US 12,280,950 B2
Sow casting automated guided vehicle
Joel Murray, Berwick (CA); Nicolas Bauret, St-Honoré de Chicoutimi (CA); Caroline Boily, Laterrière (CA); and Jean-Michel Tremblay-Goupille, Jonquiere (CA)
Assigned to Stas Inc., Chicoutimi (CA)
Filed by STAS INC., Chicoutimi (CA)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/771,594.
Application 18/771,594 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CA2023/051577, filed on Nov. 24, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/447,448, filed on Feb. 22, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/428,005, filed on Nov. 25, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0359916 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. B22D 33/00 (2006.01); B22D 47/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0492 (2013.01) [B22D 33/00 (2013.01); B22D 47/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing sows from liquid metal cast into moulds, the method comprises:
providing a plurality of stations, each one of the stations adapted for performing one of different tasks in the producing of the sows, each one of the stations having one or more dedicated positions and operating at a dedicated rate in terms of number of sows per time unit, wherein, during the producing of the sows, tasks relative to producing sows are performed in a preset order;
providing a plurality of moulds movable independently to one another between the one or more dedicated positions of the stations;
providing support structures, each one of the support structures adapted to hold at least one of the plurality of moulds, the support structures comprising members configured to provide space underneath; and
providing a plurality of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) capable of independently moving between the stations, the AGVs being able to move one of the moulds from any one of the dedicated positions of the stations to any other one of the dedicated positions of the stations,
wherein the space underneath the support structures allows any one of the AGVs to take place underneath.
 
20. A method for producing sows from liquid metal cast into moulds, the method comprises:
providing a plurality of stations for performing different tasks in the producing of the sows, each one of the stations having one or more dedicated positions and operating at a dedicated rate in terms of number of sows per time unit, wherein, during the producing of the sows, tasks relative to producing sows are performed in a preset order;
providing a plurality of moulds movable independently between the one or more dedicated positions of the stations;
providing support structures on which are individually placed a held one of the moulds, wherein each of the support structures comprises upwardly extending prongs for hindering horizontal movements of the held one of the moulds; and
providing a plurality of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) capable of independently moving between the stations, the AGVs being able to move one of the moulds from any one of the dedicated positions of the stations to any other one of the dedicated positions of the stations,
wherein the support structures comprise members configured to provide space underneath for any one of the AGVs to take place underneath.