An automatic ladling apparatus for conveying molten metal from a furnace to a die casting machine or the like. The ladle dipper is carried through its ladling cycles by means of cooperating link assemblies mounted on an upright base or pedestal. The assemblies include a motion generating link assembly having a generating arm with an outer end adapted to move through a generally horizontal path with a downwardly curved vertical portion at one end. The other end of the generating arm is connected to a crank arm mounted on a crankshaft that is turned by an appropriate drive through a Geneva motion mechanism. The motion of the generator arm is further controlled by a rocking link connected between the arm and the base. The outer end of the generator arm is connected to a second link assembly that includes a main link connected at one end to the base and a carrier link connected to the main link at one end and adapted to carry the ladle dipper at its other end. The attitude (i.e., tilt angle) between fill, transport, and pour positions is controlled through a chain and sprocket mechanism extending through the main link and carrier link and by a cam link and crank arrangement controlled alternately by the crankshaft movement and by the rocking link movement to coordinate the ladle attitude with the path of travel between the furnace and the die casting machine.
Patent of Invention for a mechanical carrier, comprising a supporting chassis (1), a movable body, (3) in internal position, driven by a pneumatic cylinder (4), having a first jointed set (5), comprising a pair of cross arms, parallel to each other and jointed in a triangular part (8), fixed to a chain (9), which fits to the gear (10) mounted on the movable body (3); said triangular part (8) is coupled to the lower arm (7) and a stem (12) within a jacket (13), the positioning of which is determined by the supports (14) and (15) fixed to the jacket (13) and to the vertex of the triangular part (8), while the support (15) is jointed to the end of the stem (12), by means of a horizontal part (16), which can have coupled thereto a grasping device (24).
In automatic melting crucible tipping it is important that, starting from a certain angular position, the melting crucible (1) is tipped according to a predetermined model until emptying is complete. This model can be obtained, for example, by the so-called teach-in process and can be stored in an analog or digital memory (89). In order to prevent abrupt movement of the crucible (1) when the molten material touches the pouring lip (3) of the crucible (1) when the pour-lip angle has been reached, according to the invention a correction arrangement (108, 109, 37) is provided which enables the tipping process to proceed continuously and without abrupt movements even in the case of different pour-lip angles.
A method for filling a ladle cup of a ladle assembly with molten aluminum to reduce formation of aluminum oxides. The ladle cup is rotated into alignment with an axis of a ladle arm, which carries the ladle cup, such that a plane defined by the ladle cup rim is generally parallel to the ladle arm axis and the opening of the ladle cup faces parallel to a surface of the molten aluminum. The ladle cup is inserted into the bath of molten aluminum while maintained in alignment with the ladle arm axis. When the ladle cup reaches its final position within the bath of molten aluminum, the ladle cup is rotated to a desired angular orientation, which corresponds to a desired shot weight, and then is raised out of the molten aluminum while being retained in the desired angular orientation.
A method and apparatus for the quiescent-fill dip of a foundry ladle and the transportation of molten material from a crucible to a mold through a foundry pour basin. Advantages from this process include, among others, a design which minimizes or eliminates turbulence in the molten material, especially in regard to the folding of one stream of molten material into another, as a means to provide undamaged metal to casting molds.
