Im- PROVEMENTS IN MOULDING OR SHAPING METALS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Kinniburgh, of the Town and County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Foundry Manager, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MOULDING OR SHAPING METALS."
Sealed the 21st April 1857, and dated the 18th November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kinniburgh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th November 1856.
I, JOHN KINNIBURGH, of the Town and County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Foundry Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING OR SHAPING METALS," to be as follows, that is to
say:
This Invention relates principally to the manufacture or moulding of metal
pipes or hollow or tubular articles of cylindrical contour, but it is also appli-
cable in the manufacture or moulding of other metallic articles more or less
resembling pipes in general structure. In moulding and casting pipes or
similar articles by the aid of this Invention, core bars capable of expanding
and collapsing or contracting in diametrical dimensions are used.
These expanding and collapsing core bars are each composed of three, more
or less, longitudinal pieces of curved metal or segmental metal plates, com-
bined together so as to form a bar of the desired diameter, with their longi-

page_text: tudinal junction edges in contact with each other. When three segmental
pieces are used, one of them, curved to correspond to the largest diameter to
which the core bar is to be adjusted, is a fixture as regards the adjusting action,
being fast upon a bottom or end plate. In the axial line of this fixed plate,
or in tho line from which its curvature is struck, there is a central adjusting
spindle, somewhat larger than the core bar segments, capable of revolution in
a footstep in the end plato at the bottom, and in a collar bearing in arms
connected to the upper end of the fixed segment. On this spindle there are
keyed two or more small eccentrics, their radii of eccentricity being coincident.
so that they give their effect simultaneously on the same side of the spindle.
Connecting rods pass radially outwards from these eccentrics, and are jointed
to the inner side of a long narrow externally wedge-shaped piece which
vertically forms a fourth segment of the core bar. This wedge piece is guided
so as to travel in an accurato radial line by fixed end guido pieces. The two
main adjustable segments, which are similar to the fixed segment, are each
binged, jointed to, or otherwise put in contact with the fixed segment, one on
each side, so that their free contiguous ends are capable of folding over towards
or from each other, these contiguous edges being formed with inclines to
correspond to the inclines on the intermediate wedge piece. In carrying out
this Invention, it is intended to keep the core bar always or nearly always in
a vertical position, both whilst being prepared for the mould, and whilst its
coating is being dried in the stove. When the core bar is thus kept in a
vertical position the segments have no tendency to fall outwards, and do not
require retaining links or catches.
When the core bar is to be used, it is set to its moulding diameter by turn-
ing the spindlo until the eccentrics thereon press out the wedge piece far
enough to bring the adjustable segment into the position necessary to complete
the circle of which the fixed segment forms part. The bar is now coated with
loam or other suitable material by means of a vertically traversing hopper
made to encircle it. This hopper is bored accurately by the diameter of the
inside of the pipe, and being at the bottom end of the core bar; it is caused to
rise gradually up; the coating material, supplied to it in any convenient way,
being laid upon the bar by the action of the bored-out surface, to a thickness
equal to that of the annular space between such bored-out surface and the
outside of the core bar.
The faucet portion of the core is by preference formed at the bottom, the
coating material being applied to the bottom of the core bar, and then brought
to the proper form by a scraper shaped to the section of the faucet. The core
bar conted in this manner is placed in the stove in its vertical position, and is

page_text: more equably dried than if placed in a horizontal position as is customary, tho
heat acting equally on all parts of the vertical sides. When the core bar is
to be removed from the newly produced casting, the central spindle is turned
so as to cause the eccentrics to draw in the narrow wedge piece and leave the
contiguous edges of the adjustable segments free; this allows the adjustable
segments to be folded over upon their joints and be turned inwards to fully
contract the core bar's diametrical dimensions, and thereby facilitate its removal
from the casting. The narrow wedge piece may be traversed inwards by
means of various mechanical arrangements, instead of the eccentric movement,
if found desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Kinniburgh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
KINNIBURGH, of the Town and County of Renfrew, North Britain, Foundry
Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Kinniburgh, Her special license that I, the said John Kinniburgh, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Kinniburgh, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING OR
SHAPING METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Kinniburgh, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Kinniburgh, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates principally to the manufacture or moulding of
metal pipes or hollow or tubular articles of cylindrical contour, but it is also
applicable in the manufacture or moulding of other metallic articles more or
less resembling pipes in general structure. In moulding and casting pipes or
similar articles by the aid of this Invention, core bars capable of expanding
and collapsing or contracting in diametrical dimensions are used; these
expanding and collapsing core bars are each composed of three, more or less,
longitudinal pieces of curved metal or segmental metal plates combined
together, so as to form a bar of the desired diameter, with their longitudinal
junction edges in contact with each other. When three segmental pieces are
used, one of them, curved to correspond to the largest diameter to which the
core bar is to be adjusted, is a fixture as regards the adjusting action, being
fast upon a bottom or end plate. In the axial line of this fixed plate, or in
the line from which its curvature is struck, there is a central adjusting spindle,
somewhat longer than the core bar segments, capable of revolution in a foot-
step in the end plate at the bottom, and in a collar bearing in arms connected
to the upper end of the fixed segment. On this spindle there are keyed two
or more small eccentrics, their radii of eccentricity being coincident, so that
they give their effect simultaneously on the same side of the spindle. Con-
necting rods pass radially outwards from those eccentrics, and are jointed to
the inner side of a long narrow externally wedge-shaped piece which virtually
forms a fourth segment of the core bar; this wedge piece is guided so as to
travel in an accurate radial line by fixed end guide pieces. The two main
adjustable segments, which are similar to the fixed segment, are each hinged,
jointed to, or otherwise put in contact with the fixed segment, one on each
side, so that their free contiguous ends are capable of folding over towards or
from each other, theso contiguous edges being formed with inclines to cor-
respond to the inclines on the intermediato wedge piece. In carrying out this
Invention, it is intended to keep the core bar always or nearly always in a
vertical position, both whilst being prepared for the mould and whilst its
coating is being dried in the stove. When the core bar is thus kept in a
vertical position, the segments have no tendency to fall outwards and do not
require retaining links or catches. When the core bar is to be used, it is set
to its moulding diameter by turning the spindle until the eccentrics thereon
press out the wedge piece far enough to bring the adjustable segments into
the position necessary to complete the circle of which the fixed segment forms
part. The bar is coated with loam or other suitable material by means of a

page_text: vertically traversing hopper made to incircle it; this hopper is bored accurately
to the diameter of the inside of the pipe, and being at the bottom end of the
core bar, it is caused to rise gradually up; the coating material, supplied to it
in any convenient way, being laid upon the bar by the action of the bored-out
surface to a thickness equal to that of the annular space between such bored-
out surface and the outsido of the core bar. The faucet portion of the core
is by preference formed at the bottom, the coating material being applied to
the bottom of the core bar, and then brought to the proper form by a scraper
shaped to the section of the faucet. The core bar coated in this manner is
placed in the stove in its vertical position, and is more equably dried than if
placed in a horizontal position, as is customary, the heat acting equally on all
parts of the vertical sides. When the core bar is to be removed from the
newly produced casting, the central spindle is turned so as to cause the eccen
tries to draw in the narrow wedge piece and leave the contiguous edges of the
adjustable segments free; this allows the adjustable segments to bo folded
over upon their joints and be turned inwards to fully contract the core bar's
diametrical dimensions, and thereby facilitate its removal from the casting.
The narrow wedge piece may be traversed inwards by means of various mecha-
nical arrangements, instead of the eccentric movement, if found desirable.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing
certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried
out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a vertical elevation, partially in section,.
of an adjustable core bar, arranged in accordance with my improvements;
Figure 2 is an external view of the same; Figure 3 is an under side view of
the bottom or end plate; and Figure 4 is a plan corresponding to Figures 1
and 2. Figure 5 is a plan of another arrangement for adjusting the position
of the moveable segments which form the core bar; Figure 6 is an elevation,
partially in section, of the mechanical arrangement by means of which the core
bar is covered or coated with a layer of loam or moulding sand; Figure 7 is a
plan corresponding to Figure 6.
In the modification of my improvements shown in Figures 1 to 4 of
my Sheet of Drawings the core bar is formed or consists of three longitudinal
segmental plates A, and a narrow wedge-shaped piece of metal B, the
exterior of the four pieces forming the circumference of the core bar. One
of the segmental plates A is fixed to the bottom or end plate C; this
segment is shown in the upper part of the plan, Figure 4. The two

page_text: other segments are made to expand or collapse by the means hereafter
described. On the inner side of the fixed segmental piece A three projecting
arms or brackets D are shown, but the number may be varied in accordance
with the length of the core bar or the nature of the casting. At the inner end
of each of the brackets D is a hollow collar, forming an cyo through which
the central spindle E passes. The spindle is made to turn easily in the cyes
of the brackets when put in motion. The central spindle is somewhat longer
than the core bar, so that its upper end projects above the segmental pieces A,
and its lower end passes through the bottom or end plate C, in which it turns
freely. The upper end of the spindle E is squared to receive a key or spanner,
by means of which a rotatory motion may be given to the spindle E and
the parts connected to it. The rotation of the spindle E gives motion to the
wedge-shaped piece of metal B, by means of which the circumference of the
coro bar may (within certain limits) be increased or diminished as required.
The outward and inward motion of the wedge-shaped piece of metal B is
effected by means of eccentrics keyed to the central spindle E. In the
arrangement shown in my Sheet of Drawings there are three of theso
eccentrics F, each of which is keyed upon the spindle E just above the
brackets D. The upper and lower parts of the eccentrics are flanged, and in
the recess formed by the projection of the flanges a strap G is fitted, which is
secured to the eccentric by an adjusting screw H. By means of this screw the
strap may be tightened as the parts become relaxed by wear or from other
causes. The strap G is connected to the wedge-shaped piece of metal B by
means of a link I attached to the strap by a pin. The two moveable segmental
pieces A are jointed to the brackets D; so that they fold inwards upon the
wedge-shaped piece of metal B, or outwards, when the circumference of the
core bar is enlarged by moving the wedge B from the central spindle. The
edges of the segmental pieces A are chamfered off or bevilled, in order that
when overlapping each other or the wedge B they may form a smooth or
nearly smooth external surface. Thus, by means of the foregoing arrangement
of the parts forming the core bar, its diameter may be increased or diminished
to any extent within the limits of the traverse or eccentricity of the eccen.
trics F, by simply turning the spindle E, and thereby cause the eccentrins F.
to move the wedge-shaped piece of metal B either outwards or inwards,
according to the diameter required.
Another modification in arranging the parts of an expanding or contracting
core bar is shown in Figure 5 of my Sheet of Drawings, which said Figure
represents a plan of the arrangement. In this modification the core bar
is formed of three segmental pieces of metal J; one of the three segments J'

page_text: is fixed, the second is attached to an eccentric arrangement, by means
of which it is moved inwards and outwards, and the third is jointed to.
the fixed segmental piece. Tho stationary segment J¹ is fixed to a bottom
or end plate, as before described in referenco to the arrangement shown
in Figures 1 to 4 of my Sheet of Drawings. The fixed segment has upon
its inner side arms or brackets K, through the eyes of which is passed a
central spindle L in all respects similar to the spindle E, Figures 1 to 4.
The spindle L has keyed to it eccentrics, by means of which one of the
segmental pieces J is put in motion. One only of the eccentrics M can bo
seen in the plan, Figure 5, but it will be understood that their arrange-1
ment is similar to those shown in the sectional elevation, Figure 1. The
strap N, by means of which the motion of the eccentric is communicated to
the segment of the core bar, has a slot made in it, the length of which is
equivalent to the amount of eccentricity or traverse given to the eccentric M.
This arrangement admits of the strap N traversing in a radial direction on the
shaft L, and imparting a corresponding motion to the moveable segment J, to
which it is connected. As regards the third segmental piece J, it is jointed to
the fixed segment, and moves inwards or outwards in accordance with the
motion of the second segmental piece, which is actuated by means of the
eccentric M. The three segmental pieces are made with chamfered or
bevilled edges to overlap each other, and form a comparatively smooth exterior.
In using these expanding and collapsible core bars for the manufacture of pipes
or other tubular or hollow articles, it is preferred to keep the core bars in a
vertical or upright position, in order to avoid any tendency of the segmental.
pieces to move on their axes.
The next part of my Invention relates to the process of coating the core
bars with loam or moulding sand, and the apparatus for effecting the same.
Figure 6 is an elevation, partially in section; and Figure 7 a plan of one
modification of the mechanical arrangement I prefer to use for the purpose.
It consists of a pair of vertical side standards O, bolted at the bottom to a sole
plate, and united at the upper part by a cross head P, in which is fitted a
spindle carrying a pair of pulleys Q. The cross head P may be made to branch
out at each side, and the pulleys Q be fitted in the opening thus formed; or the
spindle of the pulleys may be passed through the cross head, so to overhang
the sides. Over one of the side standards O two other pulleys R are fitted,
parallel to the pulleys Q, and a chain S passed over each pair of pulleys Q
and R. The two chains S may be united into one at or about the part where
they terminate on the hand side of Figure 6 of my Sheet of Drawings. The
single chain is carried round a crab or windlass, by means of which the.

page_text: chains S may be hoisted or lowered as required. The free ends of the chains S
are connected to the funnel or hopper T, on which is cast the cross arms U,
which slide up and down in vertical grooves formed in the inner face of the
side standards O, and shown in the plan view, Figure 7. The core bar to bo
coated with loam or moulding sand is placed in a vertical position on a low
carriage V, the wheels of which run on rails laid down between the standards O.
The lower end of the spindle E of the core bar projects through an aperture in
the carriage V, and when the spindle is brought under the centre of the cross
head P the lower end is received into a hollow nut, which can be raised or
lowered by means of a screw W working in a boss east on the sole plate. The
upper end of the spindle is centred, and held in like manner by a screw X
pendent from the cross head Y. Both the screws W and X are adjusted by
ineans of a pin passed through the retaining nuts. When the coro bar has
been properly placed in position and adjusted, tho funnel or hopper T is lowered
to the bottom of the core bar and filled with loam; the hopper is then slightly
raised, which causes a portion of the loam to pass through the space between
the hopper and the core bar. The hopper is then lowered, which has the
effect of compressing or consolidating the loam which passed between the
annular space on lifting the hopper; thus, by alternately lifting and lowering
the hopper, the corc bar becomes quickly coated with loam, care being taken
to raise the hopper somewhat higher after each compressing or downward
action. The thickness of the coating of loam deposited on the core bar will
correspond to the annular space. or distance between the lower edge of the
hopper and the exterior of the core bar. The size of the lower part of the
hopper must therefore be regulated according to the required thickness of
the coating of loam, which will correspond to the internal diameter of the
pipe or other article to be cast. The core of the faucet portion of the pipe is
formed by placing a a quantity of the loam or moulding sand around the lower
part of the core bar, and giving it the required form by means of a template,
the internal part of which corresponds to the shape of the faucet. When the
core has been thus formed, the spindle E is released from the screws Wand X,
and the core is wheeled away into the stove to be dried. During the operation
of drying the core, it is kept in a vertical position, by which means it is more
rapidly and uniformly dried than by the usual mode of placing it borizontally.
In order to remove the core bar after the casting is completed, it is only
necessary to turn the central spindle by means of tho key or spanner fitted to
its squared end, so as to cause the eccentrics to withdraw the wedge-shaped
piece of metal or the segment to which it is attached inwards; this action
admits of the moveable segments collapsing or folding over each other, so that

page_text: the contracted core bar may be removed from the interior of the casting with
the utmost facility.
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 may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine 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; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for moulding pipes or other tubular or hollow articles, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of constructing adjustable core bars which are
capable of being expanded or contracted by means of a longitudinal wedge-
shaped piece of metal actuated by eccentrics, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of constructing adjustable core bars in which one
of the segments of the core bar is actuated by means of one or more eccentrics
or other mechanical equivalent, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the arrangement and construction of the machinery or apparatus
for supporting and maintaining the core bar in a vertical position during
the operation of coating it with loam or moulding sand, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the system or mode of coating the core bar with a layer of loam
or moulding sand by means of a hopper to which a vertical motion is given,
as herein-before described.
Sixth, the system or mode of drying the coated core bars in a vertical or
upright position, in order to facilitate the operation of drying and effect
it in a more uniform manner than by the ordinary mode, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Kinniburgh, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN KINNIBURGH. (Ls.)