Multi-shot casting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456830-B2
Application number	US-201715605087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2012
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

An alloy part is cast in a mold (280) having a part-forming cavity (292, 294, 296). The method comprises pouring a first alloy into the mold. The pouring causes: a surface (550) of the first alloy in the part-forming cavity to raise relative to the part-forming cavity; a branch flow of the poured first alloy to pass upwardly through a first portion (304) of a passageway; and the branch flow to pass downwardly through a second portion (310), of the passageway; solidifying some of the first alloy in the passageway to block the passageway while at least some of the first alloy in the part-forming cavity remains molten. A second alloy is poured into the mold atop the first alloy and solidified.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end; and
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end, the at least one overflow passageway comprising an up-pass ( 304 ; 304 - 2 ) from the part-forming cavity to the apex and a downpass ( 310 ; 310 - 2 ) from the apex.

2. The casting mold of claim 1 wherein the part-forming cavity is shaped to form a blade and comprises:
a root portion for casting an attachment root of the blade; and
an airfoil section for casting an airfoil of the blade, the airfoil having a first end and a second end and a span between the first end and the second end.

3. The casting mold of claim 2 wherein:
the apex is at a level along the span.

4. The casting mold of claim 1 further comprising a grain starter ( 298 ) below the part-forming cavity.

5. The casting mold of claim 1 wherein the at least one overflow passageway includes an enlarged chamber ( 302 ; 302 - 2 ) enlarged relative to the up-pass.

6. The casting mold of claim 1 further comprising:
a pour cone ( 406 ); and
a downsprue extending from the pour cone toward the part-forming cavity and comprising:
a lower portion ( 402 ) having a plurality of ports ( 422 , 428 ) in communication with the part-forming cavity; and
an upper portion ( 404 ) telescoping relative to the lower portion and coupling the lower portion to the pour cone.

7. The casting mold of claim 1 further comprising:
a first pour cone ( 602 );
a downsprue ( 606 , 360 ) extending from the first pour cone toward the part-forming cavity; and
a second pour cone ( 604 ) in communication with the part-forming cavity.

8. The casting mold of claim 1 in combination with a casting apparatus, the casting apparatus having:
a first ingot feeder ( 804 );
a first induction melter ( 808 ) positioned to receive an ingot from the first ingot feeder;
a first actuator ( 809 ) for rotating the first induction melter from a charging orientation to a pouring orientation for pouring into the part-forming cavity;
a second ingot feeder ( 804 );
a second induction melter ( 808 ) positioned to receive an ingot from the second ingot feeder; and
a second actuator ( 809 ) for rotating the second induction melter from a charging orientation to a pouring orientation for pouring into the part-forming cavity.

9. The casting mold of claim 1 further comprising:
a pour cone; and
a downsprue extending from the pour cone toward the part-forming cavity.

10. The casting mold of claim 1 further comprising:
a first pour cone;
at least one first passageway extending from the first pour cone toward the part-forming cavity;
a second pour cone, concentric with the first pour cone; and
at least one second passageway extending from the second pour cone toward the part-forming cavity.

11. The casting mold of claim 10 wherein:
the part-forming cavity is one of a plurality of part-forming cavities;
a respective first passageway of said at least one first passageway respectively extends from the first pour cone toward each the part-forming cavities; and
a respective second passageway of said at least one second passageway respectively extends from the second pour cone toward each the part-forming cavities.

12. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end;
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end; and
a grain starter ( 298 ) below the part-forming cavity.

13. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end;
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end;
a pour cone ( 406 ); and
a downsprue extending from the pour cone toward the part-forming cavity and comprising:
a lower portion ( 402 ) having a plurality of ports ( 422 , 428 ) in communication with the part-forming cavity; and
an upper portion ( 404 ) telescoping relative to the lower portion and coupling the lower portion to the pour cone.

14. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end;
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end;
a first pour cone ( 602 );
a downsprue ( 606 , 360 ) extending from the first pour cone toward the part-forming cavity; and
a second pour cone ( 604 ) in communication with the part-forming cavity.

15. A casting mold and casting apparatus combination comprising:
a casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end; and
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end; and

a casting apparatus, the casting apparatus having:
a first ingot feeder ( 804 );
a first induction melter ( 808 ) positioned to receive an ingot from the first ingot feeder;
a first actuator ( 809 ) for rotating the first induction melter from a charging orientation to a pouring orientation for pouring into the part-forming cavity;
a second ingot feeder ( 804 );
a second induction melter ( 808 ) positioned to receive an ingot from the second ingot feeder; and
a second actuator ( 809 ) for rotating the second induction melter from a charging orientation to a pouring orientation for pouring into the part-forming cavity.

16. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end;
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end;
a pour cone; and
a downsprue extending from the pour cone toward the part-forming cavity.

17. A casting mold ( 280 ; 398 ) comprising:
a part-forming cavity ( 292 , 294 , 296 ) having a lower end and an upper end;
at least one overflow passageway ( 302 , 304 , 310 ; 302 - 2 ; 304 - 2 ; 310 - 2 ) having an apex ( 314 ; 314 - 2 ) at a level between the upper end and the lower end;
a first pour cone;
at least one first passageway extending from the first pour cone toward the part-forming cavity;
a second pour cone, concentric with the first pour cone; and
at least one second passageway extending from the second pour cone toward the part-forming cavity.

18. The casting mold of claim 17 wherein:
the part-forming cavity is one of a plurality of part-forming cavities;
a respective first passageway of said at least one first passageway respectively extends from the first pour cone toward each the part-forming cavities; and
a respective second passageway of said at least one second passageway respectively extends from the second pour cone toward each the part-forming cavities.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Bullied Steven J
• Shah Dilip M
• Cetel Alan D
• Marcin John J

Classifications

• B22D19/16 Primary

  for making compound objects cast of two or more different metals, e.g. for making rolls for rolling mills (casting compound ingots B22D7/02) · CPC title

• F01D5/147

  Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18) · CPC title

• B22D27/045

  Directionally solidified castings · CPC title

• F05D2230/211

  by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting · CPC title