Improvements in Casting or Moulding Boxes and Method of Making the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1890-Accepter, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Casting or Moulding Boxes and Method of Making
the same.
A communication from abroad by CESARE BRUNELLI, of Pesaro, in the Kingdom of
Italy, Machine Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, C Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of casting, and has for its object produce
casting or moulding boxes such as are in use in metal foundries. The casting boxes
produced by this process are practically identical, and can be arranged one upon
another, fitting perfectly together, without the necessity of boring holes when cold;
this fitting together being brought about by forked lugs accurately attached during
the casting operation.
This process firstly allows a considerable economy to be realised in the cost of the
first erection of a foundry, for a casting box made on this system only costs about
the third of an ordinary casting box, which must undergo a preliminary boring and
adjusting before being used. But the cost of maintaining the casting boxes is also
lessened in a much greater proportion, whilst a degree of accuracy is attained which
could be hitherto obtained only by means of special arrangements extremely expensive,
and which generally did not allow of work being executed for which the casting
mould must be inserted in a stove. Every system of connecting the moulds to one
another is essentially defective when it is performed by means of dowels, cotters,
screws, etcetera, in a word, by things fixed to the moulds which are to be connected,
or which may become fixed after being used, because they cannot be removed owing
to the oxidation, and to the variations of temperature which the moulds undergo
when left for some time in the stove. Under these circumstances, the connecting
pieces, of whatever sort, get rapidly distorted and require frequent renewal if it is
desired to have even a small degree of exactness in the corresponding parts when
the connection is made. On the other hand, the rigidity of the coupling maintained
whilst two or more moulds placed one on top of another are exposed to the heat of
the furnace produces very frequently cracks and fissures in their walls. In this
system, each moulder has a couple of pins and a couple of keys or wedges which are
always at hand and which he uses for connecting together any two of the moulds of
similar dimensions made after this system which are perfectly interchangeable. By
this means, the connecting pieces are always removed from the moulds when the
latter are placed in the stove, and thus all cause for deterioration is removed.
The moulding of the casting boxes used in founding is carried out in the following
way:
A model, without any lugs or other connecting devices of the mould box which
it is intended to cast, is fixed to a moulding board by means of a cross-piece and a
screw. There is then inserted, against set screws in the outside wall of the model,
a series (say two on each end) of forked lugs cast previously and each having on
the inside a dove-tail depression or recess intended to receive the fluid metal at the
time of casting the box, so that the mould cast in the place of the model forms one
piece with the above-named lugs. A pair of upright rods adjustably fixed in the
moulding board serves to regulate the position of these lugs which are pressed
against them by the set screws above mentioned. These lugs undergo a slight
adjusting as regards their points of contact with the upright rods; care is taken
to leave a little interstice between the interior vertical plane of the lugs and the

page_text: vertical exterior plane of the model. It must be noted, that the uniformity of the
distance between the upper extremities of the upright rod, which must be strictly
similar for all the moulds of the same dimensions, is exactly controlled by means of
a frame-board or gange. The same controlling force is repeated by means of another
frame-board, as regards the difference of the said upright rods measured at their
lower extremities. When once it is verified that the two rods have exactly the
desired distance both above and below, the lugs are pressed against them by means
of the set screws in the ends of the model. The model is surrounded by any
exterior casting box of greater dimensions which is placed on the moulding board.
Sand is then pressed into the external casting box to the height of the model,
taking care that the sand be extra well pressed down round the lugs, as it alone
has to hold them in place as hereafter described. The upper frame-board or
gauge and the cross-piece are then removed and all the open space is fillel with
sand, having first protected the set screws by means of two wedge-shaped boxes.
The casting box is then reversed on a bed of sand, and the lower frame-board with
the upright rods and the wedge-shaped protecting boxes is removed. The empty
space caused by the withdrawal of the set screws is filled with sand, and their holes
are covered by two strips of sheet iron.
There only remain then to place in position the upper frame above the ordinary
mould surrounding the whole apparatus, to fill it completely with sand, to withdraw
it afresh in order to remove the model, again to replace it, and finally to proceed
with the casting.
There is thus obtained by simple casting a mould box ready to be
used direct in casting.
It is to be understood that the upright rods may be moved along slots prepared in
the casting board in order to remove or approach them when the dimensions of the
casting box are altered.
The mode of action of the improved box is as follows:-
The two casting boxes forming a pair are connected by means of short turned
pins which then occupy the place originally filled by the upright rods and stretch
from the upper lugs of the lower mould to the lower lugs of the upper mould.
These pins are held in position by forged keys or wedges driven through slots in
the lugs at right angles to the pins. These connecting pieces are applicable for
the coupling of any pair of these casting boxes, chosen no matter where. This
system can be used without any essential modification for moulding casting moulds
of earth on the floor itself of the foundry. It is in fact not at all necessary to
surround the apparatus with a case; it is sufficient, by means of a frame and moulding
boards, to maintain invariable the distance between the upright rods for so long a
time as the dimensions of the casting box can be produced do not vary.
Dated this 92nd day of Tann1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Casting or Moulding Boxes and Method of Making
the same.
A communication from abroad by CESARE BRUNELLI, of Pesaro, in the Kingdom of
Italy, Machine Manufacturer.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to a method of moulding, and has for its object to produce
casting or moulding boxes such as are in use in metal foundries. The moulding

page_text: boxes produced by this process are practically identical, and can be arranged one
upon another, fitting perfectly together (without the necessity of boring holes) when
cold, this fitting together being brought about by forked lugs, accurately adjusted in
the moulding operation.
This process, firstly, allows a considerable economy to be realised in the cost of
the first erection of a foundry, for a moulding box made on this system only costs
about the third of an ordinary moulding box which must undergo a preliminary
boring and adjusting before being used. But the costs of maintaining the moulding
boxes are also lessened in a much greater proportion, whilst a degree of accuracy
is attained which could hitherto only be obtained by means of special arrangements
extremely expensive, and which, generally, did not allow of the execution of that
class of work in the performance of which the moulding boxes have to be inserted in
a stove. Every system of connecting the moulding boxes to one another is essentially
defective when it is performed by means of dowels, cotters, screws, etcetera, in a
word, by things fixed to the moulding boxes which are to be connected, or which
may become fixed after being used, because they cannot be removed owing to
oxidation and to the changes due to variations of temperature which the moulding
boxes undergo when left for some time in the stove. Under these circumstances,
the connecting pieces, of whatever sort, get rapidly distorted and require frequent
renewal, if it is desired to have even a small degree of exactness in the corresponding
parts when the connection is made. On the other hand, the rigidity of the
coupling, maintained whilst two or more moulding boxes, placed one on top of
another, are exposed to the heat of the furnace or stove, very frequently produces
cracks and fissures in their walls. In this system, each moulder has a couple of bent
pins and a couple of keys or wedges which are always at hand, and which he uses for
connecting together any two moulding boxes of similar dimensions made after this
system and which are perfectly interchangeable. By this means, the connecting
pieces are always removed from the moulding boxes when the latter are placed in
the stove and thus all cause for deterioration is removed.
The moulding of the moulding hoxes used in founding is carried out on the system
which is hereunder described with the aid of the annexed drawing.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus employed for moulding a moulding
box as it is arranged during the operation of moulding castings.
Figure 2 is a plan view of all that is underneath what is shown in Figure 1, parts
being removed Figure 2 also contains a plan view of the keys or wedges i, which
are not used in the moulding of the moulding box, but only when the moulding box,
having been cast and removed from the apparatus, is in its turn used for moulding
other articles. Therefore it must be imagined for the moment that the keys i (Figure 2)
are removed.
A model a, of the moulding box which it is intended to cast, but having no lugs or
other connecting devices, is fixed to a moulding board d by means of a cross-piece b
and a screw e. There are then placed against set screws in the outside wall of the
model a, a series (say two on each end) of forked lugs g g g, cast previously, and each
having, on the inside, a dove-tail depression or recess intended to receive the fluid
metal at the time of casting, so that the moulding box, cast in the place of the
model a, forms one piece with the above-named lugs gg. A pair of upright rods ff,
adjustably fixed in the moulding board, serves to regulate the position of these lugs
which are pressed against them by the set screws above mentioned. These lugs
undergo a slight adjusting as regards their points of contact with the upright rods ff.
Care is taken to leave a little interstice between the interior vertical plane of the
lugs ggg and the vertical exterior plane of the model a. It must be noted that the
uniformity of the distance between the upper extremities of the upright rods, ff,
which must be strictly similar for all the moulding boxes of the same dimensions, is
exactly controlled by means of a frame-board or gauge c, shown in plan view,
Figure 3. A similar controlling device, in the shape of another frame-board d',
(Figure 4) is also employed to regulate the distance between the said upright rods ff
measured at their lower extremities. When once it is verified that the two rods ff

page_text: have exactly the desired distance both above and below, the lugs g g are pressed against
the rods ff by means of the set screws in the ends of the model. The model a
is surrounded by any exterior moulding box of greater dimensions, which is placed
on the moulding board d. This exterior moulding box is shown in the drawing, Figure 2,
by the rectangular shape inside the frame-board d, and also in vertical section in
Figure 1.
Sand is then pressed into the external moulding box to the height of the model,
taking care that the sand be extra well pressed down round the lugs g g, as it alone
has to hold them in place as hereafter described. The upper frame-board or
gauge c and the cross-piece b are then removed, and all the open space is filled with
sand, having first protected the set screws by means of two wedge-shaped
boxes n n.
The moulding box is then reversed on a bed of sand and the lower frame-board d,
with the upright rods ff, is removed.
There only remains then to place in position the upper frame or box above the
ordinary moulding box surrounding the whole apparatus, to fill it completely with sand
and to withdraw it afresh in order to remove the model a, after which the boxes n n
and the pressure screws h h are removed, the screw holes are covered by means of
paper or sheet iron and the space previously occupied by the boxes is filled with
sand. Finally, the upper moulding box or frame is again replaced and the casting
is then proceeded with.
There is thus obtained, by simple fusion, a moulding box ready to be used at once
in casting.
It is to be understood that the upright rods ff may be moved along slots prepared
in the moulding board d in order to move them apart or bring them together when
the dimensions of the casting box are altered. Figure 5 shows moulding boxes of
this system, as employed in practice. The mode of action of the improved box is as
follows:-
The two moulding boxes forming a pair are connected by means of short bent pins t
which then occupy the place originally filled by the upright rods f and stretch from
the upper lugs of the lower moulding box to the lower lugs of the upper moulding
box. These pins are held in position by forged keys or wedges i (see Figure 2 in
plan and Figure 5 in elevation) which are driven through slots in the lugs at right
angles to the pins. These connecting pieces t and i are applicable for the coupling of
any pair of these moulding boxes chosen, no matter where.
This system can be used without any essential modification for forming casting
moulds of earth on the floor of the foundry itself. It is in fact not at all
necessary to surround the apparatus with a frame, it is sufficient, by means of a
frame and moulding boards, to maintain invariable the distance between the upright
rodsff for so long a time as the dimensions of the moulding hoxes to be produced do
not vary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. A process for obtaining directly by fusion interchangeable moulding boxes or
frames for the moulding of cast pieces, the process being characterised by the
application, to a rectangular frame, of two or more previously cast forked lugs, the
position of which is exactly adjusted by means of rods, pins, bolts or the like,
secured vertically on a horizontal moulding board, of wood or metal, and having
their distance apart regulated by means of suitable gauges, callipers, or the
like, which vary according to the dimensions of the moulding box to be moulded.
2. An apparatus for the moulding of moulding boxes or frames employed in founding
said apparatus, containing-
1st. Two screwed rods, pins, bolts, or the like with nuts.
2nd. A horizontal board, of wood or other material, provided with slots per-
mitting the said pins, bolts, or the like to be fixed therein at a variable

page_text: distance apart according to the dimensions of the moulding boxes to be
moulded.
3rd. Gauges, callipers, or the like for exactly adjusting the distances between
the said rods, the said gauges being of any suitable form or arrangement,
dependent on whether the moulding is to be done in moulding boxes or in the
bare sand.
4th. The necessary accessories for fixing the pattern of the moulding box to be
moulded on the base board of the apparatus and for fixing the lugs to the
pattern.
.
3. Moulding boxes or frames for the moulding of castings, having forked lugs
ch as described, perfectly interchangeable, obtained by simple fusion without cold
ring, held together by means of bent pins and keys which are always at the hand
the workman who is casting and are applicable to any two of the frames to
united.
Dated this 17th day of October 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.