IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST STEEL INGOTS, AND IN APPAratus for PROVISIONAL SPARATUS FOR CASTING AND ROLLING THE SAME, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO ROLLING IRON
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Scott, of No. 4, Sardinia Terrace,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST STEEL INGOTS, AND IN APPAratus for
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th March 1875.
I, MICHAEL SCOTT, of No. 4, Sardinia Terrace, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST STEEL INGOTS, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR CASTING AND ROLLING THE SAME, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO ROLLING
IRON," to be as follows:-
1
My Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of appa-
ratus, and to the method of operating therewith for casting steel ingots
and rolling the same, the chief object of my improvements being to

page_text: obtain sound ingots, to give facilities for dealing rapidly with large
masses so that the heat of the ingots may be to a great extent utilised
for rolling or hammering, and to render the metals sound by rolling, and
to provido for rolling rapidly without having recourse to reversing or
two-storied rolls.
For casting the ingots I provide a base or platform mounted on
wheels, on which platform a number of ingot moulds are placed round a
central git, each mould communicating near its bottom with the git by
means of a runner pipe of fire-brick, the junctions of these pipes to the
git and moulds being made good by ramming foundry sand thereon.
The git is a fire-brick tube divided longitudinally, the edges of the two
halves being preferably rebated, so that when they are smeared with
loam and pressed firmly together they form a tight joint, preventing the
escape of fluid metal. The git is tapered both inside and outside to a
larger diameter at the lower end, and the two halves are secured together
by elastic hoops driven from above along the tapered exterior. These
hoops are rings of iron or steel made to the shape of the outside of the
git, with portions of their periphery bent into loops that can yield and
spring a little to give clasticity. When prepared for use the git is
provided at the top with a feeding head having a side spout a little above
the level of the tops of the surrounding moulds. The said spout is
directed over a spare mould which does not communicate with the
bottom of the git, but which after all the other moulds have been filled
receives the residuary metal from the side spout of the feeding head.
The platform with its git and moulds is run up near to the steel melting
furnace, space being left between it and the furnace for a slag box. A
spout, preferably lined with fire-brick, is placed to extend over the slag
box from the tap hole of the furnace to the feed head of the git. On
first tapping the furnace a metal plate is held in an inclined position
over the upper end of the spout, so as to direct the first stream of
material down into the slag box, but as soon as sound metal begins to
run this plate is withdrawn, and the metal then flows along the spout to
the feed head of the git, when such cinder as may be carried along with
the metal rises to the surface. The plug of the feed head being then
withdrawn the metal flows down the git and charges the moulds to the
top, after which any surplus metal flows from the feed head by the side
spout into the spare mould. When the flow of metal from the furnace
ccases the spout is shifted aside and the cinder then runs down into tho

page_text: ·
slag box. The platform with its charged moulds is. wheeled away from
the furnace to a convenient place, where the git and moulds are. taken
off the ingots, the runner pipes broken away, and the runners cut off,
leaving the ingots free to be rolled or hammered, or to be reheated for
that purpose should they have cooled too much. The moulds, like the
git, are made in halves, divided longitudinally, and tapered on the outside,
so that the halves are secured together by elastic hoops driven on them,
as in the case of the git. Lugs are provided at the top of the moulds for
lifting them by a crane, and their tops are closed over with an air hole
through them for the escape of air and gases from the interior. I expand
this hole in the form of a cross within the body of the top of the mould,
so that the expanded part of the steel which sets in the hole offers when
the mould is removed a convenient means of laying hold of the ingot for
lifting it by a crane.
The runners may either be made to turn up from below to the bottom
of the mould or may be arranged to enter the side of the mould a little
above the bottom, and in that case a fire-brick lump may be placed in
the mould under the mouth of the runner.
The slag box is mounted on a truck, to which it is hinge jointed at
one of its lower angles, and a barrel' worked by a winch is provided at
the other side of the truck with chains from the barrel attached to the
angle of the box below the barrel.. When the truck has been wheeled to
the convenient site for tipping the chain is wound on the barrel, and
the box is thereby canted on its hinge joints until its centre of gravity
passes beyond them, whereupon the box rapidly tips. as far over as the
extent of chain will permit, and delivers its contents. By again turning
the barrel the box is drawn back and lowered into its normal position on
the truck.
In rolling ingots with ordinary smooth rollers the effect is rather to
draw out the ingot longitudinally than to consolidate the metal, as is
effected by hammering. In order to produce consolidating effect by
rolling I employ grooved rollers, the ribs of which projecting like cogs
make impressions on the metal passed through between them, which
issues from them with a ridge and furrow surface; being then passed
through plain rolls, the ridges are flattened down, and thus in both
operations, whether in depressing the furrows or flattening down the
ridges, the metal is exposed to a local squeezing, which has the effect of
rendering it more sound and solid.

page_text: In order to avoid the difficulties attending reversing or two-storied
rolls I adopt the following construction:-I arrange two pairs of rolls
on the same level, end to end, and the one pair a little in advance of the
other, so that the driving shaft of the lower roller of the further pair
passes along the side of the lower roller of the nearer pair, to which the
shaft is geared. Thus, the two pairs of rolls are made to revolve in
opposite directions, and an ingot or a bar passed through the one pair
can at once be returned through the other pair on the same level. To
each pair I provide a feeding table with rollers projecting above its
surface, and I provide also a cradle swung from a suitable crane, which
cradle has a bottom framing consisting of bars that can lic on the
feeding table under the level of the upper sides of the rollers thereon.
When a bar or ingot is passed through the one pair of rolls it is received
on rollers between which the bars of the cradle lic, and immediately it is
lifted and swung by the cradle till it is over the table of the second pair
of rolls, whercon it is lodged.
It is obvious that the method of rolling, arranging the rolls, and
operating therewith, described in respect of steel ingots or bars, is
applicable also in dealing with wrought iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Michael Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
SCOTT, of No. 4, Sardinia Terrace, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
send greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, IIer heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Michael Scott, Her special licence a
that I, tho said Michael Scott, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael Scott, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term

page_text: 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST STEEL INGOTS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CASTING
AND ROLLING THE SAME, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO ROLLING IRON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Scott, 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 be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Scott, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say :-
My Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of
apparatus and to the method of operating therewith for casting steel
ingots and rolling the same, the chief object of my improvements being
to cheapen the cost of production, to obtain sound ingots, to give
facilities for dealing rapidly with large masses, to render the metal
sound by rolling, and to provide for rolling rapidly without having
recourse to reversing or two storied rolls.
For casting the ingots I provide a base or platform mounted on
wheels, on which platform a number of ingot moulds are placed round
a central git, each mould communicating near its bottom with the git
by means of a runner pipe of fire-brick or other refractory material,
the junctions of these runner pipes to the git and moulds being preferably
made good by ramming foundry sand thereon.
The git is a tube of fire-brick or other refractory material, in some
instances cased with iron divided longitudinally in two or more parts,
the edges of which are preferaby rebated, so that when they are smeared
with loam and pressed firmly together they form a tight joint, preventing
the escape of fluid metal. The git is tapered both inside and outside to

page_text: a larger diameter at the lower end, and the parts of which it is formed
are secured together by elastic hoops driven from above along the
tapered exterior. These hoops are rings of iron or steel made to the
shape of the outside of the git, with portions of their periphery bent
into loops that can yield and spring a little to give elasticity. When
prepared for use the git is provided at the top with a feeding cap
having a side spout situated a little above the level of the tops of the
surrounding moulds, which spout is directed over a spare mould not in
communication with the bottom of the git. After all the other moulds
have been filled the residuary metal is delivered into this spare mould
through the said side spout. The platform supporting the git and
moulds is run up near to the steel melting furnace, sufficient space
however being left between it and the furnace for a slag box, and a
conduit lined with fire-brick or other refractory material is placed to
extend over the slag box from the tap hole of the furnace to the feed
head of the git. On first tapping the furnace a metal plate is held in
an inclined position over the upper end of this conduit, so as to direct
the first stream of material down into the slag box, but as soon as
sound metal begins to run this plate is withdrawn, and the metal then
flows along such conduit to the enlarged head at the lower extremity,
where such cinder as may be carried along with the metal rises to the
surface. The plug in the enlarged head of the conduit being then
raised the metal flows down the git, charging the moulds to the top,
after which any surplus metal flows from the feed cap by the side spout
into the spare mould. When the flow of metal from the furnace ceases
the conduit is shifted aside and the cinder and slag then run down into
the slag box. The platform with its charged moulds is wheeled away
from the furnace to a convenient place, where the git and moulds are
taken off the ingots, the runner pipes broken away, and the runners cut.
off, leaving the ingots free to be rolled or hammered, or to be reheated
for that purpose should they have cooled too much. The moulds
are made in two pieces, divided longitudinally, and tapered on the
outside, so that they may be secured together by elastic hoops driven on
them in the same manner as the git. Lugs are provided at the top of
the moulds for lifting them by a crane, and their tops may be closed, a
hole being provided through them for the escape of air and gases from
the interior. For casting ingots with parallel sides I expand this hole,
so as to form a cavity within the body of the top of the mould, in order
that the expanded part of the steel which sets in it offers when the mould

page_text: is removed a convenient means of laying hold of the ingots for lifting
them.
The runners may either be made to turn up from below to the bottom
of the moulds or may be arranged to enter the side of the moulds a little
above the bottom, and a fire-brick lump may be placed at the bottom
of each mould, by varying the thickness of which the height and con-
sequently the weight of the ingots may also be varied.
The slag box is placed under the tapping spout of the furnace, and
is arranged so as to be lifted by a crane and placed upon a truck to
which it is attachable by hinged joints formed by means of pins
provided at one of its lower angles, which fit into corresponding hooks
or recesses provided on the truck; and a barrel worked by a winch is
provided at the other side of the truck, with chains from the barrel
attached to the angle of the box below the barrel. When the truck
has been wheeled to a convenient site for tipping the chain is wound
on the barrel, and the box is thereby canted on its hinged joints until
its centre of gravity passes beyond them, whereupon the box rapidly
tips as far over as the extent of chain will permit and delivers its
contents. By again turning the barrel the box is drawn back and
lowered into its normal position on the truck.
In rolling ingots with ordinary plain rollers the effect is rather to
draw them out longitudinally than to consolidate the metal, as is effected
by hammering. In order to produce a consolidating effect by rolling
I employ grooved rollers, the ribs of which projecting like cogs make
impressions on the metal passed between them, so that it issues from
them with a ridged and furrowed surface; such metal being then passed
through plain rolls, the ridges are flattened down, and thus in both
operations, whether in depressing the furrows or flattening down the
ridges the metal is exposed to a local squeezing, which has the effect
of rendering it more sound and solid.
In order to avoid the difficulties attending the use of reversing or
two storied rolls I adapt the following construction:-I arrange two
pairs of rolls on the same or nearly the same level, end to end, the one
pair a little in advance of the other, so that the driving shaft of the
lower roll of the farther pair passes along the side of the lower roll of
the nearer pair, which it also drives through gearing. The two pairs
of rolls are made to revolve in opposite directions, and an ingot or a bar

page_text: passed through the one pair can at once be returned through the other
pair. To each pair of rolls a feeding table with rollers projecting above
its surface may be provided; also a cradle swung from a suitable crane,
which cradle has a bottom framing consisting of bars that can lie on the
feeding table under the level of the upper sides of the rollers thereon.
When a bar or ingot has passed through the one pair of rolls it is
received on rollers between which the bars of the cradle lie, and imme-
diately it is lifted and swung by such cradle till it is over the table of
the second pair of rolls, whereon it is lodged.

page_text: either arranged with T branches, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, or thero
may be a separate pipe leading direct from the git to each mould, as in
the modified arrangement shown in Figs. 10 to 12. The runner pipes
extend from the base D of the git to the several moulds, which they
may enter just above refractory lumps placed in the bottom of each
mould, as shewn at E, Figs. 6 and 10, or they may be arranged as
shewn in the section at Fig. 10°, where the ingot mould E rests upon an
iron base E³, which the runner pipe D'enters at the side, and in which
is the refractory lump E², having a passage communicating with the
runner pipe, and turning up so as to enter the centre of the mould at
bottom. The base D³ of the git is divided horizontally into two parts,
and the upper part is again divided vertically into two or more parts to
allow of the removal of the runner stecl. The junctions of the pipes D'
with the git D are made good by ramming sand or other suitable
material round them inside a casing or box D³ surrounding the base D³,
as at Figs. 1, 2, and 10, and their junctions with the moulds E arc in
like manner made good by ramming sand, &c., round them in the
boxes E', as at Figs. 4 and 6; or these boxes may be arranged to enclose
the pipes D' entirely, as shown at Figs. 10 to 12, but when short ingots
are to be cast it may not be necessary to fill up the casings or boxes D³
with sand, &c., as described, as the runner pipes D¹ may in such case be
found sufficient in strength to resist the pressure of the molten metal.
The git, as also the ingot moulds, are divided longitudinally, the
picces being securely held together by the partially clastic hoops D'
and E formed of bent or looped rings, as shown, which can yield to
allow for the expansion of the moulds when these become heated. One
of the spring hoops, formed in halves with hinged and bolted joints,
serves to hold the two halves of the sand casing E³ against one side of
the mould, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 5, or when separate runner pipes
are used, as at Figs. 10 to 12, snugs F¹ are provided on the platform F,
which hold the moulds against the casings or boxes E³ surrounding the
runner pipes D¹.
The moulds may be either open or closed at top, in the latter case
vent holes being provided for the escape of air and gases. The specific
arrangement shewn at Figs. 8 and 9 is intended to be used for closed
moulds when ingots with parallel sides are to be cast, and in such case
the vent holes of each may be enlarged into a cavity, which may be in
the form of a cross, as shewn, for the reception of metal, so that when

page_text: the parts of the mould are removed the ingot presents a cross head or
handle, by which it can be conveniently lifted or moved.
Moreover as
the metal in such cavity will cool more rapidly than the lower part of
the ingot the effect will be that when the ingot contracts by cooling it
will be suspended by the handle at the top, and thus tend to break off
the runner at the bottom.
On first tapping the furnace a plate, indicated by the dotted line G,
Fig. 1, may be held obliquely in front of the conduit B so as to direct
the fused sand, slag, or other material composing the stopping of the
furnace on to an inclined plate H, by which they are directed into the
slag box I. When sound metal appears the plate G is withdrawn and
the metal then flows into the conduit B towards the enlarged head C,
where any slag taken along with it rises to the surface. The stopper C'
is then lifted by means of the handle C³, so that the metal may flow into
the git D, from which it radiates at the bottom to the several moulds E,
after filling which any surplus metal is received into one or more of the
spare moulds E¹ through the side spout K formed in the separate cap
fitting on to the top of the git. The central git is made taller than the
ingot moulds in order that the latter may be completely filled and tho
metal therein partly consolidated by the pressure due to the higher
column of metal in the git before any surplus metal is delivered into the
sparo mould.
The number and size of ingot moulds to be provided for each cast
should be proportional to the weight of metal in the furnace, but the
apparatus herein described will enable me to allow for variations, to
make ample provision for the ready and safe reception and disposal of
the metal, and to deal with charges much greater than have hitherto
been used. For example I may instance that during the running of
the whole charge all joints exposed to the action of the molten metal
are well secured from the commencement of running, and that the
operation of casting is not dependent upon machinery of any kind, the
metal simply flowing into the git until the furnace is emptied. When
the metal has run out of the furnaco the conduit B is removed, so that
the cinder and slag may fall into the slag box I, after which the slag
box is lifted by means of a crane and placed on a truck L, by which it
is run on rails to a convenient site for tipping. It is provided on one
side with trunnions or pius l' which fit into corresponding hooks or
recesses L' on the truck L, and a crab M fixed on bearers projecting

page_text: somewhat from the truck is employed for tipping the slag box, as already
described, by means of a chain M' passing over a pulley M (carried by
standards L on the truck) and attached to an eye 1ª fixed at the lower
angle of the box, as shewn at Fig. 13.
When the metal in the moulds has sufficiently cooled the platform is
moved away from the furnace to a convenient situation, so that the men
can then work at the furnace without being exposed to the heat from
the moulds or slag.
For removing the ingots from the moulds in the arrangement shewn
in Figs. 1 to 6, where runner pipes with T branches are used, the hinged
loops that secure the sand boxes E³ to the moulds aro opened and
removed, so as to allow the two halves of the sand boxes to be removed.
The clastic hoops E' that hold the half moulds together are then driven
up and taken off, and the two sides of the mould are then lifted by
means of the lugs at the top of each, so as to be removed from the
ingots. The runner pipes near the ingots are then broken, and the steel
runner cut near the ingot, which can then be removed to the hammer,
cogging mill, or reheating furnace. The ingots having been removed.
the head is taken off the central git D, the surplus mould E' is removed,
and the surplus ingot, as also the stool and bottom plate on which they
stood are taken away. The cover is then taken off the central sand
box D³, the sand is removed to the depth of the bottom fire-brick chan-
nelled block D, the elastic rings D' are driven off the git D, and the
two sides of the git are then removed. After this the upper part of the
block D is removed, and thin plates D', which closed slits in the sand
box above the runner pipes are drawn out, whereupon the steel which
filled the central git with the horizontal runners is lifted up and removed,
and the runner pipes are broken, and the steel which filled them cut off.
The central git would form an ingot of useful dimensions, and even the
horizontal runners could be used without remelting.
Fig. 15 shews a section of a pair of my improved rolls formed, as
before described, with ribs projecting like cogs for rolling or cogging the
ingot with indentations, as shewn at N, which indentations are after-
wards obliterated by passing the ingots through plain rolls. By rolling
in this manner the metal is better and more easily consolidated than by
existing methods, tending to produce a sounder bloom, as already
explained.

page_text: Fig. 16 shews a plan, and Fig. 17 a front view of two pairs of rolls
arranged to be worked conjointly, as herein-before described, so that the
one pair moves in the direction opposite to that of the other pair.
Fig. 18 shows a transverse section of the one pair of rolls and of the
driving shaft. The shaft O, which receives its motion from a prime
mover, drives the first pair of rolls P through the spur wheel O' in gear
with the lower spur wheel p of the rolls, while it drives the second pair
of rolls P' direct. Thus it will be seen that as the spur wheel p revolves in
the contrary direction to O the rolls P and P¹ will also revolve in contrary
directions. By this arrangement after a bar or ingot has been run
through the one pair of rolls it merely has to be conveyed to the other.
pair of rolls on the same side of the mill in order to be passed back
through these. For conveying the bar or ingot readily from the one
pair of rolls to the other I provide cradles Q consisting of a framework,
the bars of which rest on the mill floor between rollers R on the latter.
When the bar has been run through the one pair of rolls, as for instance
P, and rests upon the rollers R inside the cradlo Q, as shown at Fig. 18,
the cradle in being raised by a crano lifts the bar off the rollers, and the
crane being then swung over with the cradle to the rolls P' deposits the
latter with the bar in the position Q', whereupon the bar is run through
the rolls P¹, and being received on a similar cradle Q on the other side
is swung by another crane into the position Q at the back of the rolls P.
The bar is then run through these rolls again, and is received on the
cradle Q, which in the meantime has been swung back from P' to P.
It will be evident that this arrangement of cradle may be used with
advantage with other descriptions of rolling mills.
Figs. 19, 20, and 21 show by plan, front view, and transverse section
a like arrangement of rolls with means of receiving and feeding the
metal by trucks or bogies S, which rest on the inclined mill floor, and
being hauled up the inclined floor away from the one pair of rolls are then
allowed to descend by gravity to the other pair of rolls, being guided by
hand so as to deliver the bar into the proper groove.
Ilaving thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim,―
First. The method, substantially as herein described, of filling a group
of ingot moulds arranged around a git by bringing the said git under a
feeding head supplied by a conduit from the tapping hole of a furnace,

page_text: tapping, diverting the debris from the spout into a slag box, then
charging the moulds from the bottom, and running the surplus metal by
a spout from the top of the git into a separate mould or moulds.
Second. The arrangement of a group of ingot moulds with central git,
into which the metal is run direct from the melting furnace through a
conduit and feeding head in combination with a slag box placed imme-
diately beneath the tapping spout of the furnace for receiving the
slag after the metal has been run into the moulds, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The use of a git of refractory material divided longitudinally
into two or more parts secured together by elastic hoops, substantially as
herein described.
Fourth. The use, for securing together the divided gits and moulds, of
hoops formed with bent or looped parts to give elasticity, substantially
as herein described.
Fifth. Providing in the tops of moulds for ingots with parallel sides
cavities so as to form cross heads or handles on the ingots to facilitate
moving or lifting them, substantially as herein described.
Sixth. Forming the communications from the git to the moulds by
tubes or runner pipes of refractory material placed above the sole plate
of the moulds, substantially as herein described.
Seventh. The use of boxes rammed with sand for wholly or partially
enclosing the refractory runner pipes, and making good their connections
with the git and moulds, substantially as herein described.
Eighth. The use of refractory lumps placed in the bottoms of the
ingot moulds for enabling the height of the ingots to be varied, and to
protect the lower edges of the moulds, substantially as herein described.
Ninth. The use of a slag box arranged to be mounted on a truck, and
operated by a crab and chain for tipping, as herein described with
reference to Figs. 13 and 14 of the Drawings.
Tenth. The use for consolidating ingots of rolls with projecting ribs,
so as to form indentations on the ingots, substantially as herein
described.
Eleventh. The arrangement of and method of driving two pair of
rolls by one and the same driving shaft, so as to turn in opposito

page_text: directions, by causing the driving shaft to drive the one pair of rolls direct,
while it drives the other pair by means of a spur wheel, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Twelfth. The use for conveying the bars or ingots from one pair of
rolls to another of cradles arranged and operated by cranes, substantially 5
as herein described with reference to Figs. 16 to 18 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Scott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.