Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 8th Jan., 1889
I THOMAS PULSFORD SIMS of S Windsor Street Swansea in the County of Glamorgan
Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved machinery for making scorifiers, cupels and
crucibles used by metallurgical Assayers and consist chiefly in an improved press for
moulding the clay into the desired form.
To carry out my object I arrange a suitable frame of cast iron or other material
having an horizontal shaft actuating by a crank or cam a vertical rod or cylinder
which working in guides carries at its top, the mould which forms the outer shape of
the pot, this mould has thus a reciprocating motion given to it. By suitable gearing
another vertical rod immediately above the last, has a motion of rotation given to it,
the under portion of this rod carries the inner form of the mould, the action is as
follows. A piece of clay of suitable size and consistancy is placed in the lower form
or mould. This rises and presses the clay against the portion of the mould which is.
attached to the rotating shaft, the clay is thus pressed into form, the rotation of the top
portion of the mould prevents the clay adhering to it, so that on the descent of the
mould with the finished pot, the inner surface of the pot is left smooth. The lower
portion of the mould is formed in two parts a circular portion in the bottom, moving
like a piston & either kept up by a spring or pushed up (in reference to the
descending mould) by a pin so that when the clay is being pressed the bottom or piston
falls into its seat, but on release the piston actuated by the spring or pin raises the
finished pot so that it can be easily removed.
Of course these motions could be interchanged.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Making Scorifiers, Cupels, and Crucibles.
I THOMAS PULSFORD SIMS of 8 Windsor Street, Swansea in the County of
Glamorgan Analytical Chemist having already obtained a provisional protection
No. 445 & dated Jan. 11/88 do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING SCORIFIERS, CUPELS, AND CRUCIBLES and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention which relates to an improved machine for making Scorifiers, Cupels,
& Crucibles, such as are used by Metallurgical Chemists (relating more especially
to the manufacture of Scorifiers) consists chiefly in the mechanism by which the clay
is moulded into the desired form.
I will now detail with the aid of drawings the manner in which I carry out my
invention. Referring to drawing figure 1. A is the driving pulley connected by
shafting to wheel or pinion B, which engages C. C drives shaft D, turning a bevel
wheel E. E engages another bevelled wheel F, turning a vertical shaft G, which
moves in a suitable frame. The top of this shaft carries a toothed wheel H, which in
turn is geared to a similar wheel I, driving the short vertical spindle J, to this spindle
is attached at its lower end the die K for forming the internal surface of the crucible.
The spindle D carries at its end a crank L, the pin Y of which enters a block M
which block slides in a slot, so that when the shaft turns the block has a reciprocating
motion, in the slot, & acts like a cam giving the vertical forked shaft Nan up &
down stroke. This shaft is guided at the fork between two guides O, O. To the top
of this shaft is attached the other portion of the mould P, which is formed of three
distinct parts 1st the outer portion Q which moulds the outer sloping surface of the
crucible. 2nd an inner cylinder R which forms the shoulder at the bottom of the crucible.
3rd a piston S, which forms the base, of the crucible-R slides in Q and S in R-To R
is attached a rod T & to S is attached a rod U for the purpose of lifting at a certain
point of the stroke their respective parts R & S out of their seats to releave the
formed crucible. This relief is accomplished by a horizontal rod V projecting so that,
at a certain point of the descent of the mould the rod T strikes V & the cylinder R
with piston S is raised with reference to Q-On a further descent a projection W
strikes a bell crank X which moves the horizontal bar so as to allow the rod T to
descend, on further descent the rod U strikes V raising the piston S in the cylinder R,
the cylinder R is prevented from rising with the piston S, by a pin Y, which is fixed
in Qits end working in a slot in cylinder R allowing the required travel.
To understand the working of the machine, suppose A to be driven by a motor: K
will be kept in constant rotation, while P will alternately rise & fall by the rotation
of the crank. A piece of clay of suitable size & consistency is placed in the mould.
either by hand or any suitable mechanical arrangement. The bottom part of the mould
Q. R. S ascends and the clay is thereby forced against the rotating die K which is
surrounded at its rim or edge by a number of pins the clay is thereby.fashioned into
the desired shape the rotating pins cutting or cleaning off any excess of clay &

page_text: making a clean rim or edge to the crucible. The rotation of K prevents the adhesion
of clay to it & thus allows the formed crucible to fall with the bottom mould.
During
the descent the rod T strikes the arm V, thus R and S rests while still further
descends W now strikes the bell crank X and V is removed so that the rod T is
allowed to descend. On a further descent U strikes the arm V which raises S while R
is prevented from rising with S by the pin Z, the pot is now relieved & rests on its
base & may be removed by hand or any suitable mechanical arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what mannor the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. A Mechanical rotating die K substantially as described.
2nd. Arrangements for the relief of the Crucible from the mould substantially as
described.
3rd. The general arrangement of parts of machine substantially as described.