IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING METALS, AND IN MOULDING OR FORMING OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julian Bernard, of Guilford Street, Russell
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING METALS, AND IN MOULDING OR FORMING
OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 20th October 1853, and dated the 25th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julian Bernard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th April 1853.
J, JULIAN BERNARD, of Guilford Street, Russell Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING METALS, AND IN
MOULDING OR FORMING OTHER MATERIALS,' to be as follows:-
My said improvements consist in casting, moulding, or shaping
metals and a variety of other materials, such as gutta percha, when
in a plastic state, in a partial vacuum obtained by extracting the
atmosphere from the moulds or shapes in which the metal or other
materials are to be cast or shaped, by any convenient exhausting

page_text: apparatus, and establishing an air-tight communication between the
mould or shape and the material to be cast or moulded, effected by
means of a suitable cock and valve. When plastic or soluble materials
are to be shaped they may, if found desirable, be pressed into the
exhausted moulds by any convenient means. When metals are cast
according to this process the pots, ladles, or crucibles containing the
metals may have a hole in the bottom part plugged by a fire-brick
or other suitable material, and the pot placed over a channel or
aperture communicating with or entering into the mould, the commu-
nication being made air-tight by surrounding the bottom of the pot
with loam or other suitable material. The moulds or shapes used in
this process may be kept at any desired temperature by the application
of steam or heated air, or cold water or air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said. Julian Bernard, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 25th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JULIAN BERNARD, of Guilford Street, Russell Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Julian Bernard, Her special licence
that I, the said Julian Bernard, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Julian Bernard, my 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN CASTING METALS, AND IN MOULDING OR FORMING OTHER
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Julian
Bernard, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Julian Bernard, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to an improved system or mode of casting
metals or moulding plastic materials of any kind, whereby a much
greater degree of sharpness and accuracy is obtained in the articles so
formed. It consists in casting, moulding, or shaping metals and
a variety of other substances, while in a liquid or plastic state, such as
iron, copper, brass, gutta percha, caoutchouc, and their compounds,
porcelain and earthenware of all kinds, such casting or moulding being
effected in a partial vacuum obtained by extracting the atmosphere
from the moulds or shapes in which the metal or other materials are
to be cast or moulded. When plastic or soluble materials are to be
shaped they may, if found desirable, be pressed or forced into the
exhausted mould by any convenient means.
When metals are cast according to this process, the pots, ladles, or
crucibles containing the metals may have a hole in the bottom part
plugged by a fire-brick or plug of any other suitable material, and the
pot placed over a channel or aperture communicating with or entering
into the mould, the communication being made air-tight by surround-
ing the bottom of the pot with loam or other suitable material. The
moulds or shapes used in this process may be kept at any desired
temperature by the application of steam or heated air or cold water
or air.
Figure 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings represents a

page_text: moulding box and mould for a steam engine cylinder in vertical section;
and Figure 2, is a vertical section of the crucible or ladle of molten
metal, shewing the mode of supporting it, and of running the metal
into the mould; and Figure 3, represents a vertical section of a mould
for plastic material. A; B, (Figure 1,) are the moulding boxes joined
together by bolts at the flanges C; one of these boxes may be made
with the bottom cast on as at A, whilst the other one B, is made in the
ordinary manner, namely, open throughout, but is fitted with extra
flanges at D, to receive the cover or plate E. Both boxes may be
constructed with supporting bars I, if their dimensions render such
arrangement necessary. The mould is prepared in the ordinary
manner, and the boxes A, and B, are securely bolted to each other by
the bolts at C, C, in order to form an air-tight joint. The plate E, is
then put in its place, and bolted tightly up, so as to exclude as much
as possible the external atmosphere from the interior of the mould G
The crucible or ladle H, containing the metal, is supported on the fire-
brick I, which is composed of two pieces, being divided longitudinally
down the centre of the channel or passage J. Beneath the crucible or
ladle and the supporting fire-brick is fitted a bed of loam K, upon
which the ladle rests, thereby completely excluding the atmosphere
from the channel J, and from the interior of the mould. A plug of
fire-clay L, is fitted into the aperture at the bottom of the crucible
or ladle, and is kept in its place by the superincumbent pressure of
the metal. A cock M, communicating with the interior of the mould,
is temporally fitted into the upper portion of the moulding boxes,
and is connected by any suitable flexible tubing with an air-pump or
other exhauster. The ladle having been fitted into its place on the
fire-brick I, the air is exhausted from the interior of the mould by
the exhaustion before mentioned; and when a sufficient vacuum is
obtained the cock M, is shut, and the plug L, in the ladle withdrawn,
allowing the metal to be run or forced by atmospheric pressure into the
interior of the mould, until it reaches the level of the cup N, in the
upper portion thereof. This aperture is closed, before exhausting, by
means of a disc of metal or loam O, fitted loosely over it; and when

page_text: the exhaust takes place the pressure of the atmosphere keeps it pressed
down, and prevents the entrance of air to the interior of the mould.
Upon the level of the metal reaching this disc it is displaced, and the
pressure of the metal in the cup indicates that a sufficient quantity
has been run in, when the plug in the ladle is immediately let down
by a chain or cord attached to it, and the supply of metal consequently
stopped. By this means the metal is prevented from rising high
enough to fill the mouth of the cock M, which would be a source
of great inconvenience. When the casting is completed the ladle is
removed, and the supporting brick is divided longitudinally for the
purpose of extracting the hard metal left inside. This system of casting
will be found very desirable where a superior surface and sharpness of
outline is required, such casting being perfectly free from air bubbles
or impurities of any kind. In moulding plastic materials the matrices
are formed of metal or hardened plastic material, as shewn in vertical
section at Figure 3. The mould A, is formed in two parts, fitted with
flanges and bolted together at B, to form an air-tight joint. The
drawing represents a mould for casting a flower vase, the internal
core C, of which is held in its place by the slightly overlapping conical
portion D, at its upper end, which fits into a corresponding groove in
the moulds. An exhausting cock is fitted to the mould át E, and an
inlet F, for the admission of the material, is formed at the bottom
of the same mould. Previous to casting, the mould is exhausted as
before described, and the lower inlet cock G, being previously closed;
when sufficiently exhausted, the upper exit cock E, is shut, and the
lower one opened, when the material will be pressed into the mould
by atmospheric pressure, or, if necessary, it may be forced in by
mechanical pressure. The above described process may be employed
when great density and sharpness of outline is required, and for pre-
venting air bubbles or porocity in a variety of articles formed of plastic
materials.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine

page_text: or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julian Bernard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of October One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JULIAN BERNARD. (L.S.)