IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF CAST IRON PIPES, COLUMNS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wright Macfarlane, of the Firm of Macfarlane,
Strang, and Company, Limited, of the Lochburn Iron Works, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF CAST IRON PIPES, COLUMNS,
AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wright Macfarlane
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1880.
JAMES WRIGHT MACFARLANE, of the Firm of Macfarlane, Strang, and Company,
Limited, of the Lochburn Iron Works, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF
CAST IRON PIPES, COLUMNS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
This Invention relates to the manufacture and treatment of castiron pipes,
columns, and similar articles, and has for its object to improve the apparatus.
employed therefor.
The first part of the Invention relates to the cores employed when casting the
pipes and similar articles, and in carrying it out the core is formed in a corebox of
any suitable known kind, and by preference of dry sand; and the casting operation
is by preference performed with the moulds in a vertical position. The core bar
employed is of a form which in cross-section resembles a ratchet-toothed wheel, and
rods are placed at the indentations or grooves, which are at the most projecting
parts of the tooth-like ribs. The mould material is rammed into the space between
the internal surface of the corebox and the core bar, the rods being in position,
and the rods are afterwards withdrawn to form air holes. After the casting
operation the core bar is released by turning it slightly, by which action the most
projecting parts of the ribs move into the air holes, the inclined curved or eccentric
surfaces of the ribs at the same time moving slightly, but sufficiently, away from
the sand with which they were in contact, and thus allowing the core bar to be
easily withdrawn.
The second part of the Invention relates to the treatment of the castiron pipes
or similar articles with preservative and anticorrosive coatings. Such coatings are
usually applied by keeping the pipes immersed in the coating composition or

page_text: substance for a considerable time at a high temperature. The more volatile portion
of the substance rises in vapor, and when allowed to escape diminishes the fluidity
of the matter in the boiler or vessel, and thereby renders it less suitable for the
purpose for which it is applied. By the present Invention the boiler or vessel
containing the coating substance, and in which the pipes or similar articles are
placed, is provided with an improved cover or lid, which condenses the vaporised
portions and causes them to reunite with the substance in the vessel. The improved
cover is, according to one modification, of a flat form, and is made with flanges
round its edge projecting upwards and downwards. When the cover is closed the
lower flange dips into a channel or gutter formed round the neck of the boiler or
vessel and filled with sand or other suitable substance to form a sufficiently close
joint. The upper flange serves to retain a small depth of water on the cover for
The
the purpose of condensing the vapors which rise up to the inside of the cover.
cover is supported on hinges at one side, and is balanced by means of counter-
weights. In the axial line of the hinges there are two pipe connections with
stuffing-box or equivalent joints, one forming an inlet for water and the other an
outlet. The space on the cover is divided by a diametrical rib or angle-iron, and
the water is admitted to one side near the hinges, and passing by a communication
near the further end of the rib to the other side returns to the outlet. A kind of
pocket is formed above the hinged part of the cover, and when the cover is turned
up on opening it the water runs into the pocket, whence it returns on the cover
taing closed again; and it is unnecessary to stop the supply or circulation of the
water on the cover being opened for a short time. In another modification the
cover is made with two plates, between which a space is left for the circulation
of the water. Air or other suitable fluid may be used instead of water for keeping
the cover cool.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Wright Macfarlane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st August 1880.
JAMES WRIGHT MACFARLANE, of the Firm of Macfarlane, Strang, and Company,
Limited, of the Lochburn Iron Works, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF
CASTIRON PIPES, COLUMNS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
"
My said Invention relates to the manufacture and treatment of castiron pipes,
columns, and similar articles, and has for its object to improve the apparatus
employed therefor.
The first part of my Invention relates to the cores employed when casting the
pipes and similar articles, and in carrying it out the core is formed in a corebox of
any suitable known kind, and by preference of dry sand; and the casting operation
is by preference performed with the moulds in a vertical position. The core bar
employed is of a form which in cross-section resembles a ratchet-toothed wheel, and

page_text: rods are placed at the indentations or grooves, such rods being withdrawn so as to
form air holes after the mould material has been rammed into the corebox. After
the casting operation the corebar is released by turning it slightly.
The second part of my Invention relates to the treatment of the castiron pipes
or similar articles with preservative and anticorrosive coatings. Such coatings are
usually applied by keeping the pipes immersed in the coating composition or
substance for a considerable time at a high temperature. The more volatile portion
of the substance rises in vapor, and when allowed to escape diminishes the fluidity
of the matter in the boiler or vessel, and thereby renders it less suitable for the
purpose for which it is applied. By my present Invention the boiler or vessel
containing the coating substance, and in which the pipes or similar articles are
placed, is provided with an improved cover or lid, which condenses the vaporised
portions and causes them to reunite with the substance in the vessel.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory Drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing my improved apparatus. In these
Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation of the
corebar, with a part supposed to be broken away to reduce the length, and Figure 2
is a vertical longitudinal section; Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1, and
Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal or cross sections.
The corebar 10 is a hollow casting, the body or main part of which is in cross-
section, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, shaped like a ratchet-toothed wheel. The
tooth-like parts are represented as flat, but they might be curved without
disadvantage. When the corebar 10 is being prepared to have a core rammed
upon it rods 11 are placed in the angles or indentations between the tooth-like ribs
or projections, these rods being held at their upper ends by a disc or plate 12 which
is temporarily attached to a square neck 13 formed at the top of the corebar. An
eye bolt 14 is passed through the plate 12 and screwed into a centre piece on the
underside, and this centre piece is entered into the neck 13 of the corebar, and is
secured therein by a pin or key passed through holes formed in it and in the neck.
The rods 11 are formed with small squared heads 15, to which keys can be applied
to turn and loosen them in the sand before withdrawing them, and when the core
is being rammed the lower ends of the rods 11 are held in position by passing a
wire or string round the bar, or in any other convenient way. In Figure 4 the
core bar 10, with rods 11 in position, is shown as in the corebox 16, with the
mould material rammed in, the corebox 16 represented being of the kind formed
by a castiron shell slit longitudinally at one part and forcibly closed, and which
afterwards springs open sufficiently to free the core. When the core has been
rammed the rods 11 are withdrawn and form air holes, the plate 12 being discon-
nected from the neck 13 of the corebar and lifted off with the rods. After the
casting operation has been effected, and when the metal has become sufficiently
cool, the core bar 10 is loosened by turning it round to a slight extent by means
of a lever key applied to its square neck 13, and this movement brings the parts
into the relative positions in which they are shown in Figure 5, the most projecting
parts of the ribs being in the air holes and the broad parts slightly, but sufficiently,
away from the parts of the mould material with which they were in contact, thus
allowing the core bar to be very easily withdrawn.
Figure 6-on-Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical-section-showing
one modification of my improved cover for the boiler or vessel in which the castiron
pipes or similar articles are treated with the preservative and anticorrosive coatings.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 show another modification, Figure 7 being a plan, Figure 8 a
sectional elevation, and Figure 9 a vertical section, as at right angles to Figure 8.
In the modification shown in Figure 6 my improved cover 20 is of a flat form,
and is made with flanges 21, 22, round its edge projecting upwards and downwards.
When the cover is closed, as shown in the Figure, the lower flange 22 dips into a

page_text: channel or gutter 23 formed round the neck of the boiler or vessel 24, and filled
with sand or other suitable substance to form a sufficiently close joint. The upper
flange 21 serves to retain a small depth of water on the cover for the purpose of
condensing the vapors which rise up to the underside of the cover. The cover 20
is supported on hinges 25 at one side, and is balanced, if required, by means of a
counterweight. In the axial line of the hinges 25 there are two pipe connections
(such as are shown at 26, 27, in Figures 7 and 8), these connections being fitted
with stuffing-box or equivalent joints, and forming the one an inlet and the other
an outlet for water. The space on the cover 20 is divided by a diametrical rib or
angle-iron 28, and the water is admitted to one side, near the hinges, and passing
by a communication at or near the further end of the rib 28 to the other side
returns to the outlet. A kind of pocket 29 is formed above the hinged part of the
cover, and when the cover is turned up, on opening it the water runs into the
pocket 29, whence it returns on the cover being closed again, and it is unnecessary
to stop the supply or circulation of the water on the cover being opened for a
short time.
In the other modification, which I now prefer, and which is shown in Figures
7, 8, and 9, the cover 20 is made with two plates, between which a space is left for
the circulation of the water. This cover is conveniently made by rivetting the
upper and lower plates upon an iron ring, and it is balanced on its hinges 25 by
means of a counterweight 30 attached to it by an angle-iron frame 31. Air or
other suitable fluid may be used instead of water for keeping the cover cool.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original,
and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,
1. The constructing of core bars to be used in the manufacture of castiron pipes,
columns, and similar articles, substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore
described, and more particularly the shaping of the bar, so as in cross section to
resemble a ratchet-toothed wheel, and the combination therewith of rods arranged
to form air holes close to the projecting parts of the bar, for the purposes herein-
before described.
2. The fitting of improved covers cooled by water or other suitable fluid, and
substantially such as are hereinbefore described, to the boilers or vessels in which
castiron pipes, columns, or similar articles are treated with a preservative and
anticorrosive substance or composition.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wright Macfarlane, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
J. W. MACFARLANE. (L.S.)