A flaskless molding machine includes: an upper flask; a lower flask; an upper sand tank; an upper plate attached to a lower end of the upper sand tank; a first lower sand tank; a second lower sand tank; a lower plate attached to an upper end of the second lower sand tank; a drive unit performing squeezing using the upper plate and the lower plate; an adjustment drive unit moving the first lower sand tank; a first detector detecting a height position of the first lower sand tank; a second detector detecting a height position of the second lower sand tank; and a control unit operating the drive unit and the adjustment drive unit so that the height positions of the first communication port and the second communication port coincide with each other, based on detection results of the first detector and the second detector.

A sand molding apparatus and method, whereby cope and drag portions of a sand mold are formed simultaneously via pressurized sand delivered to each side of a pattern in a perpendicular trajectory. Two opposing sand shooting passageways include a vertical inner side wall and a horizontal inner side wall extending at an angle from the vertical inner side wall. A sand shooting plate at the outlet of each sand shooting passageway includes removable and interchangeable port and cover inserts that can be arranged in custom arrays within the sand shooting plate.

A sand molding apparatus and method, whereby cope and drag portions of a sand mold are formed simultaneously via pressurized sand delivered to each side of a pattern in a perpendicular trajectory. Two opposing sand shooting passageways include a vertical inner side wall and a horizontal inner side wall extending at an angle from the vertical inner side wall. A sand shooting plate at the outlet of each sand shooting passageway includes removable and interchangeable port and cover inserts that can be arranged in custom arrays within the sand shooting plate.

A sand molding apparatus and method, whereby cope and drag portions of a sand mold are formed simultaneously via pressurized sand delivered to each side of a pattern in a perpendicular trajectory. Two opposing sand shooting passageways include a vertical inner side wall and a horizontal inner side wall extending at an angle from the vertical inner side wall. A sand shooting plate at the outlet of each sand shooting passageway includes removable and interchangeable port and cover inserts that can be arranged in custom arrays within the sand shooting plate.

A sand molding apparatus and method, whereby cope and drag portions of a sand mold are formed simultaneously via pressurized sand delivered to each side of a pattern in a perpendicular trajectory. Two opposing sand shooting passageways include a vertical inner side wall and a horizontal inner side wall extending at an angle from the vertical inner side wall. A sand shooting plate at the outlet of each sand shooting passageway includes removable and interchangeable port and cover inserts that can be arranged in custom arrays within the sand shooting plate.

An assembly includes a first mold component defining a first portion of a mold cavity and a first slot. The first slot corresponds to a first portion of a retention channel. The assembly also includes a second mold component defining a second portion of the mold cavity and a second slot. The second slot corresponds to a second portion of the retention channel. The assembly also includes a connector having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the retention channel. The connector has thermal expansion characteristics that are different from thermal expansion characteristics of the first and second mold components such that when the first and second mold components are in contact and the connector is inserted into the retention channel, heating the assembly causes differential thermal expansion of the connector and the mold components resulting in a clamping force between the mold components.

An assembly includes a first mold component defining a first portion of a mold cavity and a first slot. The first slot corresponds to a first portion of a retention channel. The assembly also includes a second mold component defining a second portion of the mold cavity and a second slot. The second slot corresponds to a second portion of the retention channel. The assembly also includes a connector having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the retention channel. The connector has thermal expansion characteristics that are different from thermal expansion characteristics of the first and second mold components such that when the first and second mold components are in contact and the connector is inserted into the retention channel, heating the assembly causes differential thermal expansion of the connector and the mold components resulting in a clamping force between the mold components.

A flaskless molding machine includes: an upper flask; a lower flask; an upper sand tank; an upper plate attached to a lower end of the upper sand tank; a first lower sand tank; a second lower sand tank; a lower plate attached to an upper end of the second lower sand tank; a drive unit performing squeezing using the upper plate and the lower plate; an adjustment drive unit moving the first lower sand tank; a first detector detecting a height position of the first lower sand tank; a second detector detecting a height position of the second lower sand tank; and a control unit operating the drive unit and the adjustment drive unit so that the height positions of the first communication port and the second communication port coincide with each other, based on detection results of the first detector and the second detector.

A flaskless molding machine includes: an upper flask; a lower flask; an upper sand tank; an upper plate attached to a lower end of the upper sand tank; a first lower sand tank; a second lower sand tank; a lower plate attached to an upper end of the second lower sand tank; a drive unit performing squeezing using the upper plate and the lower plate; an adjustment drive unit moving the first lower sand tank; a first detector detecting a height position of the first lower sand tank; a second detector detecting a height position of the second lower sand tank; and a control unit operating the drive unit and the adjustment drive unit so that the height positions of the first communication port and the second communication port coincide with each other, based on detection results of the first detector and the second detector.

A flaskless molding machine includes: an upper flask; a lower flask; a drive unit moving the lower flask; a lower filling frame; an upper plate; a lower plate; an upper flask oil-hydraulic cylinder coupled to the upper flask; a first oil-hydraulic circuit of the upper flask oil-hydraulic cylinder; a lower filling frame oil-hydraulic cylinder coupled to the lower filling frame; a second oil-hydraulic circuit of the lower filling frame oil-hydraulic cylinder; and drive units performing a squeeze process by moving the lower plate in an upward direction, wherein the first oil-hydraulic circuit includes a back pressure circuit applying a first back pressure serving as a resistance against an upward movement of the upper flask toward the upper plate, and the second oil-hydraulic circuit includes a back pressure circuit applying a second back pressure serving as a resistance against a downward movement of the lower filling frame toward the lower plate.