Vertical die casting machines

In a vertical die casting machine of the type wherein molten metal contained in a vertical casting sleeve located beneath a stationary platen is cast into a die cavity defined between a stationary die and a movable die urged against the stationary die, the casting sleeve is divided into an upper and a lower part. The upper casting sleeve is secured to the stationary platen in communication with the die cavity. The lower casting sleeve is normally held in vertical alignment with the upper casting sleeve but is moved to a position lateral to the stationary platen for receiving the molten metal. When the lower casting sleeve is returned to the normal vertical position it is urged against the upper casting sleeve and molten metal in the lower casting sleeve is teemed and cast into the die cavity by operating an injection plunger.

1. In a vertical die casting machine of the type comprising a stationary platen, a stationary die secured to said stationary platen, a movable die, means mounted on said stationary platen for urging said movable die against said stationary die thereby defining a die cavity therebetween, the improvement which comprises an upper casting sleeve having an axis and being secured to said stationary platen and communicating with said die cavity, a lower casting sleeve having an axis and being normally held in vertical axial alignment with said upper casting sleeve, an injection plunger contained in said lower casting sleeve, means for causing motion of said lower casting sleeve with respect to said upper casting sleeve along the aligned axes to engage and disengage said sleeves, a supporting member for supporting said lower casting sleeve when it is disengaged from said upper casting sleeve, means for tilting said lower casting sleeve between its normal position in which said lower casting sleeve is held in vertical alignment with said upper casting sleeve and a position laterally disposed from said stationary platen, means for pouring molten metal into said lower casting sleeve when it is maintained at said lateral position, and first fluid pressure cylinder means pivotally connected to a stationary structure for operating said injection plunger for casting said molten metal into said die cavity, said tilting means including a second fluid pressure cylinder coupled to said first fluid pressure cylinder and a stationary structure.

2. The vertical die casting machine according to claim 1 which further comprises a support mounted on said first fluid pressure cylinder for supporting said lower casting sleeve when it is disengaged from said upper casting sleeve.

3. The vertical die casting machine according to claim 1 wherein said means for causing said lower casting sleeve to engage and disengage said upper casting sleeve comprises a third fluid pressure cylinder connected between said stationary platen and said lower casting sleeve.

4. The vertical die casting machine according to claim 1 which further comprises means for cooling said upper casting sleeve.

5. The vertical die casting machine according to claim 1 which further comprises means for heating said lower casting plunger.

6. The vertical die casting machine according to claim 1 which further comprises a thermal insulating member provided between the abutting end of said upper and lower casting sleeves. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved vertical die casting machine which is easy to maintain, has a high productivity and does not degrade the quality of the products produced.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved vertical die casting machine in which it is not necessary to teem the molten metal into the casting sleeve from above the satationary die, thereby improving the quality of the product and making easy to clean the dies and to apply thereon a lubricant.

According to this invention, there is provided a vertical die casting machine of the type comprising a stationary platen, a stationary die secured to the stationary platen, a movable die, means mounted on the stationary platen for urging the movable die against the stationary die thereby defining a die cavity therebetween, in which the vertical die casting machine is provided with an upper casting sleeve secured to the stationary platen and communicating with the die cavity, a lower casting sleeve normally held in vertical alignment with the upper casting sleeve, an injection plunger contained in the lower casting sleeve, means for causing the lower casting sleeve to engage and disengage the upper casting sleeve, a supporting member for supporting the lower casting sleeve when it is disengaged from the upper casting sleeve, means for moving the lower casting sleeve between its normal position in which it is held in vertical alignment with the upper casting sleeve and a position lateral to the stationary platen, means for pouring molten metal into the lower casting sleeve when it is maintained at the lateral position, and means for operating the injection plunger for casting the molten metal into the die cavity.

The lower casting sleeve is inclined or moved in the horizontal direction to the lateral position.