Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Casting Metals.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Casting Metals.
I, ERSKINE RAMSAY, of Birmingham, in the County of Jefferson, State of
Alabama, United States of America, Mining 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for casting metals, and one object of my
invention is to provide a continuously operating durable and efficient machine
for casting pig-metal which machine will prevent the formation of scrap which
takes place in machines of this class hitherto in use, and will insure the delivery
of the metal from the mould to the car, or other receptacle, without bleeding."
In machines for casting metals in which are employed endless belt conveyors
for carrying the moulds under the pouring device to receive the molten metal,
it has hitherto been customary to make the moulds with overlapping flanges, or
devices, to prevent the metal from falling between the moulds, but in such con-
struction more, or less, scrap is made. By my invention I not only prevent the
formation of scrap, but I obviate the necessity for the use of moulds with over-
lapping flanges or devices, although, if desired, my invention can be applied to
machines in which such moulds are employed
My invention consists in interposing between the charging mechanism and the
moving moulds a charging and cut-off device, or dium, so arranged as to deliver
to each mould, as it airives under the said device, or dium, the proper quantity
of metal for the mould and to cut off the supply during the time that the succeed-
ing mould is passing into position to receive its charge and thereby prevent
the falling of any of the metal between the moulds, and my invention further
consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the machine as herein.
after described, with reference to the accompanying diawings.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan of my improved casting machine, with the
cooling pipe removed.
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation of the mould charging and
cut-off mechanism.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical central section of the cut off device or drum.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 6 is an elevation at right angles
thereto, of the mechanism for discharging the castings from the moulds.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a modified form of the mould charging and
cut-off devices and Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section thereof, the section
being taken on the line 8-8, Figure 7.
The same reference characters denote the same, or corresponding, parts in all
the figures. I mount the metal moulds E, upon a conveyor consisting prefer-
ably of a circular frame composed of metal sides and angle web braces. This
circular frame is mounted upon wheels C carried by axles B forming trucks to
travel upon rails D. The wheels C are preferably flanged at both sides, as shewn,
rn 017

page_text: and are situated at intervals around the frame A, so that the said conveyor can
rotate about a central axis.
In bearings F, secured to the top of the frame A are mounted the moulds E
which are provided with trunnions e, upon which they can be rotated in the
said bearings, and attached to the inner side of the frame A is a circular rack L,
with which engage pinions R secured to the ends of the shafts N and N' for the
purpose of giving rotation to the frame A.
The shafts N, N', are mounted in bearings m and receive motion from any
suitable motor and gear, such for example as an engine, (indicated at W, Figure 1)
which rotates a shaft X caying a pinion gearing with a spur wheel У mounted
upon a counter-shaft Y, which carries a pinion t gearing with a spur wheel z on
the shaft of which is a bevel wheel which gears with two similar bevel
wheels, one on each of the shafts N, N', and these wheels gear with a
similar wheel mounted upon a shaft J¹ Journalled in bearings H, H', for the
purpose hereinafter described.
The aforesaid driving mechanism gives continuous rotation to the mould
carrying frame A, and in order to successively charge the moulds with molten
metal, I provide a dium M, which is secured to angle webs attached to the
outer casing forming the drum, one of the said webs having aims and a central
boss by which the drum is connected to the horizontal shaft mounted in bear-
ings m, above the main driving shaft N, from which the said shaft is driven
by a spur wheel a gearing with a similar wheel secured to the said shaft n".
The wheels are of the same diameter, and have the same number of teeth,
so that the same speed of rotation of the drum M and the mould-carrying frame
is secured.
which are
P
The outer end of the drum M is preferably mounted upon rolleis
mounted in bearings in the standard Q. This drum is shewn in the diawings as
being provided with six perforations O, separated by sharp ridges, which pass
through the outer casing q, and the inner lining u, which lining is held in place
between the angle webs r, and is preferably of a fire-proof material recessed on
each side of the said perforations, or holes, 0, as shewn.
Instead of sharp
ridges, between the holes, or perforations, O, the walls between the perforations
may be of other form, for example, they may have a broad surface as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 4, but the sharp ridge form is usually desirable because
the metal will have less tendency to cool and adhere to the lining, and, should the
stream of metal strike the sharp ridge, the said metal will be discharged simul-
taneously through the holes on either side thereof into the moulds, the flow of
metal being cut off immediately the sharp edge of the lining passes the stream of
metal. Entering the outer-end of the drum M is an inclined chute l' into which
the molten metal is discharged from the ladle, S, mounted on pivots on a truck s,
running upon a track, on the elevated platform T by which ladle the metal is
brought from the furnace.
The quantity of metal discharged into the drum M from the ladle S, is regulated,
so that only such an amount of metal is allowed to enter the drun as will pro-
perly fill the moulds, as they pass successively under the dium, the molten metal
in the drum immediately flowing out through the lower discharge openings,
or holes, into the mould immediately below the said lower discharge openings,
or holes, and, as the mould which has been filled moves away from the drum,
the said drum will be rotated so that the unperforated walls between the adjacent
perforations or holes cut off the flow of metal from the drum during the time
that the next succeeding mould is being brought into position under the drum.
When the next succeeding mould assumes the proper position the next perfora-
tion, or hole, has come into such position as to permit the metal to flow directly
into the mould until it is filled, and this operation will be repeated, six moulds
being filled at each revolution of the drum though it is obvious that a greater,
or lesser number of moulds can be filled according to the number of openings, or
holes, in the drum.

page_text: When the sharp ridges are used, the metal will divide and flow through the
two lowermost perforations or holes into the two moulds which are then under
them the unperforated wall of the said ridge, at that time, covering the space
between the two moulds and thereby preventing the metal from flowing between
the said moulds.
As the moulds move away from the feeding drum M they pass under a per-
forated water pipe a, a portion of which is shewn in Figs. 2 and 6 Thus ре is
situated between the charging and discharging points, and is arranged to spray
water upon the metal in the moulds, thereby, by the time it reaches the point of
discharge, cooling it sufficiently, to cause the said metal to retain its shape, and
prevent bleeding" when dumped out.
At a suitable distance from the charging point, (in the example illustrated
about three-fourths of a circle) is the discharging mechanism, beneath which
is the loading or dumping pit V, in which may be placed any suitable receptacle,
or receptacles, conveyor, or car, such as that shewn at U, mounted upon trucks u,
to receive the castings discharged from the moulds.
Above the pit V and on each side of the mould carrying frame, or conveying
mechanism, preferably arrange two standards H, one of which (say the inner
one), is provided with a rack with which to engage the pinions or sprockets, G
mounted upon the inner trunnions of the moulds E. This ack is of sufficient
length to turn the moulds E a complete revolution, so as to bring them bottom
upwards and then back to their normal position.
In order to facilitate and insure the discharge of the castings from the moulds,
I provide a hammer, or striking mechanism, so arranged that the bottom of the
moulds will be struck at the proper time and insure the discharge of the metal
in case it has any tendency to adhere to the moulds.
This striking mechanism consists, in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 5
and 6, of hammers I, vertically moveable in guide ways, or slots, in cross beams /
supported by the standards H. Each hammer is provided with a vertical slot k in
which cams Krotate. These cams are mounted on a horizontal shaft J having at
its outer end a sprocket wheel over which passes a chain passing also over a
sprocket wheel on the shaft J. The cams K are so timed that they will
gradually lift the hammers to the highest point and release them at the moment
each mould is turned bottom upwards, thereby permitting the said hammers to
fall and forcibly strike the bottom of the mould.
When the metal has been discharged from the mould the mould passes on and
is turned by the 1ack 7, right side up again in position to receive another charge
of metal
At a suitable distance from the discharging point I preferably arrange a pipe b
for the purpose of coating the moulds with a luting material or composition for
example clay, lime, or other suitable material, to prevent the metal from burn-
ing, or adhering to the moulds. This material is preferably sprayed into the
moulds by means of a steam jet introduced from a pipe c into the nozzle, or
chamber, f at the point of discharge of the material from the pipe b, and, in case
the material should not be sufficiently plastic to adhere to the moulds, I provide
a water pipe d leading into the said chamber f so that any degree of moisture
may be obtained. The steam jet atomizes the said material and sprays it on to
the inside of the moulds. When the moulds anive at the point when the said
material is applied they contain sufficient heat to dry the coating of the said
material thoroughly before they reach the dium M, for the reception of another
charge of molten metal.
After the castings have been discharged from the moulds into the receptacle,
in the dumping pit, they can be sprayed with water, and conveyed away.
Although I have shewn the invention as applied to a mould conveyor in the
form of a circular frame, it can be applied to other forms of conveyors, and various
changes may be made in the details of construction withcut departing from the
nature of the invention; for example I may provide the chute P with overflow,

page_text: openings 1" (see Figs. 7 and 8) at the sides, adjacent to which openings is a
skimming wall, or partition, 12, of fire brick, by which the slag, and other im-
purities, on the top of the flowing stream of molten metal, are skimmed, and
caused to flow out through the openings . The bottom of the trough is
depressed, below the partition P° and is provided with a door, or valve, P³, hinged
at 1, and secured by a fastening 1". When it is desired to drain the trough this
door, or valve, is opened and the metal passes through the opening in the bottom
of the said depressed portion of the trough. The perforations O', in the drum M
are in these figures slightly different in shape from those in the construction
here before described, and the walls separating adjacent perforations terminate
in ridges which are rounded instead of sharp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that
I am aware of Uchling's Specification No. 19352 of 1895, and I do not claim any-
thing described and claimed therein, and I declare that what I claim 18:-
1. In a metal casting machine the combination with moulds carried by a
conveyor and means for changing the moulds as they are successively brought into
position to be charged, of means, controlled and operated by the machine, for
cutting off the supply of metal to the moulds so as to prevent metal from flowing
between adjacent moulds, substantially as herein before described.
2. In a metal casting machine the combination with a conveyor and moulds
rotatably mounted thereon, and means for charging the moulds, and for cutting
off the supply of metal to the moulds at the required times of mechanism for
reversing the moulds when they arrive at the point of discharge of the castings
and for restoring the said moulds to their normal position after discharge, sub-
stantially as herein before described.
3. In a metal casting machine the combination with a conveyor, carrying
rotatable moulds and means for charging the moulds and for cutting off the supply
of metal to the moulds at the required times of means for reversing the moulds
and for turning them back again to their normal position and means for striking
the bottoms of the moulds to facilitate the discharge of the castings substantially
as herein before described.
4. In a metal casting machine, the combinaion with a circular rotatable frame
having moulds rotatably mounted thereon and means for conveying molten metal
to a point above the moulds, of a drum having perforations therein and rotatably
mounted above the moulds into which drum the molten metal is discharged and
means for rotating the circular frame and dium, so as to cause the said drum
to fill each mould through the perforations in the drum and to cut off the supply
of metal to the moulds during the time when the moulds are successively brought
into position under the drum for filling so as to prevent formation of scrap sub-
stantially as herein before described.
5. In a metal casting machine of the character herein before described and
claimed the combination of a pipe and nozzle for supplying coating, composition
or material to the moulds and a steam pipe and a water pipe connected with the
said nozzle substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
6. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting a machine for
casting metals substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.