Method of Producing Solid Steel Castings and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th June, 1889
Method of Producing Solid Steel Castings and Apparatus therefor.
BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE 37 Victoria Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention is for methods of producing Solid Steel Castings and in apparatus
therefor and principally relates to improvements in a former Invention for which
letters patent have already been granted to me and numbered 6058-A.D.—1887.
Instead of placing the cooling tube arrangement in the centre of the mould prior
to the metal being poured therein, I first pour the metal into the mould which is
maintained at almost if not quite at a steel melting temperature and which mould
I may form of refractory material, and I then insert the cooling tube arrangement
into the metal either effecting the insertion by gravity or forcing the cooling tubes
through the metal by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure or by any other well known
mechanical arrangement. I adopt this arrangment for dealing with castings or
ingots for guns of a small calibre. When dealing with ingot moulds of a rectangular
section, I adopt the following modus operandi. I place the moulds in the casting
pit end to end and in line, one side of the moulds I expose to the influence of a high
temperature obtained by the combustion of gaseous solid or other fuel in a flue
which runs
parallel to the line of ingot moulds and is only divided therefrom by a
thin wall of refractory and rebated tiles, which tiles are kept in close contact with
the ingot moulds on one of the longest sides only, on the other longest and opposite
sides I construct a flue through which I pass air refrigerated or not, as may be
required or I may form a narrow passage of cast or wrought iron the full depth of
he ingot moulds and in close contact therewith, through this passage, I pass water
if or cooling gases so that the beat from the molten steel is absorbed from one side only
of the ingot moulds, by this means the metal will solidify more densely, and be feee
I
rom internal cavities or piping. When the ingot moulds are square
inay place a
group or nest of those moulds around and close to a hollow chamber, in which I
uaintain a high temperature by the combustion of gaseous fuel therein; around the
utside of the group of the moulds I place a cooling flue, by which the beat of the

page_text: molten metal in the moulds is absorbed or 1 may pass the cooling media through
the central space and maintain a high temperature on the outside; or in surrounding
flue may arrange the ingot moulds around or enclosing the central space in a
circular rectangular polygonal or square form.
When I require ingots of a light section I adopt the following modus operandi.
I cast the metal in a rectangular mould and when the metal is poured therein
whilst it is still molten I forcibly insert a series of preferably hollow parting or
dividable partitions by which the metal in the mould is divided into vertical segments
of small sections. The dividable arrangement may be constructed of a fork form,
each prong representing a dividable agent, the dividable agents may be forced
through the metal by means of hydraulic pressure.
By means of my Invention a rectangular piece of steel may be cast as solid and
physically as dense, as if it had passed through the rolls and be quite free from
internal cavities and stress.
A projectile cast according to my Invention would be physically as satisfactory as
it is possible to produce metal whether by compression or by work of a dynamic
character.
For guns I may use the outer of the two cooling tubes to form the inner tube
or bore of the gun, and I may previously to using it for the purpose of this
invention rifle or otherwise deal with it, such as forming corrugation circum-
ferential longitudinal or spiral, around the outer periphery or surface of the tube.
In feeding the rectangular type of moulds with metal I preferably feed it
into a temporarily formed division made at the end thereof; The division
being effected by means of refractory tiles placed vertically and dividing the mould
into two vertical sections the smaller one is utilised for feeding the metal into
mould, into which it enters through an opening at the lower end of refractory
division, by this means the metal is prevented whilst being fed into the mould
from enclosing-gases.
The feeding division of ingot can easily be severed from the rest when it is
stripped.
Dated this 30th day of May 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Method of Producing Solid Steel Castings and Apparatus therefor.
| BENJAMIN Howarth Thwaite of 37 Victoria Street, Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention is for methods of producing Solid Steel Castings and in apparatus
therefor and principally relates to improvements in a former Invention for which
letters patent have already been granted to me and numbered 6058 A.D. 1887.
Instead of placing the cooling tube arrangement in the centre of the moulds prior
to the metal being poured therein, I first pour the metal into the mould which is
maintained at almost if not quite at a steel melting temperature, and which mould
I may form of refractory material and I then insert the cooling tube arrangement
into the metal either effecting the insertion by gravity or forcing the cooling tubes
through the metal by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, or by any other well known
mechanical arrangement. I adopt this arrangement for dealing with casting or
ingots for guns of a small calibre.
When dealing with ingot moulds of a rectangular section, I adopt the following
modus operandi. I place the ingots in the casting pit end to end and in line. One
side of the moulds I expose to the influence of a high temperature obtained by the
combustion of gaseous, solid or other fuel in a flue which I construct parallel to the
line of ingot moulds and only divided therefrom by a thin wall of refractory and
rebated tiles which are kept in close contact with the ingot moulds in one of the
longest sides only, on the other longest and opposite sides I construct a flue through
which I pass air refrigerated or not as may be required or I may form a narrow
passage of cast or wrought iron the full depth of the ingot moulds and in close
contact therewith through this passage I pass water, oil, or cooling gases so that the
heat from the molten steel is absorbed from one side only of the ingot moulds. By
this means the metal will solidify more densely and be free from internal cavities or
pipings. When the ingof moulds are square I may place a group or nest of those
inoulds around and close to a hollow chamber in which I maintain a high temperature
by the combustion of gaseous fuel therein. Around the outside of the group of
the moulds I place a cooling flue by which the heat of the molten metal in the moulds
is absorbed or I may pass the cooling inedia through the central space and maintain a
high temperature on the outside, or in surrounding flue I may arrange the ingots
moulds around or enclosing the central space which may be of a circular rectangular
polygonal or square form. When I require ingots of a light section I adopt the
following-modus operandi.
I cast the metal in a rectangular mould and when the metal is poured therein

page_text: whilst it is still molten, I forcibly insert a series of preferably hollow parting or
dividable partitions by which the nietal in the mould is divided into vertical seginents
of small sections. The dividable arrangement may be constructed of a fork form
each prong representing a dividable agent of the width of the mould. The dividable
agents may be forced through the metal by means of hydraulic pressure.
By means of my Invention a rectangular piece of steel may be cast as solid and
physically as dense as if it had passed the rolls and be quite free from internal cavities
and stress.
A projectile cast according to my Invention would be physically as satisfactory as
it is possible to produce metal. For guns, I may use the onter of the cooling tubes
to form the inner tube or bore of the gun and I may previously to using it, for the
purpose of this invention, rifle or otherwise deal with it, such as forming corruga-
tions, circumferential longitudinal or spiral, around the outer periphery surface of
the tube.
In feeding the rectangular type of moulds with metal I preferably feed it into a
temporarily formed division made at the end thereof. The division being effected by
means of refractory tiles placed vertically and dividing the mould into two vertical
sections the smaller one is utilised for feeding the metal into mould into which it
enters through an opening at the lower end of refractory division, by this means the
metal is prevented, whilst being fed into the mould, from enclosing gases.
The feeding division of ingot can easily be sovered from the rest when it is
stripped.
Referring to the three sheets of drawings-that-acconipany,-and-are-intended-to-
form part of this Specification, I wish it to be distinctly understood, before describing
them in detail, that I do not intend to be confined to the exact details shewn therein
as these may be modified considerably without departing from the nature of my said
Invention.
Figures 12 and 3 on sheet 1 of drawings are respectively_a_vertical section, a plan
in section on line A B of figure 1, and a plan in section on line CD, of my Inven-
tion, in its application to the casting of heavy ordnance, for which letters patent have
already been granted to me dated the 26th day of April 1887 and numbered 6058.
The outer tube 1 of the central cooling arrangement of the gun mould 2 forms the
inner tube of gun.
In my improved arrangement I rifle or otherwise treat the tube 1 before placing
it in the centre of the mould and L.also turn on the outer side of tube 1 a corrugation
as shewn at 3 of this corrugated surface the longitudinal strains on the gun are taken
up by the outer steel casing or shell, which shrinks in cooling, on to the surface of
inner tube 1. Before the metal is poured into the mould gaseous fuel is supplied
to the outer annular flue 4, and is distributed to the inner annular flue 5 through
orifices in division wall 6 at each of these orifices the gaseous fuel is met with a heated
supply of air issuing from the central cooling arrangement in radial streams by means
of flues 7.
The flames flow ascensionally through an annular combustion flue and escape to
chimney by the annular flue 8.
When the walls 9 between combustion chamber 5 are heated up to near a steel
melting temperature the fluid steel is fed into the upper end of mould by means of
the lander 10.
The same reference figures refer to the respective parts in figures 2 and 3.
Figures 45 and 6 represent iny Invention in its application to the casting of ingots
of rectangular shape; such as those required for armour plating and for rolling large
plates.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section figure 5 a vertical cross section, and figure 6 a
plan in section.
In this application of my Invention the cooling of the metal after it has been
poured into the mould is effected from the bottom side of the ingot.
The cooling fluid or air is blown by a fan 11 or by any other suitable means
into the flue 12, from which it flows through flue 13 under base plate 14 of ingot

page_text: mould 15, the air flows under the ingot mould and at the point 16, meets a supply
of gaseous fuel issuing from a gas valve 17-the flame resulting, flows backwards
and forwards along the two side flues 18-as indicated by the arrows, finally escaping
to the chimney by the flue 19.
Before the metal is poured into the mould the vertical sides of the mould are raised
to a temperature sufficiently high to prevent loss of heat from metal except at the
base of the mould.
Immediately the ingot mould is filled with metal it is covered by the movable
refractory lined lid 20.
Figures 78 and 9' show the application of my Invention in another modification, to
the casting of rectangular or circular shaped ingots of large size, but when casting
ingots of a circular shape, I lead the cooling Huid supply into the centre of the
under side of the mould from which it spreads uniformly to the outer edge thereof,
where it meets the gaseous fuel supply, for heating the vertical and top sides of mould.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section figure S is a cross section and figure 9 is a plan
of this modification of my Invention.
The air, or other cooling gaseous fluid, is blown by fan 21 or by other
mechanical means, through flue 22 formed immediately under the ingot mould-the
air if used, meets the gaseous fuel supply issuing from flue 23 at point 24 the flame
flows over the bridge 25 and spreads over the ingot mould and the metal contained
therein and finally escapes into chimney flue by the outlet. 26.
In sheet 2 of drawings figure 10 is a vertical section-Figure 11 is a longitudinal
section and figure 12 a plan shewing the application of my invention to the casting of
square sectional shaped ingots in groups.
In this arrangement the cooling air supply is blown under the base of the moulds-
the other sides being kept at a temperature sufficiently high to prevent cooling except
from the base upwards.
The air is blown by fan 27, through flue 28 formed beneath the ingot moulds, and
abstracts the heat therefrom, the air becoming heated in its passage through the flue
meets the gaseous fuel at position 29-the flame resulting flows along the two sides 30
of the ingot moulds 31.
In sheet 3 of drawings figures 13 and 14 shew respectively a vertical cross section
and a plan in section of rectangular shaped ingot moulds-arranged to effect the
carrying out of another modification of my Invention.
In this arrangement the cooling is effected from one of the vertical sides of the
ingot moulds in the arrangement shown, two groups of moulds 32 and 33 are
placed along side but slightly distant from each other, the space 34 intervening, being
utilised for the distribution of the cooling fluid. The air is blown through the
central space and meets gaseous fuel at the end of the pit, the flames resulting flow
along the two outer sides 35 of ingot moulds.
The metal is poured into the moulds at one of the ends and flows to the base of a
chamber 36 formed by the introduction of a temporary refractory division 37-which
refractory division, has an opening 38 through it, at its base for the flow of the
metal into the mould. By this means the metal is fed into the mould without
danger of enclosing the air. The runner can easily be severed from the rest of the
ingot.
Figures 15 and 16 sheet 3 of drawings show respectively a vertical cross section
and a plan in section of my Invention in its application to the casting of projectiles.
In this arrangement the projectile is cast with its pointed end downwards.
The mould is raised to a temperature approaching steel melting heat before the
metal is poured therein by the flame of the combustion of gaseous fuel flowing
around the mould.
Immediately the mould is filled with metal a cooling tube arrangement 39 is
lowered or forced into the centre of the mould by means of a pneumatic, hydraulic or
mechanical arrangement 40.
The air is forced through a central tube 41 around which and concentrically is
6ixet another larger tube 41 which serves for the escape of the cooling fluid.

page_text: The cooling tube arrangement is forced into the centre of the metal in the mould,
and the air blast supply is applied; by this means the air is cooled in the centre and
in a thoroughly uniformn manner.
After the cooling and solidification of the metal, the metal shrinks onto the outer
tube of the cooling arrangement the inner tube can be easily withdrawn by the
removal of a clamp 42.
The gaseous fuel by which the moul can be unintained at a temp. of fusion flows
into the annular flue 43-from which it enters into the upper annular flue 44,
through orifices 45 formed in the horizontal division 46-opposite each of the
orifices 45 is supplied an air supply tube ft with regulator 46.
The flame flows around combustion chamber 44 the products of combustion
escaping by chimney flue 48.
a
By means of my Invention steel ingots of the most colossal proportions, armour
plates, heavy ordnance and projectiles can be cast perfectly solid-or having
molecular structure-free from blow holes and internal stress and requiring neither
annealing nor mechanical treatment to perfect its molecular condition.
Having now particularly ascertained and described the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed I declare that what I
claim is as follows-
First. The method of corrugating the outer side of the outer cooling tube of my
cooling arrangement which forms the inner lining lining tube of a gun cast according
to my Invention.
Second. The method of casting steel or other ingots by which they are cooled from
one side only, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Third. The application-of-my Invention substantially as shewn and described in
figures 4 to 14.
Fourth. The method of casting projectiles-as an application of my Invention
numbered 6058 and dated April 26th 1887, substantially as herein shewn and
described.
m
*74