Executive Summary: Grey Iron Rotors, etc. on HCM

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

GREY IRON ROTORS & DRUMS

by the

HERRON CONTINUOUS CASTING PROCESS

An International PCT Patent Application has been filed by David J. Herron,

entitled:

Automotive and Aerospace Materials in a Continuous, Pressurized

Mold Filling and Casting Machine

The invention achieves pressurized filling and solidification of moving molds

at selectable and different pressures.

SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF THE INVENTION

Grey iron drums, rotors, and other parts suffer burn-in when cast in large, vertically parted molds. Excessive pressure in the bottom row, at too high a temperature, for too long a time, is the cause. Time, temperature and pressure must be controlled in all technological processes. The Herron Casting Machine can do this, eliminating burn-in and excessive shot blasting. This invention replaces the archaic practice of gravity pouring which is the neglected interface between today's high tech melting and high tech molding processes.

Pressurized bottom filling of molds enables use of fine grain, high density mold media, the pressure overcoming the low mold permeability. The fine grain sand produces exceptional surface finish when the pressure is controlled and minimized to fill the mold, yet not penetrate or burn the metal into the molding sand. The Herron Casting Machine controls this pressure.

Pressurized solidification enables improved feeding of solidification shrinkage in any mold orientation, irrespective of the gravitational feeding direction. The Herron Casting Machine increases the pressure as needed to produce high integrity, high strength drums and rotors with tighter dimensional tolerances than ever before. Ask me how!

The Herron Casting Machine eliminates the pour off personnel and fills each mold smoothly, automatically and exactly the same for consistent properties. For ductile iron and compacted graphite iron, a new method of magnesium alloying is included, offering the highest recovery, precise control, cleanest metal, and lowest cost of any other process.

Vertically parted green sand molding machines presently approach production speeds of 500 molds per hour. To enable such productivity, current pouring and filling methods must complete their operation within the short cycle time. Even at 250 per hour, this rapid pouring, or filling, violates fluid flow principles for lamellar, non-turbulent flow. Scrap rates are excessive and elaborate methods to filter or fill the metal often raise the cost of casting. Generally, the molding machine production rate must simply be reduced. The Herron Casting Machine solves this problem by bottom filling, slowly and continuously, under pressure, during the rapid movement of molds. Productivity is maximized. Scrap is minimized by eliminating cascading, turbulent flow.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

The novel invention operates simply and with very few moving parts. The system is quiet, clean and contained. Hard sand molds float on a pressurized bath of liquid metal. A restraint device resists rupture of the mold and presses the mold onto the filling/feeding chamber to seal against runout or leakage. The molds are pushed through the unit, maintaining connection as long as desired, even until solidified. Various methods may be used to enhance the seal. Simple to complex furnace designs allow any degree of time, temperature and pressure control.

At extreme quality requirements, molds must be of fine media with low permeability and thus require pressurized filling. To meet this quality level, the invention achieves pressurized filling and pressurized solidification of moving molds, at selectable and different pressures. This quality level is possible at high speeds.

SEPARATE CHANNELS FOR EQUALIZED PRESSURE

IN THE TOP AND BOTTOM ROWS (OPTIONAL)

The Herron Casting Process uses bottom filling and a novel filtering technique that is completely automatic. The Herron Casting Machine is the ultimate solution for cost and quality control of high-volume or low-volume, ferrous and non-ferrous castings.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Licensing is currently available for foundries to build their own custom equipment and operate the process under license. Certain patent pending methods to particular castings are also available. Preferred licensing terms or exclusive licensing is available to early participants in prototyping, prior to final foreign, and domestic, non-provisional, patent filings. Options or rights of first refusal may also be considered. Partners to manufacture and market two business products are being solicited:

This machine resists rupture of molds from internal pressures while allowing high speed movement. It comes in various lengths and with motorized assisted movement options. In the casting machine invented, the restraining device allows much more utilization of the mold parting line surface. Bearing surface between molds for pushing is still to be considered, but, with the power assisted, belted, mold restraint system and equipment (not shown), less parting line bearing surface is needed. More castings can be in the mold. Clearly, mold utilization and yield is greatly improved by the subject invention, the Herron Casting Machine and Process.

The machine comes is single or multiple chamber configurations. Automated controls allow precise and consistent pressures, mold after mold, for filling and for feeding. The furnace is replenished at will, at one location, achieving the energy and environmental benefits of complete containment. Precise temperature control, mold after mold, means consistent casting integrity including hardness and other mechanical properties. Quiet, clean, and safe mold processing with no pour-off labor, no under-pours, no over-pours, nor any spilled metal results with proper operation.

MOLD STITCHING AND LOOSE SAND MOLD EXTRUDING

Mold stitching (not shown) provides opportunities for elaborate molten metal filtering with creative design of the gating. Riser gates may attach to casting cavities through a stitch (242), so that the gates knock off more easily, and evenly, to reduce grinding of solid metal (650) castings.

ALLOY ADDITIONS, MODIFIERS AND INOCULANTS

With mold stitching, rare earth metals (i.e. magnesium) may be added in specially designed pockets of the gating system, directly or indirectly above the filter cloth, for the controlled production of spheroidal graphite irons, whether fully ductile iron or compacted graphite iron. The metal is filtered at least three times with mold stitching.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

By choice of designs, venting of reaction fumes can be controlled to any degree required. Vapors associated with alloy additions and other processes are thus accommodated.

Quote From CLAIMS [39 and rising]:

whereby, filling of said molds with said liquid may be un-interrupted by the movement of said molds, and

whereby, time of duration of filling may be independent of time of movement of said molds, and

whereby, degree of pressurization of said liquid may be maintained or varied, as selected independently of movement of said molds, and

whereby, time of pressurization of filled said molds may be independent of movement of said molds, and

whereby, operations upon said liquid may be performed within said molds while coupled to said vessel, and

whereby, reactions of said liquid may proceed within said molds while coupled to said vessel while said molds are, continuously or intermittently, conveyed.

DETAILED GATING OF AUTOMOTIVE, TRUCK, AND INDUSTRIAL CASTINGS

Briefly, other applications may also benefit from the Herron Continuous, Pressurized Casting Machine and Process. E-mail for an Executive Summary on these other applications:

FIG. 25 of the PPA (not shown) is an invented method for making ductile iron crankshafts, camshafts, or similar long castings.

FIG. 30 illustrates a method of making cylinder heads, bedplates, bearing caps, and other similar castings with a gate or package core in vertical green sand molds.

Loose sand lost foam molds may use the same methods FIGS. 25-38 detail, as additional embodiments of the invention. The package core, when completely closed, may be void in its casting cavities. Meltable metals, papers, or other consumable materials, seal the gates and keep the loose sand out of the package core. Alternatively, the core package may be filled with foam.

The illusive goal of sound, high-molybdenum, cylinder heads is embodied and easily accomplished by this invented system, method and equipment. Production of such castings is imagined and illustrated in FIGS. 10, 12, 19-21, 23, and 30-32.

FIG. 32 also shows various methods to riser gate cylinder heads, bedplates and similar castings, including feeding by pressurization from the chamber using “no-riser” gating. FIG. 33 shows similar methods applied to engine blocks and other housings.

New casting design possibilities are enabled by the invention. For example, thin walled, high molybdenum iron cylinder heads can be better filled and then solidified under pressure to control isolated shrinkage areas.

A primary goal in the development of the Herron Casting Machine was to automate the casting of aluminum wheels into high speed vertical green sand molds or lost foam. Pressurized filling and pressurized solidification are essential to achieving the necessary properties.

THE NEXT STEP

Several independent efforts to prototype the invention are under discussion. A small and simple embodiment is sufficient to prove the principles of operation:

I would like to present a full disclosure and business plan to any interested parties, particularly foundries and equipment manufacturers. The period of disclosure with trade secrecy is now ending, so we are now widely disseminating the information. Many positive endorsements are in hand.

Preferred licensing arrangements will be available to those willing to build a prototype open to outside visitors. Exclusive partnerships to build and market the equipment are also available. Venture funding opportunities are welcome. Please E-mail DHerron@HerronCasting.com to schedule our complete presentation. Thank you.

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