AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR MAKING SAND MOULDS FOR METAL CASTINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR MAKING
SAND MOULDS FOR METAL CASTINGS." A communication from abroad by
William Aikin and William Whyte Drummond, both of Louisville, Kentucky,
United States of America, Foundrymen,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS OR
MACHINERY FOR MAKING SAND MOULDS FOR METAL CASTINGS." A communication
from abroad by William Aikin and William Whyte Drummond, both of Louisville,
Kentucky, United States of America, Foundrymen.
This Invention is intended for use in making moulds in sand for castings in metal,
and especially in making moulds for matched work by compression. I connect a
follower plate made in sections with mechanism which actuates the portion of the
follower carrying the patterns simultaneously with the intermediate sections of the
said follower plate in rising to force the pattern into the sand, but in the reverse
movement first withdraws the pattern, leaving the intermediate section of the
follower plate in contact with and supporting the sand until the patterns have been
withdrawn; the followers are withdrawn also, leaving the sand in the flask with
the pattern duly moulded therein.

page_text: Figure 4 is a perspective view of the follower with patterns attached, and pistons
for operating the sections independently.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hopper for feeding sand to the flask; Figure 6
is a longitudinal section thereof.
I will first describe the moulding machine. A is the frame of this machine, on
the top of which is a box B open at the top and bottom, which box is intended to
contain and gauge the quantity of sand resting upon the follower, which is made
in sections G, H, and also serving as a guide for the follower, which is made to rise
and fall, compressing the sand into the section C of the flask, which rests upon the
upper edge of the box B. D is the frame, in which the flask is held by the
adjusting screws D¹, D'. The double steady pins D³, D*, serve to hold the half
flask on the box B, and also to confine sections of the flask when the moulds are
completed, the part D³ engaging lugs on the box B, and the part D' engaging eyes
on the other half of the flask frame. The lid E attached to a swinging arm F is
intended to close the top of the flask, and may be secured in place by a latch, screw,
or hook at F. The followers are formed by sections G and E, the latter having the
half pattern fitted and fastened to its upper face. The form of the section H is
adapted to the outline of the pattern, and the sections G, G, are formed to close
the space between the sections H, and between the latter and the sides of the flask.
These sections C and H form a plunger for forcing the sand into the flask, but they
are noved independently when the mould having been formed they are withdrawn.
The sections G are attached to a cross head G₁ so formed as to support them inde-
pendently of the supports of the sections H. G³, G, are rods passing through holes
in the stationary guide I, and actuating the sections G, being operated by the yoke
G³ embracing the piston H, but capable of moving independently of it. The
sections H carrying the patterns are attached to an independent cross head H¹
underlying the cross head G', so as to permit the pattern to be withdrawn from the
sand while the latter is sustained by the sections G of the follower. These move-
ments are provided for by the double cam L, the surfaces of which are so formed
as to lift the yoke G³ and plunger H simultaneously, then allow the latter to
descend first, so as to withdraw the patterns from the sand while it is still sup-
ported by the intermediate plates of the follower, which are then withdrawn, leaving
the mould complete.
Temper screws K, K, passing through the guide I regulate the distance to which
the cross head G¹ can fall, and thereby determine the quantity of sand which the
box B will contain.
The cam is actuated by the wheel M, the shaft of which is hung in bearings that
are vertically adjustable on the main frame at N by means of screws, so as to adjust
the cams to the plungers.
I have shown in Figure 7 a modification of this machine, which is provided with
a double set of patterns on the opposite ends of a removable plunger, the box being
hung on trunnions, so that when one set of moulds have been made in the upper
flask the box may be turned over, and another sectional flask placed on the box
and filled with sand, when the upward movement of the plunger compresses the
sand to form a mould in this section. The same movement withdraws the follower
and patterns from the lower mould, and completes the work in that half flask,
which may then be removed and the box turned over, and another half flask placed
on top, and so alternately compressing the sand in the half flask on top of the box,
and withdrawing the patterns from the lower half flask.
a is the main frame of the machine, on which is suspended the double box b
On this shaft
turning upon hollow trunnions b', within which revolves the shaft c.
within the box are placed double cams d and d', respectively operating the frames e
and f. To the former of these frames the patterns g are secured, and to the latter
the follower boards f, which are adapted to the form of the pattern passing through
them, so that the follower board and pattern may be independently actuated.
· The operation of the said machine is as follows, that is to say:-
The upper
and box being filled with sand, and the cap i secured in place, the shaft c is rotated,
flask

page_text: forcing the follower and pattern up into and against the sand. The continued
rotation of the shaft c first withdraws the pattern from the sand and then with-
draws the follower.
It sometimes happens in the use of solid patterns, such as spur pinions, that if the
machine is operated to raise the pattern and the follower simultaneously, the sand
in the upper part of the flask will be more compressed over the pattern which has
the same movement in a short space than it is in other parts of the flask.
The
effect of this unequal compression is to endanger the proper forming of the casting;
and to obviate this danger, and to secure the more equal density of the sand in the
different parts of tho flask, I so form the cams d, d, that in the beginning of the
operation the follower shall first be raised, so as to impart a preliminary impression
to the sand in the flask above the follower, and the follower and pattern being then
equally moved, the sand will be compressed to an equal density above the follower
and the pattern.
The feed mechanism is as follows:-0, Figure 5, is a hopper containing a supply
of sand for charging the flask C. P is a sliding drawer extending when projected
across the space between the hopper and flask. Q is a sliding bottom under but not
fixed to the drawer. Its movements are controlled by the sliding bars R, which
move in guides R¹ on the supports of the hopper. The said bars are connected to
the bottom by jaws embracing pins Q¹ projecting from the sides, which pins cause
the bottom to move forward with the bars, while the pins P¹ on the drawer are
engaged by the notches on the top of the bars R. This engagement is due to the
raising of the bars by stationary cams R³ in the guides, which so raise the bar as
to engage the pin, but when the bottom has been carried far enough to reach the
flask, the bent ends of the bars allow them to fall so as to disengage the pin P¹, and
at the same time the latches S fall on the points projecting above the bars and
lock them, as shown in Figure 5. The drawer filled with sand is then drawn
forward with the bottom until it reaches the flask; when it is filled the drawer is
retracted. The end of the box strikes the flask, the surplus sand being carried
back on the bottom Q. When the end of the drawer reaches the end of the bottom
the pins P' raise the latches S, and then striking the points in the bars draw them
back, the bars being raised by the cams R2, so that the pins Paro engaged in the
notches in the top of the bar. As the drawer passes under the hopper it is again
filled with sand, and another flask being substituted the operation is repeated.
When a flask has been filled the sand in the box is compressed about the pattern
by the simultaneous lifting of the patterns and intermediate sections of the follower.
While the latter support the sand the patterns are withdrawn, and then the
followers are withdrawn, leaving the half mould formed in that section of the flask,
which is then removed, the corresponding section is substituted in its place, and the
operation is repeated.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. Forming moulds by compression by first filling loosely the open flask
placed over a box and movable follower, then closing the flask, and afterwards com-
pressing all the sand into the flask about the pattern by the uniform forward
movement of the follower and pattern, then withdrawing the pattern, and finally
withdrawing the intermediate sections of the follower, as above set forth.
Second. The combination of parts comprising the box, the flask, and cap with
the sectional follower, the sections of which are simultaneously actuated in one
direction, and alternately in the other direction, as above set forth.
Third. In combination with the plungers and cam the adjustable bearings of the
latter for regulating the action of the plungers upon the sand in the flask, as above
set forth.
Fourth. In combination with the frame the double steady pins, the guides on the
box, and guides on the drag, arranged and operating as above set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the hopper, the sand transferring drawer, the movable

page_text: bottom, and the automatic latch or latches for locking the said bottom to and un-
locking it from the drawer as the latter is drawn back and forth in transferring the
sand from the hopper to the flask, as above set forth.
"
Sixth. The combination of the shaft, the excentrics, and the double pattern
carrying frame, arranged so that one pattern section shall be drawn from the sand
at the same time that the other pattern section is forcing the sand into another flask
to form the mould by compression, as above set forth.
Seventh. The combination, as shewn in Figure 7, of the follower plate and its
frame, and the pattern and its frame, and actuating mechanism for imparting motion
first to the follower plate, and then to both the said plate and the pattern, as above
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.