IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING INGOTS FOR CRANKED AXLES AND OTHER SIMILAR IRREGULAR FORMS IN STEEL, AND IN MOULDS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomson, of Normanton, in the County
of York, Ironmaster, and Andrew Macredie, of Sheffield, in the said
County, Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING
INGOTS FOR CRANKED AXLES AND OTHER SIMILAR IRREGULAR FORMS IN STEEL,
AND IN MOULDS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE."
Sealed the 26th September 1871, and dated the 3rd April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomson and
Andrew Macrcdic at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd April 1871.
We, WILLIAM THOMSON, of Normanton, in the County of York,
Ironmaster, and ANDREW MACREDIE, of Sheffield, in the said County,
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING INGOTS FOR CRANKED AXLES AND OTHER SIMILAR
IRREGULAR FORMS IN STEEL, AND IN MOULDS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to casting ingots for cranked axles and other
similar irregular forms in steel, and to moulds and apparatus to be
employed in such manufacture.

page_text: We employ a metal mould formed in two or more parts which are
held firmly together when the mould is in use by means of eccentrics
and straps or other convenient contrivances. The mould is tapered to
allow the steel to contract to the centre without cracking. At those
parts of the mould which form the cores separating the cranks or other
projections we insert wedges or removable pieces of metal or com-
position, which can be withdrawn after the metal is poured into the
mould and allows the casting to contract when cooling. The mould
is provided with "gets" for pouring in the steel and with apertures for
the escape of air.
Heretofore when casting steel ingots for double throw steel cranks
it has been the practice to cast them of such a form that in the process
of forging they require to be cut to the size and shape required, and
so greatly reduce in weight at a considerable cost in labor and
material.
Now we find that by employing moulds, such as we have described
above, and casting the parts shorter and thicker than they are intended
to be after forging to the shape required we are enabled to cast steel
ingots for the above-named purpose which can receive any necessary
amount of hammering and shaping, and will not require to be cut to
the shape when forging, thus effecting an important saving in the cost
of producing the forged ingot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Thomson and Andrew Macredio in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
THOMSON, of Normanton, in the County of York, Ironmaster, and
Andrew MacrEDIE, of Sheffield, in the said County, Accountant, send
grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Thomson and Andrew Macredic, Her
special licence that we, the said William Thomson and Andrew Macrodie,

page_text: our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Thomson and Andrew Macredie, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING INGOTS FOR
CRANKED AXLES AND OTHER SIMILAR IRREGULAR FORMS IN STEEL, AND IN MOULDS
AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Thomson and Andrew
Macredie, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and scals, or under the hand and seal of one of us
or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patcut.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Thomson and Andrew
Macredic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say :-
This Invention relates to casting ingots for cranked axles and other
similar irregular forms in steel, and to moulds and apparatus to be
employed in such manufacture.
We employ metal moulds formed in two or more parts, which are
held firmly together when the moulds are in use by means of eccentrics
and straps or other convenient contrivances. The moulds are tapered
to allow the steel to contract to the centre without cracking. At
those parts of the mould which form the cores separating the cranks or
other projections we insert wedges or removeable pieces of metal or com-
position, which can be easily withdrawn after the metal is poured into the
moulds and allows the casting to contract when cooling. The moulds
are provided with "gets " for pouring in the steel, and with apertures
for the escape of air and gas.
Heretofore when casting steel ingots for double throw steel cranks it
has been the practice to cast them of such a form that in the process
of forging they require to be cut to the size and shape required, and

page_text: so greatly reduced in weight at a considerable cost in labour and
material.
Now we find that by employing moulds such as we have described
above, and casting the parts shorter and thicker than they are intended
to be after forging to the shape required, we are enabled to cast steck
ingots for the above-named purpose, which can receive any necessary
amount of hammering and shaping and will not require to be cut
to the shape when forging, thus effecting an important saving in the cost
of producing the forged ingot. In cases where the cranks are heavy
and difficult to twist we cast them at right angles, as shewn in plan
view, Figure 14, of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
The mode of casting is as follows:-The molten steel is run into tho
mould till full, the gets are stopped, the wedges are gradually withdrawn,
and the clasps or cramps and excentrics are all cased, so as to give the
steel full liberty to contract.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed or carried into practice, we wish
it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of our Invention,
but what we claim is,―
First. The method of casting ingots for cranked axles and other
similar irregular forms in steel, substantially in the manner herein
described and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. We claim the arrangement and construction of moulds and
apparatus for casting ingots for cranked axles and other similar irregular
forms, substantially in the manner herein described and shewn in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whercof, we, the said William Thomson and Andrew
Macrcdic, have hereunto set our hands and scals, the Thirtieth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-one.
WILLIAM THOMSON. (L.S.)
A. MACREDIE.
(L.S.)