Improvements in the Manufacture of Cast Steel Shells and Pro- jectiles, also Applicable to other Forms of Steel Castings.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 10th Aug., 1888
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cast Steel Shells and Pro-
jectiles, also Applicable to other Forms of Steel Castings.
We JOSEPH ELTON BOTT, of Levenshulme Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Steel Founder, and CHARLES HAYES COUSINS, of 7 Broadgate Lincoln, in the County
of Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In carrying out our invention we melt in a crucible, or a cupola, or a reverberatory
furnace, an alloy of the following centesimal composition:-Titanium 15%
Tungsten 5% Manganese 9% Silicon 3% Combined Carbon 3% Iron 65%.
This when melted forms a film of molten alloy, which should be not less than one inch
in depth for cach ton of molten steel to be passed through; when the said alloy is
melted-the charge of pig iron, scrap steel, or iron either together or "per se" is melted
in the usual way, and as fast as it melts passes through the film, by which means
oxidization of the iron is prevented, and the prevention of unsoundness assured,
whilst at the same time the temperature of the molten steel is not raised at the
moment of pouring into a casting.
By thus preventing oxidization of the molten metal, all ebullition is stayed, and the
metal pours quietly into the mould, even when the combined carbon in the molten
steel is as
high a 1-50% to 1.80%, thus enabling us to use green sand moulds which
are not affected seriously by the temperature of steel high in carbon, therefore we are
enabled to cast forms in green sand which could not possibly be cast if the steel were
low in carbon, & necessitated baked composition moulds.
As our invention is more particularly applicable to the production of steel
shells and projectiles we will now shortly describe our improved method of
manufacturing such articles.
The mould for the shell or other article is formed in the ordinary way, with green
sand, as known to the foundry-man, and when finished is dusted with plumbago, or
other heat resisting facing which is amply sufficient to stand the heat of high carbon

page_text: steel the core of the shell, or other article, is made in a similar manner and
collapsible. When all is ready for casting the high carbon steel is poured into the
mould, when instead of the usual violent ebullition, it runs quietly and in a very fluid
condition, owing to the treatment it received in passing through the film of metallic
alloy in the melting furnace.
As the freshly cast shell, or other article, cast as aforesaid, begins to cool and
contract, the outer mould being changed from green to dry sand, peels off, whilst the
inner mould or core collapses and falls to pieces thus allowing the shell, or other
article, to contract freely and equally, which is absolutely impossible if a hard baked
composition mould and core had been used whilst our method is distinctly more
advantageous in the case of long levers and castings with projections, our green sand
moulds practically releasing themselves as the metal in them contracts.
After the casting is taken out of the mould it is annealed for several days in a
suitable furnace, and although cast in steel of 1.50% to 1-80% Carbon, it may be
decarbonized to the mildest temper by packing same in sand, lime, or other
decarbonizing material, and unlike a malleable iron casting, it contains no graphitic
carbon, and whether annealed simply to settle the strains and crystallization, or
decarbonized, it remains homogeneous steel and not a hybrid material.
Dated this 29th day of October 1887
JOSEPH ELTON BOTT.
CHARLES HAYES COUSINS.
By Ernest do Pass, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Cast Steel Shells and Pro-
jectiles, also Applicable to other Forms of Steel Castings.
We, JOSEPH ELTON BOTT, of Levenshulme, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Steel Founder, and CHARLES HAYES COUSINS, of 7 Broadgate, Lincoln, in
the County of Lincoln, 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 that is to say :--
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of steel and iron
castings, and it is also specially applicable to the manufacture of cast steel shells and
other projectiles.
It consists in passing molten steel or iron through a bath or filtering medium of a
purifying and deoxidising alloy of less specific gravity than either steel or iron, such
bath or filtering medium rising and forming a stratum or film on the surface of tho
molten steel or iron through which every particle of such steel or iron subsequently
melted passes before reaching the lower part of the furnace, from which it is tapped.
In so passing through the stratum the steel or iron is acted on by the deoxidising
alloy, the oxidation of the iron or steel is prevented, and it undergoes a process of
purification from impurities, gaseous or otherwise.
In carrying out our invention we first make our alloy by melting in a cupola, or
other farnace, the following ingredients centesimally expressed, Titanium 15%
Tungsten 5%, Manganese 9%, Silicon 3%, Combined Carbon 3%, Iron 65%
These ingredients when melted may be cast in ingots or bars and reserved for future
use, or we may, if we desire so to do, melt them in the same furnace in which the iron
or steel is to be melted previously to the latter being placed in the furnace. Wo
however prefer to use the former of these two processes.
When the afore mentioned alloy has been placed in the furnace (in one of the modes
hereinbefore referred to) and melted, the charge of pig or other iron, or steel, required,
is melted, and as fast as it melts passes through the stratum or film of alloy thereby
assuring the prevention of unsoundness, whilst at the same time the temperature of tho
molten metal is not affected at the moment of casting, ebullition is stayed, and the
metal runs quietly into the moulds, even when the combined carbon in the molten
metal is as high as 1.50% to 1·80%. To produce the full effect the stratum or film
of alloy should not be less than one inch in thickness for each ton of molten iron or
steel to be treated.
By means of our invention we are able to use what are known as Green Sand
Moulds which are not inaterially affected by the temperature of steel high in carbon,
therefore, castings can be produced which could not be cast if the steel were low in
carbon and necessitated the use of baked composition moulds.
After the casting is taken out of the mould it is annealed in a suitable furnace, and
although cast in steel of 1-50% to 1.80% Carbon, it may be decarbonized to the
mildest temper by packing the castings in sand, lime, or other decarbonizing material.

page_text: By reason of its containing no graphitic carbon (as is the case with malleable cast
iron), the annealing simply settles the strain incidental to cooling and crystallization,
and the decarbonization being equal the castings remain homogeneous steel, and not a
hybrid material.
The alloy, composed as above described, has been found by us to give the best
results. But it is evident that the effect required may be to a greater or less extent
obtained with alloys differing from the above in proportions, and even in some respects
in the ingredients used, so long as the essence of our invention be retained viz-to
make the molten iron or steel pass through a stratum or film of deoxidizing alloy of
less specific gravity than the iron or steel, as described above. We do not think it
necessary to indicate in what way these variations can be made with least loss of
effect, because we find that the proportions and composition given above give the
best result, and they should not be substantially departed from if the full advantage
of the invention is to be secured.
As our invention is specially applicable to the production of steel shells and pro-
jectiles we will now describe our improved method or process of manufacture of such
articles.
The green sand moulds are formed in the usual way and dusted with plumbago or
other heat resisting facing sufficient to withstand the heat of the molted steel. Tho
core of the shell, or other article, is made as hereinafter described and is collapsible.
The metal, after being melted and passed through the alloy, is drawn off and poured
into the moulds in the usual way. As the castings begin to cool they contract, and
the outer mould being changed from green to dry sand, peels off whilst the inner mould or
core collapses and falls to pieces, thus allowing the articles to contract freely and
equally which is impossible if a baked composition mould and core had been used.
In order to render our cores collapsible we prefer to construct the inner part of the
core of a perforated tube or structure which forms the foundation for a green sand
facing, taking care to previously protect the holes in the tube with hemp, or other
fibre, we then dust the surface of the core with plumbago, or other heat resisting
substance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed, wo declare that what wo
claim is
1. In the manufacture of steel and iron castings of any description, the passing
of molten steel or iron through an alloy (preferably of the composition hereinbefore
specified) of lighter specific gravity than the steel or iron, such alloy rising and
forming a film or stratum on the surface of the molten metal through which every
particle of steel or iron, subsequently melted, passes before reaching the lower part of
the furnace, whence it is tapped, substantially as hereindescribed and for the purposes
set forth.
2. The manufacture of shells projectiles and other articles, as described, by the
use of collapsible cores made as berein set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1888