IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING MACHINES FOR MAKING AND RAMMING MOULDS FOR SMALL CASTINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ezard, of Bradford, in the County of Lancaster,
Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING MACHINES
FOR MAKING AND RAMMING MOULDS FOR SMALL CASTINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ezard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1878.
CHARLES EZARD, of Bradford, in the County of Lancaster, Ironfounder.
PROVEMENTS IN MOULDING MACHINES FOR MAKING AND RAMMING MOULDS FOR
SMALL CASTINGS."
"IM-
My Invention has reference to moulding machines for making and ramming
moulds for small castings.
The improved machine for this purpose consists of a cylinder bolted to a foun-
dation plate and containing a ram, which has a table fixed to the top. A box with
a plate attached is laid on the table; the moulding box is then placed over the first
named box, and a skeleton box above the upper box. All the boxes having been
filled with sand, water from a hydraulic pump or an accumulator is now admitted
to the cylinder so as to raise the ram together with the table and boxes against an
upper fixed table or plate. The sand is thus compressed tightly in the mould boxes.
When sufficient pressure has been exerted the upper box is made fast by springs or
otherwise to the upper table, and the water being then allowed to escape from the
cylinder the ram with the lower table and lower box and attached plate descend,
leaving the upper box attached to the upper table. The springs or other means of
attachment being then released the moulding box is removed, and the same ope-
rations may be repeated with another box. By the means above described I am
enabled to ram the box and draw the patterns at one rise and fall of the ram.
I employ one ram for the top moulding box and another for the bottom moulding
box, both rams being carried by the same foundation, and bolted together at the
corner with strong columns and bolts. Two boys can thus make complete moulds
continuously.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the Baid Charles Ezard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th June
1879.
16
CHARLES EZARD, of Bradford, in the County of Lancaster, Ironfounder. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MOULDING MACHINES FOR MAKING AED RAMMING MOULDS FOR
SMALL CASTINGS."
My Invention has reference to moulding machines for making and ramming
moulds for small castings, and it consists essentially in obtaining the necessary
compression of the sand in the mould boxes by bydraulic power instead of by the
ordinary method of ramming.
The improved machine for this purpose consists of a cylinder bolted to a foun-
dation plate, and containing a ram which has a table fixed to the top. A box is
laid on the table; the moulding box is then placed over the first named box, and a
skeleton or loose box above the upper box. All the boxes having been filled with
sand, water from a hydraulic pump or an accumulator is now admitted to the
cylinder so as to raise the ram together with the table and boxes against an upper
fixed table or plate. The sand is thus compressed tightly in the mould boxes.
When sufficient pressure has been exerted the upper box is made fast to the upper
table, and the water being then allowed to escape from the cylinder the ram with.
the lower table and lower box descend, leaving the upper box attached to the upper
table. The means of attachment being then released the moulding box is removed,
and the same operations may be repeated with another box. By the means above
described I am enabled to ram the box and draw the patterns at one rise and fall.
of the ram.
I employ one ram for the top moulding box and another for the bottom moulding
box, both rams being carried by the same foundation. Two boys can thus make
complete moulds continuously.
In order that my Invention and the manner of performing the same may be fully
understood I annex a Sheet of Drawings representing one of my moulding
machines, which I will now proceed to describe. Figure 1 is a front elevation,
and Figure 2 a side elevation of the machine. a is the foundation or bed plate, to
which are bolted or fixed strong columns b, b, which support at their upper end a
head or top c; d, d', are two hydraulic cylinders, each containing a ram e and e',
and each of these rams has a table fƒ and f¹ fixed to the top, also a guide f2; g is a
pipe for supplying the water from a hydraulic pump or an accumulator to the
cylinders d, d¹; h, h', are cocks for opening or shutting off communication as
required between the pipe g and the respective cylinders; i, i, are the outlets from
the cylinders, these outlets being likewise provided with cocks; k is a hopper to
contain the sand for supplying the mould boxes; 1, 11, are passages which allow the
sand to pass into the mould boxes when the slide or shutter m or m' at the bottom
is opened; n, n¹, are upper tables or parts against which the pressure of the
respective rams is received. The height of these tables can be made adjustable in
any suitable manner so as to regulate the pressure. The ram e is for making and
ramming the mould in, say, the top mould box, and the ram el for making and
ramming the mould in, say, the bottom mould box. Referring first to the ram e,
on its table is placed a box o, to which the patterns are attached, and having also
an upright piece or projection p for forming the git or metal runner in the mould.
This projection enters a hole in the boss p¹ when the ram rises; a cup with a hole
at the bottom is thus formed in the mould ready for the metal to be run in. Upon
the box o is placed the mould box q, which in the Drawing is shown in a position
it occupies subsequently. Sand having been admitted into the box q by opening
the slide m, and this slide having then been closed water is admitted to the cylin-
der d so as to raise the ram e, and thereby force the boxes against the part n and
compress the sand tightly. Sufficient pressure having been exerted the box q is

page_text: held up in the position seen in Figure 1 by means of a pair of arms, one of which
is seen at r, Figure 1, the water being then allowed to escape from the cylinder d.
the ram e descends with the box o to be ready for the next operation. The arms r
are carried by a sleeve or collar on a bracket 8, which is free to be raised and
lowered on a vertical bar t, which bar has a rack, into which takes a pinion on the
shaft of a band wheel u mounted in the bracket 8. The arms can also be swung
round with their sleeve or collar so as to take hold of the mould box in connection
with each of the rams e, e', as required, and the bar t on which the arms r and
their bracket & are carried can be run backwards and forwards as required on the
carriage v mounted on rails or guides. The ram e having been lowered with the
box o, as before described, the box q is then lowered by means of the arms r, and
deposited upon a table, indicated at w, and which can be placed where most con-
venient. The arms rare then swung round to the other ram to hold up, and then
subsequently remove in like manner the bottom moulding box q' therefrom. The
operation with this box is similar to that hereinbefore described with reference to
the top box g. x represents in dotted lines a loose box placed on the box q¹ to
hold the extra quantity of sand required for ramming this box. The box x is
wider than the upper table n¹, so that as the ram rises the box x may pass the
table n', and allow it to press the sand into the box q¹.
In working the bottom mould, box q¹ will be deposited first upon the table w,
and then the top mould box q. The bottom box q¹ must previously be turned over,
and to facilitate this it is formed with a pair of trunnions or projections, one of
which is seen at y, on which it can be turned over while supported by the
arms 7.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Constructing machines whereby the making and ramming of moulds for
castings is effected by hydraulic pressure, substantially as hereinbefore described,
and represented in the annexed Drawings.
Second. The combination with a hydraulic ram of the pattern box attached
thereto, of the mould box, and of the upper table or part against which the boxes
are forced in order to compress the sand, substantially as hereinbefore described, and
represented in the annexed Drawings.
Third. The holding of the mould box against the upper table after the com-
pressing operation, substantially as hereinbefore described, and represented in the
annexed Drawings.
Fourth. The general arrangement or combination of parts, as hereinbefore
described, and represented in the annexed Drawings, forming an improved moulding
machine for making and ramming moulds for castings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ezard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine.
CHARLES EZARD, (LS.)