IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR PIPES COLUMNS AND SIMILAR CASTINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM WHITFIELD of 36 Leopold Street Gateshead in the County of
Durham Iron Founder do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR PIPES COLUMNS AND SIMILAR CASTINGS
to be as follows:-
"
"
My Invention relates to forming the moulds of green or dry sand into which
pipes columns or girders and similar articles requiring only two half moulds are to
be cast by mechanical appliances whereby great increase of production, economy.
of labour and therefore of cost, and accuracy are attained. The principle upon
which this is carried out is the same whether applied to pipes, cylindrical or other
sections of Columns or to girders, but I will describe the apparatus as applied to
moulding pipes either with sockets or flanges of any diameter and length. Curved
or branch pipes may be moulded by it but it is to straight pipes in large numbers,
that it is specially adapted. The system of making moulds for pipes now almost
universally adopted is to place a wood or metal pattern in a skeleton box open at
top and bottom and provided with cross-bars for holding the sand and to fill this
box with sand which is then compressed around the sunk portion of the pattern
by beating by band with rammers till the box is quite full and the sand being
now levelled off and a parting formed another similar box is inverted and bolted
or clamped to that already rammed up and is filled and rammed with sand around
the projecting portion of the pattern. The boxes being now separated the pattern
is lifted out leaving in the two boxes an exact mould of the pipe (with flanges or
sockets as the case may be) and a
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core to form the bore of the pipe being
inserted and the boxes bolted or clamped together the mould is ready to receive
the metal. The machine I have designed is intended to dispense with the labour
(frequently of skilled moulders) involved in ramming up the boxes by means of
appliances by which the sand can be perfectly compressed around the pattern and
into a covering box or case by mechanical power effecting an immense saving of
time and producing a better mould. To effect this, I construct a box like an
inverted trough carried by standards bolted to foundry floor of length and width,
sufficient to receive the pattern (which I prefer to make of metal turned) which
is placed in the box so as to leave one half its diameter exposed above the top into
which it exactly fits. Enclosing this box and fitting accurately over its sides and
ends is an open frame which slides vertically upward and downward upon suitable
guides or planed surfaces, preferably by means of screws fixed in carriages on the
standards and working in nuts titted in bosses on ends or sides (or both) of the
open frame. These screws at their lower ends are fitted with spur or bevel gearing
50 that a shaft driven by the prime mover in one direction will rotate all the screws
"

page_text: simultaneously so as to cause the open frame to move upward or downward with a
gradual and steady motion to an extent limited by stops properly adjusted. The
prime mover will be in most cases a steam engine but for small machines manual
power may be applied. The open box is fitted at top with flanges or lugs corre-
sponding with similar ones on a semicircular case with cross bars for holding the
sand and by these flanges or lugs the two can be bolted or clamped together.
The pattern being placed in the box (with one half its diameter projecting) the
open frame is moved upward by the screws to its highest position when it forms
a trough for the reception of the sand around and over the projecting half of
pattern and the sand is now filled in either by hand or (as I prefer for despatch)
from a hopper overhead. When the trough is sufficiently filled the semi-circular
case is lifted on and bolted or clamped securely to it and the screws being now
rotated in the proper direction the frame and the semi-circular case are drawn
gradually and steadily down until the sand is forced in to the case and around the
projecting half of pattern and is further compressed until the lower edges of the
semi-circular case come in contact with the upper edges of the box which carries
the pattern when the sand forms a consolidated mould in the case, of one half of
the pipe. This case being removed and the open frame again raised by the screws
so as to form a trough the sand is again filled in and another semi-circular case
bolted or clamped on and the screws being reversed the same operation is repeated.
The two semicircular cases together now contain a complete mould of the pipe and
the "core (having been prepared in the usual manner) being inserted and the
two cases bolted or clamped together the mould is ready to receive the metal.
The mould thus formed and enclosed by the two semicircular cases is sufficiently
strong to admit of the metal being poured into it in a vertical position (with or
without a head) by which increased soundness of the casting is obtained.
The mode of proceeding in moulding columns (of cylindrical or other section) or
girders is the same the pattern being placed in the box or trough to half its depth
and the sliding open frame raised to its highest position and filled with sand and a
covering box or case of suitable form bolted or clamped to it. The sliding frame
being now drawn down by the screws the sand is compressed around the pattern
and into the case which being lifted off contains one half of the mould of the
column or girder and the corresponding half is formed in another covering box or
case when a core (if required) is inserted to form the hollow part.
<
"
The standards and driving gear from the prime mover with the bevil or spur
gear to work the screws may remain fixtures but the box carrying the pattern,
sliding frame forming the trough for sand and, of course, the covering cases are
changed for the various diameters or widths of pipes columns or girders to be
moulded In some cases I propose to make the same box sliding frame and covering
case (with trifling modifications) serve for two or more sizes where the difference is
slight but where large numbers are to be made of one size as is generally the case
in pipefoundries I prefer to have a pattern box sliding frame and covering case for
each size. Sometimes I provide for dropping the pattern through the bottom of
trough especially in the case of columns or girders which from their section require
the mould to be assisted in "stripping."
There is no limit practically to the sizes of pipes columns or girders which can
be moulded by the machine if proper lifting appliances are provided for handling
the patterns and cases.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. B.,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: "
"
I WILLIAM WHITFIELD of 36 Leopold Street Gateshead in the County of
Durham Iron founder Do hereby. declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING' MOULDS FOR PIPES COLUMNS AND SIMILAR CASTINGS
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 forming the moulds of green or dry sand into which
pipes columns or girders and similar articles requiring only two half moulds are to
be cast by mechanical appliances whereby great increase of production economy of
labour and therefore of cost, and accuracy are attained-The principle upon which
this is carried out is the same whether applied to pipes, cylindrical or other sections.
of columns, or to girders, but I will describe the apparatus as applied to moulding
pipes either with sockets or flanges of any diameter and length. Curved or branch
pipes may be moulded by it but it is to straight pipes in large numbers that it is
specially adapted. The system of making moulds for pipes now almost universally
adopted is to place a wood or metal pattern in a skeleton box open at top and
bottom and provided with cross bars for holding the sand and to fill this box with
sand which is then compressed around the sunk portion of the pattern by beating
by hand with rammers till the box is quite full and the sand being now levelled
off and a parting fonned another similar box is inverted and bolted or clamped to
that already rammed up and is filled and rained with sand around the projecting
portion of the pattern. The boxes being now separated the pattern is lifted out
leaving in the two boxes an exact mould of the pipe (with flanges or sockets as the
case may be) and a "core" to form the bore of the pipe being inserted and
the boxes bolted or clamped together the mould is ready to receive the metal.
The machine I have designed is intended to dispense with the labour (frequently of
skilled moulders) involved in ramming up the boxes by means of appliances by
which the sand can be perfectly compressed around the pattern and into a covering
box or case by mechanical power effecting an immense saving of time and producing
a better mould-To effect this I construct a box like an inverted trough carried by
standards bolted to Foundry floor of length and width sufficient to receive the
pattern (which I prefer to make of metal turned) which is placed in the box so as
to leave one half its diameter exposed above the top into which it exactly fits.
Enclosing this box and fitting accurately over its sides and ends is an open frame.
which slides vertically upward and downward upon suitable guides or planed
surfaces preferably by means of screws fixed in carriages on the standards and
working in nuts fitted in bosses on ends or sides (or both) of the open frame.
These screws at their lower ends are fitted with spur or bevel gearing so that a
shaft driven by the prime mover in one direction will rotate all the screws
simultaneously so as to cause the open frame to move upward or downward with
a gradual and steady motion to an extent limited by stops properly adjusted.
The prime mover will be in most cases a steam engine but for small machines
manual power may be applied.-In moulding pipes of large diameter especially in
foundries where hydraulic power is available I propose to use that power as
affording a steady and practically unlimited pressure to consolidate the sand
around the pattern.
The open box is fitted at top with flanges or lugs corresponding with similar.
ones on a semicircular case with, cross bars for holding the sand and by these
flanges or lugs the two can be bolted or clamped together. The pattern being.

page_text: placed in the box (with one half its diameter projecting) the open frame is moved
upward by the screws to its highest position when it forms a trough for the
reception of the sand around and over the projecting half of pattern and the sand
is now filled in either by hand or (as I prefer for dispatch) from a hopper overhead.
When the trough is sufficiently filled the semicircular case is lifted on and bolted
or clamped securely to it and the screws being now rotated in the proper direction
the frame and the semicircular case are drawn gradually and steadily down until
the sand is forced into the case and around the projecting half of pattern and is
further compressed until the lower edges of semi-circular case come in contact with
the upper edges of the box which carries the pattern when the sand forms a
consolidated mould in the case, of one half of the pipe. This case being removed
and the open frame again raised by the screws so as to form a trough the sand is
again filled in and another semicircular case bolted or clamped on and the screws
being reversed the same operation is repeated. The two semicircular cases together
now contain a complete mould of the pipe and the " core (having been prepared
in the usual manner) being inserted and the two cases bolted or clamped together
the mould is ready to receive the metal. The mould thus formed and enclosed by
the two semicircular cases is sufficiently strong to admit of the metal being poured
into it in a vertical position (with or without a head) by which increased soundness
of the casting is obtained.
"
The mode of proceeding in moulding columns (of cylindrical or other section) or
Girders is the same, the pattern being placed in the box or trough to half its depth
and the sliding open frame raised to its highest position and filled with sand and a
covering box or case of suitable form bolted or clamped to it. The sliding frame
being now drawn down by the screws the sand is compressed around the pattern
and into the case which being lifted off contains one half of the mould of the
column or girder and the corresponding half is formed in another covering box or
case when a "core" (if required) is inserted to form the hollow part.
The standards and driving gear from the prime mover with the bevel or spur
gear to work the screws may remain fixtures but the box carrying the pattern,
sliding frame (forming the trough for sand) and, of course, the covering cases are
changed for the various diameters or widths of pipes, columns, or girders to be
moulded.
In some cases I propose to make the same box sliding frame and covering case
(with trifling modifications) serve for two or more sizes where the difference is
slight but where large numbers are to be made of one size as is generally the case
in pipe foundries I prefer to have a pattern box sliding frame and covering case for
each size. Sometimes I provide for dropping the pattern through the bottom of
trough especially in the case of columns or girders which from their section require
the mould to be assisted in "stripping." There is no limit practically to the sizes of
pipes columns or girders which can be moulded by the machine if proper lifting
appliances are provided for handling the patterns and cases.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings, on which the same letters refer to
corresponding parts on all the figures, I have illustrated my invention applied to
the moulding of pipes which is the purpose to which I consider it is especially
adapted. Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section. Figure 2 a sectional plan
through line a. b. of Figure 1, and Figure 3 an end elevation of a moulding machine
in which screws are used operated by a steam engine or other prime mover.
A. A. is the sole plate standing on floor of foundry. B. B. are the end standards
upon which are carried the inverted trough. C. C. which carries the pattern D. D.
(in this case of a socket pipe) sunk in it to one half of its diameter. E. E is the
sliding frame which, when raised by the operation of the screws F. F. and driving
gear (comprising worm wheels G. G. worms H. H. on longitudinal shaft J. J. and
fast and loose driving pullies K. K¹.) as shewn to a larger scale by Figure 5 is filled

page_text: with the moulding sand. L. L. is the semicircular case which is bolted or clamped
to the flange of sliding frame E. E. already filled with a sufficient quantity of sand,
and the screws F. F. being operated by the prime mover draw down the frame E. E.
and with it the semicircular case L into the position shewn by Figure 4 on
enlarged scale compressing the sand and consolidating it around the exposed half
of the pattern D. D. When required to drop the pattern to facilitate the stripping
of the mould, as will be the case in flanged pipes, this is effected by the arms M. M.
working on fulcrums N. N. attached to framework of machine and operated so as
to raise or lower the pattern to an extent regulated by stops, by rods O. O, worked
by a handle P.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 shew the application of hydraulic power to compress the
moulding sand, around the pattern which in the case of large pipes and where such
power is available, I consider will be preferable.
Figure 6 is an elevation, partly in section, Figure 7 is an end elevation and
Figure 8 an enlarged sectional end elevation of the machine so fitted.
A. A. is the base plate, B. B, the end standards C. C. the trough holding the
pattern D. D.
E. E. is the sliding frame attached to or forming part of a strong girder QQ
which is raised and lowered by the piston R working in a hydraulic cylinder S
connected by pipes to the accumulator above and below the piston to a sufficient
return pressure.
As applied to the moulding of curved pipes or of columns or girders of such section
as adinit of being made of two exactly similar half moulds, the process is the same
the machine being modified for the particular work.
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
First. The production of moulds for pipes, columns or similar castings from a
pattern having one half its diameter (or depth) exposed, around which the sand is
filled into a box shaped frame rising and falling to a required extent and by which
frame, having a covering case attached to it, and being drawn steadily down by
manual or mechanical power, the sand is compressed and consolidated around the
exposed half of the pattern substantially as shewn and described.
Second. The machine as illustrated by the accompanying drawings and described
in the specification herewith, for producing such moulds constructed and operating
substantially as shewn and described or any mere modification of the same."
Dated this third day of October 1884.
WILLIAM WHITFIELD.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per F. J. Broughain,
Applicant's Agent.