Improvements in Process of and Molds for Making Castings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Process of and Molds for Making Castings.
I, WILLIAM GORDON RICHARDS, of No. 536 Broadway, Boston, in the County
of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS OF,
AND MOLD FOR MAKING CASTINGS, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this Specification-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the lower part or nowel of a mold embodying certain
features of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section, in line a a of Fig. 1, of the complete mold, showing
the mold-space filled, and illustrating also the carrying into practice of the process.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view drawn in projection with Fig. 2, illustrating a
modification of the mold and process.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower part or nowel of a circular mold made according
to my invention, for casting plate-and-rim wheels.
Fig. 5 is a vertical central section in line of Fig. 4, of the complete mold,
showing the mold space filled, and illustrating the process as applied to the making
of circular castings.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the flask for containing the mold proper
consists or may consist of the nowel-frame 2 and the cope-frame 3, constructed and
combined substantially as in ordinary practice. The mold proper consists of the
nowel B, and the cope C set thereon substantially as indicated in the drawings. A
suitable pouring-head, designated in a general way by E, is attached to one side
of the mold at or near the base thereof, and extends to a point at some elevation
above the top of the mold..
The main runner, 7, through which the metal is conducted to a line adjacent to
the under side of the mold space, is formed in the nowel immediately under said
space, and is supplied from the channel 6 of the pouring-head, that extends
downward and connects with said main runner, as indicated by dotted lines at g, in
Fig. 1. However, the particular mode of and meaus for supplying the molten
metal to the main runner is not essential to the principal features of my present
invention.
The mold space, which is formed as usual in or between the nowel and the cope,
consists of the space 30, (see Fig. 1.) for the principal part, as the plate or bar, of
the casting, and the flange space or head space 31, for the flange or like projecting
part of the casting. In Fig. 2, the mold space being therein shown filled with
metal, said spaces are designated by characters 30 and 31', respectively, which
refer to the frilled mold spaces; the whole casting being designated in a general
way by S.
The main runner 7 communicates with the mold space through one or more
mold-filling passages, as 8, which branch off from the main runner at suitable
distances apart, and are preferably of smaller cross-sectional area. As shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, the said passage or passages 8 enter the mold space adjacent to the
"plate-and-flange juncture," which is at 32, Figs. 2 and 3.
The cope of the mold is or may be vented in the usual manner for the escape of
gases, and has over the flange space 31 one or more overflow passages, as 5, through
which any influx of metal may escape, and whereby, after the mold has been filled,
a stream of metal 33 may be maintained for suitably continuing the "
"through-
flowing" of the plate-and-flange juncture during the period of most rapid
contraction of the plate portion 30' of the casting.

page_text: The casting shown in the mold space in Fig. 2 consists of the plate or bar 30¹,
having at one end thereof the upper and lower flanges 311 and 31" but either one
of said flanges may, obviously, be omitted without thereby affecting the essential
features of my present improvement. In some cases, one or more flanges or
projections, as shown by dotted lines at 34 and 34', Figs. 2 and 3, are formed at the
end of the mold opposite to the main runner.
When the mold, it being of the construction described, is filled with molten iron
or steel, the said flanges 311 and 31" are drawn by the shrinkage of the plate 30
forcibly against the shoulders 35 and 36 of the mold, thereby causing a longitudinal
tension in the plate tending to rupture the same at the weakest point thereof, which
point will naturally be the point where the plate retains its licat the longest. In
the making of steel castings, the molds employed, in order to resist the intense
cutting action of the white-hot metal, are necessarily formed of firm material,
while on the other hand, the steel, owing to its peculiar physical character, is
without much strength at the moment of its greatest shrinkage; so that on the
solidifying of the plate 30', said plate is naturally ruptured at or near the plate-and-
flange juncture. To overcome this breakage, I fill the mold and feed the casting
by a method or process in which the plate-and-flange juncture is through-flowed
during the contraction of the plate, whereby said space or separation is re-filled as
fast as formed, thus in effect lengthening the plate to counteract the shrinkage
thereof. This operation of flooding, or through-flowing the plate-and-flange
juncture (and thereby more or less overflowing the flange during the shrinkage of
the plate,) is shown in Fig. 2 by the representation at 33 of a stream of metal
which passes from the main runner 7 through the mold-filling channel 8, traverses
the plate-and-flange juncture at 32, passes through the interior of the flange, and
escapes by an overflow through the cope-vent 5. In passing from the plate into
the upper part of the flange, said current 33 also reaches to or near the pipe-forming
region of the flange, and thus tends to prevent the formation of " pipes " in the
through-flowed flange.
If
27
In molds of the particular form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the plate space
is of considerable width and has a flange along one side or end thereof, the main
runner 7 should extend along adjacent to the flange and be connected with the plate
space through a series of mold-filling passages which are adjacent or contiguous
substantially as shown to the place of the plate-and-flange juncture. This is
illustrated in Fig. 1, where the dotted lines represent the main runner
extending nearly across the mold space and having a series of (two or more) mold-
filling passages extending in a line substantially parallel to said plate-and-flange
juncture.
as
In Fig. 3 is shown a modification of the mold shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the
modification consisting in the change of direction of the mold-filling current, which
here enters the lower side of the flange space, passes from the flange space through
the plate-and-flange juncture into the plate space, and escapes through the vent-
passage 5', here shown extending upward from the plate space. But it is evident
that the nature of the process and of the mold for carrying the same into practice
is not essentially changed. The action of the feed-current through the plate
juncture is more effective when its direction is toward the flange; but in some cases
it is deemed practicable to have it run in the opposite direction, as indicated in
Fig. 3, where the passage 8 connects with the lower edge of the flange space.
In pouring the mold, the mold-filling current is continued to "feed" the casting,
the final overflow being, according to the well-known law of the flow of
fluids, in the direction of least resistance. For this reason the mold-filling passage
is made adjacent or contiguous to the plate juncture, since at the later stages of
the casting operation this arrangement effectually prevents overflowing the opposite
end of the mold.
"
The term "plate space is used herein in a strictly technical sense, and refers
to the mold space 30, (usually formed horizontal,) whether the same be broad and in
the form commonly known as a "plate," or whether it be narrow or of irregular

page_text: cross-sectional outline and of the form commonly designated as a
bar," as for
instance, a pulley-arm, or the like. In like manner, the term "flange" is used in
the strictly technical sense of a flange, head, or other projecting part, branching or
extending laterally of the general direction of the "plate space.' For it is obvious
that the nature of the process described is not affected by mere variations in the
form of the plate space or flange space, and that my invention is not limited to
said particulars.
For making circular plate-and-flange castings, the flask for containing the mold
proper, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, consists or may consist of the circular nowel-
frame 2 and the cope-frame 3', constructed and combined substantially as in
ordinary practice. The mold proper consists of the nowel B¹, and the cope C¹ set
thercon substantially as indicated in the drawings. A suitable pouring-head,
designated in a general way by E', is attached to one side of the mold at or near
the base thereof, and extends to a point at some elevation above the top of the
mold.
The main runner, 71, through which the metal is conducted to a line adjacent to
the under side of the meld space, is formed in the nowel immediately under the
said space, and is supplied from the channel 6' of the pouring-head, that extends
downward and connects with said main runner, as indicated by dotted lines at /,
Fig. 4.
The mold space is formed, as usual, in or between the nowel and cope, and consists
of the plate space 40, Fig. 4, (which space 40 is shown filled with the wheel-plate
or disk, 40, in Fig. 5,) and the flange space or rim space 41, for the flange or rim
of the wheel-casting. In Fig. 5, the mold space there being shown filled with metal,
said spaces are designated by 40 and 41', respectively, which characters refer to the
filled mold spaces, or alternatively, to the castings or metal in said spaces; the
whole casting being designated in a general way by S. The flange or wheel-rim 411
is shown consisting of two parts, one extending below and the other above the
plane of the wheel-disk 40'; these proportions, however, may be modified as
circumstances require.
The main runner extends from the pouring-head to a point at 7 under the plate
space, and then follows around inside of the flange space throughout substantially
the whole length thereof, as indicated by the dotted lines at h, Fig. 4. The runner
is connected at frequent intervals throughout its length with the plate space through
a series of mold-filling passages 8', which enter the plate space adjacent or contiguous,
substantially as shown, to the line of the plate-and-rim juncture 42.
The runner 6¹ from the pouring-head to the main runner within the mold, enters
the mold-runner at 7" tangential to said mold-runner, this following the course of the
wheel-rim.
The cope of the mold shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is or may be vented in the usual
manner for the escape of gases, and has over the flange space 41 a series of vents
or overflow passages, as 43 43, through which any surplus of metal may escape, and
whereby after the mold has been filled a stream of metal 331 may be maintained
for similarly continuing the " through-flowing of the plate-and-flange juncture
during the contraction of the plate portion 40' of the casting, in the manner sub-
stantially as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.
"
The casting shown in the mold space in Fig. 5 consists of the plate or disk
having at its centre the usual hub 45, and at its periphery the upper and lower
flanges 41 41 but said hub, and also one of said flanges, may obviously be
omitted without thereby affecting the essential features of my present invention.
When the mold is filled with molten iron or steel, the said flanges are drawn by
the shrinkage of the plate 40¹ forcibly against the shoulders 46 and 47 of the mold,
thereby causing a tension in the plate tending to rupture the same at the weakest
point thereof, which point will naturally be the point at the plate-and-rim juncture.
To overcome this breakage, I fill the mold and feed the casting by the method
hereinbefore described, whereby the plate-and-flange juncture is through-flowed at
points throughout the periphery thereof during the contraction of the plate, and

page_text: whereby the said space or separation is re-filled as fast as formed, thus in effect
increasing the diameter of the plate to counteract the shrinkage thereof. This
operation of flooding or through-flowing "the plate juncture and thereby over-
flowing the flange during the shrinkage of the plate, is shown in Fig. 5 by the
representation at 33' of a stream of metal which passes from the main runner 7'
through the mold-filling channels 8', traverses the plate-and-flange juncture at 42,
passes through the interior of the flange, and when poured to excess escapes by an
overflow through the cope-vents 43. In passing from the plate into the upper part
of the flange, said current 331 reaches to the pipe-forming region of the flange and
thus prevents the formation of "pipes" in the flange.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The process herein described of making plate-and-flange steel castings, which
consists in filling the mold, and through-flowing the plate-and-flange juncture during
the contraction of the plate, substantially as described.
2. In a mold, the combination with the nowel having the main runner, of the
vented cope, the nowel and cope having formed therein the mold space consisting of
the plate space and flange space, said main runner communicating with the mold
space adjacent to one side of the plate-and-flange juncture, whereby said juncture
may be through-flowed during the contraction of the plate of the casting, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a mold, the combination with the nowel having the main runner, of the
vented cope,
the nowel and cope having formed therein the mold space consisting
of the plate space and flange space, said main runner communicating with the plate
space adjacent to the plate-and-flange juncture, whereby said juncture may be
through-flowed from the plate space into the flange space during the contraction of
the plate of the casting, substantially as described.
4. In a mold, the combination with the nowel having the main runner, of the vented
cope, the nowel and cope having formed therein the mold space consisting of the
plate space and a flange space substantially as described extending along one edge
of the plate space, said main runner extending alongside of the plate-and-flange
juncture, and communicating with the plate space through a series of passages
opening thereinto, substantially as described.
5. In a mold, the combination with the nowel having the main runner therein, of
the vented cope, the nowel and cope having formed therein the wheel-mold space
consisting of the plate space and the peripheral flange space, said main runner
communicating with the plate space at intervals throughout the circuit thereof at
points adjacent to and within the plate-and-flange juncture, whereby said juncture
may be outwardly through-flowed throughout the periphery of the plate during the
contraction of the plate, substantially as described.
6. In a mold, the combination with the nowel having the main runner, of the
vented cope, the nowel and cope having formed therein the wheel-mold space con-
sisting of the plate space and the peripheral flange space, said runner communicating
with the plate space at intervals throughout the periphery thereof at points
adjacent to the plate-and-flange juncture, said nowel having a pouring-head rummer
entering the circuit of the main runner tangentially thereto, substantially as
described.
Dator this 19th low of Mo 1901
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.