Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Articles from Molten Metal under Pressure.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Articles from Molten
Metal under Pressure.
I JAMES MACKINTIRE of 44 Commercial Road, Pimlico, in the City of Westminster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of elbows, T pieces, and
similar fittings for pipes from molten steel under pressure, but the invention will also
apply to the manufacture of other articles either in steel, iron, or other and softer
metals under pressure.
Steel is a material having peculiar properties, which render casting under pressure
an operation of considerable difficulty, and it is the object of the present invention to
overcome this difficulty.
My invention consists in improvements in the apparatus for casting metals under
pressure, whereby the above named object will be accomplished.
In apparatus for effecting this object, the moulds in which the articles are to be
cast are placed in a mould box provided with a screw and follower, by which the
moulds are securely held in position, and the molten metal is contained in a cylinder
placed in juxtaposition to the mould box, and from which it is forced into the moulds
by means of a piston propelled by a screw actuated by a hand wheel.
The metal cylinder is mounted on a sliding bed working in guides, and actuated by
a screw, so that the cylinder can be moved up to, and away from the mould box as
desired.
The apparatus of which the above are the general features, is well known.
Upon the screw of the metal cylinder, and between two fixed points, I mount a
wheel or pulley which acts as a nut, when rotated, to work the screw in or out as
desired. This pulley is connected by band or otherwise with a second pulley
mounted at one end of a shaft arranged parallel to the screw. On the same shaft
is mounted loosely a band pulley with a coned boss, and a fly wheel also provided
with a coned boss.
Between the pulley and the fly wheel is mounted, on the shaft, a double friction
clutch, which is thrown into gear with either the pulley or the fly wheel by a
suitable handle. On the outer side, the fly wheel is provided with a band pulley.
Both pulleys are driven by belts from overhead shafting, the belt of the first
named pulley being crossed to reverse the direction of motion of the shaft when
required.
A loose pulley is provided for the fly wheel belt, when it is not desired to
drive the fly wheel.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose the fly wheel is being driven, the molten metal is poured into the
cylinder, the clutch lever is pushed over so as to bring the clutch into gear with
the coned boss of the fly wheel. Motion is thus communicated to the shaft, and
through the pulleys to the screw, which drives forward the piston in the metal
cylinder.
The molten metal is thus forced into the moulds, and when the moulds are full,
the piston (the momentum of the fly wheel being kept up) stops with a jerk,
and so to speak gives a final squeeze to the metal, which is thus compressed in
the moulds, and rendered homogeneous and free from air or pin holes.
The metal cylinder I form with an opening of considerable width and depth,
which will allow the metal to run in easily, and also permit of the egress of all
air before the piston closes the opening on its forward movement.

page_text: When the cylinder is withdrawn from the mould box, its piston may be again
driven forward, to clear out any metal remaining in the cylinder.
The cores for the moulds are formed in a core box, one half of which is fixed,
and the other half movable by means of a screw and hand wheel. A plunger
attached to a lever is arranged over the core box, so that when the material to
form the core is inserted in the box, the plunger can descend, and force the
materials into all the interstices of the box. The material for the core is prepared
any suitable manner, and is placed in a cylinder, from which it is forced through
a nozzle, in the form of a rope, by a piston or plunger actuated by a screw and
.hand wheel.
'in
In casting the pipe fittings, I so arrange or shape the moulds and cores, that
all the angles or corners shall be round. In this way, I facilitate the flow of the
molten metal in the moulds, and I strengthen the corners, as I obtain an equal
thickness of metal all round.
Do this and
A:1 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Articles from Molten
Metal under Pressure.
I JAMES MACKINTIRE of 44 Commercial Road, Pimlico, in the City of West-
minster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of elbows, T pieces, and
similar fittings, for pipes, from molten steel, under pressure, but the invention will
also apply to the manufacture of other articles either in steel, iron, or other and softer
metals, under pressure.
Steel is a material having peculiar properties, for instance, if allowed to stand for
a moment it loses fluidity, and consequently casting in steel under pressure is an
operation of great difficulty, and it is the object of the present invention to overcome
the difficulty heretofore experienced.
Hitherto, the metal cylinder has been filled through a funnel, and the forcing piston
has been worked either by hand or by hydraulic pressure, neither of which are
sufficiently rapid for the purpose, the hand power being, besides, not powerful
enough.
Now my invention consists in improvements in the apparatus for casting metals
under pressure, whereby the molten metal is kept in motion until the moulds are
filled, and therefore has not time to set, or lose fluidity, the resulting castings being
thereby of a homogeneous and greatly improved quality.
In the apparatus for casting under pressure heretofore in use, the moulds in which
the articles are to be cast are placed in a mould box provided with a screw and
follower, by which the moulds are securely held in position, and the molten metal is
poured into a cylinder placed in juxta-position to the mould box, and from which it
is forced into the moulds by means of a piston propelled by a screw actuated by a
hand wheel.
The metal cylinder is mounted on a sliding bed working in guides and actuated by
a screw, so that the cylinder can be moved up to, and away from the mould box, as
desired.
The apparatus of which the above are the general features is well known :-By my
improvements, instead of the hand-wheel before mentioned, I mount upon the piston
screw of the metal cylinder, and between two fixed points on the frame of the
machine, a wheel or pulley, which acts as a nut, when rotated, to work the screw in
or out as desired.-This pulley is connected by band or otherwise with a second

page_text: pulley mounted at one end of a shaft arranged parallel to the piston. On the same
shaft are mounted loosely a band pulley with a coned boss, and a fly wheel, also with
a coned. boss.
Between the coned bosses of the pulley and fly wheel, and connected by a feather
to the shaft, is a double coned friction clutch, which is thrown into gear with either
the pulley or the fly wheel by a suitable handle. On the outer side, the fly wheel is
provided with a band pulley. Both pulleys are driven by belts from over-head
shafting, the belt of the first named pulley being crossed to reverse the direction of
motion of the shaft when required.
A loose pulley is provided for the fly wheel belt, when it is not desired to drive the
fly wheel.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a machine for casting metals arranged
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus for producing a sand-
rope from which the cores are made, and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus or press for making the cores.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections showing various forms of fittings.
A is a frame or table, on one end of which is fixed a mould box B.-C are the
moulds, which are forced and held together by a screw C¹ and follower.-D is the
metal cylinder, which is placed on a sliding bed D¹, capable of being moved horizon-
tally by the screw D².
The metal cylinder D I form with a charging mouth D³, of considerable width and
depth, which will allow the molten metal to run easily and rapidly into the cylinder,
and also permit of the egress of all air before the piston closes up the charging mouth
as it moves forward.
E is a piston working in the cylinder D, and capable of being moved in either
direction by the pulley E', working on the threaded piston rod E2 between two fixed
points A A on the frame A.
Upon a shaft F, arranged parallel to the piston E, is mounted a pulley or chain
wheel F¹, which is connected with the wheel E' on the piston rod by a chain or
band F2, or it may be by gearing. On the same shaft is mounted a loose pulley F3
and a fly wheel G. Between the pulley F3 and the fly wheel G, each of which
has a coned, boss, is secured, by a feather, a double coned friction clutch H, which
is capable of being thrown into gear with either the pulley or the fly wheel by
a suitable lever H.-Secured to the fly wheel is a pulley G', and this pulley as
well as the pulley F³, are connected by belts G² and F respectively with over-head
shafting (not shown).
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose the fly wheel G is being driven, the molten metal is poured quickly into
the cylinder D through the charging mouth D³, and before its movement is arrested,
the clutch lever H' is pushed over, so as to bring the clutch H into gear with the
coned boss of the fly wheel G. Motion is thus communicated to the shaft F, and,
through the pulleys or wheels F¹ E¹, to the screw, which rapidly drives forward the
piston E in the metal cylinder D.
The molten metal thus kept continuously in motion, is forced into the moulds C,
and when the moulds are full, the piston E (the momentum of the fly wheel G being
kept up) stops with a jerk, and so to speak, gives a final squeeze to the metal, which
is thus compressed in the moulds C, and rendered homogeneous and free from air or
pin holes.
When the moulds are full, the cylinder D is withdrawn from the mould box by
means of the screw D2, and any superfluous metal adhering to the mould box, can be
knocked off for remelting. The piston E will be withdrawn by throwing the clutch H
into gear with the pulley F³, which, by reason of its crossed belt, will turn the nut E'
in the reverse direction, and work the piston back.
The material with which the cores are made is prepared in the form of a rope by

page_text: means of the apparatus shown partly in section at Fig. 2.-This apparatus has
already been in use for many years, and further description is therefore unnecessary.
The cores for the moulds are formed in a core box of the usual construction, by
means of the press shown at Fig. 3 of the drawings.
L is a table or frame, to one end of which is fixed the standard L.-M is the
core box, formed in two parts, of which one is fixed to the standard L', and the
other is secured to the screw L.-This screw works in a socket attached to
the table L, and is actuated by a hand wheel or otherwise.-When the two parts
of the box are brought together and secured, a portion of the sand rope is inserted
in the opening, the plunger N is brought down, and the material is forced into
all the interstices of the matrix. The plunger N is carried by a counterweighted hand.
lever N¹, which has its fulcrum on a standard N2 fixed to the table L.
In casting the pipe fittings, I so arrange or shape the moulds and cores, that all
the angles or corners shall be round, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the
drawings. In this way I facilitate the flow of the molten metal in the moulds,
and I strengthen the corners, as I obtain an equal thickness of metal all round.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In machinery for casting articles in metal under prossure, applying the
momentum of a fly-wheel to actuate the piston of a cylinder into which the molten
metal is run, previous to being forced into the moulds, as and for the purpose set
forth.
2. In machinery for casting articles in metal under pressure, the combination with
the piston rod of the metal cylinder, of means as shown and described for communi-
cating motion to said piston rod in either direction.
3. The core press as shown and described with reference to Fig. 3 of the
drawings.
4. Making pipe fittings in cast metal with rounded corners or angles, as and for
the purpose set forth.
5. In machinery for casting articles in metal under pressure, the use of a cylindrical
molten metal receiver having a wide and deep charging mouth, as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.