Sand Neutron Manufacturing Machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hopper for a sand core manufacturing machine, comprising a hollow body (1) having an inner surface (1.0) that defines a passage for material used in the manufacture of sand cores. The hopper (100) further comprises a plurality of breaker assemblies (3), each breaker assembly (3) comprising at least one string (3.0), the ends of which are attached to corresponding mounting points (1.1) on the inner surface (1.0) of the body (1) such that the string (3.0) is positioned in a passage for material. Two consecutive breaker assemblies (3) are separated so that when the body (1) is shaken, the two breaker assemblies (3) interact with each other to break up lumps of material supplied to the hopper (100).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a core sand manufacturing machine.

Background Art

[0002] The core sand manufactured by a core sand manufacturing machine is composed of a mixture of sand and a binder and / or additives. The main function of the binder and / or additives is to harden the sand and impart the required rigidity or solidity to the core sand.

[0003] These machines include a hopper for supplying sand and another hopper for supplying a binder and / or additives. Since these materials usually contain hygroscopicity, lumps may be generated during (or before) supply due to humidity. Furthermore, electrostatic energy is also generated in this type of machine, which can also affect the generation of lumps.

[0004] If lumps enter the final mixture, the resulting core sand may not be suitable due to the presence of such lumps. Therefore, it is important to ensure as much as possible that lumps do not reach the final mixture, or that the size of the lumps reaching the final mixture is small enough so that they do not have an adverse effect on the resulting core sand.

[0005] CN218319151U discloses a hopper with a filter mesh through which the conveyed material passes. The filter mesh includes a plurality of holes of a specific size, thereby preventing lumps larger than this size from passing through, thereby limiting the size of the lumps that can reach the final mixture. The hopper further includes an actuator for causing vibration of the filter mesh, and such vibration moves at least the material on the filter mesh, which can cause the destruction of any lumps on the filter mesh.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a sand core manufacturing machine as defined in the claims.

[0007] The machine comprises a hopper and an actuator. The hopper has a hollow body with an inner surface that defines a passage for the material used to manufacture the sand core, and the actuator is associated with the body of the hopper to cause the body to shake.

[0008] The hopper further comprises several breaker assemblies located inside the main body. Each breaker assembly comprises at least one string, each end of which is attached to a corresponding mounting point on the inner surface of the main body, so that the string is positioned in a passage separated by the inner surface of the main body.

[0009] The body comprises at least two spaced-apart, consecutive breaker assemblies such that when the body is shaken, the strings of the two breaker assemblies vibrate, causing the breaker assemblies to interact with each other and break up chunks of material being supplied to the hopper.

[0010] Therefore, if undesirable lumps of material are generated as the material is fed through the hopper, vibration of the body occurs, causing the strings of the breaker assembly to vibrate, becoming arched or bowed. This vibration reduces the distance between them in the breaker assembly, causing them to tend to collide or interact with each other. As a result, the breaker assembly will collide with the lumps during this tendency, destroying them. This ensures that lumps larger than the distance between two breaker assemblies do not pass through the breaker assembly, and that the material passing through the breaker assembly does not contain lumps, or contains lumps smaller than the initial size, and that sand cores produced from such material do not contain defects due to the presence of undesirable lumps.

[0011] These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent in view of the drawings and detailed description of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1a] This shows a perspective view of the hopper of an embodiment of the sand core manufacturing machine according to the present invention. [Figure 1b] A partial view of the hopper in Figure 1a is shown. [Figure 2] Figure 1a shows the hopper located in the sand core manufacturing machine. [Figure 3a] Figure 1a shows a detailed view AA of the hopper, where the hopper body is not subjected to shaking. [Figure 3b] Figure 3a shows details of the breaker assembly being in one position as a result of the vibration of the main unit. [Figure 4] Figure 1a shows a cross-sectional side view of the hopper. [Figure 5] Figure 1a shows the filtering assembly of the hopper without the first filter mesh. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Figure 1a shows a hopper 100 of an embodiment of a sand core manufacturing machine 1000, as shown as an example in Figure 2. The hopper 100 comprises a hollow body 1 having an inner surface 1.0 that defines a passage for the material used to manufacture sand cores. The machine 1000 comprises a mold (not shown) adapted to receive material from the hopper 100 so that sand cores are produced in the mold.

[0014] The material supplied to the hopper 100 falls in the supply direction, passes through the hopper 100, and it substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the hopper 100. The material may contain lumps, or lumps may even be generated while it is being supplied, and if the lumps reach the mold, they may adversely affect the sand cores produced. Therefore, the hopper 100 comprises a plurality of breaker assemblies 3 at least partially located inside the body 1 so that when material is supplied to the hopper 100, the breaker assemblies 3 can break up and remove the lumps or at least reduce their size. Preferably, the hopper 100 comprises as many breaker assemblies 3 as needed so that all material supplied to the hopper 100 passes through some of the breaker assemblies 3, so as to ensure that no undesirable lumps reach the mold without first contacting any of the breaker assemblies 3. The plurality of breaker assemblies 3 can form a grid, as partially shown in Figure 1b.

[0015] Each breaker assembly 3 comprises at least one string 3.0, the ends of which are attached to corresponding mounting points 1.1 on the inner surface 1.0 of the body 1, such that the string 3.0 is positioned in a passage demarcated by the inner surface 1.0. Two mounting points 1.1 associated with the same string 3.0 are positioned so that they can be connected to each other by a straight line passing through a passage defined by the inner surface 1.0. Depending on the tension of the string 3.0 between the mounting points 1.1, the string 3.0 will loosen more or less, but preferably it will be taut enough to form a line. The string 3.0 is preferably made of a rigid material such as plastic or metal, preferably stainless steel. The string 3.0 can be a wire, cable, etc., but in any case it is configured to be arched or bowed when vibrated (as shown in Figure 3b).

[0016] In some embodiments, the hopper 100 is rectangular (however, it may have other shapes, such as cylindrical, if necessary), as in the embodiment shown in the figure. In these embodiments, the mounting points 1.1 associated with the same string 3.0 are located on different walls. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the mounting points 1.1 associated with the same string 3.0 are located on opposing walls.

[0017] The main body 1 is configured to vibrate during use, and when vibration of the main body 1 occurs, the strings 3.0 vibrate (compared to Figure 3a, where the strings 3.0 are shown without vibration of the main body 1, as shown in Figure 3b), becoming arched or bowed, and the breaker assemblies 3 are separated, so that together with the vibration, the breaker assemblies 3 interact with each other and break any lumps present in the material being supplied to the hopper 100. How they vibrate depends on the frequency and amplitude at which the main body 1 is vibrated, and the required frequency and / or amplitude are applied in each case, for example, depending on the design of the breaker assemblies 3 and the material being supplied to the hopper 100 in each case, and can be varied, for example, over the entire supply of the same material to further refine the filtration rate performed in the hopper 100.

[0018] Preferably, each breaker assembly 3 comprises a plurality of breaker elements 3.3 distributed in series and associated with a corresponding string 3.0, and attached to the string 3.0. Each breaking element 3.3 can have any desired shape, but protrudes from the string 3.0 to which it is attached. Thus, it can have, for example, the shape of a spike, a cube, or a ball. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the breaker element 3.3 is a ball. The material of the breaker element 3.3 is preferably the same material as the string 3.0.

[0019] The breaker element 3.3, by protruding from the attached string 3.0, collides with the material delivered to the hopper 100, generating a more effective collision that ensures any chunks are broken to a greater extent. When the breaker elements 3.3 are arranged in series, the positive effect of the breaker elements 3.3 extends to the maximum possible area of ​​the passage of material supplied to the hopper 100.

[0020] While string 3.0 is vibrating, the amplitude of such vibration of string 3.0 becomes smaller closer to the end attached to the mounting point 1.1, and it has been detected that this can increase the risk of material accumulation at the end of string 3.0 despite the vibration occurring. Therefore, to avoid this potential adverse effect, hopper 100 includes a string 3.0 of one breaker assembly 3 that intersects at a different height with the end of another string 3.0 of another (continuous) breaker assembly 3, i.e., the string 3.0 of one breaker assembly 3 extends in the first direction at a different height with the end of another string 3.0 of another breaker assembly 3 that extends in a second direction different from the first direction (see Figure 4). Preferably, the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other. The distance between the two breaker assemblies 3 is such that the breaker assemblies 3 interact with each other when the body 1 is shaken, causing possible clumps of material to be broken up.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, if the breaker assembly 3 has multiple breaker elements 3.3, the size of the breaker elements 3 increases as they get closer to the end of the corresponding string 3.0.

[0022] The string 3.0 of the breaker assembly 3 may extend in a lateral direction (a plane transverse to the material supply direction) or may be inclined with respect to its cross-section and can be arranged as required. This may depend, for example, on the ease of installing the breaker assembly 3 in the hopper 100 and / or the required specifications of the material. The more breaker assemblies 3 there are, the generally greater the lump-breaking ability of the hopper 100.

[0023] In some embodiments, the attachment points 1.1 associated with the plurality of breaker assemblies 3 are distributed in the same plane, which preferably transects the material supply direction. The attachment points 1.1 of the breaker assemblies 3 are in the same plane and form a breaker group. In such a case, preferably, all the breaker assemblies 3 of the breaker group are parallel to each other and include equal distances therebetween. The hopper 100 can include a single breaker group or a plurality of breaker groups, each breaker group being associated with a different plane, and all the planes being spaced apart from each other (preferably in the supply direction). The distance between these planes is such that when the body 1 is oscillated, the breaker assemblies 3 of one breaker group can interact with the breaker assemblies 3 of another breaker group to break possible lumps of the material supplied to the hopper 100. The more breaker groups there are, the generally greater the lump-breaking ability of the hopper 100. Further, preferably, the breaker assemblies 3 of one breaker group extend in a direction different from the breaker assemblies 3 of the breaker group in the adjacent plane, as seen in the illustrated embodiments (see FIGS. 1b and 4), and such directions are preferably perpendicular to each other.

[0024] Also, when there are multiple breaker groups, the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 of one breaker group may be different from the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 of another breaker group, and the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 of the other breaker group may decrease from top to bottom. Therefore, the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 of the breaker group distributed on the first plane is greater than the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 of the breaker group distributed on the second breaker plane downstream of the first plane. This is advantageous because when a mass of material is broken, the resulting chunks or particles become smaller, and the space between the breaker assemblies 3 of the next breaker assembly 3 for the material to pass through becomes smaller. It is the distance between the breaker assemblies 3 that determines which size of chunks or particles can pass between two adjacent or consecutive breaker assemblies 3.

[0025] The hopper 100 can further include a filtering assembly 4 disposed downstream (in the supply direction) of the breaker assembly 3. The hopper 100 includes an inlet opening 101 through which the material is supplied and an outlet opening 102 through which the material exits the hopper 100, and the filtering assembly 4 is preferably disposed at the outlet opening 102 so that all the material exiting the hopper 100 passes through the filtering assembly 4.

[0026] The filtering assembly 4 includes at least one filtering mesh 4.1, whereby only the material having a size smaller than the size defined by the size of the holes of the filtering mesh 4.1 can exit the hopper 100 and can be used in the production of cores. In this way, the functions of the breaker assembly 3 and the filtering assembly 4 make full or at least greater use of the material supplied to the hopper 100 and ensure the production of acceptable cores without chunks of such material. For clarity, such a filter mesh 4.1 is not shown in FIG. 1b.

[0027] Preferably, as in the embodiment shown in the figure, the filtering assembly 4 comprises a first filtering mesh 4.1 and a second filtering mesh 4.2 separated by height (in the longitudinal and supply directions), and a plurality of elements 4.3 (preferably balls) positioned between both filtering meshes 4.1 and 4.2 with degrees of freedom of movement. Because the distance between both filter meshes 4.1 and 4.2 is greater than the size of these elements 4.3, when the body 1 is shaken, these elements 4.3 move or jump between the two filter meshes 4.1 and 4.2, colliding with the material between both filter meshes 4.1 and 4.2, reducing the size of the lumps that can reach after passing through the breaker assembly 3. The first filter mesh 4.1 is positioned upstream of the second filter mesh 4.2 and has holes for material larger than the holes in the second filter mesh 4.2 to pass through, so that some lumps that have passed through the first filter mesh 4.1 cannot pass through the second filter mesh 4.2 until they are collided with and destroyed by the elements 4.3.

[0028] Preferably, the space between the two filter meshes 4.1 and 4.2 of the filtering assembly 4 is further divided into a plurality of compartments 4.4 by a wall 4.5 that extends in part, preferably from the first filter mesh 4.1 toward the second filter mesh 4.2, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 as an example. In each compartment 4.4, the hopper 100 comprises a plurality of elements 4.3. Because the shaking is supported by the body 1 of the hopper 100, the elements 4.3 could concentrate in the same area over time if the compartments 4.4 were not present, and the fact that the space between the two filtering meshes 4.1 and 4.2 is compartmentalized avoids this possibility and ensures that the elements 4.3 are present throughout this space, giving uniformity to the filtering performed by the filtering assembly 4. The compartments 4.4 are distributed laterally with respect to the material supply direction.

[0029] Preferably, the wall 4.5 does not reach the second filter mesh 4.2, leaving a gap 4.6 between it and the filter mesh 4.2. This gap 4.6 is used to allow the supplied material to pass through the entire filtering assembly 4 and move outside the interior of the compartments 4.4, but the gap 4.6 does not allow elements 4.3 to pass between compartment 4.4 and adjacent compartments 4.4, so that elements 4.3 within a compartment 4.4 always remain in that compartment 4.4.

[0030] In some embodiments, the hopper 100 includes an actuator mounted on the body 1 and configured to vibrate the body 1 in a controlled manner. The actuator is adapted to be able to vibrate the body 1 by applying a vibration frequency, to be able to control the frequency, and to be able to change the frequency as needed. Furthermore, the actuator can also control the amplitude of the frequency, and thus the vibration of the body 1 can be completely controlled. Depending on the value of the frequency, the vibration generated from the breaker body 3 becomes larger or smaller, and depending on the amplitude, the impact applied by the breaker assembly 3 becomes larger or smaller.

[0031] The sand core manufacturing machine 1000 includes an actuator 2 associated with a hopper 100, as shown in Figure 2, for causing the hopper 100 to shake, the actuator 2 may or may not be part of the hopper 100. In any embodiment, the machine 1000 may further include a control unit 1001, such as a microprocessor or other computing device that communicates with the actuator 2, so that the actuator 2 can be operated in a controlled manner.

Claims

1. A sand core manufacturing machine comprising a hopper (100) and an actuator (2), The hopper (100) comprises a hollow body (1) having an inner surface (1.0) that defines a passage for the material used to manufacture the sand core, The actuator (2) is associated with the body (1) of the hopper (100) to cause the body (1) to vibrate, The hopper (100) further comprises a plurality of breaker assemblies (3), Each breaker assembly (3) comprises at least one string (3.0), Each end of the string (3.0) is attached to the corresponding mounting point (1.1) on the inner surface (1.0) of the body (1) such that the strings (3.0) are positioned independently of each other in the passages of the material. The string (3.0) is configured to vibrate when the main body (1) of the hopper (100) is shaken. A sand core manufacturing machine characterized in that two breaker assemblies (3) are separated from each other such that when the main body (1) is shaken, the vibration of the strings (3.0) of the breaker assemblies (3) causes the two breaker assemblies (3) to interact with each other and break the mass of material supplied to the hopper (100).

2. Each breaker assembly (3) comprises a plurality of breaker elements (3.3) attached to the corresponding string (3.0) and distributed in series, The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 1, wherein the breaker element (3.3) protrudes from the string (3.0).

3. The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 2, wherein the breaker element (3.3) protrudes from the string (3.0).

4. Sand core manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a breaker assembly (3) having a string (3.0) that extends in the first direction at a different height from another string (3.0) of another breaker assembly (3) that interacts when the main body (1) is shaken and which extends in the first direction at a different height from another string (3.0) of another breaker assembly (3) which extends in a second direction different from the first direction.

5. The sand core manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting points (1.1) associated with a plurality of breaker assemblies (3) are distributed on the same plane, and the breaker assemblies (3) form a group of breakers.

6. The system comprises a first breaker group having a plurality of breaker assemblies (3) distributed in a first plane, and a second breaker group having a plurality of breaker assemblies (3) distributed in a second plane spaced apart from the first plane, The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 5, wherein the breaker assembly (3) of the first breaker group interacts with the breaker assembly (3) of the second breaker group to break the lumps of the material supplied to the hopper (100) when the body (1) is shaken, and the first plane and the second plane are preferably parallel to each other.

7. The string (3.0) of the breaker assembly (3) of the first breaker group extends in a first direction. The string (3.0) of the breaker assembly (3) of the second breaker group extends in a second direction different from the first direction, The first direction is preferably perpendicular to the second direction. The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the strings (3.0) of the same group of breakers are preferably arranged parallel to each other.

8. The sand core manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the string (3.0) is configured to form an arch shape when vibrated.

9. The system includes a filtering assembly (4) located downstream of the breaker assembly (3), The sand core manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the filtering assembly (4) comprises at least one filter mesh (4.1).

10. The filtering assembly (4) comprises a first filter mesh (4.1), a second filter mesh (4.2) located away from the first filter mesh (4.1) and downstream of the first filter mesh (4.1), and a plurality of elements (4.3) positioned between both filter meshes (4.1, 4.2). The distance between both filter meshes (4.1, 4.2) is greater than the size of the element (4.3) placed between both filter meshes (4.1, 4.2), The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 9, wherein the element (4.3) is positioned between both filter meshes (4.1, 4.2) with degrees of freedom of movement.

11. The space between the two filter meshes (4.1, 4.2) of the filtering assembly (4) is divided into a plurality of sections (4.4). The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 10, wherein each section (4.4) comprises multiple elements (4.3).

12. The sections (4.4) communicate with each other via passages smaller than the size of the element (4.3) positioned between both filtering meshes (4.1, 4.2), preventing the element (4.3) from moving between the different sections (4.4), but allowing the material between the sections (4.4) to pass through. The sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 11, wherein the filtering assembly (4) preferably comprises a wall (4.5) extending from the first filtering mesh (4.1) toward the second filtering mesh (4.2) to define the section (4.4).

13. The system includes a control unit (1001) that communicates with the actuator (2) and operates the actuator (2) in a controlled manner, The sand core manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the actuator (2) can preferably apply a vibration frequency to shake the main body (1) and can change the frequency as necessary.

14. A control method for a sand core manufacturing machine according to claim 13, wherein material is supplied through the hopper (100) and shaking of the main body (1) occurs.

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