AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CASTING BARS OR PLATES OF SILVER AND GOLD, AND THE MOULDS FOR SUCH PURPOSE, ALSO AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ROLLING SUCH SAID BARS TO REDUCE THEM TO THEIR PROPER THICKNESS FOR MANUFACTURING INTO COINS AND MEDALS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Seyd, of Princes Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CASTING BARS
OR PLATES OF SILVER AND GOLD, AND THE MOULDS FOR SUCH PURPOSE, ALSO AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF ROLLING SUCH SAID BARS TO REDUCE THEM TO THEIR
PROPER THICKNESS FOR MANUFACTURING INTO COINS AND MEDALS."
Sealed the 2nd August 1872, and dated the 5th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Seyd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th February 1872.
I, ERNEST SEYD, of Princes Street, in the City of London, do hereby
3 declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
CASTING BARS OR PLATES OF SILVER AND GOLD, AND THE MOULDS FOR SUCH
PURPOSE, ALSO AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ROLLING SUCH SAID BARS TO REDUCE
THEM TO THE PROPER THICKNESS FOR MANUFACTURING INTO COINS AND MEDALS,"
to be as follows:-
.

page_text: Under the 1st head of this Invention the improvements consist in
heating to a red heat or above that heat the moulds into which the bars
or plates of silver or gold are to be cast. The moulds now in use for
casting metal from which coins are made are either cold before the cast
is made or they are warmed first by heaping glowing ashes, charcoal, or
coke around them for a time, but the degree of heat which they acquire
by these means leaves them black and comparatively cold. Castings
made in such said moulds consequently set very quickly, and become
brittle, porous, and irregular in their granulation. To remedy these
objections I propose that the moulds, whether used to cast bars or plates
in should be heated in a furnace or otherwise to red heat, or to a stage
of red white heat a little below the softening or melting point of iron or
manganese, so that the casting made in them may set slowly and become
more uniform and homogeneous in its granulation.
Under the 2nd head of this Invention the improvements consist in
the use of moulds constructed as follows:-Two mould plates made
from 3 to 2 inches thick and of a shape either long (as for instance
24 inches long by ½ inch wide and thick, or other dimensions suitable
for the shape of the bar to be used) or broad (as for instance 12 inches
long by 10 wide and inch or more in thickness, or such other dimen-
sions as may be suitable for the shape of the plate to be used). These
moulds plates are to be formed perfectly smooth on their inner surfaces
so that they can be rubbed and polished with ease. Edge pieces corre-
sponding to the thickness of the bar or plate and cast of a suitable
width are to be inserted between or placed against the bottom, the sides,
and the top of the mould plates either in single pieces or as a frame, so
as to close into the exact shape of the casting intended to be made, an
Such
opening being left at the top for pouring in the molten metal.
moulds may be fastened together either singly by screws or by over-
hanging clamps and wedges, or be pressed together several at a time by
frames, and screws, or wedges. The moulds are to be made red hot and
the plates thereof must be of sufficient thickness to retain a red heat
and be otherwise suited to the work they have to do.
The novelty and improvement of this Invention is, that by the use of
these moulds the casting is completely enclosed, thereby lessening the

page_text: alone requires cutting off, thus rendering the casting cheaper to make
and more uniform or regular throughout.
Under the 3rd head of these improvements instead of using oil or
grease to lubricate the moulds as now practised, I propose that
blacklead shall be rubbed on the inside of the moulds by a brush or.
otherwise.
Under the 4th head of these improvements the rollers to reduce the
castings to the required thickness now employed for medals or coins are
made longer than their diameter, say 18 inches long and 12 in diameter,
or in other similar proportions, and bend asunder under great pressure,
thus rendering the bars or plates that are passed between them thicker
in the middle than at the sides or edges. To remedy this defect I
propose to use rollers of millstone shape, namely, thicker or larger in
diameter than they are long, say from 18 to 24 inches in diameter by
from 12 to 21 inches long, or of greater or less proportionate dimensions,
as the work may require, and so long as they secure perfect rigidity and
parallel pressure upon the bars, plates, fillets, or ribbons passing between
them.
Under the 5th head of these improvements smaller rollers of the above
kind may also be so ground as to overcome the tendancy of the fillets
and ribbons to become thicker in the middle than at the sides or edges.
A slight convex shape may be ground on their faces corresponding with
and counteracting the ascertained swelling of the fillets or ribbons.
Under the sixth head of these improvements when plates are to be
rolled I propose that they should first be rolled in one direction when
strips or fillets are to be cut off from them, and be afterwards rolled at
about right angles to the previous rolling. The advantages of this
method are the obtaining of thin clean cut fillets, and by this cross
rolling the temper of the metal (rendered brittle by the first rolling)
will to a great extent be restored. I am aware that plates of copper
have heretofore been rolled in this manner, but I believe all attempts to
cross roll gold and silver have failed in practice.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernest Seyd in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
SEYD, of Princes Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred, and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ernest Seyd, Her special licence
that I, the said Ernest Seyd, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Ernest Seyd, 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 "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF CASTING BARS OR PLATES OF SILVER AND GOLD, AND THE MOULDS FOR
SUCH PURPOSE, ALSO AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ROLLING SUCH SAID BARS TO
REDUCE THEM TO THEIR PROPER THICKNESS FOR MANUFACTURING INTO COINS AND
MEDALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ernest
Seyd, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Ernest Seyd, 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, that is to say :— .
This Invention is comprised under six heads.
Under the first head the improvement consists in heating to a red heat
or above that heat the moulds into which the bars or plates of silver or
gold are to be cast. The moulds now in use for casting metal from

page_text: warmed first by heaping glowing ashes, charcoal, or coke around them
for a time, but the degree of heat which they acquire by these means
leaves them black and comparatively cold. Castings made in such said
moulds consequently set very quickly and become brittle, porous, and
irregular in their granulation. To remedy these objections I propose
that the moulds, whether used to cast bars or plates in, should be heated
in a furnace or otherwise to red heat, or to a stage of red white heat a
little below the softening or melting point of iron or manganese, or to
such degrees of heat as may be found most suitable to the alloys of
gold, silver, or copper, or bronze, so that the casting as it sets in them
may set slowly and become more uniform and homogeneous in its
granulation.
Under the second head of this Invention the improvement consists in
the use of moulds constructed as follows:-I make two mould plates
from to 2 inches thick and of a shape either long or broad, for
instance, 24 inches long by ½ inch wide and thick, or other dimensions
suitable for the shape of the bar to be used. If broad I make them
12 inches long by 10 wide, and 4 inch or more in thickness, or such
other dimensions as may be suitable for the shape of the plate to be
used. These mould plates are to be formed perfectly smooth on their
inner surfaces so that they can be rubbed and polished with ease. Edge
pieces corresponding to the thickness of the bar or plate and cast of a
suitable width are to be inserted between or placed against the bottom,
the sides, and the top of the said mould plates, either in single pieces or
as a frame, so as to close and fit into the exact shape of the casting.
intended to be made, an opening being left at the top for pouring in the
molten metal. Such mould plates may be fastened together either
singly by screws or by overhanging clamps and wedges, or be pressed
together several at a time by frames and screws or wedges. In using
moulds constructed as above described the moulds are to be made red
hot, and the plates thereof must be of sufficient thickness to retain a
red heat and be otherwise suited to the work they have to do.
The novelty and improvement of this part of this Invention is that by
the use of these moulds the casting is completely enclosed, thereby
lessening the liability of the surfaces of the metal to oxidation and
confining the contraction of the casting principally to the filling

page_text: aperture, which part alone requires cutting off, thus rendering the
casting cheaper to make and more uniform or regular throughout.
Other advantages of this system are the following:-Cold and open
moulds require lubrication with oil or grease, which whilst burning
absorbs the oxygen of the air and prevents the formation of oxide of
copper. The violently burning oil makes the outside of the cast
irregular, creates air holes in the mass, and the moulds are liable to
corrosion from the rancid wares of oil left behind. Oil must be used in
cold moulds also in order to prevent the sudden expansion of the air
inside by the hot metal, which is liable to cause explosion. In the
heated moulds the temperature is already high and explosion cannot
take place. The cast can be made with perfect safety.
Under the 3rd head of these improvements instead of using oil or
grease to lubricate the moulds as now practised, I propose that blacklead
shall be rubbed on the inside of the moulds by a brush or otherwise.
Under the fourth head of these improvements the rollers now employed
to reduce the castings to the required thickness for medals or coins are
made longer than their diameter, say 18 inches long and 12 in diameter,
or in other similar proportions, and bend asunder under great pressure,
thus rendering the bars or plates that are pressed between them thicker
in the middle than at the sides or edges. To remedy this defect I
propose to use rollers of millstone shape, namely, thicker or larger in
diameter than they are long, say from 18 to 24 inches in diameter, by
from 12 to 21-inches long, or of greater or less proportionate dimensions
as the work may require, and so long as they secure perfect rigidity and
parallel pressure upon the bars, plates, fillets, or ribbons passing between
them.
Under the fifth head of these improvements smaller rollers of the
above kind may also be used and so ground as to overcome the tendancy
of the fillets and ribbons to become thicker in the middle than at the
sides or edges. A slight convex shape may be ground on their faces
corresponding with and counteracting the ascertained swelling of the
fillets or ribbons.
Under the sixth head of these improvements when plates are to be rolled
I propose that they should first be rolled in one direction when strips or
fillets are to be cut off from them, and be afterwards rolled at about right
angles to the previous rolling. The advantages of this method are the
obtaining of thin clean cut fillets, and by this cross rolling the temper

page_text: of the metal (rendered brittle by the first rolling) will to a great extent
be restored. I am aware that plates of copper have heretofore been
rolled in this manner, but I believe that all attempts to cross roll gold
silver have failed in practice.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of this
Invention for "An Improved Method of Casting Bars or Plates of
Silver and Gold, and the Moulds for such Purpose, also an Improved
Method of Rolling such said Bars to Reduce them to the Proper Thick-
ness for Manufacturing into Coins and Medals," together with the
means by which it may be effected, I hereby declare this Invention to
consist in and I claim,-
First. The method above described of constructing moulds and
operating therewith for casting bars or plates of silver and gold.
And secondly. Subjecting plates of gold and silver (from which coins
or medals are to be made) to the action of cross rolling as above
described for the purposes above stated, as constituting "An Improved
Method of Casting Bars or Plates of Silver and Gold, and the Moulds
for such Purpose, also an Improved Method of Rolling such said Bars to
Reduce them to the Proper Thickness for Manufacturing into Coins and
Medals."
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Seyd, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of our
Land One thougond night hundred and seventy two