Improvements in the Method of Casting Ingots, and in the Moulds and Appliances connected therewith.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct.,
1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Casting Ingots, and in the Moulds
and Appliances connected therewith.
I, JOHN OLIVER ARNOLD, of 105, Manchester Road, Sheffield, in the County of
York, Professor of Metallurgy, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
to be as follows:
:-
Although my invention is applicable for casting various kinds of metals or
metallic alloys, it is more particularly applicable in the production of ingots of
cast steel especially when the steel is treated or alloyed with silicon or aluminium.
The objects of my invention being to prevent the formation of blowholes, to pre-
vent liquation, and to avoid the phenomenon known as piping, and the consequent
waste resulting therefrom also the production of ingots with a less pro-
portion of heads and runners than is the case by the ordinary methods
employed.
I carry out my invention as follows:-
On a suitable bedplate I fix a runner box, which by preference I make rect-
angular, with a cover extending the full length of one of its sides. On one or
more sides of the said runner box and sometimes in the cover also, I provide a
series of recessed openings, one above the other the said openings being so spaced
as to allow of the insertion of the open ends of a corresponding number of ingot
moulds, such ingot moulds being placed horizontally, one above the other so that
their longitudinal axes are at right angles to the vertical runner box previously
mentioned. The outer ends of each row of ingot moulds I support upon a suitably
constructed trestle provided with movable shelves or bearers for the ends of the
ingot moulds to rest upon.
The ingot moulds I employ are what may be called close ended moulds, that
is to say, they are only open at one end, namely, the end which fits up to the
recessed opening in the runner box. This end I make with a true face and I
likewise make the faces of the recesses true so that when the moulds are in
position they do not leak at the joints with the runner box. On the face of the
upper wall of the mould however, and in the upper flange of each recess, I form
a slight groove or slot to act as a vent for any gas or air as the mould becomes
filled with the fluid metal. I also provide at the opposite or close end of the ingot
mould a small orifice for the escape of gas and air during the early flow of the
metal. The moulds are likewise made taper for the convenience of stripping the
ingots. The runner box I ram up with suitable composition having first intro-
duced a slightly tapered mandrill which on being withdrawn leaves a passage
for the steel from the top to the bottom of the runner box. Before withdrawing
the mandrill, however, I cut a passage through the composition with a tubulous
tool from the centre of each of the ingot orifices to the said mandrill so that when
the mandrill is withdrawn a thoroughfare has been provided from the central
passage of the runner box for the flow of the steel to each of the moulds. In
some cases I make these side passages horizontal and sometimes slightly inclined,
Price 8d1

page_text: the inclination being upwards towards the ingot mould from the said central
passage, the object of this being to prevent any splashing of the steel into the
upper moulds before the lower moulds are filled. The runner box I also make
long enough to give the necessary head for the top row, or rows of ingots.
In ramming up the runner box I remove the longitudinal cover from one side,
or other
the cover being secured to the box by convenient bolts, rings, clips,
equivalent fastenings. In some cases I provide the open ends of the ingot moulds
with flanges or lugs so that they can be bolted or secured to the runner box or
I provide straps or other equivalent means of securing the ingot mould to the
runner box.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that from one runner box or from
one central runner box, one two three, or four rows or successive rows of ingote
may be cast as described, the steel being teemed down the runner box first filling
the lower ingot moulds and as it rises it continues to fill each successive row, or
series of rows until the whole cast has been completed.
By this particular arrangement each succeeding row of ingots act as a head to
feed up the next lower row or rows. The top row. only requiring the head pro-
vided by the extended height of the runner box. By this method the waste is
confined to the main or central runner and the small lateral projections therefrom.
I am also able to dispense with an expensive bottom plate and the clay runners
used therewith.
I am aware that ingots have been cast in a horizontal position both in close
and in open moulds either with or without a main or central runner box and I
disclaim any novelty as to that part of my specification which relates to the
horizontal position of the moulds or the central position of the runner box,
the essential feature of my invention being the method of casting ingots hori-
zontally one above the other and the combination of parts and appliances
employed in connection therewith.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of Casting Ingots, and in the Moulds
and Appliances connected therewith.
I, JOHN OLIVER ARNOLD, of 105, Manchester Road, Sheffield, in the County of
York, Professor of Metallurgy, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
_
Although my invention is applicable for casting various kinds of metals or
metallic alloys, it is more particularly applicable in the production of ingots of
cast steel especially when the steel is treated or alloyed with silicon or aluminium.
The objects of my invention being to prevent the formation of blowholes, to pre-
vent liquation, and to avoid the phenomenon known as piping, and the consequent
waste resulting therefrom also the production of ingots with a less pro-
portion of heads and runners than is the case by the ordinary methods
employed.
My invention will be better understood on reference' to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which,
Fig. 1, is a side elevation partly in section of a bed plate, runner box, and a

page_text: 5
pair of trestles with twelve ingot moulds placed horizontally
TOWN OF
the ingots in each row being placed one above the other the several parts being
placed and secured ready for a cast.
Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the same looking towards the outer or closed
ends of the ingot moulds.
Fig. 3, is a similar view the ingot moulds being removed so as to shew the
openings in the runner box for the reception of the open ends of the ingot
moulds.
Fig. 4, is a plan partly in section taken on the line, A, B.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
I carry out my invention as follows:-
;
On a suitable bedplate, A, I fix a runner box B, which by preference I make
rectangular, with a cover, C, extending along one of its sides. On one or more
sides of the said runner box and sometimes in the cover also, I provide a series
of recessed openings one above the other the said openings being so spaced as
to allow of the insertion of the open ends of a corresponding number of ingot
moulds, E, such ingot moulds being placed horizontally one above the other
so that their longitudinal axes are at right angles to the vertical runner box
previously mentioned, sometimes in lieu of recessed openings I employ lugs, D,
for the ingot moulds to rest upon. The outer ends of each row of ingot moulds
I support upon a suitably constructed trestle, F, provided with 'movable shelves
or bearers, G, for the ends of the ingot moulds to rest upon.
The ingot moulds I employ are what may be called close ended moulds, that
is to say, they are only open at one end, namely the end which fits up to the
recessed opening in the runner box. This end I make with a true face and I
likewise make the faces of the recesses true so that when the moulds are in
position they do not leak at the joints with the runner box. On the face of the
upper wall of the mould however, and in the upper flange of each recess, I form
a slight groove or slot H, to act as a vent for any gas or air as the mould becomes
filled with the fluid metal. Sometimes I also provide at the opposite or close end of
the ingot mould a small orifice, I, for the escape of gas and air during the early flow of
the metal. The moulds are likewise made taper for the convenience of stripping the
ingots. The runner box I ram up with suitable composition having first intro-
duced a slightly tapered mandrill which on being withdrawn leaves a passage, J,
for the steel from the top to the bottom of the runner box. Before withdrawing
the mandrill, however, I cut a passage K, through the composition with a tubulous
tool from the centre or about the centre of each of the ingot orifices to the said
mandrill so that when the mandrill is withdrawn a thoroughfare has been provided
from the central passage of the runner box for the flow of the steel to each of
the moulds. In some cases I make these side passages horizontal and sometimes
slightly inclined, the inclination being upwards towards the ingot mould from
the said central passage, the object of this being to prevent any splashing of
the steel into the upper moulds before the lower moulds are filled. The runner
box I also make long enough to give the necessary head for the top row or rows
of ingots.
In ramming up the runner box I remove the longitudinal cover from one side,
the cover being secured to the box by convenient bolts, rings, clips or other
equivalent fastenings. In some cases I provide the open ends of the ingot moulds
with flanges or lugs so that they can be bolted or secured to the runner box or
I provide straps or other equivalent means of securing the ingot mould to the
runner box.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that from one runner box or from
one central runner box, one, two, three, or four rows or successive rows of ingots
may be cast as described, the steel being teemed down the runner box first filling
the lower ingot moulds and as it rises it continues to fill each successive row or
series of rows until the whole cast has been completed.
By this particular arrangement each succeeding row of ingots acts as a head to

page_text: feed up the next lower row or rows.
The top row only requiring the head pro-
vided by the extended height of the runner box. By this method the waste is
confined to the main or central runner and the small lateral projections therefrom
I am also able to dispense with an expensive bottom plate and the clay runners
used therewith.
I am aware that ingots have been cast in a horizontal position both in close
and in open moulds either with or without a main or central runner box and I
disclaim any novelty as to that part of my specification which relates to the
horizontal position of the moulds, or the central position of the runner box.
and
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An improved method of casting ingots horizontally one above the other
in rows, from one runner box, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
herein described and illustrated.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances by means of
which metal ingots may be cast horizontally one above the other in rows from
one runner box in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
Dated this 13th day of July 1808