IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED WHEN CASTING METALS UNDER PRESSURE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mackintire, of Cambridge, in the State
of Massachusetts, in the United States of America, but at present
of Villiers Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
WHEN CASTING METALS UNDER PRESSURE."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mackintire at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th December 1874.
I, JAMES MACKINTIRE, of Cambridge, in the State of Massachusetts,
in the United States of America, but at prosent of Villiers Strect,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED WHEN CASTING METALS UNDER PRESSURE," to be as follows:-

page_text: moulds are confined within a close chamber and the molten metal is
contained within a cylinder, from which it is forced into the moulds by
means of a piston acted upon by a screw; and my present Invention
has for its object to render such machinery or apparatus more efficient
in its action, and to enable it to be worked with greater facility than
heretofore. For this purpose the machinery or apparatus may be
mounted, as heretofore, on wheels to enable it to be readily moved about,
but instead of the cover of the mould or casting chamber being loose
and arranged to be lifted on and off by hand, or by the aid of tongs or
other instruments, as heretofore, I arrange such cover to move up and
down in guides fixed to the mould or casting chamber, and to be acted
upon by a screw working in a nut or female screw formed or fixed in a
cross bar connecting the upper ends of the guides together, such screw
having fixed thereon a hand wheel, by which it can be rotated, to raiso
and lower the cover as desired.
In the end of the mould or casting chamber I fit a mouth-piece which
is slightly tapered so as to readily enter the apertures formed for it, the
face of this mouth-piece is of a dished or concave form, so as to effect a
tight fit with the corresponding end of the cylinder for the molten
metal, which latter is shaped to fit such mouth-piccc.
The aperture in the centre of the mouth-piece instead of being lined
with an iron cylindrical corc piece as heretofore, is, according to my
Invention, lined with a clay cylinder which is slightly tapered in form,
and is placed in position from the outside of the mouth-piece when the
latter is in position, and not from the inner face of the mouth-piece
previous to the latter being placed in position in the mould or casting
chamber, as heretofore, and the hole or passage through such clay lining
is formed slightly conical in the contrary direction, that is to say, the
larger end of the hole or passage is towards the inside of the mould or
casting chamber, and instead of forming a half-round groove or channel
in the bottom of the mould or casting chamber to correspond with other
half-round grooves in the bottom edges of the moulds and placing the
hole or passage in the end of the moulding or casting chamber in
position to come opposite such channel, I raise the position of such hole
or passage and dispenso with the half-round grooves before referred to,
and in licu thereof I form holes in the moulds at a slight distance above
their bottom edges so as to come in line with the hole or passage in the
mouth-picce.

page_text: Instead of mounting the cylinder for containing the molten metal on
a fixed table and fixing it in position by means of wedges or bars driven
in between the outer end thereof and a clamp or frame, I, according to
my Invention, mount it on a sliding bed working in guides formed on
the bed plate of the machinery or apparatus, and I cause it to be moved
up to and away from the mould or casting chamber as required, and to
be held firmly against the mouth-piece of the mould or casting chamber
by means of a screw working in bearings fixed to the framing or fixed
bed plate of the machine and in a nut formed or fixed in a projection
fixed to the sliding bed, a hand wheel or crank being fixed on the end
of the screw to enable it to be readily rotated.
I also form on each cylinder a web or projection, which for the largest
size rests in a suitably shaped bed formed for it in the sliding bed, but
for smaller sizes an intermediate removable bed piece is employed, the
outer surface of which is shaped to fit in the fixed bed, whilst the inner
surface is shaped to fit the cylinder. By these means I am enabled to
use for the molten metal cylinders of various diameters and lengths,
and to hold them firmly in position during the casting operation and
during the ejection of the core and plunger or piston from the cylinder
after the casting has been completed.
The inside of the cylinder for the molten metal and the end of the
piston or plunger acting therein I coat with a "slip" or preparation,
such as that described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me, dated the 31st of December 1873, No. 4287; but if desired, in
lieu of the kaolin there mentioned other kinds of clay may be used, and
some plumbago or other analogous material may be mixed with tho
materials forming the "slip" or preparation, such plumbago or other
analogous material being in about the proportion of one-sixth part of the
bulk of the slip or preparation.
When combining a number of moulds into a single mould frame I
employ an iron skeleton frame in which to form or place clay moulds,
and I form these frames either single or in two halves; in this latter case
I employ tapered register pins on the one half to pass into corre-
spondingly tapered holes in the other half mould. Holes for the
reception of the clay moulds are formed in this skeleton frame, and
"gates
or passages are formed therein to conduct the molten metal to
the various moulds, suitable openings or cavities being provided in the
"

page_text: "
skeleton frame to permit of the escape of air from each mould. These
latter cavities and the "gates' or passages are formed dish shaped in
section, or of such form that any metal entering therein may easily drop
out therefrom when cold or set.
"
The main gate or passage for the molten metal is formed partly in the E
skeleton frame and partly in a moveable piccc formed of iron or clay, and
the faces of the mould as well as the "gates" or 'gatings" are coated
with the "slip" or preparation herein-before referred to, after which
the moulds are heated previous to running the molten metal therein.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Mackintire in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MACKINTIRE, of Cambridge, in the State of Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, but at present of Villiers Street, Strand, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Mackintire, Her special license
that I, the said James Mackintiro, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Mackintire, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED WHEN CASTING METALS UNDER PRESSURE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Mackintire, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to bo filed in the Great Scal

page_text: or catches, pivotted at c' as heretofore, to hold the sides c' in
position.
In one end of the mould or casting chamber c I fit a mouth-piece cº,
the neck o² of which is slightly tapered so as to readily enter the
aperture formed for it in the end of the mould or casting chamber c.
The face of this mouth-piece is of a dished, concave, or other form so as
to effect a tight fit with the corresponding end of the cylinder for the
molten metal, which cylinder is shaped to fit such mouth-piece, as shown
by the sectional view Figure 4.
The aperture in the centre of the mouth-piece c' instead of being lined
with an iron cylindrical core piece, as heretofore, is, according to my
Invention, lined with a clay cylinder c which is slightly tapered in
form and is placed in position from the outside of the mouth-piece when
the latter is in position, and not from the inner face of the mouth-piece
previous to the latter being placed in position in the mould or casting
chamber c, as heretofore, and the hole or passage through such clay
lining is formed slightly conical in the contrary direction, that is to say,
the larger end of the hole or passage is towards the inside of the mould
or casting chamber c, and instead of forming a half-round groove or
channel in the bottom of the mould or casting chamber c to correspond
with other half-round grooves in the bottom edges of the moulds g, and
placing the hole or passage in the end of the mould or casting chamber
in position to come opposite such channel, I raise the position of such
hole or passage and dispense with the half-round grooves before referred
to, and in licu thereof I form holes g' in the moulds at a slight distance
above their bottom edges, as shown at Figures 4 and 7, so as to come in
line with the hole or passage in the mouth-piece cº; but I do not claim
placing the holes in the position above described as forming part of
my Invention. h is a screw, which, by means of the follower ³, acts to
hold the moulds g firmly in position within the mould or casting
chamber c, as is well understood.

page_text: t
the mould or casting chamber c, I according to my Invention mount
it on a sliding bed i working on guides ; formed on the bed plate j of
the machinery or apparatus, and I cause it to be moved to and away
from the mould or casting chamber c as required, and to be held firmly
against the mouth-piece c" by means of a screw k working in bearings
fixed to the framing or fixed bed plate j, and in a nut formed or fixed in
a projection fixed to the sliding bed i, a hand wheel k¹ or crank being
fixed on the end of the screw & to enable it to be readily rotated. is a
screw, which is rotated by the hand wheel and employed as heretoforo
for operating the piston in the cylinder to force the molten metal
from such cylinder finto the moulds in the chamber c, and when desired
to push the piston f' entirely out of the cylinder f.
I also form on each cylinder ƒ a web or projection f, which for the
largest size rests in a suitably shaped bed formed for it in the sliding
bed i, as shown at Figure 5, but for smaller sizes an intermediate bed
piece mis employed, as shown at Figure 6, the outer surface of which is
shaped to fit in the sliding bed i, whilst tho inner surface is shaped to fit
the cylinder f. By these means I am enabled to use for the molten
metal cylinders of various diameters and lengths and to hold them firmly
in position during the casting operation and during the ejection of the
corc and piston or plunger f' from the cylinder f after the casting has
been completed.
The inside of the cylinder fand the end of the piston or plunger f¹I
coat with a “slip" or preparation, such as that described in the Speci-
;fication of Letters Patent granted to me dated the 31st of December 1873,
No. 4287, but if desired in lieu of the kaolin there mentioned other
kinds of clay may be used, and some plumbago or other analogous
material may be mixed with the materials forming the "slip" or pre-
paration, such plumbago or other analogous material being in about the
proportion of one-sixth part of the bulk of the "slip" or preparation.
When combining a number of moulds into a single mould frame I
employ an iron skeleton frame, as shown at Figure 7, in which to form
or place small clay moulds, and I form these frames either single or in
two halves. In this latter case I employ tapered register pins on the
5 one half to pass into corresponding tapered holes in the other half mould.
Holes n for the reception of the clay moulds are formed in this skeleton
frame, and "
gates" or passages o are formed therein to conduct the

page_text: provided in the skeleton frame to permit of the ready escape of air from
cach mould. These cavities p and the "gates" or passages o are formed
dish shaped in section, or of such form that any metal entering therein
may casily drop out therefrom when cold or set.
The main "gate" or passage 9' for the molten metal is formed partly
in the skeleton frame and partly in a moveable piece formed of iron or
clay, and the faces of the skeleton frame as well as the "gates” or
"gatings" and air cavities are coated with the slip or preparation
herein-before referred to, after which the moulds are heated previous to
running the molten metal theroin.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim in the class of machinery or apparatus herein described
is,—
First. Mounting and operating the cover c³ of the chamber c, in
manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.
Secondly. I claim forming the mouth-piece c and the employment of
a clay lining c³ in combination therewith, in manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein shown and described.
Thirdly. I claim mounting the cylinder on a travelling bed i, and
operating the said bed by means of a screw k acting thereon, in manner
and for the purpose substantially as hercin shown and described.
Fourthly. I claim forming the cylinders ƒ and mounting them on the
bed i or on intermediate bed pieces m, in manner and for the purposo 2
substantially as heroin shown and described.
"
Fifthly. I claim the employment of a skeleton frame with cavities n
for containing a number of separate moulds, and provided with "gatos
or passages g¹, o, for the molten metal, and cavities p for the escape of
air from the moulds, in manner substantially as herein shown and a
described in respect to Figure 7.
Sixthly. I claim the employment of the improved slip or preparation
for the purposes herein described, consisting in the combination of a
proportion of plumbago or other analogous material, with the slip or

page_text: preparation described by me in the Specification of former Letters Patent
herein-before referred to.
In witness whercof, I, the said James Mackintire, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.