IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR CASTING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Gourlay, of the Firm of Alston and Gourlay,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Ironfounders, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR CASTING."
Sealed the 8th November 1859, and dated the 13th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Gourlay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th May 1859.
I, ROBERT GOURLAY, of the Firm of Alston and Gourlay, of Glasgow, in the
5 County of Lanark, North Britain, Ironfounders, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR
CASTING," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to moulds for casting pipes, columns, balusters,
pedestals, and similar articles, and consists principally in the novel combination
of processes bitherto more or less in use apart, at the same time, however,
comprising some novel details. The improvements are more particularly
beneficial in the case of castings of comparatively large size, and in the cases of
curved and branched pipes and other irregular hollow castings.
In making a mould according to this Invention the pattern used is in two

page_text: halves, and is of such shape and dimensions as to serve for forming both the
external portions and the internal or core portion of the mould; one half of
the external mould being formed in the usual way, and one-half pattern being
in it with its inside upwards. A core bar or core skeleton, constructed as
herein-after more particularly described, is placed in this the lower half pattern,
and sand is rammed in to form the lower portion of the core. The top half
pattern is next placed in position, and the ramming of the core is completed
through narrow openings formed for the purpose in this top half pattern.
These openings being filled up, the top external half mould is rammed
upon this top half pattern. In this way the core is formed in its proper
position in the mould, and it has merely to be lifted out for the removal of
the pattern, and to be afterwards replaced without needing any subsequent
adjustment. At the same time the mode of completing the ramming of the
core insures its possessing the requisite firmness and consistency. The core
skeleton consists of one or more longitudinal bars according to the size of
pipe or other article, such bar or bars being formed with numerous ribs or
lateral projections to strengthen the core and to retain the sand forming it.
It is held down in position by end plates or bars, which are keyed or otherwise
firmly secured to the mould box or to fixtures embedded in the floor of the
moulding shop. The exact position of the core skeleton is determined by
semicircular or other discs or blocks on the end or ends thereof, such discs or
blocks fitting in recesses provided for them in the mould box. When the
article to be cast is of such a shape as that the core skeleton cannot be drawn
out entire, as in the case of branched pipes, for example, such core skeleton is
made in parts which can be firmly connected and easily disconnected. The
employment of a core skeleton of this improved kind enables the moulder to
use green sand cores, and to dispense with thickness pegs, or other similar
contrivances, except in the case of pipes or similar articles of extra length as
compared with their diameter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Gourlay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GOURLAY, of the Firm of Alston and Gourlay, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Ironfounder, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Gourlay, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Gourlay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Gourlay, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MAKING MOULDS FOR CASTING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Robert Gourlay, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Robert Gourlay, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to moulds for casting pipes, columns, balusters,
pedestals, and similar articles, and consists principally in the novel combination
of processes hitherto more or less in use apart, at the same time, however,
comprising some novel details. The improvements are more particularly
beneficial in the case of castings of comparatively large size, and in the
cases of curved and branched pipes, and other irregular hollow castings.
In making a mould according to this Invention, the pattern used is in two
halves, and is of such shape and dimensions as to serve for forming both the
external portions and the internal or core portion of the mould. One half of
the external mould being formed in the usual way and one half-pattern being in
it with its inside upwards, a core bar or core skeleton, constructed as herein
after more particularly described, is placed in this the lower half-pattern,
and sand is rammed in to form the lower portion of the core. The top half-
pattern is next placed in position, and the ramming of the core is completed
through narrow openings formed for the purpose in this top half-pattern;

page_text: these openings being filled up, the top external half-mould is rammed upon
this top half-pattern. In this way the core is formed in its proper position in
the mould, and it has merely to be lifted out for the removal of the pattern,
and to be afterwards replaced without needing any subsequent adjustment;
at the same time the mode of completing the ramming of the core insures its
possessing the requisite firmness and consistency. The core skeleton consists
of one or more longitudinal bars, according to the size of pipe or other article,
such bar or bars being formed with numerous ribs or lateral projections to
strengthen the core, and to retain the sand forming it. It is held down in
position by end plates or bars, which are keyed or otherwise firmly secured to
the mould box or to fixtures embedded in the floor of the moulding shop.
The exact position of the core skeleton is determined by semicircular or other
discs or blocks on the end or ends thereof, such discs or blocks fitting in
recesses provided for them in the mould box. When the article to be cast is
of such a shape as that the core skeleton cannot be drawn out entire, as in
the case of branched pipes, for example, such core skeleton is made in parts
which can be firmly connected and easily disconnected. The employment of
a core skeleton of this improved kind enables the moulder to use green sand
cores, and to dispense with thickness pegs, or other similar contrivances,
except in the case of pipes or similar articles of extra length as compared with
their diameter.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood and
carried into effect, I shall now particularly describe several examples of its
application, referring as I proceed to the accompanying Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, upon which the same reference letters mark the same or like parts
in all the Figures.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 relate to the moulding of a curved 6-inch pipe,
Figure 1 being a plan of the lower mould box A, with the lower half-pattern B
and the core bar C in position. The mould box A and half-pattern B are
represented as turned over from the position in which sand has been rammed
on this half-pattern to form the lower external half-mould; the core bar C
being placed in position as shown, sand is rammed in to form the lower half of
the core, and the upper half-pattern D, shown in plan in Figure 2, is then
placed over the core bar, and the upper half of the core is rammed through
narrow openings E in the top half-pattern D. If preferred, some sand may be
laid in the lower half-pattern B, before introducing the core-bar C, and the
upper half of the core may also be partly built up before placing on the upper
half-pattern D, the openings E serving principally for completing the core in

page_text: such a way as to give it sufficient consistency and firmness at every part.
The openings E being filled up, the upper external portion of the mould is
rammed in the usual way. Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the
complete mould as taken across the line 1-2, in Figure 1. The core bar
consists in this example of a single main longitudinal bar formed with numerous
lateral ribs or projections F, and it is held in position by transverse end bars G,
which are keyed or otherwise firmly secured to the mould box, or to fixtures
embedded in the floor of the moulding shop. These end bars G, as well as one
end of the core bar C, fit in suitable notches or seats formed in the mould box
to insure the core being returned to its proper position after being lifted out
for the removal of the lower half-pattern, whilst one of the end bars G can be
detached from the core bar C, to admit of the latter being removed from the
casting. When the curvature of the pipe is slight, the mould may be formed
in the position in which it is shown in Figure 4, this Figure being a vertical
longitudinal section showing the half-patterns B, D, and the core bar C in
position. In this example the core bar C is formed with semicircular end
plates H, which fit in corresponding semicircular seats in the ends of the
lower box A, by which the accurate replacing of the core is secured. The
core bar C is held down by means of wedges K, inserted between its pro-
jecting ends, and snugs cast on the upper mould box I. Figure 5 is a vertical
longitudinal section of details for moulding a baluster or pedestal, being taken
through the mould boxes A, I, and half-patterns B, D; Figure 6 is a transverse
vertical section through the mould as taken across the line 3-4, in Figure 5,
and showing the form of one of the core ribs F, which are made in the
form of oval rings, so as to efficiently support the core. These ribs can be
detached from the core bar C, and such of them as are too large to be
withdrawn whole from the casting are broken to get them out. Figure 7 is
a plan of the lower moulding box A with the lower half-patterns B, and core
bar C for a 3-inch elbow pipe. In this case the core bar C is in two
pieces connected by a socket joint, and to be separately withdrawn from
the finished casting. For this small size of pipe, the core bar C is formed
without ribs or lateral projections. The position of the core is secured by
means of a cross bar G, at one end of the core bar C, and a semicircular
check plate H at the other end; Figure 8 is a plan of the lower mould
box A, with the lower half-pattern B, and core bar or core skeleton C, c, for
a 16-inch branched pipe; Figure 9 is a transverse vertical section, as taken
across the line 5-6 in Figure 8. In this case the core skeleton c for the
branch is detachable from the main core skeleton C, to facilitate their removal

page_text: from the completed casting. The main core skeleton consists in this example
of three longitudinal vertical bars C, connected by cross pieces, the two outer
ones being formed with lateral projections or ribs F. The branch core
skeleton consists of two longitudinal bars c, both having lateral projections
or ribs F.
The connection between the branch and main core skeletons c, C,
may be made in various ways. In the Drawing the branch core skeleton c
is shown as formed with a plate J, which projects over the centre of the main
core skeleton C, to which it is fixed by a screw bolt. The core skeletons are
formed with semicircular check plates H at the ends, fitting in corresponding
seats in the ends of the mould box A, and, in addition, the core skeletons have
flanges g at their ends, by which they can be bolted down to fixtures embedded
in the floor of the moulding shop; or the core skeletons may be held down by
wedges inserted between these flanges 9 and snugs or flanges cast on the
upper mould box. The process of moulding is, in the cases to which
Figures 4 to 9 relate, the same as herein-before described with reference to
Figures 1, 2, and 3. Under this system of moulding, branches may with
facility be made to meet or join the main pipes with a curved or gradual
taper or widening, as shown in Figure 8, instead of with the ordinary abrupt
angular joint, whilst moulds for various kinds of irregular hollow castings
may be formed as easily as for those of simple or regular shape, and with
equal accuracy and uniformity in the thickness of the metal. Pipes with two
or more branches may also be moulded with much greater facility under this
system than by others hitherto in use.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein-before described or
delineated, and that I do not claim to have invented every separate detail
herein-before described and delineated; but that what I consider to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the making of moulds for casting pipes, columns, balusters, pedestals,
and similar articles according to the herein-before system, taken as a
whole.
Second, the combining of the use of half-patterns, forming both the internal
and external portions of moulds for pipes, columns, balusters, pedestals, and
similar articles, with the ramming of the internal or core portions of such
moulds through narrow openings in the upper half-patterns, substantially as
herein-before described.

page_text: Third, the using of core bars or core skeletons constructed, adjusted, and
secured substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Gourlay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow.
ROBERT GOURLAY. (L.S.)