Apparatus for producing case metallic product by forming a metal

Abstract

Process and apparatus for producing a cast metallic product by forming a metal from a melt inside a forming space of a die under application of pressure to the melt according to a direct melt-forming method, in which while a melt into a forming space of a lower die unit, a piston valve closely slidable in a cylinder space is gradually descended to a given location in the forming space, said cylinder space being located under the casing space and opened to a bottom surface of the forming space at an area smaller than that of said bottom surface; the forming space is closed with an upper die unit after completion of feeding the melt in the forming space; and after the closing step, while vibration is being applied upon the melt inside the forming space, a forming pressure is exerted upon the melt by rising the piston valve.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for producing a cast metallic product by forming a metal from a melt inside a forming space of a die under application of pressure to the melt according to a direct melt-forming method, comprising the steps of: 
 while feeding a melt into a forming space of a lower die unit, gradually descending a piston valve closely slidable in a cylinder space to a given location in the forming space, said cylinder space being located under the casing space and opened to a bottom surface of the forming space at an area smaller than that of said bottom surface;    closing the forming space with an upper die unit after completion of feeding the melt in the forming space; and    after said closing step, while applying vibration upon the melt inside the forming space, applying a forming pressure upon the melt by rising the piston valve.    
     
     
         2 . The producing process set forth in    claim 1   , wherein vibration is applied to the melt during the melt-feeding step.  
     
     
         3 . The producing process set forth in    claim 1    or    2   , which further comprises a step of raising the piston valve on releasing the cast metallic product from the forming space.  
     
     
         4 . A metal-forming apparatus for producing a cast metallic product upon application of pressure to a melt in a forming space according to a direct melt-forming method, comprising a lower die unit having a forming space, an upper die unit for closing the forming space of the lower space, a piston valve mechanism, a vibrator, and a piston valve-driving mechanism, said piston valve mechanism comprising a cylinder space and a piston valve closely slidable in the cylindrical space, said cylinder space being located under the forming space and opened to a bottom surface of the forming space at an area smaller than that of said bottom surface, wherein the piston valve-driving mechanism is controlled such that when the melt is to be fed into the forming space, the piston valve is gradually descended to a given location within the cylinder space, and when the melt-feeding step is terminated and the forming space is closed with the upper die unit, the piston valve is ascended to apply forming pressure upon the melt, and wherein when the forming pressure is applied to the melt in the forming space, the vibrator makes vibration upon the melt through the lower die unit.  
     
     
         5 . The metal-forming apparatus set forth in    claim 4   , wherein vibration is applied to the melt through the upper die unit when the forming pressure is applied to the melt within the forming space.  
     
     
         6 . The metal-forming apparatus set forth in    claim 4    or    5   , wherein the vibrator includes two vibrator units provided for the upper and lower die units.  
     
     
         7 . The metal-forming apparatus set forth in any one of    claims 4    to    6   , wherein the piston valve-driving mechanism is a damper.  
     
     
         8 . The metal-forming apparatus set forth in any one of    claims 4    to    6   , wherein the piston valve-driving mechanism is driven such that when the metallic cast product is to be released from the forming space, the piston valve is ascended.