Casting unit for die casting machines

Abstract

To provide a casting unit for a die casting machine.SOLUTION: A casting unit for a die casting machine includes: a casting container provided with a casting chamber 2; a casting piston 3 arranged in an axially movable manner in the casting chamber 2; a molten metal tank connection opening 4; a molten metal inlet channel 5 from the molten metal tank connection opening 4 to the casting chamber 2; a molten metal outlet channel 6 going out of the casting chamber 2; and a shut-off control valve 7 of the molten metal inlet channel 5. The shut-off control valve 7 has: a valve main body 8 arranged on the casting container and having a valve seat 9; and a valve closing body 10 movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position. The valve main body 8 of the shut-off control valve 7 is held on the casting container at a lateral valve assembly region 11 of the casting container in a manner accessible from the outside, and comprises the molten metal tank connection opening 4, and / or the casting piston 3 is of a spool type. The valve closing body 10 of the shut-off control valve 7 is arranged in the molten metal inlet channel 5 at a flow-technical distance from the molten metal tank connection opening 4 on the one hand and from the casting chamber 2 on the other hand, and the casting unit is used for e.g. a hot-chamber die casting machines.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a casting unit for a die-casting machine, comprising a casting vessel with a casting chamber, a casting piston arranged in an axially movable manner in the casting chamber, a molten metal bath connection opening, a molten metal inlet channel from the molten metal bath connection opening to the casting chamber, a molten metal outlet channel leaving the casting chamber separately from the molten metal inlet channel, and a shut-off control valve for the molten metal inlet channel. According to such a casting unit, the shut-off control valve constitutes a controllable shut-off valve and comprises a valve body arranged on the casting vessel and having a valve seat and a valve closing body movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position. [Background technology]

[0002] This general type of casting unit and similar casting units, also called "cast parts," are used in each casting operation or cycle to provide the molten material to be cast and thus cast a specific part. The current casting units are particularly suitable for die casting of metals, such as zinc, lead, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, steel, copper, and alloys of these metals, or for casting partially molten metal melts. In this regard, they are preferably suitable for hot-chamber die-casting machines. In current equipment, the casting vessel is configured to be immersed in a bath of molten metal provided by a molten metal container. Alternatively, the die-casting machine may be, for example, a cold-chamber die-casting machine or a plastic injection molding machine.

[0003] Molten material is introduced into the casting unit from a melt tank, for example, through a melt tank connection opening, and into the casting chamber via a melt inlet channel. This is typically achieved by a melt supply or melt withdrawal operation, typically by the return movement of a casting piston, creating a negative pressure in the casting chamber. During the mold-filling phase of the casting operation, the casting piston pressurizes the molten material located in the casting chamber, forcing it out of the casting chamber and the casting vessel and into the mold cavity, also known as the mold cavity or mold cavity, via a melt outlet channel to form the corresponding cast part. In a typical implementation, after leaving the casting chamber, the molten material exits the casting vessel, for example, via a vertical pipe region, and reaches a melt inlet in the region of the mold cavity, typically formed by a fixed mold half and a movable mold half, via a sprue nozzle body connected to the casting vessel.

[0004] Two fundamentally different types of casting pistons can be used: spool-type and displacement-type. In the case of a spool-type casting piston, the outer dimensions of the casting piston correspond to the inner dimensions of the casting chamber, and the piston is sealed against the casting chamber wall. As a result, when the casting piston moves forward, it completely pushes the molten material in the casting chamber forward, exerting the necessary pressure on the molten material into the mold cavity. In the case of a displacement-type casting piston, the outer dimensions of the casting piston are appropriately smaller than the inner dimensions of the casting chamber, so that when the casting piston moves forward, it is immersed in the molten material in the casting chamber. In this case, the displacement effect of the casting piston volume immersed in the molten material provides the pressure on the molten material. Casting units with spool-type casting pistons are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,297, ...

[0005] In a conventional casting unit, the outlet passage extends from the casting chamber separately from the inlet passage, i.e., the inlet and outlet passages form two separate guide passages for the molten material with a casting chamber inlet where the inlet passage opens into the casting chamber and a separate outlet side where the outlet passage opens from the casting chamber. Alternatively, other types of casting units can be used.

[0006] Thus, in the case of the casting unit according to the patent document 1, the molten metal inlet and outlet channels share a common channel section, which is connected to a single connecting opening in the casting chamber that serves as the inlet and outlet. In order to control the direction of the molten metal flow, two fluid control valves, i.e., controllable fluid valves, namely a switching control valve and a shut-off control valve, are arranged at appropriate positions.

[0007] In the case of the casting unit disclosed in Patent Document 7, the switching valve is placed on the outlet side of the casting chamber, and in a first position, it connects the casting chamber outlet side to the molten metal tank and blocks the feeder flow path portion, and in a second position, it allows the casting chamber outlet side to be connected to the feeder flow path portion and blocks the casting chamber from the molten metal tank.

[0008] In the case of the casting unit disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 3, the supply of molten metal to the casting chamber is carried out by means of an annular space between the casting chamber and the piston skirt of the casting piston, which is designed as a spool, is guided through the casting piston, and is carried out by a flow passage portion which can be shut off by a shut-off control valve designed as a check valve and integrated into the casting piston.

[0009] The casting unit disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 4 is of a general type, in which the molten metal inlet passage is formed by a molten metal feed hole passing through the wall of a cylindrical casting chamber, and a shut-off control valve is located in the casting chamber with its valve closure body directly at the opening of the molten metal feed hole.

[0010] The casting unit disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 6 is of a similarly general type. Here, in this casting unit, the valve body is designed entirely as ceramic and is inserted in a vertical socket in a precisely fitting manner. The valve body is formed in the casting vessel from the top side. In the adjacent side area, a horizontal inlet hole formed in the casting vessel forms the bath connection opening of the casting unit on the inlet side and is aligned with the inlet hole of the valve body on the outlet side. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 91 / 17070 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Publication No. 1284168 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Publication No. 2701866 [Patent Document 4] European Patent Publication No. 0576406 [Patent Document 5] European Patent Publication No. 2506999 [Patent Document 6] German Patent Publication No. 3248423 [Patent Document 7] Canadian Patent Publication No. 1099476 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] In die casting, for economic reasons, it is desirable to keep the cycle time, i.e., the duration of each casting operation, as short as possible, and for reasons related to the quality of the cast parts, it is desirable to keep the amount of air in the cast parts, i.e., the minimum air porosity of the cast parts, as low as possible. For various reasons, in this respect, the speed of the forward movement of the casting piston during the mold filling phase cannot exceed a certain speed. To account for these aspects, the aforementioned Patent Document 2 proposes that the casting piston be moved forward at the start of the mold filling phase and / or before the actual mold filling phase, while the mold is still open in the filling phase, so that the molten material is far enough to fill the riser channel region and the sprue nozzle body region before the mold is closed and the casting piston is moved further forward to perform the actual mold filling phase. In the '699 patent, the casting piston is of the spool type and functions as a blocking member itself, in that during the refill stage, its return movement after the refill stage opens the mold chamber entrance, and during the mold filling stage, it is moved forward over the mold chamber entrance to block said mold chamber entrance.

[0013] The present invention is based on the technical problem of providing a casting unit of the type mentioned at the beginning, which offers advantages over the prior art mentioned above, in particular with regard to a relatively low manufacturing and assembly outlay and / or a relatively low maintenance / repair outlay and / or a reliable functioning during the casting operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention solves the above problem by providing a casting unit having the features set forth in claim 1. Advantageous refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0015] The casting unit according to the invention comprises a shut-off control valve for the melt inlet channel, so that the flow of the melt in the melt inlet channel can be controlled independently by corresponding control of the shut-off control valve, without, for example, the need for a casting piston to act as a shut-off element for this purpose. This effective control option can be performed manually by the user or automatically by an assigned control unit, for example, by distinguishing the shut-off control valve from a simple check valve, for example, by assuming its open position or its closed position in an uncontrollable manner, only taking into account the prevailing melt pressure conditions, respectively, and allowing accordingly a targeted and effective influence of the melt flow rate in the valve receiving space.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the valve body of the shut-off valve is held on the casting vessel in a side valve assembly area of ​​the casting vessel in an externally accessible manner and is provided with a molten metal bath connection opening. In this respect, side valve assembly area and / or side casting vessel area are understood to mean the side area of ​​the casting vessel that is located on the side of the casting vessel in the operating position of the casting unit on the die-casting machine, i.e., that side of the casting vessel that runs between the side at the top of this operating position, i.e., the side that is the top side, and the side at the bottom of this operating position, i.e., the side that is the bottom side.

[0017] This constitutes an implementation and positioning of the shut-off control valve and / or its valve body that is operationally favorable and optimized in terms of manufacturing and assembly costs and maintenance / repair costs. The shut-off control valve can be assembled laterally from the outside onto the casting vessel, and the assembled shut-off control valve is accessible for maintenance work laterally from outside the casting vessel. Therefore, for maintenance of the shut-off control valve, it is usually not necessary to dismantle the casting vessel. Furthermore, if the system is correspondingly designed, there is the option of relatively easily dismantling the shut-off control valve from the casting vessel in an externally accessible manner in order to replace wear-sensitive parts of the valve if necessary, for example during repair work.

[0018] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which may be provided in addition to or as an alternative to the above-mentioned aspects, the casting piston is spool-type, and the shut-off control valve is disposed with its valve closing body in the melt inlet passage at a hydraulic distance from the melt tank connection opening on the one hand and the casting chamber on the other. That is, the shut-off control valve is not disposed directly at the melt tank connection opening or directly at the casting chamber, but rather at a position of the melt inlet passage spaced apart from and between these two ends. This combination of the specific positioning of the spool and the shut-off control valve can have unexpectedly positive effects on the reliable functioning of the casting unit and the associated die-casting machine during operation, especially when it is ensured, from the standpoint of operational control, that the molten material is withdrawn only to the front region of the sprue nozzle body after each casting operation and / or that the molten material is moved forward to the front sprue nozzle body region before each mold-filling phase while the mold is still open.

[0019] In a refinement of the present invention, the body of the shut-off control valve is held on the casting vessel by a detachable connection. This makes it advantageous to remove the valve body from the casting vessel in a simple manner if necessary, such as for repair purposes, with the possibility of replacing valve components in the course of repair or maintenance work. In an alternative embodiment, the valve body is held on the casting vessel in a non-detachable manner, i.e., such that it cannot be removed without damage. This may be sufficient, for example, for use situations in which it is unlikely that the shut-off control valve and / or its valve body or other parts will need to be replaced during the operating life of the casting vessel.

[0020] In a refinement of the present invention, the valve assembly area of ​​the casting vessel is formed by a valve receiving space having an access side facing outward from the lateral side, and the valve body of the shut-off control valve can be inserted laterally from the outside into the valve receiving space via the access side. Positioning the access side facing outward from the lateral side of the casting vessel has proven advantageous for assembly-related and functional reasons. This measure thus facilitates access to the valve body, and therefore to the shut-off control valve as a whole, via the outward-facing access side of the casting vessel. This correspondingly facilitates assembly of the shut-off control valve on the casting vessel and any disassembly of the valve or its components from the casting vessel.

[0021] The access side may be in the form of a side of the valve-receiving space that is open to the outside or a side that is covered by a removable cover. In the latter case, the cover only needs to be removed from the casting vessel to allow access to the shut-off control valve disposed in the valve-receiving space. In alternative embodiments, the valve assembly area of ​​the casting vessel is formed, for example, by a valve-receiving space having an outward-facing access side at the top or bottom, or by a side of the casting vessel where the shut-off control valve together with its valve body can be assembled without the casting vessel having an associated valve-receiving space.

[0022] In the configuration of the present invention, the valve body is inserted with the valve outlet facing downward into the valve receiving space, and the melt inlet passage is continuous with the valve outlet, with the passage portion in the casting vessel leading downward out of the valve receiving space. This measure is advantageous in terms of the direction of the melt material in the melt inlet passage and the assembly position of the shut-off valve body. In this respect, what is meant by the direction designation "downward" or "downward" is a direction extending to the operating position of the casting unit on the die casting machine having a main directional component that is vertically downward, i.e., a direction that is parallel to the vertical downward direction or an obliquely downward direction having a vertical component that is greater than the horizontal component.

[0023] Thus, in this case, the shut-off valve can be placed with its valve body on the valve support surface, with this continuous flow path portion opening and thus fluidly connected to the valve outlet. In an alternative embodiment, the outlet of the shut-off control valve is not located underneath, but for example on a lateral region of the valve body, and the valve receiving space continues into the casting vessel, for example with an initially substantially horizontal flow path portion.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the invention, the valve body is clamped vertically in the valve receiving space by a detachable clamping connection and supported on the underside against a seal that seals the valve outlet. This constitutes a highly advantageous feature in terms of assembly and function. The detachable clamping connection allows the shut-off control valve, together with its valve body, to be securely held on the casting vessel and removed therefrom as needed. The seal allows the valve outlet to be sealed against the surroundings in the desired manner, and this sealing effect is further enhanced by the clamping connection pressing the valve body against the seal. Alternatively, the valve body may be held on the casting vessel in another way, for example by a corresponding screw connection.

[0025] In a refinement of the present invention, the shut-off control valve has a control rod that is guided in a translatable manner on the valve body, one end of which supports the valve closing body, and the other end of which extends from the valve body and out of the casting vessel through a rod passage opening in the casting vessel. This constitutes a preferred implementation of the shut-off control functionality of the shut-off control valve from a manufacturing and functional point of view. Alternatively, this shut-off control functionality may be implemented in another conventional way, for example as an electromagnetic control valve with a magnetically actuated valve closing body.

[0026] In the configuration of the present invention, the control rod is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cast piston. This constitutes an advantageous arrangement of the control rod with regard to the compact design of the casting unit and the controlled actuation of the shut-off control valve. Alternatively, the control rod may be arranged with its longitudinal axis oblique or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cast piston.

[0027] In the configuration of the present invention, the casting unit includes a lateral control rod insertion slot in the casting vessel for inserting the control rod laterally into and removing it from the valve receiving space of the casting vessel. This measure provides the advantage of easy assembly and disassembly of the shut-off control valve, including the control rod and valve closure body it supports, onto and from the casting vessel.

[0028] This facilitates assembly and disassembly of the shutoff control valve on or from the casting vessel, for example, in that the control rod, along with the valve closure body, can remain on or within the valve body when the valve body is disassembled from the casting vessel. However, this results in the inability to disassemble the control rod and valve closure body when the valve body is still assembled on or within the casting vessel to allow removal of the valve body from the casting vessel. Rather, to disassemble the valve body from the casting vessel, the control rod, in this case along with the valve closure body, can remain on or within the valve body and be introduced into and / or moved along the control rod insertion slot in the casting vessel to assemble and / or disassemble the valve. In an alternative embodiment, the lateral control rod insertion slot in the casting vessel is omitted, and instead, the control rod is axially inserted into or moved out of a rod passage opening in the casting vessel.

[0029] This may optionally be combined with a measure in which the control rod insertion slot extends and opens from the control rod passage opening in the direction of the lateral access side of the valve receiving space, or in which the valve receiving space has a further access side in the longitudinal direction of the control rod insertion slot, along which the valve body can be inserted laterally from outside into the valve receiving space of the casting vessel.

[0030] In a refinement of the invention, the melt inlet channel comprises at least one transverse bore in the valve body forming the melt bath connection opening on the inlet side and opening into a longitudinal bore on the outlet side through which the control rod extends and forming the valve seat on the outlet side, which constitutes an implementation for a shut-off control valve that is favorable in terms of melt direction and manufacturing costs.

[0031] The molten material stored in the melt container can then enter the valve through one or more transverse holes. The molten material flows horizontally or obliquely, for example, with a horizontal main direction component in the operating position of the casting unit. Under the control of a control rod coupled to the valve closing body, the molten material can be guided into the casting vessel through the vertical holes and supplied to the casting chamber in a controlled manner. Alternatively, the valve body can have, for example, upper or lower inlet holes for the molten material.

[0032] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. These and further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section of a casting unit with a shut-off control valve in the closed position held in the casting vessel. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a partial detailed view from above of the casting unit along arrow II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows the casting vessel of FIG. 1 in its operating position, immersed in the molten metal bath and with the sprue nozzle body attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the situation of FIG. 3 with the shutoff control valve in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The illustrated casting unit is suitable for use in die-casting machines, in particular hot-chamber die-casting machines for metal die-casting, where the metal casting material can be, for example, zinc, lead, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, steel, copper or alloys of these metals. The casting unit comprises a casting vessel 1 with a casting chamber 2, a casting piston 3 arranged axially movable in the casting chamber 2, a molten metal bath connection opening 4, a molten metal inlet channel 5 leading from the molten metal bath connection opening 4 to the casting chamber 2, a molten metal outlet channel 6 leading away from the molten metal inlet channel 5 and to the outside of the casting chamber 2, and a shut-off control valve 7 for the molten metal inlet channel 5. The shut-off control valve 7 is arranged on the casting vessel 1 and has a valve body 8 with a valve seat 9 and a valve closing body 10 movable relative to the valve seat 9 between an open position and a closed position.

[0035] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the valve closure body 10 has the form of a circular disk, and correspondingly, the valve seat 9 is formed on the valve body 8 with a flat seating surface. In alternative embodiments, the valve closure body 10 may have another form, for example a frusto-conical form, and the valve seat 9 has a matching seat shape such that the valve closure body 10 receives the valve seat 9 in a fluid-tight manner in its closed position.

[0036] By using the shut-off control valve 7, it is not necessary to use the casting piston 3 as a shut-off member for the melt inlet passage 5. In other words, the melt inlet passage 5 does not need to open into the casting chamber 2 at a location that can be shut off by the casting piston 3. The melt outlet passage 6 exits the casting chamber 2 separately from the melt inlet passage 5, so that the melt outlet passage 6 has an opening that exits the casting chamber 2 separate from the opening of the melt inlet passage 5 into the casting chamber 2.

[0037] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the example shown, the valve body 8 is held on the casting vessel 1 in a lateral valve assembly area 11 of the casting vessel 1 in an externally accessible manner and is provided with the molten metal bath connection opening 4. By this means, the shut-off control valve 7 with the valve body 8 on the casting vessel 1 can be assembled laterally from the outside. Furthermore, the shut-off control valve 7 assembled therein remains externally accessible for maintenance work, for which there is no need to dismantle the shut-off control valve 7 from the casting vessel 1.

[0038] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the example shown, the casting piston 3 is of the spool type and the shut-off control valve 7 is provided with its valve-closing body 10 in the melt inlet channel 5 after a fluid-technical distance, i.e., downstream of the melt bath connection opening 4 on the one hand, and before, i.e., upstream of, the casting chamber 2 on the other hand. In other words, the valve-closing body 10 is not located directly at the melt bath connection opening 4, which forms the inlet opening of the shut-off control valve 7 for molten material from the melt bath, nor directly at the opening of the melt inlet channel 5 into the casting chamber 2, but rather between these end points of the melt inlet channel 5 at a suitable position along the melt inlet channel 5.

[0039] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the valve body 8 comprises a base body 8a and a guide body 8b in the form of separately manufactured components. In alternative embodiments, the valve body 8 is manufactured in the form of a single piece or assembled from two or more pieces. In the illustrated example, the valve seat 9 is formed on the base body 8a. The molten metal bath connection opening 4 is also located on the base body 8a in this example.

[0040] In an advantageous embodiment, the valve body 8 of the shut-off control valve 7 is held on the casting vessel 1 by a detachable connection 12, as in the example shown. This allows the valve body 8, and thus the entire shut-off control valve 7, to be disassembled from the casting vessel 1 without any problems, for example for the purpose of repairing or replacing parts of the valve due to wear or another loss of function. In the example shown, the detachable connection 12 is implemented by a threaded connection. In alternative embodiments, it may be implemented differently, for example by a detachable latch connection or a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0041] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the illustrated example, the valve assembly area 11 of the casting vessel 1 is formed by a valve receiving space 13 having an access side facing laterally outward, and the valve body 8 of the shut-off control valve 7 is inserted laterally from the outside into the valve receiving space 13 through the access side. In the illustrated example, this access side is formed by the rear side of the casting vessel 1 in FIG. 1 and the upper side of the casting vessel in FIG. 2.

[0042] In a corresponding embodiment, as in the illustrated example, the valve receiving space 13 is further formed to have at least one lateral outward access side, such as the right side of the casting vessel 1 in Fig. 1. More specifically, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the valve receiving space 13 is formed by a lateral recess in the casting vessel 1, having a base surface 1a as the lower boundary of the valve receiving space 13 and an upper retention flange 1b of the casting vessel 1 as the upper end of the valve receiving space 13, such that the valve receiving space 13 in this example is accessible from and / or open to three sides. In this case, the shut-off control valve 7 may have its valve body 8 disposed on the base surface 1a, which in this case functions as a valve support surface.

[0043] It should be noted that the access side may be used not only for assembly but also for disassembly of the valve body 8 and the shut-off control valve 7 from the casting vessel 1, if necessary. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the access side is open. In an alternative embodiment, it may be covered by a removable cover.

[0044] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the example shown, the valve body 8 is inserted into the valve receiving space 13 with the valve outlet 14 pointing downwards, and the melt inlet channel 5 continues from the valve outlet 14 to the casting vessel 1 by a channel section 15 leading downwards from the valve receiving space 13. When the direction indication is "downwardly" or "downwards", the position of the casting vessel 1 is assumed to be that which it has on the die casting machine during operation, and Figures 1, 3 and 4 show the casting vessel 1 in this operating position.

[0045] In an advantageous embodiment, the valve body 8 is clamped vertically in the valve receiving space 13, as in the example shown, by means of a detachable clamping connection 16 and by supporting, on the underside, a sealing part 17 that seals the valve outlet 14. In particular, in the example shown, the base body 8a and the guide body 8b of the valve body 8 are arranged on one side at the top, the valve outlet 14 is arranged on the underside of the base body 8a, and the clamping device 16 presses the guide body 8b from above against the base body 8a, while the underside of the base body 8a is pressed against the sealing part 17, which in turn is pressed against the base surface 1a of the valve receiving space 13, surrounding in an annular manner the valve outlet 14 or the inlet of the continuous flow path portion 15 aligned with said valve outlet.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the detachable clamp connection 16 is implemented by a screw connection in the retaining flange 1b of the casting vessel 1, as shown in the figure, which includes only two, or alternatively a single or more, threaded bolts and associated holes, forming a separate connection 12 that simultaneously holds the valve body 8 to the casting vessel 1. In an alternative embodiment, the detachable connection 12 on the one hand and the detachable clamp connection 16 on the other hand may be formed by two separate detachable connection units.

[0047] In this assembled state of the shut-off control valve 7, the clamp connection 16 tensions the valve body 8 in a secure sealing manner against the sealing part 17, while at the same time holding the valve body 8 fixedly on the casting vessel 1. The fixed holding of the valve body 8 on the casting vessel 1 can be loosened by removing the clamp connection 16 or the detachable connection 12, allowing the shut-off control valve 7 to be disassembled from the casting vessel 1 as required.

[0048] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the example shown, the shut-off control valve 7 has a control rod 18 that is guided so as to be freely translatable on the valve body 8, one end of which supports the valve closing body 10 and the other end of which extends outside the valve body 8 and through a rod passage opening 19 in the casting vessel 1 to the outside of the casting vessel 1.

[0049] In the casting vessel position according to Figures 1, 3 and 4, the valve-closing body 10 is located at the lower end of the control rod 18. At its top end, which is not of further interest and therefore not shown, the control rod 18 has a suitable actuating interface by means of which the desired translational valve movement parallel to its longitudinal axis can be effected manually by the user or automatically by means of a control unit, as required and depending on the circumstances of use. Figures 1 and 3 show the control rod 18 in its closed position, in which the valve-closing body 10 is positioned in a fluid-tight manner against the valve seat 9 and blocks the melt inlet channel 5. Figure 4 shows the control rod 18 in its open position, in which the valve-closing body 10 is positioned in its open position, raised or remote from the valve seat 9, thereby opening the melt inlet channel 5 for melt flow.

[0050] In a corresponding embodiment, as in the example shown, the control rod 18 is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis 20 of the casting piston 3. This allows controlled actuation of the control rod 18 preferably on the side of the casting vessel 1, on which controlled actuation of the casting piston 3 takes place or on which a corresponding control or actuation unit is located. This may be advantageous, for example, with regard to a compact construction of the casting unit and / or the actuation of the casting piston 3 and the shut-off control valve 7.

[0051] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the illustrated example, the casting unit comprises a lateral control rod insertion slot 21 in the casting vessel 1 for inserting the control rod 18 laterally into and removing it from the valve-receiving space 13 of the casting vessel 1. Consequently, the control rod insertion slot 21 leads to a rod passage opening 19, via which the control rod 18 can be introduced into the casting vessel 1 during assembly of the shut-off control valve 7 on the casting vessel 1. In this way, the control rod 18 does not have to be inserted axially into the rod passage opening 19, and does not have to be attached to the casting vessel 1 or the valve body 8 after assembly of the valve body 8, but rather can be assembled onto the casting vessel 1 together with the valve body 8. Similarly, when the shut-off control valve 7 is to be removed from the casting vessel 1, the control rod 18 can be led out of the casting vessel 1 via the control rod insertion slot 21, so that it can remain attached to the valve body 8 during this disassembly and does not have to be removed axially via the rod passage opening 19 of the casting vessel 1.

[0052] In an advantageous embodiment, as in the illustrated example, the melt inlet channel 5 includes at least one transverse bore 22 on the outlet side in the valve body 8, which forms the melt bath connection opening 4 on the inlet side and opens into a longitudinal bore 23 through which the control rod 18 extends and which forms the valve seat 9 on the outlet side in the valve body 8. In the illustrated example, the transverse bores 22 are equiangularly spaced apart from one another, for example, two transverse bores positioned diametrically 180° apart from one another, or four transverse bores offset by 90° in a cross shape, i.e., the radially outer openings of the transverse bores 22 together form the melt bath connection opening 4. In the illustrated example, at least one transverse bore 22 extends horizontally in the operating position of the casting vessel 1; in an alternative embodiment, the transverse bore 22 extends at an inclined angle to the vertical. In the illustrated example, the longitudinal bore 23 extends vertically in the operating position of the casting vessel 1; in an alternative embodiment, the longitudinal bore 23 extends at an inclined angle to the vertical. In the illustrated example, at least one transverse hole 22 and one longitudinal hole 23 are formed in the base body 8 a of the valve body 8 together with the valve seat 9 .

[0053] Specifically, in the illustrated example, the control rod insertion slot 21 is located in the retaining flange 1b of the casting vessel 1 and extends from the access side, i.e., the rear side in Figure 1 and the top side in Figure 2, where the shut-off control valve 7 or its valve body 8 is assembled onto the casting vessel 1, to the rod passage opening 19. Expressed differently, in this exemplary embodiment, the closed slot end region of the control rod insertion slot 21 forms the rod passage opening 19 of the casting vessel 1.

[0054] 3 and 4 show a casting unit in an operable state for use in a corresponding die-casting machine. For this purpose, the casting vessel 1 is conventionally immersed in a molten metal bath 24 stored in a molten metal container 25. In this respect, the casting vessel 1 is immersed in the molten metal bath 24 at least deep enough so that the molten metal bath connection opening 4 of the shut-off control valve 7 assembled on the casting vessel 1 is located below the associated molten metal bath level 24a. In a similarly conventional manner, the molten metal outlet channel 6 forms a riser channel 6a opening out of the casting vessel 1 together with a sprue nozzle piece 6b, onto which a sprue nozzle body 26 is pressed at an associated end-side connection region 26a. In a similarly conventional manner, which is not of further interest here, the sprue nozzle body 26 together with the outlet-side end region 26b leads to a spool or gate opening of the die-casting machine's mold.

[0055] During operation, for each casting run, the casting piston 3 in the casting chamber 2 can be moved forward from its starting position, i.e., downward in FIGS. 3 and 4 , and the shutoff control valve 7 is placed in its closed position, as shown in FIG. 3 , to force molten material from the casting chamber 2 into the mold via the melt outlet passage 6 and the nozzle body 26. For illustrative purposes only, FIGS. 3 and 4 show the nozzle body 26 filled with molten material up to the outlet end region 26b. After the molten material solidifies in the mold (not shown), forming the corresponding cast part, the casting piston 3 in the casting chamber 2 is moved back to its starting position, i.e., upward in FIGS. 3 and 4 . During the production process, the shutoff control valve 7 is placed in its open position, as shown in FIG. 4 , so that molten material flows from the melt bath 24 into the casting chamber 2 via the melt inlet passage 5. Subsequently, the shutoff control valve 7 is closed, and a new casting run can be performed.

[0056] As is made clear by the illustrated exemplary embodiment and the further exemplary embodiments described above, the present invention in a very advantageous manner provides a casting unit for a die casting machine, in which the shut-off control valve for the molten metal inlet passage is attached to the casting vessel in a relatively simple and flexible manner in an easily accessible manner, the shut-off control valve preferably being held on the casting vessel in a detachable manner. According to the first aspect, the casting apparatus comprises a casting vessel (1) having a casting chamber (2), a casting piston (3) arranged axially movable within the casting chamber, a molten metal tank connection opening (4), a molten metal inlet flow path (5) from the molten metal tank connection opening to the casting chamber, a molten metal outlet flow path (6) leading out from the casting chamber separately from the molten metal inlet flow path, and a shutoff control valve (7) for the molten metal inlet flow path, a casting unit for a die casting machine, the shut-off control valve being disposed on the casting vessel and having a valve body (8) having a valve seat (9) and a valve closing body (10) movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position, the valve body (8) is held on the casting vessel (1) in a side valve assembly area (11) of the casting vessel in an externally accessible manner and includes the bath connection opening (4); and / or the casting piston (3) is of the spool type, and the shut-off control valve (7) is arranged in the melt inlet channel (5) with its valve closing body (10) positioned behind the melt bath connection opening (4) on the one hand and in front of the casting chamber (2) on the other hand, The casting unit of the die casting machine is characterized by the above. According to the aspect (2), the valve body of the shutoff control valve is further held on the casting vessel by a detachable connecting part (12). According to aspect (3), the valve assembly area of ​​the casting vessel is further characterized in that it is formed by a valve receiving space (13) having an access side facing outward from the lateral side, and the valve body of the shutoff control valve is inserted laterally from the outside into the valve receiving space via the access side. According to aspect (4), the valve body is inserted into the valve receiving space with the valve outlet (14) facing downward, and the molten metal inlet passage is continuous with the valve outlet by a passage portion (15) in the casting vessel that leads downward from the valve receiving space. According to aspect (5), the valve body is further characterized in that it is clamped vertically in the valve receiving space by a detachable clamp connection (16) and supports, on its underside, a sealing part (17) that seals the valve outlet. According to aspect (6), the shutoff control valve further comprises a control rod (18) guided in the valve body so as to be movable parallel to the valve body, one end of the control rod supporting the valve closing body, and the other end of the control rod extending from the valve body and extending from the casting vessel through a rod passage opening (19) in the casting vessel. According to the seventh aspect, the control rod is further characterized in that its longitudinal axis is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) of the cast piston. According to aspect (8), the casting vessel is further characterized by having a lateral control rod insertion slot (21) for inserting the control rod laterally into and removing it from the valve receiving space of the casting vessel. According to aspect (9), the molten metal inlet passage includes at least one transverse hole (22) that forms the molten metal bath connection opening on the inlet side and opens into a longitudinal hole (23) in the valve body on the outlet side, through which a control rod extends and which forms the valve seat on the outlet side.

Claims

1. a casting vessel (1) equipped with a casting chamber (2); a casting piston (3) arranged axially movably in the casting chamber; A molten metal tank connection opening (4), a molten metal inlet passage (5) from the molten metal tank connection opening to the casting chamber; a molten metal outlet passage (6) extending from the casting chamber separately from the molten metal inlet passage; a shutoff control valve (7) for the molten metal inlet passage; a casting unit for a die casting machine, the shut-off control valve being disposed on the casting vessel and comprising a valve body (8) having a valve seat (9) and a valve closing body (10) movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position, the valve body (8) is held on the casting vessel (1) in a side valve assembly area (11) of the casting vessel (1) in a manner accessible from the outside, and has the molten metal bath connection opening (4); a valve assembly area of ​​the casting vessel is formed by a valve receiving space (13) having an access side facing outward from a lateral side, and the valve body of the shut-off control valve is inserted laterally into the valve receiving space from the outside via the access side; The valve body is inserted into the valve receiving space with the valve outlet (14) facing downward, and the molten metal inlet passage is continuous with the valve outlet by a passage portion (15) in the casting vessel that leads downward from the valve receiving space. A casting unit of a die casting machine, characterized by:

2. 2. The casting unit of claim 1, further characterized in that the valve body of the shut-off control valve is held on the casting vessel by a detachable connection (12).

3. 3. The casting unit according to claim 1, further characterized in that the casting piston (3) is of a spool type, and the valve closing body (10) of the shut-off control valve (7) is arranged, on one side, in the molten metal inlet channel (5) downstream of the molten metal bath connection opening (4) and, on the other side, upstream of the casting chamber (2).

4. 4. A casting unit according to claim 1, further characterized in that the valve body is clamped vertically in the valve receiving space by means of a detachable clamp connection (16) and supports on its underside a sealing part (17) sealing the valve outlet.

5. 5. A casting unit according to claim 1, further characterized in that the shut-off control valve has a control rod (18) guided in a translatable manner in the valve body, one end of which supports the valve closing body and the other end of which exits the valve body and exits the casting vessel through a rod passage opening (19) in the casting vessel.

6. 6. A casting unit according to claim 5, further characterized in that the control rod is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) of the casting piston.

7. 7. A casting unit according to claim 5 or claim 6, further comprising a lateral control rod insertion slot (21) in the casting vessel for inserting the control rod laterally into and removing it from the valve receiving space of the casting vessel.

8. 8. A casting unit according to claim 1, further characterized in that the molten metal inlet channel comprises at least one transverse hole (22) which forms the molten metal bath connection opening on the inlet side and opens into a longitudinal hole (23) in the valve body on the outlet side, through which a control rod extends and which longitudinal hole forms the valve seat on the outlet side.

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