Freight car yoke molding apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for molding a freight car yoke with a one piece core is disclosed herein. An exemplary one piece core may be used with a core mold upper half and a core mold lower half mated at a common split line to define a mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a freight car yoke. The one piece core may replicate all of the molded internal features of a freight car yoke. An apparatus may use a pair of one piece cores to produce a pair of freight car yokes. An exemplary method can utilize the apparatus to produce a pair of freight car yokes through a single pour, using a pair of one piece cores. In an exemplary embodiment the one piece cores are constructed from a cold box with phenolic urethane treated molding sand.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A one piece core for use with a core mold upper half and a core mold lower half mated at a common split line to define a mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a freight car yoke, comprising:
 a one piece core sized to fit within the mold cavity which replicates all of the molded interior features of a freight car yoke.   
     
     
         2 . The one piece core of  claim 1  wherein:
 the core is constructed from a cold box with phenolic urethane treated molding sand. 
 
     
     
         3 . The one piece core of  claim 2  wherein:
 metallic patterns are used to replicate the interior features of the cast freight car yoke within the core during the phenolic urethane molding process. 
 
     
     
         4 . The one piece core of  claim 1  wherein:
 approximately half of the core is within the core mold upper half and approximately half of the core is within the core mold lower half when the core is inserted into the mold cavity. 
 
     
     
         5 . The one piece core of  claim 1  wherein:
 the common split line is located near a centerline of the one piece core. 
 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for molding freight car yokes comprising:
 a core mold upper half and a core mold lower half mated at a common split line to define a mold;   a first mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a first freight car yoke;   a second mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a second freight car yoke;   a first core sized to fit within the first mold cavity which replicates all of the molded interior features of a freight car yoke; and   a second core sized to fit within the second mold cavity which replicates all of the molded interior features of a freight car yoke.   
     
     
         7 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a riser vent in the core mold upper half; and 
 a filling gate in the core mold upper half. 
 
     
     
         8 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising:
 first and second handling grooves positioned on opposing bottom edges of the core mold lower half. 
 
     
     
         9 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a protrusion extending from the core mold lower half; and 
 a cavity within the core mold upper half that receives the protrusion. 
 
     
     
         10 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the first and second mold cavities are placed substantially equidistant from a midline of the mold. 
 
     
     
         11 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the first and second cores are one piece cores. 
 
     
     
         12 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the first and second cores are constructed from a cold box with phenolic urethane treated molding sand. 
 
     
     
         13 . The molding apparatus of  claim 12  wherein:
 metallic patterns are used to replicate the interior features of the cast freight car yoke within the first and second cores during the phenolic urethane molding process. 
 
     
     
         14 . The molding apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 approximately half of the first and second cores are within the core mold upper half and approximately half of the first and second cores are within the core mold lower half when the first and second cores are inserted into the mold cavity. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method for molding a pair of freight yokes with a pair of cores comprising the steps of:
 presenting a core mold upper half and a core mold lower half mated at a common split line to define a mold, a filling gate in the core mold upper half, a first mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a first freight car yoke, a second mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a second freight car yoke; a first one piece core sized to fit within the first mold cavity; and a second one piece core sized to fit within the second mold cavity; and   pouring molten metal into the filling gate so as to simultaneously fill the first and second mold cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The molding method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the first and second cores each replicate all of the molded interior features of a freight car yoke. 
 
     
     
         17 . The molding method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the first and second cores are constructed from a cold box with phenolic urethane treated molding sand. 
 
     
     
         18 . The molding method of  claim 17  wherein:
 metallic patterns are used to replicate the interior features of the cast freight car yoke within the first and second crers during the phenolic urethane molding process. 
 
     
     
         19 . The molding method of  claim 15  wherein:
 approximately half of the first and second cores are within the core mold upper half and approximately half of the first and second cores are within the core mold lower half when the first and second cores are inserted into their respective mold cavities. 
 
     
     
         20 . The molding method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the common split line is located near a centerline of the first core and a centerline of the second core.