Articles of Steel and other Metals.
Year: 1885

page_text: Articles of Steel and other Metals.
I THOMAS TURNER of Corngreaves Iron Works Cradley Heath in the County of
Stafford Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN AND MOULDS FOR CASTING INGOTS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF
STEEL AND OTHER METALS to be as follows:-
My improvements are especially applicable to the casting of steel ingots and
I will describe them as applied to that purpose.
in casting steel ingots according to my invention I arrange the moulds in
columns or piles placing them one upon the other and I so construct them as to
form between the top of one mould and the bottom of the mould above it a
diaphragm or division so as nearly to divide one mould from the other the
diaphragm being furnished with a hole or passage for the molten steel when
entering from the bottom to pass from the lower mould to the upper mould or
when poured in from the top to pass through to the lower mould. The moulds if
necessary are bolted or secured together by cotter pins or cramps.
After the ingots have been cast and the top mould removed the upper ingot may
be readily broken off at the neck or contracted part of the diaphragm between the
moulds and the lower mould may afterwards be removed from the ingot cast in it.
Several moulds may be placed one on the other provided with diaphragms as
described for dividing the moulds.
The diaphragm may either form part of the mould or be separate from the
mould the separate diaphragms being made either of fire clay or other material not
injuriously affected by the heat of the molten steel and which will not injuriously
affect the molten steel.
I have found diaphragms made of fire clay to answer well in practice.
My improvements may be applied to groups of moulds situated side by side and
arranged in tiers. Or the moulds may have vertical partitions or walls to divide

page_text: them into several parts or moulds the walls having perforated diaphragms in them.
These groups of moulds when ready for casting are piled one on the other.
I make air passages in the partitions or walls dividing the several moulds of
grouped moulds the currents of air through these passages prevent the partitions
or walls becoming excessively hot.
°
The separate dividing diaphragms herein before described may be used for
dividing two moulds as described or one mould into two or more parts. Or they
may be placed in the aforesaid partitions or walls of grouped moulds so that the
incoming steel entering at one mould of the groups may pass into the other moulds
by openings in the diaphragms.

page_text: Improvements in and Moulds for Casting Ingots and other
Artioles of Steel and other Metals.
I THOMAS TURNER of Corngreaves Iron Works, Cradley Heath, in the County of
Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improvements are especially applicable to the casting of steel ingots and
I will describe then as applied to that purpose.
In casting steel ingots according to my invention I arrange the moulds in
columns or piles placing them one upon the other and I so construct them as to
form between the top of one mould and the bottom of the mould above it, a
diaphragm or division so as nearly to divide one mould from the other, the
diaphragm being furnished with a hole or passage for the molten steel when
entering from the bottom to pass from the lower mould to the upper mould, or
when poured in from the top to pass through to the lower mould. The moulds if
necessary are bolted or secured together by cotter pins or cramps. After the
ingots have been cast and the top mould removed, the upper ingot may be readily
broken off at the neck or contracted part of the diaphragm between the moulds
and the lower mould may afterwards be removed from the ingot cast in it.
Several moulds may be placed one on the other provided with diaphragms as
described for dividing the moulds.
The diaphragm may either form part of the mould or be separate from the
mould, the separate diaphragms being made either of fire clay or other material
not injuriously affected by the heat of the molten steel and which will not
injuriously affect the molten steel. I have found diaphragms made of fire clay to
answer well in practice.
My improvements may be applied to groups of moulds situated side by side and
arranged in tiers. Or to moulds having vertical partitions or walls which divide
them into several parts or moulds the walls having perforated diaphragms in them.
These groups of moulds when ready for casting are piled one on the other.
I make air passages in the partitions or walls dividing the several moulds of
grouped moulds; the currents of air through these passages prevent the partitions
or walls becoming excessively hot.
The separate dividing diaphragms hereinbefore described may be used for
dividing two moulds as described or one mould into two or more parts. Or they
may be placed in the aforesaid partitions or walls of grouped moulds so that the
incoming steel entering at one mould of the groups may pass into the other moulds
by openings in the diaphragms.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in section two moulds placed one on the other, the top
mould A being an ordinary close topped mould and the bottom mould B having a
perforated diaphragm D formed in its upper part so as to nearly divide the top
ingot cast in the mould A from the ingot cast in the bottom mould B; Figure 14
represents a plan of the lower mould B and its diaphragm D. The melted steel or
other metal is supplied to the bottom mould B from the runner C at the bottom of
the said mould B the melted metal after rising up and filling the mould B passing
through the diaphragm D and filling the top mould A. The diaphragm D
Figure 1 is represented as being made in one piece with the bottom mould B.
Figure 2 represents in section two moulds in which the diaphragm D¹ is made
separate from the bottom mould B the said separate diaphragm. D¹ being made of
iron or of some refractory material such as loam, ganister or fire clay. The
diaphragms are made preferably of a non conducting material as the ingots are
more readily broken off at the said diaphragms than when a metallic material is
employed for the diaphragms; Figure 2A represents a plan showing the separate
diaphragm D¹ set into the top of the mould B and may be embedded in loam or
moulder's composition.
Figure 3 represents in vertical section and Figure 3A in plan a series of three
moulds the bottom and middle moulds having separate diaphragms D³ as described.
with respect to the bottom mould B, Figures 2 and 24.
Figures 4 and 5 represent in vertical section and Figure 44 in plan a tier
or column of moulds in which diaphragms are placed between the bottom and
middle moulds. In Figure 4 the separate perforated diaphragm between the
bottom and middle moulds is marked D' and the separate perforated diaphragm
between the middle and top moulds is marked D³. In Figure 5 the two perforated
diaphragms are marked D³ and D. The diaphragm D is represented as made of
an inner body of iron with an outer casing or covering of fire clay or loam.
After the ingots have been cast in the moulds the upper ingot is readily broken
off at the neck or contracted part between the moulds and the lower mould is
afterwards removed from the ingot cast in it.
The different constructions of perforated diaphragms represented in the Drawing
may be used indifferently with any series of moulds.
Four or more moulds may be piled upon one another or arranged in tiers as
represented with respect to two and three moulds.
Figure 6 represents partly in vertical section and partly in elevation and
Figure 64 in plan, groups or columns of moulds arranged side by side on a casting
bed so as to cast a large number of small ingots simultaneously.
I arrange the moulds as is commonly done side by side in tiers in one casting
but I pile these groups or tiers of moulds one on the other with the dividing
perforated diaphragms D between them. The melted metal flows down the middle
vertical runner C and rises through the holes T, T in the horizontal runner R into
the respective moulds and through the diaphragms D into the uppermost moulds of
the tiers. Each diaphragm may have two or more perforations in it.
In the construction of grouped moulds of this kind I form air passages H H in
the partitions or walls dividing the several moulds the said passages crossing the
partitions or walls from one side to the opposite side (see Figure 64) The air
circulating through the horizontal air passages HH prevents the partitions or
walls from becoming excessively hot and hence preserves the said partitions or
walls from cracking.
The separate dividing diaphragms hereinbefore described and illustrated may be
used for dividing one mould into two or more parts.
The perforated diaphragms may be arranged at any position along the length of
a mould so as to divide it into two or more parts as illustrated in Figures 7, 7ª.
and 7 where the mould is made in halves and the diaphragms marked X and X'
are also made in halves. These half diaphragms may be, driven in tight at
any position in the length of the mould, or may be wedged in by means of small

page_text: wedges W at the ends as seen in Figures 7 and 7A. Or similarly, diaphragms
which are not in halves may be secured in the moulds.
Figures 8 and 8 represent longitudinal and transverse sections of a group of
moulds arranged side by side for casting very thin ingots. For casting these
ingots I find it advantageous to pour the steel into one of the moulds M either
from the top O or bottom R the said mould M being larger than the others, and to
construct openings preferably lined with removable diaphragms D' in the vertical
walls or partitions of the moulds so that the steel can flow from one mould to the
other mould and fill the whole series without the use of the ordinary runner:
The walls or partitions of these moulds are provided with air passages H H
(see Figure 8) for preventing their excessive heating.
Figure 9 represents in vertical section and Figure 9ª in plan an arrangement of
moulds, runners and bed for the production of castings, the said Figures exhibiting
the application of the refractory necks or diaphragms D³ D' to moulds of somewhat
more complicated forms than those used for ingots. I propose to cast in such
moulds, castings which are comparatively plain also castings which have to be
afterwards wrought down at forges. That is to say, to produce in the said moulds,
castings which are approximately the form of the finished forgings and which will
therefore save labour at the forge.
In Figures 9 and 9A, M, M are moulds for casting punching bears and N N
moulds for casting plain bridge or other rollers. The moulds may be constructed
in halves or in any number of parts and may be coated inside with a wash or a
considerable thickness of moulder's blacking or other analogous composition. The
pieces which usually form the "heads" for castings are formed in the moulds I I.
Although I have only represented in the accompanying Drawing moulds
provided with perforated diaphragms in which moulds the melted metal enters
from the bottom yet moulds provided with perforated diaphragms may be filled, by
pouring the melted metal into the top mould of the series, the melted metal passing
from the top mould to the lower mould or moulds. By my method of casting in
conjunction with the apparatus which I employ some of the difficulties of the
ordinary method are obviated. Thus, when a long series of moulds placed in a row,
is supplied with molten metal entering from the bottom by a horizontal runner
it frequently happens that the molten metal solidifies before reaching the end of
the series of moulds and hence an imperfect set of ingots is produced. By piling
an equal number of moulds upon one another according to my invention the casting
is effected with much less risk of the molten steel or metal solidifying before the
whole of the moulds are filled.
The metal of the lower series of ingots being subjected to the pressure of the
column of liquid metal above them solidifies while under this pressure and the
soundness of the ingots is consequently improved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention of "Improvements in and moulds for casting ingots and other articles
of steel and other metals
"
First Arranging the moulds in vertical columns or piles and dividing the lower
moulds from the upper moulds of the columns or piles of moulds by means of
perforated diaphragms either forming part of the mould or made separately from
the mould or placed between the moulds substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, whether the groups of moulds be
arranged in single columns or be arranged in columns placed or constructed side
by side,
Secondly-The use of perforated diaphragms of the kinds hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, whether of the forms represented
or of any other form, for dividing a single, mould into two or more parta.
Thirdly Making air passages in the partitions or walls dividing the several
moulds of grouped moulds for the purpose of cooling the said partitions or walls

page_text: and preventing the liability to cracking of the said partitions or walls substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly The use of removable dividing perforated diaphragms arranged in the
partitions or walls of grouped moulds situated side by side in substitution of
the runner ordinarily employed as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, whereby the incoming molten metal entering at one
mould of the group may pass into the other moulds by openings in the diaphragms.
Dated this Twentieth day of July 1886.