Improvements in Apparatus relating to the Manufacture of Stereotype Plates.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
[Communicated from abroad by ROBERT HOE, Printing Press Manufacturer, of
504, Grand Street, in the City of New York, State of New York, United States
of America.]
Improvements in Apparatus relating to the Manufacture of
Stereotype Plates.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, 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; —
This invention relates generally to the art of stereotyping, and more particularly
concerns itself with certain improvements in the casting apparatus.
One part of the invention relates to certain improvements in devices whereby
the casting box itself is rendered easier of manipulation, the purpose being to so
construct the box as to facilitate the raising of the cover, whereby time is saved in
the casting operation.
Stereotype plate casting boxes, as ordinarily constructed, consist of a body
portion, and a cover which fits into the body portion, a space being left between
the two to form a mould cavity, in which the matrix is secured, and into which the
molten metal is poured to make the cast, the mould cavity being usually curved.
The body and cover consist of heavy castings, so that the whole structure is of
very considerable weight. The body and cover are usually hinged together, and
the box, as a whole, is mounted on trunnions in a suitable frame, so that it can be
swung into a vertical position, or nearly so, in order that the molten metal may
be poured into it. After the metal has been poured into the box, the box is swung
into a horizontal position, so that the cast plate may be removed.
As is well understood, the stereotype plate casting operation occurs between
the final closing of the forms in the composing room and the starting of the
press. In all newspaper offices, the closing of the forms is delayed as long as
possible before the issuance of the edition of the paper, in order that the paper
may be sure of containing the latest news. It is very desirable, therefore, to
save all the time possible in the stereotyping and casting operations, and in large
newspaper offices the saving of even a single minute in these processes is regarded
as of great importance.
On account of this necessity for saving time, it is desirable to so construct the
casting boxes, that these may be manipulated as expeditiously as possible. While
the entire box can be so nicely balanced upon its trunnions that the operation of
swinging it from a horizontal to a vertical position, or vice versa, can be accom-
plished with but little exertion and with great speed, the lifting of the heavy
cover, when the box is in its horizontal position, is a matter which requires con-
siderable strength, and which is not, as boxes are now usually constructed, easy to
accomplish.
Attempts have been made to apply springs to the covers of casting boxes, in
order to assist in raising the covers, and thereby facilitate the operation of opening

page_text: the box, to remove the casting. Such springs have not, however, been effective,
because they have not, so far as known, been heretofore so located and arranged
as to exercise their greatest force upon the cover at the right time. The greatest
lifting moment of the spring should of course be exerted at the time when the
cover-raising operation is begun. In the casting boxes, as heretofore constructed,
however, the greatest lifting moment has not been exerted at this time, but the
springs have been so located and arranged that only a part of their force has
been effective at this time.
It is the special object of this part of the invention to construct a casting box
in which springs shall be used to assist in raising the cover of the box, and in
which the greatest lifting moment or power of the springs shall be exerted when
the cover raising operation is begun.
Another part of the invention relates to certain improvements in the locking or
clamping devices by which the cover is locked to, and unlocked from, the body
portion of the mould, and this part of the invention has for its object to provide
a device which shall both clanıp the cover and the bottom portion of the mould
together, and effect the separation thereof, which device is operated by a single
lever, thereby simplifying the construction usually employed, and economizing
time and labor.
Another part of the invention relates to certain improvements in the metal
melting apparatus, and has for its abject to provide an improved form of such
apparatus, by the use of which the high degree of heat required may he obtained,
and yet the heat localized where needed, so that the temperature of the stereotyping
room may be kept low. More particularly considered, this part of the invention
relates to an improved form of burner, to which air under pressure and gas are
supplied, by the combustion of which the necessary heat to melt the metal in the
metal melting vessel is obtained.
Metal melting vessels for sterotyping purposes have heretofore been heated by
burners to which air under pressure and gas are supplied, and one form of such
burners consists of a chamber for the air and a second chamber for the gas, the
air chamber having a series of orifices, and the gas chamber having a series of
tubes, which pass through the air chamber, and the mouths of which lie in the
orifices of the air chamber. The air under pressure issues from the orifices around
the mouths of the tubes, being mixed with the gas at that point. In burners of
this form it has been usual to supply the air under pressure to the air chamber at
some point, usually at the side, so that the air would be unequally distributed
among the several burner tubes. The result of thus supplying the air is, that
those of the burner tubes which receive the most air maintain a much stronger
combustion than the other burner tubes. They therefore burn out much quicker,
and at the same time the burner, as a whole, is less efficient, not only because
some of its parts burn out before others, but also because it does not deliver an
equal amount of heat to all parts of the object to which its heat is to be imparted.
The same is also true in a greater or less degree of burners employing a single
gas tube, which passes through an air chamber to which air is supplied under
pressure. In such constructions, however, the different parts of the burner will
receive different amounts of air, and different degrees of combustion will be
accordingly maintained at different parts of the burner tube, so that the burner,
as a whole, does not deliver an even degree of heat.
It is the object of this part of the invention to produce a burner to which air is
supplied under pressure, and in which all parts of the burner tube, or in case there
is a plurality of burner tubes, each burner tube, gets the same amount of air, and
consequently maintains an even combustion, thereby producing a more efficient
and enduring burner than heretofore.
In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters indicate
the same parts,
Figure 1 is a plan view of the casting box constructed in accordance with the
invention. the box being shown in its horizontal position.

page_text: ure is a side view of the construction shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side view of the box raised into the position it occupies when the
molten metal is to be poured therein.
Figure 4 is a side view, showing the box in its horizontal position, but with its
cover raised, the cover being partly broken away.
Figure 5 is a sectional detail illustrating certain details of the locking
mechanism.
Figure 6 is a vertical central section of the melting apparatus, showing more
particularly the construction of the improved burner.
Figure 7 is a detached plan view of the burner.
Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate the side portions of a frame in
which a casting box is mounted. These parts of the frame are tied together in
any usual or desired manner, either by parts of the construction to be hereafter
described, or by ordinary tie rods, or by both.
The parts 1 and 2 are provided with suitable bearings 3. In these bearings 3
is mounted the body portion 4 of the casting box, this portion being provided with
trunnions 5. The box body has its interior of the usual curved form, and the
cover fits between the sides of the body, the said cover being hinged to the body
by a hinge rod 7, which passes through ears 8 on the cover and ears 9 on the box.
The cover 6 is secured to the hinge rod 7 by means of set screws 10, or in any other
suitable manner.
Extending across the frame from side to side is a rod 11, which carries stop
lugs 12 and 13, the stop lugs 12 serving to limit the movement of the box when
it is swung into a horizontal position, and the stop lug 13 serving to limit the
movement of the box when it is swung into a vertical position, as will be apparent
by comparing Figures 2 and 3.
As has been stated, springs are applied to the cover of the box, in order to
assist in raising the same, and it is desirable that the springs be applied in such a
way that they exert their greatest lifting force at the beginning of the operation
of raising the cover and that their entire force be utilized in the cover-lifting
operation. There are a number of ways in which the springs may be applied in
order to effect this result. In the preferred form of the construction, the hinge
rod is extended on each side of the box. Mounted on the extensions of the hinge
rod are arms 14, which are secured to the hinge rod in any suitable manner, as
by set screws 15. The arms 14 preferably have, integral with them, collars 16,
which extend along the extensions of the hinge rod. The purpose of these collars
is to increase the size of the rod, so that the central coil of the spring, to be
hereafter described, may be of larger size, and therefore more effective. It is
obvious that the collars may be independent of the rods, or, in some cases, omitted
altogether.
Coiled about the collars 16 are springs 17, said springs having their operating
ends 18 connected to the arms 14 in any suitable or desired manner. In the con-
struction shown, the arms 14 are provided with screw eyes 19, said eyes being
adjustably secured in the arms 14, so that the tension of the spring may be
readily adjusted. The adjustment of the screw eyes may be effected in any
suitable or desired manner. In the construction shown, the adjustment is effected
by nuts 20. The other arm 21 of the spring may be secured in any suitable or
desired manner. Preferably, however, it will be secured to the frame.
Various means may be used for effecting the connection between the frame and
the spring. In the preferred form, a plate 22, having a closed eye 23, will be
secured to the frame by means of a pivot bolt 24, which passes through the eye
in the frame. By pivotting the plate 22 to the frame, it will be seen that as the
box swings from the horizontal to the vertical position, the plate is free to follow
the box, and any bending or cramping of the arm 21 of the spring is avoided. The
plates are preferably located so that the bearing points of the arms 21 of the
springs are opposite the centres of the trunnions on which the box is pivotted, as,

page_text: when the springs bear at these points, they do not affect the balancing of the box.
If desired, however, the plates 22 may be pivotted off the centres of the trunnions.
While it is preferred to secure the arms of the springs to the frame, as has been
before described, they may, under some circumstances, be otherwise secured.
In the construction which has just been described, it will be observed that
the entire operative force of the springs is exerted through the arms 14, in a lifting
moment which tends to lift the cover by turning the hinge rod 7 on its axis. The
entire force of the springs is therefore utilized for the purpose for which it is
intended, and, furthermore, the tension of the springs is the greatest, and con-
sequently the lifting moment is the greatest, when the cover is in its closed position.
The springs, therefore, afford the greatest aid in lifting the cover
of the box at the precise time when such aid is needed, namely, at
the time when the operation of opening the box is begun. This is effected by
the location and arrangement of the springs, and it is to be carefully distinguished
from other constructions in which the spring is arranged on the hinge rod, and
has its lifting end bearing against the rear end of the cover, and lying in a vertical
plane when the box is in its horizontal position. In the construction referred to,
the entire operative force of the spring is not entirely utilized in a lifting moment,
but at the time when the cover-lifting operation is hegun, it has a tendency to
push the cover of the box lengthwise of the box. In other words, the force of the
spring is divided between a lifting moment and a moment which tends to give a
longitudinal movement to the cover, the latter moment being the greater.
While the arrangement of the spring which has been heretofore described is an
efficient one, it is to be understood that there are other arrangements and locations
of the springs which are possible, and in which the entire force of the spring will
be exerted as a lifting moment. The box is shown as provided with locking
ams 25, which are mounted on a shaft 26, the position of the shaft being controlled
by a lever 27, having a handle 28. When the box is in its horizontal position, the
end of the lever takes under a safety rod 29, and prevents the box from being
turned upon its trunnions when the cover is swung up.
The locking and clamping devices which form the subject matter of another
portion of the invention, are preferably constructed as follows:-
The cover of the mould or box is provided with lugs 30, which, when the mould
is in position to receive the molten metal, rest upon the edges of the bottom
portion. A clamping bar 31 reciprocates under U-shaped guides 32 attached to
the cover of the mould. To the clamping bar are bolted two rack bars 33, mounted
so as to slide in the cover, and gearing with pinions 34-keyed upon shaft 35
jornalled to the cover, and provided with a handle 36 at each end. To the shaft 35
is also fixed a handle 37 and two excentrics 38, one at each end, and placed so
as to hear upon the edges of the bottom portion of the mould. Luga 39 are holted
to the body portion on either side, under which the locking bar is received, to lock:
the cover to the bottom.
When the parts are in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the rack bars 33 are
drawn to their extreme right-hand position, carrying the locking bar 31 under the
lugs 39, and locking the body and the cover together. In this position of the
handle 37, the protruding portions of the excentrics 38 are away from the body
portion of the mould, as shown in Figure 2. When the cover is to be unlocked
from the body, the handle 37 is thrown clear over to its opposite position, and the
rack bars 33 are moved to their extreme left-hand position, thus withdrawing
the locking bar 31 from the lugs 39, and causing the protruding portions of the
cams or excentrics 38 to bear against the sides of the body portion of the mould.
In the intermediate position of the handle 37 (see Figure 5), the locking bar is
also out of engagement with the lugs 39, and the handle is held in this position
by a lug 40 mounted upon a spring 41, which takes into a notch 42 formed in
the shank of the handle 37.
When the apparatus is to be used, the handle 37 is placed as shown in Figures
and 2, the mould is tipped to a vertical position (see Figure 4), and the molten

page_text: metal poured in. When the metal has cooled and hardened, the mould is returned
to a horizontal position, and the handle 37 is pulled forward a half revolution,
thereby withdrawing the locking bar 31 from the lugs 39, and causing the cams 38
to bear upon the body portion of the mould, and separate the cover from the
casting. The handle 37 is now swung to its intermediate position, that shown in
Figure 5, and the cover swung back. The cast plate can now be loosened from
the body portion of the mould, and removed.
The purpose of moving the handle 37 to the intermediate position, before swing-
ing back the cover, is, that if the handle were left in the position it occupies when
the locking bar is slid clear back, the excentrics would strike the bottom portion
of the mould when the cover was swung back after removing the cast plate. On
the other hand, if the handle 37 were swung to the position it occupies in Figure 2,
the locking bar would strike against the tops of the lugs 39 when the cover was
closed. Consequently it is desirable to provide for an intermediate position, as
stated.
The lugs 39 are, as shown, preferably spring-mounted, that is, they are pressed
upward by springs 43, and have a slight amount of play upon the bottom portion
of the mould, so as to permit the wear upon their under surfaces, and the upper
surface of the locking bar, to be compensated for by screwing up the nuts which
hold them to the mould.
That portion of the invention which relates to the improvements in the metal-
melting apparatus is shown in Figures 6 and 7.
Referring to these Figures, 44 indicates a casing having an opening 45 in its
top, in which is seated a melting pot 46. The burner consists of a casting 47
having a web 48 which separates the casting into two superposed chambers 49
and 50. The chamber 49 is annular in form, and its inner wall forms a tube 51,
which is preferably centrally located. The casting is shown as having a down-
wardly-depending flange 52, which rests upon a shoulder 53 formed upon a
pipe 54, which pipe supplies air under pressure to the burner. The burner may,
however, obviously be supported in any suitable way. The chamber 50 is the air
chamber, and the air from the pipe 54 passes into it through the tube 51.
The chamber 49 is the gas-receiving chamber, the gas being fed thereto from a
pipe 55, which is connected to the chamber in any suitable way, as by a union 56,
which is threaded into a perforation in the side of the chamber. The gas is fed
out of the chamber 49 through short burner tubes 57, which are preferably screw-
threaded, into the web 48, which separates the chambers 49 and 50. These burner
tubes pass through the chamber 50, and have their upper ends located in
orifices 58 of the top wall of this chamber. These orifices are larger in diameter
than the diameter of the burner tubes, a space being thus left around the burner
tubes, through which the air from the chamber 50 is forced, the air being mixed
with the gas as it issues from the burner tubes.
It will be seen that, by admitting the air under pressure into the chamber 50 in
the manner described, it will first impinge against the top of the chamber 50, and
then flow laterally and evenly in all directions toward the burner tubes 57, and
out through the orifices 58 in the top, in which the burner tubes are located. It
is apparent that the air will be distributed equally to all the burner tubes, the
result being that an even combustion is attained at each of the burner tubes. The
burner, as a whole, is consequently much more efficient in its action, and has a
much longer life than would be the case if the air were distributed unequally to
the burner tubes, which would be the result if the air under pressure were forced
in at the side, for instance, of the chamber. In that case, the burner tubes in the
direct line of the air current would receive more air than those lying on each side
of it, with the result that much stronger combustion would be maintained at those
tubes than at others.
While the burner is shown as circular in form, it is of course obvious that it
may be of any shape desired, and that the air might be admitted in other ways than
at the bottom, the essential idea of the invention being to so admit the air under

page_text: pressure to the air chamber, as to ensure its being distributed equally among the
several burners.
It is also obvious that the burner may be provided with as many or as few burner
tubes as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to
me from abroad), I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a casting box, the combination with the body portion, of a cover pivoted
thereto, and a spring for assisting in raising the cover, said spring having its
operating end so arranged with relation to the cover, that its full force is exertid
at the initial lifting moment, substantially as described.
2. In a casting box, the combination with the body portion. of a cover pivoted
thereto, a hinge rod, a spring for assisting in raising the cover, said spring being
coiled around the hinge rod, and an arm to which the operating end of the spring
is secured, the operating end of the spring being arranged so that its full force
18 exerted at the initial lifting moment, substantially as described.
3. In a casting box, the combination with a body portion, of a cover pivoted
thereto, a hinge rod connecting the cover to the body portion, the cover being
rigidly secured to the hinge rod, an arm rigidly secured to the hinge rod, a collar
extending from the arm, a spring coild about the collar, and having its operating
end connected to the arm, and means for connecting the other end of the spring
to the frame, substantially as described.
4. In a casting box, the combination with a body portion, of a cover connected
thereto, a spring for assisting in raising the cover, said spring having its operating
end so arranged with relation to the cover, that its full force is exerted at the
initial lifting moment, and a swinging connection between the other end of the
spring and the frame, substantially as described.
5. In a casting box, the combination with a hody portion of a cover, a hinge
rod connecting the cover and body portion, an arm extending from the hinge rod,
a spring coiled around the rod, means for adjustably connecting the operating
end of the spring to the arm, and a swinging connection between the other end
of the spring and the frame, substantially as described.
6. The herein-described arrangement of springs, or a spring, between the
body portion and cover of a casting box, so that the entire operative force of the
spring will be utilized at the initial lifting moment on the cover, substantially as
shown and described.
7. In a casting box, the combination with the bottom portion, of a cover pivoted
thereto, locking devices between the cover and bottoni portion, releasing means
for turning the cover slightly on its pivot, to free it from the bottom portion, after
the cast has been formed, a shaft, and means whereby the rotation of the shaft
operates both the locking devices and the releasing means, substantially as
described.
8. In a casting box, the combination with the bottom portion, of a cover pivoted
thereto, coöperating locking members between the cover and the bottom portion,
one of said members having a reciprocating movement, releasing means for turning
the cover slightly on its pivot, to free it from the bottom portion, after the cast has
been made, and a single instrumentality for reciprocating the locking member
and operating the releasing means, substantially as described.
9. In a casting box, the combination with the bottom portion, of a cover pivoted
thereto, coöperating locking members between the cover and the bottom portion,
one of said members having a reciprocating movement, releasing means for turning
the cover slightly on its pivot, to free it from the bottom portion, after the cast has
been made, a shaft, and ineans whereby the the operation of the shaft reciprocates
the locking member, and operates the releasing means, substantially as described.
10. The combination of the bottom portion and cover of a mould, means for
locking them together, a shaft mounted upon the cover, and adapted to operate

page_text: the locking means, means for separating the cover from the bottom, also operated
by the shaft, and means for fixing the shaft in a position intermediate between the
position in which it causes the parts to be locked together, and the position in
which it causes them to be separated, substantially as described.
11. In a casting box, the combination with the bottom portion, of a cover
pivoted thereto, cooperating locking members carried by the bottom and the cover,
a shaft, a rack-and-pinion connection between one of the locking members and the
shaft, cams on the shaft for separating the cover from the bottom portion, by
turning it slightly on its pivots, and means for operating the shaft, substantially
as described.
12. The herein-described improvements in devices for locking, unlocking, and
separating the cover from the body portion of a casting box.
13. The combination in a burner to which gas and air under pressure are
supplied, of an air chamber having a plurality of aperatures in its top, a plurality
of burner tubes, one for each aperature, each tube having its orifice closely adjacent
to said aperature, and means for delivering air under pressure to the chamber, so
that an equal amount of air shall be supplied to each aperature, substantially
as described.
14. The combination in a burner to which gas and air under pressure are
supplied, of an air chamber having a plurality of aperatures arranged substantially
in a circle, a plurality of burner tubes, one for each aperature, said tubes having
their orifices closely adjacent to the aperatures, and a chamber having an opening
in its bottom, through which the air under pressure is admitted to the chamber, the
said opening being at a substantially equal distance from each of the aperatures,
substantially as described.
15. The combination in a burner to which gas and air under pressure are
supplied, of a gas chamber, a superposed air chamber having a plurality of
aperatures, a plurality of burner tubes leading from the gas chamber through the
air chamber, and having their orifices closely adjacent to the aperatures, an opening
in the bottom of the air chamber, said opening being at a substantially equal
radial distance from each of the aperatures, and an air inlet tube connecting with
the opening in the air chamber, substantially as described.
16. A gas burner formed from a casting having a series of orifices in its walls,
and an internal web which separates the casting into two superposed chambers for
air and gas respectively, the gas chamber being provided with a gas-inlet opening,
and its inner wall forming an air-inlet tube, the web having a large aperture,
which forms the mouth of the air inlet tube, and a series of small aperatures and a
series of burner tubes, each having one end secured in the aperatures in the web,
and having the opposite end lying in one of the orifices in the walls of the casting,
substantially as described.
17. The herein-described improvements in heating burners for melting pots and
similar uses.