Apparatus CHO
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1888
Specification Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
Apparatus CHO
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 more particularly to certain improvements in that class of
apparatus for casting ingots, illustrated by me in the application numbered 624 of
1887 the object of this invention being primarily to prevent piping in the process
of casting steel ingots. The particular or more restricted objects of the invention are
to reduce the cost of casting, to carry on the process more conveniently and effectively
and to reduce the cost of the plant required for carrying on the process.
The invention consists in the improved apparatus for casting ingots, and in the
arrangement and combination of parts thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter
described and claimed, and in the improved process or method of casting ingots set
forth.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a central
frame-work which may be built in a "pit" of the steel works, which said frame-work
is adapted to receive mould sections and showing said mould sections in place therein:
Figure 2 is a detail plan of the mould sections and parts of said frame; Figure 3 is
an elevation showing the side of said frame and mould or portions thereof, and showing
the relation of certain breaking off or severing mechanism to the same; Figure 4 is
a detail of a bolt adapted to be keyed to the mould, to hold certain sections thereof
together, and Figure 5 is a plan of a key which may be employed with said bolt.
Figure 6 is a central vertical section of the apparatus, illustrating clearly the process
of casting. Figure 7 is a plan of the hydraulic device for severing the lowering
portion of the ingot from the body thereof, in one of the last stages of the

page_text: In said drawing, a, a, indicate certain studs arranged in the pit, b, and which may
form the four corners of an iron frame-work, and to be held in proper relation to one
another by cross-bars or pieces, c, c, in any suitable manner.
At a point above the bottom of the pit, the said frame is provided with a suitable
flooring, d, the distance between the flooring, between it and the bottom of the pit
being about two feet, or, about the length of the desired ingot. Said flooring may be,
and preferably is, of sufficient area to allow a workman to stand thereon and to attend
to certain operations in the process of casting.
Said flooring is perforated at about the centre, or, in line with the .ingot being cast
thereover, the perforation, e, being of about the dimensions of the ingot in cross
section, but sufficiently larger to allow the ingot to pass readily through the same
without forcing, but not large enough to allow the mould sections to pass through the
said flooring, the said flooring thus serving as a stop for said mould sections, but not
for the ingot.
In the frame-work above the flooring, are arranged suitable vertical guide-ways, f,
or tracks, in, or between which mould sections, g, g', may slide downward in accordance
with certain steps in the process hereinafter described.
Said guide ways terminate short of the flooring, d, to allow the lower mould sections
to be stripped from the ingot, before the latter passes through to the chamber, n, a
stripping space, n¹, being thus formed.
Said guide ways are provided with holders, 92, which may be large set screws
provided with hand-wheels, 9 g³; said holders being adapted to prevent the downward
movement of the mould sections, so that they will not fall by gravity when the lower
one of the series is removed. Said holders may be in a series to hold the mould
sections at various points in the frame.
Said mould sections are made in half sections, or parts, about as indicated, and are
adapted to be separated from one another when the same are being stripped from the
ingot. They are provided with ears, h, having open slots, i, into which bolts, j, with
wedge-like keys, k, are inserted, to hold the parts together, substantially as in the
manner illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Said mould sections are bottomless, so that when placed in a series, one upon the
other, as indicated in Figure 6, the chamber for the cast metal will be a continuous
one, extending through the series. The joints between the mould sections, may, or,
may not be packed with clay or other suitable material.
may employ, in beginning the casting process, a plug or dummy for closing the
end of the lower ingot chamber. In subsequent operations, the ingots, or ingot
portion previously cast, serves as a dummy or bottom of the mould for the next
casting.
The lowest of the mould sections, marked, g', which is, or may be used at the
commencement of the process, is longer than those employed subsequently, as will be
clearly apparent in Figure 3, for a purpose that will be clearly brought out in the
description of the process.
The top of the mould and the frame-work, c, c, is about on a level with the flooring
or yard, m, adjacent to the pit, and access to the top of the mould is gained by means
of suitable bridging or flooring, l, which extends from said flooring, m, around said
moulds, thus an attendant is allowed to pour the molten metal into the elevated end
of the mould.
Said flooring may be covered with sheet iron and soil, whereby any molten metal
falling from the ladle is prevented from dropping upon the men at the lower end
of the mould within the pit.
The sides of the mould are provided with a longitudinal recess to receive the rails
or tracks, f, although the said rails may be recessed to receive the mould or projection
thereon.
In operating the mould sections and cooperating mechanism in accordance with the
improved process, I first hold the mould section, g', the bottom of which will be
suitable first plugged or filled, by means of set screws or holders, g²³, so that the open
upper end thereof will be about on a level with, or, a little above the flooring, 1, and
:

page_text: the said mould section is partly filled with metal to an extent equal to, or, about equal
to the desired final ingot or ingot section or part; the upper part of the mould section
chamber remaining empty to an extent equal to the thickness of the flooring, d. The
mould section, g', is then allowed to lower by removing the holding mechanism from
engagement therewith, until room is given for a second mould section above the first,
when the lower section is stopped in its gravitation by the second, lower holder, g², of
the two shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6, and a second mould section is inserted in the
space thus provided.
The part of the second mould section and the chamber remaining in the first is then
filled with a second pouring of metal, which makes a contact with the first casting,
now partly solid, so that as the first said casting continues to solidify, the upper liquid
metal is drawn into the chamber or "pipe" that would otherwise have been formed,
and the ingot, or the series of ingots parts are made solid at, and near the joining.
The holding devices are again withdrawn from the mould and the series are allowed
to gravitate again, until stopped by the flooring or stop, d, (if the series is to consist
of three mould sections) and a third mould section is placed at the top to receive the
molten metal.
By this time the metal first cast is solid, or sufficiently so as to allow the first mould
section to be stripped from the ingot. The attendant then removes the keys, k, and
bolts, j, from the ears, h, and the lowest parts of the mould sections are removed from
the ingot; the latter then being free to pass through the perforation, e, in the flooring
to the chamber, n, beneath.
Before removing the lowest mould section, the upper sections are secured in place
by the holders, g², as will be understood.
The topmost mould having been filled with molten metal, and the first casting
bared, the holders are again withdrawn and the series of sections with the series of
castings therein again gravitate until again stopped by the flooring, d, the bared
portion of the ingot now projecting into the chamber, n, is severed by means of an
hydraulic device, o, shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7, but the severing operation can be
carried on by any process or mechanism, although that shown is preferred.
Such preferred mechanism consists of a piston, o¹, having arms, o, o², which engage
opposite sides of the ingot, and a suitable hydraulic cylinder, o³, to give reciprocating
movement to the piston and the ingot connected therewith, so that the latter is broken
off at the flooring, d.
Said flooring serves, or may serve, as a fulcrum or holder, for giving the ingot
firmness to resist the said motion, so that the upper parts of the casting may not be
affected.
The joint in the ingot, should one be formed between the first casting and the second
one, is brought to the underside of the flooring by making the second casting, in the
operation above described, project into the first mould, so that said joint is brought or
formed below the bottom of the second mould section, as will be evident. Thus when
the first section, g¹, is stripped from the ingot, the joint will be allowed to pass through
the perforation, e, and when the lowering is stopped by the second mould section
engaging the flooring, the said joint will lie on a line with the underside of the
flooring, d, where it serves to make more easy the operation of severing.
Because the metal introduced into the mould sections at a pouring, is about equal
to the capacity of the smaller mould section, and because the metal of the subsequent
pouring passes into the chambers formed in the lower mould sections, a chamber
equal to the thickness of the flooring is formed in each repetition of casting.
The operation above described of allowing the mould sections to lower with the
ingot therein, introducing an upper mould section and stripping the ingot of the lower
mould section, and then allowing the bared ingot to drop through the perforation, e,
into the chamber, n, and there be broken off, or severed into parts, may be repeated,
until all the metal of a "heat" is consumed.
The long section, g₁, is not, or at least, may not, be used again in the continuous
operations; the smaller mould sections, g, being all of a uniform size, and alone used

page_text: after the long section is stripped from the casting. The mould sections may be
arranged between the tracks or ways by means of a crane or by hand alone.
power
By the automatic lowering of the ingot and mould sections by their own gravity,
the use of means for lowering, such as the elevator described in my prior application,
No. 624 A.D. 1887 is avoided, and not only is the cost of the plant reduced materially,
but I accomplish the results with greater facility, gaining much time which would
otherwise be lost in manipulating the elevator, inasmuch as the metal hardens with
greater rapidity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an ingot apparatus, the combination with a frame-work, of a series of mould
sections, holders as g², adapted to be withdrawn from said sections to allow said sections
to gravitate, stripping spaces, n¹, and a severing chamber, said parts being arranged
and combined, substantially as set forth.
2. In combination with a series of ingot mould sections, arranged vertically in line
and adapted to be stripped from the ingot, of a stop, d, for limiting the downward
movement of the mould without limiting the movement of the ingot, and means for
severing the stripped ingot, substantially as set forth.
3. In an ingot apparatus, the combination with a frame having ways, f, and a
perforated stop or flooring, d and means for severing the ingot, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
4. In an ingot apparatus, the combination with a suitable frame having ways, f, a
fulcrum and a mould-stop adapted to serve as a holder or bearing in severing the
ingot, and for limiting the downward progress of the mould, substantially as set
forth.
5. In combination in an ingot apparatus, a frame having holders for preventing
downward movement, a stop, d, a stripping space for uncovering the lower portion
of the ingot, and means for severing said lower portion, substantially as set forth.
6. In combination with a series of ingot sections formed in part sections, of a holder
to retain certain upper sections of said series in an elevated position, while certain
lower sections of said series are being stripped, a holder, d, adapted to hold the upper
portion of the ingot in place, while the lower portion being stripped, and means for
severing the bared portion of the ingot from the body portion, substantially as set
forth.
7. In combination, a frame, ways, f, for mould sections, holders, 9³, perforated
flooring, d, a stripping space, n', and a severing chamber below said stripping space,
substantially as set forth.
8. In combination, a frame, ways, f, set screws, g² perforated flooring serving as a
stop for limiting the gravitation of the mould sections, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
9. In an ingot mould, the combination of a series of short mould sections, a long
mould section, and a frame having a flooring adapted to allow the downward progress
of the ingot, but not of the said mould sections, substantially as set forth.
10. In an ingot apparatus, a series of mould sections adapted to be stripped from
the casting and free to drop automatically into a stripping space, into engagement
with a flooring or stop, said flooring or stop providing means for holding the upper of
said sections, while the lower are being stripped, and means for severing the stripped
portion of the ingot, substantially as set forth.
11. The process of forming a cast steel or metal ingot in separable sections, partially
divided by a cold shut, which consists first in pouring the metal into one mould,
second, superposing another and bottomless mould section upon the top of such filled
mould section, third, pouring a separate charge of 'metal into such section, and
continuing the process of applying separate mould sections and supplying them with
charges of fluid metal, so long as desired.

page_text: 12. In casting ingots, the process or method which consists in casting in a mould
section an ingot portion, lowering the same together with the said mould section,
without changing the relation of the parts, casting another ingot portion onto the
first, before the latter is completely hardened, in another mould section separable from
the first, and lowering the series, again casting a third ingot portion onto the second,
and stripping the first mould section from the ingot, and severing the uncovered
portion of the ingot, substantially as set forth.
13. In casting ingots, the process which consists in casting in a series of separable
mould sections an ingot, in ingot parts, by alternately pouring and stopping the
pouring, allowing the ingot to gravitate with the mould sections surrounding the
same, removing the lower sections and severing the lower end of the ingot, substantially
as set forth.
14. In casting ingots, the process of casting metal in a mould of separable sections
holding the upper of said sections while stripping the lower end of said ingot of the
lower of said sections, and severing the bared or stripped lower portion from the body
of the casting, substantially as set forth.
T
ለ
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.