Improved Casting or Molten-metal Pouring Apparatus or Plant.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Casting or Molten-metal Pouring Apparatus or Plant.
I, RICHARD HANBURY WAINFORD, Victoria Chambers, Liverpool Road, Stoke-
on-Trent, Staffordshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improved apparatus or arrangements of appli-
ances for use in pouring or casting molten iron or other metals from a ladle into
moulds to form pigs," ingots or slabs, the objects of my said invention being
to facilitate the casting of molten metals, to produce cleaner pigs," ingots or
slabs than is done by using sand moulds, to impart a good fracture to the metal
so cast, to save labour and time, and lessen their cost of production.
In carrying this invention into practice I arrange an inclined track or line
of rails of suitable gauge and gradient, and two horizontal lines of rails of suitable
gauge in different planes, and a horizontal line or rows of tiltable metallic fram-
ings supporting detachable corrugated metallic moulds arranged transversely to
the said lines of rails.
After filling, or pouring molten metal from a smelting furnace into a suitable
tiltable ladle mounted on a wheeled metallic carriage I cause such ladle to be
hauled by wire-rope or like suitable means at a suitable speed up such inclined
track, the said ladle being connected to a controlling vessel or receiver mounted
on a wheeled metallic carriage on a horizontal line of rails at either side of such
inclined or ladle-track such vessels will be caused to travel at the same rate of
speed along their respective lines of rails, the ladle being tilted by suitable
mechanism so that its pouring lip or spout will remain low down, and in constant
position with respect to the said controlling vessel in order to avoid "splashing"
when casting or pouring molten-metal.
The said receiver conducting molten metal as it is poured from the ladle to
a horizontal line or row of moulds fitted to and supported within tiltable iron or
steel frames packed with fire-clay, asbestos or like suitable non-conducting.
material and supported at their ends on trunnions, by suitable bearings, one row
of such moulds and their frames being arranged transversely to and at the outer
side of each controlling vessel track. The contents of one ladle being sufficient
to fill one line or row of moulds attached to their tiltable framing by metallic
plates or keeps" and metallic bolts, and supported within such framings by
metallic bridge-plates, and I form suitably shaped projections in such moulds for
making notches in the cast "pigs," ingots or slabs to ensure breakage of same
into definite or uniform lengths on falling on to a wagon below such moulds.
As the contents of each line of moulds can be emptied into a single wagon each
cast can be kept separate, the weight of cast metal discharged into such wagon
not being sufficient to cause damage thereto.
Such moulds I make singly or in groups from iron of a corrugated form of
uniform thickness to give strength and lightness to secure equal expansion, and
contraction so that their life or use may be prolonged..

page_text: To prevent loss of metal whilst pouring by falling between the mould-frames
I fit vertical slidable metallic bars adjacent to the ends of such frames which
support horizontal metallic bars longitudinally bevelled on their upper surface
which as the spout of the controlling vessel passes over such horizontal bars are
alternately depressed by inclined metallic arms attached to such spout so as to
cover the space between two of such mould frames at a time whilst the falling
stream of molten metal is passing over the space so covered, as such spout passes
beyond a closed or covered space the said vertical and horizontal bars are caused
in rise to their normal position by weighted levers pivotted to the said vertical
bars so as to keep the said horizontal bars above and clear of the mould casings
or framings to permit such casings and their moulds to be tilted or turned over
to discharge their contents.
Before pouring molten metal into such moulds I "lute" their interior surface
with a solution of carbon or like suitable material to prevent the cast metal
adhering thereto.
After molten metal has been poured into such "luted" moulds suitable metallic
covers or lids lined or faced with fire-brick or similar non-conducting material
and hinged to the side framing of the roofed building or structure covering the
said casting plant are let down on to the several moulds, such insulated moulds
being kept hot by repeated casting for the purpose of retaining heat in the molten
metal so that such cast metal will solidify slowly and impart an open or large
crystalline fracture to the "pigs," ingots or slabs formed.
When it has been ascertained that the cast metal is sufficiently set or solidified
the said non-conducting covers are raised from the several moulds by means of
metallic chains and balance weights, and the mould-frames tilted in pairs or
two at a time by means of suitably arranged spur-gearing and an hand-wheel so
as to discharge their contents laterally on to a wagon on a line of rails beneath
such moulds.
A suitable locking arrangement for such tilting mechanism for keeping each
two, or pair of mould frames and their moulds stationary during the operation
of casting and while the molten-metal is solidifying consisting of a pivotted
weighted pawl engaging between two projections or cleats" formed on the
side of the rim of one of the spur-wheels of the tilting mechanism, it being
a necessary condition that the moulds and their contents be kept stationary and
free from vibration whilst the molten metal is solidifying in order to obtain an
open crystalline fracture or texture.
I do not wish to restrict myself to the use of a controlling vessel in combin-
nation with such casting plant as such vessel and its line of rails may be dis-
pensed with, and the line or row of mould-casings with their moulds and atten-
dant parts or mechanism arranged close up to the inclined ladle-track so that
molten metal may be poured direct from the traveling ladle into such moulds,
in such an arrangement the inclined arms for depressing the space closing bars
would be attached to the pouring spout or lip of the ladle.
The use of an incline in connection with casting or molten metal pouring
apparatus may be attained by arranging or making the ladle track inclined and
the rows of moulds transversely thereto, or the rows of moulds and controlling
vessel track or tracks may be oppositely inclined, or the ladle track may be hori
zontal and the rows of moulds transversely thereto or the rows of
moulds and the controlling vessel tracks inclined, the pouring of molten
metal commencing at the higher end of the row of moulds, by such
arrangement or combination of the ladle-track and a row or rows of moulds
arranged transversely to such tracks, or ladle and controlling vessel tracks and
a row or rows of transversely arranged moulds the desired object of keeping the
pouring lip or spout of the ladle low down to and in a constant position with
respect to the controlling vessel, or to the line of moulds to avoid "splashing
while pouring. molten metal will be attained.
It is well known that an open or crystalline fracture in cast “pigs,” ingots or

page_text: slabs indicates a strong iron and enhances its value, beside enabling the quality
of such iron to be judged by inspection without necessity of an analysis, to obtain
such crystalline fracture I keep such insulated moulds stationary, and hot by
repeated casting, and free from vibration so that such cast metal may solidify
slowly.
Pigs, ingots or slabs when cast in travelling or moving moulds are subject
to vibration which prevents the formation of the desired open fracture whilst
such cast metal is solidifying.
In cases where stationary moulds have been used the cast metal is chilled by
the moulds through such moulds not being insulated, and further chilled in some
instances while the cast metal is solidifying by plunging such moulds and their
contents into water, or by pouring or spraying cold water on to the several ingots
after they have been discharged from their moulds, thus causing the cast metal
or ingots to cool too quickly.
Dated this 15th day of June 1899
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., Agent for Applicant.
Improved Casting or Moltén-metal Pouring Apparatus or Plant.
I, RICHARD HANBURY WAINFORD, of Victoria Chambers, Liverpool Road, Stoke-
on-Trent, Staffordshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to the class of apparatus for casting metals particularly
iron into pigs in which the ladle is run along a line of rails parallel to a row of
stationary moulds and is gradually tilted during its passage to pour out the metal.
The object of this invention is to prevent the splashing of the metal by keeping
the spout of the ladle always at a constant and short distance only above the
moulds or above a channel moving with the ladle and conveying the metal to
the moulds; to prevent metal being wasted by escaping down the clearance spaces
between the moulds as the ladle passes from one mould to the next; to produce
cleaner pigs," ingots or slabs than is done by using sand moulds, to impart a
good fracture to the metal so cast, to save labour and time, and to lessen their
cost of production.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus on the line 1-1 Figures 2,
3 and 4 which are transverse sections on the lines 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4 Figure 1.
In these figures many parts are omitted. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part of
Figure 2 and showing the mould in section. Figures 6 and 7 are sections on the
lines 6-6 and 77 Figure 5..
a are the moulds, b is the ladle,
the carriage on which the ladle is pivotted,
and are the rails on which the carriage e runs. e is a channel supported on
rails and moving with the carriage c.
is a trolley running on the same rails as the carriage and connected to it
by the coupling 2 and to the channel e by the connecting rod c³. The means for
tilting the ladle b form no part of the present invention and are not shown in the
drawings.
.
a is a truck for receiving the castings discharged from the mould and a² are
the rails on which it runs.
y are trunnions on which the moulds a are mounted. are cover plates fixed to

page_text: vertical rods working in guides in the framing of the apparatus. are levers
pivotted at and having one end engaging with the rods and carrying at the
other end counterbalance weights m. nare inclines fixed to the channel e which
as the channel moves come against and depress the rods bringing the cover
plates close down onto the tops of the moulds a closing the spaces between
them. When the channel e has passed, the weights m raise the plates again
so that the moulds a can be turned about their trunnions to discharge their
gare toothed wheels fixed to the trunnions g and gearing with pinions on
the spindles of hand wheels n². Only one wheel n² is shown in Figure 6 but
there is one for each pair of moulds.
contents.
•
On turning the hand wheels ² the moulds discharge by pairs into the truck a'.
92 are pawls engaging with the wheels g' and holding the moulds stationary.
As shown in Figures 5 and 7 each mould consists of the mould casing
the mould proper o.
and
The bottom of the mould o rests on transverse webs in the casing a its ends
are held down by plates q bolted to the ends of the casing and it is held down
at one or more points along its length by bolts fixed to its underside which pass
through the bottom of the casing and are secured by nuts s. The space between
the mould o and the casing a is filled with badly conducting material such as
asbestos.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of a row of moulds, a ladle supported on a carriage and
capable of being tilted on it and rails alongside the moulds on which the carriage
runs, the plane of the rails being inclined to that of the moulds.
2. The combination with the subject matter of the preceding claim of a con-
trolling vessel or channel moving with the carriage on rails in a plane parallel
to that of the moulds.
3. The combination with a travelling ladle and stationary moulds mounted on
trunnions of cover plates which are automatically lowered over the spaces between
the moulds by the passage of the ladle or of a channel moving with it and are
then automatically raised again so as to allow of the moulds being turned about
their trunnions to discharge their contents.
4. A mould made of comparatively thin metal and supported in a casing mounted
on trunnions and filled with badly conducting material such as asbestos to pre-
vent the rapid cooling of the mould.
5. Casting or molten-metal pouring apparatus or plant substantially as described
and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of March 1900