IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MOULDS FOR CASTING."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gibbons, of Kennet Iron Works, Hungerford,
in the County of Berks, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MOULDS FOR CASTING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gibbons at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1880.
HENRY GIBBONS, of Kennet Iron Works, Hungerford, in the County of Berks.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MOULDS FOR
CASTING."
My Invention relates to machinery for preparing moulds for casting, in which
the pattern is formed or fixed on a plate or "moulding block," to which the mould
boxes are attached while they are being rammed. My improvements have mainly
for their object to simplify the means for effecting a mechanical lift in moulding
from such moulding blocks, and to decrease the cost of such machinery while
increasing the facility of manipulation.
For these purposes, according to one arrangement, I fix upon a bed plate two
uprights or standards connected by a cross frame at top, and carrying two slides,
from which cords or chains pass over guide pullies at the top of the frame, and are
connected to balance weights. These slides carry horizontal trunnions in bearings
so arranged with hinged caps secured by screws that the trunnions may either be
free to rotate therein or be gripped tightly thereby so as not to be capable of
turning. To these trunnions is secured the moulding block having the pattern to
be moulded on one or both sides. The slides with the moulding block are over-
balanced by the balance weights, so that when free the slides will be drawn up
to the top of the frame thereby. They can however be secured in any desired
position on the standards by means of excentric levers acting on nipping blocks on
the slides so as to press them against the standards. The slides with the moulding
block being thus secured in any convenient position on the standards the mould box
is secured to its top by cotters and rammed up. The bearings of the trunnions
being then loosened so as to allow the latter to turn therein, the moulding block is
turned over so as to bring the mould box undermost, and this is lowered by means

page_text: of the slides on to the bed plate, whereupon the moulding block is disconnected
therefrom and allowed to be drawn up by the balance weights. The above process
is then repeated with another mould box, either with the same side of the moulding
block, if this has only one pattern, or with the other side thereof if it has two
patterns. In the latter case, in order to enable either box-half to fit the moulding
block separately, they are each provided with two pins to fit the block. According
to another arrangement the standards, which in this case are of small dimensions,
are mounted with their slides in an adjustable manner upon a bed plate
supported by trunnions in fixed bearings arranged as before described, so that they
either grip the trunnions so as to prevent the plate from turning or allow them
freedom to turn.
The slides have the moulding block attached to them, and can be lifted by hand
entirely off the standards; they are adjusted in height upon the same by means of
screw spindles at the sides of the standards carrying handles that have jamming
pieces or levers, by means of which the slides are secured tightly on the standards
at any desired height.
In operating with this apparatus, the slides and moulding black being removed,
the mould box is placed between adjustable guides upon the bed plate, after which
the slides and moulding block are fitted over it and secured by the jamming levers,
and the bed plate with the several above mentioned parts is swung round on its
trunnions so as to bring the mould box undermost, whereupon it is rammed in
through a hole in the bed plate. The latter is then again turned over, and the
slides and moulding block being first taken off, the mould box is removed. If
the moulding block has a double pattern the upper mould box is fitted on and
rammed before the moulding block and slides are removed.
According to another modification, suitable for small work, small standards or
guide spindles are fixed on the moulding block, the mould box having corresponding
guide sockets. The mould box may be made to open, for which purpose one side
thereof is arranged to turn on a hinge at one end, while the other end is secured by
a pivotted locking bolt fitting into a slot thereof. The other three sides of the box
are also made to open out upon a hinge joint formed in the middle of the side
opposite that first mentioned.
According to another modification the moulding block is provided with guide
spindles or pins, as above described, and a frame is provided having guide sockets
fitting over the said guide pins, within which frame a mould box of ordinary
construction is introduced, lugs being provided thereon fitting with holes over the
ends of the said guide pins projecting beyond the sockets of the frame. The three
parts are secured together in this position by means of cotters driven through the
ends of the guide pins. After ramming the mould box it is inverted, the moulding
block is withdrawn after driving out the cotters, and the frame is then lifted off
the mould box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Gibbons in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th June
1881.
HENRY GIBBONS, of Kennet Iron Works, Hungerford, in the County of Berks.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MOULDS FOR
CASTING."
My Invention relates to machinery for preparing moulds for casting, in which
the pattern is formed or fixed on a plate or "moulding block," to which the mould
boxes are attached while they are being rammed. My improvements have mainly
for their object to simplify the means for effecting a mechanical lift in moulding
from such moulding blocks and to decrease the cost of such machinery while
increasing the facility of manipulation.
For these purposes according to one arrangement I fix upon a bed plate two
uprights or standards connected by a cross frame at top and carrying two slides,
from which cords or chains pass over guide pullies at the top of the frame and are
connected to balance weights. These slides carry horizontal trunnions in bearings
so arranged with hinged caps secured by screws that the trunnions may either be
free to rotate therein or be gripped tightly thereby so as not to be capable of
turning. To these trunnions is secured the moulding block having the pattern to
be moulded on one or both sides. The slides with the moulding block are
overbalanced by the balance weights so that when free the slides will be drawn up
to the top of the frame thereby. They can, however, be secured in any desired
position on the standards by means of eccentric levers acting on nipping blocks on
the slides so as to press them against the standards. The slides with the moulding
block being thus secured in any convenient position on the standards, the mould
box is secured to its top by cotters and rammed up. The bearings of the trunnions
being then loosened so as to allow the latter to turn therein, the moulding block is
turned over so as to bring the mould box undernost, and this is lowered by means
of the slides on to the bed plate, whereupon the moulding block is disconnected
therefrom and allowed to be drawn up by the balance weights. The above process
is then repeated with another mould box, either with the same side of the moulding
block if this has only one pattern or with the other side thereof if it has two
patterns. In the latter case in order to enable either box-half to fit the moulding
block separately they are each provided with two pins to fit the block. According
to another arrangement the standards, which in this case are of small dimensions,
are mounted with their slides in an adjustable manner upon a bed plate supported
by trunnions in fixed bearings, arranged as before described, so that they either
grip the trunnions so as to prevent the plate from turning or allow them freedom to
turn.
The slides have the moulding block attached to them and can be lifted by hand
entirely off the standards; they are adjusted in height upon the same by means of
screw spindles at the sides of the standards carrying handles that have jamming
pieces or levers by means of which the slides are secured tightly on the standards
at any desired height.
In operating with this apparatus, the slides and moulding block being removed,
the mould box is placed between adjustable guides upon the bed plate, after which
the slides and moulding block are fitted over it and secured by the jamming levers,
and the bed plate, with the several above mentioned parts, is swung round on its
trunnions so as to bring the mould box undermost, whereupon it is rammed in
through a hole in the bed plate. The latter is then again turned over, and the
slides and moulding block being first taken off the mould box is removed. If the

page_text: moulding block has a double pattern the upper mould box is fitted on and rammed
before the moulding block and slides are removed.
According to another modification suitable for small work small standards or
guide spindles are fixed on the moulding block, the mould box having corresponding
guide sockets. The mould box may be made to open, for which purpose one side
thereof is arranged to turn on a hinge at one end, while the other end is secured
by a pivotted locking bolt fitting into a slot thereof. The other three sides of the
box are also made to open out upon a hinge joint formed in the middle of the
the side opposite that first mentioned.
According to another modification the moulding block is provided with guides,
spindles, or pins, as above described, and a frame is provided having guide sockets
fitting over the said guide pins, within which frame a mould box of ordinary con-
struction is introduced, lugs being provided thereon, fitting with holes over the
ends of the said guide pins projecting beyond the sockets of the frame. The three
parts are secured together in this position by means of cotters driven through the
ends of the guide pins. After ramming the mould box it is inverted, the moulding
block is withdrawn after driving out the cotters, and the frame is then lifted off
the mould box.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings shew respectively a front view and
end view of a machine specially adapted for moulding from heavy blocks with
large boxes, and for all cases where it is desirable to lift from both sides of a double
block. B, B, are two parallel spindles firmly fixed to the bed plate C and to the
top framing D. On these spindles work sleeves E, E, on the inner sides of which
are bearings e, e, in which work trunnions f. f. Carried by the trunnions f, f, is
the moulding block A firmly fixed thereto by bolts. The half bearings e, e, are
hinged together on one side, and on the other they are fixed by set screws g, g.
When these are screwed up tight so as to lock the trunnions in their bearings the
moulding block sleeves and trunnions form one rigid whole, free only to move up
or down on the spindles B, B.
Attached to each sleeve is a cord or chain leading over pullies on the framing D.
To the other ends of these cords or chains are attached balance weights G, G, so
arranged as to rather more than balance the moulding block, sleeves, &c., so that
when released by the operator the whole apparatus will run up the spindles B, B,
till it rests against the top framing D. On the outer side of each sleeve are
handles H, H, for raising or lowering the block. An enlarged section of one of
these handles is shewn at Fig. 3. For the purpose of locking the sleeves E, E, on
the spindles B, B, the handle H (Fig. 3) is hinged on the pin h. The inner edge of
the handle is formed eccentric with the pin h, and bears against a block i, working
in a slot in the sleeve E and resting against the spindle B. When the handle H is
pulled round on its hinge the inner edge, being eccentric, causes it to jam the
block i against the spindle B and so lock the sleeve E firmly in its place.
The method of moulding with this machine is as follows:-The moulding block A
is first lowered to a convenient height on the spindles B, B, and locked thereto by
its handles H, H. The moulding box is then put on the block, fixed to it by
cotters, as shewn, and rammed up. The set screws g, g, are then slackened, and
the block with the box attached turned over on the trunnions f. f. The handles H, H,
are now turned back till the box lowers by its own weight and rests upon the bed
plate C, when they are again locked. The set screws 9, 9, are now tightened, the
box is unfastened from the block A, the handles H, H, are slackened, and the block
rapped till it rises from the box by means of the balance weights G, G, and rests
against the framing D. The box is now removed, and the aforesaid process
repeated, either with the other box half from the opposite side of the block if a
double block is being used, or on the same side if with a single block.
For the purpose of enabling either box half to fit the block separately for moulding

page_text: with double blocks, the boxes for this machine are made with four pins, two in the
upper box half and two in the lower, as shewn in the Drawing, so that each box
half has two pins to fit the block.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew a front and end view of a machine suitable for cases where
it is not required to lift the top box mechanically, and when the moulding block,
sleeves, &c., are not too heavy to be lifted by hand. In this machine the sleeves
E, E, moulding block A, and handles H, H, are formed to lift completely off the
spindles B, B, which are unsupported at top, but bolted below to the plate C. This
plate is hung on trunnions on the bearing brackets D, D, fixed to the bed plate F;
these bearings are locked by the set screws g, g, as in the first machine. In
moulding with this machine the moulding box is placed on the plate C in the
guide strips c, c, which are adjustable to the size of the box, and serve to bring the
moulding box fairly under the block A. The block with the sleeves, &c., is then
put on the spindles and lowered till it rests on the moulding box. The block A,
moulding box, and plate C are then all fixed together by turning the handles f, f,
which are adjusted to jam on the inclined faces of the handles H, H. These
handles are adjustable to different depths of boxes. The set screws g, g, are now
slackened, the whole apparatus turned down, and the box rammed through an
aperture in the plate C. The apparatus is then turned up, fixed in position by
the set screws g, g, and the top box put on, rammed up, and taken off. The
handles f, f, are now turned back, the block lifted off, and the box removed. The
spindles B, B, can be adjusted on the plate C to suit different lengths of moulding
blocks. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 shew respectively a front view, end view, and plan of an
arrangement for small work. In this case the guide spindles B, B, are fixed
directly to the moulding block A, and the corresponding guide sockets E, E, are
cast or otherwise fixed directly to the moulding box. In the Drawing the bottom
box only is shewn guided, but the top box can be guided also by continuing the
spindles B, B, through the moulding block, and through guide sockets in the top
box. The method of moulding with this apparatus is the same as for the machine
shewn at Figs. 4 and 5, with the exception that the box and moulding block must
be turned over by hand. In combination with this last arrangement is shewn an
arrangement for an opening moulding box, so formed that on unfastening the
hinged screws a, a, the box unfolds on the hinges b, b, and can be entirely removed
from the mould. By this means a number of moulds can be made with one pair
of boxes.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew an elevation and plan of an arrangement whereby the
moulding block with guide pins attached, as shewn at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, can be
used in combination with the existing type of moulding boxes. A is the moulding
block, and B, B, the guide pins as before. Instead of the guide sockets being
attached directly to the moulding box they are cast on a frame C made large
enough to completely encircle the moulding box and pins. Into this is fitted the
moulding box, at each end of which is cast a lug D with a hole corresponding with
the hole in the guide socket. The frame C is placed on the moulding block; the
box is then placed within the frame, and all three fixed together by cotters
through the guide pins. The box being in the reverse position to that shewn
at Fig. 9 is then rammed up, after which the apparatus is turned over, the cotters
removed, and the block lifted off. The frame can then be lifted off the box, and
the box removed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim in respect of machinery for preparing moulds
for casting,
First. The construction of machinery wherein the mould block is attached to
trunnions carried in nipping bearings on slides that can move up and down on
vertical spindles or guides, balance weights being provided for causing the slides
with moulding block to be raised automatically, and locking handles or levers for
securing the slides in the lowered position, substantially as herein described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings.

page_text: Second. In double mould boxes for moulding with double mould blocks, pro-
viding each half mould box with pins for being fitted separately to the mould
block, substantially as herein described.
Third. The construction of machinery wherein the mould block is secured to caps
fitted on spindles on a plate carrying the mould box, and supported by trunnions
in nipping bearings, the caps with the mould block and mould box being secured
to the said plate by nipping handles, so that the plate, together with the other
parts, can be turned into a reversed position, and the mould box be rammed
through a hole in the said plate, substantially as herein described with reference
to Figs. 4 and 5 of the Drawings.
Fourth. Constructing the moulding blocks with guide spindles attached thereto
on which the mould box is fitted by means of sockets, substantially as herein
described with reference to Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the Drawings.
.
Fifth. Constructing mould boxes to open out, as herein described with reference
to Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the Drawings, to enable several moulds to be made by means
of one box.
Sixth. The use, in combination with an ordinary mould box, of an external
frame having guide sockets through which and through eyes on the mould box
pins fixed on the mould box pass, substantially as herein described with reference
to Figs. 9 and 10 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Gibbons, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
HY. GIBBONS. (L.S.)