THIRD DAY

F r i d a y m o r n in g w as o c cu p ie d by t h e m em b e rs a n d la d ie s in v is itin g v a r io u s w o rk s in t h e n e ig h ­ b o u rh o o d of N e w c astle .

Luncheon.

L a t e r , t h e m e m b e rs a n d la d ie s w e re e n te r ta i n e d to lu n c h e o n a t th e G r a n d A ssem bly R o o m s, B a r r a s B rid g e , by t h e C o n v e n tio n C o m m itte e . T h e P r e s i­

d e n t w as in t h e c h a ir .

Co l o n e l Ch e e s e w r i g i i t, D .S .O ., w ho, in a n a m u s in g sp e e ch , p ro p o se d t h e t o a s t o f “ T h e N ew - c a s tle -o n -T y n e B r a n c h ,” s a id a ll w o u ld a g re e w ith h im t h a t t h e B r a n c h h a d p u t u p a m o s t w o n d e rfu l show . T h e C o n v e n tio n h a d b e e n su c h t h a t h e v e n ­ t u r e d t o t h i n k i t w o u ld b e v e ry d ifficu lt f o r o th e r to w n s t o follow N e w c a s tle ’s e x a m p le . H e h a d b e en v e ry m u ch im p re ss e d w ith t h e h o s p ita lity w h ich h a d b e en e x te n d e d to t h e I n s t i t u t e b y t h e N ew ­ c a s tle B r a n c h , a n d , on b e h a lf o f t h e m em b e rs a n d la d ie s , h e o ffered g r a t e f u l th a n k s .

Mr. R . Bu c h a n a n ( P a s i> P r e s id e n t) , w ho s u p ­ p o r te d t h e to a s t, s a id t h e w hole C o n v e n tio n h a d b e en w o n d e rfu l, a n d i t h a d b e en a d e lig h t to be p r e s e n t. T h e la b o u r o f t h e C o n v e n tio n C o m m itte e a n d o f a ll th o s e w ho h a d c o n tr ib u te d t o t h e p le a ­ s u r e o f t h e m em b e rs of th e I n s t i t u t e a n d t h e lad ie s so effe c tiv e ly , m u s t h a v e b e e n a la b o u r of love, a n d h e e x p re s s e d th a n k s to M r. W ood, M r. Y ou n g ,

M r. P a r s o n s , M r. G r e s ty , a n d M r. S to b ie in p a r ­

o w n c o u n try m e n , w ho a lw ay s r e g a r d e d t h e B r itis h as r e a l fr ie n d s .

Mo n s. P . Ch e v e n a r d, s p e a k in g in F r e n c h , also r e tu r n e d t h a n k s fo r h is v e ry c o rd ia l r e c e p tio n ; in th e n a m e o f t h e A s so c ia tio n T e c h n iq u e d e F o n d e rie d e F r a n c e , a n d o f h is c o u n try m e n g e n e ra lly , h e m u s t s a y “ M e r c i.”

F o llo w in g t h e lu n c h e o n , t h e m em b e rs a n d la d ie s s p lit i n to tw o p a r tie s , o n e o f w h ic h d ro v e by m o to r t o R o th b u r y , a t t h e in v it a ti o n of t h e C o n v e n tio n C o m m itte e , w h ilst th e o th e r w e n t f o r a sa il dow n t h e T y n e, by in v ita tio n o f t h e T y n e Im p ro v e m e n t C o m m issio n ers.

THE PRODUCTION OFiCASTINGS IN PERMANENT MOULDS.*

A m e r ic a n E x c n a n g e P a p e r .

By Robert J. Andersont and M. Edward Boyd.t

INTRODUCTION.

I n t h e p ro d u c tio n o f c a s tin g s , i n te r e s t h a s a lw a y s b e en show n in a tt e m p t s t o d e v is e a n d e m p lo y m oulds t h a t w ou ld b e p e r m a n e n t o r s e m i- p e r m a n e n t in n a tu r e , th e r e b y e lim in a tin g t h e p r o c e d u r e of d e s tro y in g t h e m o u ld w ith e v e ry p o u r , a s in s a n d p ra c tic e . I n c o n n e c tio n w ith a n i n v e s tig a tio n c a r ­ r ie d o u t in t h e U .S . B u r e a u o f M in e s on t h e p r o ­ d u c tio n o f a lu m in iu m -a llo y m o to r p is to n s in p e r m a ­ n e n t m o u ld s,®0 s tu d y w as m a d e o f t h e p e r m a n e n t - m o u ld p ro cess in g e n e r a l, a n d m o re p a r t i c u l a r l y o f i ts a p p lic a tio n to t h e a lu m in iu m - a llo y field.

P e r m a n e n t m o u ld s a r e now e m p lo y e d i n m a n y b ra n c h e s o f t h e fo u n d r y i n d u s tr y , a n d in t h e p r e ­ s e n t P a p e r i t is t h e w r i t e r s ’ o b je c t t o d isc u ss p e rm a n e n t-m o u ld c a s tin g in g e n e r a l, a n d t o p o i n t o u t th e a p p lic a tio n s a n d l im ita tio n s o f t h e p ro c e s s as c o m p a re d w ith o th e r c a s tin g m e th o d s.

T h e p rin c ip le s in v o lv e d in t h e p r o d u c tio n c f c a s tin g s in p e r m a n e n t m o u ld s ( i.e ., m e ta llic m oulds) h a v e b e e n k n o w n a n d p r a c t is e d s in c e 3000 B .C ., b u t t h e c a s t-iro n m o u ld as i t is k n o w n a n d u se d to -d a y h a s b e e n em p lo y e d o n ly a b o u t 150 y e a rs . M o re o v er, t h e c r e a tio n o f p e r m a n e n t- m o u ld c a s tin g as a n i m p o r t a n t a n d s e p a r a t e in d u s t r y is a r e la tiv e ly r e c e n t a c h ie v e m e n t. T h e p e r m a n e n

t-* P u blished bv perm ission of th e D irector— U .S . Bureau of Mine9, and read before th e N ew ca stle C onference.

t M etallurgist, U .S . Bureau o f M ines. E x p erim en t S t a ., P itts- purgh, P a

t Form erly A sst. M etallu rgist, U .S . Bureau of M ines, E x ­ p erim en t S ta ., P ittsb u rg h , P a .

• '

Fig. 1‘.—OpenStoneMouldfoeCastinga Celt. (Johnson.) Fig. 2.—HalfofCompoundStoneMould, UsedforCastingaTangedKnife. (Johnson.) Fig. 3.—HalfofCompoundStoneMould, UsedforCastingaDagger Blade. (Johnson.)

m o u ld c a s tin g o f m e ta ls a n d a llo y s a n te d a t e s sa n d

A r t ; D r. C. W. M e a d , of t h e A m e ric a n M u seu m o f N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ; a n d D r. B . L a n f e r , o f th e F ie ld M u s eu m o f N a t u r a l H is to r y . O th e r a ck n o w ­ le d g m e n ts a r e m a d e sp e c ifica lly in t h e t e x t .

History of the Permanent-Mould Process.

W h ile t h e h is to r y o f c a s tin g m e ta ls a n d alloys is o f u n u s u a l i n te r e s t t o t h e a c a d e m ic m e ta llu r g is t a n d a lso o f m o re g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t in t r a c i n g t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f f o u n d r y p r a c tic e , t h e s u b je c t c a n b e d e a lt w ith o n ly v e ry s u p e rfic ia lly h e r e . So f a r as is k n o w n , c a s ti n g in p e r m a n e n t a n d se m i­

p e r m a n e n t m o u ld s a n te d a te s s a n d c a s tin g b y t h o u ­ s a n d s of y e a rs , a n d v e r y e a r ly in t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f p r e -h is to r ic m a n s to n e a n d b ro n z e m o u ld s w e re em p lo y e d fo r f o r m in g to o ls a n d im p le m e n ts of w a r f a r e . A c c o rd in g t o M o ld e n k e,* “ so f a r as a c t u a l e v id e n c e is c o n ce rn ed , m e n tio n h a s b e en m a d e o f t h e a n c ie n ts c a s tin g iro n , a n d u n q u e s tio n ­ ab ly in g r e e n -s a n d o p e n m o u ld s, b u t t h e a r t w as lo s t d u r i n g t h e e a r ly p e rio d s o f h is to ry . T h e first, m e n tio n o f a c t u a l c a s tin g s w h ich c a n b e d o c u ­ m e n te d is in 1370 a.d. , in t h e t e s ta m e n t o f t h e B ish o p o f P o itie r s . H e r e , u n q u e s tio n a b ly , t h e r e fe r e n c e is t o g re e n -s a n d c a s tin g s .” So f a r as is k n o w n , t h e p ro c ess o f c a s tin g in p e r m a n e n t m o u ld s d a te s b a c k t o t h e e a r ly B ro n z e A g e (3000 B . C . , a t le a s t) , a n d t h e m e th o d s o f c a s tin g a s e m p lo y ed by t h e p r e -h is to r ic f o u n d e r h a v e b e en v e ry well d isc u sse d b y J o h n s o n.24

T h e f ir s t m o u ld s e m p lo y e d b y e a r ly fo u n d e rs , so f a r as is k n o w n , w e re v e r y c ru d e o p e n m o u ld s, fo rm e d o f d a y a n d b u r n e d h a r d . S u c h m o u ld s w ere p ro b a b ly o n ly s e m i- p e r m a n e n t a n d w ith sto o d o n ly a few c a s t s ; v e ry fe w of th e m a r e in e x is te n c e to -d a y . P r o b a b ly a lm o s t c o n te m p o ra n e o u s w ith t h e o p e n c la y m o u ld , a n d d o u b tle ss t h e o r ig in a l p r e c u r s o r o f t h e p r e s e n t- d a y p e r m a n e n t m o u ld , w as th e o p e n s to n e m o u ld . L a r g e n u m b e rs o f th e s e m o u ld s h a v e b e e n fo u n d in t h e e x c a v a tio n o f r u in s , a n d a r e in t h e p o ssessio n o f t h e B r itis h M u seu m a n d o t h e r m u se u m s. T h ese m o u ld s w e re m a d e by g o u g in g o u t a c a v ity in t h e fa c e o f a s o f t ro c k , such as s a n d s to n e , m ic a ce o u s s la te , o r so a p sto n e , a n d m o st o f th e m a r e o f v e ry sim p le d e sig n . S u c h c a s tin g s a s f la t a x es a n d c e lts w e re p o u re d in th e

* P r iv a te c o m m u n ic a tio n . 1?. M o ld en k e. D ec. 24, 1923.

o p e n s to n e m o u ld s. B y p o u r in g c o p p e r o r bro n ze in to th e s e m o u ld s, sim p le w e a p o n s co u ld b e fo rm ed , a n d u s u a lly th e s e w e re g iv e n f u r t h e r s h a p e b y h a m ­ m e r in g a n d t h e n s h a r p e n e d on a sto n e . O pen s to n e m o u ld s h a v e b e en fo u n d in I r e l a n d a n d E n g ­ la n d . F i g . 1 show s a n o p e n s to n e m o u ld u se d fo r c a s tin g a c e lt. T h is m o u ld w as f o u n d n e a r B a lly ­ m e n a , C o u n ty A n tr im , I r e la n d .

F o llo w in g t h e o p e n s to n e a n d o p e n clay m o u ld s c a m e t h e c o m p o u n d c la y a n d c o m p o u n d s to n e m o u ld s. T h e s e c o m p o u n d m o u ld s w e re p a r t e d in h a lv e s, a n d som e o f t h e sp e c im e n s fo u n d e x h ib it t r u l y r e m a r k a b le sk ill a n d i n g e n u ity in d e s ig n by t h e p r e h is to r ic fo u n d e r. T h e m o u ld c a v ity a n d

Fi g. 4 . — Ha l f o f a n Op e n St o n e Mo u l d f k o m Is l a n d o f Cr e t e. (C o u r te s y , M e tr o p o lita n M u s e u m o f

A r t.)

gates_ w ere c u t in t h e tw o h a lv e s of t h e m o u ld s , a n d th e s e e a rly m o u ld s a r e s im ila r in p r in c ip le o f d e s ig n a n d o p e r a tio n to p r e s e n t- d a y p e r m a n e n t m o u ld s . F ig . 2 show s h a lf o f a c o m p o u n d s to n e m o u ld u s e d f o r c a s tin g a ta n g e d k n if e , a n d fo u n d n e a r B a lly - m oney, C o u n ty A n tr im , I r e la n d . T h is m o u ld w a s c u t in clo se-g ra in e d s a n d s to n e . F i g . 3 sh o w s h a lf o f a s im ila r m o u ld u s e d f o r c a s tin g a d a g g e r b la d e . T h e c o m p o u n d s to n e m o u ld w a s d e v e lo p e d t o a h ig h s t a te of p e rfe c tio n , a n d w as e m p lo y e d f o r c a s tin g d a g g e rs, sw ord b la d e s, s p e a r h e a d s , a n d o th e r w eap o n s, as w ell as to o ls. F ig . 4 sho w s h a lf o f a co m p o u n d sto n e m o u ld o b ta in e d fr o m t h e is la n d of C r e t e ; t h is m o u ld w as c u t in s t e a t i t e ( a m assiv e v a r ie ty of ta lc , k n o w n u s u a lly a s s o a p sto n e ).

Fi g. 5 . — Go l d Fi g u r e w i t h

Fi l i g r e e Wo r k f r o m Co l o m b ia. (C o u r te s y , A m e r ic a n M u s e u m o f N a tu r a l H is to r y .)

S to n e , t e r r a - c o t t a , a n d so m e s o r t of w a x m o u ld s w ere u se d b y t h e a n c ie n t P e r u v ia n s ,* a n d F ig . £>

show s a g old f ig u re w ith filig re e w o rk , c a s t in C o lo m b ia, p ro b a b ly in a w ax m o u ld . I t s h o u ld be p o in te d o u t t h a t t h e filig re e w o rk on t h i s o b je c t w as n o t so ld e re d o n , b u t is a n i n te g r a l p a r t o t 0

c a s tin g . , . .

F o llo w in g t h e s to n e m o u ld s, a n d m a r k in g a n o th e r a d v a n c e i n t h e p r o g r e s s o f t h e a n c ie n t fo u n d e r in t h e a r t o f c a s tin g , c a m e t h e b ro n z e m oulds. T h ese m o u ld s w e re f ir s t c o p ie d fro m t n e

e a r lie r s to n e m o u ld s. B ro n z e m o u ld s w ith s to o d t h e ero siv e a c tio n o f liq u id c o p p e r a n d b ro n z e b e t t e r t h a n t h e c la y a n d s to n e m o u ld s. B ro n z e m o u ld s h a v e b e e n fo u n d in la r g e n u m b e r s in N o r t h e r n F r a n c e a n d in E n g la n d , a n d th e y w e re u s e d f o r c a s tin g celts, d a g g e rs , g o u g es, p a ls ta v e s , a n d o t h e r w eap o n s, a n d to o ls. I n th e s e m o u ld s t h e r e is sh o w n a te n d e n c y to w a r d m o re c o m p lic a tio n i n d e sig n a n d in c h a r a c te r of c a s tin g s m a d e . F i g . 6 sho w s a b ro n z e m o u ld u se d f o r c a s tin g g o u g e s ; t h i s w a s fo u n d n e a r P le n e e J u g o n , in B r i t t a n y . T h e tw o h a lv e s of t h e m o u ld a r e show n in t h e fig u re . T h is w as a c o re d m o u ld , a n d , w h en p u t to g e th e r , a b ro n z e p i n w as in s e r te d th r o u g h t h e tr a n s v e r s e

Fi g. 6 . — T w o Ha l v e s o p Br o n z e Mo u l d f o r Ca s t i n g Go u g e s.

( J o h n s o n ) .

* P r iv a te c o m m u n ic a tio n , C. W . M ead , D ee. 2 6 , J.9 2 3 .

FjG7—XorHalfofCopperMouldfromChina; bottomSpear Casttherefrom. (Cour­ tesy, FieldMvseum ofNatural History.)

h o le sh o w n in t h e le f t- h a n d h a lf t o k e e p t h e core

t h a n i n t h e f e rr o u s , d u e la r g e ly t o t h e fe w e r diffi­

I n t h e n o n - f e r r o u s field, t h e p e r m a n e n t- m o u ld p ro c ess is u se d f o r c a s tin g b ra ss, b ro n z e , a lu m in iu m b ro n z e, a n d l ig h t a lu m in iu m a llo y s, a n d i t c an be a d o p te d f o r t h e p r o d u c tio n of c a s tin g s in a n y of th e u s u a l c o m m e rc ia l n o n - f e r r o u s allo y s. T h e p ro ­ cess h a s b e e n e m p lo y e d v e iy la r g e ly in th e a lu m in iu m -a llo y field f o r m a k in g p is to n s .°° I n a l a t e r s e c tio n o f t h e P a p e r t h e v a r io u s k in d s 01 a llo y s u se d in p e r m a n e n t- m o u ld c a s tin g a n d th e ty p e s of c a s tin g s m a d e w ill b e d isc u sse d , a n d th e a p p lic a tio n s o f c e r t a i n v a r ia ti o n s of t h e p e r m a n e n t- m o u ld p ro c ess to t h e p ro d u c tio n o f c e r t a i n ty p e s o f c a s tin g s w ill b e t a k e n u p in t h e fo llo w in g s e c tio n .

TYPES OF PROCESSES INVOLVING THE USE OF