Method and System for Casting Metal Using a Riser Sleeve with an Integral Mold Cavity Vent

Abstract

A metal casting riser sleeve system includes a mold cavity and a vented riser sleeve. The vented riser sleeve includes a riser reservoir and a vent passage. The riser reservoir is fluidly connected to the mold cavity and configured to allow molten alloy to flow from the mold cavity to the vented riser sleeve to create a casting portion. The vent passage extends through a length of the vented riser sleeve to allow airflow from the mold cavity through the vent passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A metal casting system, comprising:
 a mold cavity; and   a vented riser sleeve comprising:
 a riser reservoir fluidly connected to the mold cavity and configured to allow molten alloy to flow from the mold cavity to the vented riser sleeve; and 
 a vent passage extending through a length of the vented riser sleeve to allow airflow from the mold cavity through the vent passage. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vent passage is cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vent passage is rectangularly shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vent passage extends to a highest surface of the mold cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vented riser sleeve comprises a plurality of vent passages. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mold cavity defines, at least in part, a perimeter of a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the vented riser sleeve further comprises a lip portion that facilitates casting a tread portion of the railcar wheel. 
     
     
         8 . A metal casting system, comprising:
 a molding flask comprising:
 a drag mold portion comprising external and internal drag mold walls; 
 a cope mold portion comprising external and internal cope mold walls, wherein the internal drag mold walls and the internal cope mold walls form at least in part a mold pattern cavity representative of a mold pattern; and 
   a vented riser sleeve comprising:
 a riser reservoir fluidly connected to the mold pattern cavity and configured to allow molten alloy to flow from the mold cavity to the vented riser sleeve; and 
 a vent passage extending through a length of the vented riser sleeve to allow airflow from the mold cavity through the vent passage. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vent passage is cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vent passage is rectangularly shaped. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vent passage extends to a highest surface of the mold cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vented riser sleeve comprises a plurality of vent passages. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the mold cavity defines, at least in part, a perimeter of a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the vented riser sleeve further comprises a lip portion that facilitates casting a tread portion of the railcar wheel. 
     
     
         15 . A metal casting method, comprising:
 positioning a vented riser sleeve system within in a flask comprising a mold cavity, the vented riser sleeve extending at least from the flask to the mold cavity, the vented riser sleeve system comprising:
 a riser reservoir fluidly connected to the mold pattern cavity and configured to allow molten alloy to flow from the mold cavity to the vented riser sleeve; and 
 a vent passage extending through a length of the vented riser sleeve to allow airflow from the mold cavity through the vent passage; and 
   removing the vented riser sleeve from the casting portion.   
     
     
         16 . The metal casting method of  claim 15 , wherein the vent passage is cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The metal casting method of  claim 15 , wherein the vent passage extends to a highest surface of the mold cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The metal casting method of  claim 15 , wherein the vented riser sleeve comprises a plurality of vent passages. 
     
     
         19 . The metal casting method of  claim 15 , wherein the mold cavity defines, at least in part, a perimeter of a railcar wheel. 
     
     
         20 . The metal casting method of  claim 19 , wherein the vented riser sleeve further comprises a lip portion that facilitates casting a tread portion of the railcar wheel.