Improvements in Sand Moulding Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
Improvements in Sand Moulding Machines.
We, ANGUS MURRAY, of Strathroy, Dumbreck, Glasgow, Engineer, and
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, of Saxonholme, Dumbreck, Glasgow, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to sand moulding machines and is especially applicable to
machines of the type described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,368
of 1888 and similar machines in which a complete mould is made by pressure upon
sand filled into two flasks or mould boxes having a swinging or sliding pattern
plate interposed; and it has for its object to simplify the construction and operation
of such machines whilst also ensuring equality of pressure on the sand in both
flasks or boxes.
Under the invention a single cylinder provided with a piston and piston rod
actuated by steam, hydraulic or other fluid pressure, is used to replace the outer
and inner rams or cylinders described in the Specification above referred to.
The platen which applies the pressure to the sand in the bottom flask or mould
box and which also serves to eject the completed mould is attached to the upper
end of the piston whilst the bottom flask and piston rod are connected by devices
which permit of ready engagement and disengagement by hand or automatically
so that the flask may be raised by the piston rod or left stationary as required in
the operation of the machine.
For this purpose the bottom flask may be formed with downwardly extending
arms terminating in a ring embracing the piston rod below the platen.
In this ring is fitted a screw adapted to act on a pressure block bearing on the
piston rod and provided with a hand wheel or lever whereby brake pressure inay
be applied to bind the bottom flask to the piston rod, whilst on the relief of the
pressure the piston rod is free to move independently of the flask.
In lieu of the ring provided with the screw and pressure block the arms
extending from the bottom flask may terminate in catch pieces adapted to engage
the piston rod by pressure or otherwise, or the bottom flask may be fitted with a
tumbler lever or bell crank or like device adapted to engage with and be freed
from a collar ou the piston rod, and actuated either by hand or from the valve
lever.
In the operation of the machine steam or other fluid pressure is admitted to the
cylinder under the piston after filling the flasks or mould boxes with sand in the
usual way and whilst the bottom flask is in engagement with the piston rod
whereby pressure is applied to the sand in the upper mould box against the
resistance of the abutment or entablature at the upper end of the machine, the
upper mould box being supported by the lower box and interposed pattern plate.
The connection between the bottom flask and piston rod is then freed by relieving
the brake pressure or releasing the catch pieces, lever or like device, and the flask
is maintained in position on its guides by a cam lever or like means permitting of
its free upward but preventing downward movement until released, whereupon
steam is further admitted under the piston to apply pressure to the sand in the
bottom flask through the platen attached to the piston rod, the steam admission
valve being operated to apply if desired a succession of blows of the platen on
the sand. The pressure fluid is then exhausted from the cylinder in order to
lower the mould boxes, the lower box being at the same time freed on its guides,

page_text: the pattern plate is removed and the upper mould box rested on the lower box,
after which the pressure fluid is again admitted to the cylinder to raise the platen
and eject the mould from the boxes, the lower box being kept out of engagement
with the piston rod during the movement requisite for ejection of the mould.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1894.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
We, ANGUS MURRAY, of Strathroy, Dumbreck, Glasgow, Engineer, and
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, of Saxonholine, Dumbreck, Glasgow, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
he performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to sand moulding machines and is especially applicable to
machines of the type described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 11368
of 1888 and similar machines in which a complete mould is made by pressure upon
sand filled into two flasks or mould boxes having a swinging or sliding pattern
plate interposed; and it has for its object to simplify the construction and
operation of such machines whilst also ensuring equality of pressure on the sand
in both flasks or boxes.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section representing a
modification of the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevation and Figure 3 is a plan
view shewing the brake device hereinafter referred to. The machine comprises a
framing mounted on a cylinder A which serves as a base, the framing being
composed of two or more vertical guide rods or pillars B, B. and an abutment or
pressure resisting plate C connected to the pillars which latter serve as guides for
the mould boxes D and D'. The pattern plate E which is interposed between the
mould boxes is carried by and fitted to swing on one of the rods or pillars B.
A single cylinder A provided with a piston A' and piston rod A' actuated by
steam, hydraulic or other fluid pressure, is used to replace the outer and inner
rams or cylinders described in the Specification above referred to and heretofore
fitted to operate such machines. The platen F which applies the pressure to the
sand in the bottom flask or mould box D and which also serves to eject the
completed mould is attached to the upper end of the piston rod A² whilst
the bottom flask and piston rod are connected by devices which permit of ready
engagement and disengagement by hand or automatically so that the flask may be
raised by the piston rod or left stationary as required in the operation of the
machine.
For this purpose the bottom flask D may be formed with downwardly extending
brackets or arms d terminating in a ring d embracing the piston rod below the
platen F. In this ring are fitted loose blocks or cod pieces d² on the back of which
lever arms centred on the ring, or abutment pieces d³ sliding on the ring are
fitted to bear and which are brought together to apply pressure on the blocks a³
and of these on the piston rod A2 by means of a screw bolt d and hand wheel d
as shewn particularly at Figure 3. By this means brake pressure may be applied
to bind the bottom flask D to the piston rod A2, whilst on the relief of the
pressure the piston rod A² is free to move independently of the flask.
In lieu of the devices just described a pressure block may be fitted in the ring d¹
and acted on by a screw with hand wheel, or the arms extending from the bottom
flask D may terminate in catch pieces adapted to engage the piston rod by pressure
or otherwise, or the bottom flask may be fitted with a tumbler lever or bell crank

page_text: toggles or like devices adapted to engage with and be freed from a collar on the
piston rod.
In the operation of the machine steam or other fluid pressure is admitted to the
cylinder A under the piston or ram A' after filling the flasks or mould boxes D, D',
with sand in the usual way and whilst the bottom flask D is in engagement with
the piston rod A' whereby the piston is raised and pressure is applied to the sand
in the upper mould box D' against the resistance of the abutment or entablature C
at the upper end of the machine, the upper mould box D¹ being supported by the
lower box D and interposed pattern plate E. The connection between the bottom
flask D and the piston rod A' is then freed by turning the hand wheel d³ to relieve
the brake pressure on the rod, and the flask is maintained in position on its guides
by a cam lever or clamp similar to that shewn at G Figure 1 but applied on the
guide rod Bunder the box D or by like means permitting of the free upward
movement of the mould box but preventing downward movement until released,
whereupon stean is further admitted under the piston to apply pressure to the sand
in the bottom flask D through the platen Fattached to the piston rod A', the
steam controlling valve being operated to apply if desired a succession of blows of
the platen on the sand, after which the brake is again applied. The pressure fluid
is then exhausted from the cylinder A in order to lower the mould boxes, the lower
box being at the same time freed on its guides by releasing the wheel of the
clamp G, the pattern plate E is swung out or removed and the upper mould
box D' rested on the lower box D after which the pressure fluid is again admitted
to the cylinder A to raise the platen E and eject the mould from the boxes, the
lower box being kept out of engagement with the piston rod A' and both boxes
being stationary during the upward movement requisite for ejection of the mould.
The clamp G may be dispensed with by applying only such brake pressure on
the piston rod A' as will serve to support the weight of the mould boxes and their
contents so that when the piston rises the piston rod instead of being relieved of
brake pressure telescopes through the blocks din applying pressure to the sand
in the boxes, the brake pressure being relieved only before ejecting the mould
from the boxes.
Instead of raising the piston and platen to eject the mould it will be obvious
that the boxes D, D', may be arranged to drop by their own weight over the
platen to attain this object, and the cylinder instead of being fitted under the
framing of the machine may be fitted overhead so as to apply the pressure from
above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A sand moulding machine constructed and arranged to operate substantially
as herein described with reference to the annexed drawings.
2. In a sand moulding machine the combination with the mould box and a single
cylinder with piston rod or ram, of a clamp or like device for establishing
connection between the mould box and piston rod or ram and relieving said
connection, whereby a single cylinder with plunger and platen serves the two-fold
purpose of pressing the sand to form the mould and of ejecting the same from
the mould box or boxes, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of May 1895.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.