IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE MOULDING OR CASTING OF METALS AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mushet and Robert Mushet, of Dalkeith,
in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britian, Ironfounders, for the
Invention of
66
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE MOULDING OR
CASTING OF METALS AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mushet and
Robert Mushet at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st March 1870.
We, WILLIAM MUSHET and ROBERT MUSHET, of Dalkeith, in the
County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Ironfounders, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH
THE MOULDING OR CASTING OF METALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates principally to an improved process of preparing
moulds for casting metal. In commencing the operation a pattern of the
article to be cast from is prepared either in iron, wood, or in any other
suitable material. This pattern is then cast or formed on a suitable

page_text: plate about half an inch thick projecting the thickness of itself above the
plain face of the plate and reversed or taken out on the back to
correspond with the surface. From this a front and back plate are made
from which the moulds are taken, or the first plate can be used alone
by turning it over with the boxes if preferred. The plates may be of
any shape, concave or convex, to suit the shape of pattern; when the
pattern is plain on the under side it is fixed on an even or planed plate,
and the mould is formed from this, the top part being rammed on a
separate cover or planed plate. The separate moulds formed in this
manner when put together form the complete mould ready for
oasting
block is placed upon a suitable carriage running on rails. A strong
current of hot air is directed across the pattern to heat. it and to clean it
of loose sand, and the empty box placed upon it. The carriage is then
wheeled forward under a riddle to receive the facing sand, the riddle being
actuated by a cam or beater on a shaft (driven at a considerable velocity
by a strap or other suitable means), and arranged so that it can be
instantly disengaged when sufficient facing sand has been discharged
into the box. Or if preferred the riddle can be. actuated by a crank or
other suitable means commonly used. When the facing sand has been
received the carriage is passed slowly under a shoot coming from the
floor above and the box is filled up to the required height with moulding
sand. A cap, shut, or valve is placed at the mouth of this shoot to
regulate the discharge of sand. The carriage is then wheeled to and
placed under a steam rammer where the box is rammed by one or more
blows of the rammer. A gauge of the required shape is attached to the
framing of the steam rammer underneath which the box
passes and any
superfluous sand is removed previously to the action of the rammer.
The face of the rammer is made of metal covered with wood or otherwise
and for small boxes is made about the size of the box to be operated
upon so that one or more blows in the one position may ram it. For
·larger boxes the face of the rammer may be made of less size than the
box and the carriage may be moved under the rammer, receiving one or
more blows on the same or different parts of the box: The steam
rammer is made on the principle of the steam hammer, and may be
constructed either to be self-acting by the passing action of the carriage.
or to be worked by hand. After the ramming the carriage is moved.

page_text: forward on the rails, and the top of the box is removed either by hand or
by suitable mechanical arrangements, after which the carriage with the
block is wheeled back for a repetition of the operation. By a double
arrangement of the apparatus herein-before described both sides of the
pattern can be moulded at the same time and fixed together for casting.
When the mould is cast the boxes are again lifted by hand or by
suitable mechanical arrangements, and the casting and sand removed;
the boxes being placed upon the carriages and wheeled back by the same
on different rails to be in readiness for a repetition of the same operation.
After the sand is removed from the boxes it is carried to the floor above
by means of suitably shaped elevators or buckets and discharged at onc
end of a long screw, by the rotation of which it is conveyed back to the
required place for being used again; the rotation of the screw will pulverise
and mix the sand; and one or two fine jets of water as required may
be discharged upon the sand in its passage so as to damp it properly,
the top of the screw box being left open or provided with air channels to
let the steam escape. A fan may be placed above the screw blowing one
or more currents of cold air upon the sand to cool it and a riddle or
revolving screen may be placed at the end of the screw to screen the
sand before it falls to the floor to be used again.. A travelling band may
be used in place of the screw, and the whole mechanism may be driven
by a small steam engine placed in any suitable position.
The advantages to be derived from the use of this Invention com-
prise the following:-A saving of time in the operations, better finished
castings, less skilled labor will be required, and consequently the rate of
production will be cheaper.
0
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Mushet and Robert Mushet in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
MUSHET and ROBERT MUSHET, of Dalkeith, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britian, Ironfounders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said William Mushet and Robert Mushet, Her
special licence, that we, the said William Mushet and Robert Mushet,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Mushet and Robert Mushet, 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 OR CONNECTED WITH
THE MOULDING OR CASTING OF METALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon-the-condition-(amongst others) that we, the said William
Mushet and Robert Mushet, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or one of our or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Mushet and Robert
Mushet, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference being
had to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, that is to say :—
This Invention relates principally to an improved process of preparing
moulds for casting metal, and which in operation combines amongst
various other advantages the following and most essential, namely, a
saving of time in the various operations as they are severally performed,
a better production or better finished castings with the employment of
less skilled labor and consequently a cheaper rate of production of the
required articles. In commencing the operation we first prepare a
pattern or pattern plate of the article to be cast from in either iron,
wood, or any other suitable material in the following manner :-The
pattern is placed upon a suitable plate or board set upon a deep and
solid bed of sand. A moulding box about six inches larger than the
pattern every way is then placed upon the said plate or board, the
pattern (or patterns) being set fair in the middle, it is rammed up, and
رو

page_text: turned over on another solid bed of sand, the board is then removed,
and the parting carefully made. The top part of the box is then put on
to the part already rammed up, which is the drag, the gate pins are put in
suitable places, and this also is rammed up. The two parts are then
separated, and a frame of wood about half an inch thick and one and a half
inch broad is placed on the parting, keeping the pattern fair in the middle.
The outside of this frame is made up firmly with sand so as to resist the
pressure of the metal, a piece of iron the same thickness as the frame
two inches broad and about four inches long, is placed on cach corner of
the under part of the box or drag, so that when the top part is placed on
it it will be raised up the thickness of the frame. The frame and
pattern (or patterns) are then removed and the mould is carefully
finished. The top part is then placed upon the under part of the box,
and the two parts are securely fastened together; the metal is then
poured into the mould, and the pattern plate is produced. This plate
is formed with four checks on it which correspond with the pins and the
snugs on the moulding boxes, and which are filed and faced to ensure
accuracy in the moulding. The pattern plate being cast in the manner
above described it is cleaned up and fitted to the moulding boxes, the
pins and snugs of which and checks in the plate being all fitted exactly
to one another. The pattern plate may be used singly, that is, it may
be turned over with the top part and drag of the moulding box, or two
plates may be made, the face impression being taken off one plate and
the back impression off a different plate. When two plates are used cach
plate must be accurately fitted and secured to a frame which may be
constructed of wood or iron furnished with guides corresponding with
the pins and snugs of the moulding boxes. The pins of the moulding
boxes may be either simply faced, or steel fitting strips can be inserted
into grooves formed in them by mandrils.
The method of preparing the moulds is as follows, but this will be
better understood by referring to the accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings, cach corresponding illustrative letter in the several Figures
of which signifies or indicates the same part of the apparatus.
On the accompanying Sheets of Drawings Figure 1, Sheet 1,
represents a side elevation of a building or erection provided with
suitable appliances or apparatus as embodied in and designed for carry-
ing out this Invention in practice; Figure 2, Sheet 1, represents a plan

page_text: of the same, showing more clearly a suitable and convenient disposition
of the apparatus; and Figure 3, Sheet 2, represents a side view of
Figure 2, or an end elevation of the structure or building, and this
Figure also indicates or illustrates more clearly the manner or mode in
which the machinery or apparatus may be conveniently worked.
When the
The block or pattern plate with its moulding box or frame is placed
upon a suitable carriage running on rails r; a strong current of hot
air is directed from the pipe p across the pattern plate to heat it and to
clean it from loose sand, and the empty box a is placed upon it. The
carriage is then wheeled forward under a riddle c, d, to receive the
facing sand, this riddle is supported from the roof or otherwise and is
actuated by a cam or beater e on a shaft_y,_driven at-a-considerable
velocity by a belt or strap o from the shaft q or by other suitable
means, and arranged so that it can be instantly disengaged when suffi-
cient facing sand has been discharged into the box from the spouts,
or if preferred the riddle can be actuated by crank and levers as shown
at f, or by any other convenient means in common use.
facing sand has been received the carriage b is passed slowly under a
shoot or spout & coming from a floor above, and the box a is filled up
to the required height with moulding sand. A cap "shut" or valve g
is placed at the mouth of this shoot to regulate the discharge of sand,
and also a scraper n to level the sand in the box to the proper height.
The carriage is then wheeled to and placed under a steam rammer /
where the box is rammed up by one or more blows of the rammer.
gauge m of the required shape is attached to the framing of the steam
rammer, underneath which the box passes, and any superfluous sand
The face of the
is removed previously to the action of the rammer.
rammer is made of metal covered with wood or otherwise, and for small
boxes is made about the size of the box to be operated upon, so that
one or more blows in the one position may ram it. For larger boxes
the face of the rammer may be made of less size than the box, and
the carriage b may be moved under the rammer receiving one or
This steam
more blows on the same or different parts of the box a.
rammer h is made on the principle of the "steam hammer," and is
constructed (so as to be capable of being worked by compressed air (if
desirable) or to be either self-acting by the passing action of the
carriage b, or it may be worked by hand. After the ramming the
carriage is moved forward on the rails, and the top of the box is
A

page_text: removed either by hand or by suitable mechanical arrangements, after
which the carriage with the block or pattern plate is wheeled back for
a repetition of the operation.
By a double arrangement of the apparatus herein-before describe d
both sides of the pattern can be moulded at the same time and fixed
together for casting. When the mould is cast the boxes are again
lifted by hand or by suitable mechanical arrangements, and the casting
and sand removed, the boxes a being placed upon the carriages 6 and
wheeled back on the same or different rails to be in readiness for
the next (or a repetition of the same) operation. After the sand is
removed from the boxes it is carried to the floor above by means of
suitably shaped clevators or buckets i, and discharged into or at one
end of a long travelling screw k, by the rotation of which it is conveyed
back to the required place and discharged through the spout 83 to be
used again.
The rotation of the screw k likewise pulverizes and
mixes the sand, and one or more fine jets of water as required may be
discharged from the pipe w upon the sand in its passage so as to damp
it properly. The top of the screw box is left open or is' provided with
air channels to allow the steam to escape. A fan may be placed above
the screw blowing one or more currents of cold air upon the sand to
cool it, and a riddle or revolving screen may be placed at the end of
the screw to screen the sand before it falls to the floor to be used
again. A travelling band may be used in place of the screw, and the
whole mechanism as herein-before described may be driven by a small
steam engine placed in any suitable position as illustrated on the accom-
panying two Sheets of Drawings.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention
for "Improvements in or connected with the Casting or Moulding of
Metals, and in the Apparatus to be employed therein," together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, we would remark in conclusion that we claim
as our Invention, the improved process and apparatus for preparing
moulds for casting metals, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings or any
equivalent modification thereof, but we would here remark that
we do not restrict ourselves to the precise forms or disposition of
the several parts of the apparatus or machinery as the same may

page_text: obviously be altered or varied as circumstances may determine without
departing from the distinguishing features of our Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Mushet for myself and
on behalf of the said Robert Mushet, have hercunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM MUSHET. (L.S.)