Improvements in Making Moulds for Casting.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Making Moulds for Casting.
I, WILLIAM STEWART MALCOLM, Assistant Foundry Manager, 11 Melville
Terrace, Stirling, in the County of Stirling, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In making moulds for casting metals as commonly practised sand or loam is
employed, and, in dealing with sand, pressure is applied by hand ramming or by
hydraulic, steam or mechanical power, to force the sand into close contact with the
surfaces of the pattern of the article to be moulded; whilst in dealing with loam
the material is spread on with the hand or by mould boards or sweeps operated by
hand. The use of hydraulic and similar machinery is very advantageous in
obtaining a rapid rate of production in the case of sand moulding, but owing to the
comparative immobility of sand its employment in machine moulding is restricted
to the making of moulds having mainly flat or even surfaces. The object of my
invention is to combine the advantage of speed of production of power presses with
that of greater plasticity and consequent adaptability to uneven surfaces of loam
over sand as the moulding material by making moulds for casting by direct
application of pressure of the pattern or pattern plate upon loam or similar plastic
moulding material contained in a mould box or flask. In carrying out the invention
I use a hydraulic or other power press on the platen of which I place the mould
box containing the loam to be impressed by the pattern the said pattern being
carried by or supported on a pressure resisting block and being made to fit some-
what closely at the mouth or open end of the mould box. On pressure being
applied the loam is forced into close contact with the surface of the pattern whose
shape it takes. The mould box may have its inner surface serrated, indented or
otherwise roughened to cause the loam the better to adhere to the surface of the
mould box and it may also be perforated with holes or have cast into its surface at
intervals pieces of a porous substance to permit of the escape of air as also the
water or moisture contained in the loam and the gases generated in casting, and it,
as also the pattern may in some cases be steam jacketted to facilitate the drawing
of the pattern and the drying or baking of the mould whilst under pressure.
Special vent openings may also be formed in the pattern to permit of the escape
of air-and gas.
The pattern may also be formed to leave its own flow gates and
runners for the metal.
The top and bottom boxes or cope and core of a mould may be thus formed
separately or the top and bottom boxes may be moulded at one operation as is done
in sand moulding machines of the "Leeder" type by interposing the pattern on a
plate between the two boxes which in the present case however have closed ends
with orifices if necessary for the escape of surplus loam.
Under a modification of the invention instead of compressing the mould within
the mould box by the relative movement of the pattern and mould box or boxes I
deliver the loam under pressure through a suitable pipe connection into the mould
box in which the pattern is held or fitted so as to leave only the requisite space
for the loam to form the mould. Under this arrangement a single loam compressor
may be used to supply a number of mould boxes fitted with similar or dissimilar
patterns, and it may be advisable to stove the mould before withdrawing the
patterns.
Dated this 21st day of March 1892.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Making Moulds for Casting.
I, WILLIAM STEWART MALCOLM, Assistant Foundry Manager, of 11 Melville
errace, Stirling, in the County of Stirling, North Britain, do hereby declare
e nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
e particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is
say:
My said invention has for its object the making of moulds or parts of moulds
or casting in an improved and expeditious manner.
5
In making moulds for casting metals as commonly practised, sand or loam is
employed, and, in dealing with ordinary founder's sand, pressure is applied by hand
ramming, or by hydraulic, or steam, or mechanical power, to force the sand into 10
close contact with the surface of the pattern of the article to be moulded; whilst
in dealing with loam the material is spread on with the hand or by mould boards or
Sweeps operated by hand.
The use of hydraulic power and similar machinery is very advantageous in
obtaining a rapid rate of production in the case of moulding with ordinary sand, 1
but owing to the comparative immobility of such sand its employment in machine
moulding is restricted to the making. of moulds having mainly flat or
surfaces.
even
The object of my invention is to obtain the advantage of speed of production
with power appliances in an improved manner.
In carrying out my invention I use hydraulic or other power appliances, but
instead of compressing the mould within the mould box by the relative movement
of the pattern and mould box or boxes, I deliver the sand or loam under pressure
through a suitable pipe connection into the mould box, in which the pattern is held
or fitted, and which is otherwise closed so as to leave only the requisite space for
the sand or loam to form the mould.
With arrangements for operating as described, a single compressor may be used
to supply a number of mould boxes fitted with similar or dissimilar patterns;
and if thought advisable the moulds may be stoved before withdrawing the
patterns.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and representing an example of apparatus to be employed
in effecting my improvements.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a general view of the apparatus as in sectiona
elevation; and Figure, 2, is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the moul
box.
The mould box, A, shown in the drawings is one for having formed in it th
half mould for a column having flanged ends, the pattern, B, for which, is fixed i
a cover or plate, C, fitted to completely cover the otherwise open top of the mou
The mould box, A,
box, and which cover is secured to the flanged sides of the mould box by clamps,
(Figure, 2,) or it might be in any other convenient way.
made with internal longitudinal ribs of dovetail form to hold the mould materi
and with fine holes for the escape of water from the mould material or of air
At one end of the mould box, A, or it might
formed or fixed
gas during the casting operation.
at the side or at whatever other part is found to be best, there
it a nozzle, E, which can be connected by a flexible pipe, F, to a delivery spout,
fixed to the bottom of a cylinder, H, in which the mould material is placed
being forced into a mould box. A piston. J, is arranged to work in the cylinder,
and is by a rod, K, connected to a piston, L, in an upper cylinder, M, in wh
latter cylinder water from an accumulator or otherwise under pressure can be m
to operate by means of any suitable known arrangement of valves, which, howe
2

page_text: are not shown in the drawing. When the piston, J, is at the top of its cylinder, H,
the mould material is admitted into the cylinder through an inclined pipe, N, fitted
with a stop valve, P, from a box or reservoir, Q, which receives it from a pan
mill, R; and when the piston, J, is moved downwards it forces the mould material
through the spout, G, and pipe, F, into the mould box, A. The material finds its
way into the space between the pattern, B, and the bottom, sides, and other parts
of the mould box, and accumulates in that space until it attains a sufficient density
at all parts.
The mould material may consist of the loam ordinarily used by founders; or it
may consist of finely ground sand combined with more or less clay or ordinary
loam, or other suitable material.
I do not herein claim the application of pressure of the pattern or pattern plate
upon the moulding material as described in my Provisional Specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
claim is:-
The making of moulds for casting by forcing loam or sand or like mould
material through a passage communicating with the space or spaces in the mould
box to be occupied by it, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twentieth day of December 1892
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.