Nestec S.a.

Maschinenfabrik & Eisengiesserei, Ed. Mezger Ag

Maschinenfabrik & Eisengiesserei Ed. Mezger

Marc-Henri Rossier

Gerard A Lavanchy

Meinrad Rosse

Fritz Mezger

The tightness of sealed packages is monitored by means of a process and an apparatus system which utilize and incorporate a first system section, which includes at least one reservoir and a pressure measuring cell, a second system section, which includes a rigid measuring chamber, and means for adjusting pressure of the system sections via the first system section. The first system section is first pressurized to a predetermined pressure, which may be either above or below atmospheric pressure, and then the first and second system sections are brought into communication for establishing a second pressure for the first and second system sections combined. Major leaks in the sealed packages, absence of a sample in the measuring chamber and leaks in the measuring chamber then may be detected with the aid of the pressure measuring cell. For detecting other than major leaks, the first and second system sections then are isolated and a differential pressure cell detects the pressures of the first and second system sections for a timing sufficient to detect differences in pressure between the first and second system sections for detecting if the package being tested has leaks.

Process and apparatus for detecting leaks in sealed packages

A casting plant comprises a pressure ladle and a small-capacity tilting ladle to regulate the filling of molds making up a casting line and successively moving to a position beneath the tilting ladle. The control system comprises two servo loops. One servo loop includes sensors acting upon a motor to control the angular position of the tilting ladle so that the level of metal in the pouring gate of the mold remains constant during the pouring operation. During this time, an optical sensor, an angular-position sensor, and a pressure sensor included in the other servo loop supply input data which are processed to supply a signal acting upon a valve in a gas line feeding the pressure ladle. This valve regulates the flow of molten metal from the pressure ladle to the tilting ladle so that the quantity of metal contained in the tilting ladle remains substantially constant.

Automatically controlled casting plant

Method and apparatus for automatically controlling the pouring of molten metal into a series of closed casting molds is disclosed. Molten metal flows in a stream from a lip-pour or bottom-pour casting ladle into a pouring gate at the top of a mold and partially fills the gate. Visible light or infrared radiation is emitted from the metal surface in the gate and is detected by a sensing device. The sensing device generates a signal which is a function of the radiation received, and therefore the apparent area of the surface of metal in the gate. The signal operates a ladle control mechanism to control the flow rate of the stream to keep the gate level substantially constant during pouring.

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Epalinges, Switzerland

Marc-Henri Rossier