Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 2nd Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Jan., 1888
We, STEPHEN ALLEY, and JOHN ALEXANDER MAC LELLAN, of the Sentinel Works,
Polmadie, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this Invention to be as follows, that is to say. :-
Our said Invention has for its object to construct and arrange apparatus for
making moulds for casting in an improved manner and so as to save labor and time,
especially in casos in which large quantities of castings are required off the same
pattern.
In carrying out our Invention we employ a kind of hydraulic press with the
cylinder at the base and arranged to force upwards a platen or table upon which the
pattern to be moulded is fixed. Various articles can be moulded by means of our
improved apparatus, but a pipe length may be taken as an example the flask or mould
box for one half of the pipe being moulded at each operation of the machine, in which
case the pattern will correspond to one half of the pipe as divided through its axis.
The pattern is raised a certain distance above the surface of the platen and when in
position to receive the sand or mould material the platen is raised up to a parting
plate through a contour opening in which the pattern then projects so that exactly
one half of the pipe projects above the upper surface of the parting plate. When the
pattern is thus in position the flask is placed on the parting plate and the necessary
quantity of sand is filled into it from a hopper formed in or fixed to the entablature
of the machine. The hopper is made with a flat bottom in two halves hinged to the
lower edges of the sides of the hopper; and when delivering the sand the bottom
parts are lowered into inclined positions so as to guide the sand down properly into
the flask. The sand having been run into the flask in this way the hopper bottom is
closed, and the hydraulic ram is rapidly raised so as to lift the platen and parting
plate with the pattern and flask containing the proper quantity of sand up against
the under side of the hopper bottom. The speed of lifting is such as to bring the
sand, which projects up a little in a ridge along the middle of the flask, smartly into
contact with the hopper bottom, and the sand is thereby made to apply itself compactly
in contact with every part of the pattern. As soon as the compression of the sand is
effected the hydraulic ram is lowered. The parting plate is guided upon the columns
го
017

page_text: of the press baving fixed to it tubular legs which slide on the columns and the plate
descends until the legs reach, certain stops. The descent of the platen with the pattern
is for a moment arrested when the parting plate is stopped, but immediately after-
wards the platen descends as much further as to lower the pattern down through the
parting plate. The flask with the moulded sand in it can then be removed and an
empty flask be put into its place for the next moulding operation. The movements of
the apparatus are controlled by a hand lever connected to the valve of the hydraulic
cylinder, but the speeds at the various parts of the descent are by preference controlled
automatically by a bar arranged to move with the platen and having a cam surface
formed on it which acts on the valve lever in a suitable manner. Spring buffers are
by preference employed to prevent sudden concussive action when the descent of
the parting plate and platen is stopped.
The hydraulic ram may be arranged to act directly as hereinbefore described or
through levers; and the actual movements of the parts may be transposed if found
more convenient provided that the relative movements remain as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Third day of Mah 1987
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Moulds for Casting.
We, STEPHEN ALLEY, and JOHN ALEXANDER MAC LELLAN, of the Sentinel Works,
Polmadie, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is
to say
Our said Invention has for its object to construct and arrange apparatus for making
moulds for casting in an improved manner and so as to save labor and time especially
in cases in which large quantities of castings are required off the same pattern.
In carrying out our Invention we employ a kind of hydraulic press with the
cylinder at the base and arranged to force upwards a platen or table upon which the
pattern to be moulded is fixed. Various articles can be moulded by means of our
improved apparatus, but a pipe length may be taken as an example, the flask or mould
box for one half of the pipe being moulded at each operation of the machine, in
which case the pattern will correspond to one half of the pipe as divided through
its axis.
A machine as made according to our Invention is represented on an accompanying
sheet of explanatory drawings, of which, figure, 1, is a plan, figure, 2, a sectional
side elevation, and figure, 3, an end elevation. Figure, 4, is a transverse vertical
section of a box from which the sand or mould material is dropped into the flask. In
these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
The machine comprises a base plate, 5, having fixed in it an hydraulic cylinder, 6,
the ram, 7, of which carries at its upper end a platen or table, 8. An entablature, 9,
is carried by pillars or rods, 10, and tied by them to the base plate, 5, in the usual
way. The pattern, 11, which is on a plate, 12, which can be accurately adjusted and
levelled by screws, 13, is raised a certain distance above the surface of the plate, 12,
and when in position to receive the sand or mould material, the plate, 12,
is by the ram, 7, and platen, 8, raised up to a parting plate, 14, through a contour
opening in which the pattern, 11, then projects, so that exactly one half of the pipe
projects above the upper surface of the parting plate. When the pattern, 11, is thus
in position the flask, 15, is placed on the parting plate, 14, and the necessary quantity
of sand is filled into it from a hopper, 16, supported under the entablature, 9, of the
machine. The hopper, 16, is made with a flat bottom in two halves, 17, hinged to
the lower edges of the sides of the hopper; and when delivering the sand the bottom
parts, 17, are lowered into inclined positions as indicated by dotted lines in figure, 4,
so as to guide the sand down properly into the flask, 15. The sand having been run into
the flask, 15, as described, the hopper bottom, 17, is closed, by means of a hand lever, 18,
connected to the halves by chains; and the hydraulic ram, 7, is rapidly raised so as
to lift the platen, 8, plate, 12, pattern, 11, and parting plate, 14, with the flask, 15,
containing the proper quantity of sand up against the underside of the hopper
bottom, 17. The speed of lifting is such as to bring the sand, which projects up a

page_text: little in a ridge along the middle of the flask, smartly into contact with the hopper
bottom, and the sand is thereby made to apply itself compactly in contact with every
part of the pattern, 11. As soon as the compression of the sand is effected the hydraulic
ram, 7, is lowered. The parting plate, 14, is guided upon the columns, 10, of the
press, having fixed at its corners tubular legs, 19, which slide on the columns; and
the plate, 14, descends until the legs, 19, reach stops formed on the base plate, 5.
The descent of the platen, 8, carrying the pattern, 11, is for a moment arrested when
the parting plate, 14, is stopped, but immediately afterwards the platen, 8, descends
as much further as to lower the pattern, 11, down through the parting plate, 14. The
flask, 15, with the moulded sand in it can then be removed and an empty flask be put
into its place for the next moulding operation. For the purpose of temporarily
arresting the descent of the platen, 8, as described, there are jointed to its underside
two weighted legs, 20, which encounter the top flange of the hydraulic cylinder, 6,
but which are, a moment later, drawn away by ropes or chains, 21, to allow the platen
to descend to its lowest point.
The movements of the apparatus are controlled by a hand lever, 22, connected to
the spindle of a valve in a valve box, 23, through which the water passes on its way to
and from the hydraulic cylinder, 6. The speeds at the various parts of the descent
are by preference controlled automatically by a rod or bar, 24, which is adjustably
fixed to a bracket, 25, fixed to the platen, 8, so as to move therewith. The bar, 24,
is formed with a cam surface, 26, at its upper end, which when the hand lever, 22, is
turned (towards the left hand in figures 1 and 2) to put the cylinder, 6, in com-
munication with the exhaust, at first prevents the exhaust from being fully opened but
allows it to be so when the ram has descended a certain distance.
The hopper, 16, is supported on rails, 27, fixed to the columns, 10, and can be drawn
out on these rails to receive the supplies of sand.
The hydraulic ram may be arranged to act directly as herein before described, or
through levers and the actual movements of the parts may be transposed if found
more convenient provided that the relative movements remain as hereinbefore
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, wo declare that what we
claim is :-
1-The combination of parts constituting our improved apparatus for making
moulds for casting substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the
accompanying drawings.
2-The sand-supplying hopper with opening bottom and arranged to meet and resist
the upward movement of the mould flask and parts carrying it substantially as
herein before described.
3-The arrangement of the platen, the pattern and the parting plate in combina-
tion and operating substantially in the manner herein before described.
4-The combination of the cam surface moved by the platen with the valve lever
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Dated this First day of December 1887.
Applicants' Agent.