IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING COPPER, AND BRASS, AND OTHER METALS, AND METALLIC ALLOYS, AND IN APPARATUS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Webb, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Metal Roller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING COPPER, AND
BRASS, AND OTHER METALS, AND METALLIC ALLOYS, AND IN APPARATUS USED
FOR THAT PURPOSE." A communication from abroad by John Turner, of
Bridgwater, near Boston, in the United States of America.
| Sealed the 23rd June 1876, and dated the 10th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Webb at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1876.
WILLIAM WEBB, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Metal Roller.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING COPPER AND BRASS, AND OTHER METALS AND
METALLIC ALLOYS, AND IN APPARATUS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
The said Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in casting
copper and brass, and other metals and metallic alloys, whereby castings may be
obtained free or nearly free from the porosity generally found in castings as
ordinarily made, especially in copper castings.
The said improvements are especially applicable to the casting of hollow ingots
of copper for the manufacture of copper tubes, as well as to the casting of copper
bolts, but are also applicable to casting brass and other metals and metallic alloys.
I will describe the said Investion as applied to the casting of a hollow ingot
such as is employed for the manufacture of seamless metallic tubes, from which
description the method of casting and the nature of the apparatus will be under-
stood. The cylindrical mould is supported by a horizontal axis which works in
bearings in a fixed support. The said axis is above the centre of gravity of the
mould, and the said mould consequently takes a vertical position when free to
move, and is fixed in this position during the casting process. It can however be
turned upon its axis into a horizontal position. The central core is supported in
the mould at bottom on the closed bottom of the mould, and at top by means of a
bracket carried by the mould. At the top of the mould a shoulder is formed by
turning away a portion of the metal, and upon this shoulder a funnel-shaped
receptacle is fitted, the said receptacle opening into the top of the mould, and being
capable of turning freely upon the shoulder on the top of the mould. On the

page_text: outside of the said funnel-shaped receptacle, and by preference near its base, is a
bevil toothed wheel which gears with another bevil wheel on the end of a hori-
zontal axis which is furnished at its other end with a winch. By turning the said
winch the said funnel-shaped receptacle can be made to rotate.
In using this apparatus the mould is fixed in its vertical position and the two
bevil wheels are geared together. By turning the winch the funnel-shaped
receptacle is made to rotate. The molten metal is poured into the said receptacle
from which it passes into the mould. By the rotatory motion of the receptacle a
rotatory motion is given to the molten metal, which falls into the mould in that
state of motion. The resulting casting is free or nearly free from the spongy or
porous character which all castings have more or less when the metal is poured
directly from the melting pot or crucible and allowed to fall with only a vertical
motion into the mould. After the casting has cooled the mould is brought into a
horizontal position and the hollow ingot is withdrawn from it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said William Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July 1876.
WILLIAM WEBB, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Metal Roller.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CASTING COPPER AND BRASS, AND OTHER METALS AND METALLIC
ALLOYS, AND IN APPARATUS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE." (A communication to me
from abroad by John Turner, of Bridgwater, near Boston, in the United States
of America).
The said Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in casting
copper and brass, and other metals and metallic alloys, whereby castings may be
obtained free or nearly free from the porosity generally found in castings as
ordinarily made, especially in copper castings.
The said improvements are especially applicable to the casting of hollow ingots
of copper for the manufacture of copper tubes, as well as to the casting of copper
bolts, but are also applicable to casting brass and other metals and metallic alloys.
I will describe the said Invention as applied to the casting of a hollow ingot,
such as is employed for the manufacture of seamless metallic tubes, from which
description the method of casting and the nature of the apparatus will be under-
stood. The cylindrical mould is supported by a horizontal axis which works in
bearings in a fixed support. The said axis is above the centre of gravity of the
mould, and the said mould consequently takes a vertical position when free to
move, and is fixed in this position during the casting process. It can however be
turned upon its axis into a horizontal position. The central core is supported in
the mould at bottom on the closed bottom of the mould, and at top by means of a
bracket carried by the mould. At the top of the mould a shoulder is formed by
turning away a portion of the metal, and upon this shoulder a funnel-shaped
receptacle is fitted, the said receptacle opening into the top of the mould and being
capable of turning freely upon the shoulder on the top of the mould. On the out-
side of the said funnel-shaped receptacle, and by preference near its base, is a bevil
toothed wheel which gears with another bevil wheel on the end of a horizontal
axis, which is furnished at its other end with a winch. By turning the said winch
the said funnel-shaped receptacle can be made to rotate.
In using this apparatus the mould is fixed in its vertical position and the two
bevil wheels are geared together. By turning the winch the funnel-shaped
receptacle is made to rotate. The molten metal is poured into the said receptacle,
from which it passes into the mould. By the rotatory motion of the receptacle a
rotatory motion is given to the molten metal which falls into the mould in that
state of motion. The resulting casting is free, or nearly free, from the spongy or
porous character which all castings have more or less when the metal is poured
directly from the melting pot or crucible and allowed to fall with only a vertical

page_text: motion into the mould. After the casting has cooled the mould is brought into a
horizontal position and the hollow ingot is withdrawn from it.
Having explained the nature of the said Invention I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in which the said Inven-
tion may be carried into effect.
Figures 1 and 2 represent side elevations taken at right angles to one another of
the apparatus which is employed in casting according to the said Invention a
hollow cylindrical ingot used for the manufacture of seamless metallic tubes.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the upper part of the apparatus; and Figure 4 is
a plan of the upper side of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing
a is the cylindrical mould in which the hollow ingot is cast; and b is the core
and core bar fixed centrally in the said mould, the said core bar consisting of a
motal bar covered with loam, as is well understood; the said mould a is supported
by the horizontal axis or trunnions c, c, working in the uprights or frame d fixed on
the bed plate e. The said axis or trunnions c, c, are above the centre of gravity of
the mould, so that the said mould when free to move takes the vertical position
represented, and is maintained in that position during the casting process. The
bottom of the mould is closed by a disk-like closing plate f, turning horizontally on
the pin or centre g; the said closing plate ƒ when turned under the mould to close
its bottom is fixed in that position by a stud / on the side of the mould entering a
slot or cut-away part in the edge of the plate f; i is the funnel-shaped receptacle
at the top of the mould for receiving the molten metal; keyed to or made in one
piece with the said receptacle i is a bevil toothed wheel k, and below the said wheel
is a tubular collar embracing the top of the mould; at the top of the mould a
shoulder m is formed (see Figure 3); upon this shoulder the collar is fitted, and
on the said shoulder the collar is capable of turning freely, the said collar carrying
with it the funnel-shaped receptacle i. The central core b is supported at bottom
in the mould a by a ring n, into which it is dropped, and at its upper end by a
bracket P which fits into a socket 7 on the mould; a loose fitting ring-like piece or
guide is carried by the top of the horizontal arm of the bracket p, embracing the
core which is held thereby firmly in its position. The bevil wheel of the rotating
funnel or receptacle is driven by the bevil wheels on the horizontal axis t, the
latter being turned by hand or by power. By turning the bevil wheels a rotatory
motion is transmitted through the bevil wheel k to the funnel or receptacle i, the
latter rotating on the top of the mould.
Although it is preferred to give motion to the funnel-shaped receptacle i by
means of bevil gearing, as represented, yet other means of giving rotation to the
said receptacle may be adopted; for example, by a driving pulley on the receptacle,
over which a band works, or other equivalent arrangement.
In casting a hollow cylindrical ingot by the use of the said Invention, the parts
of the apparatus being arranged as represented, the mould is ready to receive the
melted metal. The funnel-shaped receptacle i being made to rotate through the
bevil gearing 8, k, the molten metal is poured into the said receptacle, from which
it passes into the mould. A rotatory motion is by the rotation of the funnel-shaped
receptacle thus given to the molten metal, which metal falls into the mould in that
state of motion, and the casting so made is free or nearly free from the porosity
found in castings as ordinarily made. As soon as the casting has cooled the upper
part of the mould is turned to the right hand into a horizontal, or nearly horizontal
position, the said mould moving on the trunnions c, c. The bevil wheel k is thereby
ungeared from the driving wheel 8, and by turning aside the moveable bottom or
disc f the mould is opened and the hollow ingot and its core may be withdrawn
from the said mould.
Although I have only described the casting of a hollow cylindrical ingot suitable
for the manufacture of seamless metallic tubes according to the said Invention, yet

page_text: the said Invention is equally applicable to the casting of solid ingots and other
solid and hollow articles.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself
to the precise details herein-before described and illustrated, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of the said Invention; but I claim as the
said Invention,--
The improvements in casting copper and brass, and other metals and metallic
alloys, and in apparatus used for that purpose, herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing; that is to say, giving the molten metal before it
enters the mould a rotatory motion, the said metal falling into the mould in that
state of motion, whereby the casting produced is free or nearly free from porosity,
the casting process being conducted by preference by the use of the apparatus
described and illustrated.
Also the construction and arrangement of the parts of apparatus described and
illustrated for giving a rotatory motion to the molten metal before it enters the
mould, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Webb, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM WEBB. (L.S.)