IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTED THEREWITH MOULDING MACHINES AND APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Solicitors at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from Johann Georg Sebold and
Friedrich Neff, both persons resident at Karlsruhe in the Empire of Germany..
MOULDING MACHINES AND APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said Frank Wirth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st February 1882.
FRANK WIRTH of the Firm of Wirth and Company Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN'
MOULDING MACHINES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." [A communi-
cation from Johann Georg Sebold and Friedrich Neff, both persons resident at
Karlsruhe in the Empire of Germany.]
This invention relates to improvements in moulding machines and apparatus
connected therowith.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a revolving frame arranged
upon a wagon, this frame carries a moulding box having a moulding or pattern
plate and a covering frame. After sprinkling this box with moulding sand it is
filled up with ordinary casting sand from a sand box-The said sand box is
provided on the fore part with two vertical wings movable on hinged joints,
and which can be set according to the aperture of the moulding box that is to be
filled, and fastened down in any position by means of thumb screws.
The box filled with sand is scraped on the top, covered with a press block, and
then driven under the press hereinafter described.
In this press the pressure is exerted from above in the following manner that is
to say a press board is set at the end of a spindle round which a nut held by a top
cross piece revolves.
This cross piece can be moved higher or lower along suitable guiding posts
according to the height of the moulding box so that with this machine castings of
great height may be obtained. Small differences in the height of the moulding
Price to 9.71

page_text: On the said
box are quickly adjusted by altering the position of two jam-nuts.
revolving nut is made fast a bevel wheel by the revolution of which the spindle
The bevel wheel is turned by
and press board can be moved up and down.
suitable gear driven by means of a fly wheel which is provided with handles for
operating it. A collar upon the fly wheel shaft is also movable vertically so that 5
it can follow the top crosspiece in any position it may be set corresponding to the
height of the moulding box, and the gear before mentioned remains constantly
locked with the bevel wheel.
In order that the pressure to be exerted at any time may be regulated and that
the same amount of pressure may be applied each time an indicator is placed over 1
the crosspiece. It consists of an arm fastened to the cross-piece round the free
end of which swings a double-armed lever, a toothed segment forming the shorter
The toothed segment
arm and a pointer forming the longer arm of this lever.
gears with the screw thread of the spindle and is turned by the up and down
motion of the said spindle so that the pointer placed at the other end shows 1
upon a protractor the distance that the spindle has travelled-On this protractor
are placed markers provided with counter points by means of which the operator
can make after pressing the first box what pressure is necessary for the following
ones.
Instead of this arrangement a dial may be employed which is set in motion
through the shaft of the fly wheel by means of suitable gear and by means of a
pointer; the number of revolutions of the fly wheel and consequently any length
the spindle has travelled is shown upon the dial. The pressure is received below
by a press table placed upon a suitable frame.
After the pressing has taken place the moulding box is driven back into its
previous position in front of the sand box the press block and upper cover taken
away, the superfluous sand raked off, and the box is then turned over by means of
the revolving frame so that the box now hangs beneath the revolving frame
herein before described; while this is going on the other half of the box upon its
wagon is brought under the press and is operated upon in the same manner as has
been described already in the case of the first box.
The revolving frame is hung on the wagon by pivots cast upon two opposite
sides. The boxes in which the pivots turn are free to move up and down on the
sides of the wagon and are fixed by means of screws. The one pivot carries at its
elongated end a toothed wheel which is set in motion by suitable gear worked by
a crank-handle.
In order to ensure the revolving frame having a constant horizontal position the
These tappets are
said frame is placed upon four tappets near its four corners.
carried by shafts capable of turning in grooves or bearings, the said shafts being
connected with one another in a common revolving motion by means of bevel
wheels and connecting shafts. The said tappets are held in place by means of a
bent lever placed upon one of the shafts carrying the said tappets underneath
the revolving frame, the position of the lever being determined by the movement
of an eccentric.
When the revolving frame has to be turned the tappets must first of all be
removed from under it. This is effected by means of a handle fastened to the
eccentric. On turning this handle three fourths of a revolution downwards the
bent lever follows the motion of the eccentric in consequence of the weight of
the revolving frame bearing upon the tappets and is at last caught by a pin placed
at the end of an arm and forming a part of the handle and is turned still further,
whereby the tappets are removed entirely from under the revolving frame and
perfect freedom of revolution given to the revolving frame which is then only
supported upon its pivots.
After the revolving frame has been turned the handle is moved back, whereby
the bent lever is again raised by the eccentric plane and brought back into its
original position and the tappets are again brought under the frame and keep it
level in its inverted position. The relative position of the tappets can within

page_text: certain limits be regulated by means of slits and binding screw's. The tappets do
not catch directly under the revolving frame but under cheeks provided for the
purpose which are screwed upon the corresponding parts of the revolving frame in
such a way that their position may be regulated. The tappets may, if desired, be
replaced by bars or bolts.
In order that the pressure exerted upon the revolving frame may not be exerted
upon the tappets whereby the revolving frame would be injured, it is necessary,
before pressing, to draw them away from under the frame in the way herein before
described so that the latter may then rest with its whole surface upon the press-
table. In order that the withdrawal of the tappets before pressing shall not be
omitted the following safety arrangement is attached to the press: that is to say a
double armed turning lever is placed upon one of the guiding posts or standards;
one arm of this lever has an inclined surface, whilst the other is jointed upon a
click or pawl. This pawl lies opposite one of a number of indents made on the
inner side of the fly wheol. When the wagon is driven under the press the handle
of the eccentric comes against the inclined surface of the arın, and presses it down,
the effect of which is that the pawl drops into the indent on the fly wheel and
prevents its revolving. In order to turn the fly wheel and exert pressure it is
necessary to turn this handle whereby the tappets are withdrawn from under the
frame and the latter settles upon the press table. The handle at the same time
leaves the inclined surface and the pawl is freed from the indent by means of a
spring.
After the revolving frame, together with the moulding box attached to it, has
been upturned it is driven over the lifting off apparatus. A pin is placed at the
end of the rails upon which the wagon travels and a clinch bolt attached to the
wagon slips over the said pin and holds the wagon fast during the lifting off.
The lifting off apparatus consists of a table which is moved up and down by
means of a spindle and suitable gearing. The lifting off table is not directly
connected with the said spindle which is fastened to a fixed outer guiding frame,
but having guides cast upon it, rests upon a spherical section fastened to the
guiding frame so that it can assume any position slightly inclined to the horizontal,
acting in a similar manner to a ball joint. This arrangement is contrived in order
that when the lifting off table comes in contact with the moulding box it may suit
itself exactly to it, and that, with moulding boxes with unplaned edges and exactly
vertical lifting off of the moulding box may be ensured. By securing with wedges
an upper spherical section after the close contact with the moulding box has taken
place, the table is held fast in the position it has assumed and the moulding boxes
then lifted off the moulding or pattern plate. The upper spherical section is held
fast by means of a spindle connected therewith round which a bevel-wheel moves.
The latter is set in motion by means of driving gear placed at the end of a shaft
provided with a crank handle. A slight motion of this shaft is sufficient to cause
the lifting off table to move so as to hold it fast. Instead of the bevel wheel and
driving gear a wedge arrangement for locking or securing the lifting-off table can
be employed. In order to lift off moulding boxes of different heights without
unnecessary labour, plates having slots in them are placed on each side right and
left of the fixed outer casing which plates may be abifted up and down and made
fast in any position by means of hand wheels and screws. The lifting off plato
rests upon these plates, together with the spherical sections, as soon as it has
reached them in its downwards course. The halves of the moulding boxes which
have been operated upon in the manner described are set together by means of a
peculiar centring or setting apparatus.
The lower half of the moulding box is placed upon a table which is bolted or
otherwise secured to a fixed guiding frame, the said half of the moulding box
passing over two guiding rods. These two guiding rods have at their upper ends
interchangeable sockets corresponding to the size of the holes in the moulding
boxes and at their lower part are each secured in a sole-plate upon the two sole-

page_text: plates are also secured standards having at their upper ends flanges upon which the
upper half of the moulding box is placed.
The two sole plates are moved in a horizontal direction by means of nuts and a
spindle provided with right and left handed screw-threads and turning in suitable
supports; the sole-plates can thus be brought nearer together or set farther apart
from one another according to the size of the moulding box. The support for the
spindle is firmly secured to an inner guiding frame which can be moved (together
with the parts connected therewith as above described) upwards and downwards
by means of a suitable arrangement of gearing actuated by means of a crank
handle. The inner guiding frame is capable of being adjusted to fit accurately to
the outer guiding frame. To set the upper half of tho moulding box over the
lower half which is already in position upon the plate the inner guiding frame,
together with the standards and guiding rods, is screwed up to the height
necessary to enable the upper half of the box to be set over the guiding rods upon
a shoulder without bringing it into contact with the lower half of the moulding
box below; the upper half box has at each side of the holes for the rods two
shoulders jutting out which rest upon the flanges of the standards. The main
object of this arrangement is in case of high moulds with thin sides to ensure on
setting the halves together an accurately vertical descent of the upper half box in
order that the exterior mould may not touch or scrape the core.
By means of the lifting apparatus just described the inner guiding frame,
together with the parts therewith connected and the upper half box, is screwed
downwards until the two half boxes are jammed fast upon one another. The two
halves of the moulding boxes are then secured to one another by means of screws
the whole apparatus being then lowered until the two guiding rods have entirely
left the two half boxes, and the boxes are thus prepared for moulding. The
apparatus is then in readiness to receive another lower half box.

page_text: The bevel wheel O is turned by the bevel pinion Q, and this latter is driven by
the hand wheel R which is provided with handles for operating it quickly. The
bearings of the hand-wheel shaft are also movable vertically, so that the pinion Q
can follow the bevel wheel O and cross piece M to any position in which it may be
set, corresponding to the height of the moulding box, and thus the pinion Q is
constantly engaged with the bevel wheel O.
.
In order that the maximum pressure to be exerted upon several flasks suċ-
cessively may be regulated an indicator (Figures 3, 10 and 11) is arranged. It
consists of bracket S fastened to the cross piece M upon the free end of which a
double armed lever is placed. . The toothed segment T forms the shorter arm and
the pointer u forms the longer arm of the said lever. The toothed segment T gears
with the thread of the screw L, and as the screw is raised or lowered in the manner
aforesaid, the pointer u shows upon a dial V the distance that the screw has.
traversed. On this dial are placed markers w provided with points by means of
which the operator can after pressing the first box, exert the same pressure upon
the following ones
Instead of this arrangement a segment Figures 12 and 13 may be employed'
which is set in motion through the shaft of the hand wheel, by means of suitable
gearing whereby the number of revolutions of the hand wheel and consequently
the distance the spindle has traversed is shown upon the dial. The pressure of the
press is received by the press table X, placed below the platen upon a frame Y
Figure 1.
After tho sand has been rammed the flask is moved upon the wagon into its
previous position in front of the sand box, the press block and upper cover are
taken away the superfluous sand raked off and the blank is then turned over with
the revolving frame B so that it now hangs beneath the said revolving frame.
While this is taking place the other half of the flask upon its wagon is brought
under the press and operated upon in the same manner as hereinbefore described
in the case of the first box. The revolving frame B (Figures 6 to 9) is mounted.
upon the wagon A by pivots Z cast on opposite sides. The bearings in which the
pivots turn are free to move up and down in guides upon the sides of the wagon A
and are adjusted by means of screws a, a. Upon one pivot which is elongated a
spur wheel b is carried and is rotated by suitable gear worked by a handle.
In order to keep the revolving frame in a constantly horizontal position four
tappets C (Figures 8 and 17) are arranged near its four corners. These tappets are
carried in pairs by shafts d, d, capable of turning in bearings, the said shafts being
connected with one another on a common revolving motion by means of mitre
wheels and a connecting shaft e. These tappets are held in place by means of a
bent lever placed upon one of the shafts d'the position of this lever is determined
by the movement of an excentric plate g (Figures 20 and 22).
When the revolving frame has to be turned the tappets C, C must first of all be
turned from beneath it (Figure 22) This is effected by means of a handle h
fastened to the said excentric plate. In turning this handle three-fourths of a
revolution in the direction of the arrow Figure 20, the bent lever follows the
motion of the excentric Q in consequence of the weight of the revolving frame
bearing upon the tappets, until it is caught by a stud placed at the end of the
arni forming a part of the handle i and turned still further, whereby the tappets are
removed entirely from beneath the revolving frame, perfect freedom of revolution
is thus given to the said frame which is then only supported upon its pivots.
After the revolving frame has been turned the handle his moved back in the
direction of the arrow (Figure 22) whereby the bent lever f is again raised by the
excentric and brought back into its original position, together with the tappets
which are again brought under the frame to keep it level in its inverted position.
The relative position of the tappets can, within certain limits be regulated by
ineans of slots k and set screws t (Figures 17 and 18). The tappets C C do not
catch directly under the revolving frame, but under lugs m provided for the
purpose (Figures 17 to 19) which are screwed upon corresponding parts of the

page_text: revolving frame, in such a manner that their position may be regulated. The
said tappets may, if desired be replaced by bars or bolts arranged in any suitable
manner.
In order that the pressure exerted upon the revolving frame may not be exerted
upon the tappets, whereby the latter would be injured, it is necessary before
pressing to draw them away from beneath the frame in the manner hereinbefore
described so that the said frame may rest with its whole weight upon the press
table. In order that the withdrawal of the tappets before pressing shall not be
omitted a safety arrangement is attached to the press; that is to say a double
armed lever n is placed upon one of the guiding posts or standards N (Figures 14
to 16): The one arm of this lever has an inclined surface o whilst the other is
jointed to the pawl p. This pawl p lies opposite one of a number of indents made
on the inner side of the hand wheel R. When the wagon is driven under the press
the handle h of the excentric g comes against the inclined surface of the arm o and
presses it down the effect of which is that the pawl p is moved into one of the
indents q, q of the hand wheel R and thus prevents it from revolving. In order to
turn the hand wheel and exert pressure it is necessary to turn the handle h whereby
the tappets C, C are withdrawn from beneath the frame which then rests upon the
presstable. The act of turning the handle h also moves it from contact with the
inclined surface o of the lever n the pawl p is then released from the indent in the
wheel R by means of a spring r Figure 16.
After the revolving frame, together with the flask attached to it, has been
turned, it is driven over the lifting apparatus. A pin s is placed at the end of the
rails upon which the wagon travels, and a hook t attached to the said wagon slips
over the said pins and holds the wagon during the lifting.
The lifting apparatus Figures 5 and 24 to 28 consists of the lifting table u which
is raised and lowered by means of a screw v, the wheels w, w and the shaft œ.
The
lifting off table is not directly connected with the screw v, which is fastened to a
fixed outer guiding frame, but having guides z. cast upon it rests in the spherical
cup b¹ fastened to the guiding frame, a' so that it can assume a position slightly
inclined to the horizontal, acting in a similar manner to a ball-joint. The object
of this arrangement is, that when the lifting off table comes into contact with the
flask it may suit itself exactly to it, so that with flasks with unplaned edges an
exactly vertical lifting off of the same may be ensured. By securing with wedges
the table u upon the upper spherical section c¹, after the said table has adjusted
itself against the flask the said table is held firmly in the position it has assumed
and the flask is then lifted off the pattern plate. The spherical section c¹ is held
fast by means of the spindle a connected therewith upon which a bevel wheel c¹
moves up and down. The latter is set in motion by means of the driving pinion g¹
placed at the end of a shaft provided with a crank handle f¹. A slight motion of
the shaft is sufficient to cause the lifting off table to move so as to hold it fast.
Instead of the bevel wheel c¹ and driving gear g¹ the wedge arrangement, Figures 20
and 30. for locking or securing the table u can be employed. Also instead of the
arrangement hereinbefore described a universal joint may be arranged to allow the
lifting off table u to adjust itself to the bottom of the flask.
In order to lift off flasks of different heights, without unnecessary movement
plates having slots in them are placed on each side of the fixed outer casing h¹;
these plates may be shifted up and down and made fast in any position by means of
the hand wheels k'. The lifting off table rests upon these plates together with the
spherical section b¹ as soon as it reaches them in its downward movement.
In moulding machines it is well known that the pattern halves are screwed upon
plates. In the fastening of the pattern halves upon the plates, their position is
accurately determined by the two centreing pins which are placed on the model
plato, so that by the setting together of the two parts of the flasks the middle line
of each of the centreing pins coincide completely and no shifting of the mould can
possibly take place.

page_text: The two parts of the flask which have been operated upon in the manner described
are set together or closed by means of a peculiar centreing or setting apparatus.
The lower half of the flask a Figure 31 is placed upon the table c which is
bolted or otherwise secured to a fixed guiding frame 6s the said half of the moulding
box passing over two guiding rods d², d². These two guiding rods have at their
upper ends sockets corresponding to the size of the holes in the flask and at their
lower part are each secured in a sole-plate. Upon the two sole-plates e² are also
secured standards f having upon their upper ends flanges g³, g³ upon which the
upper half of the flask 82 is placed.
The two sole-plates are moved in a horizontal direction by means of nuts u³, u³
and a spindle is provided with right and left handed screw-threads and turning
in suitable supports; the sole plates can thus be brought nearer together, or set
farther apart, according to the size of the flask. The supports h³ for the spindle
are firmly secured to the inner guiding frame which latter can be raised or
lowered (together with the parts h³, c², f, g³, d², connected therewith, as above
described) by means of the screw, the nut m³, the wheels n², n², the shaft o² and
the handle p. The guiding frame k by means of the ledges with the corre-
sponding adjusting screws, can always be kept in exact position with the guiding
frame . To set the upper half of the flask & over the lower half a² which is
already in position upon the plate c³ The inner guiding frame together with
the standards, f and the guiding rods d², d² is screwed up to the height
necessary to enable the upper half of the flask s² to be set over the said guiding
rods without bringing it into contact with the lower half of the flask, (Figure 31).
The upper half of the flask has at each side of the rod holes (Figures 36 and 37)
shoulders t² jutting out which rest upon the flanges g³ of the standards f². The
main object of this arrangement is, in the case of high moulds with thin sides, to
ensure on placing the halves together an accurately vertical descent of the upper
half, in order that the mould may not touch or scrape the core.
By means of the lifting apparatus just described the guiding fraine R³ together
with the parts therewith connected, and the upper half of the flask 8 is lowered
until the two half parts 8 and a³ come together. The two halves of the flask are
secured to one another by means of screws or the like; the apparatus is now
lowered whereby the two guiding rods are withdrawn from the guiding holes of
the flask, and the mould is ready for casting.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim-
First. The sand-box F, with the wings G, for regulating the length of the opening
for longer or shorter flasks, substantially as set forth.
Second. The press for ramming the sand into the flasks and the hand
wheel R. provided with handles for operating the same rapidly, substantially as set
forth.
Third. The press-table X in the frame Y for taking the weight of the mould
off the tappets c. during the operation of pressing, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The screw L, in combination with the toothed segment T, pointer u,
and dial V, as described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 or as an equivalent
therefor the counting apparatus as described with reference to Figures 12 and 13.
to permit of regulating the maximum pressure to be exerted upon several flasks
successively substantially as set forth.
Fifth The cross-piece M movable up and down upon the standards N, for
adjusting the press according to the height of the Hask to be placed therein,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The screw L in combination with the two nuts y' for regulating the
travel of the said screw for small differences in the height of the flasks, substantially
as described.
Seventh. The hand-wheel R provided with the indents q, in combination with
the lever n. having the inclined face o, and the pawl p, for ensuring the removal

page_text: of the tappets from beneath the revolving frame, before it receives any pressure,
substantially as described.
Eighth. The revolving frame provided with the tappets c or other suitable
means for holding and releasing the said frame, substantially as described, and for
the purposes specified.
Ninth. The lifting-off table u, in combination with means, substantially as
described, for obtaining a perfect contact of the said table against the flask to be
lifted off.
Tenth. The lifting-off table, arranged to be operated as above described, in
combination with the slotted plates i to prevent unnecessary movement of the said
table for lifting flasks of different height, substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. The wagon A in combination with the pins 8 and the hook t for
holding the said wagon, substantially as described.
Twelfth. In an apparatus for setting together or closing moulding flasks, the sole
plates e, the standards f, and the flanges g upon which the upper half is placed,
for ensuring a vertical and level descent of the upper half of the flask, substantially
as set forth.
zz
Thirteenth. In an apparatus for setting together or closing moulding flasks, the
sole plates e² the nuts u³, the spindle provided with right and left handed screw-
threads and the support, for widening or narrowing the space between the two
guiding rods and the standards f¹ to suit larger or smaller flasks, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Frank Wirth have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)