US1072436A - Manufacture of metal bars, rails, &c. - Google Patents

Description

T. A. DIGKS. MANUFACTURE OF METAL BARS, RAILS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOFI Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

T. A. DICKS. MANUFACTURE OF METAL BARS,

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1,

RAILS, 6m.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

T 2 SHEETS-SHEETZ.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. DICKS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK P. LAUFFER, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,821.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs A. Dream, a resident of \Vilkinsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in the Manufacture of Metal Bars, Rails, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3 are views, largely diagrammatic, illustrating different steps in my improved method, and hereinafter more fully described; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of parts of the apparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method; Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in section, of one form of mold which may be employed; and Fig. 8 is a front view partly broken away of the same.

My invention has relation to the manufacture of elongated metal articles, such as rails, bars, and the like. In the manufacture of articles of this character by the usual open hearth process, in which the metal is first cast into an ingot and then rolled down, it is, as is well known, very diflicult to obtain uniformity of metal due to piping, etc., in the ingot. have been made to overcome this difficulty, but they have not been entirely successful.

My invention is designed to provide a method by means of which railway rails, bars, and other elongated metal objects can be manufactured in a manner to insure uniformity of structure throughout their length and section, the possibility of blow holes and defective spots being eliminated.

To this end my invention consists in the method of manufacture, which consists in first casting an annular ingot in a rotating centrifugal mold, subsequently cutting this annular ingot, straightening it out, and then roll-finishing it. This roll-finishing may be accompanied with any desired degree of reduction and elongation of the metal, and may be carried out either by reheating, either before or after straightening; or in some cases it can be carried out from the original heat, the ingot being removed from {)he centrifugal mold while still at a red eat.

In carrying out my invention, any suitable apparatus may be employed. In the Many attempts accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a suitable apparatus for this purpose, which I'will now describe, it being premised, however, that the apparatus shown is clearly illustrative and that my invention is not confined to the use thereof.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates a circular mold body, mounted upon a rotating shaft 3 supported in suitable bearings 4 and driven from any suitable source of power. The rotating mold body 2 is provided with a seat in which is detachably secured a mold ring 5.

6 designates a face plate, which is adapted to be detachably secured to the open side of the mold body 2, and mold ring 5. For this purpose I have shown the mold body as having the bolts 7 arranged to fit openings in the face plate and having slots at their outer ends to receive suitable keys 8.

9 designates a pouring receptacle, which I have shown as mounted upon a carriage.

10, the latter being in turn mounted upon a truck 11, the carriage 10 and truck 11 being mounted to travel at right angles to each other. The receptacle 9 has a pouring nozzle 12 arranged to discharge metal into the cavity of the mold ring, while the latter is being rotated. 13 is a refractory stopper for the pouring nozzle. 14 designates a plurality of non-radial vent openings for venting the mold cavity of the mold ring.

As the metal is poured into the revolving mold, it is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, and forms a dense uniform annular casting, which mav be of any desired crosssection. After the ingot has been cast in this manner, the truck 11 and carriage 10 are moved out of the way and the face plate 6 is removed. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner. For this purpose I have shown a spider 15 (see Figs.

and 6), which is mounted on an endwise movable and rotatable shaft 15, the whole being carried by a suitable truck 16. After the pouring receptacle 9 has been removed in the manner described, the spider 15 is brought up to the mold and is advanced and rotated into engagement with the lugs 17 on the face plate. The securing keys having been removed from the bolts 7, the spider can now be retracted and bring with it the face plate.

The next step is the removal of the annular ingot A from the mold ring. This also may be accomplished in Various ways. In Figs. 2 and at I have shown a toggle arm device 18, the radial to gle members of Which are provided at their outer ends with grips 19 adapted to engage the inner periphery of the ingot. The device is provided with the crane attachment 20, and the lifting action of the crane will spread the togglemembers to cause the grips to securely engage the ingot and permit it to be removed.

The-next step is the severing of the ingot at one or more points. It will usually be severed at one point, preferably by means of a hot saw such as shown at 21 in Fig. 2. It is then taken to the straightening rolls 22 (see Fig. 3), and is straightened out into bar form. It is then either carried directly to the finishing rolls 23, or it may be reheated intermediate the, straightening rolls and finishing rolls.

The finishing rolls may be of the proper character to give any desired reduction in cross-section-to the ingot bar. If, for instance, the bar is to be finished into rails, the rolls will be given the appropriate passes for this purpose.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The superior density and uniformity of the small castings which have heretofore been produced in centrifugal molds is well known.

My invention makes use of a centrifugal mold in the manufacture of relatively large annular ingots, which are subsequently cut, straightened and roll finished.

What I claim is The herein described method of manufacturing metal bars,'rails, and the like, having a high degree of uniformity of density of the metal thereof, which consists in casting an annular ingot of rollable dimensions in a rotating centrifugal mold, and then, without any substantial change in the cross-section of the ingot, straightening it and submitting it to rolling in suitable rolls to thereby reduce and finish it to final form; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' THOMAS A. DICKS. Witnesses:

R. A. BALDERSON, H. M. CORWIN.

Images