초록 ▼

Devices are disclosed for the high speed centrifugal casting of one or more spheroids. One or more hollow spherical molds are each caused to rotate at high speed about two substantially perpendicular axes intersecting at the center of the mold. Where the mold is partially filled with casting materia

Devices are disclosed for the high speed centrifugal casting of one or more spheroids. One or more hollow spherical molds are each caused to rotate at high speed about two substantially perpendicular axes intersecting at the center of the mold. Where the mold is partially filled with casting material, a hollow spheroid having walls of even thickness results. Where the mold is filled with multiple casting materials with different densities, the resulting spheroid will have a core that is less dense than its outer layers. Such spheroids are useful as sporting goods, bearing balls, insulation material, and in numerous other applications.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A device for centrifugally casting spheroids, said device comprising: (a) a support structure;(b) a frame capable of being mounted on said support structure, said frame being capable of rotation about a primary axis;(c) a plurality of molds, said molds mountable on said frame in a straight line a

1. A device for centrifugally casting spheroids, said device comprising: (a) a support structure;(b) a frame capable of being mounted on said support structure, said frame being capable of rotation about a primary axis;(c) a plurality of molds, said molds mountable on said frame in a straight line along said primary axis, each of said molds having a first and second rotational mounting point on opposite sides of each of said molds, each of said molds mountable on said frame at said first and second rotational mounting points, each of said molds having mold walls forming a hollow spherical interior, said hollow spherical interior having an inner surface, and the center of each of said hollow spherical interiors of said molds located on said primary axis;(d) said frame having a first side configured to meet said first rotational mounting points, and a second side configured to meet said second rotational mounting points(e) said hollow spherical interiors of said molds being capable of containing casting material;(f) said molds being separable such that said hollow spherical interiors may be opened into hemispheres;(g) said molds being capable of being caused to rotate about said primary axis by said rotation of said frame;(h) said molds being capable of rotating on said frame about secondary axes passing through the center of each of said hollow spherical interiors of said molds, said secondary axes each being substantially perpendicular to said primary axis, and said secondary axes passing through said first and second rotational mounting points of each of said molds;(i) a primary drive motor for rotating said frame about said primary axis;(j) each of said molds having one or more mold gears, and said mold gears being driveably couplable among said molds from each one of said molds to the adjacent one of said molds such that the rotation of any one of said molds is transferred to said adjacent one of said molds;(k) a drive gear system couplable to one or more of said mold gears to rotate said molds about said secondary axes while said frame is rotated about said primary axis, wherein said drive gear system includes a set differential gears configured to connect said drive gear system to a source of rotation to drive said drive gear system;(l) wherein, for each of said molds, said mold has a neck configured for meeting said frame at at least one of said first and second rotational mounting points, said neck configured to be centered on said secondary axis and to extend from said mold toward said frame, said neck having a neck surface configured to encircle said secondary axis at an angle to said secondary axis, and said frame having a circular rotary mount configured to be centered on said secondary axis and rotationally engagable with said neck surface, wherein said rotary mount is configured to be able to transfer an axial load to said neck substantially parallel to said secondary axis, and wherein said rotary mount is configured to be able to allow said mold to rotate continuously about said secondary axis while said axial load is applied;(m) wherein said device is configurable for operation such that, for each one of said molds, the combination of (A) said mold and (B) what is attached to said mold that rotates about said secondary axis of said mold, has its center of mass located substantially at the center of said hollow spherical interior of said mold;(n) wherein said device is configurable for operation such that the combination of (C) said frame and (D) what is attached to said frame that rotates about said primary axis, exclusive of said support structure and elements (A)-(B), also has its center of mass located substantially on said primary axis. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said molds has a valve located on said mold, said valve substantially centered along said secondary axis and communicating with said hollow spherical interior of said mold, said valve adapted to selectively allow the entry of fluent materials into or the escape of fluent materials from said hollow spherical interior of said mold. 3. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said molds possesses a second of said valves located on the opposite side of said mold and substantially centered on said secondary axis. 4. The device of claim 1 including an induction heating system capable of heating said casting material within said molds, wherein said induction heating system includes a single conductive wire turned in coils about each of said molds within said frame and capable of rotating with said molds about said primary axis, and wherein said conductive wire has a first end that forms a rotary electrical contact with a source of electricity outside of said frame. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein, for each of said molds, said hemispheres of said molds are capable of separation along said secondary axis to permit the release of one of said spheroids, and a segment of at least one of said first or second sides of said frame may be separated from the remainder of said frame to allow said separation, and wherein said segment is releasably connected to the other of said sides of said frame by a tightenable structure, said tightenable structure capable of being selectively tightened to apply a desired amount of pressure to said mold walls of said one of said molds. 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said mold walls contain a refractory metal oxide selected from the group consisting of (A) magnesium oxide and (B) zirconium dioxide. 7. The device of claim 1 including a second drive motor for engaging said drive gear system to rotate said molds about said secondary axis, and wherein said second drive motor is located at a location that does not rotate with said frame. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of at least one of said molds has a surface contour for the purpose of creating a correspondingly shaped contour on the surface of said spheroid, said surface contour selected from the group consisting of (A) a projection from said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said one of said molds and (B) an indentation in said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said one of said molds. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein, for each of said molds, said one or more mold gears comprise an equatorial gear encircling the circumference of said mold about said secondary axis. 10. The device of claim 9 wherein each of said equatorial gears is interlocked with the equatorial gear of the adjacent one of said molds such that each of said molds rotates in the opposite direction of the one of said molds adjacent to it. 11. The device of claim 4 wherein said conductive wire comprises hollow tubing capable of carrying a fluent material, and wherein said first end is connected by a rotary tubular connection at said primary axis to a source of fluent material outside of said frame, and wherein fluent material may be pumped through said induction heating system when said frame is rotating about said primary axis. 12. The device of claim 11 wherein said conductive wire has a second end that terminates opposite said frame from said first end at a second rotary tubular connection at said primary axis that allows passage of fluent material when said device is rotating about said primary axis. 13. The device of claim 1 wherein, for each of said molds, the intersection of said primary and secondary axes of said mold when said device is at rest define a point in space, and wherein said device is capable of generating centrifugal forces of 10 Gs along said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said mold while also allowing said mold to remain substantially centered on said point in space while said mold is rotating about both said primary and said secondary axes. 14. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is configurable for operation such that if an imaginary plane perpendicularly bisects said secondary axes through said centers of each of said molds, the portions of elements (C)-(D) residing on one side of said imaginary plane, exclusive of said set of differential gears, are substantially bilaterally symmetric with the portions of elements (C)-(D), exclusive of said set of differential gears, residing on the opposite side of said imaginary plane. 15. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is configurable for operation such that if an imaginary plane perpendicularly bisects said secondary axes through said centers of each of said molds, the portions of elements (A)-(D) residing on one side of said imaginary plane, exclusive of said set of differential gears, are substantially bilaterally symmetric with the portions of elements (A)-(D), exclusive of said set of differential gears, residing on the opposite side of said imaginary plane. 16. The device of claim 3 wherein said device is configurable for operation such that if an imaginary plane perpendicularly bisects said secondary axes through said centers of each of said molds, the portions of elements (C)-(D) residing on one side of said imaginary plane, exclusive of said set of differential gears, are substantially bilaterally symmetric with the portions of elements (C)-(D), exclusive of said set of differential gears, residing on the opposite side of said imaginary plane. 17. The device of claim 3 wherein said device is configurable for operation such that if an imaginary plane perpendicularly bisects said secondary axes through said centers of each of said molds, the portions of elements (A)-(D) residing on one side of said imaginary plane, exclusive of said set of differential gears, are substantially bilaterally symmetric with the portions of elements (A)-(D), exclusive of said set of differential gears, residing on the opposite side of said imaginary plane. 18. The device of claim 2 wherein, for each of said molds, the intersection of said primary and secondary axes of said mold when said device is at rest define a point in space, and wherein said device is capable of generating centrifugal forces of 10 Gs along said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said mold while also allowing said mold to remain substantially centered on said point in space while said mold is rotating about both said primary and said secondary axes. 19. The device of claim 3 wherein, for each of said molds, the intersection of said primary and secondary axes of said mold when said device is at rest define a point in space, and wherein said device is capable of generating centrifugal forces of 10 Gs along said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said mold while also allowing said mold to remain substantially centered on said point in space while said mold is rotating about both said primary and said secondary axes. 20. The device of claim 15 wherein, for each of said molds, the intersection of said primary and secondary axes of said mold when said device is at rest define a point in space, and wherein said device is capable of generating centrifugal forces of 10 Gs along said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said mold while also allowing said mold to remain substantially centered on said point in space while said mold is rotating about both said primary and said secondary axes. 21. The device of claim 17 wherein, for each of said molds, the intersection of said primary and secondary axes of said mold when said device is at rest define a point in space, and wherein said device is capable of generating centrifugal forces of 10 Gs along said inner surface of said hollow spherical interior of said mold while also allowing said mold to remain substantially centered on said point in space while said mold is rotating about both said primary and said secondary axes. 22. The device of claim 2 including a second drive motor for engaging said drive gear system to rotate said molds about said secondary axis, and wherein said second drive motor is located at a location that does not rotate with said frame. 23. The device of claim 3 including a second drive motor for engaging said drive gear system to rotate said molds about said secondary axis, and wherein said second drive motor is located at a location that does not rotate with said frame. 24. The device of claim 15 including a second drive motor for engaging said drive gear system to rotate said molds about said secondary axis, and wherein said second drive motor is located at a location that does not rotate with said frame. 25. The device of claim 17 including a second drive motor for engaging said drive gear system to rotate said molds about said secondary axis, and wherein said second drive motor is located at a location that does not rotate with said frame.