IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIALS FOR LUBRICATING METAL MOULDS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
1, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert and Company, Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIALS FOR
LUBRICATING METAL MOULDS, a communication to me from abroad by Charles
Francis Brush, of Cleveland, United States of America, Electrical Engineer, to be.
as follows:-
Heretofore saponifiable oils capable of forming solid compounds with metallic
oxides have been used for this purpose. Such oils are characterized by the presence
of oxygen as a constituent element thereof. The molten metal as it goes into the
mould cavity is, or some portions of it, are slightly oxidized by contact with the
air in the mould, which oxidized metal, even if in small quantities, coming into
contact with the saponifiable oil on the surface of the mould, saponifies it to such
an extent and in such a manner as to form a hard deposit. Now in the making of
lead castings which have projecting parts formed in mould cavities, the sides of
which are vertical or nearly so, as regards the general level or plane of the contiguous
mould faces, such a hard deposit formed on such vertical sides tends not only to
make defects in the casting, but also to prevent the easy and ready withdrawal of
the casting from the mould.
Now the object of my invention is not only to provide for such a non-saponifiable
oil, but also one which will not be readily or quickly vaporized or gasified at the
high temperature required in the mould, but will, when hot, readily liquify so as to
be easily distributed over the the mould surfaces Petroleum possess the first of these
characteristics, and I have discovered that vaseline, otherwise known as petroleum
jelly, one of its products, possesses all of them.
This vaseline is a hydro-carbon from which all or practically all the lighter
ingredients have been eliminated by a slow distillation at a low temperature, and
which also has been deprived of its mechanically combined impurities. It has such a
high boiling or evaporizing point that it will not totally disappear by evaporization
or otherwise under the high temperature to which it is subjected before the work
of casting is done. Having no oxygen it is incapable of saponification and hence

page_text: does not foul the mould. At the comparatively high temperature employed it will
readily liquify, if not already in a liquid state and may be rapidly spread over the
surfaces to be lubricated. This material I apply directly to the mould face or faces
to be lubricated, which in the special use which I make of such a mould, are to be
heated to a temperature such that they will not too rapidly chill the molten lead
flowing therein, but will still be below that of the melting point of lead. And for
the purposes of the present invention, it will be understood that a jointed or
divided mould is to be employed, that the same when so heated and lubricated, is
to be submerged in a bath of molten lead, opened, if not already open, closed as
soon as filled, and immediately removed. But instead of applying the vaseline
directly to the mould faces as above stated, I prefer to dilute it with some lighter
and more fluid hydro-carbon, say with ordinary kerosene (though preferably I use
a high fire test article) in any desired proportions, but by preference with an excess
of kerosene, say three, four, or five parts of the latter to one of the vaseline, more
or less, and such mixture or compound, now in a liquid state, I apply to the heated
mould surfaces by rubbing it on with a rag or in other suitable way. Then as the
kerosene evaporates at a temporature below that at which the vaseline will
evaporate, and also below that to which the mould is ordinarily heated, it will
vaporize, pass off, and leave the vaseline coating or wash on the mould faces.
Hence the kerosene acts simply to dilute the vaseline, and as a convenient carrier
to facilitate its application and distribution, but, even if it does not entirely
disappear by evaporation, its presence will do no hurt, as it is also a non-saponifiable
oil. But on account of its rapid evaporation at the temperature required in the
mould, I do not rely on it as a lubricant or coating for the mould faces.
While I believe vaseline to be the best material for the purposes in view and
have hence so described it, I do not limit myself absolutely thereto, since the inore
closely allied petroleum products possess to a greater or less degree substantially
the same characteristics, and therefore I have named vaseline only as a specimen,
and, as I now believe, the best specimen of the class. Hence it is only essential,
as regards the present invention that the material be a hydro-carbon (which is
non-oxygenous, and hence non-saponifiable), that it have a high vaporizing point
such that it will not totally disappear at a temperature much below that of the
lead-melting point, that it may be liquified (if not already liquid) by the working
heat of the mould or be dissolved by a suitable diluent; and for this latter purpose
other material may be used than kerosene, provided it be a diluent capable of being
eliminated (if its presence is objectionable when the casting is to be done) by the
heat of the mould itself. And it is also true that, while the presence of oxygen
in the vaseline or other like substance employed, is objectionable, a percentage may
be incorporated with it by the addition of some other ingredient, if so desired for
any particular purpose, provided that such percentage be so small as not to result
in the formation of a hard deposit on the walls of the mould to any injurious
extent.
1004

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIALS FOR LUBRICATING METAL
MOULDS, a communication to me from abroad by Charles Francis Brush, of
Cleveland, United States of America, Electrical Engineer, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Heretofore saponifiable oils capable of forming solid compounds with metallic
oxides have been used for this purpose. Such oils are characterized by the presence
of oxygen as a constituent element thereof. The molten metal as it goes into the
mould cavity is, or some portions of it, are slightly oxidized by contact with the air
in the mould, which oxidized metal, even if in small quantities, coming into contact
with the saponifiable oil on the surface of the mould, saponfies it to such an extent
and in such a manner as to form a hard deposit. Now in the making of lead
castings which have projecting parts formed in mould cavities, the sides of which
are vertical or nearly so, as regards the general level or plane of the contiguous
mould faces, such a hard deposit formed on such vertical sides tends not only to
make defects in the casting, but also to prevent the easy and ready withdrawal of
the casting from the mould.
Now the object of my invention is not only to provide for such a non-saponifiable
oil, but also one which will not be readily or quickly vaporized or gasified at the
high temperature required in the mould, but will, when hot, readily liquify so as to
be easily distributed over the mould, surfaces Petroleum possess the first of these
characteristics, and I have discovered that vaseline, otherwise known as petroleum
jelly, one of its products, possesses all of them.
This vaseline is a hydro-carbon from which all or practically all the lighter
ingredients have been eliminated by a slow distillation at a low temperature, and
which also has been deprived of its mechancially combined impurities. It has such
a high boiling or evaporizing point that it will not totally disappear by evaporization
or otherwise under the high temperature to which it is subjected before the work
of casting is done. Having no oxygen it is incapable of saponification and hence
does not foul the mould. At the comparatively high temperature employed it will
readily liquify, if not already in a liquid state and may be, rapidly spread over the
surfaces to be lubricated. This material I apply directly to the mould face or faces
to be lubricated, which in the special use which I make of such a mould, are to be
heated to a temperature such that they will not too rapidly chill the molten lead
flowing therein, but will still be below that of the melting point of lead. And for
the purposes of the present invention, it will be understood that a jointed or divided
mould is to be employed, that the same when so heated and lubricated, is to be
submerged in a bath of molten lead, opened, if not already open, closed as soon
as filled, and immediately removed. But instead of applying the vaseline directly
to the mould faces as above stated, I prefer to dilute it with some lighter and more
fluid hydro-carbon, say with ordinary kerosene (though preferably I use a high fire
test article) in any desired proportions, but by preference with an excess of kerosene,
say three, four, or five parts of the latter to one of the vaseline, more or less, and such
mixture or compound, now in a liquid state, I apply to the heated mould surfaces by
rubbing it on with a rag or in other suitable way. Then as the kerosene evaporates
at a temperature below that at which the vaseline will evaporate, and also below

page_text: that to which the mould is ordinarily heated, it will vaporize, pass off, and leave
the vaseline coating or wash on the mould faces. Hence the kerosene acts simply
to dilute the vaseline, and as a convenient carrier to facilitate its application and
distribution, but, even if it does not entirely disappear by evaporation, its presence
will do no hurt, as it is also a non-saponifiable oil. But on account of its rapid
evaporation at the temperature required in the mould, I do not rely on it as a
lubricant or coating for the mould faces.
While I believe vaseline to be the best material for the purposes in view and
have hence so described it, I do not limit myself absolutely thereto, since the more
closely allied petroleum products possess to a greater or less degree substantially
the same characteristics, and therefore I have named vaseline only as a specimen,
and, as I now believe, the best specimen of the class. Hence it is only essential, as
regards the present invention that the material be a hydro-carbon (which is non-
oxygenous, and hence non-saponifiable), that it have a high vaporizing point, such
that it will not totally disappear at a temporature much below that of the lead-
melting point, that it may be liquified (if not already liquid) by the working heat
of the mould or be dissolved by a suitable diluent; and for this latter purpose other
material may be used than kerosene, provided it be a diluent capable of being
eliminated (if its presence is objectionable when the casting is to be done) by the
heat of the mould itself. And it is also true that, while the presence of oxygen in
the vaseline or other like substance employed, is objectionable, a percentage may
be incorporated with it by the addition of some other ingredient, if so desired
for any particular purpose, provided that such percentage be so small as not to
result in the formation of a hard deposit on the walls of the mould to any injurious
extent.
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. As a material for lubricating or coating moulds, a non-oxygenous or non-
saponifiable oil incapable of complete evaporation at, or approximately at the
melting point of lead, substantially as set forth.
2. As a material for lubricating or coating moulds, a non-oxygenous or non-
saponifiable oil, capable of liquifying and incapable of completo evaporization at,
or approximately at the melting point of lead, substantially as set forth.
3. As a material for lubricating or conting moulds, the combination of a
non-oxygenous non-saponifiable oily substance and a suitable diluent, substantially
as set forth.
4. As a material for lubricating or conting moulds, a non-oxygenous or non-
saponifiable substance incapable of complete evaporization at, or approximately at
the melting point of lead, and a diluent rapidly evaporating below said temperature,
substantially as set forth.
5. As a material for lubricating or coating moulds, a non-oxygenous or non-
saponifiable oily substance, and a non-oxygenous or non-saponifiable diluent,
substantially as set forth.