Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for promoting uniform sand distribution into a mold flask in a foundry process, comprising a fixed distribution plate mounted subjacent a hopper and a slide distribution plate slidably mounted subjacent the fixed plate, wherein the slide plate has a repeating series of apertures therethrough with each aperture series corresponding to one aperture through the fixed plate. Each aperture series comprises a plurality of apertures having different diameters wherein the largest aperture diameter is substantially equal to the uniform aperture diameter through the fixed plate. Accordingly, the slide plate is movable between a plurality of open positions such that as different flow rates are desired through the distribution plates, the appropriate sized apertures through the slide plate are fully aligned with the apertures through the fixed plate. In an alternate embodiment, the sand distribution apparatus comprises a fixed distribution plate mounted subjacent a hopper, a first slide distribution plate slidably mounted subjacent the fixed plate, and a second slide distribution plate slidably mounted subjacent the first slide plate, such that the apertures through the distribution plates can be aligned to form a plurality of zigzag channels through which sand can flow at a reduced flow rate from the hopper into the mold flask. The present invention substantially reduces or eliminates skewed sand flow and substantially eliminates offset sand flow encountered in the prior art sand distribution apparatus having only a single slide plate when the apertures through the fixed and slide plates are partially overlapped for reduced sand flow.

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First Claim