Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Compound Armour Plates.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Compound
Armour Plates.
I THOMAS HAMPTON of Millhouses near Sheffield in the County of York,
Steel Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements upon and additions to my former
invention described in the Specification of Patent No. 4533, March 3, 1894, and
more particularly to the construction of the moulds for casting the compound
ingots, to a flux used for the more perfect combination of the different layers
of metal, and to the chilling or hardening of the face of the plate when such process
is desirable or necessary.
Instead of making the lower cover plate as described in my former Patent, with
channels in its upper face to receive a series of nozzles and composition conduits
leading from the funnel or funnels, I propose to prepare it for the nozzles only, and
upon the top of the said cover plate I place a shallow oblong frame within which
I arrange the conduits and then ram them in position with sand, loam or other
composition and connect them with a funnel or suitable inlet to receive the molten
metal.
This frame containing the conduits may be held down by a light plate or by any
other suitable means.
The mould is preferably constructed in parts, for example a base plate, two side
plates, and two end plates, bolted together and closed by the cover plate before
described, and in one or both of the end plates I form a vertical recessed opening
leading into the interior of the mould, this recess receives a block of refractory
composition, or of rammed sand, through which a vertical opening is made for the
molten metal to pass through which is to form the first layer of the ingot.
Underneath the openings through the nozzles in the cover plate, or under only a
portion of them I propose to support by means of wires which depend from the
underside, a series of plates upon which the molten metal from the nozzles will fall,
and be thereby distributed over the lower layer until the plates melt and fall into
the molten metal.
In order to ensure the more certain and effective combination of the several
layers of molten metal 1 propose to use a flux which may be placed in the mould
before the metal is poured therein, or during the process of pouring, and either in a
state of powder or preferably in a molten condition, and when the pouring is taking
place.
The flux consists of fused borax with an admixture of silica preferably pulverised
flint, but other silicious substance may be used. The flux is used for the purpose
of removing any scoria or oxides which may form or might otherwise form upon
the layers as they are cast, and in rising in a molten condition through succeeding
layers of molten layers of steel, it will free such steel from any contained oxides
and will thus improve the metal, the flux will rise through all the layers to the top
of the ingot from which it may afterwards be readily detached.
When the ingot so cast has been rolled or otherwise brought down to size and it
is desired to chill and harden its face of hard steel, I propose carry it out in the
following manner.
I prepare a water tank having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being at the

page_text: highest desired water level; within the tank I place metal standards upon which
the plate to be hardened is placed in its heated state with its face downwards.
The lower part of the tank may be filled or partly filled with ice, or broken ice
may be carried into the tank by the stream through the inlet, but the use of ice is
not imperative as the object is merely to chill the water.
The face of the plate alone or the whole body of the plate may be immersed as
desired, and the water is constantly running through the tank until the plate is
quite cold.
Dated the 14th dar of November 1894.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Compound
Armour Plates.
1, THOMAS HAMPTON, of Millhouses, near Sheffield in the County of York,
Steel Manufacturer 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 to improvements upon my former invention described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 4533 of March 3rd, 1894, and more
particularly to the construction of the mould therein described for the casting of
compound ingots.
A mould according to my present invention is illustrated in the annexed sheets
of drawings, similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in any of the three
figures.
Fig. 1, is part side elevation and part longitudinal section of the mould or
casting box.
Fig. 2, is a central cross section.
Fig. 3, is a plan.
This mould is specialty constructed for the purpose of casting compound ingots
having for example a first layer of hard steel, a second layer of soft steel, and a
third layer of steel of an intermediate degree of hardness, all perfectly united
without detrimental amalgamation or destruction of their distinctive qualities.
The mould is arranged horizontally so that each of the several layers of steel
may be of uniform thickness throughout. It consists of a baseplate A, two side
plates B, two end plates C, and C2, and a frame D2, for the cover D, all the
parts being well bolted together, any damaged portion can therefore be readily
replaced.
I line the sides and the ends of the mould with refractory composition E. In
the end plate C2, is a vertical recess C³, set back from the mould chamber, lined
with refractory composition and provided within the lining with an inlet passage C4.
passing downwards and opening into the mould chamber, this is for the admission of
the first layer of steel.
A removable funnel F, receives the molten metal from the ladle or like vessel.
The cover D, is composed of refractory composition surrounded and supported by a
metal frame D2, provided with cross ribs, or honeycombed into the spaces of which
the composition is rammed. It is pierced with a number of vertical openings or
nozzles H, which may be varied both in number and position according to the size
and form of the mould.
The large opening G, constitutes a chamber made of the said composition,
supported by a surrounding metal frame G2, and is provided with a cover plate G³;

page_text: when partly or wholly filled with metal it acts as a feeder to the ingot for the
prevention of air holes, and other defects; it is also used when testing the fluidity
and depth of the several layers of metal.
Another opening receives the funnel F, and the small vertical openings or
nozzles H, are for the passage of the molten metal in small streams distributed
over the horizontal area of the layer previously cast, to avoid as much as possible
any agitation of the latter by the entering metal.
These vertical openings or nozzles H, are in communication with horizontal
conduits I, of the refractory composition, through which the molten metal flows
from a funnel J.
The conduits I, are held in a separate frame K, which is superposed upon the
cover D, so that it can be readily removed when desired.
Under each of the nozzles H, I support by means of wires L, a light metal plate
or spreader M, upon which the streams of molten metal fall from the nozzles, and
are spread on all sides in divided streams and drops forming what may be termed
"spray."
The molten metal for the second layer may be run through one series of conduits
and nozzles, and for the third layer another frame K, and its conduits may be
substituted, leading to another set of nozzles with its spreaders suspended just
above the surface of the preceding second layer.
In casting three layers of different qualities of steel, so as to produce an ingot
with a hard face, a soft centre, and a semi-hard back for example, the three
qualities of steel are brought to a molten condition, and the hard quality for
the face is first poured into the mould chamber through the funnel F, and
passage C
When this layer begins to set, which can be ascertained through the large
opening G, the steel for the second layer is brought to the mould and poured into
the funnel J, passes through the conduits I, and the vertical openings or
nozzles H, and falling upon the spreaders M, drops lightly onto the first layer,
eventually the plates M, and wires L, melt and become incorporated with the
molten metal.
When the operator considers the proper time has arrived (which he can
ascertain as before) the steel for the third layer is brought and poured into the
funnel J, and preferably through a substituted set of conduits and distinct nozzles,
held in a similar frame to that shown. The chamber G, is filled or partially filled
with a head of molten metal to feed the ingot.
Provision may be made for the escape of gas generated in the mould chamber in
any suitable manner as shown, in the drawing it finds vent through a number of
narrow spaces N, between the top edge of the mould and the cover, as well as
through holes P, made in the side plates of the mould and pricked through the
composition.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I desire it to be
understood that I make no general claim to the process of spray casting, that is to
say casting a first horizontal layer and before it has set pouring in the metal for a
second layer in numerous small streams or "spray," this process being described in
my prior Specification No. 4533 of 1894; nor do I claim generally a horizontal
mould with a cover provided with funnels, conduits and nozzles as this combination
is also described in my said prior Spetification, but what I claim is :
1. A horizontal mould for casting compound ingots having at its one end a recessed
vertical extension lined with refractory composition and provided with an inlet
passage opening into the mould chamber; having a cover provided with vertical
nozzles distributed over the horizontal area of the mould chamber; having a
superposed removable frame containing horizontal conduits communicating with a
number of the said nozzles; having a fuunel to receive the metal for the first layer
communicating with the inlet passage; also a funnel to receive the metal for a

page_text: second or third layer communicating with the said horizontal conduits; and having
a chamber to contain a head of metal, as herein described with reference to the
annexed drawings.
2. In an ingot mould such as is above referred to, the combination with the
cover and nozzles, of light metallic spreaders suspended by wires, substantially as
and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Dated the 5th day of September 1895.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.