Gate valve system, casting plant, and casting process

Abstract

A gate valve system includes a base plate and a gate valve plate, a casting plant includes the gate valve system, and a casting process manufactures workpieces, particularly from metal materials. The base plate has an opening and the gate valve plate has a first opening and at least a second opening. The separating gate valve system is set up so that the separating gate valve system can be brought into casting, pressing, and closure positions. In the casting position, the first opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; in the pressing position, the second opening is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; and in the closure position, the gate valve plate closes off the opening of the base plate.

Claims

1. A casting facility comprising a mold and a furnace, wherein a separating gate valve system is arranged between the mold and the furnace, wherein the separating gate valve system comprises a base plate and a gate valve plate, wherein the base plate has an opening and the gate valve plate has a first opening and at least a second opening, and the separating gate valve system is set up in such a manner that the separating gate valve system can be brought into a casting position, a pressing position, and a closure position, wherein in the casting position, the first opening of the gate valve plate is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; in the pressing position, the second opening of the gate valve plate is arranged to align with the opening of the base plate, at least to the greatest possible extent; and in the closure position, the gate valve plate closes off the opening of the base plate, wherein the second opening of the gate value plate is connected to a pneumatic pressure device, so that in the pressure position a pressure is applied to the second opening of the gate value plate to maintain the casting pressure within the mold.

2. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the separating gate valve system is set up in such a manner that the separating gate valve system can be brought into the casting position, the pressing position and/or the closure position by means of a relative movement of the mold relative to the furnace, which is fixed in place.

3. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein in the casting position, the first opening of the gate valve plate, the opening of the base plate, a sprue region of the mold, and a connector of the furnace are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that a passage opening is formed, through which a melt can be introduced into the mold from the furnace.

4. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein in the closure position, a sprue region of the mold is completely closed off by the gate valve plate of the separating gate valve system.

5. The casting facility according to claim 4, wherein the sprue region has a sprue channel and/or a feeder.

6. The casting facility according to claim 4, wherein the sprue region or the mold is set up in such a manner that the pneumatic pressure device can apply a pressure to the melt in the sprue region and thereby the casting pressure can be maintained within the mold even after it is uncoupled from separating gate valve system and furnace.

7. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the gate valve plate is integrated into the mold.

8. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the casting facility comprises a transport apparatus that transports the mold from a casting station to a cooling station.

9. The casting facility according to claim 8, wherein the transport apparatus comprises a rotary table and/or a robot arm.

10. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the furnace has an end that comes to a point, which can be coupled with a funnel plate of the separating gate valve system.

11. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein a funnel plate is arranged on the gate valve plate.

12. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the separating gate valve system comprises, at least in part, tungsten and/or a tungsten alloy and/or a ceramic material.

13. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the base plate and the gate valve plate amounts to less than 0.15 mm.

14. The casting facility according to claim 1, wherein the first opening has a larger cross-sectional surface area through which flow can take place than the second opening.

Description

(1) The drawing shows:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a partial region of a casting facility according to the invention, having a separating gate valve system in the casting position,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a partial region of a casting facility according to the invention, having a separating gate valve system in the pressing position,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a partial region of a casting facility according to the invention, having a separating gate valve system in the closure position.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a partial region of a casting facility 10 according to the invention in a cross-sectional view. In the upper region of FIG. 1, a partial region of a mold 12 having a sprue region 14 situated in it is shown. In the case of the present embodiment, the sprue region 14 is configured as a sprue channel without a feeder. In the lower region of FIG. 1, a partial region of the furnace 16 having a riser pipe 18 is shown.

(6) A separating gate valve system 20 is arranged between the mold 12 and the furnace 16. In this regard, FIG. 1 shows the separating gate valve system 20 according to the invention in a casting position. The separating gate valve system 20 shown comprises a base plate 22 and a gate valve plate 24. The base plate 22 has an opening 26. The gate valve plate 24 has a first opening 28 as well as a second opening 30. In this regard, the second opening 30 is configured by means of two passage openings 30a, 30b through the gate valve plate.

(7) Following this second opening 30, the pressing apparatus (not shown) is connected with the second opening 30 by way of a pressure feed line 32. Furthermore, seals 34 are arranged between the base plate 22 and the gate valve plate 24. The seals 34 are recessed into the gate valve plate 24.

(8) Furthermore, the separating gate valve system 20 comprises a funnel plate 36, which is arranged on the gate valve plate 24 and aligned with it. The funnel plate 36 has an opening 38, wherein the opening 38 of the funnel plate 36 is arranged aligned with the first opening 28 of the gate valve plate 24 and forms a common passage opening. The funnel plate 36 has slanted side regions on the side facing the opening 38.

(9) The furnace 16 has a connector 40 at the end of the riser pipe 18, which connector has slanted side regions on its outside. In this regard, the slanted side regions of the connector 40 are slanted in complementary manner to the side regions of the funnel plate 36. When the furnace 16 is coupled with the separating gate valve system 20, the slanted regions of funnel plate 36 and connector 40 slide on one another. Due to the slanted side regions, the coupling process is simplified and slight deviations of separating gate valve system 20 and furnace 16 can be equalized.

(10) The gate valve plate 24 is displaceably mounted by means of lateral guides 42, wherein the base plate 22 has stops 44 in its end regions, which stops delimit the lateral displacement of the gate valve plate 24.

(11) FIG. 1 shows the casting facility, in particular the separating gate valve system 20, in a casting position. In this regard, the furnace 16 is coupled with the funnel plate 36 by way of the connector 40. The furnace 16, the riser pipe 18, the gate valve plate 24, the base plate 22, as well as the sprue region 14 are arranged relative to one another, in the casting position, in such a manner that the opening 26 of the base plate 22, the first opening 28 of the gate valve plate 24, and the opening 38 of the funnel plate 36 form a continuous passage opening from the furnace 16 to the mold 12. The second opening 30 of the gate valve plate 24 is displaced laterally toward the opening 28 of the base plate 22.

(12) FIG. 2 shows the same partial region of a casting facility 10 according to the invention in a cross-sectional view as in FIG. 1. Contrary to FIG. 1, in FIG. 2 the casting facility 10 according to the invention is shown in a pressing position.

(13) In the pressing position, the furnace 16, the gate valve plate 24, the base plate 22, as well as the sprue region 14 are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that the opening 26 of the base plate 22 and the second opening 30 of the gate valve plate 24 form a continuous passage opening from the pressing apparatus (not shown) to the mold 12. The first opening 28 of the gate valve plate 24 is displaced laterally relative to the opening 26 of the base plate 22.

(14) FIG. 3 shows the same partial region of a casting facility 10 according to the invention in a cross-sectional view as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Contrary to FIGS. 1 and 2, in FIG. 3 the casting facility 10 according to the invention is shown in a closure position.

(15) In the closure position, the furnace 16, the gate valve plate 24, the base plate 22, as well as the sprue region 14 are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that neither a passage opening from the furnace 16 to the mold 12 nor from the pressing apparatus (not shown) to the mold 12 is formed. Instead, the gate valve plate 24 completely closes off the opening 26 of the base plate 22. Both the first opening 28 and the second opening 30 of the gate valve plate 24 are displaced laterally relative to the opening 28 of the base plate 22.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

(16) (is part of the description) 10 casting facility 12 mold 14 sprue region 16 furnace 18 riser pipe 20 separating gate valve system 22 base plate 24 gate valve plate 26 opening in base plate 28 first opening in gate valve plate 30 second opening in gate valve plate 32 pressure feed line 34 seal 36 funnel plate 38 opening in funnel plate 40 connector 42 lateral guide 44 stop