RFS Industries

Since 1921

 

Standard Components

1. Bucket Elevator

Engineered for continuous service in the foundry

RFS Industries heavy duty elevators have been developed for use in 300/24 custom sand systems and are available as individual units. These elevators are designed for Class III continuous service in the foundry industry. Motors, shafts and roller bearings are specified with large safety margins for the application.

All models feature rugged steel construction. The hood is split and has a hinged access door. Inspection doors are provided in the midsection, and there are clean-out doors in both the front and the rear of the boot. Crowned head pulley has vulcanized herringbone lagging.

A self-cleaning tail pulley also is crowned. Style AA cast malleable iron buckets, totally enclosed drive guards, backstops in the reducers and anti-slap chutes are "standard" for 300/24 elevators. To meet individual system requirements, RFS Industries offers optional stainless steel, or epoxy coated, loading and discharge chutes. Platforms, stairways and ladders are provided for servicing the unit. Whenever practical, RFS Industries assembles and tests system components so these heavy duty elevators and catwalks can be installed quickly.

2. Vibrating Screen

3. Sand Storage Bin

RFS Industries Sand Bins are the industry's first practical solution to the problem of sand storage in foundries. As standard products, they permit the elimination of a common foundry condition - wasteful and expensive floor storage - without the need for investing in costly custom made equipment. In addition, they provide a high degree of protection against sand contamination not possible with non-enclosed storage arrangements.

These newly designed bins involve primary application in the storage of shakeout sand, but can be adapted for the storage of new and prepared sand as well. Regardless of application, they may be installed in virtually any foundry without special accessories or modification.

BUILDING-BLOCK DESIGN, The RFS Industries line of storage bins consists of a series of modular designed standard units. Bins are manufactured in three basic single-size models and three basic double-size models. Each basic size is available with matching extensions that may be added at any time. This building-block principle of construction permits the capacity of any bin to be increased as foundry requirements increase. For example, when additional sand must be stored and floor space is at a minimum, the capacity of the bin is increased through vertical extension pieces. When headroom is critical on the other hand, storage capacity may be expanded laterally through the side-by-side installation of an additional bin.

All RFS Industries Standard Bins may be expanded horizontally, or vertically, or in both directions to virtually any degree desired. In fact, the only limitations on expansion are those posed by the physical restrictions of the foundry itself.

EASILY ASSEMBLED ALL-STEEL UNITS: To reduce shipping cost, and to preclude any problems in foundry access, RFS Industries bins are delivered in knocked-down pieces for on-site assembly. Installation requires no special tools and no welding. The entire job can be handled by a regular maintenance crew.

Bins are constructed of heavy-gauge steel plate, and are generously braced with heavy-duty steel channel stays. All bracing structures are factory welded in position. When properly assembled the bins are entirely leak proof.

CONVEYOR BELT FEEDER SYSTEM: Each RFS Industries bin is equipped with a complete mechanized feeder system. This consists of a motor driven RFS Industries self-cleaning belt conveyor, supported over its full length by ball-bearing-equipped steel rollers. A constant rate of feed is assured by a specially designed tapered bin bottom and baffle assembly that straddles the belt. An adjustable gate on the front of the bin permits feed rate adjustment.

4. Bucket Elevator with Built-in Aerator

(See 1. Bucket Elevator)

5. Service Platforms and Catwalks

6. Overhead System with Molders’ Hoppers

RFS Industries Single and Twin Hopper Overhead Sand Units are designed to mechanize sand handling, aeration, and distribution in foundries operating with one or two molding machines. Additionally, these overhead units are ideally suited for many specialized sand systems in foundries of all sizes.

The Single and the Twin are compact versions of RFS Industries multi-station overhead units and are completely

mechanized from feeder bin through to delivery of aerated sand to the molder. They are available in a selection of sizes for each major component so they can be matched in floor arrangement and capacity to individual foundry specifications.

Feeder bins can be furnished in three storage capacities - 30, 50 and 80 cubic feet. They can be installed for front, side or pit loader of the elevator and can be charged by front-end loader, conveyor belt or muller. Elevators are available in almost any required height and in system capacities up to 20 tons-per-hour. Molders' hoppers, with automatic full-hopper signals, are available in two sizes for the Single (26 and 42 cubic feet) and two for the Twin (20 and 40 cubic feet). Hopper discharge gates can be manually or air operated and gate chutes are available in three styles: stationary, 24" manual swing and 42" air-operated swing.

7. Pallet Lines

RFS Industries Pallet Systems bring a new degree of efficiency to the small and medium-sized foundry by providing mechanized transfer of molds - from the molding station, to the pouring area, to shake-out - and then automatically returning the empty pallet car to the molder for reuse. These systems can be quickly assembled to virtually any length, and can include as many individual lines as required to meet the production schedule. Any system may be easily and economically expanded as foundry capacity increases simply by adding more lines. Each line consists of a tubular steel underframe and supporting structure, high-carbon spring steel top and return tracks, a safety-tread pouring deck, an air-operated

remote-controlled dump mechanism, a spring-operated manual retrieve unit and pallet cars.

LOWEST PROFILE AVAILABLE One of the most significant features of the RFS Industries Pallet System is the low profile (24 inches from floor to pallet rails) of the system in general, and the dump mechanism in particular. This provides a realistic and convenient working height for every major function: mold loading, dump, and retrieve. Despite this low profile, the entire system operates on the basis of gravity return with 100% delivery of all empty pallet cars to the retrieve mechanism. The air-operated dump can be operated separately for each line, or from a central control point for a group of lines. Additional efficiency can be provided by optional high-capacity pallet cars, which permit a greater number of molds to be poured off in a single operation.

The flexible operation of the entire RFS Industries System makes it suited to production schedules demanding continuous pour-off and dump, as well as for specialized operations where requirements vary from line to line.

PRE-ENGINEERED FOR ECONOMY All the components that make up a RFS Industries Pallet System are standard parts that have been engineered to permit assembly in a number of sizes depending on floor plan, number of molding stations and type of molding systems. The effect is a custom pallet system for the price of a standard.

The pallet line is constructed of a tubular steel support structure that incorporates integral leveling jacks at critical spots to assure proper operation even on sloping floors. Tracks are constructed of wear-resistant hardened steel for long service life under heavy load. Pallet cars are available in a choice of sizes, all with sealed ball-bearing action and hardened steel rollers. Assembly of any RFS Industries Pallet System can be accomplished by regular foundry work crews from the match-marked components. Delivery of most systems is made from stock.

8. Mold Dump Conveyor

(See 7. Pallet Lines)