IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Simons and Archibald Carmichael, both of
the Town and County of Renfrew, North Britain, for the Invention of
*"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Simons and
Archibald Carmichael at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 17th December 1867.
We, WILLIAM SIMONS and ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL, both of the Town and
County of Renfrew, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its essential object certain improvements in moulding,
and consists in the construction and arrangement of the machinery or apparatus
for facilitating moulding operations in the production of castings in iron,
brass, and other-metals. The apparatus consists of an inner frame or tube,
which may be either rectangular, circular, or other shape or configuration,
which frame is hung loose and revolves upon a stationary shaft supported in
suitable brackets or in any other convenient manner. Attached to the peri-
phery of this inner frame are the moulds or patterns of the castings desired
to be produced, which may be one, two, or any convenient number according
to their size. On the same shaft on which the inner tube is hung two
eccentrics are keyed or forged, and on these fixed eccentrics an outer frame

page_text: or tube is hung loose and is capable of revolving simultaneously with the
inner tube by means of shafts or stays which pass through the frames; on
these shafts or other convenient position eccentrics are keyed, and these
eccentrics are by preference grooved to work in bushes constructed to fit the
grooves. The bushes have clips attached to them by which the moulding
boxes for containing the same are held against the flanges of the outer frame,
and lowered by means of the eccentrics worked by levers when it is necessary
to remove the boxes after the moulds have been formed. The bottoms of
these boxes are made to slide off when it is necessary to fill them with sand.
The motion of the inner frame or tube to which the moulds or patterns are
attached is circular, but the motion of the outer frame or tube is eccentric
causing the moulding boxes to be pressed against the patterns which are
attached to the inner frame or tube, and a duplicate of the pattern is produced
ready to be run with molten metal. The eccentric motion of the outer frame
or tube is such as to cause it to turn by its weight, assisted by the weight of
sand in the boxes, after an empty box has replaced one in which a mould has
been formed.
There are several ways in which this apparatus is capable of modification,
for instance, the motion of the frame or tubes may be reversed, an eccentric
motion being given to the inner frame or tube and a circular motion
to the outer frame or tube, thus causing the pattern to be pressed into
the sand instead of the sand in the moulding box being pressed against
the pattern; or cams may be used instead of eccentrics for holding the
moulding boxes against the outer frame or tube till the mould is formed
and lowering the box after the mould has been formed. The -eccentrics
might also be made to be driven with motive power. Sand may be supplied
to this apparatus in various ways, but we prefer to use an archimedian screw
for the purpose, one end of which is placed in a box into which the sand
is emptied, and from which it is raised by means of the screw blade to a
hopper situated above the machine. A slide valve is placed in the bottom of
this hopper, which may be worked by an attendant or actuated by the
revolving motion of the moulding machine, so as to supply the requisite
quantities of sand to the moulding boxes.
Another advantage obtained by using the archimedian sorew is that the
sand which has been used in moulding may be used over again successively
by being passed through the screw, which causes it to be thoroughly crushed
and disintegrated in its passage to the moulding machine, thus effecting a very
considerable saving in moulding operations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Simons and Archibald, Carmichael: in. the Great.
Seal: Patent Office on the 16th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM,
SIMONS and ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL, both of the Town and County of
Renfrew, North Britain, send greeting..
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and. sixty-seven, in. the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and: successors, give-and grant unto us, the
said William Simons and Archibald Carmichael, Her special license that we,,
the said William Simons and Archibald Carmichael; our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Simons and
Archibald Carmichael,, our executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times.
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use,, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, and Ireland,. the Channel Islands, and. Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, AND IN THE, MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED.
THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others), that we, the said William.
Simons and Archibald Carmichael, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed: in the Great Seal Patent Office within six.
calendar months next and immediately. after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that we, the said William Simons. and Archibald
Carmichael, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings,, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,, that
is to say:
Our said Invention has for its essential object certain improvements in
moulding, and consists in the construction and arrangement of the machinery
or apparatus for facilitating moulding operations in the production of castings
in iron, brass, and other metals. The apparatus consists of an inner frame or
tube, which may be either rectangular, circular. or other shape or configuration,
which frame is hung loose and revolves upon a stationary shaft supported in

page_text: suitable brackets or in any other convenient manner. Attached to the
periphery or end of this inner frame are the moulds or patterns of the castings
desired to be produced, which may be one, two, or any convenient number
according to their size. On the same shaft on which the inner tube is hung
two eccentrics are keyed or forged or otherwise fixed, and on these fixed
eccentrics another frame or tube is hung loose and is capable of revolving
simultaneonsly with the inner tube by means of shafts or stays which pass
through the frames; on these shafts or other convenient position eccentrics are
keyed, and these eccentrics are by preference grooved to work in bushes
constructed to fit the grooves. The bushes have. clips attached to them by
which the moulding boxes for containing the sand are held against the flanches
of the outer frame, and lowered by means of the eccentrics worked by levers.
when it is necessary to remove the boxes after the moulds have been formed.
The bottoms of these boxes are made to slide off when it is necessary to fill
them with the sand. The motion of the inner frame. or tube. to which the
moulds or patterns are attached is circular, but the motion of the outer frame
er tube is eccentric causing the moulding boxes to be pressed against the
patterns which are attached to the inner frame or tube, and a duplicate of the
pattern is produced ready to be run with molten metal. The eccentric motion
of the outer frame or tube is such as to cause it to turn by its weight, assisted
by the weight of the sand in the boxes, after an empty box has replaced one
in which a mould has been formed.
There are several ways in which this apparatus is capable of modification,
for instance, the motion of the frame or tube may be reversed, an eccentric
motion being given to the inner frame or tube and a circular motion to the
outer frame or tube, thus causing the pattern to be pressed into the sand instead
of the sand in the moulding box being pressed against the pattern; or cams
may be used instead of eccentrics for holding the moulding boxes against the
outer frame or tube till the mould is formed and lowering the box after the
mould has been formed. The eccentries might also be made to be driven
with mechanically derived motive power. Sand may be supplied to this
apparatus in various ways, but we prefer to use an archimedian screw for the
purpose, one end of which is placed in a box into which the sand is emptied
and from which it is raised by means of the screw blade to a hopper situated
above the machine. A slide valve is placed in the bottom of this hopper,
which may be worked by an attendant or actuated by the revolving motion of
the moulding machine so as to supply the requisite quantities of sand to the
moulding boxes.
'Another advantage obtained by using the archimedian screw is that the

page_text: sand which has been used in, moulding may be used over again successively by
being passed through the screw, which causes it to be thoroughly crushed, and.
disintegrated in its passage to the moulding machine,, thus effecting a very.
considerable saving in moulding operations.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we now.
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into. effect, reference
being had for the sake of more complete elucidation to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
Figure is a side elevation; Figure 2, a vertical longitudinal section;
and Figure 3 a horizontal section through the outer and inner tube. On
these Figures similar parts are indicated by corresponding letters of reference.
A is a fixed shaft supported in the frames B, B; C, C, are eccentrics
keyed on the shaft A, the centres of the shaft A and eccentrics C being in
the same vertical plane, so as as to have the eccentricity or throw on the upper
side of the shaft A; D is the outer tube which revolves 1 upon the eccentrics C;
and E the inner tube which revolves upon the fixed shaft A. On each end
of the inner tube E the patterns of castings to be produced are fixed, as
shown on Figure 2, a sleeper chair F for railways being represented on one
end and three common railway chairs G on the other end. The boxes H
in which the moulds are formed are attached to each end of the outer tube D
by the hooks or clips I, two of which are placed on each side of the boxes H
as shown in Figure 1, and the heads formed T shaped so as to slide in
the T grooves formed round the periphery of the eccentric J, as shown in
Figure 2. The eccentrics J raise and lower the moulding boxes H and are
fixed on shafts K, K, carried in bearings formed in the outer tube D. The
shafts K, K, pass through vertical slots L formed in the inner tube E, so
that it is made to revolve at the same time as the outer tube D, but the
shafts K, K, partaking of the eccentric motion of the outer tube D pass up and
down in the slot L; M, M, are levers keyed on the shafts K, K, by which
the attendant turns the eccentrics J. Openings N are formed in the tabes so
that they may be heated in any convenient manner to warm the patterns;
or the shaft A may be tubular and steam or hot air may be introduced
through it.
The action of the machine is as follows:-For convenience in bringing
forward and removing the moulding boxes H the machine is placed over a
line of rails O, and the boxes brought forward and removed on the trucks P.
The patterns of the castings to be produced having been fixed on the end of
the inner tube E, as shown on Figure 2, the clips 1 are lowered by turning

page_text: the eccentrics J with the lever M, a box H is now brought forward on the
truck P, the attendant turns up the lever Mi and the box H is lifted by the
clips I until the flanches. of the box II meet the flanches of the outer tube D;
the machine is now turned round the inner tube E. moving in a circle, and
the outer tube D eccentrically, as herein-before described. The workman
now fills in the sand in which the mould. is to be formed and puts on the
sliding bottom of the box H. During this operation another attendant attaches
another box H' to the other end of the tube D, and secures it in the manner
herein-before described. The machine is now turned round, and by means of
the eccentrics C, causing the outer tube D to be drawn up on the inner tube,
the sand in the box H, is pressed firmly against the pattern F and the mould
is thereby formed. The lever M is now turned, and the box H lowered by
the eccentrics until it rests on the truck P on which it is removed. Another
box is brought forward to replace the one that has been removed. During
these operations the box H, is supplied with sand ready for the next revolution
of the machine. Figure 4 shows a method of supplying sand to the machine
berein-before described by means of an archimedian screw A, which may be
placed at any suitable angle and supported at each end in bearings C, C.
The lower end of the screw is placed in a Lox D which is connected by a
trough E with the hopper F, placed immediately over the moulding machine.
The sand is filled into the box D, and by revolving the screw A the sand is
carried up by the blade and emptied into the hopper F. A slide plate G is
placed on the bottom of the hopper F which is withdrawn by an attendant,
and the sand allowed to pour into the moulding box until it contains sufficient
to form the mould. when the valve is closed.
Although in the accompanying Drawings we have shown our moulding
mechanism as applied only to moulding railway chairs and sleepers as
one example of its application we desire to explain that the same or generally
similar arrangements of mechanism are applicable to the moulding of numerous
other articles.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we .consider novel and
original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement and combination of mechanism constituting
the moulding machinery, as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The application of an archimedian screw for the purpose of

page_text: elevating sand to the hopper of moulding mechanism as well as for preparing
the sand by crushing and disintegration for moulding purposes, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Simons and Archibald
Carmichael, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth
day of June, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
ST. JOHN VINCENT DAY,
166, Buchanan St.,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM SIMONS.
(L.S.)
ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL. (L.S.)