Casting apparatus with mold handling/positioning fixture

Abstract

Investment shell mold has a locating fixture thereon by which the shell mold can be handled and moved between a mold heating chamber and a casting chamber by a mold manipulator. The mold manipulator positions the preheated mold in the casting chamber to cooperatively engage a locator fixture disposed in the casting chamber. The locator fixture orients the preheated mold in predetermined position relative to a melt-delivery vessel in the casting chamber so as to receive melt therefrom.

We claim  
     
         1 . Casting apparatus, comprising a mold having a mold locating fixture thereon, a casting chamber including a melt-delivery device from which the mold receives a melt, a locator fixture disposed in the casting chamber, and a mold manipulator for positioning said mold in said casting chamber with said mold locating fixture cooperatively engaged with the locator fixture in the casting chamber to locate said mold relative to said melt-delivery device.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mold locating fixture is integral to the shell mold.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the mold locating fixture is integral to a pour cup of the mold.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mold fixture comprises first and second coplanar member on opposite sides of the pour cup.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mold fixture comprises a planar member proximate the pour cup.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said melt-delivery device is a crucible communicated to the casting chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the crucible is a tiltable to pour melt therefrom into the mold.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the locator fixture comprises first and second parallel rails with each rail having a horizontal surface and vertical surface.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the horizontal surfaces are coplanar to define a reference horizontal plane in a height direction.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the vertical surfaces are parallel to define reference vertical planes spaced apart in a lateral direction normal to the horizontal plane.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first and second rails are cooperably associated with a vertical surface that controls location of the mold in a direction perpendicular to the height direction and lateral direction.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the vertical surface is formed by a third rail disposed between the first and second rails.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said surfaces position the shell mold at a vertical height and first and second lateral orientations relative to a melt-delivery vessel.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mold manipulator comprises a mold pick-up tool to engage said mold locating fixture.  
     
     
         15 . A method of casting molten metallic material, comprising providing a mold to have a mold locating fixture thereon and positioning the mold in a casting chamber with said mold locating fixture in cooperative engagement with a locator fixture disposed in said casting chamber so as to orient the mold to receive molten metallic material.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  including providing the mold locating fixture integrally on the mold.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the mold locating fixture is formed integrally on a pour cup of the mold.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the mold fixture comprises first and second coplanar members on opposite sides of the pour cup.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the locator fixture comprises a first and second parallel rails with each rail having a horizontal surface and vertical surface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the locator fixture includes a vertical surface that controls location of the mold in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal surfaces and vertical surfaces.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  including disposing a melt-delivery vessel to communicate to the casting chamber.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the locator fixture positions the mold in predetermined position relative to the melt-delivery vessel.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15  including lifting the preheated mold by the mold manipulator.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  including lowering the preheated mold onto the locator fixture in the casting chamber.  
     
     
         25 . Method of casting molten metallic material, comprising: 
 preheating a mold in a mold heating chamber,    engaging a mold manipulator with a mold locating fixture disposed on the mold,    moving the preheated mold using the mold manipulator from the mold heating chamber to a casting chamber having a melt-delivery vessel,    positioning the preheated mold in the casting chamber with the mold locating fixture cooperatively engaged with a locator fixture in the casting furnace so as to position the preheated mold at a vertical height and lateral orientation relative to the melt-delivery vessel, and    transferring molten metallic material from the melt-delivery device into the preheated mold.