer wall structure at predetermined locations. The ports are selectively controllable between a first closed position, where the exhaust ports do not allow air to be exhausted from the furnace, and a second opened position, where the exhaust ports enable air to be exhausted from the furnace.

Method and apparatus for venting a gas in a lined pressure furnace

A safety block device for supporting a generally vertically movable component about a guide post of a press device. According to one embodiment of the invention, the safety block device includes a generally upright column () adapted to be disposed adjacent the guide post () and moveable between a retracted non-working position, wherein the column does not support the moveable component, and an extended working position, wherein the column is effective to support the moveable component and prevent movement thereof. The column includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion. According to one feature of the invention, the lower end portion of the column includes a generally rounded first portion () and a generally second flat portion () which is slightly offset with respect to the first portion. As a result of this, when the safety block device is in the extended working position, the generally flat second portion of the lower end portion of the column rests firmly on an underlying surface of either the safety block device or the press device.

Safety block device for use in a press device

A casting apparatus for pouring molten metal into molds comprises a vessel having a molten metal-receiving chamber generally extending between a filling end and a pouring end. The vessel includes a nozzle disposed in a bottom surface of the chamber proximate to the pouring end. A stopper cooperates with the nozzle to control a downward gravity flow of molten metal through the nozzle. A first support pivotably supports the vessel to provide a horizontal tilt axis substantially coincident with the nozzle. A second support is connected to the vessel at a point away from the tilt axis and has a drive for controlling a pivot position of the vessel. A tilt angle controller detects a level of molten metal within the chamber and engages the drive to maintain the level at a predetermined level.

Stopper-poured molten metal casting vessel with constant head height

A casting apparatus for pouring molten metal into molds comprises a vessel having a molten metal-receiving chamber generally extending between a filling end and a pouring end. The vessel includes a nozzle disposed in a bottom surface of the chamber proximate to the pouring end. A stopper cooperates with the nozzle to control a downward gravity flow of molten metal through the nozzle. A first support pivotably supports the vessel to provide a horizontal tilt axis substantially coincident with the nozzle. A second support is connected to the vessel at a point away from the tilt axis and has a drive for controlling a pivot position of the vessel. A tilt angle controller detects a level of molten metal within the chamber and engages the drive to maintain the level at a predetermined level. A horizontal support rail slidably supports the vessel to provide a horizontal movement perpendicular to the tilt axis. A horizontal drive controls the horizontal movement in response to the pivot position so that a trajectory of the flow of molten metal is directed toward a substantially fixed point within the sprue cup.

Trajectory compensation for tiltable stopper-poured molten metal casting vessel

A mold of a casting machine is filled to make a cast article. The method includes providing a molten metal to a casting chamber in fluid communication with the mold, the casting chamber having a supply conduit for introducing a gas into the casting chamber, and the casting chamber having an evacuation conduit for delivering the molten metal from the casting chamber to the mold. The method also includes controlling the filling of the mold during a first time interval by delivering the molten metal from the casting chamber to the mold at a first rate. The method further includes controlling the filling of the mold during a second time interval by delivering the molten metal from the casting chamber to the mold at a second rate. The filling of the mold decelerates from the first rate to the second rate and the second rate does not exceed the first rate.

Method for filling a mold

A mold temperature control system comprises a mold section having a cavity, a fluid circuit to distribute a flow of a conditioning fluid, the fluid circuit being positioned spaced apart from the cavity, a temperature sensor positioned in the mold to generate a signal representative of a temperature in the mold, a controllable supply of the conditioning fluid, and a controller for automatically initiating flow of the conditioning fluid through the fluid circuit in response to an initiation temperature and for automatically terminating flow of the conditioning fluid through the fluid circuit in response to a termination temperature.

Mold temperature control for casting system

A flexible manufacturing line and manufacturing process employs an overhead gantry system to transfer fixtured workpieces between machining stations served by the gantry system. The machining stations include CNC machines, turret cells, and/or dedicated machines which receive the fixtured workpieces through top-entry openings. The invention provides flexibility and adaptability to variation, improved maintenance of reference position on the fixture during manufacture, improved accessibility to machining stations during operation, and increased safety.

Flexible manufacturing and workpiece transfer system

A sensor for measuring the distance between two surfaces injects pressurized fluid (e.g., air) between the surfaces. The pressurized fluid passes through two flow restrictors prior to reaching the surfaces to be measured. The fluid pressures between the flow restrictors and between the downstream flow restrictor and the surfaces are compared to yield the distance between the two surfaces. An accurate distance measurement can be obtained even where the surfaces to be measured are located in a hostile environment which would destroy many other types of sensors.

Determining separation distance of two surfaces in a hostile environment

A modular casting system includes a plurality of casting modules and, is provided with on-board systems such as a lubrication system, cooling system, etc., which operate independently from similar systems on other modules of the system. Each of the casting modules is connected by quick disconnect connections to a centrally disposed source of fluid pressure and electrical power and a control unit for controlling each of the modules independently. Each of the modules is readily removable from the system and replaced with a new module of a different type or with a different mold. Each of the modules is preferably provided with a filter removal unit which is operative to raise the filter during the cooling operation and facilitates removal of the filter upon completion of the pouring operation. The upper platen of a casting module is provided with a swinging cope which is movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position to facilitate cleaning of the cope. The lower platen is preferably provided with a pneumatic hydraulic cylinder arrangement including a mechanism for raising the casting from the drag.

Module casting systems with shared controls

A flexible manufacturing line and manufacturing process employs an overhead gantry system to transfer fixtured workpieces between machining stations served by the gantry system. The manufacturing system includes a fixturing system including a transfer unit specially configured for quick connection and quick disconnection from a machining table. An accurate placement of the transfer unit is achieved using a combination of locating features.

Quick connect/disconnect workpiece transfer unit

A permanent mold casting system has a modularized architecture and remote placement of certain portions of the casting system. The casting system has a frame and a casting module supported on the frame is adapted to receive a plurality of molds for casting articles from a fill material according to a casting process. The casting module includes first motive actuators for moving at least portions of the molds during the casting process. An accessories module is supported on the frame and comprises at least one accessory device and second motive actuators for selectably positioning the accessory device in relation to the casting module. A utility module is located remotely from the frame and comprises motive power supplies coupled to the first and second actuators. The utility module also comprises a programmable controller coupled to the motive power supplies for controlling the casting process.

Modularized permanent molding machine with multiple molds

Apparatus for making a cast article includes a rotary table with a drive for indexing the rotary table to a plurality of rotational positions. A molten metal supply apparatus is placed at a first fixed location adjacent to said rotary table. A plurality of casting machines are supported at predetermined spacings on the rotary table, each respective casting machine having a respective holding furnace feeding a respective stalk tube and having a molten metal inlet port for receiving molten metal from the molten metal supply apparatus when the respective casting machine is indexed to a fill position adjacent the first fixed location. Each respective casting machine is adapted to receive one or more molds and has an open mold configuration and a closed mold configuration. A cast article removal apparatus is placed at a second fixed location adjacent the rotary table for removing the cast article from a respective casting machine when the respective casting machine is at an unload position adjacent the second fixed location and is in the open mold configuration.

Rotary casting system for pressurized casting machines

This invention relates to a casting machine furnace apparatus including a casting machine furnace, a supply furnace in fluid communication with the machine furnace and operative to supply a molten metal to the machine furnace, and a stopper module device disposed in a fluid path between the casting machine furnace and the supply furnace. The stopper module device includes a block housing and a stopper assembly. The block housing includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and is disposed in the fluid path. The stopper assembly is supported for movement relative to the inlet opening of the block housing between a working position, wherein the molten metal flows from the supply furnace to the casting machine furnace, and a non-working position, wherein the flow of molten metal is prevented.

Stopper module device for a casting machine furnace apparatus

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Cadillac, MI, United States of America

Daniel D Minor