Sand printed mold package for casting a wheel assembly having directional solidification features

Abstract

A mold package for casting a wheel assembly includes a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber and a metal chill received in the support chamber. The mold package further includes at least one sand printed mold insert received in the cavity of the sand printed drag mold and a sand printed cope mold coupled to the sand printed drag mold such that a casting cavity for the wheel assembly is created by the exterior inner surfaces of the cope mold, the drag mold and the at least one insert.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mold package for casting a wheel assembly, comprising:
 a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber;   a metal chill received in the support chamber;   at least one sand printed mold insert received in the cavity of the sand printed drag mold; and   a sand printed cope mold coupled to the sand printed drag mold thereby defining a wheel casting cavity disposed therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The mold package of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the drag mold is defined by a bottom wall having sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom, wherein the chill support chamber is disposed on the bottom wall. 
     
     
         3 . The mold package of  claim 2 , wherein the cope mold further comprises an upper surface and a lower surface with riser cavities disposed therebetween opening into the casting cavity;
 a frustum projection extending downwardly from the lower surface, wherein the frustum projection further includes a patterned lower surface; and   a sprue disposed in the cope mold having an upper inlet port disposed on the upper surface of the cope mold and an outlet port disposed on the patterned lower surface of the frustum projection, wherein the outlet port opens into the casting cavity.   
     
     
         4 . The mold package of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 one or more guide members disposed on upper portions of the sidewalls of the drag mold; and   one or more guide chambers disposed on the lower surface of the cope mold and adapted to align with and engage the one or more guide members of the drag mold in assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The mold package of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sand printed mold insert comprises sidewalls, a rear wall and an annular front wall. 
     
     
         6 . The mold package of  claim 5 , wherein the rear wall of the at least one sand printed mold insert further comprises upper and lower guide members. 
     
     
         7 . The mold package of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom wall of the drag mold includes guide channels adapted to receive the lower guide members of the at least one insert, and further wherein the cope mold includes guide chambers disposed on the lower surface thereof adapted to receive the upper guide members of the at least one insert. 
     
     
         8 . The mold package of  claim 5 , wherein the sidewalls of the at least one insert are angled sidewalls, and further wherein one or more side walls of the drag mold are angled inwardly towards the cavity of the drag mold and adapted to align with the angled sidewalls of the at least one insert. 
     
     
         9 . The mold package of  claim 1 , wherein the casting cavity comprises a hub casting cavity, a disk casting cavity and a rim casting cavity. 
     
     
         10 . A mold package for casting a wheel assembly, comprising:
 a sand printed drag mold having a cavity with a chill support chamber;   a metal chill received in the chill support chamber;   first and second side cores received in the cavity; and   a sand printed cope mold coupled to the drag mold, wherein a wheel casting cavity is defined in a spacing between the cope mold, the drag mold and the first and second side cores.   
     
     
         11 . The mold package of  claim 10 , wherein the cavity of the drag mold is defined by a bottom wall having sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom, wherein the chill support chamber is disposed on the bottom wall. 
     
     
         12 . The mold package of  claim 11 , wherein the cope mold further comprises an upper surface and a lower surface with riser cavities disposed therebetween opening into the wheel casting cavity;
 a frustum projection extending downwardly from the lower surface, wherein the frustum projection further includes a patterned lower surface; and   a sprue disposed in the cope mold having an upper inlet port disposed on the upper surface of the cope mold and an outlet port disposed on the patterned lower surface of the frustum projection, wherein the outlet port opens into the casting cavity.   
     
     
         13 . The mold package of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more guide members disposed on upper portions of the sidewalls of the drag mold; and   one or more guide chambers disposed on the lower surface of the cope mold, the one or more guide chambers adapted to align with and engage the one or more guide members of the drag mold in assembly.   
     
     
         14 . The mold package of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second side cores each comprise sidewalls, a rear wall and an annular front wall. 
     
     
         15 . The mold package of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second side cores each comprise upper and lower guide members extending outwardly from the rear wall. 
     
     
         16 . The mold package of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall of the drag mold includes guide channels adapted to receive the lower guide members of the first and second side cores, and further wherein the cope mold includes guide chambers disposed on the lower surface thereof adapted to receive the upper guide members of the first and second side cores. 
     
     
         17 . The mold package of  claim 16 , wherein the sidewalls of the first and second side cores angled sidewalls, and further wherein one or more side walls of the drag mold are angled inwardly towards the cavity of the drag mold and adapted to align with the angled sidewalls of the first and second side cores. 
     
     
         18 . The mold package of  claim 17 , wherein the casting cavity comprises a hub casting cavity, a disk casting cavity and a rim casting cavity, the rim casting cavity defined by the annular front walls of the first and second side cores.