METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY STRIPPING A SECTIONALIZED MOLD FROM A CAST

A highly automated mold stripping machine is described wherein a single jaw sequentially strips mold sections from the cast and subsequently reassembles the stripped sections into a composite unit after removal of the cast from the interior of the stripped sections. A vertically extending, radially expandable arbor serves to retain the cast in position during stripping and dual pistons of diverse diameter drive the stripping jaw into engagement with the mold sections. As each self-supporting mold section is stripped from the cast, the section is released adjacent the edge of the turntable supporting the cast whereafter the arbor is retracted from an engaged position with the cast interior and the mold and stripped cast section are rotated independently of the arbor to register the stripping jaw with a succeeding mold section. After all mold sections have been stripped from the cast, the cast is axially removed from the interior of the stripped sections and the jaws of the stripping machine are again actuated to automatically reassemble the mold for a subsequent cast.